Alex Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history to reach 900 career goals scored when he scored Wednesday night against the St. Louis Blues.

With his Washington Capitals holding a 1-0 lead in the second period, Ovechkin coralled a rebound off a missed Jakob Chychrun slapshot at the right goal line. He then slipped the puck into the net past goaltender Jordan Binnington for a 2-0 Washington lead. 

As the horn sounded, Capitals players poured off the bench to swarm Ovechkin at the glass to celebrate the latest milestone for hockey's greatest goal scorer. An appreciate home crowd in Washington joined in on the celebration from the stands. 

The Capitals captain hit the milestone more than 20 years after he made his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2005, where he scored the first two of his 900 career goals.

Ovechkin began this season with 897 regular-season goals. He reached 900 in Washington's 13th game of the season.

In April, Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal to break Wayne Gretzky's long-standing NHL record. He finished with 44 goals last season with the Capitals, the 14th time he's scored at least 40 goals in a season. 

On Saturday, he became the eighth player in NHL history to play 1,500 games with one franchise.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NHL draft entered the league and immediately made an impact, scoring 52 goals during his first season and earning the 2005-06 Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie. His ability to beat goaltenders on a regular basis has earned him nine Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies as the top goal scorer.

Other accolades Ovechkin has earned includes three Hart Trophies as regular-season MVP, eight appearances as an NHL first-team All-Star, and a Stanley Cup title and playoff MVP in 2018.

The 40-year-old Ovechkin will see his contract expire following the 2025-26 NHL season, but he's yet to confirm his future plans. 

"I'm just going to enjoy it," Ovechkin said before the season. "I'm going to enjoy the season, and we'll see what’s going to happen."

The New Jersey Devils’ decision to extend veteran goaltender Jacob Markstrom was a necessary move for the franchise.

On October 31, the Devils signed Markstrom to a two-year, $12 million contract, a crucial step in avoiding the goaltending carousel of seasons past.

Goaltenders are scarce in today’s NHL, with many teams still searching for stability in net. The Devils, however, have secured their tandem for the next few years.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman discussed the deal on his 32 Thoughts podcast, saying:

“I understand why New Jersey did this. They’re in win-now mode. It gives them a really good combination. And we’ll see if I’m right about this, but Markstrom’s history is to play better when he’s settled.”

Since signing the extension, Markstrom has recorded 43 saves and even added a primary assist.

Re-signing the 35-year-old netminder was critical. Although the Devils already extended backup goaltender Jake Allen on July 1, keeping Markstrom solidifies the position for the foreseeable future.

Why It Was Necessary

The 2023–24 season perfectly illustrated why goaltending stability was essential. That year, the Devils used five different goaltenders:

• Vitek Vanecek: 32 games
• Nico Daws: 21 games
• Akira Schmid: 19 games
• Jake Allen: 13 games
• Kaapo Kähkönen: 6 games

The constant rotation left the Devils without consistency in net.

The Devils needed more reliability in net.

Now, with Markstrom and then Allen, who was acquired midway through the 2023–24 season, New Jersey finally has the stability it was searching for.

Markstrom’s Season So Far

Markstrom began the season 2–1 before landing on injured reserve following his October 13 start.

He returned on October 28, but the comeback was rough: he allowed 17 goals over his first few games and posted a season-low .810 save percentage in an 8–4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

At that point, his record sat at 2–2–0.

Then came the extension and a bounce-back performance. In his next start, Markstrom turned aside 43 of 44 shots in a win over the Los Angeles Kings, finishing with a stellar .977 save percentage.

His season totals improved to a .875 save percentage and a 4.17 goals-against average. Through his first 144 shots faced, he even contributed offensively with an assist in the team’s November 1 win.

Looking Ahead

With their goaltending tandem locked in for the next two seasons, general manager Tom Fitzgerald can focus on strengthening the roster around them and positioning the Devils for a deep Stanley Cup run.

Devils fans aren’t the only ones happy to see Markstrom back in the net. After signing, he told NHL.com:

“This is the best place to be and the best team I’ve been on.”

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The good news for the Detroit Red Wings is that they picked up six of a possible 10 points on their five-game road trip that included three stops in the state of California.

The bad news is that their road trip finale against the Vegas Golden Knights was the first time they've been shut out since head coach Todd McLellan took over in December 2024.

Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid stopped all 24 shots that the Red Wings fired his way for just his second career shutout; his stops included six saves on Alex DeBrincat, who had his six-game point streak snapped, as well as three attempts from Dylan Larkin.

Afterward, Larkin said it was simply a matter of not converting on their chances despite playing well overall in a tough environment. 

“We showed we can play on the road and in this building especially, I thought that was a winnable game," he said. "We just didn’t get the offense, the bounces or the puck going into the net that we needed."

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Larkin also pointed to the strong performance by John Gibson, who turned aside all but one of the 34 shots he faced, as well as Detroit's improved penalty kill. 

"Gibby played unbelievable, which is a positive sign," he said. "The PK was good again, but it’s a good learning lesson. We got to execute better and when we get our chances, we got to bury down.”

It was one of Gibson's best performances since being acquired by the Red Wings in late June from the Anaheim Ducks, though he ultimately wasn't rewarded.

“I thought we played well, you got to credit them," he said. "They make it hard to score, block a lot of shots and play well defensively."

"That was a hard-fought game.”

The Red Wings are now set for a pair of weekend games on home ice at Little Caesars Arena, beginning on Friday evening against the New York Rangers followed by a Sunday matinee against the Chicago Blackhawks. 

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Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan has been sent down to the AHL's Toronto Marlies, but for how long is the question.

The move coincides with Scott Laughton's return to the lineup after missing the first 13 games of the regular season with a lower-body injury. The Maple Leafs had already been at the roster limit, so moving Cowan to the AHL (he was the only forward who was waivers-exempt) allowed them to activate Laughton.

Cowan scored one goal, three assists, and averaged 12:33 of ice time through his first 10 NHL games. While up with the Maple Leafs, the 20-year-old bounced throughout the team's lineup, even getting on the top line and having power play minutes.

He participated in the Maple Leafs' morning skate on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Marlies begin a six-game stretch away from Coca-Cola Coliseum. They also play on Wednesday evening, with their first game of the road trip against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

It's unknown how long Cowan will remain down in the AHL, though.

Barring an injury of any sort when the Maple Leafs face the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday night, Cowan must play in one AHL game before being able to be recalled to the NHL. It's a rule that was implemented this season to limit NHL teams from making paper transactions.

Nevertheless, Cowan could benefit from some time with the Marlies. He'll face lesser competition all while getting top minutes in all situations. While there'll still be expectations for him in the AHL, it won't be as much as it would if he were still in the NHL.

Maple Leafs Practice Notes: Laughton, Lorentz Could Return Vs. Mammoth, Carlo, Stolarz Get Maintenance DayWith a few extra bodies up front, the Maple Leafs have opted for a different-looking bottom six, featuring Laughton and Lorentz.

Laughton draws into the Maple Leafs lineup alongside Steven Lorentz and Max Domi on the team's fourth line. Lorentz missed the last two games with an upper-body injury after going awkwardly into the boards against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Laughton, on the morning ahead of his season debut, was excited to get back into the Maple Leafs' lineup.

"I think you put in a ton of work on yourself when things like that happen. The attention to detail from the staff here, right from day one of the injury, has been pretty incredible. So I owe a lot to those guys for getting me back here and getting me on the right track," he said.

"You train all summer, you come back, and something like that happens. So hopefully I don't have to see the gym for a while."

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The Chicago Blackhawks will face the Vancouver Canucks in game four of their six-game road trip on Wednesday night. The first three haven't gone according to plan, as they are 0-2-1 on the trip. 

The Blackhawks, ahead of this trip, were off to a good start to the 2025-26 season. These last three games have been a bump in the road, but this match against Vancouver is their next chance to get back on track. 

This is Connor Bedard's next opportunity for a good performance against the team he grew up cheering for. The first few games of his career didn't go as well as he would have liked, but he is a completely different player with a totally different outlook this time. 

Scouting Vancouver

Vancouver missed the playoffs last season in what turned out to be a disaster of a year for the organization. They were forced to trade J.T. Miller because he wasn't getting along with other players on the team, other players had career-worst numbers, and the year was capped off by the GM admitting that Quinn Hughes may want to leave to play with his brothers.

Despite all of that noise, they are fighting to stay afloat in the Pacific Division and Western Conference. They enter this game on the outside portion of the bubble with a record of 7-7-0. 

Kevin Lankinen is the projected starter for the Vancouver Canucks. The old Chicago Blackhawks goalie has played very well since moving to Vancouver, and he will look to keep that going against the Blackhawks in this one. 

Kane - Pettersson - Garland

DeBrusk Reichel - Boeser

O’Connor - Räty - Sherwood

Bains - Sasson - Karlsson

Hughes - Myers

Pettersson - Hronek

Pettersson - Willander

Following an injury, Quinn Hughes returned to the Vancouver Canucks lineup in their last game against the Nashville Predators. In this game, they'll be getting another boost with the addition of Conor Garland back in the lineup. 

Vancouver is coming off their own road trip, where it went 2-1-0. These additions to their lineup make them even more dangerous. 

Yes, there are three players with the last name of Pettersson in their lineup. Elias is their star center who wears number 40 on the top line. 

He isn't the only Elias Pettersson, either, though. The other is a depth defenseman who will play on the third pair and wear number 25. The third, Marcus, will play on the second pair and wear number 29. 

Kevin Lankinen isn't the only ex-Blackhawk going in this game. Lukas Reichel, who was just traded to Vancouver a couple of weeks ago, is projected to be their second-line center. That is far better for him than being a healthy scratch regularly in Chicago. 

Reichel is out to prove that Vancouver made the right decision trading for him. Although he went out with some of his teammates on Tuesday night, he is ready for business when the puck drops. 

Vancouver didn't take part in line rushes during Wednesday's morning skate, so these are projected, but the addition of Garland back to the lineup will add to their depth either way. 

Projected Blackhawks Lines, Defense Pairs, and Starting Goalie

Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky

Teräväinen-Nazar-Bertuzzi 

Moore-Donato-Mikheyev

Foligno-Dach

Vlasic-Rinzel

Kaiser-Levshunov

Grzelcyk-Murphy

Crevier

Knight

Spencer Knight is the projected starter for the Chicago Blackhawks. He has been their number one all season, and is looking to lead the way to victory on Wednesday night. 

Like the Canucks, the Blackhawks didn't reveal lines during their morning skate. That is starting to become a pattern for Jeff Blashill over the last few morning skates. 

There are two reasons to believe that they will go with 11/7 again, however. The first is that they have gone with that strategy in all but two games. The second reason is that Sam Lafferty, who has been a healthy scratch in all but three games this season, was the last off the ice. 

Bedard's homecoming will see him on a line with Ryan Greene and Andre Burakovsky. Bedard is looking to extend his point streak, while Burakovsky would like to get his goal-scoring streak to four. 

On defense, this group of seven has worked very well for the Blackhawks. They had some tough moments against the Winnipeg Jets earlier in the tip, but they have been solid otherwise. 

How To Watch

The Blackhawks and Canucks can be found locally on CHSN. Nationally, it can be found on ESPN+ in the United States and on Sportsnet in Canada. In Chicago, it can be heard on WGN AM 720. The puck will drop a little bit after 9 PM CT. 

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One of the main concerns to kick off the New York Rangers’ 2025-26 campaign lies with the play of Artemi Panarin. 

Panarin entered the season without a contract in place, which only put more pressure on the veteran forward to perform at a high level. 

During training camp, he admitted that it’s a roller coaster ride playing without a contract extension in place.

“It’s obviously good for everyone to feel that security,” Panarin said. “I’m used to it, being in that situation. It is what it is right now. Just not (going to) complain about it, I’m ready to work hard…

“Obviously, after bad games, you are thinking too much, but after good games, you enjoy it more than usual.”

Panarin may be making it harder on himself to land the long-term commitment that he is coveting. 

Through 14 games, the 34-year-old forward has recorded two goals, seven assists, and nine points while averaging 21:08 minutes per game. 

Since arriving in New York in 2019, Panarin has been the catalyst of the Rangers’ offense and one of the leading point producers in the NHL. 

Panarin’s slow offensive start to kick off the season has been a wide point of conversation among the Rangers’ community, especially given his current contract situation. 

Mike Sullivan is not worried about Panarin’s production though, as he knows players of his caliber usually find ways to turn things around. 

“I think it's probably a little bit of both,” Sullivan said on if Panarin’s struggles are due to goaltenders playing well or if something is not clicking for Panarin. “He's definitely getting some looks. I think when he gets underneath people, and he gets inside the dots, he's really dangerous. 

“My experience in coaching players of his caliber is sometimes as coaches, we just have to be careful we don’t get in the way there. So we're trying to give him a lot of latitude with his offensive game. We share our observations with him, but obviously, those types of players, what makes them unique is they tend to think the game differently than others, and that's part of what makes them who they are. I've always been a strong believer that, I try not to get in the way of that process. So he's at his best place and in that instinctive mindset, and he's trusted his instincts, and we're trying to encourage that.”

How does Panarin’s slow start directly impact his contract negotiations with the Rangers?

According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, the Rangers are in no rush to strike a deal, with the team taking a patient approach. 

“But for the moment, my sense of the situation is that it’s very early in the season under new head coach Mike Sullivan, the Rangers want to see how things go and therefore are not in a hurry to get going more seriously on talks to extend the pending UFA winger,” Lebrun wrote.

The longer these negotiations drag out, the more pressure it puts on Panarin if his offensive skid continues. 

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Rangers wanted Panarin to take a team-friendly deal during the summer, but the two sides were unable to agree. 

“I understand, at some point in the off-season, the Rangers had that kind of conceptual conversation with Panarin: ‘Is there a way you could do for the Rangers what Kopitar did for the Kings?’” Friedman said. “Obviously, at this point and time, it hasn’t happened. I don’t know where that’s going to go, I don’t know if that’s going to be a possibility, but I do know the two sides had the conversation and, obviously, at this point, Panarin is unsigned.”

It’s still early on in the season, so there’s no need to push the panic button on Panarin just yet, but his play on top of his contract dilemma is both worth keeping an eye out for.