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Senators' First Step Toward Stanley Cup Playoff Return Is Better Goaltending

The Senators are feeling good about themselves after a 3–2 victory in Winnipeg. They were able to win two of the three games on their latest road trip, and now they can start looking up in the hilariously tight Eastern standings again.

The Senators now stand just two games over .500, four points out of a playoff spot, but if their goaltending over the final 50 games looks anything like it did over the first 32, the playoffs won't be in the cards.

There’s no question that Linus Ullmark and Leevi Merilainen have had some fine games and some big moments. For example, it was nice to see Ullmark win twice on the just-completed road trip. But in a conference this tight, filled with close games and three points being doled out so frequently, the overall, below-average goaltending will sink the Senators’ playoff chances.

And looking at the first two months as a body of work, below average is probably a kind description

Both Ullmark and Merilainen have goals-against averages north of three goals per game and save percentages south of .880. Ullmark has played roughly three-quarters of the games so far, makes $8.25 million per season, and currently ranks 40th in the NHL in goals-against average and 48th in save percentage.

Yes, team performance will always influence goaltender numbers, but even Ullmark’s biggest fans would have to admit that his seasonal performance so far hasn't been good enough.

It was around this time last December that Ullmark shook off a sketchy start with a personal seven-game winning streak, and the Senators and their fans would love some of that right about now.

In a low-scoring game in Winnipeg on Monday, Ullmark gave up a shaky goal on a long shot by Logan Stanley that looked like it was going to stand up as the difference in another loss. Yes, that Logan Stanley, who has scored exactly one goal in each of his last five NHL seasons.

But after Jake Sanderson forced overtime on a lucky deflection off Mark Scheifele, Tuesday morning's headlines, social media, and talk radio were a lot kinder to Ullmark than they would have been. The bounce gave Ullmark a chance to atone, and did he ever.  The big Swede made a couple of massive OT saves to keep the game alive, setting the table for Brady Tkachuk’s game-winner.

That was welcome news for Sens fans, who continue to hope they get more of that, and that the Vezina Trophy–winning version of Ullmark soon shows up in Ottawa for an extended run.

Let's be honest, a goalie making $8.25 million shouldn't be the topic of a conversation that includes concerns about sketchy goals, which should only happen once in a blue moon. The dialogue should be about his top 10 numbers and how he's so steady and reliable that if he does let in the odd softy, his teammates rally to try and pick him up.

At two games above 500, the reality is the Senators have already burned through most of their margin for error. So, with 50 games to play, here's what they face.

Over the past two seasons, the eighth-place team in the Eastern Conference got in with 91 points. Right now, the Senators have 34 points with 50 games to play. Of the 100 points still available, they’ll need 57 of them to reach that 91-point mark. That means they'll require something like a 25-18-7 record the rest of the way.

But in 2022, it took 100 points to earn eighth place. If that’s the case again, and I doubt it will be, the Senators would need 66 points in their final 50 games, or something like a 29-13-8 finish. That would be a tall order

That’s not to say everything this season falls entirely on the goaltending. The Senators have a good roster, but not good depth, so they need to get and stay healthy. Or make a trade. Shane Pinto and Thomas Chabot need to return and thrive, ensuring proper slotting throughout the lineup; they need their five-on-five scoring to improve; and they need better results on the penalty kill.

If the playoff cut line stays at 91 points, the Senators might still squeak in with the status quo in goal, but it's not likely. And if that line climbs any higher, they can forget it. Regardless, if you do show up in mid-April with leaky goaltending, you won't get to May.

But on the other hand, if Ullmark or Merilainen can rediscover their mojo, as they've done before, then maybe something special will begin to simmer in Ottawa. 

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

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

30 Games Into The Season, What Is The Ottawa Senators' Identity?
Senators Comeback Effort Wasted In 3-2 Regulation Loss In Minnesota
After A Hot Start, Senators' Veteran Goes Ice Cold And Now Joins Injury List
Popular Former Ottawa Senator Forward Attempting Comeback At Age 38
Four Ottawa Senators Make Annual List Of Most Punchable NHL Players

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Leon Draisaitl reaches 1,000 career points against Penguins, Skinner

Leon Draisaitl

Dec 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) moves the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell (67) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl became the fourth-fastest active player in NHL history to reach 1,000 career points in the first period against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Draisaitl had the secondary assist on a power-play goal by Zach Hyman at 11:38 of the first period. He sent a pass to Connor McDavid, who slid it in front to Hyman for a one-timer past Stuart Skinner.

Skinner was Draisaitl’s teammate before Edmonton traded him to Pittsburgh for Tristan Jarry on Friday. After Hyman’s goal, the Oilers’ bench emptied and congratulated Draisaitl on the milestone in the corner.

Draisaitl scored his 1,001th point 14 seconds later on a goal by McDavid. He has 416 goals and 585 assists in 824 games. Draisaitl and McDavid assisted on a goal for the 136th time in their career, passing Paul Coffey and Wayne Gretzky for fourth-most by a pair of teammates in NHL history.

Draisaitl, the No. 3 pick in 2014, became the 103rd player in NHL history, first German-born player and fifth in franchise history to reach 1,000 points.

Draisaitl, a four-time 50-goal scorer, who helped Edmonton reach the Stanley Cup Final the previous two seasons, is the fifth-fastest to reach the milestone among players born outside North America.

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Flyers Defense Gets Big Boost at Crucial Moment

The Philadelphia Flyers are about to get a huge boost at time when they may have needed it the absolute most.

Losers of three straight, all in overtime and the shootout, the Flyers announced Tuesday that veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, at long last, has been activated from injured reserve, ending a nine-month absence due to a ruptured triceps.

Ristolainen, 31, has not played an NHL game for the Flyers since a 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators back on March 11, but his return against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night will put an end to his 280 days between games.

In a corresponding transaction to make the necessary roster spot, the Flyers assigned defenseman Ty Murchison, who played very well in a brief two-game cameo at the NHL level, to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Did Quinn Hughes Diss Flyers for Big Trade Dud?Did Quinn Hughes Diss Flyers for Big Trade Dud?Quinn Hughes has been connected to the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> ever since Rick Tocchet took over as head coach, and there's a chance the superstar defenseman is miffed a reunion didn't take place.

The burly 6-foot-4 Ristolainen was playing some of the best overall hockey of his career for the Flyers under John Tortorella last season, scoring four goals, 15 assists, and 19 points in 63 games to the tune of a +3 rating and an average ice time of 20:31 - his most under Tortorella in his three seasons as head coach.

How Ristolainen fares transitioning to his third full-time head coach in five seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers remains to be seen, but if the Finn can return to the form Tortorella and Brad Shaw coached him to in the previous two seasons, the Flyers will be in for a real treat as they continue their playoff push into the winter.

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Mets and Yankees among suitors for Michael King, who is expected to receive a four-year deal

Michael King appears to be the most likely of the free agent starters to sign next, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. 

The belief, per Feinsand, is that King will land a four-year deal. 

Both New York teams are among his suitors, along with the Red Sox, Orioles, and Cubs. 

That certainly doesn’t come as a surprise, as Greg Joyce of the NY Post reported on Monday that the Yankees were open to a reunion with King, whom they dealt to the Padres as part of the Juan Soto trade. 

The Mets have also been connected to the 30-year-old this offseason, and the two sides reportedly had a video meeting ahead of last week’s Winter Meetings.

While King’s injury history makes him a bit of a risk, he does present an intriguing addition to either rotation. 

The Rochester-native was one of baseball's top arms two seasons ago in his first year as a full-time starter, finishing seventh in Cy Young voting after posting a 2.95 ERA and 201 strikeouts.

He was solid again when healthy this past season, but two different stints on the IL limited him to just 15 outings.  

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Flyers Send Big Defender Back To AHL

The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they have assigned defenseman Ty Murchison to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. 

The Flyers sending Murchison back to Lehigh Valley comes with key blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen being ready to start his 2025-26 season. As a result of this, Murchison will now be looking to continue to grow his game with the Phantoms. 

Murchison was on his first career NHL call-up before being assigned back to the Phantoms. During it, he appeared in three games for the Flyers, where he recorded zero points, two blocks, five hits, and a plus-1 rating. Overall, the 6-foot-2 defenseman showed promise during his first chance on the Flyers' roster.

Now, Murchison will be aiming to make a big impact with the Phantoms after being sent back down to the AHL. In 21 games this season with Lehigh Valley, he has recorded one goal, three assists, four points, 30 penalty minutes, and a plus-9 rating. 

Murchison was selected by the Flyers with the 158th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In 25 career AHL games over two seasons with the Phantoms, he has posted two goals, four assists, six points, 36 penalty minutes, and a plus-11 rating. 

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Winners and losers as Knicks claim NBA Cup over Wembanyama, Spurs 124-113

Winners and losers as Knicks claim NBA Cup over Wembanyama, Spurs 124-113 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

An NBA trophy is headed to New York.

The Knicks on Tuesday won the 2025 NBA Cup Final in Las Vegas with a 124-113 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

It marks New York’s first win in the tournament, as the first two editions went to the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively.

Both teams stayed neck and neck for the opening two-and-a-half quarters, when San Antonio went up by double digits late in the third behind a Victor Wembanyama solo run.

But that didn’t continue in the fourth, as the Knicks capitalized on Wembanyama sitting on the bench due to an injury limiting his minutes. New York outscored the Spurs 35-19 in the fourth, with OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson, the eventual MVP, showing their quality.

Each player on the Knicks will now take home an extra $530,933 for the win. Let’s analyze the game further with winners and losers:

WINNER: OG Anunoby, Knicks

Anunoby chose a fantastic game to go above and beyond. The 28-year-old forward recorded a game-high 28 points on 10 of 17 shooting overall, including a 5 of 10 clip from deep. He added nine rebounds and three assists to his stat line, with four offensive boards.

He may not have claimed the MVP award for his game, but these types of two-way performances can give New York the edge come playoff time.

LOSER: De’Aaron Fox, Spurs

With Wembanyama playing limited minutes on a bench role, these are the types of games where Fox has to reach the next level. That just wasn’t the case.

The point guard went for just 16 points on 5 of 16 shooting with nine assists, two rebounds and five turnovers. He was second to everything offensively and defensively down the stretch, and it’s not ideal that Wembanyama and Dylan Harper outscored him in less minutes.

WINNER: Jalen Brunson, Knicks

It may not be the NBA Championship, but Brunson remains on the right track to potentially winning the major trophy. The 29-year-old, sometimes deemed too small to be the No. 1 option on a title-winning team, assembled a 25-point showing to go with eight rebounds, four rebounds and two blocks.

Not everything was clean, though, despite the MVP win. He shot 11 of 27 overall, 1 of 5 from deep and 2 of 4 from the foul line. How things would look in a four-game series vs. San Antonio is unclear, but it’s a night to celebrate regardless.

LOSER: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

Wembanyama has enjoyed two 40-point games against the Knicks in his young career, but he was limited to just 25 minutes in this one. Had he played the majority of the fourth quarter instead of Luke Kornet, perhaps the outcome may have been different.

But the young French star will not get the chance to add to his resume early on, scoring 18 points on 7 of 17 shooting with a 2 of 6 mark from deep. He added six rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal. Now he’ll need to stay healthy with San Antonio’s roster in much better shape to embark on a playoff run.

WINNER: Mitchell Robinson, Knicks

Sometimes you need your role players to come up big when needed the most. New York received valiant bench-scoring efforts from Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek, but it was long-time center Robinson that was at the heart of everything.

In 18 minutes, he nabbed 15 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. The Spurs had success with second-chance points, but Robinson helped the Knicks tilt that to their advantage, especially without Wemby. New York also had 56 points in the paint to San Antonio’s 44. Again, it’s not the main title, but New York fans will appreciate what Robinson did for them given his time spent with the franchise.

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Winners and losers as Knicks claim NBA Cup over Wembanyama, Spurs 124-113

Winners and losers as Knicks claim NBA Cup over Wembanyama, Spurs 124-113 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

An NBA trophy is headed to New York.

The Knicks on Tuesday won the 2025 NBA Cup Final in Las Vegas with a 124-113 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

It marks New York’s first win in the tournament, as the first two editions went to the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively.

Both teams stayed neck and neck for the opening two-and-a-half quarters, when San Antonio went up by double digits late in the third behind a Victor Wembanyama solo run.

But that didn’t continue in the fourth, as the Knicks capitalized on Wembanyama sitting on the bench due to an injury limiting his minutes. New York outscored the Spurs 35-19 in the fourth, with OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson, the eventual MVP, showing their quality.

Each player on the Knicks will now take home an extra $530,933 for the win. Let’s analyze the game further with winners and losers:

WINNER: OG Anunoby, Knicks

Anunoby chose a fantastic game to go above and beyond. The 28-year-old forward recorded a game-high 28 points on 10 of 17 shooting overall, including a 5 of 10 clip from deep. He added nine rebounds and three assists to his stat line, with four offensive boards.

He may not have claimed the MVP award for his game, but these types of two-way performances can give New York the edge come playoff time.

LOSER: De’Aaron Fox, Spurs

With Wembanyama playing limited minutes on a bench role, these are the types of games where Fox has to reach the next level. That just wasn’t the case.

The point guard went for just 16 points on 5 of 16 shooting with nine assists, two rebounds and five turnovers. He was second to everything offensively and defensively down the stretch, and it’s not ideal that Wembanyama and Dylan Harper outscored him in less minutes.

WINNER: Jalen Brunson, Knicks

It may not be the NBA Championship, but Brunson remains on the right track to potentially winning the major trophy. The 29-year-old, sometimes deemed too small to be the No. 1 option on a title-winning team, assembled a 25-point showing to go with eight rebounds, four rebounds and two blocks.

Not everything was clean, though, despite the MVP win. He shot 11 of 27 overall, 1 of 5 from deep and 2 of 4 from the foul line. How things would look in a four-game series vs. San Antonio is unclear, but it’s a night to celebrate regardless.

LOSER: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

Wembanyama has enjoyed two 40-point games against the Knicks in his young career, but he was limited to just 25 minutes in this one. Had he played the majority of the fourth quarter instead of Luke Kornet, perhaps the outcome may have been different.

But the young French star will not get the chance to add to his resume early on, scoring 18 points on 7 of 17 shooting with a 2 of 6 mark from deep. He added six rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal. Now he’ll need to stay healthy with San Antonio’s roster in much better shape to embark on a playoff run.

WINNER: Mitchell Robinson, Knicks

Sometimes you need your role players to come up big when needed the most. New York received valiant bench-scoring efforts from Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek, but it was long-time center Robinson that was at the heart of everything.

In 18 minutes, he nabbed 15 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. The Spurs had success with second-chance points, but Robinson helped the Knicks tilt that to their advantage, especially without Wemby. New York also had 56 points in the paint to San Antonio’s 44. Again, it’s not the main title, but New York fans will appreciate what Robinson did for them given his time spent with the franchise.

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Mets anticipate Jorge Polanco playing first base, DH while 'bouncing around' the diamond

The Mets made the Jorge Polanco signing official on Tuesday evening.

Days after New York signed Polanco to a reported two-year, $40 million deal, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns talked up his acquisition in a press release, and gave some insight into how he anticipates the team to use the 32-year-old.

“We are excited to add Jorge to our organization and expect him to be a big part of our team over the next two years,” Stearns said in a press release. “Jorge’s athleticism and versatility on both sides of the ball make him a perfect fit as we continue to build out our team.  As we stand now, we would anticipate Jorge playing first base, DH, and bouncing around to other positions as needed.”

After Pete Alonso signed with the Orioles last week, the Mets signed Polanco to give the team more versatility and to play first base. Interestingly enough, Polanco has appeared in just one game at the position in his 12-year career. 

Polanco slashed .265/.326/.495 with 30 doubles, 26 homers, 78 RBI in 138 games last year with the Mariners, and while he's not expected to deliver the offensive production of Alonso, it gives Stearns and the Mets options to fill out the rest of the roster. 

There are currently still other viable first base options in the free agent market, including veterans Paul Goldschmidt and Luis Arraez. There is also Cody Bellinger, who plays both outfield and first base, who is still available and the Mets are currently "very in" on. 

But the Mets do have other areas of need this offseason, including in the outfield, starting rotation and bullpen.

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If Sabres Are To End Cycle Of Disappointing Seasons, GM Kekalainen Has To Take Chances WIth Big Swings On Trade Market

Owen Power (Sergei Belski, USA TODAY Images)

In the past five days, the NHL has seen not one, but two blockbuster trades – one that sent late sent superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks to the Minnesota Wild, and one that sent veteran goalie Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Edmonton Oilers. Thus, we don’t want to hear any talk that, in the salary cap era, it’s next to impossible to get deals done.

However, if you judge the work done by now-former Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams in his more than five-years running the team before he was fired Monday and replaced with former Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen, you might take that talk about impossible trades a little more seriously. But from this writer’s perspective, that had more to do with Adams’ paralysis about taking big swings than it does about other teams pulling off major deals. 

Now, are there trades that constitute significant gambles? Sure there are. But don’t you think the Wild just gambled that Hughes is going to be a long-term piece of the puzzle in Minnesota? And don’t you think the Oilers just gambled that Jarry is going to do what former Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner couldn’t do and carry the Oilers to a Stanley Cup championship? 

The answer to both those questions is a resounding ‘yes’. But the old saying about nothing ventured, nothing gained is accurate when it comes to trades. And that means Kekalainen has to take a chance if the Sabres are going to be a playoff team for the first time in a decade-and-a-half.

New Sabres GM Kekalainen Must Address These Three IssuesNew Sabres GM Kekalainen Must Address These Three IssuesThe Buffalo Sabres fired GM Kevyn Adams Monday. And his replacement, former Columbus Blue Jackets architect Jarmo Kekalainen, needs to prioritize making some major changes to the Sabres. Here are the three key areas Kekalainen must address.

As we’ve argued recently, Buffalo needs to deal from positions of strength, and when it comes to the Sabres’ goaltending and defense corps, they have strength. So trading someone such as defenseman Owen Power is something the Sabres should be looking into. But that said, Kekalainen can’t play it safe and only make a minor deal or two in the immediate weeks and months ahead. Because they have to know sticking with the status quo is going to enrage Buffalo fans.

There’s another saying that applies to the Sabres, and that saying is ‘safe is death’. It will be easy for Kekalainen to keep his core together, but as we’ve seen this season, that core simply doesn’t have what it takes to be winners. That’s not up for debate. That’s a fact.

Here's Why Sabres Need To Connect With Retooling Canucks To Acquire Star Center PetterssonHere's Why Sabres Need To Connect With Retooling Canucks To Acquire Star Center PetterssonThe Vancouver Canucks pulled off a blockbuster trade this week. But the Buffalo Sabres need to connect with the Canucks to try and acquire star center Elias Pettersson. A bold trade package might just lure him from Vancouver's rebuild -- and generate a Sabres retool.

And if Buffalo is ever going to break this cycle of letdown season after letdown season, they’re going to need Sabres management to step to the plate and and acquire a different set of players. 

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Canadiens: Montembeault Sent Down To Laval For Conditioning Purposes

When Martin St-Louis was asked Tuesday morning after practice whether there was a chance Samuel Montembeault would play a game this week, he said he didn’t know and that they needed to figure it out. Well, they did that quickly as the Montreal Canadiens announced that Montembeault, who had started the season as their number one goaltender, was being sent down to the Laval Rocket on a conditioning stint.

According to CBA rules, this is something the netminder had to agree to, and it can last up to 14 days. While this is probably not where Montembeault thought he would be at this stage of the season, it was a good move on his part to agree to this.

Canadiens: Big Decision Ahead
Canadiens: Looking For A Winning Streak
Canadiens Important Defenseman Out vs. Flyers

His last appearance with the Habs was in relief to Jakub Dobes on December 9, when he gave up three goals on just 13 shots. As for his previous start, it dates back to December 2 when the Canadiens played an atrocious game against the Ottawa Senators and lost 5-2.

In 15 games this season, the Becancour native has a 5-6-1 record, a 3.65 goals-against average and a .857 save percentage. A lot can happen in a calendar year in the NHL. Last season, at this stage of the season, Montembeault was starting every single game and was being earmarked as one of Canada’s three netminders for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

For whatever reason, the 29-year-old netminder can’t seem to get it together this season. It’s not that he hasn’t been allowed to build his confidence back up, but he’s been unable to do it in the NHL with the Canadiens battling for a playoff spot this season. Perhaps in Laval, where the stakes will be lower and the scrutiny less intense, he’ll find a way to do it.

This option also makes sense for the Canadiens; it will allow both Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes to get some ice time. Both could have been sent to Laval without clearing waivers, but neither deserved to be based on their latest performance. When Dobes shone bright against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night, he told the Habs loud and clear that he shouldn’t be going anywhere.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

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