On Sunday, we get an all-Canadian showdown to wrap up a strong six-game slate that rarely lands on a Sunday schedule. It is a welcome surprise filled with intriguing matchups, and the finale stands out as the most compelling. The Calgary Flames, who might finally be turning a corner after a dreadful start and two straight wins, take on the slumping Vancouver Canucks, who have lost five of their last six.

For everyone following the Pad Stack challenge, the approach remains the same. We start with $10 and grow it steadily through disciplined, well-researched wagers. Our hottest stretch topped out last Monday at a season-high $411.47, although it ended abruptly when a late empty-netter from the Florida Panthers spoiled our Vancouver spread. Even so, we regained momentum on Saturday with a win in Montreal’s decisive 5–2 victory over Toronto, which pushed the bankroll to $19.40 heading into Sunday. Now we are lining up a very confident play for the Flames–Canucks matchup.

All betting lines are from BetMGM Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. 

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Islanders' Matthew Schaefer, Avalanche's Cale Makar Already Near-Locks in NHL Award RacesAn 18-year-old phenom and a Norris contender are dominating early NHL award races, setting impressive records and dazzling fans.

Picks: Flames +2.5 & Over 5.5 Goals (+125)

The Flames head into Sunday on the road after a surprising shootout win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday. This is the same Dallas team that just beat the Canucks 4–2 on Thursday. Using that comparison, it is reasonable to believe Calgary has a strong chance to handle Vancouver, and there are several other factors that point in the same direction. The Flames appear to be climbing out of the early-season slump that left them with only four wins in their first 18 games. They have now won two straight and have a real opportunity to build momentum with a third consecutive victory.

Many expect the Canucks to bounce back as they have won three of their last four meetings with Calgary, they are overdue for a win, and they return home with plenty of rest since they last played on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Flames are on the road and playing the second half of a back-to-back. Vancouver should put up a strong fight at home, which is part of the reason this matchup has the makings of a high-scoring game. These teams have combined for six or more goals in six of their last nine meetings.

Vancouver’s defensive struggles could push this toward the over on their own. They own the second-worst goals-against average in the league at 3.68, allowing 81 goals through 22 games. Because of this, Calgary should remain competitive throughout the night, but the safer approach is to take the two-goal cushion.

A $19.40 wager on this same-game parlay would return $24.25, giving us a total of $43.65 to work with heading into next week.

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With just over two months before the start of the 2026 Olympics in Milan, there continue to be concerns from the NHL and NHLPA about the main hockey rink not being complete and potentially untested until a few weeks before the start of the games. 

As for the individual nations competing in the tournament, decisions on their 25-man rosters - due on Dec. 31 - have been impacted by injuries.

Team Finland’s chances of medalling took a significant hit when Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov suffered ACL and MCL injuries during training camp.

Meanwhile, Team Canada’s depth between the pipes has become further in question with Vegas Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill out of action since mid-October. 

Three NHL Forwards Who May Have Played Their Way Off Team CanadaWhile there is an argument for several players to make Team Canada, other players from last year's 4 Nations Face-Off roster will need to be cut to make that room. Who are those players?

However, those injuries seem minor by comparison to the plethora of players slated to make Team USA on injured reserve. With six key players on the mend, USA Hockey have had poor luck regarding the health of its players.

Panthers left winger Matthew Tkachuk was injured in the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off last February and missed the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season. Later, he returned to play in every playoff game in the Panthers' second-straight Cup victory.

After undergoing off-season surgery to treat a sports hernia and a torn adductor, Tkachuk has started skating and could be back in action by December, according to The Hockey News' David Dwork. 

Matthew's brother, and Ottawa Senators captain, Brady Tkachuk, suffered a broken thumb courtesy of Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi on Oct. 13 and is on a six-to-eight-week recovery timeline following surgery.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who missed 15 games last season due to injury and scored a career-low 33 goals, has been out since Nov. 11 following contact from Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

Matthews is practising again, and it is expected that he will return to the Leafs' lineup at some point during their current six-game road swing that goes through November and the beginning of December. 

In a freak accident at a dinner, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes suffered a finger which required surgery. He is going to be re-evaluated six weeks following surgery, with a six-to-eight estimated timeline, which could pass the Dec. 31st roster deadline. USA Hockey will have to be certain of his availability before putting him on the roster. 

Jack Hughes' Freak Injury Joins A Long List Of NHL's Unusual Off-Ice SetbacksIt's not every day an NHL player requires surgery after injuring themselves at a team dinner. But from eating pancakes to fixing bagpipes, Jack Hughes' freak incident doesn't stand alone.

Boston’s Charlie McAvoy was a key contributor on the back end for the Americans at 4 Nations, but missed the remainder of the regular season with a shoulder injury, resulting in a staph infection.

McAvoy has led the resurgent Bruins to the top of the Atlantic Division at different points this season, but on Nov. 15, he took a slapshot to the face in a victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports that McAvoy’s timeline depends on how he heals from facial surgery, but that the expectation is he’ll be able to return for the Olympics.

And if that were not enough, on Friday, it was announced that three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck was undergoing knee surgery and will be out four-to-six weeks.

Once again, the timeline has Hellebuyck returning to action well before players leave for Italy, but if the Americans have any hope of unseating Canada, who have the most gold medals in men's ice hockey in Olympic history, they will need most, if not all, of these players in top form when next February rolls around.

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On Sunday, the Winnipeg Jets will try to tap into the football crowd by hosting their Hockey Fights Cancer game in an afternoon matinee against the Minnesota Wild. The matchup should bring plenty of excitement, as it features two divisional rivals trending in the right direction. 

Hockey Fights Cancer 💜

🎟️ https://t.co/kVMjUvSyPcpic.twitter.com/Y0oLFmJNK9

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) November 23, 2025

Minnesota enters the game red hot after winning four straight and going 8-1-1 since the start of November. The challenge increases on the road, where they will face a Jets team that has begun to steady itself with three wins in its last five. One of the losses came with Connor Hellebuyck unavailable, forcing Eric Comrie to step in on short rest. Winnipeg will look to rebound, possibly with help from a rookie goaltender.

Lineup Storylines

Sunday could feature an NHL first for the Jets, who recalled surging AHL goalie Thomas Milic to back up while Hellebuyck recovers from a minor arthroscopic knee procedure. Comrie has started the last two games, and although he led line rushes at Saturday’s practice, it would still be surprising to see him get a third straight start.

The possibility of Milic making his NHL debut adds an intriguing storyline. He has been outstanding with the Manitoba Moose this season, recording a 5-2-2 mark with one shutout and a .921 save percentage through nine games. He arrives on a four-game winning streak with a 2.14 goals-against average, and his overall AHL record of 29-23-8 with a 2.88 GAA has made him one of the league’s most underrated young goalies.

Winnipeg is also expected to make subtle adjustments to the lineup. Captain Adam Lowry is projected to move up to the second line, separating him from his usual partner Nino Niederreiter. Veteran center Jonathan Toews will shift to the third line while the wingers on both lines remain the same. Cole Perfetti is set to skate with Lowry in an unusual combination, and Toews will reunite with Gustav Nyquist after the pair opened the season together. Depth forward Alex Iafallo will take Nyquist’s place on the fourth line. The final defense pairing remains uncertain as the team decides between Luke Schenn and Colin Miller. 

The tweaks come at a time when several players have hit rough patches with Toews going four straight games without a point, Tanner Pearson appears to be coming out of the lineup after a 13-game drought, and Nyquist, who registered an assist in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over Columbus, is still searching for his first goal of the season while currently on his worst scoring drought to start a season in his career. 

Minnesota counters with its own momentum, led by star forwards in Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov. The two are not skating together at even strength, with Kaprizov on the top line beside Mats Zuccarello and Boldy on the second line with Joel Eriksson Ek, however, they do share time on the power play, where they have combined for four goals in their last ten games. They have also combined for eight goals at even strength during that stretch. Their balanced scoring threat will pose a significant challenge that Winnipeg’s defense will need to be ready for.

Goalie Matchup

Winnipeg: Eric Comrie (Season: 4-2-0 record, 2.84 GAA, .899 SV% | VS MIN: 0-1-0 record, 4.95 GAA, .846 in two games) 

Minnesota: Jesper Wallstedt (Season: 5-0-2 record, 2.20 GAA, .926 SV% | VS WPG: 0-1-0 record, 5.02 GAA, .792 SV% in one start)

NHL Insider Weighs In On Jets' Brad Lambert Situation, Potential Trade ReturnNHL insider reveals the Jets' strategy for trading prized prospect Brad Lambert, drawing parallels to a past high-profile deal.

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Apr 16, 2010; Chicago, IL, USA; Nashville Predators right wing Jordin Tootoo (22) battles for the puck as he is hit between Chicago Blackhawks right wing Tomas Kopecky (left) and defenseman Jordan Hendry (right) during the first period of game one in the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the United Center. Jerry Lai-Imagn Images

It’s easy for fans of any sport to idolize athletes or put them on a pedestal. After all, they do things most “average” people cannot, right?

Perhaps, but there eventually comes a sobering reality: athletes are human, too.

When former Nashville Predators forward Jordin Tootoo first undertook the task of putting together a documentary based on his life and playing career, that was the one point he wanted to get across: there’s a human side to everyone, even hockey players.

Tootoo, who spent eight of his 13 NHL seasons with the Predators, hosted a screening of his documentary, simply titled “Tootoo”, prior to the Preds’ game against the Colorado Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

Along with the goals, the reckless abandon with which he played the game and the Tootoo train whistles that turned up in the stands each time he scored a goal or made a physical impact, there was another, darker side to Tootoo, the first Inuk player in NHL history.

Tootoo was fighting another battle many fans couldn’t see: alcoholism.

It was only when Tootoo had a meeting with then-general manager David Poile and Barry Trotz, then head coach and now the Preds’ GM in 2010, that Tootoo changed his life.

“My documentary isn’t just a hockey documentary,” Tootoo told reporters on Friday at Bridgestone Arena. “This is to hopefully inspire more people to speak up and speak the truth and hopefully inspire them to make changes in their lives.”

Tootoo made his debut with the Predators in the 2003-04 season, after the club selected him in the fourth round of the 2001 NHL Draft. He quickly became a fan favorite for his seemingly fearless, physical style of play.

The documentary is a brutally honest look inside Tootoo’s life, on and off the ice. It covers moving away from his hometown of Churchill, Manitoba, to being drafted by the Predators, his struggle with alcoholism and the loss of his brother to suicide.

Tootoo and his family share his journey to sobriety and how his resilience continues to impact the lives of others who may be fighting similar battles.

“Especially in the Indigenous communities, we’ve been silent for too long,” Tootoo said Friday. “Hopefully, this will open up those doors and those avenues for more men especially to be comfortable with not being OK, articulating their thoughts and putting them to words. Even as hockey players, we tend to hold a lot in and we release it out on the ice. For me, I needed the game to release that anger.”

The Preds honored Tootoo back in 2019, nearly 10 years after his meeting with Poile and Trotz. On Friday, he signed his puck on the Wall at Bridgestone Arena. On Saturday, he held a meet-and-greet with Smashville Loyal members and addressed fans prior to the screening.

Tootoo often looks back and reminisces on his hockey career, the first eight seasons of which he spent in Nashville. He feels honored to be welcomed back to Nashville, and hopes those who see the documentary will gain a greater appreciation for what a professional athlete goes through.

“We all fight a fight no one knows about,” he said. “A lot of people look at professional athletes especially, and have the mindset of, ‘how bad can their life be’?... At the same time, we’re human too, we’re not ironmen. Hopefully, when people watch the doc, they’ll have a better understanding and have a little more compassion.”

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov is officially a trade candidate to watch in the NHL.

Mintyukov would like to be traded by the Ducks "if he’s not going to play," according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. This comes after the young blueliner was healthy scratched in back-to-back games. 

If the Ducks were to shop Mintyukov, there is no question that he would generate interest. The 2022 10th-overall pick has plenty of potential, and he would be a nice addition for a team looking to improve its blueline. 

Due to this, let's look at three teams that could make sense as landing spots for Mintyukov.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Canadiens Shopping For Help, Ducks' Mintyukov Could Seek A TradeHaving cooled off from their hot start, the Canadiens could be seeking help in the trade market. Meanwhile, promising D-man Pavel Mintyukov's future with the Ducks is in question.

Detroit Red Wings 

The Detroit Red Wings could be an excellent landing spot for a young blueliner like Mintyukov. The Original Six club is finally taking that next step and is a legitimate threat for a playoff spot right now, evidenced by their 13-8-1 record, and leads the Atlantic Division. 

Yet, it is clear that one of the Red Wings' biggest needs right now is a top-four left-shot defenseman. With Mintyukov having the potential to become just that, it would make sense if the Red Wings made a push for the young defenseman. 

Philadelphia Flyers 

The Philadelphia Flyers and Ducks have had their fair share of trades with each other in recent years. Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, to name a couple. Could they make another trade, this time centering around Mintyukov? It would make sense for the Flyers to pursue him. 

When examining the Flyers' current roster, it is apparent that they require assistance on the left side of their defence. With Rasmus Ristolainen out, Travis Sanheim currently plays on the right side. Down the left is Cam York, Nick Seeler and Emil Andrae.

Due to this, Mintyukov stands out as a prime potential target for them. This is especially so when noting that the 21-year-old Mintyukov is young enough that he could fit perfectly into Philadelphia's rebuild. 

NHL Rumor Roundup: More Owen Tippett Speculation, And The Latest On The Senators After a hot start to the season, Owen Tippett's production has cooled, prompting speculation that his time with the Flyers could be numbered, plus a look at what Senators GM Steve Staios could be seeking in the trade market.

Winnipeg Jets 

On Nov. 20, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that the Winnipeg Jets have granted forward Brad Lambert permission to seek a trade elsewhere. The 2022 first-round pick could be a promising young player for a team on the rise, like the Ducks, to add to their system.

NHL Insider Weighs In On Jets' Brad Lambert Situation, Potential Trade ReturnNHL insider reveals the Jets' strategy for trading prized prospect Brad Lambert, drawing parallels to a past high-profile deal.

The Jets, on the other hand, could use another impactful left-shot defenseman on their roster. If they brought in Mintyukov, he would at least provide them with an upgrade to their bottom pairing. However, he also could compete for top-four minutes if he took that next step with Winnipeg. 

Could the Ducks and Jets swap their disgruntled former first-round picks?

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On Sunday, the Detroit Red Wings announced that veteran defenseman Erik Gustafsson has been recalled from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, marking his first NHL call-up of the season. In a corresponding move, forward Elmer Soderblom was placed on Injured Reserve, retroactive to November 9th, with an undisclosed injury.

UPDATE: The #RedWings have recalled Erik Gustafsson from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Additionally, Elmer Soderblom has been placed on Injured Reserve retroactive to November 9th. pic.twitter.com/QdDnqUOWs0

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) November 23, 2025

Gustafsson, 33, has been one of the driving forces behind the Griffins’ historic 12-1-0-1 start, leading all Grand Rapids defensemen with eight assists in ten games. His strong play has not gone unnoticed as several insiders reported that Detroit had explored the trade market in hopes of finding the veteran Swede an NHL opportunity elsewhere, though no deal ultimately materialized. Now, that opportunity may come in Detroit itself.

A seasoned NHL defender, Gustafsson is best remembered for his explosive 60-point breakout season in 2018–19 with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he posted 17 goals and 43 assists in 79 games. He came close to replicating that production with Washington in 2022–23, tallying 42 points, and followed with a 31-point campaign in the 2023-24 season with the New York Rangers.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Since joining the Red Wings, Gustafsson has appeared in 60 games, collecting 18 points but struggling defensively with a –19 rating. Despite the down year, he reaffirmed his international pedigree by earning a spot on Team Sweden for the most recent World Championships.

Gustafsson’s recall comes at a crucial moment for Detroit, which is dealing with multiple absences, including Soderblom’s injury and fellow Swede Simon Edvinsson, who is currently out with an illness. The veteran blueliner is expected to step in immediately as the Red Wings look to stabilize their lineup.

Patrick Kane Joins Former Red Wing Brendan Shanahan With Latest MarkDetroit Red Wings forward and future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane has tied former Detroit forward Brendan Shanahan in total career points.

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