In a recent article for Sportsnet, Ryan Dixon made some bold hockey predictions for the new year. Without much surprise, the Buffalo Sabres were discussed. 

Dixon predicted that the Sabres would sign pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) forward Alex Tuch to an eight-year contract extension before the 2026 NHL trade deadline. Yet, that is not the only big prediction Dixon had for the Sabres, as he also predicted that Buffalo will trade 2021 first-overall pick Owen Power by the deadline.

It is not a secret that new Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is hoping to sign Tuch to a contract extension. It makes sense, as the Syracuse, New York native is a very impactful top-six forward and a huge part of the Sabres' roster. Thus, it would be massive if the Sabres successfully signed him to an eight-year contract extension. 

Tuch has been the subject of trade rumors throughout the season and should generate interest from clubs if this remains the case once we get closer to the deadline. Yet, it will be interesting to see if Dixon's prediction about the Sabres extending Tuch comes true. 

As for Power, this is undoubtedly the bolder Sabres take made from Dixon. While the 6-foot-6 defenseman has sometimes come up in the rumor mill, it would naturally still come with some shock if the Sabres actually dealt him. If the Sabres traded Power, it would certainly need to be for a star player who would help Buffalo immediately, as they are looking to break their 14-year playoff drought.

At 23 years old, Power is still very young and has the potential to improve further as he continues to gain more experience. He is also signed until the end of the 2030-31 season, where he carries an $8.35 million contract. Yet, he also does not have any trade protection until the 2029-30 season, which is something to remember.

In 36 games so far this season with the Sabres, Power has recorded three goals, seven assists, and 10 points. This comes after the left-shot blueliner set career highs with seven goals, 33 assists, and 40 points in 79 games this past season. 

LAS VEGAS -- The Golden Knights fell behind 2-0 after one period and 5-0 less than seven minutes into the second period on Monday night, as the Minnesota Wild skated to a 5-2 road win inside T-Mobile Arena.

Vegas, which dropped to 1-1-1 during its current four-game homestand, has now lost five of its last six.

The Golden Knights (45) sit one point behind the Pacific Division-leading Edmonton Oilers and are just one point in front of the third-place Anaheim Ducks, who also lost at home Monday, 5-4 to the San Jose Sharks.

Marcus Johansson put the Wild on the board first, just 26 seconds into the game, while Matt Boldy made it 2-0 later in the period.

Again, this time 26 seconds into the second stanza, the Wild struck when Jared Spurgeon made it 3-0. Brock Faber and Joel Eriksson Ek tacked on two more to essentially put the game out of reach.

Brayden McNabb scored late in the second and captain Mark Stone scored early in the third to provide the final margin.

Vegas goalie Carter Hart allowed five goals during the 12 shots he faced before turning the net over to Akira Schmid, who stopped all 15 shots he faced.

KEY MOMENT

Just 2:13 into the game, the Golden Knights lost center Tomas Hertl when he was ejected for a game misconduct after being called for a major boarding penalty on Minnesota's Ryan Hartman. With centers Jack Eichel and William Karlsson already missing with injuries, losing Hertl was less than ideal.

"You're down your three centers, but you can't make the excuses," Vegas captain Mark Stone said. "That's when you got to kind of play a little more together, play more as a five-man group, offensively, defensively, all over the ice. You got to support each other a little bit better than what we did in the first 40 (minutes).

Tomas Hertl receives a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for this hit on Ryan Hartman 😳 pic.twitter.com/vOmZ48z6nE

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) December 30, 2025

KEY STAT

16 - Vegas' 16 shots on goal were a season low, one less than the previous low of 17, back on Oct. 25 during a 3-0 loss at Florida. From Oct. 28 through Sunday, Vegas ranked third with 30.4 shots per game. After Monday's loss, the Knights rank fifth with 29.9 shots per game since then.

WHAT A KNIGHT

Though the damage was done, Schmid might have been Vegas' player all night. Coming off the bench cold to stop every shot he faced was a perfect warm-up performance before Wednesday's scheduled start against Nashville. Schmid is 11-3-4 and ranks sixth in the league with a 2.40 goals-against average among goalies who have played in 19 games played. He also has .900 save percentage.

UP NEXT

The Golden Knights conclude their four-game homestand by hosting the Nashville Predators on Wednesday in a New Year's Eve matinee.

PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) is pulled in favor of goaltender Akira Schmid (40) after surrendering 5 goals to the Minnesota Wild during the second period at T-Mobile Arena.

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.

To all the people who said Calvin Pickard should get traded, how does it feel to be wrong?

How does it feel to think trading a backup could fix the Oilers goaltending problems?

And how does it feel to not see the value in accepting that a career backup could be just that? A backup, not a star, not the solution, but a relief player when guys get injured, or things go sideways.

Monday nights 4-1 win over the Jets never went sideways, but Pickard played his best game of the season.

He made a season-high 41 saves in his hometown. Max Jones, Jack Roslovic, and Zach Hyman scored for Edmonton. Adam Lowry scored for the Jets.

But this was Pickard's night.

"Calvin was our best player," Kris Knoblauch said afterward. "Unfortunately for Picks, we've played some of our worst hockey when he's been in there, and that's been reflective in his stats. It hasn't looked that good, but we just haven't been that good in front of him."

The Oilers have played poorly in front of Pickard for most of this season. His numbers have looked bad because the team in front of him has been bad. Monday night in Winnipeg, he got the support he needed.

NHL Rumors: Oilers Urged To Target Sabres Star ForwardShould the Oilers make a big push for Sabres forward Alex Tuch?

"Obviously, there's some time between starts here, and you want to get into it, but I felt good," Pickard said. "I felt good in practice, and I'm confident. This is my third year here. I'm confident behind the group and just trying to do my job."

He's not trying to be the starter. He's not trying to steal anyone's job. He's a backup goalie who understands his role and does it without complaining about playing time or demanding more starts.

Monday night was exactly what you want out of a hometown showing. Pickard grew up in Winnipeg. His family and friends were in the building. Canada Life Centre is where he watched Jets games growing up. Making 41 saves and winning in front of that crowd meant something.

Oilers Active Noah Philp, Then Place Forward On WaiversOilers activate Noah Philp from LTIR, then place him on waivers. Will another team claim the big, right-shot center?

"Honestly, I felt pretty good the last month or so," Pickard said. "It's hard to get traction. I thought I played pretty decent in Montreal, pretty decent in Minnesota, but I just didn't get rewarded for it. I got some bounces tonight, and I got rewarded, so I like where my game's at. I want to keep that going."

The difference Monday night was Edmonton played better in front of him. They blocked shots. They kept Winnipeg to the outside. They did all the things teams are supposed to do when their goalie is standing on his head.

"There were no lulls in the game," Pickard said. "They kept shooting, they kept coming, and we did a pretty good job of keeping them to the outside."

Cole Hutson (Quinn Hutson’s Brother) Rejoins Team USA After Scary InjuryAfter a scary puck incident, Cole Hutson (brother of Oilers' Quinn Hutson) is out of the hospital and back with Team USA, bringing welcome relief and good news.

Pickard made key saves on the penalty kill in the first period to keep it scoreless. He stopped 15 shots in the third period alone when Winnipeg was pressing after cutting the lead to 2-1.

"Their power play got some looks, I had to make some saves there, but it was just one of those games," Pickard said. "They were great, and you have to give them credit. They played well, and I needed to be good, and we defended well."

This is exactly why we should all be grateful Calvin Pickard stuck around. The Oilers have gone through goaltending chaos this season. Stuart Skinner was traded to Pittsburgh. Tristan Jarry came in, got injured, and is on IR. Connor Ingram made his NHL return from the Player Assistance Program and has started three straight games.

It's The Best Time Of Year For Hockey FansIf you're a hockey fan, this is the best time of year. Period.

Through all of it, Pickard has been there. Not complaining. Not demanding trades. Just waiting for his turn and being ready when called upon.

Monday night was his turn. In his hometown. Against a Winnipeg team that had relentless pressure and should feel good about holding back two of the best players in the NHL. And he delivered exactly what the Oilers needed— a win and a reminder that backup goalies matter when they're good at their job.

"I like where my game's at," Pickard said. "I want to keep that going."

Determined McDavid: "We’re Hungry... We’re Not Going Anywhere" Connor McDavid is driving the Oilers' relentless pursuit of a Stanley Cup, refusing to quit and demanding more.

The Oilers should be grateful he does. Because on nights like Monday in Winnipeg, when your starter needs a break and you're facing 42 shots in a building where your backup grew up, you need someone who can step in and steal a game.

Calvin Pickard did exactly that. It's exactly what he's paid to do. And it's exactly why everyone who wanted to trade him was wrong.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.   Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

The Calgary Flames leaned on patience, goaltending, and timely execution to earn a 2–1 overtime win against the Boston Bruins on Monday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

The opening period lacked pace until Boston earned a power play midway through the frame. Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf was sharp early, making a pair of key saves to keep the game scoreless. Late in the period, Bruins defenceman Andrew Peeke drove toward the net and made contact with Wolf after losing the puck, as it slipped through Wolf and into the net. Calgary challenged for goaltender interference, but the goal stood, giving Boston a 1–0 lead at the 18:06 mark and putting the Flames shorthanded to close the period.

The second period remained tight-checking and low-event until Calgary finally broke through. At 13:33, sustained pressure in the offensive zone paid off as Mikael Backlund found Blake Coleman in the slot. Coleman snapped a quick shot through Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman to tie the game 1–1, marking his team-leading 12th goal of the season.

The third period stayed scoreless despite Boston holding an 8–1 edge in shots. As regulation expired, Bruins defenceman Jonathan Aspirot was assessed a high-sticking penalty, sending the Flames to overtime with a carryover power play.

Calgary nearly saw the advantage backfire when Pavel Zacha sprung loose for a shorthanded breakaway early in overtime. Wolf came up with a clutch stop and turned aside the rebound attempt from Nikita Zadorov. Moments later, the Flames capitalized. Yegor Sharangovich fired a shot through traffic, and Connor Zary got a piece of the rebound in front, as the puck found its way past Swayman to secure the 2–1 overtime victory.

Three Takeaways

1. Blake Coleman continues to set the tone

Coleman delivered exactly what the Flames needed — offence, physical play, and composure in big moments. His second-period goal provided the spark, he finished checks throughout the night, and he drew the penalty that set up the overtime winner. His consistency has made him one of Calgary’s most reliable drivers this season.

2. Dustin Wolf was calm and composed

Wolf turned aside 24 shots, including two high-danger chances in overtime, earning his 50th win of the season. He remained poised under pressure, tracked pucks well through traffic, and made the saves Calgary needed when momentum tilted Boston’s way.

3. The power play found a way when it mattered most

Calgary went 0-for-4 with the man advantage in regulation, struggling to generate rhythm. But the unit stayed patient, and the carryover power play in overtime finally delivered, proving decisive in a tightly contested game.

The Final Word 

Coleman on the effort:

“They play a pretty similar game to us and you’ve got to earn your ice and your space. Felt like one of those games that one goal was going to be the difference late in the game and, not pretty, but we got the job done.”

Wolf on the overtime breakaway saves:

“Saw the first one, got snowed on the second one, so thankfully (the puck) hit me.”

Zary on the goaltending:

“At the end of day I think we just know (Wolf’s) got our back and he’s going to make big saves all the time and keep us in games… whether they’re on a 2-on-1 or have a breakaway you have confidence that Wolf is just going to make the save.”