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In the last preseason game of the 2025-26 season, the Edmonton Oilers headed to Vancouver with a mostly full lineup to take on the Vancouver Canucks. Stuart Skinner was out due to illness, Jake Walman still wasn't ready, and Mattias Janmark was injured, out another week. Of course, there was still no Zach Hyman. Meanwhile, the Canucks also ice most of their starters, so this was as close to a real game as preseason would offer. 

The question for the Canucks would be if they could contain the top line of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Trent Frederic, who combined for seven points in the previous preseason game between these two teams. 

The Canucks allowed Draisaitl to get one on the power play, but they did a much better job limiting the top line's chances. The Oilers went up 2-1, but the Canucks scored two, including an overtime winner from Conor Garland to give the Canucks the 3-2 win. 

EDM lineup vs. VAN:

Draisaitl - McDavid - Frederic

Podkolzin - RNH - Mangiapane

Henrique - Philp - Savoie

Howard - Tomasek - Kapanen

Ekholm - Bouchard

Nurse - Stecher

Kulak - Emberson

Pickard

Tomkins

Oilers' Early 2025-26 Season Projections: The Goalies

Oilers' Early 2025-26 Season Projections: The Forwards

Oilers' Early 2025-26 Season Projections: The Defense

First Period:

The opening period was fairly evenly played, with Vancouver holding a slight edge in shots. It was the last shot of the period that was the best of the first 20 minutes, and it gave Vancouver a lead going into the intermission. 

The Canucks generated the more dangerous looks.

The Oilers earned the first power play when Kiefer Sherwood was called for tripping. David Tomasek took the net-front role and nearly converted on a slick feed from McDavid, but Thatcher Demko turned him aside. Edmonton’s second unit struggled to sustain momentum, with Ike Howard fanning on a pass that stalled the sequence.

Out of the box, Sherwood nearly created a chance the other way, but Calvin Pickard came out aggressively to deny him.

At 17:48, Kasperi Kapanen was whistled for interference, sending Vancouver to its first man advantage. Former Oiler Evander Kane forced Pickard into a solid save, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins generated a shorthanded look. But with 9.3 seconds left in the frame, Jonathan Lekkerimäki wired a high shot over Pickard’s glove to break the deadlock. Braeden Cootes picked up the assist, giving the Canucks a 1–0 lead. 

Second Period: 

Leon Draisaitl opened the second period with a substantial shift, showcasing his puck protection skills. He felt he should have drawn a penalty when he was taken down, but he didn’t get the call. The first whistle didn’t come until 3:12, and through the opening five minutes, neither side generated much offense as the play remained scrambly.

Edmonton finally pushed back with some extended zone time, highlighted by a pair of chances, the best by Andrew Mangiapane. Vancouver managed to survive the pressure. Another four minutes ticked away before the next stoppage, during which Teddy Blueger forced Calvin Pickard into a solid save.

The Canucks began to build momentum, but it was quickly halted when David Tomasek sprung Kasperi Kapanen on the rush. Kapanen hammered a one-timer past Demko and shifted play back in Edmonton’s favor.

Moments later, pressure from Noah Philp, Matthew Savoie, and Adam Henrique drew a holding penalty, sending the Oilers to the power play. Edmonton wasted little time converting—Evan Bouchard’s point shot produced a rebound that landed on Draisaitl’s stick, which he buried to give the Oilers a 2–1 lead.

Third Period:

Defenseman Elias Pettersson didn’t return to start the third period after taking a shot to the chin from teammate Vasily Podkolzin, but he rejoined the play around the 2:30 mark, indicating he was fine to continue.

The Oilers opened the frame with an early chance from Andrew Mangiapane, who couldn’t quite pull the puck from his backhand to forehand in tight on Thatcher Demko. Vancouver responded with a strong shift around the three-minute mark, hemming Edmonton in, before the Oilers pushed back with a few dangerous looks—again led by Mangiapane.

Mattias Ekholm took the first penalty of the period, and the Canucks made him pay. Jonathan Lekkerimäki blasted home his second goal of the night, wiring a one-timer past Calvin Pickard to make it 2–2.

The game opened up at the midway point, with chances at both ends. Edmonton ran into penalty trouble soon after, as Mangiapane was called for roughing and Leon Draisaitl for removing Pettersson’s helmet, putting the Oilers down two men. Evander Kane then tripped Ty Emberson, leading to a brief 4-on-3 situation after a Canucks timeout. Remarkably, the Oilers killed off all three penalties.

As time wound down, several Edmonton rushes were broken up before they could develop. Connor McDavid tried to generate speed through the neutral zone a few times but was denied each time by the Vancouver defense.

In the final minute, the Oilers loaded up their top line in search of the winner, but couldn’t break through. Regulation ended with the teams deadlocked at 2–2, sending the game to overtime.

Overtime: 

The Canucks controlled play for the first 90 seconds of overtime, pulling the puck in and out of the zone. Conor Garland eventually danced around a tired trio of McDavid, Draisaitl, and Bouchard. He potted it past Pickard, and the Canucks took the win. 

There were some bright spots for the Oilers, including Tomasek, who got plenty of opportunity to be a difference-maker. There was some solid hustle from Mangiapane and noticeable speed from Savoie.

Edmonton will now finalize its roster cuts and prepare for the opening game of the season on Wednesday, October 8. 

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If you're a Pittsburgh Penguins' fan, it's probably hard to come away from this pre-season disappointed.

On Friday, the Penguins capped off their 5-1-1 pre-season with a 5-4 overtime comeback win against the Buffalo Sabres. Captain Sidney Crosby registered the game-winning goal - as well as the team's tying goal in regulation - and Philip Tomasino, Harrison Brunicke, and Rickard Rakell also added tallies for the Penguins.

Tristan Jarry started the game in goal and allowed three goals on 19 Sabres' shots, and Sergei Murashov came in relief midway through the second period and stopped 12 of 13. 

The game got a little hairy in the middle of it, and there were some mistakes by the young guys, which I'll get to momentarily. In a game that comprised mostly of NHL players on both sides, the Penguins' prospects who were in the lineup put forth strong efforts once again, which is going to make for some difficult decisions for head coach Dan Muse and his staff leading up to Monday - which is when final NHL rosters need to be submitted.

"There's going to be a lot of conversations here," Muse said. "Starting into tonight, just with [Kyle Dubas] and management. There's still some hard decisions to make. So, those decision are going to need to be made, and conversations are going need to be had, and we're going to prepare."

Here are some notes and observations from this one:

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- This game was an utterly perfect example of why Brunicke needs to be on the opening night NHL roster.

First thing's first: his goal was a thing of beauty, and it showcased why he's such an intriguing, higher-ceiling defensive prospect. On the goal, Brunicke started at the right point then put his skating on display to weave past two Sabres along the wall and walk to the goal line, where he placed a perfect shot top-shelf over Alexander Georgiev's shoulder from a bad angle. 

But, this game was not without its mistakes for the young blueliner. 

On Buffalo's second goal by Tage Thompson, Brunicke was caught a bit when Ben Kindel turned the puck over at center ice. Brunicke allowed Thompson to get to the inside and lost him, leaving him exposed to the slot and the net-front. On Buffalo's fourth goal - the second of the game by Jiri Kulich - he simply lost his man at the net-front, which also happened to be the goal-scorer.

Opinion: If Penguins Don't Go Young With Roster, They're Doing It WrongJust prior to the onset of training camp, Pittsburgh Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas took to the podium and made a declaration of sorts. 

The point here is that these are defensive zone mishaps that are only going to get worse at the junior level. The kinds of mistakes he is making are ones that many young NHL defensemen make and improve upon with NHL experience. 

What exactly is sending him back to the WHL going to teach him? His mistakes are coming as a result of either trying to do too much or defensive details. And both of those things are not things he'll be improving upon by playing junior hockey against players younger and far less developed than he is. He needs to be reading off of, learning from, and playing against NHL competition.

If he is not on this roster when final rosters are submitted Monday, something is amiss.

- Speaking of youth mistakes, Ben Kindel had a bit of an up-and-down night as well. He did register the primary assist on Tomasino's weird goal - extending his pre-season point streak to three games - but he also committed that crucial turnover on Thompson's goal. 

Kindel said it's key to just "wash" those mistakes right after they happen and focus on the next shift. Brunicke echoed a similar sentiment. I asked Muse about how he and the coaching staff weigh the expectation that young players are going to make mistakes against their current evaluation process.

Should Ben Kindel Get The Nine-Game Trial? The Case For And AgainstThere are a lot of stories coming out of Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp this year. Many of them involve young players making an impression and pushing for the NHL roster.

"It's how they respond," Muse said. "With Kindel, I thought his reponse was good. You go out there and make up for it. You've got to keep playing the game. Especially for a young guy, it's, 'How are they going to respond?' And then, as you go through, you're watching... Are we learning? Maybe the situational awareness, knowing where you are on a shift, knowing where you are on the ice... it's our job to help them understand those things and understand it while not overthinking the game at the same time and not putting themselves where they're able to go out there and play scared or play on their heels. That's not what you want."

I'm not exactly sure what to expect with Kindel when final rosters are revelaed. I believe that he has earned a look at the NHL level, even if it's only for the nine games. He's been that good in the pre-season, and it's worth mentioning that he played in six of the seven games - which is usually a good indicator that the organization likes what it's seeing.

But there are several young forwards deserving of a roster spot out of camp, too, and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top. 

- Rakell has pretty consistently been killing penalties at this point, and man, has it been a treat to watch. He excels at pressuring guys one-on-one, he cuts off angles, his reads are excellent, and he takes it the other way for a scoring chance at least once per game. 

I think this is going to be something that bleeds into the regular season, and I quite like Muse's philosophy of deploying "power play guys" on the penalty kill. I think Bryan Rust will also continue to be part of that equation once he returns from injury.

Penguins Forward Bryan Rust Out Week-To-WeekThe Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their best players to start the 2025-26 season.

- I said it in my last piece, but I really like the early returns on the Parker Wotherspoon and Erik Karlsson pairing. Wotherspoon is very non-eventful, and it's working really well in tandem with Karlsson being very eventful.

I think it's safe to say that this will be the first pairing when the regular season opens on Oct. 7. 

- As far as line combinations, I'm curious to see what sticks. I do believe that the first line of Ville Koivunen, Crosby, and Rakell will be kept intact, as Koivunen has been pretty glued to Crosby throughout camp, and Rakell has always excelled on 87's wing. It has the right recipe to be a pretty formidable line for the Penguins: Sidney Crosby, a playmaking specialist with excellent vision, and a strong finisher who excels at creating space. 

I'm also intrigued by the third line, as Kindel, Tommy Novak, and Philip Tomasino - with a little bit of Avery Hayes sprinkled in - have been working together for the last several practices. Regardless of what combination of three has been working together, it's gone relatively well in game action. Tomasino has had a strong camp, as have Kindel and Hayes. And I do think Novak's pre-season got better as it bore on.

It's probably reasonable to suggest that either Kindel or Hayes might occupy one of those spots as we move ahead to the regular season. 

- I'll keep this short and sweet, but I honestly have no idea what's going to happen with the goaltending situation.

Murashov is the best goaltender in this organization, period. Will he supplant Jarry or Arturs Silovs, or will he get a run of development at the AHL level?

A few days ago, my answer was different. Now, I'm not so sure he won't be in New York on Oct. 7.

Penguins' Pre-Season: Final 23-Man Roster Prediction EditionA few days ago, we had our Mailbox Monday, and I gave my final predictions for the Pittsburgh Penguins' final 2025-26 roster.

- Speaking of pairings, Caleb Jones was - again - paired with Kris Letang, and Clifton played his off-side with Brunicke.

We're reaching the point where we can, indeed, begin to read into some things. Because of the fact that Jones has been glued to Letang, I expect him to be on the roster. I don't necessarily think he's been one of the Penguins' six-best defensemen in camp, but they seem to like what he brings to that pairing. 

And I do think it's interesting that we've seen Clifton play the off-side a few times, and same with Shea. Honestly, that alone bodes well for Brunicke, as he has stayed put on the right side along with Karlsson and Letang, who won't miss out on a roster spot. 

But the Jones situation does complicate things a bit for Brunicke. Matt Dumba has also had a good camp, Clifton showed well, and Ryan Shea has been good. Ryan Graves is also still part of the picture.

So, do the Penguins keep eight defensemen? And if so, who is the odd man out? What if they elect to keep 14 forwards?

There is a whole lot of intrigue to this roster situation. Monday can't come soon enough. Stay tuned, folks.

Penguins Make Wave Of Roster Cuts, Place Six Players On WaiversWith each passing day, the Pittsburgh Penguins' roster is coming more and more into focus. 

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The Chicago Blackhawks played in what was their unofficial dress rehearsal on Friday night against the Minnesota Wild at the United Center. The lineup looked a lot like the one that they will ice out there in Sunrise against the Florida Panthers in regular-season game one. 

The first period went well for Chicago. It started with a Frank Nazar goal just 6:25 in. Wyatt Kaiser, Teuvo Teravainen, and Tyler Bertuzzi made a nice play, which led to the puck ending up on Nazar's stick for the goal. 

Less than five minutes later, Nick Foligno tipped in a Sam Rinzel shot for the 2-0 Chicago lead. They took that to the first intermission. 

The second period wasn't as kind to them, though. Vladimir Tarasenko, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Ryan Hartman scored three consecutive goals for the Wild to take a 3-2 lead. That score held through the second intermission. 

All three goals in the middle frame were scored on the power play, so the penalty kill is something that Jeff Blashill must get his team to clean up if they want to win games in 2025-26. 

In the third, the Blackhawks put together a ferocious effort to get the game tied, especially at the end with Spencer Knight off for the extra attacker, but they were unable to get the job done. 

As mentioned before, the penalty kill struggled against the Wild power play in the second period. There were moments, especially when the puck found Frank Nazar, where they looked dangerous down a man, but three goals against were the difference in the game. 

The Blackhawks went 0-3 on their own power plays, which makes them 0-9 since returning home and icing mostly NHL lineups. You have to score power-play goals to win in this league, so expect a lot of emphasis on that going into the regular season. 

That's it in the preseason for most, if not all, of the players who will be on the opening night roster. An AHL-caliber group will take on the St. Louis Blues at the United Center on Saturday night. 

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The National Hockey League career of former Detroit Red Wings enforcer Givani Smith is being extended after he successfully earned a contract during his professional tryout agreement with the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Smith, who was the 46th pick in 2016 by the Red Wings, is now officially under contract with the Hurricanes after inking a one year, two-way deal worth $775,000 at the NHL level and $140,000 at the AHL level; $250,000 is guaranteed. 

"Givani came to camp as a PTO and proved that he deserved a role in the organization," said Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky. "His size and physicality make him a good fit to add depth to our forward group."

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In just four pre-season games, Smith scored twice for the Hurricanes while adding an assist, tying for third overall in team scoring. Additionally, he also racked up 28 penalty minutes, leading the team. 

Smith began his career with the Red Wings organization by appearing in three games in 2016-17 with the Grand Rapids Griffins after having played several seasons in the OHL with the Guelph Storm and Kitchener Rangers. 

He then appeared in 67 games with the Griffins in 2018-19, tallying eight goals with nine assists along with 86 total penalty minutes.

Smith bounced back and forth between the Red Wings and the Griffins, racking up 108 penalty minutes alone in just 46 games with Detroit in 2021-22. Detroit then traded him to the Florida Panthers in December 2022, where he appeared in 34 games. 

Since then, Smith has played with the San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche, and was also part of the trade by Colorado to the Philadelphia Flyers for defenseman Erik Johnson; Smith never appeared for the Flyers, skating instead for the AHL affiliate Leigh Valley Phantoms. 

Smith has skated in 168 total NHL games, and has scored nine goals with 13 assists while also racking up 268 penalty minutes. 

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Just prior to the onset of training camp, Pittsburgh Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas took to the podium and made a declaration of sorts. 

And, truthfully, the words shouldn't have come as a shock to anyone who pays attention to the current situation with the team.

"The message to the veteran guys is that, with where we're at, the young guys are coming. They're going to get opportunity, they're going to have to earn everything... but it's been very clear to them what the expectation is," Dubas said. "And it's up to them to hold onto their jobs and hold onto their spots and their places with the Penguins and in the NHL."

He also said this: "If [the young guys] continue to push all the way - and it's very clear that they should be on the team - they'll make the team, and we'll deal with whatever the ripple effects of those are on some of the more veteran guys."

If that wasn't a clear message that youth would truly be pushing for the NHL roster this time around, I don't know what is. This pre-season has not been akin to pre-seasons past, as there is legitimate talent at every position making strong cases to be included on the NHL roster for the opener against the New York Rangers on Oct. 7. 

So who has made that strong case for themselves? Last season, the list had two names on it in forward Rutger McGroarty and defenseman Harrison Brunicke - only one of whom made the roster. This season, that's not what has transpired.

'The Young Guys Are Coming': 3 Observations From Dubas's Pre-Season Press ConferenceOn Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins opened their 2025 training camp with a few words from general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas. 

- Brunicke has, once again, proven that he is already one of the Penguins' six best defensemen. And, honestly, "six" is a stretch. He is probably one of their three best defensemen - with the other two being semi-obvious future Hall-of-Famers. His skating is a marvel to witness, and his hockey sense is very advanced for a blueliner at 19 years of age. 

- Ville Koivunen has left no doubt that he should and will be included on the final 23-man roster, and he has proven that his seven points in eight NHL games to close out the season last year were no fluke. His vision is unmatched among Penguins' prospects - and nearly among Penguins' skaters, period - and he has consistently been working alongside Sidney Crosby.

- Tristan Broz's versatility - and ability to put the puck in the back of the net - have been on full display all throughout camp, and he is such a responsible player. The level of maturity in his game is something that can't be taught, and he's someone who can thrive in an NHL bottom-six role without it being hindrance to his development.

- Avery Hayes has shown a knack for always being in the right place at the right time to make something happen, as he can create offense off the forecheck and generate chances around the net-front. His tenacity and work ethic are also hallmarks of his game, and his style of play is remniscent of Bryan Rust's in the early years.

Penguins Make Wave Of Roster Cuts, Place Six Players On WaiversWith each passing day, the Pittsburgh Penguins' roster is coming more and more into focus. 

- Filip Hallander is showcasing his two-way prowess and his playmaking smarts, which were both evident last season in the SHL, when he put up 23 goals and 53 points in 51 games. He is another player with offensive upside who can be effective in a bottom-six role, and he's making the most of his second chance with the organization in camp.

- Sergei Murashov has been - without a smidgen of a doubt - the best goaltender in camp, and he is leaving very little doubt that he may very well be NHL-ready now. Of course, there's no sense in rushing a young netminder with his ceiling and potential, but goaltenders have a tendency to tell you when they're ready - and his agility, quickness, athleticism, poise, and performance have all indicated that he may not need AHL seasoning after all.

- Owen Pickering may not be having the most flashy training camp on the Penguins' blue line, but he's showing an ability to keep things simple and steady, which is something that blue line needs. He may not be in mid-season form quite yet, but a 25-game sample size last season, his performance in camp, and the Penguins' less-than-ideal left side certainly work in his favor.

- Finally, there's Ben Kindel - the Penguins' 11th overall pick in 2025 - who has been the story of the pre-season. He's played in six pre-season games, is riding a three-game point streak, and hasn't looked out of place at all. It's safe to say that no one expected Kindel to be in the roster conversation, but he's forced his way in there by being the best player on the ice most nights. Size be darned, that nine-game trial is looking like something he has flat-out earned.

Should Ben Kindel Get The Nine-Game Trial? The Case For And AgainstThere are a lot of stories coming out of Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp this year. Many of them involve young players making an impression and pushing for the NHL roster.

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This isn't a case where there are two players pushing for the NHL roster but barely - if at all - outperforming veterans. Nope. In this case, all eight of these players are outperfoming veterans within their positional battles. 

So, if Dubas and the Penguins' organization actually want to follow through on what they said about the young guys coming, there should be no doubt that, at least, most of these guys will be on the NHL roster come Oct. 7. It's not reasonable to expect all of them to make it, but it's absolutely reasonable to expect five or six of them to make it, right?

It seems pretty straightforward. But, for some reason, it still feels like there is a certain degree of inevitability to veterans - once again - getting the benefit of the doubt in battles that aren't really even 50-50.

For example, what is the sense in Ryan Shea, Ryan Graves, or Caleb Jones - none of whom figure to be part of the bigger picture going forward or have put together remarkable camps - making the roster over Pickering or Brunicke, both of whom do figure to be part of the big picture and have shown a degree of readiness high enough to have earned a spot? 

Observations from Thursday's Penguins PracticeThe Pittsburgh Penguins practiced on Thursday, and the players were split into two groups. The first one consisted of many players who are expected to be in the AHL this year, while the second was the main NHL group. 

What about the fact that Broz, Hayes, and Kindel have all worked their rears off - and have the results to prove it - to earn a spot on the roster, while veterans like Blake Lizotte, Tommy Novak, and Noel Acciari have not replicated the same energy or output? 

The goaltending situation may the only one that makes sense, should Tristan Jarry and Arturs Silovs be the final two. Even if Murashov has been the best of the three, development is paramount for goaltenders, and the Penguins cannot afford to screw that up with Murashov. Jarry and Silovs have performed well enough to earn their way onto the roster, too. 

The right call is - without a shred of a doubt - to reward young players for standout camps by following through on what was stated from the beginning. What kind of message does it send to younger players if they're not rewarded for their efforts? When the organization does not follow through on Dubas's pre-camp declaration?

Maybe there is a timeline to consider. It's not a stretch in the least to assume that the Penguins may be a better team this season if they let the kids play, which may not be what the goal is or what is deemed in the best interest of the organizational rebuild. Keeping them around also kicks off their respective entry-level contracts, which may be something to consider as well. 

If the Penguins opt for a veteran roster, that's a pretty clear indication of what they're trying to - or, perhaps, not trying to - accomplish this season. Maybe a top-10 pick in the 2026 draft is paramount to the trajectory and success of the rebuild.

But, the young guys are just that: young. There are going to be mistakes and growing pains. It's not as if keeping them around guarantees that the team will finish higher in the standings, as performing immediately is an unfair expectation for young players. 

What's the cost of holding the young guys back if they are ready? Does the need to ensure a very precise timeline outweigh that cost? Does the incentive for fans to see an imperfect but, at least, hopeful product on the ice outweigh catering to the season's expectations?

The Penguins have until Monday to submit final rosters for the start of the NHL season. If there are not at least four of these names on that list, they're - quite simply - doing it wrong. 

Penguins' Pre-Season: Final 23-Man Roster Prediction EditionA few days ago, we had our Mailbox Monday, and I gave my final predictions for the Pittsburgh Penguins' final 2025-26 roster.

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Nashville Predators fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief as forward Luke Evangelista has signed a new contract.

Friday it was reported by Frank Seravalli that Evangelista signed a two-year, $6 million contract, ending a three-month-long saga between the two parties. He was one of three restricted free agents left in the league that had not signed a contract for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Evangelista has been seen as the Predators "future" according to Trotz. Last season, the 23-year-old scored 32 points in 68 games, a second straight season where Evangelista rattled off 30 plus points.

His production has climbed over the last three seasons and is poised for a breakout year. Evangelista was drafted 42nd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft out of the London Knights (OHL). 

In July, Evangelista was extended a qualifying offer, but did not sign before the original offer had expired on July 15. Trotz said on July 1 that both parties were trying to determine the term of the contract, as the Predators wanted to extend it longer and Evangelista did not. 

There were no updates until the start of training camp when Trotz said that trading Evangelista was is "not even a thought." Evangelista did not report to training camp due to the contract disputes and ended up going back home to Toronto. 

Throughout training camp, reports came forward that both parties with still far a part as the start of the regular season drew closer and closer.

However, both parties were able to reach an agreement at the eleventh hour. Despite the delay, this is a big confidence booster for the Predators' front office to keep Evangelista in Nashville. 

The Predators kick off the regular season on Oct. 9 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Bridgestone Arena at 7 p.m. CST. 

Apr 16, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) blocks the puck against the Dallas Stars during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

There were many factors that contributed to the Nashville Predators’ disappointing 2024-25 season: underwhelming performances by their big-splash free agent signings prior to last season, lack of chemistry and an aging roster, just to name a few.

One area that was especially noteworthy was the team's penchant for getting off to sluggish starts, both record-wise and in games.

General manager Barry Trotz acknowledged this when he addressed the media during the first day of training camp last month.

"We've got to get off to a good start," Trotz said. "You can never, you never make the playoffs in the first month, but you can miss them in the first month."

How true. But one of the biggest reasons for the Predators’ 38-44-8 record was their inability to take leads, particularly heading into the third period.

The Preds lost 37 games when trailing after 40 minutes, 35 of those coming in regulation. The only time they were worse in that department was in 1998-99, their expansion season.

Stumbling Out Of The Gate

As they prepare for the 2025-26 season, the Predators can ill afford the kind of sluggish start that saw them drop their first five contests to open last season before finally notching their first victory over the Boston Bruins.

The sluggishness in the first two periods played a major role in the 0-5 start, and it didn’t take long for that trend to develop.

In their Oct. 10 season opener against the Dallas Stars, Nashville fell behind 4-1 after two periods before a furious comeback in the third fell short, resulting in a 4-3 defeat.

In four of those first five losses, the Predators were down by at least a goal heading into the second intermission. The only exception was against the Seattle Kraken, when the two teams were tied 3-3 in a back-and-forth affair.

Seattle exploded for four unanswered goals in the third for a 7-3 victory to drop Nashville’s record to 0-3.

In their next game against Edmonton, the Predators actually struck first on a Filip Forsberg tip-in midway through the first period, but the Oilers maintained a 3-2 lead going into the third before adding another tally for a 4-2 win.

There were notable comebacks, of course. After trailing 5-1 early in the second period to the San Jose Sharks Jan. 21, the Preds exploded for six unanswered goals to pull out the victory 7-5.

Seven different Predators lit the lamp, and Forsberg notched his 300th career goal to tie the game. It was the first four-goal comeback in franchise history.

In an Apr. 8 home game against the New York Islanders, the teams were tied 4-4 at the end of two, but the Isles scored two goals less than a minute apart late in the third period for a 6-4 lead.

The Preds fought back with two goals of their own in the final 2:07 of the period to send the game into overtime. Fedor Svechkov sealed the comeback with a wrister at 1:56 of overtime for a 7-6 victory.

Finishing strong is as important as starting fast, something Predators forward Steven Stamkos addressed to reporters following that game.

“We talked about finding a way to finish strong and trying to build on it,” Stamkos said. “That’s where we are. It’s a [tough] situation, but you want to feel good about yourself each and every night.”

The Numbers Don't Lie

Indeed, finishing strong proved to be elusive for the Predators most of the season. They posted a paltry 4-35-2 record when trailing after two periods, compared to 21-2-1 when in the lead. Opponents outscored them 102-75 in the middle frame, 95-69 in the third and 8-4 in overtime. Interestingly, all four of Nashville’s goals in OT came at Bridgestone Arena.

When the Predators managed to grab the lead going into the first intermission, their record was 14-7-5 overall. If opponents had the lead, the mark was 3-18-1. Other teams outscored the Preds 69-64 in the first period.

There isn’t just one thing the Predators can point to regarding what went wrong last season. A lot will need to go right in 2025-26 if they hope to clinch a playoff berth.

Maintaining high quality play through 60 or more minutes night in and night out is tough to do. But faster starts will go a long way in determining whether the Preds can turn things around.

“I think we dug ourselves a hole,” Predators alternate captain Ryan O’Reilly told reporters following the team’s final regular-season game. “We wanted to deviate. At times, we got kind of on our own page, and tried to do it our own way, and as you can see, it doesn't work. You can't build anything when we're all going different directions.”

The Vancouver Canucks' 2025 pre-season is almost complete. All that is left is one final home game against the Edmonton Oilers, which is scheduled for October 3. With this in mind, here is a look at four Canucks to watch during the final game of the 2025 pre-season. 

Braeden Cootes

After a strong pre-season, it appears that Braeden Cootes will start the year in the NHL. The 18-year-old has been one of the most impressive players on Vancouver's roster over the past few weeks, recording two goals and an assist in three games. With strong projected linemates in Evander Kane and Jonathan Lekkerimäki, the Canucks are putting Cootes in a position to succeed to start his NHL career. 

Tom Willander

Friday's game is Tom Willander's final opportunity to show he deserves a place on the opening night roster. The 20-year-old has had a strong pre-season, recording two assists in three games. If Willander can win his matchups against what looks like the Oilers' opening night lineup, it could solidify his spot at the NHL level to start the season.

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Arshdeep Bains

Arshdeep Bains is being given a great opportunity to show that he can play a middle-six role for Vancouver. Based on morning skate, he will be playing on the second line with Filip Chytil and Conor Garland. If Bains can develop some chemistry with his linemates while also producing on the scoresheet, it will go a long way in helping him nail down a permanent NHL roster spot.  

Evander Kane

Something to keep an eye on in this game is how Evander Kane plays. The 34-year-old has only played once in the pre-season, which came a week ago when the Canucks took on the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Arena. Kane is projected to see a healthy amount of minutes both at even strength and on the power play as he looks to shake off the rust ahead of the 2025-26 regular season. 

Vancouver wraps up its 2025 pre-season on October 3 versus Edmonton. The Canucks are 3-2-0 so far in the pre-season, with one of their losses coming against the Oilers. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT and will be broadcast on Sportsnet. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

The Chicago Blackhawks still have decisions to make with their defensemen. Alex Vlasic is currently injured, but the expectation is that he’ll be ready for opening night. After him, Sam Rinzel, Connor Murphy, Wyatt Kaiser, and Artyom Levshunov are locks to make the team. 

That leaves two spots (6th and 7th defenseman) for four players (Louis Crevier, Ethan Del Mastro, Nolan Allan, and Matt Grzelcyk). Kevin Korchinski was sent to the Rockford IceHogs camp earlier in the week. 

The thing about Matt Grzelcyk is that he's on a PTO. The Blackhawks will either sign him after the preseason or release him, allowing him to try and join another team. 

Korchinski, Del Mastro, and Allan are all waiver-exempt. Louis Crevier is not. The Blackhawks may be wise to consider him the 7th defenseman for that reason alone. 

Crevier would likely get claimed at this point in the season. We are seeing players getting taken on waivers every day. Teams are trying their best to add depth in any way they can. 

NHL Waivers: Three Players Claimed As Leafs' Kampf And More Hit The Wire On Oct. 3The Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild claimed players off NHL waivers on Friday. The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) on XThe Avalanche claimed Ilya Solovyov from the Calgary Flames, Florida brought back former prospect Cole Schwindt from the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota claimed Daemon Hunt from the Columbus Blue Jackets: https://t.co/6X2ARspEwL

Crevier has shown that he can come in and play well after a handful of days as a healthy scratch. Losing him would take away from the depth that the team has on the blue line. In the event of another injury, they may need a guy like Crevier. 

If they keep him, they will decide who rounds out the group. It isn't an easy decision to make. The rest of camp and preseason will be the deciding factor. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

Approximately one month after he was arrested for allegedly driving while intoxicated outside of Rochester, N.Y., Buffalo Sabres director of player development and former NHL player Adam Mair was no longer working for the team, the Sabres said Friday.

Mair had been on administrative leave from the Sabres after he was arrested Sept. 4. Mair was charged with violating "Leandra’s Law" -- a New York state initiative that toughens penalties for driving while intoxicated or impaired by drugs with a passenger 15 years old or younger -- for having three juvenile passengers in his vehicle during the arrest.

Mair had been serving as Buffalo's director of player development since the 2021-22 season. Prior to that, he 46-year-old Canadian native was a development coach for the Sabres from 2015-20. He was also an assistant coach for the American League’s Rochester Americans in 2020-21.

In his playing days, Mair spent the majority of his NHL time with the Sabres. He also spent time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils.

Ilya Solovyov was claimed off waivers by the Colorado Avalanche on Friday.

While it closed the book on the young defender’s time with the Calgary Flames, it feels like a move that could benefit both sides.

For Solovyov, the appeal is obvious: a clearer NHL path. In Calgary, he’d fallen down the depth chart behind younger prospects like Yan Kuznetsov and Hunter Brzustewicz, both of whom carry higher ceilings and are trending up. Cracking the Flames’ blue line was only getting tougher. In Colorado, he projects as a depth or third-pairing option — a role that seemed out of reach here.

The 24-year-old spent four seasons in Calgary’s system, putting up 69 points (18g, 51a) over 229 games with the Wranglers in the AHL, while also appearing in 15 NHL contests and notching four assists. His steady play at the minor-league level showed he could be a reliable piece, but breaking through to a full-time NHL role never quite materialized.

From the Flames’ perspective, losing a prospect stings, but the timing actually makes sense. Solovyov’s departure clears room in the AHL for Calgary’s next wave of blueliners to take on heavy minutes. Kuznetsov, Artem Grushnikov, and Etienne Morin now have the chance to log top-pairing minutes with the Wranglers, which is critical for their development.

So while Calgary loses a prospect they spent many years developing, both sides gain something valuable. Solovyov gets a legitimate chance to stick in the NHL, and the Flames free up space for their next generation of defencemen to grow.