Norris passed Mercedes driver near finish of Qatar GP
Red Bull had initially hinted at foul play in title fight
The Mercedes teenage driver Kimi Antonelli has been subjected to death threats after Red Bull suggested he deliberately moved out of Lando Norris’s way in the closing stages of the Qatar Grand Prix.
Norris was elevated to fourth after Antonelli ran wide on the penultimate lap of Sunday’s race. Norris gained two points from Antonelli’s mistake which means he now can finish third, rather than runner-up at this weekend’s season finale in Abu Dhabi, to be assured of beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to the title.
So, it’s only right that Warriors legend Steph Curry — one of the region’s greatest faces in sports history — passes down some nuggets about embracing local greatness to San Jose’s cornerstone.
Curry shared his advice for Celebrini in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole and Bonta Hill for the latest edition of “Dubs Talk.”
“Patience is the hard thing for a young guy coming into a tough situation, where your team hasn’t won in a long time, [and it’s] trying to figure out the right identity, the right combination of guys that could get to that next level, become a playoff team and take the necessary steps,” Curry told Poole and Hill.
“It’s really hard in the moment, when he works as hard as he does and you approach the game like he does.”
Curry believes the 19-year-old needs to have a big-picture vision, as the Sharks, despite their fun start to the 2025-26 NHL season, still have a way to go before they reach their peak of the Celebrini Era.
The sharpshooter would know.
Curry has won four NBA Finals throughout his 17-year career in the Bay. But at the start, the Warriors weren’t contenders, as it took three seasons for Curry to reach the playoffs for the first time and three more campaigns before Golden State hoisted the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
Fortunately for Curry, he has had the chance to talk to Macklin, in addition to routinely speaking with his father, Rick, who is the Warriors’ director of sports medicine and performance.
“I got to talk to [Macklin] a couple times,” Curry said. “I talk to Rick every day; when I’m on the table, I’m like, ‘How’s Mack doing?’ So, I’m getting all that intel. But it’s just hard to keep that tunnel vision on, continue to get better, continue to keep your joy for the game through all the ups and downs of a tough team situation early in your career.
“That’s one thing we both have in common, in the sense of what my first three years looked like with the Warriors. Good comes with good, and if he stays the course … hopefully he’s a lifer in San Jose, and they’re able to figure out the right roster that he can help elevate and get to that next level, and continue to adapt from there.”
It appears that Celebrini and the Sharks will be running the NHL sooner rather than later.
But before then, Curry hopes Celebrini understands that consistent winning will come with time — even if that’s a hard pill to swallow.
“But don’t lose your joy though it all, because it’s tough in the beginning when all you want to do is win,” Curry said. “It’s kind of out of your control, but if you can keep getting better through it …”
The Sharks believe Sam Dickinson can handle the rigors of the NHL. That’s why the 2024 No. 11 pick still is on the roster.
So what do they like about Dickinson in the NHL now? And how can the teenage blueliner get better and better this year?
The Sharks had the option, about a month ago, of sending the 19-year-old back to his junior club, which would have been advantageous for them, contractually. The beginning of Dickinson’s three-year entry-level contract would “slide” to next season, meaning Year 1 of three would not kick off until 2026-27. That, consequently, would keep the top defensive prospect at a bargain ELC rate for longer.
Instead, the Sharks started the clock on Dickinson’s contract this season.
Physically, there’s already a lot to like about Dickinson. He’s 6-foot-4, NHL-strong, skilled, and can skate like the wind.
Per Stathletes, he’s actually a top-20 defenseman in the league in these four key 5-on-5 per 60 rate stats, as of Nov. 30: High-danger chances, inner slot carries, offensive turnovers created, and puck recoveries.
Dickinson is fifth in high-danger chances and fourth in 5-on-5 inner slot carries, speaking to how confident that he is with his skating and skill to carry the puck into the best scoring areas.
Top defensemen Matthew Schaefer, Cale Makar, and Dougie Hamilton are among the leaders in these categories.
Here’s an example:
Smith (2) intercepts the pass, Celebrini (71) off to the races, Dickinson (6) joins the rush (11.26.25) pic.twitter.com/WhsGZi3XZJ
Will Smith (2) picks off the Sam Malinski (70) pass. Dickinson (6) recognizes that this is the time to attack, and simply beats Joel Kiviranta (94) up the ice. Macklin Celebrini (71) sees Dickinson, and draws Malinski to him, before laying a perfect backhand pass for Dickinson to skate into.
Dickinson has just a goal and an assist in 19 NHL games, but the production is coming.
He’s 16th in OZ turnovers created, in part because his size and quickness make him effective pinching along the wall, preventing his opposition from exiting the zone.
Zach Werenski, Lane Hutson, and Rasmus Dahlin are among the leaders in this category.
He’s 16th in puck recoveries, a tribute to his skating and instincts, to know where the puck is going and get to it first.
Mackenzie Weegar, Jake Sanderson, and Shea Theodore are among the leaders in this category.
But perhaps more important than his physical attributes coming to the forefront in the best league in the world?
“He definitely gets rattled around a little bit, and it doesn’t seem like it bothers him, which is a real positive for a young man,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said, after the Sharks’ decision to keep Dickinson.
To be a rookie defenseman in the NHL, you’ve got to be mentally tough. Your fault or not, it’s often the back of your jersey that fans see when a goal is allowed. It can be overwhelming for some youngsters.
Dickinson, to his credit, has bounced back from his worst games and plays this season.
Case in point, in October against the New York Islanders, when his turnover led to a Casey Cizikas goal:
Two shifts later though, an aggressive Dickinson read, which showcased his size and athleticism, led to an Adam Gaudette goal:
Air Dickinson!
Great keep in, Misa gets his first NHL point with a primary apple dunked home by Gaudette. 🍏🚨 Graf is having a hell of a game. #SJSharkspic.twitter.com/7L1CyrKeA7
But Dickinson, for all his prodigious talents, still has plenty to learn, especially on the defensive side of the puck.
There’s a reason why the Sharks have limited his ice time, 14:30 a night, which is last among San Jose blueliners.
Two things stand out to Warsofsky right now.
“Starting the game on time is important. I think he sometimes feels his way through the game, which I understand as a young 19-year-old defenseman,” Warsofsky said.
“It’s tough. You get a lot coming at you right away. There’s the energy in the building. It’s loud. There’s a lot of things that go on mentally to get ready for the game,” he noted. “Your routine and everything, the schedule, the travel, where we’re at, did we skate? Did we not skate? So getting your body to feel right and mentally to feel right.”
Ex-AHL assistant coach Jack Han added, “As a big-minutes player in juniors, it’s understandable that someone like Dickinson would ease into a game at maybe 60-70 percent intensity and then ramp up as he gets warmed up and into the flow of things. However, at the NHL level, as a rookie, on a team that’s not very good at carrying play, he needs to hit the ground running.”
“I’ve been getting better [at] first shift, just being right on the gas, just trying to get into the game right away, not take time to get into it, or anything like that,” Dickinson said. “So whether that’s changing things up pre-game, I’ve definitely tried things and I think [I’m going in the] right.”
The second observation from Warsofsky?
“Reading rushes at this level happens in a millisecond and being able to meet the right read with the right habit of where your stick should be,” he said, “where your body position should be, and then [being] ready to make the next play in a blink of an eye, which happens really fast, and getting more comfortable doing that.”
Han found an example that addresses both of Warsofsky’s criticisms, from Dickinson’s second shift of the game on Nov. 13 at the Calgary Flames.
“He overcommits to his partner’s side of the ice and gives up a shot off the rush,” Han noted. “Shortly thereafter, he makes a somewhat careless pass on a back wall retrieval that almost leads to a Calgary scoring chance.”
“Those are the two big areas that we kind of narrowed in on,” Warsofsky said. “The offensive stuff and the stuff he can do on the blueline and join the rush, he has that, we’re not worried about that.”
Dickinson (6) shakes forecheckers Landeskog (92) and Kelly (17), breaks out Sharks pic.twitter.com/NGmViO1AMI
According to Stathletes, Dickinson is NHL-worst among all blueliners in neutral zone giveaways at 5-on-5 per 60, and ninth-worst in DZ giveaways.
On a better team, Dickinson, frankly, probably isn’t ready for full-time NHL duty. He’s been a bundle of highs and lows, still working on becoming that reliable two-way blueliner that playoff-caliber teams depend on.
That’s not a shot at the 19-year-old: Teen defensemen who are ready to play regular minutes on a contender are few and far between.
That said, the Sharks didn’t necessarily keep Dickinson in the NHL for the player that he is now: They’re keeping him for the player that he will be by the end of this season, and in the coming years.
The NHL is a better place for Dickinson to develop than the OHL, and the Sharks believe he has the mental toughness to handle the best league in the world.
“Can we make this guy a guy we play 25, 26 minutes a night?” Warsofsky said. “That’s what we’re trying to do.”
As Barney Ronay has noted, Arsenal are facing a weekly renewal of the Game You Just Have to Win If You Want to Be Champions. Did this represent a Game You Just Have to Win Because Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo Was Sent Off? Yes and no. The hosts will naturally be more pleased with a point in the context of the first-half red card, while Arsenal perhaps looked a little jaded and below their best overall. But Enzo Maresca’s side were excellent throughout, despite having to play so much of the match with 10 men, and they deserved something from it. Compared with some Chelsea v Arsenal encounters from the olden days (when more overtly physical iterations of the Blues traditionally used to crush the fragile Gunners) there were no signs of weakness, mental or otherwise, from Arteta’s Premier League leaders in a fierce and physical derby. They will experience few harder tests than this, and a point was fair. Luke McLaughlin
The Atlanta Hawks are fifth in the Eastern Conference after their 13th win of the season [Getty Images]
Jalen Johnson scored a career-high 41 points as the Atlanta Hawks clinched a dramatic 142-134 double-overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
The teams were tied at 115-115 at the end of the fourth quarter and 126-126 following the first five-minute period of overtime.
But, after Tyrese Maxey's driving lay-up brought the 76ers level at 132-132, Johnson responded with a pair of three-pointers to help Atlanta move clear.
Maxey led with 44 points for the 76ers, who welcomed back key man Joel Embiid from knee soreness following a nine-game absence.
Embiid scored 18 points in 30 minutes on his return to action.
Elsewhere, LeBron James missed the Los Angeles Lakers' 133-121 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in order to rest a lingering problem with his left foot.
"It is an injury he's had in the past," Lakers coach JJ Redick told ESPN.
"It's something we've had to manage in the past. [We're] just being cautious."
Luka Doncic scored 20 of his 34 points in the first quarter to help the Lakers on their way to a seventh straight victory, with Austin Reaves adding 33 points.
Defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder extended their winning streak to 12 matches with victory at the Portland Trail Blazers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points in a 123-115 win for the Western Conference leaders, who have won 20 of their 21 games this season.
Steph Curry still has an awkward relationship with his stardom.
Even as an 11-time NBA All-Star, 11-time All-NBA member, two-time scoring champ, four-time NBA champion, and two-time league MVP, the Warriors superstar still struggles to wrap his head around the fame.
In an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole and Bonta Hill on “Dubs Talk,” Curry explained why he hasn’t allowed himself to settle into the fame just yet.
“It’s kind of interesting from my perspective because, and this sounds cheesy as hell, but it’s still surreal,” Curry said. “It doesn’t necessarily make sense what this journey has been like. And to your point, I can go back to different moments where you knew you were crossing a different threshold, but you didn’t really give yourself enough time to really settle into whatever was happening, because that just raised the expectations of like now what’re you going to do? From a fan perspective, fans showed up at road arenas, or wearing your All-Star jersey. Just the idea that we were raising the profile of the franchise in terms of individual success on top of team success.
“It’s kind of like a blur to me when I think about it. But when you brought up the question, I could vividly go back to that moment for sure. And I can go back to coming back to the hotel after the 54-piece at MSG. The TV was on SportsCenter and I got wrapped up in the vortex of watching the 60-minute loop, and it came back on and they were still talking about it. And we had lost that game. All those moments, you get a little taste of it. Like, alright, now what’re you going to do next? So for any competitor, it’s kind of hard to, until you’re really done, it’s hard to reminisce if you will because you’re never really comfortable in the success.”
But just because Curry hasn’t quite accepted the fame 100 percent, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t adjusted to how his life has looked for more than the last decade compared to how it was before.
Hill asked Curry when the last time was that he was able to go out to the grocery store or a local coffee shop without being noticed.
“That part’s a little different,” Curry said. “I remember telling the story of me and my wife going to eat in Walnut Creek. I can’t remember the restaurant but I got carded trying to get a beer. That’s one of the times I remember being incognito, if you will, and just going under the radar; nobody knew who I was. The ID part is just funny because I looked like I was 18 at the time, generously.
“It’s a different life now. Obviously, you’re blessed with everything you’ve been given, the platform, the notoriety, because so much good has come out in terms of things you want to do on and off the court. It is different, for sure. But I grew up in the league watching my dad in Charlotte, so I kind of knew what stardom and, I hate using the word, fame, is. But you never let it change who you are, but you got to appreciate the appreciation of others.”
The appreciation certainly is a two-way street for Curry and Dub Nation.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) controls the ball in front of New Orleans guard Jose Alvarado during the first half of the Lakers' win Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. (Harry How / Getty Images)
That proved to be the case yet again Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena as the Lakers rolled over the injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans 133-121 with James out managing a left foot injury.
The Lakers (15-4) won their seventh straight game behind Doncic’s 34 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and Reaves’ 33 points and eight assists.
The Lakers have a game Monday against the visiting Phoenix Suns, but it's unclear if James will play.
James missed the first 14 games of this season with sciatica and has played in just four games. Left foot injury management also kept him out of some games last season.
"It's something we've had to manage,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Given the back-to-back and the fact that he's basically just coming off his training camp — this has been his training camp over the last 10 days or so — [we're] just being cautious."
With James in his 23rd NBA campaign at age 40, it remains to be seen how many back-to-back games he will play this season. The Lakers have 10 sets left after Monday.
"No, we're going to build him up, hopefully, to be able to play in back-to-backs,” Redick said. “That's the goal. But you are correct. Every back-to-back is a case-by-case. That's just the reality of the NBA right now. But we want him to be able to play in back-to-backs. So does he. So, we're going to work toward that.”
The 15-4 Lakers have 63 regular-season games left, meaning that James can miss only two more if he wants to reach the NBA minimum of 65 games that players need to appear in to earn postseason awards. James has made a league-record 21 straight All-NBA teams.
Redick said individual postseason awards have “never come up as something that’s important" in his discussions with James.
“I want all my guys to get whatever award they deserve,” Redick said. “Of course, I want, you know, Austin, Luka, LeBron, like whoever, I want them to get awards. That's great for them, but ... the list of things that you have to worry about and think about as a player and coach, it's so far down the list.”
The Lakers scored 77 points in the first half against New Orleans, tying the most points they have scored in any half this season, and they scored 46 points in the first quarter, the most they have scored in any frame this season.
It figured to be an easy night for the Lakers, who also got 22 points and 12 rebounds from Deandre Ayton, with the Pelicans (3-18) missing starters and key role players, including Zion Williamson, who was managing a left hamstring injury.
Lakers guard Marcus Smart missed his second straight game with back spasms.
It's a new season, and Pittsburgh Penguins' prospects are off to a pretty good start this season.
GM/POHO Kyle Dubas has managed to infuse the Penguins' organization with a lot of promising talent in the last two-plus years by acquiring prospects and accruing draft capital, and the Penguins' enhanced development staff has also helped young players already in the organization begin to find potential paths to the NHL.
And the Penguins have a good amount of depth at the goaltending position. So much, in fact, that they are popping up in some trade rumors regarding the Edmonton Oilers. For the most part, Penguins' goaltending prospects have continued to show why one of the veterans at the NHL level might be expendable.
Here is our November Penguins' prospects update for goaltenders:
During his NHL stint, he appeared in four games and posted a 1.90 goals-against average to go along with a .913 save percentage. There were a few blips along the way in that sample, but for the most part, he looked calm, cool, collected, and confident, which is impressive for a 21-year-old.
And he picked up right where he left off in his first start at the AHL level since his re-assignment. Against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday, Murashov stopped 31 of 32 shots and posted a .969 save percentage for the game. Through nine appearances at the AHL level collectively this season, he has a 6-2-0 record with one shutout, a 1.70 goals-against average, and a .934 save percentage.
This guy has dominated every professional level he's played at, and he flashed some of that dominance in NHL action, too. He goes post-to-post effortlessly, consistently challenges shooters, loves to play the puck, and is rarely out of position.
It won't be long before he's in Pittsburgh for good, and he has the tools to be a core piece of the Penguins' future for many years to come.
Joel Blomqvist
Blomqvist missed the first month-plus of the season after sustaining a lower-body injury in training camp. He had a bit of a rough outing against the Hershey Bears on Saturday, as he was pulled after surrendering four goals on 16 shots.
But, aside from that game, he's been good so far. In four appearances this season, he is 3-1-1 with a shutout, a 2.19 goals-against average, and a .920 save percentage.
Joel Blomqvist just looks so calm, cool & collected in net.
Making it look effortless out there again tonight.
Pittsburgh's going to have a hell of a decision to make with all these goalies playing well right now.@InsideAHLHockey
The young netminder from Uusikaarlepyy, Finland kind of does have a lot to prove this season, as he now has Murashov to compete with for an NHL spot. In addition, his mixed-bag NHL sample last season - he excelled in his first stint and struggled in his second - left a bit more to be desired in terms of looking ahead to the future.
At 23 years old, this is a big season for Blomqvist. He will compete for the net at the AHL level with Murashov, too, and ideally, they would become a future 1A and 1B situation for the NHL club. If he continues to build on the work he's put in so far this season, it will make it a lot easier for the Penguins to be comfortable parting with one of their netminders at the NHL level.
Filip Larsson
Larsson, 27, started out the season strong for WBS when he was the backup to Murashov prior to the Russian goaltender's NHL stint.
However, his numbers have dipped a bit in recent games.
After posting a .941 save percentage through three appearances in the month of October, Larsson had a lowly .755 save percentage through the same amount of games in November. It was tough timing for him, too, because both Blomqvist and Murashov are now active at the AHL level, and it's going to be hard for Larsson to see much playing time with both of them in the picture.
Perhaps a stint for the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL) wouldn't be the worst thing for Larsson right now, where he'd get more playing time and have a chance to find his game again. But, if he does remain on the AHL roster - and the WBS Penguins decide to have a three-goaltender rotation - he has to make the most of his opportunities, as they will probably be few and far between.
As has been the case with D'Aigle, looking at his raw stat line doesn't tell the whole story about the season he's having for the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL.
So, given all of that, his .895 save percentage and 557 saves in 17 appearances doesn't look so bad. D'Aigle is a work in progress and a bit of a project, but the tools are there. And the Penguins believe they might have something in the 6-foot-4, 19-year-old workhorse.
Of course, it would take quite a lot of bad injury luck for Smith to get anywhere near the NHL. But the Oakville, Ontario native has been outstanding so far, and he might make things interesting in terms of the goaltending split when Taylor Gauthier returns from injury.
After a shaky start to the season, the 23-year-old goaltender from Kazakhstan has settled in a bit.
Through eight games, Pavlenko is 5-3-0 with a .906 save percentage and 2.75 goals-against average. His play for the Kazakhstan at the World Championship this year - he went 1-4 with an .881 save percentage and a 3.75 goals-against average against some very tough competition and behind a lackluster defense - earned him an AHL contract for the 2025-26 season.
Pavlenko may be a bit of an NHL longshot given the organization's goaltending depth, but don't count him out. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound goaltender has the size and the tools to continue refining his game and to make a case for himself as a potential option for the AHL club moving forward.
If OG Anunoby’s rehab continues to progress well, it sounds like he’ll be back on the court before the end of the calendar year.
Anunoby will obviously return to the starting lineup whenever he’s ready to play.
Who will be the fifth starter when Anunoby comes back? That’s less clear. But Josh Hart continues to make a strong case to start.
He had 20 points on 12 shots, pulled down 12 rebounds (five offensive) and tallied seven assists in New York’s win over Toronto on Sunday. He’s shooting 65 percent on threes in his four games as a starter (20 attempts); he’s averaging of 11.8 rebounds and seven assists per game in that span.
Knicks coach Mike Brown seems very happy with Hart’s impact as a starter. He criticized himself for his usage of Hart early in the season – and credited the veteran with how he handled it.
“Especially our first three losses, I'll take the hit on that,” Brown said of Hart’s early-season role. “…The tough part was even backing up further, [Hart] didn't really play in the preseason, he didn't even really practice in the preseason. So, for me, I was behind the eight ball and was really trying to figure out how to incorporate him with what we're trying to do. It just took time and he was extremely patient with the process.
“We have a standard and that's that contract that everybody signed (that hangs in the Knick locker room) and it's about sacrifice, connectivity, competitive spirit, but then a belief in each other, but just as much as that, have a belief in the process. Josh was huge on two of those things. His sacrifice was unbelievable because when I took him out, he just sat. When I called his number, he went out and played, but more importantly, his belief in the process, even if he thought I was wrong, was awesome.
"When you're a leader, you have to show that or embrace those types of things more than everybody else cause you got to set the example and if somebody steps out of the realm of what our standard is because you did it as a leader, now you can tell them, ‘Hey, come back over here because we all got to do this. I had to go through it, you may have to go through it, this guy may have to go through it.’ So, he's a special player, but he's also a great human being to be around.”
Hart’s play in the third quarter on Sunday was key; he had 13 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal in the quarter. He hit three threes – two of which came after Toronto cut New York’s lead to six midway through the quarter.
“He did a really good job of playmaking, rebounding and he was, in my opinion the best player on the court,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. So, it will be really interesting for us to watch the film and, like I said, get ready for the next game.”
Nov 30, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives past New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) in the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
BRUNSON IMPRESSES OPPOSITION
Jalen Brunson didn’t have a strong shooting night on Sunday but he contributed in other ways (seven assists, six rebounds - two offensive). He also continues to get off the ball when teams throw two defenders at him.
Rajakovic tried to send two Raptors at Brunson on Sunday during different stretches of the game.
Before the game, Rajakovic shared some detailed thoughts on Brunson’s impact.
“He is the type of player that I can put in the category of Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic – different position, obviously. But guys who are just playing at their own pace. You cannot speed them up. Their awareness is amazing.,” Rajakovic said early Sunday. “At any point of time they know where the hand of the defensive player is. What is the footwork, how can they get by somebody, how can they get to their sweet spot from the floor. How can they score from there, how can they playmake from there.
"And he’s elite at doing it. He’s not the strongest, not the fastest, but his skill level and shooting ability is amazing and that makes him one of the biggest offensive weapons in the league.”
The Knick coach shared more thoughts on the topic before Sunday’s game.
“It’s not necessarily about (height); it’s about what you bring to the table,” Brown said in response to a question about MVPs at Brunson’s height. “It’s still early and we’re in the top part of the eastern conference. And the numbers he’s putting up are pretty good. I don’t know exactly how they compare to others across the board that are in the top 3, 4 spots in the East and West. (And) I don’t see it all the time but when I see people talking (about MVP candidates), or I see lists, I never see him.
"And I’m amazed at the lack of attention that he gets for what he’s done in this league already. And what he continues to do, night in and night out. Especially when he’s the guy on a team that’s in a pretty good spot in their conference."
If you’ve been watching the Knicks over the past four years, you know how Brunson’s footwork around the basket is a huge part of his offensive success.
Brown was asked about Brunson’s footwork and he put the Knick All-Star in elite company.
“I’ve been fortunate, blessed, lucky to be around a bunch of great players and Jalen’s footwork around the basket - especially for his size - is probably second to none. His footwork is really good,” Brown said. “I’ll probably get killed for saying this but Kobe’s footwork was really good, and I’m not saying Jalen’s Kobe or vice versa, their patience, their footwork in that painted area is at an extremely high level and not many guys have that.”
It's a new season, and Pittsburgh Penguins' prospects are off to a pretty good start this season.
GM/POHO Kyle Dubas has managed to infuse the Penguins' organization with a lot of promising talent in the last two-plus years by acquiring prospects and accruing draft capital, and the Penguins' enhanced development staff has also helped young players already in the organization begin to find potential paths to the NHL.
In particular, the Penguins' prospect pool at forward has drastically improved. And quite a few of them are off to scorching starts this season.
Here is our November Penguins' prospects update for forwards:
Rutger McGroarty
Given how McGroarty has played for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) since his return to action, it shouldn't be long before he sees action in Pittsburgh.
After missing all of training camp plus the first month and a half of the regular season, McGroarty has appeared in five games for WBS and registered four goals and seven points. He scored in four consecutive games upon his return.
The NHL club is ailing, and McGroarty is putting the puck in the back of the net like clockwork. The Penguins have a return-to-play plan for him, and it makes sense that they don't want to rush him back to the NHL for the sake of doing it.
But there comes a point when production, results, and need may outweigh whatever preconceived plan was in place. If McGroarty keeps this up for much longer - and the Penguins don't get healthy very soon - he should be in Pittsburgh.
Wondering what Rutger McGroarty has been up to since heading down to the @WBSPenguins? 🔥
Hayes, 22, missed a few games due to injury this month, but he's picked up right where he left off prior to his injury.
In 15 games this season, Hayes has five goals and nine points - and three of his five goals have been game-winning goals. He seems to have that clutch gene, and it's a great quality to have alongside the defensive awareness, versatility, and special teams ability he brings.
Prior to his call-up, Broz had eight goals and 13 points in 18 games, and his strong play on both sides of the puck stood out. Broz's positional versatility - he can play center and wing effectively - as well as his high impact on both the power play and penalty kill are qualities that made the decision on a call-up easy for the Penguins.
Well, in addition to his production and ability to score goals, of course.
Tristan Broz scored his team-leading eighth goal for Wilkes-Barre. Deserves a promotion sooner rather than later pic.twitter.com/KkNMtzPCJj
Calvert, 22, has cooled off considerably since his scorching start to the season. He has no points in the last six games and , unfortunately, does not make a huge degree of impact when he is not showing up on the scoresheet.
Still, the undrafted forward is still one to watch this season, as he has been a pleasant surprises during his organizational tenure so far. He has six goals and 10 points in 20 AHL games, and he does tend to score in streaks and bunches. He's simply going through a cold stretch at the moment.
In 2024-25, he had 13 goals and 36 points in 38 ECHL games and nine goals and 14 points in 26 AHL games.
Will Horcoff
In all honesty, we are running out of words to describe what Horcoff is doing for the University of Michigan Wolverines this season.
The main knock on Horcoff coming out of the 2025 NHL Draft - when he was selected 24th overall - was that he needed to find the back of the net more often. Well, he's done that and more, and it's quite impressive for an 18-year-old who was the youngest player in the NCAA last season.
The Penguins look like they could be getting a pretty special player here in Horcoff, and that 2025 first round is looking better and better, even with Bill Zonnon injured again and barely having played this season.
Lucius - drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the fourth round (124th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft and dealt to the Penguins in the Jake Guentzel trade - has put together a nice season for the Arizona State University Sun Devils so far.
He has 10 goals and 20 points in 16 games on the season, including a goal and seven points in the last five games.
Lucius still has to refine some of the defensive details in his game, which has been a point of emphasis for him in his development. But his scoring touch gets better and better with each passing season, and he is on pace to surpass career-highs in both goals and points this season.
The Penguins' 2022 fifth-round (150th overall) pick has seven goals and 24 points for the University of Minnesota - Duluth this season, and a lot of those assists have come on goals by his younger brother, Max, who has found the back of the net 13 times and is tied with Horcoff for the league lead in points.
The 21-year-old center from Mannheim, Germany continues to climb his way up the prospects rankings for the Penguins, and after his junior breakout season with the Fargo Force of the USHL in 2023-24 - he had 26 goals and 71 points in 57 games - he has continued to follow through on his development as a playmaker at the NCAA level.
Penguins prospects lead the NCAA in every major category this season 👀
Miller, 18, is on an absolute tear right now in the WHL. And it's beginning to look like he was one of several steals in the later rounds of the 2025 draft class.
One of three fifth-round draft picks (130th overall) by the Penguins this year, Miller has a WHL-best 19-game active point streak, which was extended Saturday with a two-goal, three-point effort for the Portland Winterhawks in a 7-2 win over the Swift Current Broncos. Overall, he has nine goals and 33 points in 26 games on the season.
The tenacious, net-driving forward has impressed early on this season, and he will be one to watch as the season progresses. If he can develop his offensive game even further, there is a chance that the Penguins could be getting yet another pretty decent two-way centerman in their system.
Charron - one of the other fifth-round picks (154th overall) by the Penguins this year - has cooled off considerably since his scorching start to the season that featured seven goals and 11 points in six OHL games for the Soo Greyhounds.
Since then, Charron has just 11 goals and 15 points in 21 games, which - although still formidable on the goal-scoring front - isn't quite the clip he was producing at before. Still, Charron's scoring ability, size, and speed have allowed him to become more productive this season, as he's following up on a 2024-25 campaign that included just 10 goals and 21 points in 48 games.
If the 6-foot-2, 198-pound Charron keeps playing to his strengths and learns to use his speed and size even more to his advantage, he could unlock an even higher level of production.
Mikhail Ilyin
The 20-year-old Ilyin - who is playing out the first year of his three-year entry-level contract in the KHL for the Severstal Cherepovets - just seems to be getting better and better.
Playing on Severstal's top line this season, the youngster has increased his production quite a bit in comparison to last season, as his eight goals and 24 points in 32 games are far outpacing his previous career-high of 12 goals in 65 games during the 2023-24 season and 30 points in 64 games in 2024-25. He is also a plus-16 this season.
A smart, skilled playmaker, Ilyin continues to show off his craftiness and vision with Severstal, and at 27th overall in KHL scoring, there is only one player younger than him - 19-year-old Yegor Surin, who was drafted 22nd overall by the Nashville Predators in 2024 - within the top-75 in league scoring.
That should say something about Ilyin doing what he's doing at his age in the KHL.
8th of the year for #LetsGoPens prospect Mikhail Ilyin
The 6-foot, 187-pound forward has just two goals and two points in 24 games for Orebro HK of the SHL this season. The third-round pick (93rd overall) of the Vancouver Canucks in 2024 earned SHL Rookie of the Year honors last season with eight goals and 17 points in 48 games - and he is pacing just four goals and four points in as many games this season.
The Penguins want Fernstrom to work on his skating, and the offense hasn't been shining this season, either. The youngster still has some growth to accomplish if he hopes to see NHL ice at some point, but the good news is that he's only 19 - and it's hard for teenagers to score in the SHL.
The New York Islanders announced they have recalled forward Marc Gatcomb from the Bridgeport Islanders.
He did not appear in the Islanders' game against the Washington Capitals on Nov. 30 after playing in a back-to-back with Bridgeport but with Kyle Palmieri out for the season he will likely earn some NHL minutes in the coming games.
Gatcomb has four goals and eight points in 15 games in the AHL this season and is pointless in one NHL game.
The 26-year-old has 25 goals and 62 points in 165 career AHL games with the Abbotsford Canucks and Islanders. He has eight goals and nine points in 40 career NHL games, all with the Islanders.
The Woburn, Mass., native originally turned pro in 2022 with the Canucks after four years with the University of Connecticut where he racked up 46 points in 124 games.
Wyatt Johnston continues to make a compelling case to be on our Olympic team.
Johnston recorded his fourth career NHL hat trick, including two power-play goals, as the Dallas Stars dismantled the Senators 6-1 on Sunday night at American Airlines Center. Johnston now has an NHL-leading 12 power-play goals and finished the night with his second four-point game in less than a week.
Jason Robertson was also rolling for Dallas, scoring the game-winning goal and adding two assists in his 400th career NHL game. Mavrik Bourque and Jamie Benn also scored for the Stars, who are an outrageous 10-1-1 in their last 12 games.
For Ottawa, Jake Sanderson's goal provided the only run support for Senators goalie Linus Ullmark, who wasn't their savior, nor did he get much help. Ullmark's shaky early-season numbers have been improving in the past couple of weeks, but allowing six goals on 26 shots will undo some of those statistical repairs.
But Sens defenders had several instances where they left Dallas forwards open in dangerous spots, serving up high-danger opportunities for one of the hottest teams in hockey. Down 3-1 after 40 minutes, it marked the second consecutive third period where the Sens weren't very good.
Johnston and Robertson now share the Stars’ team lead with 16 goals each, tied for fourth in the NHL. Robertson has points in 10 of his last 11 games, with 13 goals and nine assists, while Johnston’s power-play performance keeps him in the discussion for Canadian international duty this February. Only six Canadian skaters have more points (30) than him.
“It would be amazing to go,” Johnston told NHL.com after his four-point performance on Wednesday in Edmonton. “For me, it’s just trying to do the best I can to help the Stars win, and that will also help my chances of trying to make that team as well. That would be awesome and a huge honour.”
Dallas backup Casey DeSmith stopped all 15 Sens shots he faced. The result drops Ottawa to 12-9-4, and 3-3 on this road trip, leaving them outside of the Eastern playoff picture and setting up a big game in Montreal on Tuesday.
For the record, the Sens now finish the month at 6-4-3. It's their first time above .500 for the month since 2016-17, but these past couple of November outings, including Friday's shaky finish in St. Louis, haven't exactly set the table for a promising December.
That being said, it is the end of a busy, difficult road trip, which, for all intents and purposes, is now over. The Senators have one more road game, but it's just up the road in Montreal on Tuesday.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News Ottawa
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