NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Robby Fabbri was always hopeful to return when it all began but wasn’t sure if it would happen.

But there he was, wearing the Bluenote again after the St. Louis Blues selected the forward with their first-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft.

“When you leave, you never think you’re going to go back, right,” Fabbri said. “But I loved my time here, a lot of memories here, so just very excited to be back. I know my family is as well.”

The 29-year-old, who was just a baby-faced kid when he was here his first stint that ended with a trade to the Detroit Red Wings in 2019, was smiling from ear-to-ear in the locker room after a morning skate Thursday prior to the Blues (11-13-7) facing the Nashville Predators (11-14-4) at 7 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM). Fabbri will be in the lineup, playing on a third line with Pius Suter and Dalibor Dvorsky, with a feeling like no other.

“It’s going to be a long time,” Fabbri said. “You get that feeling when I’ve come back from my injuries (two major knee injuries in St. Louis) and a lot of things like that. This last little bit adversity-wise has been pretty up there, pretty tough compared to some injuries and stuff like that. To get back out here and to do it in a Blue Note again is going to be really exciting.”

Fabbri signed a one-year, two-way contract that will pay him $775,000 NHL, $300,000 AHL on Wednesday after playing three games with Charlotte of the American Hockey League with the Blues down five forwards (Jimmy Smuggerud, Jordan Kyrou, Nick Bjugstad, Nathan Walker and Alexey Toropchenko) due to various injuries.

“It kind of just worked out pretty quick,” Fabbri said. “I was in Charlotte playing some games and some injuries were happening over here, but they were watching some games and it kind of just came about early in the week and we just finished it up. I’m glad it was quick and I’m glad it was here.”

It was a difficult summer for Fabbri, who was playing for a contract for the first time since he was drafted. Stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Florida Panthers on professional tryouts yielded no contract.

“My injuries have kind of prepped me for adversity like this,” Fabbri said. ‘This is obviously a different type of adversity. Any free agent loves to sign on July 1st and be done with it. That’s just now how it went for me, but at the end of the day, I’ve done it my whole career. I’ve had to come back and prove myself after every injury and after anything that’s ever happened. I think I’m prepped to do that. I’ve prepared to do that unintentionally my whole career. It was a difficult summer, but I just had my second daughter (Sophia) two weeks ago. So that distraction and my two-year-old right now (Mara), family means the most always. I’m just thankful for my wife and for them to be there for this.”

The transition should be seamless, considering Fabbri was part – albeit a smaller role at the time – of the Stanley Cup-winning Blues in 2019, and will play with teammates Brayden Schenn, Robert Thomas, Oskar Sundqvist, Colton Parayko and Jordan Binnington, as well as coaches Steve Ott and David Alexander on that roster.

“He knows enough guys in this room, including trainers and coaches,” Schenn said. “He’s going to come here, I know he’s super excited to be here. He always wanted to come back here and have another crack at it. We’re excited to have him back and he’s equally, if not more excited, to be wearing a Bluenote again.

“I talked to him this morning on the way to the rink and it’s seamless. You go into a new team and you don’t know anyone or not many people here you know, but he feels right back at home again. When you have that mentality and mindset, the adjustment period isn’t as long and he’ll be able to hopefully come right in and make an impact for us. Just a great guy to be around too. He brings a lot of energy, will have a voice in the room, he’s not afraid to talk.”

Fabbri is now obviously more mature and a wiser player than his first stint in St. Louis.

“I’ve obviously grown up off the ice, but I think my game’s matured, just positionally and everything like that over the years, even with experience, learning the right way to play,” Fabbri said. “I probably had a little junior still in me when I was here in St. Louis early on. But I think my game’s matured a lot, being able to play on both sides of the puck, penalty kill, power play, all those types of things has evolved over the years.”

Blues coach Jim Montgomery said on Wednesday Fabbri would be in the lineup, and his decision to start him playing with Suter and Dvorsky was almost a no-brainer.

“This guy has over 100 goals, has been known as an offensive player for a long time, so his speed, his smarts his tenacity in and around the net, his ability to finish should complement those two guys well,” Montgomery said.

Fabbri, who has 216 points (106 goals, 110 assists) in 442 NHL games, wore No. 15 when he was first with the Blues, then No. 14 with the Red Wings and last season when he played for the Anaheim Ducks, No. 13. He’ll wear No. 9 this time around with the Blues.

“I wore nine in junior,” Fabbri said before joking, “This is kind of just a fresh start, a new era of myself. Some guy by the name of Steve Ott had nine when I came in my first year, so that was kind of taken early on. I just wanted to kind of change it up and get a fresh start over here.”

A fresh start and a fresh perspective.

“The transition is kind of seamless from the staff to the players, just a lot of familiar faces,” fabbri said. “It makes it easy for any player to come into a locker room. It’s just exciting to get back to work with these guys that you won a championship with.”

- - -

The Blues will be going back to some familiar faces on Thursday on their blue line.

Montgomery is reuniting Cam Fowler with Parayko and Philip Broberg and Justin Faulk as the top four once again, a quartet that was instrumental in the team’s success last season that fueled their run to the playoffs.

“Really, it’s just the familiarity like last year,” Montgomery said. “We were at our best when the pairings were like that. That’s a little bit of it, and it feels like our D-corps got a little stale in the last game, so just giving them a new outlook. You’ve got a different partner, maybe you get excited again, just fresh energy.”

And some of those things that need to look different that were detriments on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins?

“Our D-zone coverage, stopping in the D-zone, boxing out at the net front,” Montgomery said. ‘We didn’t do a good enough job last game, our habits got away from us. And then conversely playing to the goal line and being ready and having that mentality that, ‘we’re going to play the right way for 60 minutes and grind out a one-goal win.’”

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Jake Neighbours-Robert Thomas-Pavel Buchnevich

Dylan Holloway-Brayden Schenn-Mathieu Joseph

Pius Suter-Dalibor Dvorsky-Robby Fabbri

Hugh McGing-Oskar Sundqvist-Aleksanteri Kaskimaki

Cam Fowler-Colton Parayko

Philip Broberg-Justin Faulk

Tyler Tucker-Logan Mailloux

Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Matt Luff and Matthew Kessel. Jordan Kyrou (lower body), Jimmy Snuggerud (wrist), Alexey Toropchenko (leg burns), Nathan Walker (upper body) and Nick Bjugstad (upper body) are all out.

- - -

Predators Projected Lineup:

Steven Stamkos-Ryan O’Reilly-Luke Evangelista

Filip Forsberg-Fedor Svechkov-Matthew Wood

Michael Bunting-Erik Haula-Jonathan Marchessault

Reid Schaefer-Michael McCarron

Nicolas Hague-Roman Josi

Brady Skjei-Nick Perbix

Spencer Stastney-Nick Blankenburg

Adam Wilsby

Juuse Saros will start in goal; Justus Annunen will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Tyson Jost. Ozzy Wiesblatt (upper body), Cole Smith (lower body) and Justin Barron (lower body) are out.

Blues Make Official Signing of Dillon Dube To AHL Professional TryoutThe forward was one of five players from Canada's 2018 World Junior team charged with sexual assault from an incident in June of 2018, acquitted earlier this year

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Who'd have thought that a contingency waiver claim could stake a claim as the potential number one netminder on a perennial contender, while making NHL history at the same time?

It sounds crazy, but that's exactly what Brandon Bussi is doing for the Carolina Hurricanes.

The 27-year-old netminder has seized the opportunity presented to him and he's seemingly cemented himself as the Canes' number one netminder.

To start his NHL career, Bussi has a 0.909 save percentage, one shutout and an 9-1-0 record, becoming just the fifth goaltenders in NHL history to record nine wins within their first 10 career starts (Igor Shesterkin, Frederik Andersen, Bob Froese, Frank Brimsek).

And he'll be getting the chance to do something only one other netminder in NHL history has done tonight as he is set for start number 11.

Bussi will be getting the chance to join Bob Froese as the only other goalie in NHL history to win 10 wins in his first 11 starts (Froese started his career 12-0-1) on Thursday night against the Washington Capitals, the second time he's started in consecutive games so far this season.

"I don't think we envisioned him going in an every-day rotation or a back-to-back, but he's earned that," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour Thursday morning.

You'd think that an NHL rookie would be a little caught up in the emotions of everything that's gone on along the way, but if you asked the 27-year-old netminder if this stretch or the moments within it have even felt surreal, you'd probably be fairly surprised by his blasé attitude.

"My job is to stop the puck as much as I can and I just take it day-by-day," Bussi said. "It feels good to get wins. Our team's been playing really well in most of these wins if not all of them, so it feels good. Gonna try and keep it going.

"He doesn't get shaken," said teammate Seth Jarvis. "I think obviously the position he was in coming in, a bad goal or something could have ruined his confidence, but I think he's incredibly confident in himself and knows that. And for us, knowing we have a guy back there that makes timely saves and will bail us out when need be is huge."

Hurricanes Goalie Brandon Bussi Unveils New MaskHurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi debuts a custom mask, a vibrant tribute to autism awareness and personal family connection, featuring unique artistry.

Bussi is writing quite the story in Carolina and it's only been getting better and better.

It's gone from a feel good story of a rookie doing well, to actually looking like a potentially game-changing acquisition for the Hurricanes.

"It doesn't matter if you're 22 or 26, especially when you're a goalie," said teammate Taylor Hall. "There's no direct path to being what you are and when you're big and athletic like he is in the net, you just need to keep going. I think he's only going to get better and better."

The 6-foot-4, New York native has positioned himself as the top netminder not only for the Hurricanes but currently in the league as well.

And it isn't like Bussi has been insulated by the Canes' play either. Sure, he's not facing 30 shots a night, but the saves that he's being asked to make are shorthanded breakaways, 2-on-1s, and overall just multiple high-danger chances game after game and he's been absolutely incredible.

"That's what goaltending's really about," Brind'Amour said. "If you can make the saves at crucial times, that's what I think goaltending is really about. You're supposed to make the ones you're supposed to make and make a couple that you're not supposed to make, but when you make them, I think, is real important too."

Bussi is currently leading the Canes in goals saved above expected (7.5) according to moneypuck.com and is actually leading the entire league in high-danger save percentage (0.888) according to NHL Edge.

"He's been great for us," Brind'Amour said. "He's come up with the timely saves and that's how I sum it up. Because it's not like we've bene leaving him out to dry or giving up 40 shots a night. It's not that, but if there's a breakaway here or there all of a sudden, those are huge moments in tight games and every game, you could kind of say the same story. Timely saves that allow us to have a chance. That's what you ask of him."

While essentially an unknown to the league and the greater hockey world when he made his NHL debut, Bussi wasn't just a random claim by the Hurricanes.

The Western Michigan University product went undrafted out of college, but a strong three seasons with the Providence Bruins put him on the Hurricanes' radar.

His name kept coming up in organizational meetings during the summer and he was a player that the team knew they'd want to keep an eye on.

"He was somebody I identified in the summertime," said Hurricanes goaltending coach Paul Schonfelder. "He obviously ended up signing in Florida, but he was somebody who was on my list of people to go after. I had him down as somebody who, he obviously played down in the American league for three years, but was ready to make that jump to the NHL."

And as fate would have it, a chance came on the waiver wire and the rest is history.

"The hockey world can be crazy at times," Bussi recalls.

From one of the hundreds of players hoping and praying for the chance to prove their mettle, to standing on the verge of making NHL history in just a few months.

"I think they know who he is now," Jarvis said. "He's been electric. He's the best guy. No one I'm happier for."

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The Philadelphia Flyers are in the final legs of their home-heavy December schedule, with a matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights tonight. 

For the second straight game, Philadelphia will roll out the same group that brought home a 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks, giving head coach Rick Tocchet some more in-game views of guys like Nikita Grebenkin, Carl Grundstrom, and Ty Murchison, who all fared quite well in Tuesday night’s game.

And with the Golden Knights in town, every detail matters.

1. Dan Vladar Stars In Net.

Dan Vladar starts against the Golden Knights, making it clear the Flyers want to keep him in rhythm. 

Lineup update for #VGKvsPHI: Goaltender Dan Vladar gets the start in net. pic.twitter.com/nPNvBIr25r

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) December 11, 2025

His recent outings have featured calm movement, efficient positioning, and—maybe most importantly—a growing sense of predictability for the players in front of him. They know what mistakes he can erase and what situations they can’t leave him exposed to.

Vegas is a stylistically different challenge from San Jose. They funnel pucks from the points, crash for second chances, and rarely attack in straight lines. Vladar’s game thrives when he’s reading the first shot cleanly; Vegas will test whether he can manage the second and third.

2. No Lineup Changes Against Vegas.

Rick Tocchet is riding the same group that won in San Jose, meaning Ty Murchison draws back in for his second NHL game, Nikita Grebenkin stays in the bottom six, and Carl Grundstrom remains in after scoring his first Flyers goal.

'My Heart Was Beating About a Hundred Beats Per Minute': Ty Murchison on His Flyers Call UpOn Sunday, Ty Murchison sat in Lehigh Valley’s facility thinking it would be a normal morning—practice, meetings, the routine that has been both comfort and crucible for a 22-year-old defenseman trying to force his way into the conversation.

None of this is surprising. The structure worked against the Sharks, and Vegas—despite being a stronger team—profiles similarly in one important way: they test depth. Their third and fourth lines don’t play “safe.” They forecheck with purpose, run quick cycles, and finish checks like it’s a scrimmage day.

Keeping the Flyers’ current lineup intact signals trust in their depth and, just as importantly, gives Murchison another chance to experience NHL pace without the disruption of new partners or new roles.

Stability isn’t just comfort; it’s consistency of expectations. Tocchet is choosing consistency.

3. The Andrae–Drysdale Pairing Is Working, and Working Well.

If the Flyers needed a pairing to surprise them this season, it was this one.

Tocchet has been notably enthusiastic about the Emil Andrae–Jamie Drysdale duo, praising a combination of swagger, poise, and decision-making that’s turning them into an increasingly reliable option. 

On Andrae, Tocchet said, “He’s got some swagger… he’s not afraid to make some plays.” Meanwhile, speaking about Drysdale: “He’s got a lot of deception… he wheels the puck… he’s probably one of our best.”

When talking about Jamie Drysdale and Emil Andrae, Rick Tocchet said their hockey IQ and quickness helps make up for them being a smaller pair. He listed some guys that those qualities remind him of, joking that, “maybe I shouldn’t say [Quinn] Hughes right now.”

— Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) December 11, 2025

What stands out is what Tocchet likes: not their skill in isolation, but their judgment. They aren’t throwing pucks away. They aren’t defaulting to safe plays out of habit. They manage risk thoughtfully—and that’s harder to coach than systems play.

Vegas forechecks aggressively and layers pressure through the neutral zone. This pairing will get a meaningful test in whether they can maintain their calm, their spacing, and their ability to play with the puck on their terms rather than Vegas’s.

If they handle this well, the Flyers may have found a long-term second pair solution sooner than expected.

4. The Depth Scoring Trend Will Matter Even More Tonight.

Philadelphia’s scoring against San Jose wasn’t just balanced—it was diversified in how chances were created. They got goals from a grinder (Carl Grundstrom), a transition-driven center (Noah Cates), and a support-playmaker (Christian Dvorak). They also had assists scattered across the roster.

Against Vegas, they’ll need something similar. The Golden Knights don’t crumble when top players strain to create offense. They’re built to smother first lines and force secondary groups to beat them. If the Flyers rely solely on Travis Konecny and the top unit to generate momentum, the game will likely tilt toward Vegas by attrition.

The Flyers have been trending toward evenly distributed scoring for several weeks; this game is the kind of matchup where that trend either becomes a habit or fades under pressure.

Depth isn’t a luxury in this matchup—it’s a requirement.

5. The Game’s Tempo Will Hinge on Puck Discipline.

Vegas thrives on opponents who get impatient. They bait teams into stretch passes, jump on lateral plays through the neutral zone, and turn blocked shots into counterattacks.

The Flyers’ best games this season have come when they force teams to earn every foot of ice. Their worst games come when they shortcut the process.

Two factors will decide which version shows up: Clean puck management from the defense, especially from Andrae, Drysdale, and Murchison, and the forwards’ commitment to short support, not hopeful lead passes.

Vegas doesn’t need odd-man rushes to score, but they’re extremely good when they get them. Keeping this game five-on-five in structure is probably the Flyers’ best path.

Projected Lines

Philadelphia Flyers

Forwards:

Trevor Zegras - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny

Matvei Michkov - Sean Couturier - Owen Tippett

Nikita Grebenkin - Noah Cates - Bobby Brink

Carl Grundstrom - Rodrigo Abols - Garnet Hathaway 

Defense:

Nick Seeler - Travis Sanheim

Emil Andrae - Jamie Drysdale

Ty Murchison - Noah Juulsen

Goalies:

Dan Vladar

Sam Ersson

Vegas Golden Knights

Forwards:

Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Braeden Bowman

Mitch Marner - Brett Howden - Mark Stone

Reilly Smith - Tomas Hertl - Pavel Dorofeyev

Cole Reinhardt - Colton Sissons - Keegan Kolesar

Defense:

Brayden McNabb - Shea Theodore

Noah Hanifin - Zach Whitecloud

Ben Hutton - Kaedan Korczak

Goalies:

Akira Schmid

Carter Hart

LAS VEGAS -- The Golden Knights and Lotus Broadcasting are switching stations, literally.

From 98.9 FM to 94.7 FM, the Golden Knights will have a new radio home beginning Thursday, Dec. 18.

The team’s games have been broadcast on 98.9 FM since the teams joined the NHL in 2017.

Lotus Broadcasting believes the transition to 94.7 FM will bring increased signal strength to provide listeners an upgraded and more reliable listening experience.

The broadcast will now include an HD signal, expanding coverage throughout Southern Nevada, while giving listeners more ways to access Golden Knights programming.

Golden Knights fans can also find the broadcast on KOMP 92.3 HD2, further broadening availability across the valley.

All Golden Knights programming and on-air personalities remain the same, including game broadcasts with Dan D’Uva and Gary Lawless, pre/intermission/postgame coverage with Ryan Wallis and the VGK Insider Show with Wallis and Daren Millard.

The team’s AM station on 1340 AM remains unchanged, consistent with what listeners have been accustomed to since the inaugural season.

PHOTO CREDIT: Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) celebrates his goal ahead of during during the third period at UBS Arena.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Montreal Canadiens for the first time this season on Thursday night. 

It will be the first of three meetings between these two teams after the Penguins won all three meetings last year. They outscored the Canadiens 18-6 in those three games. 

The Penguins are coming off another brutal loss on Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks, and it was a game that they should never have lost. They had a power play with 17 seconds left in regulation, but the Ducks beat the buzzer with a shorthanded goal with .1 seconds left, thanks to forward Beckett Sennecke. The game then went to a shootout, which the Penguins lost. 

It's the second-straight game that the Penguins surrendered a late lead in the third period when it looked like they were going to secure two points. If they find themselves in that situation again on Thursday night, they need to close the door since points are at a premium right now. 

The lineup for the Penguins will mostly be the same outside of Tristan Jarry starting in goal. Arturs Silovs started in goal on Tuesday. 

Here are the expected lines: 

Forwards

Novak-Crosby-Rust

Mantha-Hayes-Brazeau

McGroarty-Kindel-Koivunen

Dewar-Heinen-Acciari

Defense

Wotherspoon-Karlsson

Shea-Letang

Graves-Clifton

The Canadiens come into this game with a 15-11-3 record, good for fourth in the Atlantic Division. They have lost two in a row and are 5-5 in their last 10 games. 

Rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler is set to make his NHL debut for the Canadiens in this contest. He has played in 15 games for Laval in the AHL this year and has compiled a 10-5 record with a 2.09 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. 

Nick Suzuki leads the Canadiens in points with 33 and Cole Caufield in goals with 16. Caufield is making a strong push for the Team USA Olympic roster, which should be finalized over the next few weeks.

Ivan Demidov is also off to a great start in his first full NHL season, racking up six goals and 23 points in 29 games. He's one of the strong contenders for the Calder Trophy, which goes to the NHL's top rookie. 

Defenseman Lane Hutson is also doing his thing and has five goals and 22 points in 29 games. 

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

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The Detroit Red Wings have recalled veteran defenseman Erik Gustafsson from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins as an insurance option in case young blueliner Simon Edvinsson requires time to recover from a lower body injury sustained during Wednesday’s game against the Calgary Flames. The club has not yet provided a timetable for Edvinsson’s recovery, but the recall signals that his status is at least somewhat uncertain.

Gustafsson has already appeared in one NHL game for Detroit this season. In that outing he logged seventeen and a half minutes, registered two shots on goal and finished minus one in a loss to the last place Nashville Predators. Known as an offensive defenseman, he provided the type of puck movement Detroit expected from him but did not get on the scoresheet during his brief appearance.

There has been growing attention surrounding Gustafsson in recent weeks, with multiple reports linking the former Ranger to New York. Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman has noted that the Rangers are looking for a power play quarterback who can fill in while Adam Fox remains out on long term injured reserve. Friedman included Gustafsson among the players the Rangers have checked in on, and his familiarity with their system plus his affordability makes him a logical short term target.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

For the Red Wings the recall could serve several purposes as Edvinsson has already missed time this season due to what was described as an illness, and if the current injury lingers the team may prefer to let him recover fully rather than rush him back. At the same time Gustafsson gets an opportunity to showcase his value at the NHL level. If he performs well Detroit could benefit by boosting his trade stock ahead of a potential move. He has been a productive presence with Grand Rapids where he has recorded twelve assists in thirteen games and has been one of the Griffins’ most reliable veterans.

Gustafsson played 76 games for the Rangers during the 2023-24 season and finished with six goals and 25 assists for 31 points. Across ten NHL seasons he has appeared in 516 games. His best year came with Chicago in 2018-19 when he posted 60 points and established himself as one of the league’s more dynamic offensive defensemen.

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In a subscriber Q&A ran by The Athletic, questions were asked to St. Louis Blues assistant GM Tim Taylor. Questions ranged from prospects attending the world juniors to how some of their youngsters were performing in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Plenty of questions were asked about a boatload of prospects, but the current development trajectory of 2023 first-round picks Otto Stenberg and Theo Lindstein seemed to stand out.

Stenberg's 2025-26 season has been odd. In training camp and pre-season, he was noticeable for all the right reasons and caught the eye of coach Jim Montgomery several times. He demonstrated the skill that earned him the 25th overall selection, but he also showed a genuine desire to win puck battles and engage physically.

He was one of the final cuts during training camp, and the excitement following his strong pre-season was at an all-time high. Expectations grew, and the hope was that he would be a dominant force in the AHL. However, through 20 games, the 20-year-old has scored just two goals and seven points.

Despite that, Taylor and the Blues are happy with Stenberg's development.

"Otto is a very smart player. He doesn’t gain a lot of recognition around the ice because he does things that look easy, and he’s always in the right spot at the right time. He got his feet wet last season, and now he’s going through the trials and tribulations. It’s kind of like his second-year pro, where guys fall off a little bit, but then they get going again. He had a tough time at the start points-wise, but we’re happy with his play. I could see him playing some NHL games this year."

Lindstein, a fellow Swede and the third player the Blues drafted in the first round of the 2023 NHL draft, has also struggled a bit to put up points, but the Blues are big fans of other parts of his game. Taylor was asked if Minnesota Wild's Jonas Brodin was a good comparable for Lindstein, and Taylor was thrilled to see the comparison.

"This fan really knows their hockey — Brodin is a real good example! Theo has taken a big jump since the start of the year. The ebbs and flows of his game, it’s been really good. I thought it was going to be a harder transition, and we’d have to be patient with him. But he’s been a real pleasant surprise in that he’s handled the AHL grind very well. He’s the type of player where his growth is on a high incline from the start of the year until now."

In 22 games, the 20-year-old has notched just two goals and five points, but like Stenberg, the Blues believe the offense will come for Lindstein, and sooner, rather than later, we will see the pair of young Swedes in the NHL with the Blues. 

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ELMONT, NY -- New York Islanders forward Jonathan Drouin (lower back) won't return against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night but is expected to return against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon. 

"He looks really good," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said following Thursday's morning skate. "We'll see if he's ready to play against Tampa, but I think there's a good chance he will be."

Drouin, 30, rejoined the Islanders for a team skate for the first time since warming up against the Colorado Avalanche a week ago before being a late scratch. 

Jonathan Drouin (back) joining #Isles for morning skate. First skate back with the team since taking warmups against the Avalanche. Was a late scratch.

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) December 11, 2025

He did not travel with the team for their back-to-back against the Lightning and Florida Panthers this past weekend, as he was getting treatment on Long Island. 

Drouin had been skating on his own. 

Who will come out for Drouin remains a mystery. 

One of the biggest challenges of the season awaits the Florida Panthers on Thursday night.

Fresh off an exhilarating, last-minute victory over the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday, the Panthers will complete a back-to-back set when they face off against the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche.

Florida will be searching for a season-high fourth straight victory and are attempting to turn a corner toward positivity following a tough start to their season.

That’s not terribly surprising considering the injury issues that Florida has had to endure.

The Panthers just got forward Eetu Luostarinen back in the lineup over the past week but have still yet to see Sasha Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk or Tomas Nosek this season and have lost Dmitry Kulikov, Jonah Gadjovich and Cole Schwindt to in-season injuries they have yet to return from.

Still, despite all that, the Cats are giving off some strong vibes lately, picking up wins over the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders and Mammoth over the past few days.

Now, though, Florida will face a team in the Avalanche who have lost just twice in regulation all season.

Colorado is an eye-popping 21-2-7, with their 49 points keeping them perched high atop the rest of the NHL.

To put that into perspective, no team in the Eastern Conference has even cracked 40 points yet.

As for the Panthers, their recent surge has moved them past Toronto, Columbus and the Ottawa Senators in the standings.

Entering play Thursday, Florida still remains three points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for the final Wild Card spot and four points back of the Boston Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division.

With so much of the season still in front of them, the Panthers have plenty of time to climb back into a playoff spot.

A good showing against Colorado and a strong showing on their road trip will go a long way toward continuing that mission as Florida moves closer to the holidays.

Goaltending-wise, the Cats are expected to roll with Daniil Tarasov against the Avs after Sergei Bobrovsky played stellar while picking up the win over Utah the night before.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Thursday’s tilt with the Avalanche:

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Brad Marchand

Mackie Samoskevich – Evan Rodrigues – A.J. Greer

Noah Gregor – Jack Stucnicka – Jesper Boqvist

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Uvis Balinskis – Jeff Petry

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Photo caption: Dec 10, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; The Florida Panthers celebrate a win over the Utah Mammoth after the game at Delta Center. (Rob Gray-Imagn Images)

The Detroit Red Wings seem to be coming back to life after winning their third straight game on Wednesday in a road clash versus the Calgary Flames, where they were sensational to start the game but limped to the finish line in the final period before walking away with the 4-3 victory. It extended the team's winning streak to six games as they look to make it seven in the team's toughest stop of the road trip in Edmonton to take on the Oilers. 

Not to mention, it'll be the second leg of a back-to-back which should make it even more challenging for the Wings. You can truly never count out the Oilers thanks to their superstars in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as they proved that once again when facing off against the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday night when McDavid orchestrated a late comeback with a tying goal in the final seconds. If the Red Wings hope to keep their hot streak alive, they'll need to come together for a complete performance from start to finish, which has been hard for them lately. The Oilers will look to make up for a 4-2 loss to the Red Wings earlier this season in a memorable game which rookie Emmitt Finnie scored his first NHL goal. 

Lineup Storylines

Detroit’s win on Wednesday again flipped the narrative, as the Red Wings finally started to get the depth scoring they had been missing. Andrew Copp, who had struggled for much of the season, delivered what was likely his best performance yet. 

The Michigan native recorded two assists on his new line with Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane, a combination that has recently begun to find its rhythm. Copp also made several strong defensive plays late in the game. This momentum did not extend to the rest of the team, as Detroit’s defense began to unravel in the final minutes. A shorthanded penalty shot added to the frustration, and despite the Flames picking up speed, the Red Wings offered little resistance. 

Rookie Emmitt Finnie gets his first career NHL Goal on the rebound 🚨🔥 pic.twitter.com/BGg2v3bKDY

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 19, 2025

Goaltender John Gibson did everything he could and has looked much more like the player Detroit expected when they acquired him. Filling in for Gibson will be former Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot, who has started to slow down with his play as of late but has great career numbers going against the team he played for from 2015 to 2019. 

Detroit will need a stronger defensive effort on Thursday if they hope to slow down Connor McDavid. The offense has little reason for concern as the current lineup continues to find ways to score, and the second line broke out in a big way on Wednesday by scoring three of Detroit’s four goals. With contributions coming from throughout the roster, the top unit with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond no longer has to shoulder all of the pressure and can afford an occasional quiet night.

For the Oilers, the same long-standing issues continue to haunt them, particularly in goal and on the back end. Edmonton has given up the fourth-most goals in the league this season with 104 against, and their goals against per game sits at 3.47 through 30 games, the fifth-worst mark in the NHL. Their offense is still keeping them competitive, as they hold the seventh-best goals per game average at 3.30, but they often struggle to keep pace in high-scoring games and frequently come out on the losing end.

Tuesday’s loss to Buffalo was a prime example as McDavid played hero in the final seconds to force overtime, but the Oilers quickly surrendered the winner to Alex Tuch only 33 seconds into the extra period. If Detroit hopes to come away with another victory, they will need to push the pace offensively and stay aggressive. Scoring early and keeping pressure on Edmonton will be crucial, especially since the Oilers have won four of their last seven games and are always one burst away from catching up. Detroit executed this approach well on Wednesday in Calgary, and a similar effort will be needed again.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Goalie Matchup

Detroit: Cam Talbot (Season: 9-4-2 record, 3.01 GAA, .883 SV% | VS EDM: 4-2-2 record, 2.05 GAA, .934 SV% in nine games)

Edmonton: Stuart Skinner (Season: 10-8-4 record, 2.91 GAA, .886 SV% | VS DET: 1-2-1 record, 2.96 GAA, .911 SV% in four games)

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