Daily Faceoff

Canadian PM Mark Carney says Russians ‘will not’ be at World Juniors

Ryan Cuneo — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 23:24:17 GMT

After several European hockey federations have stated their refusal to play against Russia in any international tournaments, Canada has voiced its position on the matter.

While speaking with the media at the Commonwealth summit on Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney clarified that Russian national teams will not be permitted to compete within Canada, and that Russia will not be icing a team at the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.

“To be clear, we respect the decisions of the Finns, the Czechs, the Swedes, and other nations, but this is a decision we take on our own,” Carney said. “Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal and unjustified horrific war in Ukraine. As long as that’s going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada. So if you’re asking specifically about the World Juniors, the Russians will not be there.”

Mark Carney: "Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal and unjustified horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that's going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada. So if you're asking specifically about the World Juniors, the Russians… pic.twitter.com/FfGO25sh1J
— Scott Robertson (@sarobertson_) November 3, 2026

Following the Prime Minister’s comments, Hockey Canada issued a statement acknowledging and thanking the Canadian government for its stance, while expressing an intent to establish next steps in light of the government’s position.

“Hockey Canada thanks the Government of Canada for today’s strong position that Canada intends to prevent Russian and Belarusian officials and athletes from participating under their national symbols in international sporting events taking place on Canadian soil,” the statement reads. “We will be meeting with our Board of Directors this week to discuss next steps given the government’s clear position.”

Statement from Hockey Canada. 🍁

Déclaration de Hockey Canada. 🍁 pic.twitter.com/R6WINDoL6m
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) November 3, 2026

This flurry of proclamations against Russian participation in international hockey tournaments comes after a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) allowing Russia and Belarus to compete in International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) events.

Russia and Belarus had been banned from IIHF tournaments since the invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022.

Sharks falling well below expectations early this season

Tyler Kuehl — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Even though there’s still a lot of hockey to be played, many are concerned about the performance of the San Jose Sharks so far.

After a promising 2025-26 season, where they were contending for a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference up until the final few weeks of the campaign, everyone expected the Sharks to be right back in the playoff mix. However, the team has been very inconsistent since the onset of the new season. Sure, they have a few months to get back on the track, but with losses in back-to-back games, and a -12 goal differential, San Jose is starting at an uphill climb to keep up with other teams in the Wild Wild West.

On Tuesday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton give their take on how the Sharks have played thus far, and why they’re not meeting expectations.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Last year was Macklin Celebrini’s arrival as a legitimate superstar in the NHL, and everyone looked at the Sharks and penciled them into that third spot in the Pacific Division as a team that could make the playoffs this year. This first, you know, we’ll call it a fifth of the season. I guess is where we’re kind of at here. It has been anything but a dream start for San Jose. They seem to be just kind of spinning their tires here at a tick below .500.

Carter Hutton: I think that’s the concerning factor… where they’re at in the sense of, like, just kind of moving on and getting forward with, like, a younger core around it. You need guys that are going to propel you forward and be in a good situation to I guess maybe like just grow as a group, and you need that.

I think sometimes certain players, when they’re selected and higher picks, going into the right culture, right leadership, right environment helps a ton. Then, being a young player thrust into the situation and just given the keys to the castle, and you just got the new Ferrari, and you got to try to figure it out, and there’s no one else there to help you figure it out. For me, I think back in my career, like going with the Nashville Predators and being around Pekka Rinne, it was like the perfect situation. I was in this non-market where there wasn’t a lot of pressure. I had a future Hall of Famer to watch, and not even if he wasn’t helping you, you just got to see it firsthand. For a lot of these younger guys that get thrust into these totally rebuilding situations, you got to kind of learn on the fly. You can have some older guy that works in player development talking to you, but when you’re living it every day with some veteran guys that are you know well over 1,000 games, there’s a big impact that happens.

You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…

Scott Arniel’s time in Winnipeg is ticking

Tyler Kuehl — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 21:00:00 GMT

The first month of the 2026-27 season has been another tough one for the Winnipeg Jets, and it might cost their head coach his job.

With every team playing well over a dozen games, everyone has an idea of how good, or how bad, teams are going to be this season. Despite an optimistic start to the season amid the Connor Hellebuyck debacle, the Jets have come crashing down over the past few weeks. With losses in nine straight games, seven of which have come in regulation, Winnipeg has stumbled down the Western Conference standings. With that, many wonder how much time head coach Scott Arniel is going to be given to turn the season around, or will he be removed from his post in order for the Jets to have a new voice in the room?

On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton discuss how bad things have been for the Jets, and how much longer Arniel will last at the helm.

Tyler Yaremchuk: It started well. Everyone thought trading Hellebyuck would be like the dark gray cloud gone away, with the Jets flying into the sky. No, they’ve been straight down…Scott Arneil in Winnipeg, how [much on the hot seat] is he?

Carter Hutton: I’m on nine on him. I’m gonna give him a nine. Like the frying pan smoking, his time is numbered here. Nine straight losses. I know there is a factor of like the Connor Hellebuyck, and the players you have and guys that want to be there, but this just isn’t a good hockey team. It’s not a deep hockey team. I don’t think there’s been adjustments. I worry about them executing structure and playing well, and I think it goes down to coaching too. Granted, there is some pieces, or lack of down in their depth, but you talk about even like Vilardi down in their lineup. He’s been non-existent. There are some players that have ill-performed. They’ve tried to split up Scheifele and Connor to get a little bit more offense. It just hasn’t been clicking. So, for [Arniel], he is in the hottest seat of all the coaches right now in the NHL, in my opinion.

Tyler: It’s a 9.5 for me. It’s something where with every single loss, you go like, ‘Ooh, are we waking up tomorrow and starting our show with some coaching talk?’ So, I’m with you on that front. It’s got to be piping hot.

You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…

Jarome Iginla says he is battling neurological health issues in retirement

Ben Steiner — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 20:52:15 GMT

Jarome Iginla was extremely durable through his 1,554 NHL regular-season games, but now finds himself battling health issues in retirement, revealing his current battle in an interview with Sportsnet’s Eric Francis.

“Unfortunately, I have been battling some health issues,” he said, having turned 49 years old in July. “Some neurological issues. I’m not entirely sure what it is, it may be from metal toxins from reaction to the cobalt hip.”

Concerns surfaced in the wider hockey community last week after a recent clip from Hometown Giants, the new Amazon Prime TV series following the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, featured him speaking with a noticeably weaker voice than he had during his playing days.

Iginla had hip replacement surgery earlier in retirement after sustaining plenty of impact in his NHL career, and medications that followed the complications of the surgery have impacted his energy, weight and speech, according to Sportsnet’s report.

In some hip implants, metal components can release metal elements over time, which can cause issues when they impact the bloodstream. Iginla also had high mercury levels and admitted to Francis that he and doctors are trying to get that down while figuring out whether it is related to the cobalt poisoning.

“I need more time to figure it all out, but I’m still hopeful that I will recover fully,” he said. “Things are slowly getting under control, thanks be to God.”

Through his NHL career, Iginla posted 625 goals and 1,300 points and is the Calgary Flames’ all-time leader in games played, goals and points with 525 goals and 1,095 points in 1,219 games, before later career stops with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and L.A. Kings prior to his retirement after the 2017-18 season.

Since retiring, he has largely stayed out of the spotlight, while being a father and coach to his children, Tij and Jade, who have gone on to play professionally with the Utah Mammoth and PWHL Hamilton organizations, while his youngest son, Joe Iginla, was selected by the Flames in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Devils deserve to be viewed as an elite team in the East

Ryan Cuneo — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 20:30:00 GMT

It may finally be happening for the New Jersey Devils. Despite heightened expectations during the Jack Hughes era, the Devils have struggled to become consistent contenders, winning just one playoff series since their run to the Stanley Cup final in 2012, and missing the postseason last year.

This season, however, could be the one in which the Devils realize their potential. Their 18 points through 14 games puts them in second place in the Metropolitan Division, and they’ve won seven of their last 10 games. According to MoneyPuck, New Jersey’s expected goals percentage of 58.57% ranks second in the NHL. With star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck now in the fold, the Devils are looking like a team to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference.

On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton were joined by Steve Peters to discuss whether New Jersey has entered the class of elite teams in the East.

Tyler Yaremchuk: When you talk about the elite teams in the East, Carolina, they’re off to a great start. We had someone comment earlier, no Stanley Cup hangover there. Boston’s looking like an absolute wagon in the early going here. Everyone’s keeping an eye on Washington and Florida. Does New Jersey deserve to be mentioned in that elite tier in the East?

Steve Peters: They do now. As long as they can stay healthy, I think that bodes well for this team. It’s going to be a battle for second in the Metro. Let’s face it, Carolina’s almost won the division already. They’re just exceptional. They picked up where they left off. But you’re talking about Jersey, Washington, the Rangers are maybe starting to slide with their goaltending, the Islanders are right there. There is going to be a battle for second, and Pittsburgh’s still going to climb out of the cellar, I think, too. There’s going to be a battle for second.

One thing New Jersey needs to start to do, and we talked about their small, skilled forwards, they’re going to have to pick up the physicality. That’s got to come from (Anthony) Mantha, who’s only got two hits per game right now. That’s not good enough. You talk about Timo Meier, who may bring some physicality, this team just isn’t as physical as they need to be in a division where it’s required. Right now they’re 29th in the NHL in hits per 60 minutes, while the Rangers and the Islanders are both top-10. So they’re going to have to pick up their physical game, because as the season wears on, you’re going to have to beat some teams by being physical in the corners.

You can catch the full discussion and the rest of Tuesday’s episode here…

Can Stolarz steal the Leafs’ starter’s gig over Bobrovsky?

Kyle Morton — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 20:00:00 GMT

The Toronto Maple Leafs, led by new general manager John Chayka, made their big move this summer when they signed two-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a lucrative three-year contract with a salary cap hit of $7 million.

Just over a month into the season, the Leafs own a respectable 8-6-2 record, but it doesn’t have much to do with Bobrovsky, who owns a .885 save percentage to go with his 3-5-2 record. Instead, it’s been Anthony Stolarz, another veteran, but one who was already in-house, carrying the load.

Stolarz has put up numbers far exceeding NHL average, posting a .910 SV% on his way to a 5-1-0 record bolstered by three consecutive wins in which he’s allowed exactly two goals while stopping 36, 30 and 26 shots from the opposing teams.

On Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk and co-host and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed whether or not Stolarz will end up as Toronto’s number one as the season continues to evolve.

Tyler Yaremchuk: The Toronto Maple Leafs are back in action tonight, and goaltending is a big, big part of the conversation right now in Toronto. And surprisingly, it is going to be Sergey Bobrovsky getting the start tonight. I’m going to ask you this or that: who gets more starts by the end of the season, Sergey Bobrovsky or Anthony Stolarz?

Carter Hutton: I still think it’s going to be Bobrovsky, because—like, so my concern in this situation is you’re trying to close the gap, you want to get Bobrovski going and into a point where he’s a difference maker, but you have a goalie who’s fragile in the sense of Anthony Stolarz’s injury history. So I think Bobrovsky will be the guy at the end of the day, even if his numbers don’t really take off and thrust into the .900s. He’ll end up playing more games, because I think he has had good performances. It’s just a matter of trying to figure out where you can go when you have a good 1A, 1B option. So I still think at the end of the day, if they’re trying to win a Stanley Cup, they’re really trying to see what Bobrovsky can do and trying to make sure Anthony Stolarz stays healthy.

Tyler Yaremchuk: I get the sense that’s how a lot of Leafs fans would probably feel right now as well as Bobrovsky continues to struggle. I just don’t—like, even tonight against Utah, that’s a spooky Utah offense here that you’re staring down the barrel of not going with the guy who’s playing the best. I feel like it’s a little bit of a misstep. But I agree with you that they’re clearly, at some point, going to prioritize getting Bob going, and I could see him at the end of the year having—you know, I think it’ll be close.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode below…

Jets place Brad Lambert on waivers

Tyler Kuehl — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 19:28:45 GMT

A struggling center looks to be on his way back down to the minors, where a larger role awaits.

On Tuesday, the Winnipeg Jets placed forward Brad Lambert on waivers, making him available to the other 31 teams in the NHL.

Cleared

Lambert (WIN) on waivers

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 3, 2026

If Lambert clears waivers on Wednesday, he’ll become eligible to be assigned to the Jets’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.

Lambert has been in the lineup for most of the first month of the 2026-27 season in Winnipeg, but, like the team around him, hasn’t done much. In 11 appearances, he has just one assist, that coming in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 15. He has gone pointless in each of his previous five games, last dressing in the Jets lineup last Thursday, when the team lost a tough battle to the Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-4. The 22-year-old logged less than nine minutes of ice time in the defeat. Lambert has a plus/minus of -5 while averaging 9:10 of ice time per game.

There was belief that Lambert could see some considerable playing time with the Jets this season. He posted three goals and six points in 25 contests during the 2025-26 season, the most during a single campaign in his brief NHL tenure. However, the organization appears to believe his talent could be used in the AHL.

In 42 games in the NHL, the former first-round pick has three goals and nine points. In 173 regular-season games in the AHL, Lambert has posted 36 goals and 70 assists for 106 points, with one assist in nine Calder Cup Playoff contests.

The only player put on waivers on Monday was Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bo Groulx. He cleared and can now be sent down to the Leafs’ top farm team, the Toronto Marlies.

Which NHL coaches are on the hot seat?

Ryan Cuneo — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Halloween may be behind us, but for coaches of struggling NHL teams, spooky season is impending. It took until January for the first coach to be fired last season (Dean Evason by the Columbus Blue Jackets), but the Boston Bruins fired Jim Montgomery on November 19 the season prior. As we creep deeper into November, certain disappointing teams could decide a new bench boss is needed to turn their season around.

There is no shortage of disappointing teams this season, either. It’s still early, but of last season’s 16 postseason teams, five currently find themselves outside of the playoff picture. Then, there are the teams that were counting on making a jump but haven’t, and could be running out of patience.

On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton discussed which current NHL coaches could find themselves out of a job sooner rather than later.

Tyler Yaremchuk: I’m going to give you a couple of coaches, and you’re going to tell me how hot their seat is on a scale of one to 10. One is not hot at all, 10 is piping hot and they might be fired. The first one I’ve got is for you is another rebuilding team, and it’s Jeff Blashill in Chicago, as the Blackhawks lose again and they’re 4-10-1 to begin their season. They seem to be stuck in the mud. One through 10, how hot do you think Jeff Blashill’s seat is?

Carter Hutton: I’m going to say seven. I just think looking at player development as much as the standings there, I just think he’s got to keep evidence of these guys getting better from a player standpoint. As long as we can see some growth from (Connor) Bedard and (Anton) Frondell and some of those players, I think he survives, but it’s starting to get hot because it’s a market that has expectations. They’re not far away from being the Stanley Cup champions. This team needs to start climbing up the standings or he’s in the mix here.

Tyler Yaremchuk: I’m going to go a little bit lower. You bring up a good point about the expectations and the market. The last time they made the Stanley Cup playoffs in a full, normal NHL season was 10 years ago, 2016-17. That market is clamoring for the ‘Hawks to take a step forward which is why I’m going to go not quite down at the very bottom of this list, but I’ll say it’s 4.75. I’m not going to go to five, but four seems to low. I’m going to go 4.75 for Jeff Blashill. It’s only his second year, I don’t think they’re going to make the playoffs this season, so I could see a scenario where they give him the whole year and then at the end of year two he’s ousted. But a year and a half behind the bench feels like it would be a little bit premature.

Next name I’ve got for you, Rick Bowness in Columbus. They are sitting dead at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, although if you sort by points percentage they are ahead of the Flyers. There was some noise around Bones earlier in the season, that maybe seems to have quieted off a little bit, but one through 10, how hot do you think Rick Bowness’ seat is?

Carter Hutton: I’m going to put him a little bit lower than I would put Blashill. I’m going to say four. It’s warm, but it’s just kind of medium. It’s kind of like when you’re cooking an egg. Nothing too crazy, you don’t want to rush it, you kind of just have to let it simmer a bit. Because I look at this lineup and I just don’t know if a coaching change really solves the situation of the way the team is structured and where they’re at. That’s my take with Rick Bowness. I think he drew a lot more eyes when he was coming out to the media and talking about the team and everything. I think that public accountability has put him more in the spotlight, but I don’t think he’s at a risk because of the situation he’s in. And his age, I just don’t think there’s a worry if it’s more grooming the assistant to come in and take over in Don Granato.

Tyler Yaremchuk: I’ll go low, too. I’ll say 3.5 out of 10 for Bowness, just because, for some of these teams, like if Dallas were to sputter, and there’s someone who I kind of threw out there at the beginning of the year, that’s a spot that is ripe for John Tortorella to slide in. You could look at some other contenders and go like “Alright, if they start to slip ans sputter, who is that big-name coach who could come in and give them a kick in the ass for the rest of the season. In Columbus, they’re obviously not going to do the Torts thing, but they’re not going to bring in that guy. It’s probably going to be a more forward thinking coach who they think can grow with them and be there for the next three to five seasons. For that reason, I would bet that Bones finds a way to survive the year.

You can catch the full discussion and the rest of Tuesday’s episode here…

Oilers’ Howard out week-to-week with lower-body injury

Tyler Kuehl — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 18:34:21 GMT

A young up-and-comer is going to miss an extended period of time.

When speaking to the media on Tuesday, Edmonton Oilers head coach Mike Babcock revealed that forward Isaac Howard is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Babcock noted that Howard is doing better and seems optimistic that he’ll return sooner rather than later.

“[Howard] is good,” Babcock said. “He’s going to be out a couple weeks, I think. But it’s nothing. It’s not a big deal.”

Howard was hurt during Saturday night’s game between the Oilers and the New York Islanders. Early in the first period, Islanders forward Emil Heineman delivered a knee-on-knee hit to Howard in the neutral zone.

Emil Heineman is assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing Isaac Howard.

Howard was helped off the ice and went down the tunnel. https://t.co/vywBRD2mbS

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 31, 2026

Howard needed assistance getting off the ice. He returned to the Edmonton locker room and was later ruled out for the rest of the game, logging just 30 seconds of ice time. Heineman was given a five-minute major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct.

For Howard, who has played in all but two games for the Oilers so far this season, he will miss at least the remainder of the team’s road trip out East, which concludes on Tuesday night against the New Jersey Devils. Edmonton returns home on Thursday, taking on the Anaheim Ducks, beginning a four-game homestand.

In just his second season with the Oilers, the 2025 Hobey Baker winner has produced a little bit on the offensive end. In 13 contests, he has scored a goal and three points, just a couple off matching his five-point performance from last season, where he dressed in 29 games.

The Oilers (11-2-2) sit atop the Pacific Division, four points ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights.

Hellebuyck has been as advertised for the Devils early on

Kyle Morton — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 18:30:00 GMT

The New Jersey Devils made a big splash in October when they landed the 2025 Hart Trophy-winning goalie Connor Hellebuyck in a blockbuster trade with the Winnipeg Jets to end the goalie’s holdout after requesting a trade during the offseason.

Hellebuyck didn’t need much practice time to be ready to make his debut with the Devils, either, as the Olympic gold medalist has made two starts with his new team, both wins, in which he’s posted a .923 save percentage and 1.50 goals against average.

Now, with Hellebuyck providing high level goaltending at least in the early going of his tenure, New Jersey looks like a real threat in the Eastern Conference.

On Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk and co-host and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton were joined by former NHL video coach Steve Peters to discuss the early returns on the new partnership between the Devils and the three-time Vezina Trophy winning goaltender.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Life’s good for Devils fans right now. They go get Connor Hellebuyck, he wins his first 2 games as a Devil, he’s not even facing a lot of rubber, and that’s almost where I want to start here, like, the early returns here, with how few chances he’s facing and how good he’s looked. It’s like, this might be a pretty nice little marriage.

Steve Peters: Yeah, it’s interesting, because when you get a guy like that in your locker room, it brings this sense of belief amongst everybody else. It shows that management is working and they believe in this team. And I tell you what, that does a lot for how you play in the game. And it showed in the 2 games he’s played, like, he really hasn’t faced that much work. What did he have? 19 saves and 21 shots against Vegas, 17 saves on 18 against Dallas. He’s given up 3, none were his fault, and he’s looked really sharp so far after having his worst career save percentage year a year ago.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode below…

Meet Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue, the elite 2028 NHL Draft duo everyone’s talking about

Steven Ellis — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Roughly 2,500 kilometers separate Regina, Saskatchewan, and Oakville, Ontario. But fans Ryan and June Hamilton made the trek. They couldn’t miss the opportunity to see their two favorite players, Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue, play for their country at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge.

“It’s not every day your favorite team is blessed with superstar talent,” Ryan said. “You’ve just got to soak it all in, no matter where they go.”

And superstars they are – already. The pair is considered by many scouts to be the top prospects for the 2028 NHL Draft after exploiting goalies at every level they’ve ever played at.

The duo has been joined at the hip for the past two years. Schultz was selected first overall by the Regina Pats at the 2025 WHL Draft, with Pue going two picks later. Since then, they’ve won silver at the 2025 U-17s, gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and obliterated goalies in the WHL.

But this week? They’re enemies, representing different Canadian squads, with only the potential to go head-to-head in the playoffs.

“It’s definitely a little weird being separated, having played with him for the last two years,” Pue said. “But I think it’s such a good opportunity for both of us to kind of lead our own teams and go through that individually.”

Stylistically, they’re quite different players, which helps. Schultz idolized Patrice Bergeron growing up for his two-way play – “He was always in the right spots defensively, never cheating.” Pue, meanwhile, tries to model his game after Auston Matthews – one of the greatest goal-scorers of his generation. Both players pay close attention to Macklin Celebrini and Connor McDavid, as expected.

The U-17 World Challenge is one of the first chances scouts outside of Western Canada get to see the pair up close. And many have wanted to see them separated. The sample size is small, but Schultz had a three-point debut against Czechia on Sunday, while Pue, surprisingly, is still seeking his first point through two games. Both are captaining their teams, too.

“They think the game at such a high level already,” one scout said. “Schultz is the brains behind so many of the great plays in Regina, while [Pue] is always in the right spot at the right time to finish them.”

The pair didn’t grow up playing together. Instead, they both belong to the same agency, Newport Sports Management, and got to know each other from some agency-run camps. They said they knew each other a little bit before the WHL Draft but realized something special was brewing when they got drafted to the same team.

WHLers get drafted a year earlier than OHLers and QMJHLers. That means they can only play partial seasons in the WHL after getting drafted before going full-time at 16. Schultz and Pue played 34 games each with Regina and another 21 in AAA. They combined for 108 points in AAA and another 45 in the Dub. It was remarkable stuff, given they kept bouncing between leagues and competition levels during a critical developmental year.

“Between the WHL and U-18 hockey, that’s a pretty big jump,” Pue said. “And you’re going through two different systems and coaches and stuff like that. So it was definitely a struggle for the most part. But I think once we kind of got the groove of things and were going every day, we got used to it.”

They’ve been absolutely electric in their first full year of WHL competition. Pue currently leads the team with 11 goals and 18 points in just 11 games, while Schultz has 14 points through 10 outings. They’ve been the best U-16 forwards in the CHL this year, both offensively and from an overall impact standpoint.

The fact that they were going through the same experience together helped their bond. When they got called back up to the big club, they skated together, primarily on the top line. They also spent significant time off the ice together, hanging out, playing golf – you know, the usual teenage hockey player hobbies.

“We’ve created a strong bond over the course of the last couple of years. I think playing together really helps with that,” Schultz said. “It translates on and off the ice. When we have a strong bond off the ice – we’ve roomed together a couple of times – then I think that translates to our chemistry on the ice.”

It’s rare to see two teammates get selected high together in the NHL Draft. The Sedin brothers are the obvious gold standard. There’s also the Terror Twins – Lucas Raymond and Alex Holtz – who both went high in 2020 (Raymond obviously gapped Holtz in the end). Other notable duos include Jack Quinn and Marco Rossi that same year; Matty Beniers and Kent Johnson went second and fifth, respectively, in 2021; and Will Smith and Ryan Leonard (and, eventually, Gabe Perreault) were among the top selections in 2023.

But Schultz and Pue are the projected top two prospects for 2028. We’ve only seen two high profile linemates go first and second like that once before. But you have to go all the way back to 1968 for that, when Réjean Houle and Marc Tardif were selected with the first two picks by Montreal. Nathan MacKinnon (first) and Jonathan Drouin (third) were the closest in the salary-cap era, dating back to 2013.

“He can really do it all,” Pue said. “He’s such a special player. He works so hard. You can’t say he’s bad at something, because he’s so good at everything.”

“He can really shoot that puck,” Schultz added. “It’s fun when you give it to him and he scores almost every time. He’s got a wicked scoring touch, and NHL teams are going to love that.”

The duo could also do something special: no Canadian has ever played in the U-17s and the World Juniors in the same year. But given their dominance in the WHL, and their unquestionable skill, they might be able to pull it off. From talking to scouts, many aren’t completely sure what type of role either of them would have. But given their WHL dominance and pure talent, they’ve got to be in the conversation, even in 13th/14th forward roles. That’s something Hockey Canada has been willing to try with younger players in the past – namely Gavin McKenna, Connor Bedard and Alexis Lafreniere.

“If I was building the team, they’d both be there,” said one OHL GM.

That decision is still a few weeks away. Neither has been told if they’re being invited to camp or not, but it’s easy to deduce that Hockey Canada is definitely evaluating the possibility up close at the U-17s. Regardless, the fact that they’re being considered for a team while going up against players with actual NHL experience shows you how dominant they are already. Right now, though, they’re both focused on leading their respective teams to gold in Oakville.

Scouts applaud the kids for being as grounded as they are. It’s easier said than done when you’ve got buildings chanting your name and anointing you as a future NHL superstar at just 15 years old. But through it all, they’ve lived up to expectations. The 2028 NHL Draft is still so far away, and so much can change.

But get your viewings in now. These kids look like the real deal.

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Recently by Steven Ellis

As first NHL stars of internet age reach twilight years, how has fame changed?

Arun Srinivasan — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 17:49:00 GMT

Kirill Marchenko stands at his locker with a bemused grin as a throng of reporters slowly make their way towards his stall at the Ford Performance Centre. Marchenko has been with the Toronto Maple Leafs for exactly one week, after being traded on the eve of the regular season from the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’s been readily available throughout the busiest seven days of his professional career, so why is he the subject of interest following a routine Monday practice? Alexander Ovechkin announced plans to retire after the season earlier this morning, and it naturally invites some contemplation on the NHL’s first stars of the internet era. Marchenko clues in and is ready to play ball.

“It’s our favorite player, especially Ovi and (Evgeni) Malkin,” Marchenko said with a smile on Oct. 5, when asked to speak about Ovechkin’s impact on him as a kid growing up in Russia. “You always go between these two guys, especially me when I was a kid. When I was a kid, I used the same curve, same stick, tried to do like, same yellow laces and just copy the style. It’s so nice.”

Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos and John Tavares are all prodigies that came of age during the internet’s revolution, the infancy of social media, and are now among the NHL’s elder statesmen. We knew that Ovechkin wasn’t going to play forever, but after 22 seasons in the league, it’s worth examining how the nature of fame has changed.

There’s another simple catalyst: Gavin McKenna is one of three first overall picks on the Maple Leafs, and all eyes have been on the 18-year-old’s every shift through the opening month of the season. How has the nature of fame changed for hockey prodigies, from Ovechkin’s time in the league, to the McKennaissance Era?

“I think you just want him to be himself,” Tavares told a small group of reporters, including Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin, at the NHL Player Media Tour in September. “There’s a reason why he is who he is and the position he’s in. So he doesn’t have to come in and look to change or do a number of different things. I think just come in and try to soak it in. You’re a rookie once in the NHL and have this amazing opportunity to just enjoy it, be driven, compete your ass off and have fun with it.

“You’re going to have a tremendous number of resources, influences, mentors, people within the organization, on the team, that are going to do everything they can to help you along the way. And there’s going to be ups and downs, but that’s part of the journey, part of the learning. And you get to live your dream. You’ve been thinking about this for as long as you can remember. You’ve really got to enjoy it and have fun with it. So I’m excited to be there along with him as a teammate and just remember what it was like for myself.”

____________________________________

Steven Stamkos was seemingly predestined for NHL fame. As legend has it, Stamkos was the first player in his age group to develop a potent slapshot, and he was considered a future first overall pick at 13 years old, while starring for the Markham Waxers in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association, before being selected first overall by the OHL’s Sarnia Sting. It’s quite possible I may have misremembered a small detail: Stamkos tells me he was not the MVP of the Quebec Pee-Wee Tournament, as I thought, but it’s true that he won the OHL Cup and countless other tournaments as a kid.

After having a few laughs and giving this reporter a chance to save face, Stamkos thoughtfully engages on how his experience may differ from McKenna’s, 18 years apart, on Oct. 6.

“I think it’s changed dramatically, especially when you come to a market like this,” he said. “I think that’s first and foremost. I don’t think many people knew who I was in Tampa when I got drafted. So a completely different set of circumstances. I think it starts there. And then obviously the game has grown so much, which is amazing. And you’ve seen the skill and how ready these kids are coming into the league now. It’s pretty remarkable. When you come to a place like this, it’s a pressure cooker, right? You know, I walked into our hotel last night and the TV was on in the hotel and it was all Maple Leafs, right? There’s not many cities you walk into and it’s like that. So that’s just the way it is here, and I’m sure he’s gonna do fine. I got a lot of nerves. You know, it’s a tough league, so it takes some time sometimes.”

Stamkos doesn’t know it yet, but later this evening, McKenna will register his first two NHL points, bringing the house down upon roofing a shot into the top corner past Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros. Although they’re competitors, Stamkos provides a generous assessment of the Leafs’ rookie sensation:

“That’s still how it goes for whether you play 20 years in this league. You go through rough patches, you get one, all of a sudden the confidence is there and you’re off and rolling. It’s going to come for him. He’s too good of a player. And I think he’s surrounded by too many good players and good veterans and all-stars and superstars in this league that are going to help him navigate especially what it’s like to play here.”

John Tavares was the best player in Ontario, playing almost two years up with the Toronto Marlboros in minor hockey, a team that sent six players to the NHL. Tavares was preternaturally gifted as a scorer in the slot and gained exceptional status into the Ontario Hockey League, where he went first overall to the OHL’s Oshawa Generals. Three years later, Tavares was a household name, as there were roaring evaluations of his on-ice prowess throughout the Greater Toronto Area for several years.

Nick Paul is now teammates with Tavares and remembers this phenomena well. Paul played in the Greater Toronto Hockey League with the Mississauga Senators and would often commute to Leafs games as a fan. Five years Tavares’ junior, Paul recaps his initial memories of him.

“I mean, you just knew he was something special,” Paul said to Daily Faceoff on Oct. 15. “Obviously with how he played and the numbers he put, especially in the OHL,, you just knew he was gonna be a special guy, special player. He’s just one of those guys, like, same as Connor McDavid, you just knew. It’s like, all right, lights up the GTHL, goes to OHL, does crazy numbers. He’s just one of those guys that has it.”

Paul also reflected on how the nature of hockey has changed, with players specializing in one sport, rather than excelling as multisport athletes. Although elite hockey has often been prohibitively unaffordable at times, there are other dimensions to the new nature of stardom.

“Social media is way crazier now than it was then,” Paul said. “The game’s obviously different. You know, back when I played, it was like, all right, like I said with John, you play lacrosse, you play soccer, you play football, you play hockey, and then when you get good enough at hockey, you just kind of take that and run with it. But now I feel like it’s just like, you don’t know these kids because they’re just hockey 24/7, camps, everything’s videotaped now. All the tournaments have cameras, all the games have cameras. It’s just a lot more serious now, I guess. It’s more professional at a younger age. With social media and everything, you get to see a lot of… there were more clips and everything like that. And I know when me and John played, if there was a video, it was on a camcorder, so it wasn’t really going anywhere.”

New York Rangers defenseman Sean Durzi also falls into this camp. Durzi has developed into a solid player for the Rangers, and the Mississauga native also recounts his initial memories of Tavares, ahead of an Oct. 22 contest in Toronto.

“I actually remember my first memory of him was I went to an OHL game,” Durzi said. “I saw him play for the (Oshawa) Generals. My parents took me with a few friends, and I remember they’re saying this new kid’s in town, you go see him. And we went to the game and it’s funny now, we’re friends. Now that we played with each other, I went to the Islanders camp when he was there way back in 2017. So he’s a great guy. Again, it’s someone I’ve looked up to, and that was my first memory, was seeing him at camp and just how well he took care of himself, how much of a professional he was. Someone I could look up to.”

Durzi’s teammate, Alexis Lafreniere, is amid a breakout in his own right, during his seventh season in the NHL. Lafreniere was preemptively labeled as a bust, but through the opening month of the season, he’s been one of the NHL’s premier forwards, while operating in the spotlight.

“They’ve both done a great job,” Durzi said of Tavares and Lafreniere. “Two pretty big markets that they both play in now, and just the way that they handle themselves as professionals every day. There’s not much more they could do.”

Owen Power wasn’t as highly touted as Stamkos and Tavares before him, but that’s immaterial in the long run. Power went wire-to-wire as the best prospect in his NHL draft year before being selected first overall by the Buffalo Sabres. Six years into his professional career, Power is taking the leap for the Sabres, utilizing the full arsenal of his vast skill set. Power defers any comparisons about his own experience, but he speaks to what McKenna may be experiencing in hockey-mad Toronto on Oct. 15.

“I think especially for him, summer like this, it’s pretty crazy,” Power said. “I bet he probably can’t really walk around anywhere. So, you know, it’s… I think just that for him, it’s going to be an adjustment and take a little bit to get used to. But he’s going to be fine.”

————————————————————————————————————————

We’re two decades removed from when Sidney Crosby’s feats at Shattuck St. Mary gained international attention before he tore up the QMJHL with the Rimouski Oceanic. Ovechkin and Crosby as a duopoly singlehandedly revamped interest in the NHL across the United States, while Stamkos, Tavares, Power and McKenna have all survived, and thrived, in the hyperpressured Canadian hockey media economy. The nature of 24-7 media presences is now innate in professional sports, but it wasn’t always a given. As Ovechkin basks in his retirement tour, we’re witnessing the dying embers of the NHL’s first internet age, all the more reason to appreciate the greatness in front of us in plain sight.

____

POST SPONSORED BY bet365

Flames might be playing too well right now

Kyle Morton — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 17:00:00 GMT

The Calgary Flames started the season with a four-game losing streak that saw them sink to a minus-19 goal differential while looking completely uncompetitive.

Since then, a team that entered the year tabbed as one of the favorites to finish with the worst record in the NHL and have the best odds at the number one overall pick in the 2027 NHL Draft next June has gone 7-4-0 and moved to just one point out of a playoff spot as solid goaltending and quality play from a defense deep with young talent has powered some surprising success.

On Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk and co-host and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed the Flames’ hot run as it relates to their interest in getting a top talent at the top of the draft this season.

Tyler Yaremchuk: One of the more surprising results last night—although if you were Carter Hutton and you nailed it in the betting segment, the Flames beating the San Jose Sharks last night. And there’s a couple different directions I want to go with this here, Hutts. The Flames, with that win, moved to within one point of a playoff spot. On one hand, you go, hey, you don’t want to be embarrassing. You can’t just go and get your teeth kicked in, even if you’re in sort of the rebuilding phase that the Flames are in. The other part of me goes, man, are the Flames doing exactly what they’ve done each of the last four years, where they’re going to be not good enough to get in the playoffs but too good to pick, you know, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd overall?

Carter Hutton: Yeah, that’s the concern, in my personal opinion, right? You look at this team and you look at Connor Zari being sent down, and what that said to this lineup and group. And Devin Cooley, you know, getting hot and getting injured and almost repelled Dustin Wolf, and they’re playing a great brand of hockey. If you’re a Calgary Flames fan, you start to think, okay, are we going to be one of these teams that’s in the mushy middle again, where we’re sitting in the 9th and 10th spot in the Western Conference, not making the playoffs, not getting any more out of it, and then not getting that pick? So it is a tricky landscape to manage when you’re trying to win hockey games and get better, but at the same, what cost to the future? The first team that comes to mind for me is the Toronto Maple Leafs, where you look at, they have one bad year and they win the lottery and they get Gavin McKenna, and now they’re right back in the hunt again? So there is the a different ways to, I guess, to skin the cat when you’re talking about rebuilding and working your way toward a Stanley Cup, right?

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode below…

Czechia won’t grant visas for Russian women’s team at upcoming U-18 tournament

Tyler Kuehl — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 15:06:41 GMT

A new wrinkle in the saga following an international court’s controversial decision.

After a cabinet meeting on Monday, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis announced that the country will not issue visas to Russian players seeking to compete in the upcoming IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship, set to take place in Ostrava from Jan. 8-16.

Babis cited the ongoing war in Ukraine as a major reason the country wouldn’t allow Russia to play in the event.

“It doesn’t make sense to me as long as the war in Ukraine continues,” Babis said in his translated remarks. “It would create the impression that war and killing are normal, which we reject.”

The announcement comes after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on Friday that the Russian Ice Hockey Federation can immediately participate in International Ice Hockey Federation tournaments, ending a ban instituted after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Babis added that he believes in the separation of politics and athletics, but the CAS’ decision waives that notion.

“I agree that politics should not interfere with sports, but this decision brings politics into it.”

In 2023, Czechia instituted a suspension of granting visas to Russian national teams. Interior Minister Lubomír Metnar mentioned that it will not change, regardless of the CAS verdict.

“The government regulation from 2023,” Metnar explained. “Which prohibits the granting of visas to Russian national teams, is still in force.”

Czechia’s firm stance on keeping Russia out of its country has been part of a massive wave of resistance from the IIHF and many hockey federations. The city of Turku, Finland, announced on Monday that it will not host the 2028 IIHF World Junior Championship if Russia is allowed to play. Czechia and Finland’s hockey federations, along with Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Latvia, have come out and said that they will refuse to play Russia in any international games.

Russia’s return to IIHF competition would be the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, set to take place in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. Hockey Canada released a statement last week, stating that it is disappointed with the CAS’ ruling, and that it will be in close contact with the IIHF regarding how to approach the World Juniors, which begins on Dec. 26.

If Russia is allowed to play at the Women’s U-18s, the lowest-ranked team heading into the tournament, Germany, would be removed to make way for Russia.

Finland, Sweden among nations refusing to play against Russia in international hockey tournaments

Steven Ellis — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 13:58:19 GMT

In a statement posted on the organization’s official website, the Finnish Ice Hockey Association said they have been in contact with other federations to prevent Russia from competing in international tournaments.

As part of the statement, the team announced they will not play Russia in any international games for the time being.

Jääkiekkoliitto käyttää kaikkia keinoja pitääkseen Venäjän ulkona MM-kisoista: https://t.co/pM8DsEzOOz #Leijonat pic.twitter.com/9MQyhvCqu8
— Leijonat.fi (@leijonat) November 2, 2026

On Tuesday, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Czechia and Latvia joined in saying they will not participate in any national teams games

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on Friday that the International Ice Hockey Federation was to allow Russia to participate in IIHF World Championship tournaments, starting with the 2027 World Junior Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer. Since then, various top-level countries have shared their disappointment in the decision.

pic.twitter.com/xUujuxxTAe
— LV Hokeja federācija (@lhf_lv) November 3, 2026

“We are currently gathering as many countries as possible to form a common front to tell the IIHF that none of us will play against Russia in this situation,” Finnish chairman Heikki Hietanen said in a translated statement. “This weighs significantly more heavily in the balance than the fact that we only announce the matter on our own behalf.”

According to the statement, the Finnish Ice Hockey Association board said they plan to keep “all possible means at its disposal to resolve the matter.” The IIHF board of directors met on Monday as part of a two-day meeting to discuss the issue.

“It is the IIHF’s responsibility to inform about the meeting once a decision has been made. I have naturally made Finland’s position on the matter clear and we will continue this work tomorrow,” Hietanen said.

“The Swedish position is crystal clear: Sweden will not play ice hockey matches against Russia given the current situation,” the Swedish association said in a translated statement.” This is not a boycott of the entire tournament; the refusal applies solely to matches against Russia.”

Norway will not play against Russia at the 2027 World Championship, based on the current situation and the information available today.

Read the full statement from the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association: pic.twitter.com/VM0EGIzRLK
— Norges Ishockeyforbund (@norskishockey) November 3, 2026

Russia has been banned from IIHF competition since the nation invaded Ukraine shortly after the 2022 Beijing Olympics, which saw Russian athletes play under the ‘Russian Olympic Committee’ banner. The country was banned along with Belarus, which supported Russia during the war.

However, in the last few months, the International Olympic Committee lifted its suspension of the ROC, while the IIHF has reinstated Belarus for the U-18 Men’s Worlds, the Division IV Women’s Worlds and the U-18 Division III Women’s Worlds. Notably, Russia and Belarus are able to participate in non-IIHF events, and frequently play in smaller national team events against each other.

‼️Česko nezůstane stranou, oficiálně se plánuje připojit k bojkotu Ruska příští týden.

Generální sekretář 🇨🇿 hokejového svazu Jan Černý dal pro iDNES jasné stanovisko:

"Aktuálně řešíme nejpalčivější téma, kterým je organizace lednového mistrovství světa žen do 18 let v… pic.twitter.com/jGwFiOMUvf
— Robert Rampa (@RampaRobert15) November 3, 2026

Which teams are the most intriguing trade fits for Nikita Kucherov?

Matt Larkin — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 13:37:00 GMT

Whoa. Despite the fact we’ve seen captains Quinn Hughes and Brady Tkachuk and superstar goaltender Connor Hellebuyck force their way off their teams, and ex-captain Dylan Larkin try to force his way off his team, in the past 10 months, the Nikita Kucherov trade request was a staggering haymaker when it dropped on Friday night.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have already established a precedent of treating the aging curve with cold calculation even if it means moving on from franchise legends, as they did Steven Stamkos in summer 2024. But this is Nikita friggin Kucherov, three-time scoring champion, two-time MVP, current reigning MVP and two-time Stanley Cup winner. The idea of the Lightning lowballing the 2027 UFA in contract talks is a surprise and, evidently, it has been quite the disappointment to him, too, though it was apparently less about the actual dollar figure. On Monday, speaking to reporters about the request for the first time, he indicated it was about “poor communication and respect” rather than money.

As sources close to the situation had previously indicated to Daily Faceoff before he spoke Monday, the request on Kucherov’s side comes entirely due to the clash with management, meaning GM Julien BriseBois, and has nothing to do with his teammates or coach Jon Cooper. That puts Kucherov in the unique situation of, unlike Larkin or Hellebuyck, still feeling comfortable competing with his current team. It also removes some of the urgency to get a trade done; it’s not like Kucherov is suspended without pay right now.

The Lightning have stated they have no intention of trading their superstar right winger, but anything I’ve been told suggests Kucherov is done as a Lightning player after this season and won’t re-sign in virtually any scenario. Knowing that so early in the season, does it mean BriseBois will consider exploring the trade market?

Kucherov, 33, has a 10-team list of teams to which he’d accept a trade. I’m hearing there’s no rush on his part to make a decision on where he’d like to play next, so we shouldn’t anticipate a trade particularly soon barring a drastic change in his desire to play for Tampa in the present. But if a trade does happen – keeping in mind we don’t know all 10 teams on Kucherov’s list – who would be the most intriguing and/or logical fits? Let’s spitball.

First, let’s address two of the destinations I’m not buying: the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. It was reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that Kucherov would be open to joining either club. But neither destination makes sense logistically. Both teams are loaded on the wings and have dire needs at other positions. The Habs need a center, not a winger. The Detroit Red Wings’ Larkin is their most logical trade target. The Leafs are also strong on the wings and desperately need a defenseman. If they chase anyone, it should be Detroit’s Simon Edvinsson. I suppose all 31 teams should kick tires when a future first-ballot Hall of Famer like Kucherov is available, but there are better fits than Montreal and Toronto.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Hawks would not check the “win now” box for Kucherov, though he’d obviously help them do a lot more winning…now. But Chicago would constitute a shift to a much bigger market for a player who has spent his career in relative obscurity. They’d offer a star center for Kucherov to play with in Connor Bedard. The Hawks, going nowhere in their rebuild, are getting desperate to accelerate their timeline, and Kucherov would undoubtedly help there. They also have the cap space to pay him whatever he wants; they’re sitting on more than $37 million for next season, according to our partners at PuckPedia. And the Hawks have the right mix of young NHL talent (i.e. Frank Nazar) and high-end prospects to potentially intrigue Tampa with an offer.

Dallas Stars

Hockey wise and cap wise, the Stars make a ton of sense to me. Why? Two words: Jason Robertson. Every contract negotiation so far in his career between him and Dallas’ top left winger has been tense, culminating in a disastrous, arbitration-avoiding one-year deal this past summer, walking him to 2027 unrestricted free agency. Robertson for Kucherov could work as a one-for-one swap; both players would be moving from one income-tax-free state to another. Both are elite first-liners. And, assuming extensions were involved, each would be a helluva get for the other side rather than losing a star for nothing next summer. Robertson, 27, would make the Lightning younger, whereas the Stars are far enough down their contention road that they might accept getting older if Kucherov could help push them over the hump to win a Stanley Cup.

New York Islanders

Islanders GM Mathieu Darche was BriseBois’ assistant GM with the Lightning, so their familiarity with each other could make a trade easier to execute. The Isles are building around 2025 No. 1 overall pick and budding superstar defenseman Matthew Schaefer but have been hesitant to go scorched-earth, preferring to compete in the present, as evidenced by their trade for Brayden Schenn last winter. Kucherov could seriously level up their roster. They also could have a piece that would help make the cap-hit exchange work and provide the Lightning with a talented if inferior replacement for Kucherov: Mathew Barzal. He has yet to suit up this season as he battles a chronic knee issue but, assuming he passed the physical, he could use a fresh start on a dynamic club like Tampa that might let him utilize his high-end speed and skill more.

San Jose Sharks

The Sharks check a lot of boxes. If Kucherov wants to play alongside a superstar, it wouldn’t get much better than forming a line with Macklin Celebrini, a finisher Kucherov could complement with his elite playmaking skills. The Sharks are also eager to exit their rebuild and start making the playoffs regularly, and a player of Kucherov’s caliber would drastically increase the odds of that happening. The Sharks have a litany of picks, prospects and young NHL players they could dangle to the Lightning if they’d be willing to take a short step backward to get better and younger later. Picture the 2024-25 Carolina Hurricanes punting on pending UFA Mikko Rantanen to secure Logan Stankoven and multiple first-round picks. Imagine if Tampa did the same for a package centered on Michael Misa, for instance.

Seattle Kraken

Just because the Kraken shouldn’t be lurching forward trying to contend doesn’t mean that isn’t what they’re doing. We know they tried hard to land Robertson from Dallas only for him to indicate he wouldn’t sign an extension in the Emerald City. Would Kucherov be willing to? Washington is another no-tax state, which would help, but the Kraken would represent a cross-continent move to another non-hockey market, and they wouldn’t offer an elite or even above-average supporting cast for him to work with. It’s tough to see the hockey fit, but I’m including the Kraken because it seems like they’d have interest given their pursuit of Robertson.

Utah Mammoth

The Mammoth are rich in assets. They have a depth chart layered with experienced veterans, solid players in their primes, emerging young stars and even high-upside prospects. That means, if they had interest in Kucherov, they’d have as many permutations as any team in the league to offer BriseBois, though the Mammoth, who are knocking on the door of Stanley Cup contention, would probably be most likely to dangle a prospect such as Tij Iginla or Caleb Desnoyers as the centerpiece of a trade. The Mammoth are already deep at forward, though. Are they better off chasing an upgrade over the struggling Karel Vejmelka in net?

Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights can never resist chasing the next shiny thing. They offer a no-tax environment, which would make the destination palatable for Kucherov’s wallet. We know GM Kelly McCrimmon is willing to sacrifice literally anyone to get what he wants. Could the Golden Knights offer up their emerging young forward Trevor Connelly alongside a veteran like Tomas Hertl to make the money work? It’s pretty much guaranteed that McCrimmon will check in on Kucherov if it hasn’t happened already.

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POST SPONSORED BY bet365

Recently by Matt Larkin

Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane to miss time with upper-body injury

Ryan Cuneo — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 04:35:24 GMT

The Chicago Blackhawks broke out their objectively snazzy “Hometown Remix” jerseys on Monday, but not much else went well during their 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Not only did the Blackhawks lose their third straight game, but winger and franchise legend Patrick Kane left in the second period with an upper-body injury. The team later confirmed that Kane would not return to the game.

Patrick Kane will not return to tonight's game.
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 3, 2026

After the loss, head coach Jeff Blashill revealed that Kane is expected to miss at least the next couple of games.

Jeff Blashill says Patrick Kane has an upper-body injury and will miss at least the next couple games.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) November 3, 2026

The exact cause of Kane’s injury is unclear, but he seemed to be laboring somewhat before heading to the dressing room.

Here are some of Patrick Kane's shifts from the second period before he left with an injury. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/Pv8LmXjt9v
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) November 3, 2026

Kane, 37, has a goal and eight assists for nine points in 14 games this season, putting him in a tie with center Connor Bedard for the team lead in scoring.

The Buffalo, New York native returned to Chicago this past offseason, signing a two-year, $16 million contract as an unrestricted free agent. He spent the last three years with the Detroit Red Wings, including last season when he notched 16 goals and 41 assists for 57 points in 67 games.

Selected first overall by the the Blackhawks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Kane played his first 15-plus NHL seasons in Chicago, winning three Stanley Cups, the 2013 Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, and the 2016 Hart Trophy as regular season MVP, among other accolades. He was also selected as one of the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players as part of the league’s centennial celebration in 2017.

Kane currently ranks second behind Stan Mikita on the Blackhawks’ all-time scoring leaderboard with 1,234 points.

This season has not gone according to plan for Chicago as of yet. The Blackhawks sit last in the Central Division with nine points through 15 games.

Chicago will kick off a three-game road trip against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday, before visiting the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday and the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

Hometown Remix Superlatives: The best, worst, and wildest of the NHL’s new uniforms

Mike Gould — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 04:21:00 GMT

After much anticipation (and many leaks), the NHL and Fanatics, its official uniform partner, finally unveiled the Hometown Remix line of speciality jerseys on Monday.

As a spiritual successor to the two Reverse Retro programs the league debuted in collaboration with Adidas in recent years, the Hometown Remix line allows each of the NHL’s 32 teams to introduce new designs with distinct ties to their city and hockey community.

It’s a fun exercise that gives hockey fans something to discuss (and, of course, argue about) in the early stages of the new season. Naturally, we here at Daily Faceoff have taken it upon ourselves to do just that.

We’ve assembled a star-studded panel of news writers and columnists to give out a handful of superlatives to the teams that stood out the most — both positively and negatively — with their Hometown Remix designs. I, Mike Gould, led the charge on this assignment, with my colleagues Steven Ellis, Scott Maxwell, Hunter Crowther, Tyler Kuehl, and Kyle Morton gamely taking part.

Without further ado, let’s start at the very top and work our way forth from there.

The Anaheim Ducks drew rave reviews from our panel for finally leaning into the design worn by their fictional counterparts in the 1990s. Photo courtesy Fanatics.

Which jersey looks the best?

Mike: I really like what the Washington Capitals put together. I’ve always been a sucker for the Caps’ late-1990s color scheme, and I think the light blue, bronze, and white look especially great with that jersey template and their Capitol Building logo. I also really dig the angular typeface they’re using for the nameplates and numbers. I think it’ll look fantastic on the ice. I also really like the Los Angeles Kings leaning fully into purple again, as well as the San Jose Sharks making an arm striping pattern out of shark teeth.

Tyler: If you don’t like the Ducks’ remixes…then clearly you don’t love hockey. We were happy when they brought back the Wild Wing logo a few years ago, but going all out with the green and gold from the first Mighty Ducks film absolutely checks all the boxes. Sure, they didn’t go all out with the District 5 logo, but seeing those jerseys in an NHL game will be something else.

Steven: I’m with Tyler – the Ducks jersey is wicked. I also love Los Angeles because purple is a highly underutilized jersey color. I still can’t believe the team with the purple and gold look decided to go with grey, black and white for their full-time digs. Brutal.

Kyle: I haven’t consumed quite enough discourse yet to know how hot of a take this is going to be, but I feel like it will be controversial when I say that I absolutely love these San Jose Sharks jerseys. This is an unserious concept as a whole, and including the gums and teeth on the sleeves is the exact correct amount of whimsy to throw into one of these looks. The teal is money in the bank to me every single time, and I like the “SJ” wordmark and this new version of the logo.

Scott: How has no one mentioned the Panthers yet? We’ll get to see a team wear a pink jersey in an NHL game for the first time ever (don’t fact-check me on that), and I think it’s awesome to see a team do something different. I’m also just a sucker for the Miami Vice colour aesthetic, so sign me up for that on a jersey.

I do agree with some of the other shoutouts… the green and gold Ducks jerseys and purple and gold Kings jerseys are also very nice. I’m not often a fan of the Penguins’ attempts at baby blue jerseys, but I really like how this one turned out.

Hunter: I hate to hop on the bandwagon, but the Ducks jerseys are the best of the group. I still can’t get over the idea of taking the sweater concept from a goddang Disney movie from the early ‘90s, which yes, was the inspiration of the movie itself, and making it work in 2026. Green is already an underutilized color in the league and to blend it with the purple and the iconic Ducks’ hockey mask … it’s the cream of the crop.

Which one looks the worst?

Mike: I truly have no idea what’s going on with that Tampa Bay Lightning jersey. What in the world does a skull have to do with the Lightning? You’re telling me it’s an homage to the Stadium Series jersey they wore … earlier this year? The lightning pattern on the arm looks alright — I guess — but everything else about it screams “first draft.”

Steven: What the heck was Montreal thinking there? I don’t love the all-white look, and I have a few of their white jerseys. I just wish the logo had some actual color there. I wish we got an updated version of the white alternate that they wore in the 2000s (the white version of the home jersey). That was my favorite growing up.

Kyle: There are a lot of contenders for the worst. Like Steven, I gave much consideration to Montreal here, but I’m going to land on another Canadian team and say Edmonton. Black jerseys are already overdone in the NHL, and it really grinds my gears when a team that has such a gorgeous, iconic look shoehorns a black jersey into its uniform mix for no reason. It’s one thing for teams with black in their color scheme like Ottawa, Carolina, Philadelphia, etc. to throw out maybe one too many black jerseys over the years, but the Oilers simply cannot be doing this.

Tyler: Kyle is onto something here. I know Montreal gets a lot of flak…but can I say how lazy the Oilers are here? Yes, the charcoal base gives those “Oil Country vibes,” but they literally look like they just took those bland navy blue and orange jerseys and changed the color ever so slightly. It feels like what the Islanders did when they just brought back their early 2000s sweaters during the Reverse Retro era. I would’ve done something with the oil-drip logo alternates they used to wear, but I’m just a simple hockey writer.

Hunter: How have none of you written “the Boston Bruins” as an answer? The brown and gold color scheme deserves to be in a toilet bowl instead of on a hockey rink. Even the most generous critics of the jerseys would call these a direct knockoff of Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres. The Cleveland Browns may be professional sport’s most unsuccessful team, but at least they knew how to make a brown jersey look respectable. In Boston, they’ve made it a laughing stock.

Mike: Call me crazy, but I kinda like what Montreal put together. The jersey itself doesn’t have a ton of color, but it’s going to be worn with red helmets and pants. In that sense, it sort of reminds me of the Detroit Red Wings’ 2021 Reverse Retro jerseys, which a lot of people clowned on but actually looked alright on the ice.

Scott: I agree Mike… agree with you giving me permission to call you crazy. I get that it’s tough for a team with one jersey in their history to do something different, but it looks like they started on it last minute, did the jersey design and forgot to colour it in.

That said, no jersey is worse than a boring one, and that’s what we got from the Rangers. Everyone knows that when it comes to jerseys, I hate the Rangers’ bland college hockey layout (seriously, they have a nice logo but don’t use it?) and the colour navy blue on a jersey, and they went and used both of them. Yawn. I feel like I’ve seen them churn out this jersey a million times before. When so many teams at least tried something new, the Rangers dropped the ball here.

The Calgary Flames worked numerous Saddledome tributes into their Hometown Remix jersey, which introduces gold to their color scheme for the first time. Photo courtesy Fanatics.

Which team did the most with the assignment?

Mike: I have to give a shoutout to my hometown Calgary Flames, who really met the assignment and then some with a Saddledome-inspired jersey. I absolutely love the inclusion of gold, a completely new color for this Flames team, and I think the Saddledome-shaped waist striping pattern is absolutely genius. If you’ve spent any length of time in that building, you’ll truly appreciate all the little touches they put into this jersey. I think they nailed it.

Kyle: Calgary. What Mike said. Honorable mention to Florida.

Steven: Calgary.

Tyler: As much as I want to be different…the Flames really nailed it. Sure, there were other teams who tried to tie things together, but a lot of them were just simple throwback colors.

Scott: I agree with the Flames sentiment, and also think the same with the Sabres, but I’ll give another surprise shoutout to the Predators. As much as I detest navy blue, it’s always been a part of Nashville’s colour scheme, and I thought they executed a navy blue look very well, especially by incorporating the gold logo and accents. I love an all black jersey with team colour flares (see Edmonton, Minnesota, Vancouver), and this is the navy blue version of that, so I can accept the use here. Winnipeg did the same thing, and I like theirs too, especially the way they fade the colours into each other.

Hunter: I’ll offer the Capitals as another option on the podium. Whoever decided to combine their black U.S. Capitol sweaters of the late ‘90s and early aughts with the blue color scheme from the early-to-mid ‘90s made a great choice.

Which team did the least?

Mike: You mean to tell me the New Jersey Devils haven’t already worn those jerseys before? They basically just looked like a color-swapped version of what they wore in the 2024 Stadium Series. They had such a cool opportunity to do something unique and instead delivered something completely derivative. At least Devils fans seem to like it. Dishonorable mention to the Chicago Blackhawks, whose new green jersey looks like something you might’ve seen on the NHLshop.com clearance page 15 years ago.

Steven: I know Detroit loves to play up the Hockeytown nickname, but it feels so cheesy here. But, more importantly, this just feels like they moved a few stripes around and called it day. I wish they did something more unique here.

Tyler: Dallas looks like they just decided to take those Monster Energy jerseys, but made them white. Also…look around Dallas and the mainland of Texas…what is green about Dallas? If you wanted to tie into the Hometown vibes, you’d have to have a little more Americana.

Kyle: Good answers from my colleagues here, but I’m going to go in a different direction and say Minnesota. I’m aware that there are sublimated celestial constellations here, but you’re not going to be able to see those on a broadcast. It’s just a black jersey with their normal logo in a different colorway, and it is frankly uncomfortable how much it looks like a Dallas jersey given the history there.

Hunter: Are we being serious with the Blackhawks sweaters? Did they think fans didn’t have to just google “Chicago Blackhawks St. Patrick’s Day jerseys” to see that they’ve done this before? I know we’ve got some lazy options among the 32 teams, but did any others just copy-and-paste theirs?

Scott: The point of the hometown remix jersey is to pay tribute to the local markets in one way or another. So then why are the Blue Jackets, a team named after and playing in a state that was on the Union side of the Civil War, going with Confederate uniform colours for their jersey? Talk about completely missing the point of your own brand. It’s like the people who unironically think “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen is a pro-patriotism song. If that isn’t missing the assignment, I don’t know what is.

Hunter: I mean, the Ohio Union soldiers did wear grey at the start of the war, but it did lead to massive confusion and the Ohio troops eventually switched to blue, hence the name “Blue Jackets.” Yeah, it’s unforgivable.

It’s Fisherman o’clock on Long Island, where the New York Islanders brought back their cult classic 1990s look in its full glory. Photo courtesy Fanatics.

Which jersey would you most like to wear yourself?

Mike: I wasn’t expecting to like that Philadelphia Flyers jersey as much as I do, but that color scheme actually looks really cool. Sure, maybe it’s a little muted, but I just think it looks sophisticated, and the Flyers’ black logo looks striking against a charcoal base. It’s the kind of jersey I’d feel good wearing overtop of a hoodie. I love the little homages to the Liberty Bell sprinkled throughout the design.

Steven: Get me a Kings goalie jersey, ASAP.

Kyle: Islanders, and it’s not even close.

Tyler: Fisherman Jack babyyyy!

Hunter: Quack … quack … QUACK … QUACK … *bangs table with clenched fists* QUACK QUACK QUACK

Scott: In a few weeks time, you can find me grinding Grand Theft Auto VI, cruising the streets of Vice City while sporting a pink Panthers jersey. Wait, Pink Panther??? Uh oh…

Which jersey would make the best alternate beyond this season?

Mike: I would be 0% shocked to see the Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers keep their jerseys around as alternates going forward. That Sabres jersey is unbelievably classy and I think it’ll look fantastic on the ice. As for the Panthers … this Miami Vice-style pink look just perfectly matches the swagger the team plays with, and they don’t currently have a full-time alternate jersey. Seems like this one is tailor-made to fill that void.

Steven: Can’t go wrong with Anaheim. As much I liked their black and orange look they had for a while, you can’t go wrong with one of the best logos in the game. I’m not huge into green jerseys, but I feel like this one is a true winner.

Tyler: I’m going to cheat and give you two…the Mammoth and Capitals. For one, Utah does kind of need a third jersey, and the simple ‘U’ and baby blue will tie in well with the fanbase. The Capitals work very well with the throwback outline and the U.S. Capitol logo…though I would’ve preferred to see the Screaming Eagle return.

Kyle: I think this is Anaheim for fairly obvious reasons. There’s been an identity crisis of sorts going on with their look since the initial rebrand in 2007. This harkens back to the movie franchise that granted the team its branding in the beginning, brings back a heavy purple element that is sorely lacking across the NHL uniform landscape, and has some cool local nods. As an honorable mention, I’ll say that I vastly prefer what the New York Rangers have done here to their current navy blue alternate.

Hunter: I know Anaheim and Florida are getting a lot of love from this chat and on social media, but the Blue Jackets’ cannon sweaters would be a nice alternate choice for down the road. The cannon is one of the few things Columbus fans have going for them this season, and having it centered on an off-white sweater is one of the best things to come out of there in years.*

*Maybe they can tweak the whole “grey sweaters and the Confederacy” thing?

Scott: I agree with Tyler on Utah, they need a third jersey and I like that they leaned into the baby blue colour this time (in my opinion, they should have done it last time). Alternatively, I think Vegas could also use theirs more since they no longer have a third jersey after going full-time with their previous thirds, the gold jersey. The casino-inspired look and new colour scheme could give it some staying power.

_____

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Recently by Mike Gould

PWHL Detroit’s Britta Curl-Salemme to miss 2026-27 after pregnancy announcement

Ben Steiner — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 02:27:03 GMT

PWHL Detroit will miss one of their star signings in the inaugural season after forward Britta Curl-Salemme announced her pregnancy and said she would miss the entire 2026-27 PWHL season on Monday.

Curl-Salemme posted her announcement on Instagram with her husband, Andrew Salemme, confirming she would miss the entire campaign, marking her first time away from the Minnesota Frost, where she spent her first two professional seasons.

Prior to her Instagram announcement, Curl-Salemme was left off the USA roster for the 2026 World Championship in Denmark. Fellow PWHL and USA star Kendall Coyne Schofield was also left off, but had previously announced her pregnancy and that she would miss the entire Minnesota Frost 2026-27 campaign, despite signing a contract extension in the summer.

Curl-Salemme finished third in PWHL points through the 2025-26 season, posting 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points across 30 regular-season games. She also helped push the USA to Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic gold, netting six points in seven games in Italy.

As part of the PWHL’s first four-team expansion process, she signed a three-year contract with PWHL Detroit, but will no longer play through the inaugural campaign. However, she will not surrender any earrings, as section 7.5 of the CBA protects players signed to Standard Player Agreements through pregnancy and maternity.

“We’ll certainly miss Britta in the lineup when we hit the ice for our inaugural season, but we’re so happy for her and Andrew, who are embarking on an exciting new chapter of their own,” Detroit general manager Manon Rheaume wrote in a team statement.

Congratulations to Britta and Andrew on the announcement of their pregnancy!

We can't wait to welcome the newest member of the PWHL Detroit family next year and wish Britta and her family a safe, healthy, and happy journey along the way! pic.twitter.com/UXm59mN4ca
— PWHL Detroit (@pwhl__detroit) November 2, 2026

Now forging ahead without one of their presumed cornerstone pieces, Detroit will look to find quick success in their first PWHL campaign, starting with an all-expansion opening night on Dec. 6 against PWHL Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena, before a home opener against the New York Sirens on Dec. 12.

Finnish city says they won’t host 2028 World Juniors if Russia allowed back in

Ryan Cuneo — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 21:42:48 GMT

In the wake of Friday’s ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) allowing the Russian Ice Hockey Federation to International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) tournaments, an upcoming host city has threatened to abdicate its role if Russia is allowed to participate.

The city of Turku, Finland announced on Monday that it plans to give up hosting of the 2027-28 IIHF World Junior Championships if the Russian national team is allowed into the tournament.

Turku, along with the Finnish city of Tampere, are scheduled to host the tournament from December 26, 2027 through January 5, 2028. In a statement released by the city, Turku hopes that the IIHF and the Finnish national government can come to a solution that prevents Russia participating in the tournament.

Piia Elo, Turku’s mayor, revealed that this decision has not been in made in tandem with Tampere.

Russia, along with Belarus, had been banned from IIHF sanctioned tournaments since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022. The CAS’s recent ruling means that Russia is now eligible to compete in the 2026-27 IIHF World Junior Championship, which is set to take place in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta beginning on December 26.

Following the CAS’s ruling, the IIHF released a statement expressing its disapproval of the ruling.

“The IIHF disagrees with this aspect of the ruling and maintains that its decisions were necessary to protect the safety and security of all participants and safeguard the integrity of its competitions,” the statement read. “While the IIHF respects the authority of CAS and will act in accordance with its ruling, the outcome does not remove the concerns that informed its assessments.”

If Russia does ultimately participate in the 2027-28 World Junior Championship, it is currently unkown where the games initially scheduled to take place in Turku would be played.

Could fumbling Kucherov situation cost BriseBois his job?

Hunter Crowther — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 21:00:00 GMT

The Tampa Bay Lightning are knee-deep in off-ice drama after it was reported forward Nikita Kucherov has requested a trade from the club.

While many have asked what kind of return the Lightning could get and how they should handle the situation, one angle that hasn’t been discussed is what could happen to Tampa Bay general manager Julien Brisebois, who faced a similar situation with former captain Steven Stamkos years earlier.

On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discuss the Kucherov situation and look at Brisebois’ recent history of trades and signings, and if he could be on the hot seat this summer.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Considering the fourth first-round exits, if Julien BriseBois fumbles this Nikita Kucherov situation, could he be a GM who is on the hot seat? Again, to kind of bring things into full circle on the show, I get that Brisebois wants to be the tough “line in the sand” GM.

He let Steven Stamkos, the face of the franchise, the captain of the team, he let him walk because he wasn’t going to pay him a dollar more than he thought was worth it. But I just think this is so different: You absolutely can’t let Nikita Kucherov walk for nothing in July, especially with the aging corps of your team.

At some point, you need to think: “How do we reimagine this current group?” I think moving on from Kucherov, I love the idea of getting some assets and trying to go get a piece like Dylan Larkin who is making $8.7 million, and now you have another $10 million or so to go get other assets, instead of giving that extra money to Kucherov.

I think Brisebois’ stubbornness is potentially going to hurt this franchise.

Carter Hutton: I agree, and I think this is a factor that he’s going to be judged on for his legacy. This is a guy who came in for Steve Yzerman, who kind of got handed the keys to the castle when they were winning … there’s been so many players that went into the Tanner Jeannot trade and other deals that have gone on. But the Lightning haven’t been able to get past the first round since 2022.

Tampa Bay has got that “free pass,” right? Do you not feel that way that we give teams a pass. I know we bring up the Stamkos deal, but Stamkos is still scoring and producing. It’s not like he went to the Nashville Predators and sucked. So Brisebois need to know that he’s going to be judged based on how he handles this.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…

Hockey Canada hires Dustin Schwartz as head of goaltending

Ryan Cuneo — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 20:56:15 GMT

It might be hyperbolic to say that Canadian goaltending is in a crisis, but the state of the position in Canada is certainly experiencing a slump.

Hockey Canada has recognized this, and are taking steps to make Canadian goaltending world class yet again. As first reported by The Athletic‘s James Mirtle, Hockey Canada has hired Dustin Schwartz as the organization’s first full-time head of goaltending.

Dustin Schwartz has been hired as head of goaltending, focusing on goaltending development in Canada and working with 🇨🇦’s national teams. 🥅

Dustin Schwartz a été embauché pour superviser le développement des gardiens et gardiennes de but à l’échelle locale et des équipes… pic.twitter.com/8h2Q9SUpq4
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) November 2, 2026

Schwartz, 47, served as the goaltending coach of the Edmonton Oilers for 11 seasons, from 2014-15 until 2024-25, making him the longest-serving goaltending coach in franchise history. He has also acted as a goaltending coach for the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL), along with the Spruce Grove Saints and Fort Saskatchewan Traders of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL).

In his new role with Hockey Canada, Schwartz will evaluate, select, and develop goaltenders within the program, and serve as the goaltending coach for several national teams starting in 2027. He will also help oversee various goaltending camps and initiatives. He will report to Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations.

In a statement released by Hockey Canada on Monday, Salmond expressed his enthusiasm for hiring Schwartz.

“Dustin’s success and experience with goaltenders in the NHL, internationally and in Major Junior hockey speak for themselves, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Hockey Canada to oversee our goaltending department,” Salmond said. “This is a critical position for our organization and our Members, and we will continue to seek innovative opportunities to advance our work to develop more goaltenders across Canada from the grassroots to our national team programs.”

Schwartz also shared his excitement about taking on this new role within Hockey Canada.

“It is an honour to be hired by Hockey Canada, and the expansive job description provides the opportunity to work in a multitude of different areas with the goal of enhancing and evolving the goaltending position under the Hockey Canada umbrella,” Schwartz said. “My passion for the game combined with the opportunity to focus on the development and growth of the goaltenders and coaches across the country is very special. This new goaltending program is designed to have a positive impact on goaltenders of the future and elite Canadian professionals at the highest level. Representing Canada has always been a privilege, and working with many of the top goaltenders, coaches and hockey minds in our country is an undertaking I am truly looking forward to.”

What We Learned in Week 5 of Fantasy Hockey

Michael Bondy — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 19:38:54 GMT

Streamers continue to be the difference between wins and losses, goalies are still voodoo, and owning Flames is suddenly a good thing? We’re now 34 days into the fantasy hockey season, and the surprises just keep coming. Here’s what we learned over the last seven days as we remind ourselves that it’s a long season filled with plenty of highs and lows.

THE GOOD

Flames Run Hot for the Perfect Stream

When “stream” and “flames” are used in the same sentence, it’s usually a bad sign, and you should probably call your doctor. Not in Week 5.

Entering the week, all four forwards on Calgary’s top power-play unit were rostered in fewer than 8% of leagues, and the Flames had the best streaming schedule in the NHL. If you were lucky enough to add Matt Coronato (6 points, 1 goal), Joel Farabee (6 points, 3 goals), Matvei Gridin (5 points, 2 GWG), or Morgan Frost (2 points, 1 goal), you likely gained a massive advantage in your Week 5 matchup.

Thompson and Gauthier Lead the Charge

Tage Thompson led the NHL in goals (5) and points (8) in Week 5 while finishing second in SOG (18), making him easily the most valuable fantasy forward over the last seven days. Thompson also joined nine other players in the double-digit goal club this season and continued to provide elite shot volume, leading the NHL with 4.5 SOG per game.

Cutter Gauthier wasn’t far behind, tying Thompson for the weekly lead in goals (5) while finishing as the only player ahead of him in SOG (19).

Kochetkov Gets Every Start and May Never Lose Again

Pyotr Kochetkov is a perfect 10-0-0, and Carolina’s crease officially belongs to him after he made his fourth consecutive start Sunday against Winnipeg. The 27-year-old is healthy and thriving, delivering another massive fantasy week for managers who grabbed him late in drafts (210.0 ADP) or off the waiver wire earlier this season.

His 26-save shutout Sunday was the cherry on top, likely securing goaltending categories for plenty of fantasy managers almost single-handedly. Kochetkov currently ranks among the NHL’s top five in all major goaltending categories, including first in wins (10), second in shutouts (2), third in GAA (1.49), and fourth in SV% (.929).

The Tristan Jarry Experience

With Devon Levi going down in Edmonton last week, there was understandable concern about Tristan Jarry taking over the Oilers’ crease. However, the veteran netminder stepped up in a massive way, recording back-to-back shutouts to close out Week 5. He finished the week with two wins, a 0.97 GAA, and a .957 SV% in three appearances.

Fantasy managers willing to gamble on Jarry, who was rostered in just 20% of Yahoo leagues entering the week, were rewarded handsomely. His performance likely won plenty of matchups in the goaltending categories almost single-handedly.

Even after his incredible week, the 31-year-old still owns a season SV% below .900 (.895), showing just how many highs and lows we’ve already seen from him this season.

THE BAD

Zero-Point Club Stays Spooky

With Week 5 coinciding with Halloween, there were plenty of ghosts around the NHL who failed to record a point and haunted their fantasy managers in the process. Dylan Guenther, Adrian Kempe, Sam Bennett, Tom Wilson, Alex Ovechkin, Tomas Hertl, and Ivar Stenberg were the seven players rostered in more than 50% of leagues who failed to register a point last week.

Larkin Dilemma Gets Dicey

Dylan Larkin was a top-100 pick (94.0 ADP) in fantasy drafts this season, making the recent news of Detroit’s internal suspension of its former captain even more frustrating. After recording just six points in his first 10 games, Larkin announced he would no longer dress for the team, leaving fantasy managers wondering what to do with the 12-year veteran.

With his second public dispute in the last few months, managers are now stuck deciding whether he’s worth holding onto as he continues to occupy a valuable bench spot. A trade could give his fantasy value a much-needed boost, but the longer he sits at home like the rest of us, the more concerning the situation becomes.

With trade and contract disputes already making Simon Edvinsson a non-factor in fantasy, it’s frustrating to see two situations like this unfolding in Detroit.

It Continues to Be Tough in Net

With the NHL’s average SV% (.891) sitting at its lowest mark since 1975-76, we’re watching established fantasy goaltenders destroy our numbers week after week, with no end in sight.

Over the last seven days, Stuart Skinner (.737 SV%), Philipp Grubauer (.778), Dan Vladar (.811), Lukas Dostal (.818), Clay Stevenson (.821), John Gibson (.824), Darcy Kuemper (.833), Sergei Bobrovsky (.837), Karel Vejmelka (.843), Leevi Merilainen (.851), and Andrei Vasilevskiy (.852) all posted an SV% below .855 while making at least two appearances.

Jets Lose Their Wings as Hellebuyck Departs

Winnipeg’s first week without star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck did not go according to plan. The Jets allowed a league-worst 5.75 goals against per game while finishing second-last in the NHL with just 1.75 goals per game.

It was a miserable week at both ends of the ice for Winnipeg, and things are already looking pretty cold out west despite winter still being more than a month away.

Carlsson, Gauthier finally living up to new contracts this season

Ben Steiner — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 19:30:00 GMT

The Anaheim Ducks have gotten off to a mixed start to the 2026-27 season, but the star duo of Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier looks like it may be emerging as a marquee pairing in the NHL.

On Sunday, Gauthier netted a hat-trick and Carlsson posted a trio of assists in a 6-3 beatdown over the Ottawa Senators on home ice to end a three-game homestand on a winning note before embarking on a three-game road trip.

On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, co-hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton tipped Carlsson and Gauthier as the duo of the weekend.

Tyler Yaremchuk: We’re going to go back out to Anaheim. We talked about them a little bit to close out last week, and you know what? They responded pretty well over the weekend. Specifically, their two big dogs, who again were a big part of our show last week. Three goals for Cutter Gauthier, three assists for Leo Carlsson in Anaheim with a nice bounce back on the backs of their star duo in a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators.

Carter Hutton: I think this is the factor of we challenged these guys. Not that they were listening to the show… or they they might be, whoho knows? They needed to step up and they needed to win. This came against a Senators team that is questioning who they are without Linus Ullmark. This was a big win in a statement game and now it’s going to be how you can continue on as the Anaheim Ducks, as these two leaders, as the frontrunners. They’re the guys now, right? They wanted the money, they got it. Now they’ve got to put it up, and they did it this weekend.

You can catch the full Ducks breakdown and the rest of Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE right here…

Leafs place Bo Groulx on waivers

Tyler Kuehl — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 19:18:28 GMT

An experienced center is expected to head back to the minors.

On Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Bo Groulx on waivers, making him available to the other 31 teams in the NHL.

Cleared

Groulx (TOR) on waivers

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 2, 2026

If Groulx clears waivers on Tuesday, he can be assigned to the Maple Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.

Groulx has been with the Leafs since the onset of the 2026-27 season, but has only played sparingly, having spent most of the first month as a healthy scratch. He was last in the lineup last Thursday, when Toronto fell to the Seattle Kraken, 5-4. In that contest, Groulx logged 6:23 of ice time, putting one shot on goal.

In seven appearances thus far, the 26-year-old has yet to register a point. He has a plus/minus of +1 while averaging a hair over eight minutes of ice time per game. The beginning of the new season comes after he played 13 games for the Leafs last year, his first NHL experience in two years, posting three goals and five points.

Groulx proved to be a key piece in the Marlies’ success last year. Along with scoring a career-high 28 goals and 52 points in 59 regular-season games, the Rouen, France native posted eight goals and 14 points in 23 playoff contests, helping the Marlies win the franchise’s second Calder Cup.

In 85 games in the NHL, Groulx has notched four goals and six assists for 10 points. He’s in the second season of a two-year contract, which he signed with the Leafs in July 2025. The one-way deal carries a cap hit of $812,500.

Only one player was put on waivers on Sunday: Washington Capitals defenseman Dylan McIlrath. He cleared on Monday and has been assigned to the Hershey Bears, the Capitals’ primary affiliate.