The new contract was announced Thursday, one day after the University of Missouri Board of Curators held a meeting in which they voted unanimously to approve the deal.
Europa League roundup: Celtic win at Feyenoord, Rangers held at home by Braga
Martin O’Neill’s side win 3-1 in Rotterdam
Lyon go top after 6-0 thrashing of Maccabi Tel Aviv
Martin O’Neill wrote a memorable final postscript in his history with Celtic in Europe as the interim manager led his team to a 3-1 win over Feyenoord.
Goals from Yang Hyun-jun and Reo Hatate saw Celtic come from behind before half-time and the substitute Benjamin Nygren added a late third as the Scottish champions revived their Europa League campaign.
Continue reading...Harding hits go-ahead jumper with 48 seconds left as TCU beats No. 10 Florida 84-80
Brock Harding made a go-ahead jumper in the key with 48 seconds left and then hit five free throws in the final 13 seconds for TCU, which rallied to stun No. 10 Florida 84-80 in the first game of the Rady Children's Invitational on Thursday. Jace Posey scored 16 of his game-high 21 points in the second half and helped the Horned Frogs rally from a 10-point deficit early in the second half. Harding and David Punch scored 19 apiece for TCU (4-2), which will play the winner of the game between Wisconsin and Providence.
Five NHL Teams That Could Defy The U.S. Thanksgiving Playoff 'Rule'
It's American Thanksgiving, so any NHL team in a playoff spot by this point should be grateful.
Historically, about three-quarters of NHL teams that are currently in a Stanley Cup playoff spot end up making the post-season. As for the other quarter, they blew their opportunity.
Last American Thanksgiving, the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks were in a playoff spot. They all fell out, and the Rangers, Flyers and Canucks even changed coaches in the off-season.
Also on the last U.S. Thanksgiving, the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens were the bottom two teams in the Eastern Conference. They made the playoffs. And in the West, the Colorado Avalanche bounced back from an ugly start, while the St. Louis Blues went on a late-season surge to make the first round.
With that said, let's examine teams currently out of a playoff spot that could climb in and who they could replace in the standings.
Edmonton Oilers
Why they're out of a playoff spot right now: Keeping the puck out of the net is the Oilers’ Achilles Heel at the moment. Edmonton ranks 31st with a goals-against average of 3.72. Starter Stuart Skinner has a 3.18 goals-against average and a save percentage of .878, but the defense in front of them hasn't been excellent.
Why they could climb in: With Skinner and backup Calvin Pickard struggling, the chances of acquiring a new goalie is rising significantly. And with a bump in effectiveness between the pipes, Edmonton’s offense could power them into a post-season berth in the comparatively weak Pacific Division.
Who they could replace: Seattle Kraken
The Kraken have surprised many this season, posting an 11-6-6 record to put them in third place in the Pacific. But there could be some regression for Seattle, as its sub-standard offense (currently ranked 29th in the league at 2.57 goals-for per game) can only be bailed out by the defense for so long.
Winnipeg Jets
Why they're out of a playoff spot right now:The Jets started the year strongly, with a 9-3-0 record out of the gate. But they’ve since gone 3-7-0, and they’ve been outscored 33-25 in that 10-game span, dropping them down to 12th in the Western Conference.
Why they could climb in: As soon as star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck returns from injury – projected to be sometime in January at the soonest – the Jets are going to receive a major boost. So long as the Jets' offense is a top-10 offense in the NHL – and they’re currently ninth-best, averaging 3.14 goals-for per game – the Jets should rise in the Central Division standings and unseat a less-talented, less-experienced rival.
Who they could replace: Utah Mammoth
The Mammoth were this writer’s pick to be a playoff team this season – but their 5-6-2 road record is indicative of their lack of consistency. Utah has to fix its defense (currently ranked 17th in the NHL at 3.00 goals against per game) because the team is playing in the league’s toughest division.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Why they're out of a playoff spot right now: Despite their slew of injuries, the Maple Leafs haven’t had issues with their offense, as they’re ranked seventh in the league at 3.30 goals-for per game. The clear problem is their turnstile defense, which is fourth-worst in the NHL at 3.61 goals against per game – and their 2-6-0 road record is one of the worst in the league.
Why they could climb in: The Leafs have started to get healthy in recent days, with forwards Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies and Nicolas Roy all returning to action in a 2-1 Leafs win over the Columbus Blue Jackets Wednesday. If goalie Anthony Stolarz and defenseman Chris Tanev get healthy soon, the Buds will look much like the team that won the Atlantic Division last season.
Who they could replace: Boston Bruins
Few pegged the Bruins as a playoff team this season. Although they’ve produced a 14-11-0 record, they lack the depth to help them if the injury bug bites them harder than it already has, with Charlie McAvoy, Casey Mittelstadt, Viktor Arvidsson, Jordan Harris and Matej Blumel out of the lineup. The Bruins had a brutal six-game losing streak near the start of the season, and they’ve got a 3-4-0 record in their past seven games.
Florida Panthers
Why they're out of a playoff spot right now: While many predicted there would be a post-Cup-winning hangover for the Panthers, few thought they’d be sixth in the Atlantic and 14th place in the East with a 12-10-1 record. But the absence of star forwards Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk has decimated Florida’s offense and defense.
Why they could climb in: After the resilience Florida has shown in the past two seasons, is anybody prepared to count this team out of the playoff race? This isn’t to say they can flip a switch and turn into a world-beater team, but the Panthers still have enough talent to emerge from this funk and go on a tear. They’ll need to improve their 19th-overall defense first and foremost, but once Tkachuk returns, they’ll be a much tougher team to play against at both ends of the ice.
Who they could replace: Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins stormed out to a 6-2-0 record, but since then, they’ve gone 5-4-5 and have slid down to the second wild-card spot in the East. It's tough to believe their defense – third best at 2.59 goals-against per game – will stay as good as it has been. When they do regress in that department, teams like Florida, Montreal and Toronto will leapfrog them in the East’s standings.
Montreal Canadiens
Why they're out of a playoff spot right now: Few teams began the season as strongly as the Canadiens, which went 9-3-0 out of the gate. Since then, they’ve gone 3-4-3, suffering a five-game winless streak in November, and they now sit ninth in the East. They’ve been outscored 38-17 in their seven losses.
Why they could climb in: The Canadiens' offense has been ferocious this season, ranking third in goals-for per game, with 3.45. If they can corral their defense, which currently ranks 27th at 3.50 goals against per game, the Habs should be able to move up the Atlantic standings and get back into the playoffs for the second straight season.
Who they could replace:New York Islanders
The Islanders have the league’s 10th-best defense at 2.79 goals against per game, but the reason they could slide out of a playoff berth is their mediocre goals-for average of 2.96 per game. You can’t teach offense, and as the Islanders continue transitioning from one era to a new era centered around youngsters like budding star defenseman Matthew Schaefer, their issues on offense make them likely to falter more frequently and wind up on the outside of the playoffs looking in.
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Ross Colton Celebrates Stellar Defense in Pre-Thanksgiving Victory
DENVER — On the eve of Thanksgiving, Ross Colton served up the first course himself — snapping a shot past San Jose Sharks netminder Yaroslav Askarov and giving Colorado Avalanche fans something to savor before the holiday feast.
From that point on, Colorado did what it has done most of the season — laid down a country-style butter whipping. Nathan MacKinnon added a late first-period power-play goal to stretch the lead to 2–0, and the Avalanche blew the game wide open in the second. Colorado struck three times in a blistering 76-second span — Sam Malinski at 3:44, Josh Manson at 4:51, and then Joel Kiviranta, who buried one in his first game back from injury just nine seconds later — pushing the advantage to 5–0 and effectively ending the night for San Jose, who wound up taking a 6-0 loss.
Colorado Stands Alone
And the Avalanche (17-1-5) aren’t just lighting it up offensively; they’re smothering teams defensively, and the numbers make that abundantly clear. Colorado has stacked three consecutive shutouts, a feat the franchise hasn’t achieved in more than 24 years. Two of those have come from Mackenzie Blackwood, who turned aside 26 shots last night and posted a 35-save, 3-0 win over Nashville on Nov. 22. Scott Wedgewood, who opened the season as the starter while Blackwood recovered from lower-body surgery, is playing the best hockey of his career. He leads the NHL in wins (13) and was recently named to Team Canada’s Olympic long list.
The entire team is firing on all cylinders, from goal scorers to shot blockers to goaltenders making pivotal saves. At this point last season, it was a different story. Players were finding the back of the net, but like a fighter leaving gaps in their guard, the team was absorbing too many hits and surrendering far too many chances. While no game this season has been flawless, rather than searching for every way to lose, this Avalanche squad is discovering countless ways to win, with everyone contributing to the effort.
SAM MALINSKI TOP SHELF SNIPE #GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/WUlrsm2ScB
— PrimeMakar8 (@retro_colorado) November 27, 2025
The Hockey News spoke with Colton following Wednesday’s night win to comment on Colorado’s much-improved defensive structure.
“I think we’re playing well. I think obviously we’re getting amazing goaltending with that tandem back there, so they give us all the confidence in the world to play our game in front of them on a nightly basis, which is awesome,” Colton said. “The whole season has has kind of what we’ve been preaching, let’s play well in the d zone, limit turnovers, because we know we got the horses in here that are going to produce some offense for us.”
Horsepower
The Avalanche right now are like a finely tuned race car. Every gear is operating at full capacity, and no matter the course, they’re ready for the challenge. In hockey terms, that translates to depth. Consider this: Colorado has scored 94 goals this season, and their top three scorers — Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Cale Makar — have combined for 40 of those goals, roughly 42 percent of the total. That’s a healthy balance. If a team’s premier players are producing more than half of its goals, concerns about being top-heavy start to emerge. While the Avalanche certainly boast a trio of generational talents, they are not carrying the team alone; their contributions are significant but proportionate, thanks to the remarkable depth across the roster.
17 ottelun tauon jälkeen heti maalin makuun! 🚨
— NHL Suomi (@NHL_fi) November 27, 2025
Joel Kiviranta is back. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2QONuAfdj2
Players like Ross Colton are a key part of that depth. The 29-year-old has tallied three goals in his last five games, including strikes in consecutive contests. He is riding a hot streak alongside the rest of the team, which has won 10 straight, yet Colton continues to approach each game with a business-as-usual mindset.
An absolute rocket from Josh Manson. pic.twitter.com/bW6tUYM0wk
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 19, 2025
“We do a great job managing the bodies, managing the time on and off the ice. We’ll do some video, study what we can change, and then turn the page here. We got a big back-to-back coming up here.”
Another Back-to-Back
The Avalanche will face the Minnesota Wild (13-7-4) on Friday at Grand Casino Arena at 1:30 p.m. local time, before quickly flying back to Denver to take on the Montreal Canadiens (12-7-3) on Saturday with a 1 p.m. start.
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Ryan Helsley drawing interest from numerous teams despite disastrous Mets stint
It appears Ryan Helsley’s forgettable finish with the Mets isn’t hurting him in free agency.
Helsley is drawing interest from about 15 teams, according to a recent report from Katie Woo of the Athletic.
The right-hander, of course, has been one of the premier closers in baseball the past few seasons, but he struggled mightily down the stretch after being acquired from the Cardinals in a deadline deal.
He posted an ugly 7.20 ERA over 22 appearances as he dealt with pitch-tipping issues.
“It was the hardest thing I’ve gone through as a pitcher in the big leagues,” Helsley told Woo.
Now that he’s got things sorted out, Helsley is confident he can get back to his dominant form wherever he lands.
He could be doing so in a new role too, as according to numerous reports some teams have called the long-time closer about a potential transition to the starting rotation.
While Helsley expects a bit of a learning curve along the way, as Mets fans saw at times with Clay Holmes last season, it’s a move he told Woo he would consider if the opportunity arises.
"I still have a lot to give and can get even better," he said. "I’ve shown what I can do as a closer -- it’s a fun time to be in the game, it’s the most important three outs, but I still think I’m capable to be a starter."
The Tigers are among the teams considering Helsley as a starter.
St. Louis and the division rival Cubs have also checked in on the hard-throwing right-hander.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo questionable for Friday’s NBA Cup meeting with Knicks
The Bucks are listing Giannis Antetokounmpo as questionable for Friday’s NBA Cup meeting with the Knicks.
Antetokounmpo has missed Milwaukee's last four games due to an abductor strain.
He was also questionable heading into Wednesday's meeting with the Heat, but ended up remaining sidelined.
It's looking like he may come down to a game-time decision again, but if the All-Star were to miss another game, it would be a nice boost for New York as they look to secure their third consecutive win.
The Bucks, on the other hand, now sit at 8-11 on the season and have dropped six straight.
Wednesday’s Knicks win guaranteed that they control their own destiny heading into Friday’s group play finale.
They will advance to the quarterfinals with a win Friday, but will have to do so as a Wild Card with a loss.
Antetokounmpo had 37 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in a win over the Knicks earlier this season.
NHL Waivers: Canadiens Claim Sammy Blais From Maple Leafs
Sammy Blais' time with the Toronto Maple Leafs has come to an end.
The Montreal Canadiens claimed Blais off waivers from the Maple Leafs on Thursday.
Seeing the Canadiens claim Blais is not surprising in the slightest, as they lost him through waivers to the Maple Leafs ahead of the 2025-26 season. This was after the Canadiens signed the veteran forward to a one-year, $775,000 contract this summer.
Since no other teams submitted a claim for Blais, Montreal was able to assign him to AHL Laval.
Blais will now provide the Canadiens with more forward options after being claimed back. This is undoubtedly a need for the Canadiens right now, as they are currently dealing with injuries to Patrik Laine, Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook.
Montreal called up forwards Florian Xhekaj and Jared Davidson earlier in November to deal with these injuries. Xhekaj has one assist, five hits and a fighting major in two games, while Davidson has 10 hits in five games.
Blais, meanwhile, played in eight games this season with the Maple Leafs, where he posted one goal, two assists, three points, 28 hits and a minus-2 rating.
The Montmagny, Que., native is back in the AHL for now. He won the Calder Cup with the Abbotsford Canucks last season, recording 40 points in 51 regular-season games and adding 19 points in 23 playoff games.
His next AHL game will be the 200th of his career. He has 145 points in the 'A.' In the NHL, meanwhile, Blais has 265 career games, 28 goals and 46 assists for 74 points. He won the Stanley Cup in 2018-19 with the St. Louis Blues, which drafted him in the sixth round, 176th overall, in 2014.
Now, he will be aiming to make an impact with the Canadiens after being brought back.
Overall, there is no risk in the Canadiens bringing back Blais with this waiver claim. He has an easily affordable cap hit and will also give the Habs more experience.
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The Wraparound: What Is Morgan Geekie's Offensive Ceiling With Bruins?
The Wraparound is here once again with more NHL and hockey topics in bite-sized segments.Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Adam Kierszenblat discussed in this episode:
0:00: Could Jakob Chychrun be entering the conversation as one of the NHL’s top offensive defensemen?
4:01: What is the offensive ceiling for Morgan Geekie with the Boston Bruins?
8:05: Will Pete DeBoer end up in an NHL coaching role this season?12:11: Which teams could take a shot at signing Robby Fabbri?
15:49: Breaking down standout performers at the CHL USA Top Prospects Challenge
19:40: Is Scott Wedgewood one of Team Canada’s top options in net?
25:23: Has Cutter Gauthier earned himself a spot on Team USA?
31:00: Will the Buffalo Sabres or Toronto Maple Leafs work out their struggles on the road?
What Is Morgan Geekie's Offensive Ceiling With Bruins? by The WraparoundSee below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.
Aaron Ekblad Avoids Injury; Will Suit Up On Friday For Panthers
Aaron Ekblad blocked a shot late against the Philadelphia Flyers, but the news this morning is positive.
The Florida Panthers were defeated 4-2 by the Flyers despite once owning a two-goal lead. The Panthers came out firing, throwing 15 shots on goal in the first period and concluding the opening frame up 1-0. Carter Verhaeghe added the second, but four unanswered goals by the Flyers flipped the script.
Late in the third period, while trying to keep the Flyers' lead at a minimum, Ekblad blocked a shot that stung him. He finished the game with one shot on goal, two hits and three blocks in 21:43 of ice time.
There was some concern this morning, but coach Paul Maurice spoke to the media and provided a positive update, stating that he is fine and that he will play on Friday against the Calgary Flames.
Ekblad has had a quiet season offensively, but he continues to be a vital part of their defensive system. With just one goal and seven points in 22 games, the 29-year-old is on pace for just four goals and 26 points.
Despite that, Ekblad averages the second-most ice time on the team and plays a critical role on the Panthers' shutdown unit with Gustav Forsling.
The news is a sigh of relief for the Panthers.
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Harper scores 18 and Creighton tops Oregon 76-66 to get a win in the Players Era tournament
Blake Harper scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Creighton outscored Oregon 16-7 in the last 5 1/2 minutes for a 76-66 win in a wrap-up game of the Players Era tournament on Thursday. The Ducks, down 15 at halftime, were within 60-59 after Sean Stewart and Dezdrick Lindsay both made two baskets in an 8-0 run. Nik Graves quickly responded with a three-point play, Josh Dix and Graves had 3-pointers and the Bluejays made five-straight shots while Oregon was 2 of 9 down the stretch.
Report: Sabres And Maple Leafs Talked Trade For Peterka, Byram
Buffalo Sabres players being on various NHL trade rumor boards has been an all-too-frequent sight and with it being American Thanksgiving and the Sabres at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the chatter will begin in earnest now that unofficial trade season has opened. A couple interesting nuggets from Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos in his first trade board that involved the Sabres.
The first involved winger Alex Tuch. Kypreos echoed Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, who indicated on a recent 32 Thoughts podcast that the Sabres winger has to be looking for a deal in the same neighborhood as Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe, which would necessitate the Sabres coming off their negotiating stance prior to the season that they balked at a deal with an AAV of more than $10 million per season. Kypreos indicates there is still a large gap between the two sides, which could make the 29-year-old the most sought-after commodity before the March 6 trade deadline.
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The other involved Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo. The Leafs acquired the big right-shot defenseman from Boston in March for the playoff stretch drive, but Kypreos reported that Toronto explored trading Carlo to Buffalo for restricted free agent winger JJ Peterka before he was dealt to Utah for Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan, and then moved on to defenseman Bowen Byram, before he signed a two-year bridge deal.
While dealing for Carlo is consistent with the Sabres looking for players with term remaining, and the pursuit of a righty to play with Owen Power this season, either trade would have been quite a departure for Buffalo, who have not made a significant trade with their Atlantic Division rival for 32 years (Dave Andreychuk, Darren Puppa, and a first round pick for Grant Fuhr).
Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo
Canadians Outside Looking In At The Quarter-Mark Point
There will be no games in the NHL today, as the league is on the American Thanksgiving break. Most of the time, when a team is in a playoff position at this stage, they end up making the spring dance, but this year seems a bit different.
With 27 points, the Montreal Canadiens are currently just outside of the playoff picture, looking in as they are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. However, not only do they have games in hand on all the teams ahead of them, aside from the Pittsburgh Penguins, but they are also just four points behind the top spot in the east, held by the New Jersey Devils with 31 points, and three points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Tampa Bay Lightning.
Canadiens: For Better Or For Worse
NHL Rumors: Should Canadiens Bring Back Maple Leafs Forward?
Canadiens Scratching Arber Xhekaj & Prospect Debuting vs. Utah
Rarely have the standings been so tight in the Conference, and it’s much tighter than in the West, where the league-leading Colorado Avalanche have 39 points, followed by the Dallas Stars with 34 points and the Minnesota Wild with 30 points. The West houses the three teams with the lowest point totals: the St. Louis Blues (21 points), the Calgary Flames (19 points), and the Nashville Predators (18 points).
In other words, anything can still happen in the standings, and if the Canadiens can keep their current winning streak going (it will be a challenge with the Vegas Golden Knights and the Avalanche coming up on their schedule), they’ll be right back in the thick of it.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Canadiens haven’t been spared by injuries so far, with Patrik Laine, Kaiden Guhle, Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach all being sidelined for a significant time. GM Kent Hughes has already brought some help in by signing free agent Alexandre Tessier, but he’s still working the phones, according to the rumours swirling around the league. There’s no denying that if he were to be able to bring some much-needed help down the middle, the Canadiens would be in a much better spot.
Putting the goaltending woes in the rearview mirror would also go a long way towards helping Martin St-Louis’ side punch its ticket for the playoffs. Jakub Dobes has been solid in his last two starts, and Samuel Montembeault is bound to bounce back; otherwise, he may end up riding the pine for the foreseeable future since the coach now seems determined to ride the hot hand.
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Road Woes Are A Troubling Sign For Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres playoff fortunes may rest on the next two weeks and how they fare on the road, as the club began a stretch of eight of their next 10 on the road with a 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. With the exception of a 31 -second stretch after Jason Zucker’s goal in the third period, the Penguins throughout, ending the Sabres two-game winning streak.
"Our puck play cost us dearly, cost us on the first goal, our puck play right after we got back in the game and tied it up," Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said. "We didn't handle the puck well, gave it away, didn't execute the breakout and then ended up in the back of their net."
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The Sabres have only one victory (a 5-4 overtime win over Detroit on November 15 in which they trailed 4-1 in the third period) and two overtime losses to Toronto and Boston in nine road games this season. After their Black Friday afternoon home game against New Jersey, the Sabres play seven of their next eight games on the road against Minnesota, Philadelphia, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Seattle and 10 of their 14 December games away from KeyBank Center.
One reason for optimism may be that Buffalo is getting most of their injured players back. Jason Zucker and Zach Benson returned in the last week, and center Josh Norris may return to action this weekend, lowering the number of players on IR to just three (Michael Kesselring, Jiri Kulich, and Justin Danforth). Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed three goals on just 18 shots, so it is likely we will see either Alex Lyon or Colten Ellis get the start against the Devils.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo
One NHL Player At Each Position Who Must Step Up Their Game
So far, the 2025-26 NHL season has been a tale of superstars getting their paychecks and young guns like Connor Bedard and veterans like John Tavares hitting their stride.
However, while some players have found their game or remain the stars we know, others have had less-than-ideal starts to their 2026 campaign.
Here is one NHL player at each position in need of a spark.
Center: J.T. Miller
Although J. T. Miller wasn't particularly remarkable during his first stint in New York or his short time in Tampa Bay, he cemented himself as a point-per-game player following his trade to Vancouver, including a 103-point effort in 2023-24.
Miller recorded 35 points in 32 games following his trade back to Broadway in 2024-25 and was even named captain in the off-season. But his scoring fell as the Rangers struggled to score overall, especially at home.
Miller has 13 points in his first 23 games this season. Despite this, Miller has not shied away from being blunt with the media about his struggles, telling them after their 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights that he expects a “hell of a lot more” production than what he has.
A three-game point streak, with two goals and two assists, is an encouraging sign that the center is already stepping up his game.
Left Wing: Dylan Holloway
After turning his back on Edmonton and signing an offer sheet with the St. Louis Blues, Dylan Holloway surprised everyone in the 2024-25 campaign with 63 points. He even received votes for the Lady Byng Trophy and Selke Trophy in the process, although he would miss their first-round series against Winnipeg with an injury.
Though Holloway has since returned, it seems as if he’s struggled to maintain that form early in 2025-26. So far, Holloway has 11 points and a minus-9 rating through his first 24 games on a struggling Blues squad. With that said, Holloway is only 24, so in comparison to some others on this list, there is not much reason to panic just yet.
Right Wing: Mitch Marner
Mitch Marner headlined the off-season leading up to and following his divorce from the Toronto Maple Leafs, getting a much-needed fresh start with the hotter Vegas Golden Knights.
Although Marner has had hot stretches earlier this season, he has three points in his last eight games. He hasn’t finished a season averaging fewer than a point per game since his sophomore year in 2018, but he currently only has 22 points in 23 contests.
Considering his infamous playoff underperformances in Toronto, Marner could be working with a shorter leash than expected if he can’t recapture that regular-season consistency that was his bread and butter in Toronto.
Defense: MacKenzie Weegar
Arguably Calgary’s top defenseman the past few seasons, MacKenzie Weegar has had perhaps a more drastic fall than anyone else on this list. The once-dependable two-way defenseman has a mere four points in 25 games, all assists, and a rating deep in the minuses at minus-20.
Weegar is on pace for the lowest production of his career since he was a rookie in Florida. Although the Flames’ issues run deeper than any one player, losing Weegar’s production has certainly hurt the team, which currently finds itself hanging around the bottom of the Western Conference.
With Jonathan Huberdeau’s struggles also continuing, the Matthew Tkachuk trade looks worse than ever before for the Flames.
Goalie: Dustin Wolf
Staying on the topic of underperforming Flames, Dustin Wolf is also on the list.
Last season, Wolf nearly willed the Flames into the playoffs on his own. But since signing his seven-year contract extension, Wolf's stats fell. His .890 save percentage and 3.17 goals-against average both mark significant regressions from that campaign, and it’s no surprise the Flames have struggled the way they have partly because of it.
The silver lining is Wolf is still young and locked up long-term, with plenty of runway to turn it around.
Benjamin Kirshenblatt is an intern at The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.