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On the first episode of his new podcast, Brady Tkachuk provided an update on how he's doing after wrist surgery. 

"I'm in the dog days of being injured right now. It sucks," Brady told his brother and co-host Matthew on the debut episode of their podcast, Wingmen, which launched on Thursday and appears to have been recorded earlier this week.

"On Thursday (Nov 13), I'm going to be four weeks post-surgery. Luckily, with this surgery, I was able to skate six days after. So I've been going probably three times, four times a week, over  the last three weeks."

That's the upside of upper-body injuries. You can usually keep your fitness up and not miss a beat when you return to play.

Matthew then threw it out there that Brady would probably be back in a couple of weeks, and the Sens captain agreed. Again, keep in mind the podcast was recorded at least two days ago. Brady also spoke about how pleased he was to work with pucks this week for the first time since the injury. And he was especially pumped about how good everything felt.

"Yeah, I was able to actually stick handle last night in the shooting room, my first time. And the hands felt good too. Like, they felt good. I was happy with them.

 "I'm able to stick handle on the ice now. And I'm really hoping that, come Friday, I'll be able to skate with the guys as a shadow, as I still work on my hands. I'll probably be able to shoot."

Brady did just that on Friday, and while he wasn't unleashing Happy Gilmore slapshots, his shots weren't muffins either. His rebuilt wrist looked strong at the club's optional practice. In one drill, he worked the slot area, receiving alternating passes sent from the boards and launching firm wrist shots at a practice goalie.

At his media availability, Green said Tkachuk was probably still a couple of weeks away at least, but he will be going on the club's upcoming seven-game road trip, which begins on Thursday.

Green also said that there's nothing new to report about Thomas Chabot's upper-body injury, other than he's day-to-day and doubtful to play on Saturday. 

Meanwhile, the last guy you would have expected to see at an optional practice was veteran defenseman Nick Jensen. Jensen is 35, coming back from off-season, hip resurfacing surgery and left Thursday night's victory over the Boston Bruins with an injury at the end of the second period.

But it's good to see that whatever knocked him out of that game obviously isn't serious.

Green didn't rule him out for Saturday's game, but if he can't go, the Sens will have to call someone up from Belleville. Their right-shot options would be former first-rounders Carter Yakemchuk and Lassi Thomson, along with Ottawa native Cameron Crotty. Thomson and Crotty are not waivers-exempt.

On the left side, it's probably Jorian Donovan, another Ottawan, or AHL-signed Scott Harrington. Harrington is the only one not on an NHL contract, but he does have the most NHL experience by far.

Yakemchuk is the club's top prospect and leads all Belleville defensemen with 8 points in 13 games. He was in Ottawa's final cuts in each of the last two training camps. If the Sens need a body, then giving Yakemchuk a little taste of the NHL at a time when they've built themselves a little room for error wouldn't be a bad play for his development.

You also never really know for sure how close a player is to being a full-time NHL player until you see him in meaningful NHL games. Perhaps Yakemchuk is more NHL-ready than they realize.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News/Ottawa

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Despite all of the excitement and fanfare surrounding the start of the 2025-26 Global Series, Friday simply wasn't the night for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

And - despite nearly sneaking off with the two points - it showed in the results.

The Penguins were defeated in overtime by the Nashville Predators, 2-1, in a game where the Penguins were outplayed for the final 40 minutes. Evgeni Malkin scored a fluke second-period goal to put the Penguins ahead 1-0 until the final two minutes of regulation, when Swedish forward Filip Forsberg knotted things up for the Predators and sent the game to OT.

Steven Stamkos got a partial breakaway just 44 seconds into the extra frame and buried the opportunity to give the Preds the win.

It was a sloppy game for the Penguins in general, but their goaltender gave them a fighting chance. Arturs Silovs made two breakaway saves and came up huge on several occasions, and he was - really - the only reason the Penguins even earned a point with the game they played.

He stopped 28 of 30 Nashville shots. 

"I thought he was outstanding tonight," head coach Dan Muse said. "I mean, he kept the score the way it was. We got a point because of him and the way he played, so I thought he was great."

Let's get to some observations, both from this game and just in general right now:

- The Crosby line was pretty good in this game, regardless of the fact that they did not show up on the scoresheet. They were generating chances that they simply didn't finish, even with some brutal defensive zone play from Crosby at times. At the end of the day, Kindel, Crosby, and Rust have some real chemistry. 

That said, this team is really hurting without Kindel as its third-line center. 

The Penguins May Now Have Three Pieces Of Their Future Core - And That's A Big DealObviously, there is such a thing as getting too far ahead of the curve in sports.

The problem, however, is that they don't really have anyone else to plug on 87's other wing right now. Injuries have caught up to them. Rickard Rakell isn't an option and won't be for a while still. Justin Brazeau isn't an option, either, and will still be out another few weeks. Filip Hallander is no longer an option and won't be for another three-plus months.

So, who does that leave? There's Kindel. There's also Ville Koivunen, who is struggling to produce anywhere close to the numbers he put up in a short stint last season. There's Tommy Novak, who is currently filling Brazeau's spot on the second line next to Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha. You could try Connor Dewar there, but it's probably not a sustainable thing, and he and Blake Lizotte have some serious chemistry. 

Yes, you can move Kindel back down. But the top line will be worse as a result. And what is more important right now?

- On that note, I think it's time for the Penguins to give forward prospect Tristan Broz a look.

Obviously, that won't happen ahead of Sunday's game to wrap up the Global Series in Stockholm. But the Penguins' bottom-six is lacking right now, and a large part of that is because they do not have an effective third line without Kindel centering it. 

October Penguins' Prospects Update: ForwardsIt's a new season, and with the month of October in the books, that means it's time for the first&nbsp;<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' prospects update of the season.

They could use another set of youthful legs in the bottom-six. They could use a guy who has some good two-way potential and has shown an ability - at least at the AHL and NCAA levels - to put the puck in the back of the net. It also gives them the flexibility to keep Kindel on Crosby's line - or at least bump someone like Koivunen up - because there will still be two capable young players left on the third line.

This team desperately needs center depth and scoring depth. They need to make a move to try and address that now, especially with things beginning to go south and with some of their top producers still on the shelf for several weeks.

- Speaking of young players, this was the fourth consecutive scratch for 19-year-old rookie blueliner Harrison Brunicke. 

I wrote a detailed piece a few weeks ago speaking on the potential for an AHL conditioning stint if Brunicke is scratched for five consecutive games. If he does not play Sunday, that will be five consecutive games, and he will have gone two weeks without playing a game. 

If I were a betting person, I'd bet that's what's happening here. If not, why take him on the trip if they're not going to ice him and just plan to send him back to the WHL right after?

What Will The Penguins Do With Top Defensive Prospect Harrison Brunicke?On Thursday, it was confirmed by <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' head coach Dan Muse that 18-year-old center <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/penguins-top-prospect-ben-kindel-to-remain-in-pittsburgh">Ben Kindel will remain in the NHL through his 10th game</a>, meaning the first year of his three-year entry-level contract will kick in.&nbsp;

Besides, Kris Letang, Connor Clifton, and Matt Dumba (save for a nice play he made on the Penguins' lone goal Friday) haven't been doing much to help their team defensively as of late. In fact, they - like Brunicke - have made plenty of defensive mistakes and misreads.

If he's going to remain at the NHL level, he's got to see the ice at some point. But, I do think the conditioning stint - at this current point - is what's probably best for both sides right now.

- All that said, I do think Ryan Graves has been quite a bit better in his short four-game sample size so far. And he's honestly looking like the kind of defense partner that wouldn't be the worst thing for Brunicke, should he stay.

If Graves continues to play a solid game, I'd try it at some point. 

- It was a really special moment for Erik Karlsson, who had the opportunity to play in front of his own country. He was the last player announced in the Penguins' starting lineup, and he got a nice ovation from the Swedish faithful.

SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) on XThat crowd pop when Erik Karlsson is announced during the player intros 🔊 Sweden is READY for some hockey 🇸🇪

Karlsson was operating at a pretty high level during the first period in this game. Like everyone else, he didn't quite stand out as much as the game went on, but it was a perfectly solid performance from him. 

And Stamkos's overtime winner? Yeah, he was the defenseman on the play, but he couldn't catch up because he was clearly out of gas. Can't really put that one on him, in my opinion. 

- All in all, these losses happen. In a vacuum, losing to one of the league's worst teams isn't a great look, especially on the international stage - and when things haven't been going your way in general. 

But I don't think it's time for folks to write off the Penguins yet. They've been a little less dominant as of late, their five-on-five metrics have taken a hit, and they can't find the back of the net like they were doing with regularity before.

Is There Reason For Concern With Penguins' Recent Stretch?After an 8-2-2 start to the season during the month of October, all seemed to be going well and right for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>.&nbsp;

But that tends to happen when two of your team's top goal-scorers are out of the lineup. It's not a mystery why the Penguins are struggling to score right now. 

I wouldn't read too much into their hot start, and I also wouldn't read too much into this current stretch for now. Yeah, you've got some of the "I told you so" and "see, this team just isn't good" folks populating sound boards. 

The truth is that this team is likely somewhere in the middle of where they started and where they are now. Injuries have played a big part, but they're not the only thing. Team defense hasn't been great, either. 

And that's why their start was so important and why this stretch is so important. Somehow, they just need to find a way to tread water and play at least .500 hockey until some of their key players start to return. And that won't be easy come December, when they have a gauntlet ahead of them.

Seven of their next eight opponents are outside of the current playoff picture. They need to bank the majority of those points, and it starts with getting two points on Sunday and three out of four on this trip.

Starting in Sweden, Penguins Must Win Upcoming Stretch Of GamesOn Friday, the 2025-26 NHL Global Series kicks off.&nbsp;

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

Big nights across the board give Flyers 6-5 shootout win over Blues originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Behind all kinds of individual performances, the Flyers erased a pair of two-goal deficits to beat the Blues, 6-5, Friday night in a shootout at Enterprise Center.

Trevor Zegras continued his magic in the skills competition with the lone tally, improving to 16 for 24 lifetime.

Samuel Ersson picked up his 11th career shootout win in 14 opportunities.

Owen Tippett erupted for a four-point game, while Zegras and Christian Dvorak had two goals apiece.

Rallying from deficits of 3-1 and 5-3, the Flyers (9-5-3) extended their point streak to five games (3-0-2). They’ve earned at least a point in 10 of their last 13 games (8-3-2).

The Flyers lead the NHL with 10 shootout wins over the last two seasons and are 4-0 this season. Rick Tocchet’s club has gone to overtime eight times and is 5-3-3 in games decided by one goal.

The Flyers see the Blues (6-8-4) again in six days.

• A night like this one is why you don’t give up on Tippett just because he’s a streaky player.

He’s 26 years old and can have these kind of games.

“His tools are unreal,” Tocchet said Thursday. “So can we piece it together? … We have to just continue to grow this guy because there’s something. He has got a lot of tools, so it’s on us to hone those skills.”

Tippett snapped his 10-game goal-scoring slump when he tied the game at 5-5 about halfway through the third period. He also collected three assists.

It was a good response from his late mishap that cost the Flyers in a 2-1 overtime loss Wednesday night to the Oilers.

• Ersson started the first game of the Flyers’ back-to-back set and wasn’t sharp in regulation.

He allowed the five goals on 17 shots for the night. But he delivered again in the shootout.

After the Flyers dug out of a 3-1 hole in the second period, St. Louis went back up two with consecutive goals not even five minutes into the final stanza.

For a second straight game, Ersson surrendered two goals in the first period. The Flyers didn’t help his cause by coughing up the puck. Zegras had a pass picked off in the neutral zone as the Blues grabbed a 1-0 lead. Travis Konecny committed a turnover in the offensive zone, which allowed St. Louis to regain its lead at 2-1.

Blues netminder Jordan Binnington couldn’t finish off the Flyers. He stopped 26 of their 31 shots.

• Danny Briere has to be really happy so far with his two offseason additions up front.

Zegras already has three two-goal games with the Flyers. He didn’t have any last season with the Ducks.

The 24-year-old trade acquisition had his third three-point effort and now leads the Flyers in both goals (six) and assists (13).

Dvorak also had three points for his third multi-point game with the Flyers. The 29-year-old free-agent signing can play all over the lineup.

• Emil Andrae had two assists and a plus-4 rating in 18 minutes. The 23-year-old defenseman showed he can handle more on his plate.

• The Flyers are right back at it Saturday when they visit the Stars (8 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

Adrian Kempe and his status as a pending UFA without a contract extension have been the talk of the town for the Los Angeles Kings. Further, after visiting the giant hockey markets Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, you can expect some extra media coverage and reports on the matter.

Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened.

Also, it so happens that Kempe’s agent, J.P. Barry, is located in Toronto, leaving an opportunity for Kings GM Ken Holland to have another conversation with him regarding negotiations for signing Kempe to a contract extension.

On the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman reported that the two sides aren’t necessarily there yet.

“I do believe, as I said many times, that the player wants to stay and the team wants to keep him,” Friedman said. “But, I still think there’s a gap.”

He noted that on another Sportsnet radio show, hosted by Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne, Kings president Luc Robitaille was brought on as a guest and was asked about current negotiations with Kempe’s camp.

Friedman thought it was interesting because, while he believes there is still work to do, in terms of finalizing a deal for Kempe, Robitaille sounded relatively optimistic regarding the process.

Former Kings GM Rob Blake Has ‘No Regrets’, And Is Eyeing An NHL Return In The FutureFormer Los Angeles Kings GM talks about his tenure, as well as seeking a new role in the league or with the NHL in the near future.

The Sportsnet insider and reporter pointed out that Barry has been an in-season negotiator before. Other clients, such as Boston Bruins’ David Pastrnak and Vancouver Canucks’ Filip Chytil, were signed to contract extensions in March 2023.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic had further reports on these contract discussions.

He spoke to Kempe ahead of Los Angeles’ 4-3 overtime win on Thursday in Toronto.

“It’s not weighing on me,” Kempe told The Athletic. “My focus right now is just playing. Like I said before, I’m not trying to think about it too much. I’m just focused on the game and let them do the job. My intention is to stay. I love it (here).”

Report: Los Angeles Kings Not In Adrian Kempe’s Ballpark As Negotiations Are Back OnThe Los Angeles Kings and Adrian Kempe have reportedly resumed contract talks. However, it still seems that the two parties are on the same level just yet.

Holland was also asked about getting a deal done with Kempe soon. The veteran GM doesn’t seem to be fazed or worried about the intentions of both parties. 

“Certainly we want to keep him,” Holland told LeBrun. “I certainly believe he wants to be a King. I don’t think it’s been acrimonious or there’s been any ill-will.”

This is Kempe’s final year under his four-year, $5.5-million contract. LeBrun noted that Martin Necas’ recent contract extension, which saw him ink an eight-year deal at $11.5 million per season, is a key comparable in these extension talks.

Why Adrian Kempe Will Not Earn Less Than Martin Necas On His Next ContractWhat is Adrian Kempe worth following the contract extension of Martin Necas? Looking at the facts, Kempe shouldn't be signing anything less than what Necas received.

“My sense is that the range being discussed for Kempe is $9.5 million to $11.5 million per year on a long-term deal,” LeBrun wrote.

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.

Nov 14, 2025; Stockholm, SWEDEN; Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) in action in front of Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs (37) in a Global Series ice hockey game at Avicii Arena. Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

After getting a few days of rest and taking in the sights of Stockholm, the Nashville Predators got back to work against the Pittsburgh Penguins Friday afternoon at Avicii Arena for the 2025 NHL Global Series.

Nashville came into Friday owning a 3-1-0 record in games hosted in Europe or Asia. That magic was present on Friday, as Filip Forsberg tied the score 1-1 at 18:50 of regulation and Steven Stamkos netted the game-winner in overtime for a 2-1 triumph.

The victory snapped a five-game losing skid for the Preds. The game was scoreless until Evgeni Malkin scored for Pittsburgh at 13:49 of the second period for a 1-0 Pittsburgh lead.

After Juuse Saros went to the bench for the extra attacker, Filip Forsberg finally lit the lamp for the Preds at 18:50 of regulation, in his home country, no less.

Just 44 seconds into overtime, Steven Stamkos potted the golden goal, giving Nashville something to celebrate for the first time in six games.

“There was a lot of excitement,” Forsberg told reporters after the game. “I’m not going to lie, it's been a big day."

Saros was once again solid in goal, stopping 16 of 17 shots for the win. Arturs Silovs was tested often, saving 28 of 30 in the loss.

There were few penalties in the game; the Preds went 0-for-1 on the power play, while the Penguins failed to convert its two chances with the man advantage.

Stamkos was named player of the game and was gifted with a watch, presented to him following the game by former NHLer Mark Streit.

Here are three takeaways from the game.

A solid effort finally pays off.

The Preds tried the alignment of 11 forwards and seven defensemen for their opener in Stockholm. For most of the game, it didn't appear to matter who was on the ice; the net remained closed and the bounces went against Nashville.

The Penguins' lone goal came on such a bounce. Malkin’s tally, his fourth of the year, was set up by Matt Dumba, and the 39-year-old Russian center banked a shot from behind the net that ricocheted off Michael McCarron’s stick and then off Juuse Saros to put the Penguins on the scoreboard first.

“I think the last few days, our group had a lot of time together, enjoyed each other, and re-energized a little bit,” Preds head coach Andrew Brunette said during media availability following the game. “I thought our last two games were a little bit leaky, because we kind of got back to our identity a little bit. Tonight, I'm really happy that it worked out."

Meanwhile, Nashville had its share of chances. After serving a high-sticking penalty in the second period, Justin Barron went on a breakaway. He had Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs dead to rights, but couldn’t get the shot to go in.

Spencer Stastney had a great look, as did Erik Haula during a penalty kill. Early in the third period, Luke Evangelista appeared to have scored, but the goal was immediately waved off without a review after failing to cross the line.

Finally, Forsberg tied things up after some deft passing by Ryan O'Reilly and Stamkos, who took just 44 seconds to get the game-winner.

"We were on the verge, made it a little more interesting than we wanted to, but we played a solid game and kind of talked about, in the past, maybe letting it slip away and not sticking to it," Stamkos said. "Tonight, obviously we did it right down the wire and filled a huge hole, and then to get one in overtime was big."

STAMMER IS YOUR @ENERGIZER OT WINNER!!! 🌟🌟 #NHLGlobalSeriespic.twitter.com/w791qZyxtF

— NHL (@NHL) November 14, 2025

If ever there was a time when the Predators needed a break, they finally got one in Sweden, with a little Forsberg magic thrown in.

Saros outduels Silovs.

Both netminders kept their respective teams in the game, although Arturs Silovs had the bigger test through the first 40 minutes. The Preds had a 20-10 shots advantage during that span.

The third period was more even, with the Preds holding an 8-7 advantage. Nashville got off the only two shots in overtime, including the one that counted most.

The Preds' defense, which had been guilty of some major lapses in recent games, played solid Friday, giving Saros the type of support he's been lacking even when he is at his best.

Filip Forsberg reaches a milestone in his home country.

What a treat that Filip Forsberg scored his 700th career NHL point in his homeland, and it was a game-tying tally to boot. The script couldn't have been written better.

Forsberg's goal makes him the 12th Swedish player to score a goal in an NHL regular-season game in his home country; only two have scored multiple: Kristian Huselius (2-1—3 in 2 GP) and Lucas Raymond (2-0—2 in 2 GP).

Forsberg was named the game's second star. When asked by reporters about the potential of scoring the game-winner in overtime in a movie-script scenario, he quipped, "I think that would have been too much."

The 31-year-old Swede isn't done with personal marks. He will skate in his 800th career NHL game Sunday morning when the Preds and Penguins wrap up the Global Series in Stockholm.

The best part of Friday's milestone is that it came with a Preds win. Another win Sunday would be the perfect way to end the story in Sweden.

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