Category Archives: Hockey News

Maple Leafs Move Thanksgiving Monday Game Earlier To Prevent Conflict With Blue Jays ALCS Game 2

The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to host the Detroit Red Wings on Monday in a holiday matinee game. The start time will now be moved up by two hours.

The Leafs announced on Friday that the game, originally scheduled for 4 p.m. ET , will now drop the puck at 2 p.m. in an effort to avoid a conflict with Game 2 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS), hosted by the Toronto Blue Jays.

“The Blue Jays playoff excitement has captured the entire city and we want to help make sure that fans don’t miss a pitch,” Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment President Keith Pelley said in a statement. “We greatly appreciate the cooperation by the NHL and Amazon Prime to make this time change possible and we all look forward to cheering on both the Leafs and the Blue Jays on Monday afternoon and evening”.

'I Heard Them Early In My Career In A Negative Way': Maple Leafs React To Blue Jays-Fueled Fans At Scotiabank Arena'I Heard Them Early In My Career In A Negative Way': Maple Leafs React To Blue Jays-Fueled Fans At Scotiabank ArenaWhen Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman struck out New York Yankees left-fielder Cody Bellinger to win the ALDS, Maple Leafs fans — who were still inside Scotiabank Arena — let out a huge roar. So did whoever was controlling the Toronto Maple Leafs' goal horn.

The Maple Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 in their regular season opener on Wednesday. That game competed directly with the Blue Jays' series-clinching victory over the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series. While the conflict created some memorable moments—with fans of both NHL clubs chanting “Let’s Go Blue Jays” and being permitted to stay in the building to watch the end of the ballgame —a conflict-free night is certainly preferred by all Toronto sports fans.

Toronto sports fans can rejoice. If the Detroit Tigers end up advancing to meet the Blue Jays in the ALCS, Red Wings fans will be happy about the change, too.

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Q&A With Comets GM Dan MacKinnon: Devils Prospects, Goaltending & More

On Friday night, the Utica Comets will host the Cleveland Monsters at Adirondack Bank Center, kicking off the 2025-26 season. 

With plenty of notable New Jersey Devils prospects on their roster, including Shane Lachance, Lenni Hämeenaho, Ethan Edwards, and Jakub Malek, it is an exciting time for the Devils organization. 

On paper, there should be a noticeable improvement of an on-ice product that has been dwindling over the past couple of seasons. 

"We have been in Utica for four full seasons," Utica Comets General Manager Dan MacKinnon told The Hockey News. "Our first season, which seems like a lifetime ago, we had a great roster. I think we counted up to eight of those players who went on to what we call legit NHL careers, whether with the Devils or elsewhere.

"We won the North Division that year," he continued. "Then, it has been a steady, I will use the word decline, since then." 

In an exclusive interview, MacKinnon spoke on a variety of topics, from the development of Lachance and Hämeenaho to clarity on their goaltending tandem. 

Let's get into it. 

MacKinnon On Comets' Blended Roster 

"To be competitive, the recipe you need is a good group of young prospects, sort of pushing up with their play, demanding more ice time and bigger roles," he said. "You also need, just as critically, a solid group of what we call impact-type AHL veteran players who do two things: stabilize the group, and help drive the competitive success. If they are doing their job well enough, they make themselves available for plug-and-play call-up games with the big roster.

"I feel like since year one, we have the best blend of those two groups of players in Utica," he continued. "The young guys, bona fide prospects, and really good older guys who are pushing for NHL games themselves."

The Comets will start the season with eight players with more than 200 games of AHL experience to balance the youngsters of Mikael Diotte, Edwards, and Matyas Melovsky.

© Daniel DeLoach/Utica Observer-Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

MacKinnon On The Right Type of Veterans In Utica

Captain Ryan Schmelzer will continue to lead the Comets along with defenseman Colton White, who served as an alternate captain in 2024-25. 

White is in his second stint with the Devils and, at 28 years old, has taken on a bigger role in the Comets' locker room, earning praise from younger players like Seamus Casey. 

"What a great example of the right type of person and player," MacKinnon said. "We have a long history with Colton, and when (his contract with the Anaheim Ducks expired) he reached back out to us, expressing interest in signing with our organization, which I was really impressed with." 

The conversation between MacKinnon and the blueliner was simple: if he was going to be with the Comets, he needed to take hold and own that leadership and mentor role, not just for the younger defensemen, but for every player in that room. 

"He has done it so well and is an important part of our organization right now."


MacKinnon On Goaltending 

The Comets will enter the season with a goaltending tandem of Nico Daws and Jakub Malek. 

On Oct. 6, Daws cleared waivers to be assigned to Utica. MacKinnon confirmed that the 24-year-old is the organization's third goaltender behind veterans Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen. 

"He is going to own the number one role in Utica and the number three role in terms of our goaltending group," he said. "We are developing Jakub Malek as well. He is an important prospect for us."

It is worth noting that once a player clears waivers, they don't have to clear again if they get called back up again, unless the player plays 10 games or is up for 30 days. 

"I think any time (Daws) can get up and get NHL time without waivers exposure will be the objective," he said. 

MacKinnon On Lenni Hämeenaho & Shane Lachance 

"As we move forward here, you are going to see those two players get sort of a combination development path in Utica and New Jersey. Probably more Utica in the earlier part of the season." 

Lachance made his Comets debut last season, earning two points in two games. Hämeenaho will make his AHL debut, wearing no. 29. 

Devils' Prospect Ethan Edwards Looking Ahead After Signing First Contract Devils' Prospect Ethan Edwards Looking Ahead After Signing First Contract Ever since the New Jersey Devils drafted Ethan Edwards in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, the defenseman had a dream.

MacKinnon On Cam Squires 

To the surprise of some, Devils prospect Cam Squires will begin the season in the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder. 

"Cam is a young guy," he said. "A very young, pro at 20 years old. Not overly physically developed coming out of Junior. If he is not getting regular games right away in Utica, he is a player we feel very comfortable sending for game exposure down in Adirondack, like we did with Josh Filmon. It is so important these guys don't just sit and get stale in the press box; they actually play pro games against men and try to get to their game.

"We are so fortunate to have a great development affiliation with Adirondack," he continued. "It is two hours away from Utica so that we can send guys up and down."

Squires signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Devils on July 19, 2024. He made his AHL debut on Apr. 16, 2025, against the Toronto Marlies. Through three games with the Comets, he has four points (one goal, three assists).  

MacKinnon On The Balance Of Being Competitive vs. Developing Players In Specific Roles 

"That has always been the nature of the American Hockey League," he said. "You are projecting prospects down there to potentially grow into a certain role at the NHL level, and that doesn't always completely align with what they are asked to do in the American Hockey League. 

"A bona fide future third or fourth line NHLer is probably, after an initial adjustment period, going to be at least a middle-six or top line AHL player. That is just the nature of the beast. 

"We believe as an organization that the best development happens when you are part of a competitive team that is getting its fair share of wins," he continued. "You want  Brian Halonen to score, and I think he can this year, 30 to 40 goals in the AHL, but the job he is competing for at the NHL level is a fourth line role where, if he ever has it full-time, and gets eight to 10 goals, I think the organization would be thrilled." 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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3 Things We Learned From Blackhawks Season Opening Road Trip

The Chicago Blackhawks are now 0-1-1 through two games to open their season. It began with two road Eastern Conference matches. Chicago lost to the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Tuesday night and dropped an overtime game 4-3 to the Boston Bruins on Thursday. 

Now, they will return home to the United Center, where the celebration of Chicago’s centennial season will begin. They will host the Montreal Canadiens for an Original Six matchup. 

Ahead of this upcoming two-game home-stand, we learned a few things about the Blackhawks that we couldn’t confirm before the games started to count. 

Frank Nazar might already be a star.

So far, Frank Nazar has been Chicago's best player. He drives his own line, makes his teammates better around him, and has numbers to show for it through two games. That includes one goal and two assists. 

In overtime of game two against the Boston Bruins, he had a great chance in overtime, but was stoned by Joonas Korpisalo. That was one of many plays he was a part of that would be considered scoring chances for Chicago. 

Nazar isn't the type of star who only contributes offensively, either. He plays well in his own end, kills penalties, and uses his skating to impact the game in all three zones. Nobody on the team is faster at top speed or with their bursts. 

Although he isn't even 82 games into his NHL career, Nazar is already showing the signs of being a star. He was given a big contract extension over the summer, which drew criticism due to its length, monetary value, and his lack of experience, but now it appears to be a bargain. 

There is a long way to go for Nazar to truly realize that dream of being a star player, but he's on the right track. He had a strong finish to last season, was one of Team USA's best forwards at the World Championships, controlled play throughout camp/preseason, and now is off to this great start through two games that count. Expect him to be a difference-maker from now on. 

Connor Bedard’s summer speed/skating workouts are already paying off.

Connor Bedard skipped the World Championships with Team Canada to spend the early stages of his summer working on skating. He didn't waver from that at any point leading up to training camp, either. It shows. 

Through the first two games, Bedard has one goal and one assist, which is nice, but his style of play is what's really eye-popping right now. Only Frank Nazar has had higher overall speeds and speed bursts through the first two games, which is good company to be in for Bedard. 

He didn't score in overtime against the Bruins on a breakaway, but he had the speed and tenacity to have a chance all alone, which is important to see. 

Bedard has all of the tools to be a high-end offensive player. His shot, passing, and offensive IQ are as good as it gets for young players. Adding this element of speed and high-end skating could be what gets him to that next level of superstardom. Through two games, it looks like he's headed down that road. 

Artyom Levshunov has a long way to go.

As good as it's been for Nazar and Bedard, it's mostly been the opposite for Artyom Levshunov. He collected an assist thanks to a good play to help set up an Andre Burakovsky goal, but the rest of his play has been subpar through the first two games. 

This does not mean that Levshunov is going to have a bad year, but it does mean that he has a long way to go before being a top-tier defenseman in the NHL. 

Since the beginning of camp, Jeff Blashill has had him stapled next to Wyatt Kaiser, who has been great in his role as a top-four defender on the team. The same can't be said for his partner. 

Levshunov has had more valleys than peaks so far as the second man on the pair. Bad positioning, questionable decision-making, and too many penalties taken are what lead to these struggles. For a young defenseman in his teens, these are common problems.

Does Levshunov need time in the AHL? An argument can be made, but then who comes up? Nolan Allan, Ethan Del Mastro, and Kevin Korchinski haven't been much better, so they might as well let the guy with the highest ceiling continue to work out his issues. 

By the end of this season, the hope for Levshunov is that he will have shown a lot of improvement. He had good moments last season after some seasoning, so there is already evidence that he can play well at this level. If he just works on his penalty trouble and positioning, he will be a serviceable defender at worst.

If the offensive IQ continues to take leaps, like on the Burakovsky goal against the Boston Bruins, then there will be chatter about him being a legit top-pair guy. 

What will come of these storylines once the Blackhawks return home? Frank Nazar and Connor Bedard are going to continue on their upward trajectory. They will be this team's two-headed monster down the middle for the entire year, and possibly long beyond that.

As for Levshunov, he will work to change the narrative as quickly as possible. With home ice for two games, Blashill will have the opportunity to get Levshunov more favorable matchups to get his confidence back. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

Vancouver Canucks 2025–26 Season Series Preview: Vegas Golden Knights

Welcome back to another Vancouver Canucks 2025–26 season series preview. In this article series, The Hockey News - Canucks site previews Vancouver’s team series matchups for the season in chronological order. Last time, we looked at what the Canucks will face in the Ottawa Senators. In the final instalment of this series, let’s preview their season matchups against the Vegas Golden Knights.  

2024–25 Season Stats 

Team Stats: 

Record: 50–22–10 

Points: 110

Standings placement: 1st in Pacific Division 

PP%: 28.3% (2nd) 

PK%: 75.7% (26th) 

Goals: 

Pavel Dorofeyev (35)

Tomáš Hertl (32)

Jack Eichel (28)

Ivan Barbashev / Brett Howden (23)

Mark Stone (19)

Assists: 

Jack Eichel (66)

Shea Theodore (50)

Mark Stone (48)

Alex Pietrangelo / Noah Hanifin (29)

Ivan Barbashev (28)

Points: 

Jack Eichel (94)

Mark Stone (67)

Tomáš Hertl (61)

Shea Theodore (57)

Pavel Dorofeyev (52)

Goaltenders: 

Adin Hill 

Record: 32–13–5

GAA: 2.47

SV%: .906

SO: 4

Points: N/A 

Akira Schmid 

Record: 2–0–1

GAA: 1.26

SV%: .944

SO: N/A

Points: N/A

2025 Free Agency Rundown 

The Golden Knights ended up netting the big fish of free agency as they conducted a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs to acquire star winger Mitch Marner. The deal pays Marner an average of $12M per year for the next eight seasons, keeping him a core member of Vegas’ offence for the foreseeable future. They also brought back pending free agents Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad, both of whom chipped in on Vegas’ offence in depth roles in 2024–25. Other additions include Jeremy Lauzon, Colton Sissons, and Jaycob Megna. 

2025–26 Season Series Preview

Vegas is easily the scariest team in the Pacific Division heading into the 2025–26 season. The combination of Marner and Eichel on their top line will be deadly for the opposition to match — and that doesn’t include forwards such as Dorofeyev, Hertl, and Barbashev, all of whom scored 20+ goals last year. While the Edmonton Oilers may give them competition, Vegas is easily the top team in the Pacific Division this season. 

The Canucks don’t have a great track record against the Golden Knights. They’re currently on a four-game losing streak, scoring more than one goal only once in that span of time. Vancouver has only won three times in their past 10 matchups against Vegas, the last of which was back in April of 2024. The Golden Knights are the last team Vancouver will take on before the 2026 Winter Olympics break; after that, they’ll have to face them two more times before the end of the regular season. 

2025–26 Games Against Vancouver

Game 1: February 4, 7:00pm PT @ T-Mobile Arena

Game 2: March 30, 7:00pm PT @ T-Mobile Arena

Game 3: April 7, 7:00pm PT @ Rogers Arena 

Apr 6, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) handles the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Season Series Preview Articles  

Ottawa Senators

Toronto Maple Leafs

Seattle Kraken

Boston Bruins

New York Islanders

New Jersey Devils

Buffalo Sabres

Detroit Red Wings

Utah Mammoth

Los Angeles Kings

San Jose Sharks

Anaheim Ducks

Florida Panthers

Tampa Bay Lightning

Winnipeg Jets

Colorado Avalanche

Columbus Blue Jackets

Minnesota Wild

New York Rangers

Montréal Canadiens

Nashville Predators

Pittsburgh Penguins

Washington Capitals

Chicago Blackhawks

Dallas Stars

St. Louis Blues

Edmonton Oilers

Calgary Flames

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, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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The Hockey News

Penguins Unveil New Alternate Jerseys For 2025-26 Season

After weeks of hints and teases, the Pittsburgh Penguins finally revealed their new third jerseys.

L.A. Kings-style, the Penguins took to the ice for their home opener Thursday against the New York Islanders in their brand-new gold jerseys. Like the Kings, the Penguins dropped the jerseys simply by wearing them as a slight surprise during game action.

The Penguins teased debuting the new threads during the home opener in social media posts on Oct. 7.

With the theme, "A legacy stitched in gold," the Penguins opted to go with the all-gold uniforms and black trim to pay homage to the rich sports history of the city. The uniforms include a shoulder patch design that has three waves to represent the three rivers that converge in Pittsburgh - the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio - as well as an igloo to represent the old Civic Arena, which was given the nickname "The Igloo" when the Penguins called it their home from 1967 to 2010. 

The jersey also features a loop label with a bridge on it, as Pittsburgh is known as the "City of Bridges" for its 297-plus bridges within city limits. 

Pittsburgh will don the alternate sweaters for 11 home games this season - including the home opener - the next of which is Nov. 6 against the Washington Capitals. 

On A Night Of Firsts, Penguins Defeat Islanders, 4-3On A Night Of Firsts, Penguins Defeat Islanders, 4-3It was a night of firsts for several Pittsburgh Penguins' players in Thursday's home opener against the New York Islanders

The Hockey News Big Show: Reacting To Jonathan Toews' Jets Debut

The Hockey News Big Show breaks down the opening week of the NHL season so far and more big storylines.

Reacting To Jonathan Toews' Jets Debut by The Big ShowReacting To Jonathan Toews' Jets Debut by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and former pro player Drew Shore discussed in this episode:

01:20: What are reasonable expectations for Matthew Schaefer after his NHL debut?

04:50: How many points will Schaefer end up with?

06:30: Are the Pittsburgh Penguins being underestimated?

07:40: Thoughts on Jonathan Toews' debut with the Winnipeg Jets?

11:00: Are the Boston Bruins back to being a competitive team?

13:00: Did the Toronto Maple Leafs make a mistake letting go of Fraser Minten?

14:30: How much should the Detroit Red Wings worry about the goalie situation after Thursday’s 5-1 loss?

17:00: What have you liked about the start of Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights?

20:20: How much will Pavel Dorofeyev benefit from the new-look Golden Knights?

21:40: Is Nathan MacKinnon the favorite for the Hart Trophy? 

24:00: Will the Maple Leafs benefit more from depth scoring this year?

26:00: How much will having Brandon Carlo for a full season benefit Morgan Rielly?

27:15: Who are the early favorites for the Jack Adams Award?

31:30: Which pending free agent will have extension questions hanging around them throughout the season?

36:20: What team are you most interested in watching after seeing their start to the season?

39:00: Who’s the biggest sleeper team early in the season?

41:00: Which player will make the biggest jump this season?

Watch the full episode here.

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

Maple Leafs Challenge Matias Maccelli To Play With More Confidence

Matias Maccelli made his Toronto Maple Leafs debut on the club’s first line alongside star center Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, and the results were mixed. Although the Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 on Wednesday, the line only had an expected goals share of 36 percent at 5-on-5, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.

Before Friday's practice, ahead of the club’s road opener in Detroit, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube summoned Maccelli for a discussion.

TikTok · David AlterTikTok · David AlterCheck out David Alter’s video.

“I just talked to him about his game a little bit, discussed some things that I saw as good, and there are other things that I want him to feel more confident,” Berube said of the talk. “He's a good player, he's got abilities, so just play with that confidence. Use your skills, use your skill set”.

Maccelli began camp on the first line but moved to the third line after a lower-body injury to Max Domi necessitated a move. Days after Domi returned, Maccelli was moved to the third line with Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy. A lower-body injury to Scott Laughton in the final home pre-season game forced an adjustment of Domi from wing to center, putting Maccelli back in the spot. Perhaps the constant shifting has stalled Maccelli’s chemistry with his linemates, but it certainly wasn’t a great first game together.

Matias Maccelli's Motivation Is The 'Highest It Has Ever Been' Ahead Of First Season With Maple LeafsMatias Maccelli's Motivation Is The 'Highest It Has Ever Been' Ahead Of First Season With Maple LeafsMatias Maccelli is ready to put the summer workouts and informal skates behind him and get into Toronto Maple Leafs training camp.

“We got the job done and got the points and that's all that matters,” Maccelli said following practice on Friday. “I think we had a couple of good shifts, a couple of good looks. Still early, first game, so we're working on it today. We'll talk about it more and maybe watch some video and get better”.

The Maple Leafs acquired Maccelli in a trade this summer with the Utah Mammoth. The forward underperformed last season with eight goals and 10 assists in 55 games. Now he’s being asked to fill the spot vacated by star player Mitch Marner, who completed a sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on June 30. In Maccelli, the Leafs are hoping he can replicate the offense he showed with the Arizona Coyotes, where he received Calder Trophy votes.

Maple Leafs Trade for Matias Maccelli: Why Toronto Acquired Winger From Utah MammothMaple Leafs Trade for Matias Maccelli: Why Toronto Acquired Winger From Utah MammothThe Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a conditional third-round draft pick in 2027, which will convert to a second-round draft pick in 2029 if Maccelli record at least 51 points in the 2025-26 NHL season.

Most of the success of Toronto’s first line will come down to Matthews, who likes the “give-and-go” style from a winger in that spot.

“It's just going to continue to get better," Matthews said. "The more repetitions we get together, getting those game-like situations or game-situations, the better and more comfortable we’re going to be together”.

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Islanders' Forward Suspended After Cross-Check On Penguins' Connor Dewar

The NHL has started an early crackdown on cross checks to the face. 

New York Islanders' forward Jonathan Drouin has been suspended for one game following a cross check to the face of Pittsburgh Penguins' forward Connor Dewar on Thursday.

The infraction happened at the Penguins' net-front late in the third period, and the Penguins ultimately ended up the 4-3 winners.

Do you think the suspension was adequate? Let us know below. 


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