NHL News

Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi scored a third-period hat trick in Wednesday's 5-2 road win against the Vancouver Canucks. The two teams entered the final frame with a soccer score of 0-0, but the offenses suddenly exploded. Led by Bertuzzi, Chicago jumped to a 4-0 lead. Bertuzzi became only the seventh Blackhawks player in the past 30 years to score a hat trick in a single period. He doubled his goals tally for the year and now sits on 10 points (six goals, four assists) with 13 games played. Although Bertuzzi's offensive output has been inconsistent, he has the potential to break out from time to time as a member of Chicago's top six and the first power-play unit.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini scored the opening goal and provided two assists in Wednesday's 6-1 road victory over the Seattle Kraken. Celebrini became only the sixth teenager in NHL history to record 20 points in a season in 14 games or fewer. He has managed 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) so far during the campaign, taking his productivity to an entirely new level. In the last nine games, Celebrini has been held scoreless only once, and this stretch includes a standout five-point performance. San Jose will finish the week with tough matchups against Winnipeg and Florida, but given his current form, Celebrini seems capable of dominating any team.

Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun tallied three assists in Wednesday's big 6-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Chychrun factored in all of Washington's first three goals, including Tom Wilson's power-play marker and Alex Ovechkin's 900th career goal. It was Chychrun's third career three-assist game and his first since December 2023. With the Capitals offense struggling as of late, Chychrun has been in a bit of a slump, but his overall work this season has been good. Through 13 outings, Chychrun had recorded 10 points (three goals, seven assists), 38 shots, 11 blocks, and 13 hits. Additionally, he leads the Capitals with a plus-nine rating.

Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin netted his 900th career regular-season goal in Wednesday's 6-1 thumping of the St. Louis Blues. Ovechkin's special strike early in the second period ended up as the game-winning goal. The NHL's all-time leading goal-scorer now boasts 138 game-winners in total. 326 of Ovechkin's goals have come on the power play, and he has tallied five short-handed markers. His goal on Wednesday ended a four-game point drought for Ovechkin. He's been limited to three goals and eight points in 13 games this season. Although Ovechkin's production has decreased from his usual levels, it's important to remember that he turned 40 in September. Plus, it's still fairly early in the season, so there's time for Ovechkin to boost his output.

San Jose Sharks forward Adam Gaudette (upper body) will re-enter the lineup for Wednesday's tilt against the Seattle Kraken. He has missed four games while dealing with an upper-body injury. This season, Gaudette has notched three goals and one assist in nine appearances. San Jose faces a tricky matchup on Wednesday, as Seattle typically doesn't allow many goals. However, Gaudette still has the potential to make an impact in the game by teaming up with the in-form Philipp Kurashev and Alexander Wennberg on the second line. The duo has scored a combined 13 points (six goals, seven assists) over the past five games.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Scott Laughton (lower body) was activated from Injured Reserve on Wednesday and will make his season debut against the Utah Mammoth. Laughton's first outing of the campaign has been delayed due to a lower-body injury. On Wednesday, Laughton will have a fourth-line role. Laughton has tallied at least 30 points in four consecutive seasons, but he will likely fall short of the mark in 2025-26 if he doesn't move up in the lineup. The Maple Leafs reassigned Easton Cowan to the AHL on Wednesday to make room for Laughton on the roster. Steven Lorentz (upper body) is also ready to rejoin Toronto's frontline on Wednesday, pushing Calle Jarnkrok to the press box as a healthy scratch.

Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Justin Brazeau (upper body) is unlikely to return to action before December after the team ruled him out for a minimum of four weeks. He has already sat out a couple of games due to an upper-body injury. Brazeau picked up the injury at an awful time, as he's been one of Pittsburgh's best players early this season. In 12 outings, Brazau has averaged a point per game, scoring six goals. Philip Tomasino has returned to the lineup during Brazeau's absence. Meanwhile, Thomas Novak and Ben Kindel are new faces in the top six. The Penguins attack will also be without Noel Acciari (upper body) for at least the next three weeks.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (lower body) is expected to miss a minimum of three weeks. The 30-year-old has been forced to exit the lineup after kicking off the new campaign in fine form. In seven starts, Jarry has posted a 5-2-0 record and one shutout, allowing 2.60 goals with a .911 save percentage. Arturs Silovs is poised to have a busy stretch with Jarry out. After starting the season well, Silovs has gone 0-1-2 in his last three outings. If the Latvian can't improve his performance, the Penguins might turn to Sergei Murashov, who was recalled from the minors on Tuesday. The AHL has just named Murashov the Goaltender of the Month for October, highlighting his potential.

Vancouver Canucks right wing Conor Garland (undisclosed) will hop back into the lineup on Wednesday versus the Chicago Blackhawks. An undisclosed injury has kept Garland out for three games. Despite his recent absence, Garland has kept hold of the top spot on Vancouver's scoring charts, boasting 11 points (three goals, eight assists) through 11 outings. He will join the top line and first power-play unit for Wednesday's action. Kiefer Sherwood will be bumped to the third line, while Mackenzie MacEachern is likely to be a healthy scratch for the contest. Garland has finished on the score sheet in five consecutive outings against the Blackhawks.

Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin (upper body) will return from a five-game absence on Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues. Sandin registered two assists, four shots, 10 blocks, and 16 hits in seven appearances before an upper-body injury sidelined him. He will join Trevor van Riemsdyk on the third defensive pairing, bumping Declan Chisholm out of the lineup. Washington is also set to use Sandin on the second power-play unit. Power-play situations might be where Sandin finds success on Wednesday night, since St. Louis has the fifth-worst penalty kill in the league at 67.6 percent.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Denton Mateychuk (undisclosed) has been ruled out for Wednesday's matchup against the Calgary Flames. The young blue-liner is dealing with an undisclosed health issue and hasn't been practicing. Mateychuk has done well during his sophomore campaign, recording five points (three goals, two assists), 16 shots, 21 blocks, and 10 hits in 12 games. He is traveling with the team, so it's possible Mateychuk can return to action on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks. On Wednesday, the Columbus defense also remains without Erik Gudbranson (hip), giving Dysin Mayo and Jake Christiansen a chance to play. They will form the third defensive pairing and won't have fantasy value.