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The first meeting between the Detroit Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks this season didn't go the way that Detroit would have preferred, as they were ultimately beaten by a 5-2 final score at Honda Center on Oct. 31. 

It was during that contest that Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider appeared to have scored the game-tying goal in the second period, only to have it waived off after he was ruled to have used a distinct kicking motion.

Moments later, the Ducks scored to make the score 3-1, a tally that would later stand up as the game-winner.

The Ducks, who have ranked near the bottom of the Western Conference for the past several seasons, are suddenly leading the Pacific Division and tied for second overall in the conference.

Players like Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier are leading the Ducks in scoring, while Troy Terry is currently on a nine-game road scoring streak. The Ducks have no shortage of young talent, which Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan described as “dynamic.”

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"They're a pretty dynamic team," McLellan said following Thursday morning's skate. "Their young superstars have really evolved, you take (Leo) Carlsson and (Cutter) Gauthier they're playing at a high level and they're very confident right now. They have to be at the top of the offensive production in the National Hockey League, and they're feeling good about their game." 

"They can skate, they have skill and size, and they're confident. That's probably why they're 11-4-1."

During the offseason, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek, a former Red Wings forward and assistant general manager, parted ways with former head coach Greg Cronin and hired Joel Quenneville.

Quenneville is very familiar with the Red Wings, having coached against them in multiple postseason series as the bench boss of both the St. Louis Blues and the Chicago Blackhawks, the latter of whom he guided to three Stanley Cup championships.

Red Wings Aim To Snap Three-Game Skid Against Red Hot DucksDetroit faces an eleven-win streak Anaheim squad. Can veteran leadership ignite a struggling offense and end their losing streak?

While it's impossible to ignore the dynamic that Quenneville has brought to the Ducks, McLellan also acknowledged Verbeek's staff as a whole for their hot start to this season. 

"I would say yes, but I would include the rest of his staff and I would also include the Ducks' (Verbeek's) management team," McLellan answered when asked if Quenneville deserves the credit for their start. "They filled in some holes and brought in some complimentary players that others thought were done...they've come in and played well for their team." 

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DENVER — Taylor Makar has been recalled by the Colorado Avalanche ahead of Thursday night’s matchup against the Buffalo Sabres, the team announced Thursday.

The 24‑year‑old forward has appeared in 13 games this season with the Colorado Eagles, the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, recording one goal and three assists.

NHL (@NHL) on XEvery other team's worst nightmare, two Makars! 😱 Taylor Makar, Cale's younger brother, is making his NHL debut!

Why Makar Was Called Up

The call-up comes in the wake of a lower-body injury suffered by Valeri Nichushkin, who left Tuesday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks early in the third period after blocking a shot. Coach Bednar confirmed Wednesday morning that the 6-foot-3, 209-pound right winger would "miss some time," but there is currently no timetable for his return.

A seventh‑round selection in 2021, Makar signed a one‑year, entry‑level contract extending through the 2025‑26 season.

Prior to turning professional, he spent three seasons at UMass Amherst, compiling 15 goals and seven assists across 85 games from 2021 to 2023. He subsequently transferred to the University of Maine for the 2024‑25 campaign, where he produced 18 goals and 12 assists for 30 points in 38 contests.

Meanwhile, Cale Makar, Taylor's older brother, continues to lead the Avalanche’s blueline corps in 2025‑26, tallying six goals and 17 assists in 17 games.

Colorado sits atop the NHL standings with an impressive 11‑1‑5 record.

Taylor Makar made his NHL debut on November 1 when the Avalanche lost in overtime against the San Jose Sharks in a 3-2 heartbreaker. He averaged 6:07 of ice time during the game. It marked the first time two brothers had taken the ice together for the same NHL team since Mathieu Joseph and Pierre‑Olivier Joseph suited up for the St. Louis Blues during the 2024‑25 season.

The Game

Live from Ball Arena, the Avs will take on the struggling Sabers, who live in frosty conditions, but they've been just as cold with their shooting, as they've dropped seven of their last eight games. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time. 

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.

Thursday's NHL schedule is a loaded ten games, packed with excitement and promise fast-paced action, dramatic finishes, and plenty of highlight-reel moments. One of the most compelling games of the night features the red hot Anaheim Ducks facing off against the ice cold Detroit Red Wings, who've lost four of their last five games. The Ducks look to rebound after suffering a 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday and build on their 11-4-1 start with a win on Thursday. 

For those following our betting challenge, we began with a $10 bankroll and aim to grow it through smart, data-driven wagers. Past runs have turned small stakes into triple-digit profits, and tonight’s focus is the Red Wings-Ducks matchup, which offers another strong opportunity to build momentum.

Our bankroll had reached $264.60 before a setback in last Tuesday’s Golden Knights and Red Wings game. After a successful bet on the Mammoth beating the Sabres on Wednesday, our current bankroll stands at $72.76 and we're ready to keep our hot streak going once again. 

All betting lines are from BetMGM Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. 

Sign up with BetMGM, make a deposit, and place your first wager on any game using your First Bet Offer token. If that bet with the token applied loses, you’ll get your original stake paid back in Bonus Bets, up to $1,500! Get in the game today with BetMGM.

Count On Maple Leafs' John Tavares Staying Hot Versus LA KingsCan Tavares spark the red hot Leafs offense against a stingy Kings defense? Goals galore expected in this high-stakes matchup.

Picks: Red Wings +2.5 & Over 5.5 Goals (-114)

Despite recent trends, the Red Wings enter this matchup as favorites, which isn't surprising given the history between these two teams. Just two weeks ago, the Ducks defeated Detroit, but prior to that, the Red Wings had dominated at home, winning 16 of their last 23 matchups against Anaheim. Overall, Anaheim has struggled in the Motor City, claiming just two victories in eight trips. If the Ducks hope to end that skid, they’ll need to bring their best effort.

Both teams are poised for a potential turnaround. Detroit is coming off three straight losses and could use a bounce-back performance, while Anaheim’s impressive run of seven wins in their last eight games suggests they might be due for a setback. Offensively, both squads boast elite talent with Anaheim’s 20-year-old top-line center, Leo Carlsson, being one of the biggest surprises of the season. The early season breakout has 26 points in 16 games, second only to Nathan MacKinnon in league scoring. Carlsson has historically excelled against Detroit, tallying points in all four career matchups with a goal and seven assists. His play will be crucial in keeping the Ducks competitive.

Goaltending will be a major storyline, as both teams have struggled between the pipes. Anaheim is expected to give regular starter Lukas Dostal the night off, turning instead to backup Petr Mrazek. The 33-year-old former Red Wings netminder has had a rough start to the season, posting a 4.57 goals-against average and an .865 save percentage over three games, allowing 14 goals. In his career against Detroit, Mrazek has a 3.26 GAA and .878 save percentage over 16 games. In net for Detroit is former Ducks star John Gibson, whose homecoming to Anaheim didn’t go well as he allowed four goals on 31 shots in his first game back. 

With elite offenses on both sides and goaltenders in tough form, this game is likely to see plenty of scoring. Ultimately, the Red Wings will look to leverage their home advantage and historical dominance over the Ducks to secure a much-needed win, while Anaheim will rely on Carlsson and their hot offense to stay in the fight. A wager on the Red Wings and the over at -114 odds with an $72.76 bankroll would return a profit of $64.03, for a total payout of $136.79 in return.

Are The Boston Bruins For Real?Boston's impressive win streak ignites debate. Can Pastrnak and Geekie lead this resurgent team past last year's playoff disappointment?

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.

During the 2025 NHL off-season, the New Jersey Devils re-signed former Montreal Canadiens goalie Jake Allen to a five-year $9 million contract. 

So far, the decision to keep Allen around is looking like a good one for the Devils. In nine games so far this season with the Devils, the former Canadiens goaltender has a 6-2-0 record, a 2.29 goals-against average, and a .914 save percentage. He has also had a .900 save percentage or better in six out of his nine appearances this season, which shows that he has been consistent.

Allen also just put together his best start of the season so far against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 8. During it, the former Canadiens goaltender stopped 33 out of 34 shots, which equated an impressive .971 save percentage of the night. 

Allen’s goal from here will be to continue to provide solid goaltending for the Devils. If he does, it will only make the Devils a more challenging team for opponents to face off against this season. 

In 127 games over four seasons with the Canadiens from 2020-21 to 2023-24, Allen recorded a 41-68-15 record, a .899 save percentage, a 3.30 goals-against average, and three shutouts. 

One of the newest members of the Florida Panthers has been helping provide some stability on the back line while the team’s oldest forward is pacing the group offensively.

Their contributions come at a time when the team has struggled to find dependability in their game amid a myriad of injuries to everyday players.

Considering the incredible career Brad Marchand has had, it’s probably less surprising to see him collecting points as rapidly as he has been than it has been to see the emergence of young defenseman Donovan Sebrango.

Florida claimed Sebrango off waivers from the Ottawa Senators earlier this season on the heels of losing Dmitry Kulikov to a labrum injury that will keep him out of the lineup for five months following surgery.

Sebrango arrived in South Florida with all of four NHL games of experience under his belt, but the 6-foot-2, 223-pound blueliner had a set of skills that caught the eye of the Cats’ front office.

He moves well and has a quick burst of speed that he can use to jump up into plays or quickly close a gap. He’s shown a keen sense of when to jump into plays and when to sit back, an indication that he’s quickly grasping the concepts of Florida’s five-man defensive systems.

On Monday, Sebrango’s fifth game since joining the Panthers, he picked up a pair of assists in Florida’s 3-2 victory in Las Vegas.

They were his first points in the NHL.

While the sample size remains small, it appears Florida may have found themselves another viable player that fits well in their physically-demanding systems.

“I think he's played the same game, and that's a really impressive thing because he's he doesn't have a lot of NHL experience,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “He's still a young man, but he has been very, very consistent in his style of game and what we expect from him, and that is highly unusual in a young player, especially a defenseman. There are so many different reads, and we play a different game than he's been experiencing, so we're really impressed with his composure in the game, and we like his bite.”

As for Marchand, the 37-year-old has been performing like he’s 10 years younger.

Regardless of what line he’s on or who he’s skating with, Marchand has been Florida’s most consistent point producer so far this season, but lately he’s taken things to another level.

After logging three goals and three assists over his first seven games, Marchand has exploded over his past eight outings.

He’s racked up eight goals and 12 points during his eight-game scoring streak, but it gets even better than that.

Marchand has scored goals in five straight games, with six total tallies over that span, some of which were highlight-worthy.

“It's almost more fun to watch the guys who haven't played here, who didn't see it in the playoffs, react to that,” Maurice said after Marchand scored a gorgeous backhand goal during Monday's win in Vegas. “He's special in tight, his hands are so quick. It would be the thing about Brad that…you know he's a good player when you coached against him for years, but you get on the ice in practice and you see those goals, it's just an exceptional set of hands.”

While an unlikely pair, both Marchand and Sebrango have done well lately bringing their unique brands of hockey to a Panthers team that was in need of steadiness and reliability.

How long they can keep it going remains to be seen.

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Photo caption: Nov 1, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) celebrates with defenseman Donovan Sebrango (6) after the game against the Dallas Stars at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

On Thursday morning, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced that "New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for boarding Chicago Blackhawks forward Tyler Bertuzzi during NHL Game No. 268 in Chicago on Wednesday, Nov. 12."

The hit  occurred at 17:16 of the first period while the Blackhawks were on the power play. The 35-year-old was assessed a minor penalty for boarding.

The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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.

Brayden Schenn resurfaced in the rumor mill earlier this week as his St. Louis Blues remain mired near the bottom of the NHL standings.

Since then, the Blues have a three-game points streak going, sitting only five points out of a wild-card berth in the Western Conference approaching Friday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Nevertheless, Schenn remains the focus of media trade chatter.

On Tuesday, Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic confirmed a report by Bleacher Report's Frank Seravalli last week that Blues GM Doug Armstrong had informed his peers that he's “open for business.” However, he pointed out that Armstrong has done this regularly in recent years without making a significant subtraction from his roster, suggesting it may be more to motivate his players to improve their performance.

Rutherford mentioned Schenn as a trade possibility. He pointed out that the 34-year-old center attracted plenty of attention leading up to last season's trade deadline, but he told the Blues he wanted to stay put. Rutherford wondered if Schenn might reconsider, given the club's recent struggles. He no longer has a full no-trade clause, as it reverted to a 15-team no-trade list on July 1.

Jordan Kyrou also came up as a trade candidate. Rutherford reminded us that the 27-year-old right winger was the subject of trade conjecture last June before his no-trade clause kicked in on July 1.

Rutherford cited a league source who claimed that a team contacted the Blues about Kyrou after he was scratched from their lineup for their game last Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. However, it's not known if the Blues are shopping Kyrou or what the interested club might have offered up.

Seravalli considered Schenn the more likely to be traded. He pointed to the interest in the Blues captain at last season's trade deadline and the limited number of available centers in the trade market. If the Blues make a trade, Seravalli believes it should be to bolster their blueline.

Turning to the Buffalo Sabres, Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic wondered if GM Kevyn Adams might turn to the trade market to boost his injury-ravaged team. He doesn't anticipate a major move and acknowledged the difficulty of making trades this early in the season, but he felt that Adams should at least try to do something.

Meanwhile, some teams are checking to see if Adams is ready to become a seller.

RG.Org's Marco D'Amico reported Wednesday that the Vancouver Canucks and Montreal Canadiens were among several teams to contact the Sabres about the availability of Tage Thompson. However, Adams has informed those clubs that the high-scoring forward isn't available.

TVA Sports' Renaud Lavoie claimed the Canadiens never spoke to the Sabres about Thompson. He doesn't see Adams moving out any of his core players.

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.

The New York Islanders are out in Las Vegas for Thursday's matchup against the Golden Knights.

Meanwhile, the team had a pro scout busy on Wednesday night, taking in Chicago Blackhawks vs New Jersey Devils game.

Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) on X#Isles one of a handful of teams who have a scout in Chicago tonight.

While it's still early in the year, it's always interesting to see which teams are watching which others. In this case, it's almost certain the Islanders are watching Chicago, as it would be far easier and cheaper for the franchise to scout the Devils back in New Jersey -- a team the Islanders just beat 3-2 in overtime on Monday. 

The Islanders have a glaring need on the right side of their defense, and Chicago has a pair of players who could be acquired to join New York's defense corps.

First, Louis Crevier is thought to be available. He's a 6'8 monster, drafted in the 7th round of the 2020 NHL Draft, and has 72 games under his belt. He posted two assists last night, and through 16 games this season, has two goals and eight points total. 

He could very easily jump right into New York's lineup, perhaps as an ideal partner for Alexander Romanov or Adam Pelech, with Ryan Pulock now stapled alongside Matthew Schaefer.

Crevier's just 24, and with his size, why would Chicago be looking to trade him?

For starters, they have too many defensemen. Last night, they ran an 11-forward, 7-defensemen set-up, something far from ideal. 

Chicago also wants to add an NHL forward to the mix of their roster, as they continue to plow along in their rebuild. The Islanders are flush with NHL forwards and would likely be open to flipping a forward to improve their defense.

The other option thought to be available in Chicago is Connor Murphy, a 32-year-old veteran right-shot blue liner and steady presence for all 762 games of his career. He's spent the last 9 years of his career with the Blackhawks, remaining loyal throughout the long rebuilding process that's gone on.

Murphy's even worn a letter since the 2020-21 season, showcasing how much his leadership means to the team.

He's available for the same reasons Crevier is, just too many defensemen pushing and not enough spots. If Chicago gets the right forward or pick package in return, Murphy, a pending UFA, will be available.

He's expected to be dealt ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline, but it's never too early to make an early run.  

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that they have called up goaltender Artur Akhtyamov from the Toronto Marlies.

Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) on XThe Maple Leafs have recalled G Artur Akhtyamov. F Scott Laughton has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to November 8.

The Maple Leafs fell to the Boston Bruins 5-3 at TD Garden on Tuesday. Starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz was unable to finish the game, getting pulled after 20 minutes due to what the team said was a lower-body injury.

Stolarz allowed three goals on 11 shots in the game. He was pulled for performance-related reasons in his previous match, which was also against the Bruins, where he allowed four goals on 19 shots faced.

Following Tuesday's game, Craig Berube didn't feel Stolarz' upper-body injury was serious.

Toronto's next option in goal, Joseph Woll, is unavaiable to the Leafs as the goaltender continues his conditioning stint with the Marlies. Woll made 25 saves on 28 shots in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Grand Rapids Griffins.

In all likelyhood, Dennis Hildeby is set to make his fourth consecutive NHL appearance when the Leafs host the Los Angeles Kings at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday. Despite an 0-2-0 record, Hildeby has posted a .909 save percentage under difficult circumstance as the club tries to snap a 3-game losing streak. In six games with the Marlies, Akhtyamov has a 4-2-0 record with an .894 save percentage.

To be updated....