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Warriors' Steph Curry explains why he still struggles to accept his NBA stardom

Warriors' Steph Curry explains why he still struggles to accept his NBA stardom originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

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No LeBron, no problem: Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves lead red-hot Lakers past Pelicans

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 30: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers.
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)

As long as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are playing, the Lakers always stand a good chance of winning — even if LeBron James is out.

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.

Read more:Former Lakers star Anthony Davis makes long-awaited return to L.A. after trade

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.

Read more:Austin Reaves helps Lakers and Luka Doncic notch win over Mavericks

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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November Penguins' Prospects Update: Goaltenders

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:

Sergei Murashov

In an unexpected twist early in the season - and after a stellar training camp - Murashov got the chance to make his NHL debut much sooner than anticipated and have a small run of games at the NHL level before being re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) once Tristan Jarry was activated from injured reserve. 

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. 

The Early Returns On Sergei Murashov Are Encouraging The Early Returns On Sergei Murashov Are Encouraging Sergei Murashov has only played in two NHL games, but he has looked really good.

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. 

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. 

'My Goal Is To Take Another Step': Penguins' Goaltender Battles For Positioning In Camp'My Goal Is To Take Another Step': Penguins' Goaltender Battles For Positioning In CampGoaltending has been an interesting topic of discussion around <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' training camp this season, and understandably so.&nbsp;

Gabriel D'Aigle

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.

D'Aigle was selected by the Penguins in the third round (84th overall) of the 2025 Draft, and - once again - Victoriaville isn't exactly lighting up the 'Q.' He is getting peppered night-in and night-out, and he has logged more minutes than any other goaltender in 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. 

NHL News: Penguins Take Interesting Goalie With Pick No. 84NHL News: Penguins Take Interesting Goalie With Pick No. 84The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> have selected goaltender Gabriel D'Aigle with the 84th overall pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Jake Smith

At 30 years old, Smith can't really be considered a prospect. He spent nine seasons in Europe before joining Wheeling this season.

However, we will highlight him here because he's putting up some pretty impressive numbers for the Nailers so far.

In eight appearances, Smith is 7-0-1 with a 1.72 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage. Earlier this month, he earned ECHL Goaltender of the Week honors for the week of Nov. 10-16.

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.

Nailers' Netminder Earns Goaltender Of The Week HonorsNailers' Netminder Earns Goaltender Of The Week HonorsJake Smith becomes the 33rd Wheeling Nailer to win the ECHL Goaltender of the Week award.

Maxim Pavlenko

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.

Notable injuries: Taylor Gauthier

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Knicks Notes: Josh Hart making strong case to remain in starting lineup; Jalen Brunson continuing to impress

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.”

The Knicks play the Raptors in Toronto on Dec. 9 in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. The winner goes to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinals. 

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.
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.”

Brown said on Friday that Brunson isn’t getting enough attention as an early-season MVP candidate. 

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.”

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November Penguins' Prospects Update: Forwards

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. 

Avery Hayes

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. 

Hayes has already begun the first year of his two-year entry-level contract with the Penguins. He impressed in training camp and can play up and down a lineup.

Along with McGroarty, he's another guy that should see NHL ice sooner rather than later this season.

Penguins Send Two Forwards Back To Wilkes-Barre/ScrantonPenguins Send Two Forwards Back To Wilkes-Barre/ScrantonThe Pittsburgh Penguins sent two forwards back to their AHL farm team on Sunday.

Tristan Broz

Broz, 22, made his NHL debut Nov. 26 against the Buffalo Sabres, and it was a debut well-earned because of his play at the AHL level this season.

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. 

Broz was a healthy scratch for the back-to-back against the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday and Saturday. With a rough 7-2 loss against the Leafs, the Penguins next play the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, and they sent Broz back to WBS with some assumed roster movement otherwise on the way.

But if he continues what he's been doing at the AHL level this season, it won't be long before Broz is back in Pittsburgh again.

'He's A Great Player': Tristan Broz Confirmed To Make NHL Debut Wednesday Against Buffalo Sabres'He's A Great Player': Tristan Broz Confirmed To Make NHL Debut Wednesday Against Buffalo SabresPittsburgh Penguins' forward prospect Tristan Broz will make his NHL debut against the Buffalo Sabres On Wednesday

Atley Calvert

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. 

After two wins against Harvard this weekend - in which he registered four goals, including the overtime game-winner on Nov. 29 - Horcoff is up to 18 goals and 26 points in 18 games on the NCAA season, which means he now leads the NCAA in both goals and points. 

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. 

Penguins' Top Prospect Tied For First In NCAA In Points After Another Stellar GamePenguins' Top Prospect Tied For First In NCAA In Points After Another Stellar GamePittsburgh Penguins prospect Will Horcoff had another outstanding weekend for Michigan.

Cruz Lucius

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.

Takeaways: Penguins' 7-2 Loss To Leafs Calls For Some ChangesTakeaways: Penguins' 7-2 Loss To Leafs Calls For Some ChangesHeading into Saturday's matchup against the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/">Toronto Maple Leafs</a>, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> had won two consecutive games and appeared to be crawling out of the November slump they found themselves in.&nbsp;

Zam Plante

While Horcoff leads the NCAA in goals and points, Plante leads the league in assists with 17.

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. 

Ryan Miller

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. 

Jordan Charron

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.

Melvin Fernstrom

It's probably safe to say that Fernstrom - a 19-year-old right wing acquired in the Marcus Pettersson trade last spring - has not had the start that him or the Penguins were hoping for.

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.

Notable injuries: Bill Zonnon, Tanner Howe

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New York Islanders Recall Forward Marc Gatcomb

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. 

The Hockey News' New York Islanders site also covered this move here.

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Dallas 6 Ottawa 1: Senators Put Up Another Rough Third Period Performance

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

This article was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Read more:

Ullmark Trades In Game Day Naps For Computer Games
Assessing Life Without The Tkaptain: What Do We Know Now About The Senators?
Senators Prospect Watch: Seven Future Sens Who Are Getting Noticed
Former Senators Prospect Finally Finds NHL Home With Rival Boston Bruins
NHL Insider Says Senators Are 'Looking To Hit A Home Run' On The Trade Market
Senators Have Big UFA Contract Decisions In Next Few Years (Who Stays And Who Goes?)

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Former Ottawa Senator Unleashes Beatdown On Red Wings Star Defenseman

Former Ottawa Senator Mark Kastelic reminded fans on Saturday night why he’s a player most NHL players don't look forward to tangling with. Now with the Boston Bruins, Kastelic got into a brawl on Saturday night with Detroit Red Wings star defenseman Moritz Seider, and the results were predictable.

This was only Seider's second NHL fight, and it represented a huge jump in skill and weight class compared to his first career scrap. According to HockeyFights.com, that one was against Nashville Predators' star forward Filip Forsberg two years ago.

The incident came in the final seconds of the first period. Kastelic collided hard with Seider in the Detroit corner. The two began with some squawking and shoving, but them things quickly escalated from there.

Moritz Seider vs Mark Kastelic Nov 29, 2025Moritz Seider vs Mark Kastelic Nov 29, 2025Moritz Seider vs Mark Kastelic from the Detroit Red Wings at Boston Bruins game on Nov 29, 2025. via https://www.hockeyfights.com

It was a little surprising to see the Wings' prized defenseman being allowed to freely square off against one of the league’s tougher hombres with zero intervention from teammates.

Kastelic, a veteran of 38 pro fights, stands 6’4” and 234 pounds. Seider, while physically imposing at 6’2” and 210 pounds, is the smaller man and certainly not known for dropping the gloves. The mismatch was apparent almost immediately. Kastelic landed several powerful right-hand haymakers, leaving Seider on the defensive and ultimately overwhelmed.

Seider is a summer training partner and close friend of Senators' star Tim Stützle. Kastelic was drafted by the Senators 125th overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He spent four seasons in the Sens' organization, two of them in Ottawa. He was dealt two summers ago as part of the deal that saw Linus Ullmark traded by Boston to Ottawa.

This article was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Read more:

Ullmark Trades In Game Day Naps For Computer Games
Assessing Life Without The Tkaptain: What Do We Know Now About The Senators?
Senators Prospect Watch: Seven Future Sens Who Are Getting Noticed
Former Senators Prospect Finally Finds NHL Home With Rival Boston Bruins
NHL Insider Says Senators Are 'Looking To Hit A Home Run' On The Trade Market|Senators Have Big UFA Contract Decisions In Next Few Years (Who Stays And Who Goes?)

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Knicks improve to 10-1 at home with 116-94 win over Raptors

The Knicks built an early 24-point lead, and after a rough second quarter, bounced back to pull away for a 116-94 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night.

Here are some takeaways...

-- Making his seventh start of the season, Miles McBride hit four three-pointers in the first five minutes of the game to put the Knicks up on the Raptors. Following his fourth three, McBride had made 14 of his last 17 attempts from beyond the arc (h/t Fred Katz). The hot hand started to spread as Jalen Brunson hit his first three-pointer of the night, scored inside, and hit a baseline jump shot. 

Josh Hart was then left unguarded at the three-point line and took it in for an easy two-hand slam as New York took a 32-17 lead and Toronto called a timeout with just under three minutes left in the first quarter. Clarkson hit two straight three-pointers and forced another timeout, but it didn't help, as Guerschon Yabusele buried the Knicks' ninth three of the first quarter. They led 41-22 thanks to shooting 64 percent from deep (9-for-14) compared to the Raptors' 13 percent (1-for-8).

-- Tyler Kolek was all over the place to start the second quarter, grabbing an offensive rebound, scoring inside, and getting a steal. Hart kept the impressive shooting going with the team's tenth three of the game, but Scottie Barnes made three straight three-pointers of his own, causing Mike Brown to talk things over with his group. The Raptors continued on a 14-0 run to cut the lead to 10 points before McBride hit a jumper.

After Sandro Mamukelashvili and Toronto made it a five-point game, the Knicks grabbed three consecutive offensive rebounds and finally capitalized with Mikal Bridges hitting his second three-pointer of the game. Brunson shook off a cold quarter with an and-one jumper and then got a steal, leading to a Hart bucket inside to push the lead back to double digits.

-- Barnes dunked it with a second left as the Raptors won the second quarter, 30-18, and trailed by just seven points, 59-52, at halftime. The Knicks' hot three-point shooting disappeared in the second quarter, going 2-for-14 from deep. McBride still led the team with 14 points, while Brunson had 10 and Barnes paced Toronto with 16 points, including a perfect 4-for-4 from three.

-- Former Knick Immanuel Quickly scored five straight for the Raptors in the third quarter before Brunson countered with a scoop, and-one layup. Quickly then started chirping at Brunson and hit two more three-pointers to cut New York's lead to five points. He finished with 19 points for the game.

-- Hart stepped up in the third and scored eight straight points, including back-to-back threes. Bridges dunked it on the fastbreak to ignite the team and go up 84-68 with four minutes left in the quarter as New York continued on a 16-1 run to grow their lead back. Hart made another three-pointer with under a minute remaining to give him 20 points and the Knicks led 93-77 after three quarters.

-- Kolek connected with Clarkson and Karl-Anthony Towns for big dunks early on in the fourth quarter, while Brandon Ingram made back-to-back threes to keep the Raptors close. Mitchell Robinson showed hustle and grabbed multiple offensive rebounds, but missed his foul shot and Towns recorded an O-board of his own and scored inside. KAT then made his first three-pointer of the game to push the NY lead to 23 points, 106-83, with seven minutes left in the contest.

The Knicks were able to empty the bench for the final 3:37 and held on to win, 116-94. Towns shook off early shooting struggles to lead the team in scoring with 22 points, while Brunson finished with 18 points on 6-for-19 shooting. New York dominated the rebounding battle, 61-40, including 25 offensive rebounds (seven from Robinson) -- their most in a game since 2019.

Game MVP: Josh Hart

Hart was all over the place against the Raptors, giving the Knicks much-needed energy in the third quarter after a bad end to the first half. He finished with 20 points, including four three-pointers, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks travel up to Boston to face the Celtics on Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m.

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Todd McLellan Calls Out &quot;Disconnect&quot; Between Red Wings' Position Groups

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While the Detroit Red Wings were able to salvage a point in the standings during Saturday evening's 3-2 shootout setback against the Boston Bruins, it was the fourth straight game in which they were unable to pick up a win. 

During their losing skid, the Red Wings have allowed a total of 19 goals, including a worrying six goals against on Nov. 26 against the NHL-worst Nashville Predators, who hadn't scored more than five goals in a single game all season long. 

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It continues a concerning trend for the Red Wings which has seen them dip to a -13 goal differential, which is ranked 28th overall in the NHL. For a team that wants to be better defensively, that kind of statistic needs fixing. 

After surrendering six goals against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday afternoon, many of which were the result of defensive miscues, head coach Todd McLellan acknowledged that while the team has shown they can play well, there's a disconnect between the forwards and defensemen. 

"We don't get 13 wins 25 games in without having a team that can play well enough," McLellan said. "Are we playing well enough? No, we're not. Why aren't we? There's a little bit of disconnect between forwards and (defensemen) right now.

"Then in a team game, you sometimes get punished as a team, score-wise, momentum-wise, win-loss wise, for individual mistakes," he continued. "That happens. Team breakdowns are much more repairable than just an individual faux pas." 

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The losses against the Lightning and Predators were the reverse kind of performance the Red Wings showed in victories over the New York Rangers and Seattle Kraken, during both of which they were defensively responsible. 

McLellan laid out the facts plainly - until the Red Wings decide to improve their game management, these kinds of issues will continue to persist at an uncomfortable rate. 

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