As a few of the Toronto Maple Leafs skated on Saturday morning ahead of a game against the Boston Bruins, two familiar faces peered out from the corner of the opposing team's end, behind the glass.

Former Maple Leafs Fraser Minten and Alex Steeves watched on as some of their past teammates whipped around inside Scotiabank Arena.

"It was weird. I'm used to them on this side," said a grinning Nick Robertson, who has plenty of experience being teammates with both players.

Saturday night will be the first time both Minten and Steeves will play the Maple Leafs since departing their former club earlier this year.

Minten was moved to the Bruins at the trade deadline last spring, along with a conditional first-round pick, in exchange for defenseman Brandon Carlo. Steeves departed the organization this summer in free agency, signing a one-year, $850,000 contract with Boston on July 1.

"Yeah, it's a little strange, coming back on the other side and stuff," said Minten, who's developed a full-time role early in Boston. "But you feel the excitement that you felt when you were a Leaf. Like, the big game, it's going to be a big stage, that kind of thing."

Nick Barden (@nickbarden) on XFraser Minten leads the Bruins’ stretches ahead of his return against the Maple Leafs tonight.

Steeves, two stalls over, who was called up to the NHL this morning, echoed the same sentiment.

"Some of the best years of my life, honestly," Steeves remarked.

"I still text with some of my buddies, mainly from the Marlies, every day. I never expected to get so close with guys... Four years on one team is a long time at this level, and really just made some unbelievable friends and teammates, staff members.

"I love this city. Good food, good people, and all that stuff. I absolutely loved being a Marlie and loved being a Leaf, and it's good to be back. It feels weird going back to the hotel and not my apartment right now, but it's going to be a good night."

Minten, drafted by the Maple Leafs in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, looks back on his time in Toronto with a lot of positivity. The 21-year-old made his NHL debut with the club on Oct. 11, 2023, against the Montreal Canadiens, and even lived with John Tavares for a chunk of time that year.

Why Maple Leafs Captain John Tavares Has Welcomed Rookies Fraser Minten and Matthew Knies Into His HomeTavares extended the invite to Knies when the player joined the Leafs late last season. Minten has now been added to the mix.

At some point on Saturday night, the two former teammates will likely meet each other in the faceoff circle.

"It'll be tough, I know that for sure, but it'll be cool," Minten smiled. "He's obviously a legend of the game at this point, and cool to see all the success he's still been having...

"He's the master still, so we'll see. But I'll do my best."

The young forward has two goals and three assists through 16 games this season with a 51.5 percent success rate in the faceoff dot.

Steeves had quite a different path to the NHL with the Maple Leafs. He signed as a free agent out of college in 2021 and spent most of his time in Toronto with the Marlies. Through four seasons in the organization, Steeves appeared in just 14 NHL games and scored three points (one goal, two assists).

'I Don't Even Have A House': Maple Leafs' Alex Steeves Reacts To First NHL Goal, Doesn't Know Where Puck Will GoAlex Steeves <i>finally</i> put the puck in the net with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He started this season with the AHL's Providence Bruins, tallying eight points in his first nine games. With the AHL club being in Cleveland, Steeves had to get a car service on Friday afternoon to Toronto.

The 25-year-old played 256 games with the Marlies, scoring 108 goals and 116 assists for 224 points. He holds the Marlies record for goals and points, which he achieved in his final season with the organization.

Despite not having much runway in the NHL during his time in Toronto, which was likely frustrating, Steeves departed the organization on good terms.

"It was my first time being eligible to be a UFA, and I absolutely wouldn't trade my four years here for anything," he said.

"I grew so much as a person, as a player, played for two different regimes, all that kind of stuff. Ultimately, I just decided that I wanted to see what kind of other opportunities were out here. Because I wasn't able to break in here. There's no bad blood or anything. I only have good things to say about Toronto. But ultimately, the Bruins presented me an opportunity, and it's something I felt comfortable with."

Two-Time Stanley Cup Winner Kyle Clifford Retires, Joins Maple Leafs In Player Development RoleFormer Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kyle Clifford is calling it a career.

Minten will center the Bruins' third line between Tanner Jeannot and Mark Kastelic. Steeves joins the second line, playing alongside Pavel Zacha and Viktor Arvidsson. Boston is second in the Atlantic Division and is on a five-game winning streak.

"It's really fun to play every night and contribute to stretches of wins like we're on right now," Minten said. "It's a good feeling to feel like you're a part of the team at a full-time rate at this point, so it's been really fun."

Whenever a former player rolls into Toronto for the first time, everyone expects them to have a "revenge game". Given Steeves' time in the Maple Leafs' organization, going up and down countless times throughout the four years, could this be his revenge game?

"Yeah, I mean, I guess it's whatever you want to call it," he smiled. "I'm just really happy to be here. It's obviously my first call-up of the season, and it's not about me tonight. It's about hopefully getting two points."

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We are well into the NHL’s 2025-26 season, but there are already several NHL front office and coaching staff members who are on THN.com’s Hot Seat Radar. The place you are when you’re feeling intense pressure to either produce as expected or move on from your current team. 

In this Hot Seat Radar edition, we’re focusing on coaches and GMs who are feeling the heat. In alphabetical order:

Kevyn Adams, GM, and Lindy Ruff, Coach, Buffalo Sabres

We’re kicking off this Hot Seat Radar file with two people linked together, whose future with the Sabres could come to an end if Buffalo can’t get into a playoff position. The Sabres own a .500 points percentage with a 5-5-4 record, but that has them in a four-way tie for last place in the Eastern Conference. That’s not going to save Adams and Ruff from the firing line.

Few teams are facing more pressure, night in and night out, than Buffalo. No coach/GM tandem is on the Hot Seat the way Adams and Ruff are. It may take one prolonged losing skid to spell the end of the road for the coach and GM. But nothing short of a playoff berth will ultimately save their jobs.

Andrew Brunette, Coach, Nashville Predators

Last season, the Predators were an unpleasant surprise, posting the NHL’s third-worst record at 30-44-8. You might give a mulligan to coach Brunette if you’re a glass-half-full person. But this season, the Preds are unsurprisingly one of the league’s worst teams. In fact, they currently have the league’s fifth-worst record at 5-7-4, and their points percentage of .438 is fourth-worst in the NHL. Not a pretty picture in Music City. 

Sooner or later, Brunette has to be accountable for this group. Granted, the Predators are a dog’s breakfast of borderline talent, veteran savvy and prospects trying to establish themselves as above-average NHL talent.

But Nashville GM Barry Trotz can’t let his team meander in the standings for much longer. If the Preds continue to struggle, it likely won’t be players who are moved on from. It will be easier to send Brunette to the unemployment line if Trotz opts for it. And a new coach will be assigned to try to make lemonade out of a lemon-laden Nashville lineup.

Ryan Huska, Coach, Calgary Flames

The Flames were an inspirational story of sorts last year, flirting with a playoff berth before missing out on one by the thinnest of margins. First-year coach Huska got as much out of his roster as they could have hoped for, so he had the reins of the team for another kick at the can this season. Unfortunately, Calgary’s start couldn’t have gone worse, as their 4-10-2 record is the worst in the league.

Flames GM Craig Conroy isn’t on this list because he’s told team owner Murray Edwards that his group is a work-in-progress that still needs a lot of progress, and a whole lot of work. But Huska isn’t nearly so safe. He’s got to work with a roster that is likely to change significantly, and somehow get them to look respectable every night. That’s a tall order indeed for Huska, and if Calgary doesn’t start posting more ‘W’s soon, a coaching change could be in order in Alberta.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Los Angeles Kings left winger Warren Foegele is set to make his return from injury in Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Foegele has been out of the lineup for about two weeks, suffering an upper-body injury in the early stages of the Kings’ matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 26.

He only played 1:29 before he headed off the ice with what looked like a shoulder or arm injury. Foegele was hit by Blackhawks center Nick Foligno and was pushed into the boards in an awkward position. He wasn’t able to continue the game.

About a week later, after the Kings’ left winger wasn’t able to finish the game, he was placed on injured reserve as of Nov. 1. That meant he wouldn’t be able to suit up for Los Angeles for at least seven days after that.

Los Angeles Kings Winger Will Not Play Against The Sharks And Will ‘Miss Some Time’The Los Angeles Kings will be without Warren Foegele against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night and could miss games later in the week, too.

Now, with the Kings’ game against the Penguins on Sunday, that would account for the seven-day waiting period, making Foegele eligible to return to the lineup.

After a couple of weeks of recovering, Foegele said he’s “feeling really good.” Reports say he could be slotting in on the fourth line on the left wing of center Alex Turcotte and right winger Corey Perry.

This will be the second and last time Los Angeles will face Pittsburgh this season. The last time they met each other was at Crypto.com Arena, which saw the Pens take the contest 4-2.

In that outing, Foegele opened the scoring with his first goal of the season. In 10 appearances, the 29-year-old has one goal, a minus-one rating and is averaging 13:22 of ice time.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Dennis Hildeby is set to make his Toronto Maple Leafs season debut soon.

One day after the Maple Leafs placed goaltender Cayden Primeau on waivers, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube confirmed that Hildeby would back up Anthony Stolarz, who will make his 12th start of the season against when the club hosts the Boston Bruins.

With Joseph Woll joining the Toronto Marlies on a conditioning stint, it didn't make sense to have Hildeby stay down with the Marlies serving as the backup. And after seeing three games of Cayden Primeau in net, it appears the Leafs saw enough of what they needed to see by placing the goaltender on waivers on Friday.

Maple Leafs Sign Dennis Hildeby To 3-Year Deal—Is He Their Third Goalie This Season?The Toronto Maple Leafs put pen to paper on a new contract for prospect goaltender Dennis Hildeby. The 24-year-old signed a new<a href="https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/1962893796904952129"> three-year dea</a>l that carries an average annual value of $841,667 at the NHL level.

The 26-year-old Primeau went 2-1-0 in three starts with a .838 save percentage in his three starts with the Leafs.

Hildeby has been called up once this season, backing up in Primeau's 4-3 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 25.

'I Got Notice And Liked It Instantly': Why Dennis Hildeby Signed Unique Three-Year Contract With Maple LeafsDennis Hildeby is excited for the upcoming season after signing <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-sign-dennis-hildeby-to-3-year-deal-is-he-their-third-goalie-this-season">a rather unique three-year, $2.53 million extension</a> with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 24-year-old Hildeby is 2-2-1 this season with an .890 save percentage with the Marlies. He posted a .920 save percentage in three pre-season games with the Leafs in training camp.

While not confirming it, all signs point to Hildeby likely getting the nod when the Leafs host the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 9 at Scotiabank Arena. Given the slate of games on back-to-back nights, it's highly unlikely the Leafs would entertain the thought of starting Stolarz on consecutive days.

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The Avalanche called up forward Daniil Gushchin from the AHL on Saturday.

Gushchin was a familiar face throughout training camp in the preseason. He showed impressive skating, offensive awareness, and some underrated snap behind his wrist shot. The 23-year-old Russia native has made an impact at the AHL level this season, producing a point per game with nine goals and two assists over 11 games. 

Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports) on XDanil Gushchin's ninth goal of the season. He is tied for the AHL-lead in goals. 🚨 The @ColoradoEagles are 6-0-0 when they score on the power play.

Gushchin’s Opportunity 

In parts of three seasons with the San Jose Sharks, Gushchin appeared in 18 NHL games, posting two goals and three assists while averaging around 13 minutes of ice time. Now as a member of the Avalanche, this is a prime opportunity for Gushchin to show off his improvements to the coaching staff and perhaps earn himself a permanent spot in the future. But with how deep this team is right now, it might be a while before that happens. 

Brindley Will Play

In an earlier version of this story, we reported that Gavin Brindley was listed as day-to-day. However, in recent hours, the Avalanche reported that Brindley would start the game. We'll see how this works out. 

Avalanche vs. Oilers 

Avalanche vs. Oilers goes down at 8 p.m. local time from Rogers Place and will be televised on ESPN. Don’t miss the action.   

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Saturday night, primetime hockey against a Canadian team—truly, it doesn’t get much better than that. 

Tonight, the Colorado Avalanche will go toe-to-toe with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the rest of the Edmonton Oilers as they square off at Rogers Place. 

Patrik Czepiec (@CzepiecPatrik) on XSoudě dle oslavy, Martin Nečas 🇨🇿 se s Nathanem MacKinnonem už docela kamarádí 👐 Vítězný gól Čecha na 5:4 proti Oilers 🚨 Zvíře Nathan 1+3 👀

Colorado Avalanche 

MacKenzie Blackwood, who made his season debut last Saturday against the San Jose Sharks, is the presumed starter for the game. Earlier in the week, Jared Bednar acknowledged that the netminder was still working through some rust but noted that a full week of practice should help him regain his timing and sharpness.

“He missed most of training camp; he’s been working kind of on his own and lacking team practice time at this point, so that’s why I think this week will be very good for him, practice yesterday; he got some work in today, we’re practicing again tomorrow and Friday, so it’s the most practices we’ve had all year, so I think that will help him get sort of used to game situations and he’ll be ready to go for the weekend," Bednar stated on Tuesday. 

The Avs held an optional skate Wednesday and a full practice Friday before heading north, giving Blackwood ample opportunity to settle in. If he showed enough progress, he should get the start; if questions remain, Bednar may opt for a split with Scott Wedgewood as Colorado navigates a back-to-back that concludes Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks. They've already played one back-to-back this season, dropping both in overtime to the Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils, respectively, leaving them 0-0-2 on the season. 

As reported Friday, Samuel Girard did not travel with the team as he continues to manage an upper-body injury. However, according to the Family Sports Center schedule, an Avs injured skate is set from 3:05 to 4:05 p.m. Participants could include Girard, Joel Kiviranta—who has just resumed skating following a lower-body injury—and Logan O’Connor. 

The Avalanche met the Oilers three times last season, dropping two of those contests, though each loss came under very different circumstances. In the first matchup, on November 30, Alexandar Georgiev was still in goal, while the second, on January 16, featured Mikko Rantanen on the roster. Their lone victory came in the third meeting, following the Rantanen trade that brought Martin Necas and Jack Drury over from the Carolina Hurricanes. While the Avs now have Blackwood and Wedgewood, the Oilers, in the meanwhile, haven’t made any changes in net with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard manning the pipes, and some of their more solid defensive pieces from last season are no longer with the club.  

Nathan MacKinnon leads the team in goals (10) and points (20), while his 10 assists rank second to Cale Makar’s 14 for the team high. 

On a positive note regarding injuries, Gavin Brindley informed The Hockey News—in the elevator just before puck drop for the Lightning–Avalanche matchup—that he had cleared concussion protocol and is expected to play this weekend. Brindley had missed time following a collision with Ivan Barbashev during the October 31 game against the Vegas Golden Knights. The 21-year-old Brindley suffered a concussion, but his symptoms were relatively minor.  

Edmonton Oilers 

Edmonton enters this contest with a 6-5-3 record, a mark that falls short of the dominance the franchise has historically exhibited. The team remains heavily top-loaded, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl accounting for a combined 14 goals and 21 assists—38 points in total—so far this season. Yet, the potency of these two superstars cannot be understated; they remain capable of striking at a moment’s notice. Meanwhile, the Avalanche, despite boasting the NHL’s best record, have shown a vulnerability to conceding quick goals, whether due to defensive lapses or loose pucks. In a matchup of this caliber, anything can happen.  

Who’s Deeper? 

There is little doubt that the Avalanche boast greater depth. Edmonton has only three players with at least 12 points this season. We already know about McDavid and Draisaitl, but the third is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. In contrast, Colorado can count five players in that category: Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, Cale Makar, Victor Olofsson, and Artturi Lehkonen. 

Ultimately, the outcome may hinge less on star power than on execution and the ability to minimize mistakes. 

Showtime 

Avalanche vs. Oilers goes down at 8 p.m. local time and will be televised on ESPN. Don’t miss the action. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

In the first period of the Minnesota Wild's game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Tyler Pitlick was ejected for a hit to the head on defenseman Jalen Chatfield.

Wild's Tyler Pitlick Ejected From Carolina Game For Hit To The Head On Hurricanes' Jalen ChatfieldA dangerous head contact from Tyler Pitlick sidelines Jalen Chatfield, igniting a fight and potentially a league suspension.

On Friday, the NHL ruled that there would be no further discipline for Pitlick. They ruled that the hit was direct head contract and more that it was not avoidable.

Chatfield is still injured and Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'amour will provide an update on the defenseman's status soon.

As for Pitlick, he did not play on Friday and was a healthy scratch against the New York Islanders.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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After a productive two-game swing through Montreal and Nashville, the Philadelphia Flyers return to Xfinity Mobile Arena with four points and a little bit of tension released from their shoulders.

They didn’t just collect a road sweep; they rediscovered some rhythm. A shootout win in Montreal showed their persistence, and a 3–1 victory in Nashville demonstrated a more grounded, mature team effort. Now, as they prepare to face the Ottawa Senators, the Flyers will look to translate that steadiness into a consistent home-ice identity.

A Team Settling Into Its Adjustments

What’s been most notable about the Flyers over the past week isn’t any individual performance but how well they’ve adapted to change. Tyson Foerster’s lower-body injury forced head coach Rick Tocchet to shuffle his forward lines, and what began as a necessity has evolved into something that’s genuinely working.

Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) on XTocchet had an interesting response about switching up the Flyers’ lines b/c of Tyson Foerster’s injury. Left things up in the air in terms of returning back to the lines they started the year with, even leaving things open on whether the Foerster-Cates-Brink line would return.

Bobby Brink has meshed surprisingly well alongside Matvei Michkov, adding energy and pace that complements Michkov’s creativity. Christian Dvorak’s line with Trevor Zegras and Owen Tippett "has been good for us," in the words of head coach Rick Tocchet — a mix of puck possession and defensive responsibility that’s given Tocchet dependable middle-six minutes.

It’s an encouraging sign for a coach who values structure but isn’t afraid to let his players breathe within it. The Flyers aren’t playing “safe” hockey right now — they’re playing informed hockey, where their system dictates their decisions rather than their nerves.

Ersson’s Return Eases the Workload

Between the pipes, there’s more good news. Sam Ersson, who missed a brief stretch with a lower-body injury, is once again available for selection, and will get the start against Ottawa.

Dan Vladar has held his own — and then some — in Ersson’s absence. His performance in Nashville, particularly during a second period where the Predators swarmed the crease with heavy traffic, was calm and composed. He read plays cleanly, held his positioning, and managed rebounds effectively.

Still, asking any goaltender to carry consecutive games on short rest can wear thin over time. Ersson’s availability doesn’t just offer rest; it restores flexibility. Tocchet now has the freedom to manage both goalies based on matchup and rhythm rather than necessity.

Ottawa’s Offensive Push and What the Flyers Must Counter

Ottawa arrives in Philadelphia as a team that can still score in bunches, even if consistency remains an issue. 

Cam York’s recent form, in particular, has been a bright spot. Against Nashville, he looked confident and efficient, breaking up rushes early and managing the puck with poise. If the Flyers can maintain that kind of control in their exits, they can neutralize Ottawa’s quick-strike tendencies.

Discipline will also be key. The Flyers have had their share of testy games, but they can’t afford to give them extended opportunities to find rhythm. Tocchet’s group has leaned on its penalty kill as a foundation all season, but the goal will be to spend less time relying on it.

Continuity, Not Complacency

One of Tocchet’s subtler victories in recent weeks has been instilling patience in how this team approaches progress. The back-to-back wins weren’t always flashy, but they were composed — the kind of hockey that holds up over time.

The Flyers are still a team learning to manage momentum instead of chasing it. Their depth scoring is coming alive again, and their defensive structure looks tighter, but Tocchet has made it clear that the standard doesn’t change based on results.

That’s what will make the Ottawa game a useful barometer. Can the Flyers take the maturity they’ve shown on the road and bring it home? Can they avoid the lulls that sometimes creep in when the adrenaline of travel fades?

Those questions will define whether this recent stretch is a temporary upswing or the start of something more stable.

Projected Lines

Philadelphia Flyers:

Forwards:

Owen Tippett - Christian Dvorak - Trevor Zegras

Matvei Michkov - Sean Couturier - Bobby Brink

Nikita Grebenkin - Noah Cates - Travis Konecny

Carl Grundstrom - Rodrigo Abols - Garnet Hathaway

Defense:

Cam York - Travis Sanheim

Nick Seeler - Jamie Drysdale

Emil Andrae - Noah Juulsen

Goalies:

Sam Ersson

Dan Vladar

Ottawa Senators

Forwards:

Nick Cousins - Tim Stutzle - Drake Batherson

Ridly Greig - Dylan Cozens - David Perron

Michael Amadio - Shane Pinto - Claude Giroux

Kurtis MacDermid - Lars Eller - Fabian Zetterlund 

Defense:

Jake Sanderson - Artem Zub

Thomas Chabot - Nick Jensen

Tyler Kleven - Nikolas Matinpalo

Goalies:

Linus Ullmark

Leevi Merilainen