Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti defended his team's non-conference schedule by noting the Hoosiers adopted an 'SEC scheduling philosophy'
MLS 2025 All-Star Game: How to watch the MLS All-Stars vs. Liga MX All-Stars
The MLS All-Star Game is this Wednesday night. Here's how to tune in.
Where to watch 2025 MLS All-Star Game vs. Liga MX: TV, stream, more
The 2025 MLS All-Star Game will see the league's best face off vs. Liga MX's All Stars. Here's how to watch online and on TV.
Vancouver Canucks Coaches’ Playing Careers: Kevin Dean
Welcome back to The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks site’s Coaches as Players series. Last time, we looked at newly-appointed Canucks head coach Adam Foote’s long-tenured NHL career with the Québec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets. Today, we’ll turn to one of Foote’s new assistant coaches, Kevin Dean.
Dean, a defenceman, played in two seasons with Culver Military Academy Prep before being drafted into the NHL 86th overall by the New Jersey Devils in 1987. He then moved onto the University of New Hampshire in the NCAA, playing there for four seasons before joining the Devils organization. In his time with New Hampshire, Dean scored 14 goals and 36 assists in 131 games. This included a 10-goal, 12-assist season in 31 games back in 1990–91.
For the next four seasons, Dean split his playing time with the Utica Devils and Albany River Rats of the AHL and the Cinncinati Cyclones of the ECHL and later IHL. His time with the River Rats was most notable of these, as he had a career-high in goals in an AHL season with nine in 1993–94, as well as 33 assists in 70 games. He was also named the team’s captain the season after and helped them win the 1995 Calder Cup.
Dean made his NHL debut in the 1994–95 season, skating for the Devils on February 27, 1995 against the Montréal Canadiens. He played in 17 games for New Jersey in this season, grabbing his first NHL point in his sixth game — an assist against the Ottawa Senators. As well as winning the 1995 Calder Cup, he also dressed in three of the Devils’ playoff games, adding two assists and winning his first career Stanley Cup with the big club. He is part of a small group of players who have won both the Calder Cup and Stanley Cup in the same season.
In the seasons after winning both the Stanley Cup and Calder Cup, Dean spent the bulk of his time with New Jersey. From the 1995–96 season to 1998–99, he played in 181 games with the Devils, scoring three goals and 28 assists in this span of time. He also represented Team USA at the 1997–98 IIHF World Championship, skating in three of the team’s games.
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The 1999–2000 season saw Dean move on from the Devils organization, which he’d been with since being drafted nearly 13 years prior. In this particular year, Dean skated with three different NHL teams — the Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars, and Chicago Blackhawks. He played in 23 games with the Thrashers, scoring one goal in a November 3 matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning. On December 15, he was traded to the Stars in exchange for future considerations (later a ninth-round pick that was converted into Mark McRae). He spent 14 games with Dallas before his next move on February 8, in which himself, Derek Plante, and a 2001 second-round pick were flipped to Chicago for Sylvain Cote and Dave Manson.
Chicago was the team that Dean rounded out his NHL career with, as he played the remainder of the 1999–2000 season with them, scoring two goals and eight assists in his final 27 games of the season. After this, he spent one more year with the Blackhawks, posting 11 assists in 69 games in 2000–01. In 2001–02, Dean made his return to the AHL, playing in 76 games for the Milwaukee Admirals and tallying five goals and 14 assists. Less than five years later, Dean began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the Lowell Devils.
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, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.
NHL Summer Splash Rankings: No. 27, Dallas Stars
It’s the Dallas Stars’ turn to be analyzed in The Hockey News’ NHL summer splash rankings.
We’ve been counting down each NHL team’s off-season, based on which franchises improved, stayed the same or got worse this off-season. We’re breaking things down in terms of additions and departures, including hirings and firings where applicable.
Be sure to see the teams that finished lower than the Stars at the bottom. But first, let’s look at Dallas’ moves and see why we ranked them 27th in our NHL summer splash rankings.
Additions
Radek Faksa (C), Glen Gulutzan (coach)
The Breakdown: The Stars made it to the Western Conference final and lost for the third straight season, falling to the Edmonton Oilers for the second straight year. Stars GM Jim Nill faced a salary cap crunch after acquiring and re-signing right winger Mikko Rantanen at the NHL trade deadline, so he re-signed as many players as he could – Matt Duchene, Jamie Benn, Mavrik Bourque, Nils Lundqvist and more – while adding a piece in free agency.
The biggest addition for Dallas is the return of Gulutzan behind the bench. This will be Gulutzan’s second stint as Stars coach. Given that he failed to get Dallas into the Stanley Cup playoffs in the two seasons he ran the team from 2011 to 2013, he’s under immediate pressure to at least get the Stars to the Cup final this coming season.
The only addition roster-wise is another Star on his second go-around with the team – veteran Faksa, who will step in as a bottom-six center. He’s a downgrade from the rental acquisition that was Mikael Granlund, but Faksa remains a decent performer who can help defensively.
Departures
Mikael Granlund (C), Mason Marchment (LW), Evgenii Dadonov (RW), Cody Ceci (D), Matt Dumba (D), Brendan Smith (D), Peter DeBoer (coach)
The Breakdown: The salary cap-challenged Stars had to let go of three valuable forwards – Granlund (who left for Anaheim via free agency), Marchment (who was traded to Seattle) and Dadonov (who departed for New Jersey). That’s a major dent in Dallas’ offense, which was the third-most-potent in the NHL last year at 3.35 goals-for per game.
The Stars can still win blowout games as well as tight defensive matchups, but they won’t be quite as dangerous as they were on paper a couple of months ago.
Meanwhile, the Stars' defense corps changed after many pinpointed it as Dallas’ biggest weakness this past season. Nill unloaded the contract of Dumba on the Pittsburgh Penguins, while Ceci left for the L.A. Kings in free agency, and Smith remains a UFA. Neither player recorded more than 10 points for Dallas this past season,
And of course, DeBoer self-immolated during and after the Western final loss, taking issue with star goalie Jake Oettinger’s play. Nill clearly sided with his top goalie, and DeBoer is now looking for work after three years behind Dallas’ bench.
The Bottom Line
The Stars have made significant moves, but they haven’t gotten better, and on offense, they’ve taken a slight step backward.
That said, the Stars are getting their first full year of superstar right winger Rantanen, and bringing back captain Benn on a $1-million salary with performance bonuses is a nice job by Nill.
Marchment and Granlund definitely leave a hole in the lineup, but you can rest assured that, even with only $1 million in cap space, Nill will find a way to improve his lineup with a trade or two during the season.
Nill has built his team to win now. And while there’s a looming debate about whether he has room to re-sign star left winger Jason Robertson when he becomes an RFA next summer, the Stars will roll the dice one more time with the group that got them into the Final Four for three years running.
The Stars are low in our NHL summer splash rankings because there’s no question they’re not quite as good as they were at their peak last season. That does not automatically mean they had a bad off-season.
There are exceptions in the rankings for teams that did significantly less or more than expected, with some squads already on the list not doing enough – either quantity-wise or quality-wise on the trade or free-agent market – to support their core players. Dallas isn't an exception, which goes to show the tight margin between the teams as we move up this list.
The back-to-back-to-back GM of the year was active in damage limitation with the cap crunch they had, and Nill deserves credit for that.
Summer Splash Rankings
27. Dallas Stars
28. Calgary Flames
30. Winnipeg Jets
32. Buffalo Sabres
David Stearns' trade deadline approach, Francisco Alvarez is back, and David Wright day reaction | The Mets Pod
On the latest episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo look back at the week that was coming off of the All-Star break.
Leading off, Connor and Joe talk about the Mets' offense playing small ball, Francisco Alvarez's return to the big-league club, and Brett Baty's contributions to the lineup. Then, the guys discuss the trade deadline and how president of baseball operations David Stearns plans to approach things for the Mets.
Connor and Joe also share their reaction to David Wright's number retirement and go Down on the Farm to discuss potential position player call-ups. They wrap the show with their scoreboard predictions and some Mailbag questions answered about Seth Lugo and potential prospects in centerfield.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Sanchez stays brilliant and Phillies win another strange game vs. Red Sox
Sanchez stays brilliant and Phillies win another strange game vs. Red Sox originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Cristopher Sanchez stayed at the top of his game and continued to perform like one of the best pitchers in baseball Tuesday night.
Sanchez starred in a 4-1 Phillies win over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park. He threw the third complete game of his career and allowed just four hits and one run. Sanchez’s 12 strikeouts tied his career high.
The 58-43 Phillies will go for a three-game series sweep on Wednesday evening. Jesus Luzardo (8-5, 4.29 ERA) is set to face Lucas Giolito (6-2, 3.59 ERA).
Sanchez is now 9-2 with a 2.40 ERA this season. He’s been brilliant the last two months. The 29-year-old lefty hasn’t allowed more than two runs in a start since May 24. He’s conceded a single run in each of his last six starts.
The Phillies grabbed a first-inning lead with singles by Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos. Catcher’s interference then got thrown into a strange spotlight again one night after a very unusual 10th-inning walk-off.
The Phils were aggressive on the base paths vs. Red Sox starter Richard Fitts in the first and Harper took that to the extreme, sprinting home on an 0-1 pitch to Brandon Marsh. Home plate umpire Edwin Jimenez ruled interference on Boston backstop Carlos Narvaez for stepping into the batter’s box. Following extended discussion among the umpires, the call stood. A bemused Marsh confirmed he should stay at first base.
Max Kepler lifted a solo shot 407 feet to right-center field to lead off the bottom of the second inning. Kyle Schwarber put the Phils up 4-0 with two outs by belting a 3-1 slider into the bullpen.
Sanchez retired the first nine Red Sox in order on five groundouts and four strikeouts. He had great command and his work looked routine.
Boston’s first baserunner was Rob Refsnyder, who trotted around the diamond to open the fourth inning. Refsnyder’s homer was the first against Sanchez since June 3.
Sanchez was soon back on track. He struck out the side in the sixth inning and every at-bat finished with a whiff at his changeup. For the night, Boston hitters swung at 22 Sanchez changeups and only made contact eight times.
The Phillies couldn’t manage any runs after the second inning. That was perfectly fine with Sanchez on the hill.
Sanchez fell behind Refsnyder 3-0 with a runner on second base and two outs in the eighth inning. He was unbothered, eventually striking Refsnyder out on a changeup. Sanchez pounded his glove and shouted in celebration as he walked off the mound.
The home fans roared when they saw Sanchez coming out for the ninth inning. He wrapped up the night with an electric 1-2-3 inning, striking out Romy Gonzalez on his 106th pitch.
Injury updates
Aaron Nola threw a pregame bullpen session, which Phillies manager Rob Thomson said “went really well.”
Nola (right rib stress fracture) last pitched for the Phillies on May 14.
“Forty-two pitches. Threw all his pitches,” Thomson said. “Velocity was very good in the bullpen. So we’ll take him to New York and he’ll do another BP on Friday, an extended BP. It’ll be two-plus innings … and then he’ll definitely do a rehab start.”
In other injury news, the Phillies placed Joe Ross on the 15-day injury list with back spasms and recalled Alan Rangel from Triple A Lehigh Valley.
Wood signs rookie deal
Phillies first-round draft pick Gage Wood inked his first MLB contract Wednesday.
The 21-year-old righty out of Arkansas also soaked in Citizens Bank Park with his family.
“It’s awesome,” Wood told reporters pregame. “Got to come up here to Philly for the first time. Worked my whole life for this, so this is a blessing and I’m ready to get going.”
Sanchez stays brilliant and Phillies win another strange game vs. Red Sox
Sanchez stays brilliant and Phillies win another strange game vs. Red Sox originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Cristopher Sanchez stayed at the top of his game and continued to perform like one of the best pitchers in baseball Tuesday night.
Sanchez starred in a 4-1 Phillies win over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park. He threw the third complete game of his career and allowed just four hits and one run. Sanchez’s 12 strikeouts tied his career high and he walked no one.
The 58-43 Phillies will go for a three-game series sweep on Wednesday evening. Jesus Luzardo (8-5, 4.29 ERA) is set to face Lucas Giolito (6-2, 3.59 ERA).
Sanchez is now 9-2 with a 2.40 ERA this season. He’s been brilliant the last two months. The 29-year-old lefty hasn’t allowed more than two runs in a start since May 24. He’s conceded a single run in each of his last six starts.
The Phillies grabbed a first-inning lead with singles by Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos. Catcher’s interference then got thrown into a strange spotlight again one night after a very unusual 10th-inning walk-off.
The Phils were aggressive on the base paths vs. Red Sox starter Richard Fitts in the first and Harper took that to the extreme, sprinting home on an 0-1 pitch to Brandon Marsh. Home plate umpire Edwin Jimenez ruled interference on Boston catcher Carlos Narvaez for stepping into the batter’s box. Following extended discussion among the umpires, the call stood. A bemused Marsh confirmed he should stay at first base.
Max Kepler lifted a solo shot 407 feet to right-center field to lead off the bottom of the second inning. Kyle Schwarber put the Phils up 4-0 with two outs by belting a 3-1 slider into the bullpen.
Sanchez retired the first nine Red Sox in order on five groundouts and four strikeouts. He had great command and his work looked routine.
Boston’s first baserunner was Rob Refsnyder, who trotted around the diamond to open the fourth inning. Refsnyder’s homer was the first against Sanchez since June 3.
Sanchez was soon back on track. He struck out the side in the sixth inning and every at-bat finished with a whiff at his changeup. For the night, Boston hitters swung at 22 Sanchez changeups and only made contact eight times.
The Phillies couldn’t manage any runs after the second inning. That was perfectly fine with Sanchez on the hill.
Sanchez fell behind Refsnyder 3-0 with a runner on second base and two outs in the eighth inning. He was unbothered, eventually striking Refsnyder out on a changeup. Sanchez pounded his glove and shouted in celebration as he walked off the mound.
The home fans roared when they saw Sanchez coming out for the ninth inning. Sanchez said he had “goosebumps.”
He wrapped up the night with an electric 1-2-3 inning, striking out Romy Gonzalez on his 106th pitch.
“He’s a determined guy,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “He wants to get it done, he wants to finish it. He doesn’t want to come out. He doesn’t like coming out in the middle of an inning. … If he’s in trouble, he wants to get himself out of trouble. He’s really grown up the last couple of years.”
Injury updates
Aaron Nola threw a pregame bullpen session, which Thomson said “went really well.”
Nola (right rib stress fracture) last pitched for the Phillies on May 14.
“Forty-two pitches. Threw all his pitches,” Thomson said. “Velocity was very good in the bullpen. So we’ll take him to New York and he’ll do another BP on Friday, an extended BP. It’ll be two-plus innings … and then he’ll definitely do a rehab start.”
In other injury news, the Phillies placed Joe Ross on the 15-day injury list with back spasms and recalled Alan Rangel from Triple A Lehigh Valley.
Thomson called the IL stint “just a precaution” and said he’s “positive” Ross will return after 15 days.
Wood signs rookie deal
Phillies first-round draft pick Gage Wood inked his first MLB contract Wednesday.
The 21-year-old righty out of Arkansas also soaked in Citizens Bank Park with his family.
“It’s awesome,” Wood told reporters pregame. “Got to come up here to Philly for the first time. Worked my whole life for this, so this is a blessing and I’m ready to get going.”
Rafael Devers' first-base debut leads to success at plate as Giants drub Braves
Rafael Devers' first-base debut leads to success at plate as Giants drub Braves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Entering Tuesday on a six-game losing streak, the Giants desperately needed to switch something up.
Having your star slugger play a new position for the first time in his MLB career might not be the obvious move to help turn things around, but that’s exactly what San Francisco manager Bob Melvin did.
And the early returns couldn’t have been much better, as the Giants shellacked the Atlanta Braves 9-0 at Truist Park to end their July slide.
Landen Roupp’s five shutout innings certainly deserve credit, but at the forefront of the momentum-shifting win were Rafael Devers and Wilmer Flores, who traded places for a night to great success.
Devers never had played first base at any level in his career and hadn’t appeared in the field at all this season prior to Tuesday night. He hardly was tested with minimal defensive action in his debut, but his mere presence on the field could lead to a resurgence at the plate.
Primarily a third baseman during his Boston Red Sox tenure, Devers was asked postgame if he believes his offense is better when he’s playing in the field rather than serving as a designated hitter.
“Definitely. It keeps me active,” Devers told reporters, speaking through translator Erwin Higueros. “It keeps my head out of just thinking about the next at-bat. I’m the kind of player that likes to be active, likes to be on the field. I’d rather be on the field than be in the cage hitting all the time and just thinking about the next at-bat.”
It’s only one game, but the results backed up that intuition. Devers entered the night with just a .667 OPS in 29 games with the Giants — all at DH. On Tuesday, he went 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Over his entire career, meanwhile, Devers’ OPS improves by about 18 points playing in the field compared to DHing.
Though his defensive fit this season was the center of much discourse in Boston, Devers’ eagerness to play first base in San Francisco has been clear.
In fact, Devers revealed Tuesday he ordered a first baseman’s glove right away after he arrived in San Francisco.
The three-time MLB All-Star also might not be the sole beneficiary of Melvin’s defensive swap.
In recent weeks, Flores has been tasked with playing first base more often, which has coincided with a drop in his offensive production. But in his first game as a DH since June 15, Flores hit his first home run since June 7, a three-run blast in the seventh inning that put the game to bed. He also added a sacrifice fly in the second despite being behind in the count 0-2.
“Flo, his numbers DHing have been really good, and he hits another home run tonight,” Melvin said postgame. “So it’s good to be able to get him off his feet.”
Flores, who turns 34 in two weeks, has dealt with injuries later in his career. In 2024, he struggled with a career-low .206 average in just 71 games as he dealt with a nagging knee injury. So, as the Giants enter the final third of the MLB season, it might not hurt to put their best clutch hitter in a more relaxed situation.
Melvin mentioned Devers will return to DH on Wednesday, while Flores will get the day off. Nevertheless, how the Giants manage two of their most important hitters in the field could be a big storyline to watch during the rest of the year.
Could Winnipeg Target Florida's Niko Mikkola?
Florida's loaded cap space make back-to-back champion Niko Mikkola a possible cap causality next summer
The 2026 NHL offseason has the potential to completely alter the league’s landscape. Unlike recent years, when top-tier players mostly chose to stay put, this upcoming free agent class could see several franchise-altering talents test the open market.
With names like Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Artemi Panarin possibly available, front offices around the league are already strategizing for a summer that could redefine their rosters and their futures.
One team that could find itself at the center of this shake-up is the Florida Panthers. Fresh off back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, Florida has a core locked in long-term, but not everyone may stick around. Veteran defenseman Niko Mikkola enters the final year of his deal, and with the Panthers’ salary cap tightening, he may become a cap casualty despite being a key piece of their playoff success.
Niko Mikkola Called For Boarding On This Hit From Behind 😬#NHL #Hockey #shorts #NHLshorts #NHLhighlights #StanleyCup #Panthers #FloridaPanthers #TampaBayLightning #LightningAt 6-foot-6, Mikkola brings the kind of physical edge and defensive reliability that thrives in postseason hockey. He’s not flashy on the scoresheet, typically hovering around 20 to 25 points per season, but his value lies in his shutdown ability.
Over the past two seasons, Mikkola has posted a strong +23 rating, logged 335 hits (13th-most in the NHL), and led the Panthers in blocked shots with 212. He’s the type of stay-at-home defenseman every contending team wants come April.
Can Winnipeg Contend After Losing Key Players in Lowry, Ehlers?Examining the Winnipeg Jets roster following lineup losses like Adam Lowry, Nikolaj Ehlers and Mason Appleton.
That kind of production won’t go unnoticed. If Mikkola hits the open market, he’s expected to draw serious interest, and one team that could make a strong push is the Winnipeg Jets. With $10 million in projected cap space and more flexibility on the horizon, Winnipeg is in a solid position to add a dependable veteran like Mikkola.
The contracts of Gustav Nyquist and Tanner Pearson are likely coming off the books, freeing up $4.25 million, and another $5.5 million could be cleared if defensemen Luke Schenn, Colin Miller, and Logan Stanley aren’t re-signed.
That potential $9.75 million cushion gives the Jets plenty of wiggle room to make Mikkola an offer while still preserving cap space for other priorities. A low-cost depth signing or internal promotion could round out the blue line, and they’d still have the flexibility to explore extensions for key players like captain Adam Lowry, Kyle Connor, and potentially Jonathan Toews, depending on how his return to the NHL unfolds.
From a roster perspective, adding Mikkola would bolster what’s already one of the league’s top defensive units. The Jets have allowed the fewest goals in the NHL over the last two seasons, and putting a shot-blocking, physical defender like Mikkola on the third pairing would only strengthen that identity.
While defense isn't an urgent need in Winnipeg, the opportunity to add playoff-tested depth could be too good to pass up especially for a team with championship ambitions.
Could Winnipeg Target Pending Free Agent Martin Necas?Insider reports indicate the Avalanche feeling forward Martin Necas may not re-sign and could look to deal him.
Maryland coach Mike Locksley admits ‘I lost my locker room’ during 4-8 season in 2024
The Terrapins had made a bowl game in each of the previous three seasons.
Big Ten’s Tony Petitti: No support for SEC’s at-large bid preference for College Football Playoff
The Big Ten commissioner doubled down on the league’s preference for multiple automatic qualifiers in the next version of the College Football Playoff on Tuesday.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Edition: Will The New-Look Montreal Canadiens Edge Out Buffalo For A Playoff Spot?
The Buffalo Sabres are desperate to be a playoff team next season -- but they're in the NHL's toughest division -- the Atlantic Division. And their games against Atlantic teams will be crucial to help decided whether or not they'll be a playoff team next year. As such, we're analyzing Buffalo's chances against each Atlantic team in a THN.com series; We started alphabetically with the Boston Bruins, then turned our attention to the Detroit Red Wings, followed by the defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers.
Today, it's time for a look at another team that wants to be a playoff team next year -- the Montreal Canadiens. Do the Sabres have what it takes to edge out the Habs for a wild card berth next season? Look below for our best guess.
BUFFALO SABRES VS. MONTREAL CANADIENS
NEW CANADIENS PLAYERS: Noah Dobson, D; Kaapo Kahkonen, G; Joe Veleno, C; Zack Bolduc, LW; Sammy Blais, LW
2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 0-3-1, Canadiens 4-0-0
2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: October 20, at Montreal; January 15 at Buffalo; January 22 at Montreal; January 31 at Buffalo
CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Canadiens made one of the biggest splashes of the current off-season when GM Kent Hughes acquired star defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. The deal instantly gave the Habs one of the NHL's best defense corps -- but they're going to have a tough test in the Sabres' equally deep group of blueliners.
However, it's not only the defense that's improved in Montreal. Hughes also fortified his group of forwards by trading for former St. Louis Blues winger Bolduc, and signing pluggers Veleno and Blais to help fill out the bottom-six group of forwards. All in all, the Habs now have a terrific core of young talent -- including captain Nick Suzuki and rookie-of-the-year D-man Lane Hutson -- and they're almost certainly going to battle for one of the wild card berths in the Eastern Conference.
Last season, the Canadiens had Buffalo's number, beating the Sabres in all four games the teams played against one another. And while things may be different in 2025-26, there's a distinct possibility Montreal once again dominates the Sabres.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Edition: Does Buffalo Have Any Hope Of Beating The Defending Stanley Cup-Champion Panthers?The Buffalo Sabres are under massive pressure to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 15 years. To do so, they're going to have to make the most of their games with their Atlantic Division rivals. And in this continuing THN.com series, we're analyzing Buffalo's chances against each of their seven Atlantic rivals.
All four of the games between the two teams will be played by the end of January, so from Buffalo's perspective, it's crucial that the Sabres set a tone by coming out of the gate strongly and poutting Montreal on notice that this year will be different than last year.
Indeed, if the teams in the Metropolitan Division send four teams to the playoffs this coming season, that will leave only four playoff spots for the Atlantic's teams to battle over. And it easily could come down to one or two standings points separating the playoff teams from the non-playoff teams.
In the macro picture, then, every game really does matter for Buffalo and Montreal. An overtime or shootout loss could dictate whether the Sabres end their 14-year playoff drought, or whether it will continue for another painful year. And if Buffalo once again loses all four games against the Habs, it's going to be very difficult for them to eke out enough points elsewhere to make up for it.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Edition: Can Buffalo Beat The Playoff-Desperate Detroit Red Wings?The Buffalo Sabres have completed most of their off-season moves this summer. We've examined the most-likely trade partners for Buffalo, and in this file, we're continuing our new THN.com series "Know Your Enemy, Sabres Edition". In this series, we're breaking down the Sabres' seven Atlantic Division rivals, focusing on what changes those seven teams have made, Buffalo's record against them last season, their games against each other this coming year, and our opinion of whether the team is one the Sabres should be beating next year.
The Canadiens are clearly a team on the rise. The Sabres want to be as well, but in the zero-sum industry they're operating in, both Buffalo and Montreal understand there's not room for everyone to be a playoff team next year. This past season was an anomaly in that five Atlantic teams made it into the post-season. If we were betting, we'd bet that wouldn't happen again next season.
So the challenge is clear for the Sabres -- avenge their four losses to the Canadiens by beating them more often than not this time around, or suffer a similar fate to the one they've been dealing with for nearly a decade-and-a-half.
It's that straightforward, and beating Montreal is going to be one of the keys, one way or another, to deciding how Buffalo's year plays out.
Former Canadiens Forward Signs With New Team
A former Montreal Canadiens forward is reportedly heading overseas.
According to Expressen's Johan Svensson, Djurgardens IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) are signing former Canadiens forward Charles Hudon.
Mer silly.
— Johan Svensson (@MrMadhawk) July 21, 2025
Det händer ännu mer grejer i Djurgården.
Enligt uppgifter till 🐝 har man en riktig poängmakare på ingång i truppen. https://t.co/JSD7lpmrFG
Hudon spent the entirety of this past season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Ontario Reign. In 67 games with the AHL squad in 2024-25, he posted 20 goals and 64 points in 67 games. This was after he had 20 goals and 54 points in 56 contests with the Reign in 2023-24.
Hudon last played at the NHL level with the Colorado Avalanche during the 2022-23 season, where he recorded zero points, two penalty minutes, and a minus-2 rating in nine games.
Hudon kicked off his career with the Canadiens, as they selected him with the 122nd overall pick of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. From there, he played five NHL seasons with the Canadiens from 2015-16 to 2019-20, posting 14 goals, 27 assists, 41 points, and 242 hits in 125 games.
Hudon's best season with Montreal was in 2017-18, as he set career highs with 10 goals, 20 assists, and 30 points in 72 games.
Insider Shares Big Update On Canadiens Star Trade TargetThe Montreal Canadiens are one of the teams that have been connected to Calgary Flames star forward Nazem Kadri. It is easy to understand, as the Canadiens are in need of a second-line center, and acquiring Kadri would provide them with just that.
Photo Credit: © Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Former Nashville Predators forward Vladimir Orszagh to coach Slovakia at 2026 Winter Olympics
A familiar face to Nashville Predators fans will be behind the bench for Slovakia's men's ice hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
Tuesday, Hockey Slovakia announced that former Predators forward Vladimír Országh, who played with the team from 2001 to 2004, will be the head coach for Slovakia at the Olympics in February.
Orszagh recently served as Slovakia's interim head coach at the 2025 IIHF World Championship and has previously been an assistant coach for the team.
Orszagh signed a three-year contract with the Slovak Ice Hockey Association.
He is currently the head coach of HC '05 Banská Bystrica, which plays in Slovakia's top ice hockey league, Slovak Extraliga.
Orszagh was drafted 106th overall in the 1995 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders before being signed by the Predators as a free agent in the 2001 offseason.
During his time in Nashville, Orszagh played in 223 games, scored 47 goals and 58 assists for 105 points. Orszagh's best season came during the 2003-04 season, when he had 37 points in 82 games.
Due to the lockout in 2005, he returned to Slovakia for the following season to play in the Slovak Extraliga, where he recorded 30 points in 37 games. Orszagh returned to the NHL for a final season in 2005-06 with the St. Louis Blues, where he had 14 points in 16 games.
On the international level, Orszagh has represented Slovakia eight times in his career, winning Slovakia's first and only Gold Medal at the 2002 IIHF World Championship. He also won a Bronze Medal at the 2003 IIHF World Championship.
Orszagh replaces longtime Slovakia head coach Craig Ramsey, who had been Slovakia's international team since 2017 and had spent 14 seasons as the Buffalo Sabres head coach from 1971 to 1985.
The Canadian-born coach helped Slovakia achieve its best Olympic result at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, defeating Sweden 4-0 to win the Bronze Medal.
It was the first time Slovakia had ever won a medal at the Olympics.
Two Predators have already been named to preliminary Olympic rosters: Roman Josi (Switzerland) and Juuse Saros (Finland).
The 2026 Olympics will be held from February 11 to 22. This is the first time that NHL players will participate in the Olympic Games since 2014.