On Thursday night against the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins' rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke became the first teenager to score a goal for the Penguins since Daniel Sprong in 2015.

On the surface, this doesn’t seem all that crazy. After all, teenagers playing in the NHL, period, is a bit of a rarity, and it’s something that certainly doesn’t happen on a yearly basis for most teams. But when considering the tendency of the Penguins to have largely favored veterans for a large chunk of the last decade, true youth populating the roster seemed like something that happened a lifetime ago.

This season, things are different.

Of course, there are a few reasons for that. It’s important to distinguish the fact that - prior to the 2025-26 season - the Penguins had simply lacked legitimate youth talent in their system for a long while. Years of winning championships, 16 consecutive postseason appearances, and going all-in at the trade deadline does that to an organization. 

But because Pittsburgh has missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, they have already shifted into rebuild mode, and they’re focused on collecting high-value assets and infusing talent into their system. As a result, there are better young players and, therefore, more legitimate opportunities for those young players - such as Brunicke and 18-year-old center Ben Kindel - to populate the NHL roster. 

However, the mere existence of young players isn’t the only factor. New head coach Dan Muse - hired this summer - along with the rest of his staff that is focused on development, is also giving the kids some runway to show what they can do at the NHL level. That kind of leeway wasn’t as easy for former head coach Mike Sullivan and his staff to grant while the organization was still prioritizing making the playoffs.

The prevailing sentiment heading into this season was that the Penguins would likely be a pretty far cry from playoff contention. Yet - two games into the 2025-26 season - something about this team simply feels different. Feels rejuvenated. Energized.

Now, getting too far ahead of anything would be foolish. To declare the Penguins a playoff hopeful after two regular season games is unrealistic, especially since most people have them finishing in at least the bottom-10 this season. On top of that, GM and POHO Kyle Dubas himself said at the end of the 2024-25 season that the Penguins making the playoffs this season would be “an accomplishment.”

That said, there is a certain energy - and structure - around this team that has been lacking in recent years. The team is playing faster. Smarter. Tighter. More risk-averse. In the two games so far this season - both wins against each team from New York - they were the better team in the final 20 minutes of play, generally doing a good job of limiting opposing chances, controlling play, and shutting things down, as they haven’t allowed a third-period goal. 

And it’s not as if the youth on their team is sitting back and letting the veterans do all the work. Yes, Evgeni Malkin has five points in two games. Justin Brazeau has three goals in two games. Sidney Crosby has a goal and an assist as well. 

But Kindel has been driving play on the third line, both in the offensive zone and in his own zone. The work of his line led to Brunicke’s goal on Thursday, and Brunicke himself has been quarterbacking the second power play unit and helping to generate offense in transition and off the rush. 

Filip Hallander has six points in six games dating back to the pre-season. Ville Koivunen does not have a point yet, but fans and the organization got a glimpse of what Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty - currently on injured reserve - are capable of at the end of last season. 

The kids are providing a spark and an energy that this team has desperately needed. They have, so far, proven capable of playing with NHL competition, even if there are some bumps along the way with their development and learning curve. They have given a dead-in-the-water team some new life - a new identity - and it’s translating into team performance. 

Muse said that the goal of the coaching staff - and the biggest thing that they want to see out of this 23-man unit - is for the team to play “connected.” And, so far, that’s exactly what has happened. They have played well within structure, they have developed chemistry in a short period of time, and they have shown that they have a lot to play for, even if outside noise says otherwise.

That "connectedness" is, in essence, their identity. And the mix of youth and experience on the roster is cultivating a perfect environment for that identity to thrive.

There is no telling how this season will unfold. The Penguins could certainly still use improvement in some areas, and there are going to be some tough roster decisions to make as veterans Bryan Rust and Kevin Hayes work their way back from injury. With a current roster at full capacity, some players will need to go. 

But one thing is for certain: The kids are alright. And they’re giving some much-needed life to a team - and a fanbase - that craves a strong dosage of hope for the future.

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The ultimate fate of an NHL team during any given contest can sometimes come down to a series of bounces and what some fans would simply refer to as good or bad luck. 

Such was the case for Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat on Thursday evening during his team's Home Opener loss to the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena. 

He had multiple prime scoring chances that were denied by goaltender Jakub Dobes, or as was the case early in the second period, by the post. 

DeBrincat's ringer off the left post came just minutes before the Canadiens grabbed a 4-1 stranglehold over the Red Wings; had the puck been literally an inch to the right, it would have been a 3-2 hockey game. 

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"It seemed like I missed both of those, and then they went down and scored shortly after, so it could have been a whole different game if those went in," DeBrincat said on Friday. "Sometimes those are the bounces, that first one hit his shoulder and then the post. I hit my spot, and sometimes they go in, sometimes, they don't." 

Like McLellan, DeBrincat reiterated that the setback against the Canadiens wasn't the result of any single player but by the team getting away from the fundamentals. 

"Letting in five, we shot ourselves in the foot," DeBrincat said of the loss. "We gave up too many chances, and they're a skilled team so they're going to convert on those. Everything they got, we kind of gave to them. It was unfortunate." 

"We Earned Those": Todd McLellan Says Red Wings Deserved Fan Boos After 5-1 Loss Throughout his first Training Camp as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, Todd McLellan emphasized the importance of mental fortitude and responding the right way when things inevitably go wrong over the course of an 82-game season.

"I think we talk about these things of how we're going to play and the systems, and we have our blueprint; we just didn't follow it," he continued. "We knew what they were going to do, we knew from the start of the game. We just didn't execute on defense and gave them too many chances." 

DeBrincat was Detroit's leading goal scorer last season with 39 tallies, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him reach a similar number this season. Speaking of offensive firepower, the Toronto Maple Leafs still boast no shortage of said despite the offseason trade of Mitch Marner. 

In order for the Red Wings to avoid a similar collapse like what they experienced against the Canadiens, the key will be tightening up defensively. 

"Staying above them, playing on the defensive side of the puck," DeBrincat said on how to defend against the Maple Leafs. "Just in general, forechecking hard. We did a little bit of that yesterday, but not enough. If we want to win games, we're going to need to get more opportunities, and give up less." 

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The Belleville Senators announced on Friday that defenseman Scott Harrington has signed a two-year American Hockey League contract with the club.

Harrington, 32, brings a wealth of NHL experience to Belleville. Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the 2011 NHL Draft, the Kingston, Ontario native has suited up for 255 NHL games, most of them with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He's also suited up for Pittsburgh, Toronto, San Jose, and Anaheim, along with 247 career AHL appearances.

“We’re excited to welcome Scott to the Belleville Senators family,” Belleville Sens GM Matt Turek said in a team press release. “Scott’s impressive NHL career, character and leadership ability will all be keys in helping our group to take the next step. As a native of Kingston, growing up just down the 401 from CAA Arena, he'll be a fantastic representative of the Senators and 613 Country.”

Outside of the NHL, Harrington has shown a knack for winning. He captured an OJHL championship with the Kingston Voyageurs, followed by back-to-back OHL titles with the London Knights, where he served as captain in 2012–13.

On the international stage, Harrington represented Team Canada at multiple levels, earning gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, silver at the World Under-17 Championship, and bronze at the World Junior Hockey Championship. He's represented Canada twice at the World Juniors. 

Harrington's last NHL season was 2022-23, when he got some looks as Erik Karlsson's D partner in San Jose before being included in the blockbuster Timo Meier trade that season with the New Jersey Devils. The Devils waived Harrington the day after the trade, and Anaheim claimed him. 

Seven years earlier, Harrington was part of an even bigger trade when Phil Kessel was traded from Toronto to Pittsburgh. Harrington came back the other way, and unlike the Meier deal, Harrington was a much bigger piece in this one. In fact, he made the Leafs' opening night roster for the 2015–16 season. 

Two seasons ago, Harrington tried his hand in Switzerland. He was injured for much of that season but returned with Zurich for the 2024 playoffs, and he won yet another championship, skating alongside former Senators Rudolfs Balcers and Derek Grant.

After Harrington returned to North America last season and signed a one-year deal with AHL Springfield last season and now returns for another AHL tour of duty with the B-Sens.

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The Buffalo Sabres are just one game into the 2025-26 regular season, and already the adversity is starting to pile up. After being without defenseman Owen Power and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for the first game of the year Thursday against the New York Rangers, the Sabres released some ominous-sounding inormation about star center Josh Norris, as well as an injury to winger Zach Benson, although the injury to Benson may prove to be far less significant that they injury to the often-injured Norris.

When the Sabres acquired Norris from the Ottawa Senators last season, the book on Norris was he was a talented player, but one who was unfortunate on the health front. In five NHL seasons, the most Norris has played in a single season was 66 games, and he's only played 60 or more games twice in that span. Clearly, it's reasonable to be worried about Norris' durability.

And now, it's possible -- emphasis on "possible" -- that Norris could miss significant time. That would be devastating for the Sabres' Stanley Cup playoff hopes. But that was the tone Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff struck in describing Norris' health status.

"I know that he's not dealing with (the injury) very good," Ruff said of Norris. "(H)e's pretty disappointed with where he's at with this injury."

Sabres' Schedule Is Punishing Out Of The Gate -- And It Could Be Why Buffalo Misses Playoffs For 15th Straight SeasonThe Buffalo Sabres’ 2025-26 regular-season is here at last, and the Sabres would certainly like to win their first game – a home game against the New York Rangers Thursday night – an analysis of their schedule tells Sabres fans they need to buckle down and get ready for a true test of this team, right out of the starting block.

Let's be clear: if you're Norris and you have a minor injury, you're not feeling disappointed. You're feeling fortunate if the injury is only minor. So Ruff's choice of words says a lot about the likelihood that Norris will be back anytime soon. Again, that would seriously hamper Buffalo's playoff aspirations.

Sure, Norris' absence opens up an opportunity on the top line for one of Buffalo's other centers. But it will take a minor miracle for any youngster to power the Sabres to a playoff berth in the hyper-competitive Atlantic Division. 

Will Sabres Have Any Individual Award-Winners This Season?Full disclosure: the Buffalo Sabres aren't particularly interested in the NHL's individual awards. But who's kidding who -- you always like to perform well, and that's somthing  the league de facto acknowledges by handing out end-of-season honours. 

And while poor luck health-wise will be an excuse if Buffalo misses the playoffs for a 15th straight season, it won't matter a lick to exhausted Sabres fans. All they'll know is the bottom line, and the bottom line could once again show the Sabres simply don't make the right roster choices to be a consistent playoff team.

On October 9, Vancouver Canucks first-round draft pick, Braeden Cootes, made his NHL debut less than half a year after being selected by the team. The 18-year-old carved out a path for himself on Vancouver’s roster after a strong showing during training camp and his pre-season games. Which other Canucks prospects could follow Cootes’ steps and make their NHL debuts this season? 

Tom Willander

Willander is arguably the prospect Canucks fans are most excited to watch this season. The defenceman will be starting the season with the Abbotsford Canucks, as he was one of the final players cut from Vancouver’s main roster at the end of the pre-season. With Vancouver’s D-core set for the time being, it’s unlikely that Willander makes his NHL debut any time within the first few weeks of the season. However, in the event that Vancouver faces injury issues or an early end to their season, Willander would be a favourite to earn his first call-up and play in his first ever NHL game. 

Danila Klimovich 

Klimovich, a 2021 second-round draft pick, is entering his fifth season in the Canucks organization but has yet to make his NHL debut. A few factors have resulted in the forward not quite making the cut, such as injury-riddled seasons and struggles with consistency. To his credit, Klimovich has been able to round things out a little more in the past season or so, though the goal-scorer still has a little more work to do. It will probably take quite a bit for the forward to make his NHL debut this season, but a hypothetical early end to the Canucks’ season could help that.  

Vilmer Alriksson 

One of the most intriguing names in the Canucks organization is Alriksson, who is known for his skills as a hulking forward who can effectively move the puck. 2025–26 is his first pro season, as he previously spent two years in the OHL. Whether he can make the push for an NHL debut will depend on how his game transitions to AHL play, though based on his performance during the prospects showcase, fans have lots to look forward to from him. 

Chase Stillman

The key piece that came back to Vancouver in the Artūrs Šilovs trade back in July, Stillman is preparing to start his third professional season in the AHL. As a 22-year-old, the forward has yet to make his NHL debut, but is looking to change that this season. He’ll be a prime candidate to fill in as a depth bottom-six forward if injuries chip away at the Canucks’ forward core. 

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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Just one game into the season, and Rick Tocchet's tenure as the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, fans can already say they've seen this movie before.

The Flyers lost a close 2-1 contest to the Florida Panthers on Thursday night, and, generally, it can be argued that keeping the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions within range the whole night is in achievement in itself.

But, these were the champs without Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, and the Flyers were at full strength with the exception of Cam York. Tocchet's appointment, for better or for worse, is going to be defined by results--wins and player development--and not moral victories.

It may seem harsh, yes, but that's the reality. And I'm not here to pass judgment one way or another after one measly game.

But, we've seen this before, right?

The Flyers wasted a superb goaltending performance from Dan Vladar, gave the Panthers five power play opportunities, and recorded just 20 shots on goal. Low-event hockey was a criticism that Tocchet had in Vancouver, and it showed up in his first game in Philadelphia.

Fired Flyers Coach John Tortorella Resurfaces as NHL AnalystSeven months after being fired by the Philadelphia Flyers, longtime NHL head coach John Tortorella has resurfaced, joining ESPN as an NHL analyst for the 2025-26 season.

Things can change, especially with altered line combinations, quickly. As reported by PHLY's Charlie O'Connor, Tocchet got to work quickly on that point, seemingly preparing to insert Jett Luchanko and Nikita Grebenkin into the Flyers' lineup while changing up some ineffective lines.

One of those ineffective lines was that of Christian Dvorak, Sean Couturier, and Matvei Michkov. For all Michkov's talents, he's not necessarily a creator of offense with his legs like a Connor McDavid or Nathan MacKinnon.

For whatever reason, Michkov was paired up with two support players who have the same issues in their respective games.

And, for Dvorak, a dependable vet and strong faceoff taker like him attempted only two faceoffs (winning one), took two penalties, and played fewer minutes on the penalty kill than Noah Cates, Travis Konecny, Couturier, Garnet Hathaway, and even Owen Tippett.

His role didn't make much sense, but a reunion with Trevor Zegras should be beneficial with both players.

Flyers Reportedly 'Open' to Trading Emil AndraeAfter Emil Andrae failed to make the Philadelphia Flyers roster out of training camp, the team is reportedly open to moving on from the undersized defenseman.

As for Luchanko and Grebenkin, Tocchet is wisely leaning towards replacing Nick Deslauriers and Rodrigo Abols with the two prospects.

Abols and Deslauriers played 8:05 and 7:31, respectively, so, given that they hardly played, it really ended up being a waste of two spots in the lineup. Even if Grebenkin and Luchanko had gotten 12 minutes or so, it's valuable experience to open up your season against the defending champs and see the pace and level at which they play.

Fortunately, the Flyers play the Panthers again on Monday, and they'll have the Metropolitan Division rival Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh on Saturday night.

Tocchet isn't going to be a miracle-worker by any means with the state of the defense, but he should be aspiring to get more out of the forwards after some of these combinations looked dreadful, even in the preseason.

Fortunately, it seems the first-year Flyers coach is making progress immediately, which should be at least modestly refreshing.

New York Islanders forward Jonathan Drouin scored in the Islanders' 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, but was also assessed a five-minute major.

He got assessed the major penalty with less than 30 seconds left in the third period after he cross-checked Penguins forward Connor Dewar in the face. Drouin had a phone hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety on Friday and was suspended one game for the play.

NY Islanders’ Jonathan Drouin has been suspended for one game for cross-checking Pittsburgh’s Connor Dewar. https://t.co/3rcDFarEdk

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 10, 2025

Drouin's cross-check gifted the Penguins a power play to end the game, and they were able to run the clock out (for the most part). Mathew Barzal got a late shorthanded chance on Tristan Jarry, but the latter was able to come up with the save. 

Drouin will miss the Islanders' next game against the Washington Capitals on Saturday before he's eligible to come back against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday.

The Penguins will try and get to 3-0-0 this season when they play the New York Rangers again on Saturday. They already beat the Rangers in Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, 3-0.

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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 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.

Let’s Go Blue Jays chant. pic.twitter.com/sM2gylqjbZ

— David Alter (@dalter) October 9, 2025

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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