The New York Islanders take on the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, marking the first time forward Bo Horvat will play at Rogers Arena as a member of the away team.
"It's going to be an emotional night," Horvat told NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "I had a lot of great memories in Vancouver, so to revisit the city, it's going to be a little weird going into the visitors dressing room. But I had so many great memories there, it's going to be a fun night."
Horvat played the first nine seasons of his career in Vancouver, serving as the Canucks' captain for the final four. He was traded to the Islanders on Jan. 31 in exchange for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty, and a first-round pick, which was later flipped to the Detroit Red Wings in the Filip Hronek trade.
The Canucks' best run during Horvat's time with the team came during the 2020 playoff bubble. He tallied a team-high 10 goals in 17 games from the play-in against the Minnesota Wild through Game 7 of the second round versus the Vegas Golden Knights.
"We had some good years, but also had some dog days there with the rebuild and everything," Horvat said of his tenure in Vancouver. "There were a lot of great memories there, have some great friends, and I started my family there. It'll always hold a special place in my heart."
The trade to the Islanders was the first move of Horvat's career. He spent his entire OHL career with the London Knights and his NHL stint to that point exclusively with Vancouver, having been drafted by the Canucks ninth overall in 2013.
"You hear stories and different situations of guys getting traded, but until you actually go through it, it's a lot different," Horvat said. "You try not to let it (affect you), but when you're worrying about different other things such as your family and living and all that, it takes a toll on you."
Horvat signed an eight-year, $68-million contract extension with the Islanders less than a week after being traded.
"That was a big thing that I wanted was to be in one spot for a long time and not have to worry about what's going to happen next year or where the kids are going to school and all that kind of stuff," Horvat said. "And Long Island is just such a great family spot for us, and we love it so far and can't wait to spend another eight years here."
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic is out four-to-six weeks after sustaining a fractured ankle in Sunday's shootout loss against the New York Rangers, the team announced Monday.
Roslovic, 26, is tied for fourth on the Blue Jackets with eight points in 14 games. He played 16:16 on Sunday despite the injury.
With Roslovic placed on injured reserve, Columbus recalled top prospect David Jiricek from the AHL's Cleveland Monsters.
The 19-year-old has played 10 games with the Blue Jackets this season, tallying three points. Jiricek was drafted sixth overall by Columbus in 2022.
The Blue Jackets face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.
We're more than a month into the NHL season, which means it's time to look at early standouts from around the hockey world.
From multi-year pros who took a step in the summer to emerging draft day gems from this past June, here's a look at one prospect from every team's system that's impressing early in the 2023-24 season:
Anaheim Ducks
Yegor Sidorov is proving he was a worthwhile top-100 pick this summer despite being passed over in the 2022 draft. The Belarusian winger is making a mockery of WHL goaltenders with 15 goals, 24 points, and an insane 89 shots on goal in 16 games.
Arizona Coyotes
Conor Geekie's picked up the slack with Wenatchee Wild teammates Zach Benson and Matt Savoie making cameos in the NHL. The 19-year-old's showing why the Coyotes traded up to take him 11th overall in 2022 with 23 points through 15 games.Don't be surprised to see him as a top-six center with Team Canada at the world juniors.
Boston Bruins
Second-round picks aren't supposed to become important pieces on top NHL teams less than two years after being drafted. But that's exactly what Matt Poitras has done with seven points and legitimate top-nine usage thanks to his hockey IQ and work ethic.
A dash from Matthew Poitras extends the @NHLBruins lead! 💨
Jiri Kulich just keeps scoring goals. Coming off an excellent rookie season in the AHL as an 18-year-old, Kulich hasn't missed a beat in his sophomore campaign. He's racked up nine goals and 13 points to put himself on the cusp of the NHL.
Calgary Flames
Connor Zary's strong start - in conjunction with Calgary's early struggles - saw the 2020 first-rounder called to the big league in early November. After tallying 10 points in only six AHL games, the 22-year-old isn't wasting his NHL opportunity: He's got four points through five games with the Flames.
Carolina Hurricanes
There's been no regression for Alexander Nikishin after his breakout 2022-23 campaign. The 6-foot-4 defenseman is putting up huge totals with seven goals and 23 pointsthrough two and a half months, while his 24:13 per contest leads all KHL players. Nikishin's very likely the best defenseman not in the NHL - but the Hurricanes have to wait until 2025 to bring him to North America.
You already know all about Connor Bedard, so let's look elsewhere for the Blackhawks.
Adam Gajan - a breakout star at the world juniors last year with Slovakia - has been a workhorse with the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers early on. He has a .917 save percentage in a league-leading 13 games.
Colorado Avalanche
After missing all of October with an injury, Nikolai Kovalenko seamlessly returned to action last week. The 24-year-old is up to seven goals and 18 points through 14 KHL games ahead of his anticipated arrival in North America next season.
Columbus Blue Jackets
After back-to-back 100-point seasons in the QMJHL, it's not a shock to see Jordan Dumais putting up absurd totals upon his return to the Halifax Mooseheads. The 2022 third-rounder has 12 goals and 28 points...in only 11 games. A 150-point year is a legitimate possibility for Dumais, even with missed time.
Jordan Dumais hits 303 much to the chagrin of Angus Booth. Tell him Dumer.
Logan Stankoven dazzled with the WHL's Kamloops Blazers and the 2021 second-rounder is doing much of the same in the AHL. The 5-foot-8 forward has seven goals and 15 points in his first 12 pro games. It's only a matter of time before we see him donning a Stars jersey in an NHL debut.
Detroit Red Wings
A transfer to Michigan State has paid dividends for Red Savage. The 20-year-old has 14 points in 12 games with the Spartans - the same amount he had in 32 contests with the Miami RedHawks a year ago.
Edmonton Oilers
Raphael Lavoie made it abundantly clear he wants to be on the Oilers' roster, as he tallied four goals and seven points in five AHL games to earn a quick call-up. He'll look to break into Edmonton's bottom six in the coming games under new head coach Kris Knoblauch.
Jack Devine's looking like a quality snag in the 2022 seventh round for the Panthers. Coming off of a strong sophomore campaign at the University of Denver, Devine started 2023-24 with five straight multi-point performances and has 18 points through 10 games.
Los Angeles Kings
It should be no surprise that Brandt Clarke earned an early season NHL call-up. The 2021 eighth overall pick has seamlessly transitioned to the professional ranks, tallying 10 points in 12 AHL games and ranking third in shots on goal among blue-liners.
Minnesota Wild
Riley Heidt wasn't selected until the final pick of the 2023 second round despite scoring 97 points in the WHL at just 17 years old. He's letting teams know they made a mistake passing on him with 27 points in 16 games, and he's scored a point in every contest except for one.
Apparently, Lane Hutson got bored with racking up a bunch of assists. The electrifying blue-liner has goals in four straight, highlighted by a hat trick against North Dakota. With eight goals, Hutson's more than halfway to his tally from his freshman campaign in 30 fewer games.
Nashville Predators
Yaroslav Askarov doesn't have the same hype he once did as a former 11th overall pick, but he remains one of hockey's elite goaltending prospects. He's figuring out the North American game with a sparkling .935 save percentage in five starts to commence his sophomore AHL campaign.
New Jersey Devils
The Devils have an embarrassment of riches on the back end - and Seamus Casey will add to it before long. The 2022 second-rounder is flourishing at the University of Michigan with added offensive opportunities since Luke Hughes' NHL promotion, registering 18 points through the opening 12 contests to lead all NCAA defenders.
Justin Gill's building on the breakout 2022-23 campaign that made him an Islanders fifth-round pick in the summer. The 20-year-old leads the QMJHL with 35 points in 19 games in his final year of junior eligibility.
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers always seem to have a goaltender on the cusp of the NHL. Dylan Garand has carried the momentum from a strong AHL postseason into the new campaign, sporting a .927 save percentage through seven starts.
Ottawa Senators
Maxence Guenette is making a case to receive NHL minutes. The 22-year-old rearguard has 10 points in 11 games with the AHL's Belleville Senators after assisting on both goals in the team's 2-1 overtime win on Sunday.
Philadelphia Flyers
Early concerns about Matvei Michkov's lack of ice time in the KHL have subsided since he was loaned back to HC Sochi. The 2023 seventh overall pick is playing 16:59 per night with Sochi and has registered 20 points in 22 games.That's a hugely positive development for the Flyers.
The Penguins used a top-15 pick on Brayden Yager this summer, anticipating that his goal-scoring dip was an anomaly. That's proving to be correct early on this season, as the Saskatoon native has 11 goals and 24 points in 17 WHL contests.
San Jose Sharks
Kasper Halttunen's elite shot made him an early second-round pick this summer. It's been on full display with the London Knights, as the Finnish sniper has 14 goals and 72 shots in his first 18 OHL games.
Seattle Kraken
A dominant WHL postseason from Jagger Firkus has carried into the 2023-24 campaign. The 2022 second-rounder has 18 goals and 35 points in 18 games to lead the league in scoring. He has as many hat tricks (two) as he has games without a point.
The Blues took Juraj Pekarcik in the top 100 of this past draft after his exceptional showing at the Under-18 tournament with Slovakia. He's made it look like a quality selection with his early performance in the USHL, where he has 18 points in 14 contests in his maiden campaign in North America.
Tampa Bay Lightning
2022 first-round pick Isaac Howard lit up the junior ranks with the National Team Development Program but disappointed in his first collegiate campaign with Minnesota-Duluth. A transfer to Michigan State revitalized the young talent, who has 15 points through 12 contests with the Spartans.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Easton Cowan exceeded all expectations with a superb preseason performance with the Maple Leafs and carried that momentum to the OHL. His tenacity has made for multiple highlight-reel plays on the penalty kill. So much for being a questionable first-round pick - the Strathroy, Ontario native has a whopping 24 points in 13 games.
The OHL's Kitchener Rangers are off to a flying start offensively - and Canucks 2023 third-rounder Hunter Brzustewicz is a big part of it. He has five goals, 32 points - making him the league leader among defenders - and is a plus-12 in only 19 contests.
Vegas Golden Knights
Arttu Karki's booming shot made him an intriguing third-round pick by the Golden Knights in June. Making the move to the OHL from Finland, he ranks third in the entire league with 14 goals through 19 games. Oh, and he's a defenseman, by the way.
Washington Capitals
Andrew Cristall remains an absurd scorer at the junior level. The 2022 second-rounder has 11 goals and 31 points through 16 WHL games. Assuming he stays healthy, he'll fly past the 100-point mark with the Kelowna Rockets.
Andrew Cristall told us earlier this week his secret agent code name would be Beyonce, he definitely has Queen Bey worthy moves. #ALLCAPSpic.twitter.com/PhlpQW66Gi
The Brad Lambert who was once thought to be a contender for first overall in the 2022 draft is beginning to reappear. After decimating the WHL in the second half of last season, Lambert started the 2023-24 campaign on a seven-game point streak upon his return to the AHL.
Minnesota Wild forward Brandon Duhaime received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley in the team's 8-3 loss on Sunday.
The incident occurred with 1:46 remaining in the second period.
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) November 13, 2023
Harley was bloodied on the play. He left the contest and didn't return in the third frame.
Jason Robertson scored twice on the extended power-play opportunity.
Duhaime hasn't received supplemental discipline in his career. The NHL Department of Player Safety opted not to suspend him in October 2021 after he was assessed a major penalty for cross-checking Colorado Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram.
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz won't play in the 2023-24 season due to a lower-body injury, the team announced Sunday.
Francouz underwent adductor surgery in the offseason and has not played a game since. The 33-year-old is in the final year of a contract with a $2-million cap hit.
The Czechia native played 16 games for the Avalanche last season, posting an 8-7-1 record with a .915 save percentage.
Across parts of four NHL seasons, all with Colorado, Francouz holds a 44-21-6 record and a career .919 SV% in 73 contests.
The Avalanche claimed Ivan Prosvetov off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes before the start of the campaign amid concerns over Francouz's health. The 24-year-old has appeared in four games with the Avalanche and has a .899 SV%.
Starter Alexandar Georgiev has struggled of late, allowing three or more goals in each of his last seven games. He has a .887 SV% in 11 appearances this season after impressing with a .919 SV% in 62 contests a year ago.
The Avalanche are second in the Pacific Division with an 8-5-0 record.
Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe didn't mince words after his team's 6-3 loss on home ice against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.
"We've got to pull together here to keep pucks out of our net," Keefe said, according to The Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan. "It's out of control."
The Maple Leafs have given up 47 goals in 13 games - the third most league-wide. They've allowed at least three goals in 10 of 13 contests this season.
"We sit in here, and we celebrate guys who score big numbers and score a ton and all that kind of stuff," Keefe said, according to Koshan. "We don't talk enough about what we give up. That's the reality. We've got to prioritize keeping the puck out of our net."
Keefe described his level of concern over the defensive play as "very high," per Koshan.
"Some of it is individual, some of it is collective within the structure," the head coach said. "Some of it is just being committed to it, you know?"
Free-agent signing John Klingberg has been a focal point of the Maple Leafs' defensive struggles. The blue-liner was on the ice for another four goals against at five-on-five against the Senators, dropping him to a minus-8 on the year. Recent recall William Lagesson replaced him on the second pairing in the third period.
The Seattle Kraken recalled forwards Shane Wright and Ryan Winterton from the AHL's Coachella Valley Firebirds on Wednesday.
Wright was drafted fourth overall by the Kraken in 2022. He received an exemption from the NHL-CHL agreement to be eligible to play in the AHL this season despite being a 2004-born player. Wright has four goals and six points in seven contests to commence the AHL campaign.
The Burlington, Ontario, native split the 2022-23 season between the NHL, AHL, OHL, and world juniors.
Winterton, 20, began his professional career in October after a four-year OHL career with the Hamilton Bulldogs and London Knights. The 2021 third-round pick has three goals and five points in seven games with Coachella Valley.
The Kraken face the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry exited Tuesday's 2-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks due to an injury after a hard collision with forward Adam Henrique.
Jarry was replaced by Magnus Hellberg late in the second period and didn't return for the third frame.
Tristan Jarry has gone to the dressing room following this collision with Adam Henrique. pic.twitter.com/KalVNDaVYF
Jarry was bloodied with a cut above his right eye. He stopped all 21 shots he faced prior to his exit. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said Wednesday that the netminder is day-to-day, according to team beat reporter Michelle Crechiolo.
Hellberg made 11 stops during Tuesday's win as he and Jarry combined to complete the shutout.
The victory for Pittsburgh snapped a six-game winning streak for the Ducks, which included a remarkable comeback against the Penguins just over a week ago.
The 28-year-old had a .897 save percentage in eight contests entering Tuesday's game. He's in the first season of a five-year, $26.9-million pact signed in July.
The Carolina Hurricanes signed veteran goaltender Jaroslav Halak to a professional tryout, the team announced Monday.
Halak, 38, played 25 games with the New York Rangers a season ago, posting a .903 save percentage and a 2.72 goals against average as Igor Shesterkin's backup.
The team also announced that Frederik Andersen is dealing with a medical issue and is undergoing further evaluation.
Andersen missed two contests in October after taking a shot off the mask against the San Jose Sharks. The 34-year-old sports an .894 save percentage and a 4-1-0 record through six appearances this season.
The Hurricanes have Antti Raanta available on the NHL roster, as well as Pyotr Kochetkov as an option in the minors. Kochetkov is on loan to the AHL's Syracuse Crunch.
Both netminders have struggled in the early going. Raanta has an .870 save percentage in five games, while Kochetkov has an .836 save percentage in three contests.
The Hurricanes face the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.
Forward Kent Johnson has no hard feelings after the Columbus Blue Jackets demoted their young prospect to the AHL's Cleveland Monsters on Friday.
"I think (the Blue Jackets) did a good job communicating," Johnson told The Hockey Writers' Mark Scheig following the Monsters' win Saturday. "I know I'm an important part of this franchise, and I'm gonna keep working."
The Blue Jackets sent Johnson to the minors after he tallied one goal and three points in eight games and sat as a healthy scratch for a pair of contests this season. Johnson recorded 16 goals and 40 points as a rookie last campaign.
The 2021 fifth overall pick called the demotion "difficult" and said his familiarity with players on the Monsters has made his transition to the minors smoother, per Scheig.
"I got a lot of buddies on the team. I know 'em all from camp. They're really good guys," Johnson told reporters, including AHL News Now's Deana Weinheimer. "Right when I got back to the room, it was fun catching up with them. It's a great group."
He added: "If I wasn't so tight with these guys, it would suck. So it's definitely really helpful."
Johnson has three assists through two contests with Cleveland. The British Columbia native hadn't played an AHL game prior to being sent down this week.
"I really believe in myself," Johnson said. "I think I'll be fine."