Locked On NHL - Daily Podcast On The National Hockey League

Avalanche take down Lightning behind MacKinnon, Canadiens beats Chicago without Suzuki, McDavid historic NHL season? Locked On NHL Game Night recap.

Connor McDavid is off to a record setting pace this season, he would surpass Wayne Gretzky by 45 points for the all-time record if he keeps this up; plus we examine the start by the NHL's rookie class and we look ahead to an exciting weekend of NHL action including the Heritage Classic.

Recap NHL Game Night with scores, highlights, and analysis: Oilers vs Hurricanes, Leafs win, Bruins shutout, Stars rally, and more from across the league.

Dylan Larkin has expanded the list of teams he’d accept a trade to, and the pattern is obvious: contenders in the lower 48

With one of the most emotional game of the season to date headlining the show, Mike Asti and Alex Wiederspiel discuss everything that was Brady Tkachuk’s return to Ottawa, from the fan reaction, to his goal, to the eventual blowout win for the Senators. They even dive into what the trade could mean for the future of the league while also also covering a statement win for the Flyers as they look to keep rebounding after a rough start to the season.

Ross Levitan (Locked On Senators) and Gil Martin (Locked On Islanders) discuss Brady Tkachuk returning to Ottawa as an opponent. Plus, Connor McDavid’s historic start, Edmonton Oilers’ strong season, and the Boston Bruins’ impressive performance so far.

The Moose is loose. Mikko Rantanen's hat trick spoils a potential big night for Boston's youth movement. New Jersey writes a sentence in their story against Colorado. Los Angeles finally wins their first game. Edmonton plays well, then has to survive a Minnesota push. Montreal blows another lead in a loss to San Jose. Seattle blows a lead, but survives to maintain two points versus Detroit. Toronto blows out Columbus in the Marchenko-Knies first showdown. Tampa blows out Vegas. The Islanders give the Ducks defense fits. St. Louis edges Winnipeg thanks to Joel Hofer and Philip Broberg. Carolina pulls away from a pesky Vancouver team. Alex Wiederspiel and Mike Asti break it all down on Locked On NHL Game Night.

Utah Mammoth surge to the top of the Central Division with balanced scoring across the roster—can their goaltending keep pace? Seth Toupal and JD Young spotlight breakout performances from Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller, and Logan Cooley, while questioning if Karel Vemelka’s .873 save percentage could jeopardize Utah’s playoff push. The duo debate trade rumors swirling around Connor Hellebuyck and which contender—Buffalo Sabres, Vegas Golden Knights, or Utah Mammoth—might pay the price to land the elite goaltender. Ottawa Senators shake off the Brady Tkachuk trade drama, riding Tim Stutzle and Linus Ullmark’s hot starts into the division’s top three. The hosts dissect the impact of Shane Pinto’s jaw-dropping 98-18-11 record when notching a point, recent coaching staff extensions, and the drive behind Ottawa’s success. Can the Senators and Mammoth build on these hot streaks, or will depth and netminder issues hold them back as the NHL season heats up?

On a night Toronto’s dream scenario occurred, Mike Asti and Alex Wiederspiel discuss Auston Matthews and Gavin McKenna combing to lead the Maple Leafs to a win over the Sharks, the Rangers embarrassing the Ducks, Philadelphia showing what they’re capable of against Colorado and Utah handing Pittsburgh their fourth-straight loss.

The Colorado Avalanche are on a mission to avenge last year's playoff loss; the Carolina Hurricanes show no signs of Stanley Cup hangover and the Vegas Golden Knights are scoring more than any team in the league.

The Wild are all business in a win over Columbus. Is there too much pressure on the Jackets? Could there be an alternative to Dylan Larkin for Minnesota? Calgary has had a tough year, but Devin Cooley's best performance propels them over a tired Carolina team. Plus, Alex Wiederspiel's rant on the analytics trap. And Mike Asti posits why Connor McDavid doesn't need to validate himself by winning the Stanley Cup.

Get NHL game night recaps, highlights, history-making hat tricks, and key postgame analysis from Locked On NHL Game Night, October 17, 2026.

Get NHL game recaps, analysis, and standings updates. Bruins, Avalanche, Penguins, and Ducks highlights from Locked On NHL Game Night

Brady Tkachuk scored his second straight natural hat trick, Toronto sees John Tavares go down with an injury and the Central Division standings have surprised everybody. Plus, a weekend of exciting NHL action ahead.

Get NHL scores, highlights, and analysis from a busy night featuring hat tricks, comeback wins, and team updates on Locked On NHL Game Night.

It's been a crazy two weeks in the NHL, and to start the show, hosts Nick Zararis and Hunter Hodies dive into Philadelphia’s historically sluggish offense, its -21 goal differential, and whether Rick Tocchet’s low-scoring system, combined with Dan Vladar’s heavy workload, is sustainable.

With only two games on the night, Mike Asti and Alex Wiederspiel are able to fully unpack what went on in two epic battles between likely contenders. First, the Capitals left the arena smiling after a big win over Montreal. How important is Alex Tuch? Does Washington now have a legitimate backup goalie? And then out West, the Stars got their revenge against Colorado, but do one or both teams now have a goalie controversy brewing?

Mike DiStefano and Gil Martin of the Locked On NHL Podcast go around the horn on teh latest topics around the NHL. First, they break down the Alex DeBrincat $13M AAV contract with Detroit a nd question when the Red Wings will get their other business done. Then they ponder is Rick Bowness' days are numbered in Columbus and discuss the biggest suprises starts to the Season. Today's Title Sponsor: FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Make this Your Most Rewarding Season Ever with FanDuel Rewards Club. Every week, check the FanDuel app to see what’s waiting for you. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Butcher Box If you're looking for an easier way to get great meals on the table, give ButcherBox a try. Go to https://ButcherBox.com/LOCKEDONNHL to get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ribeye, new york strip, or filet mignon in every box for a year — with free shipping always. Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account,…

Colorado and Dallas gets a little heated in a 3-2 Colorado win. Good news! They're back at it on Wednesday. The Tkachuks went wild in a 7-3 Panthers win over Columbus. Montreal does everything right, but sweats out a 4-3 win over pesky Buffalo. Andrei Svechnikov's hot start propels the Hurricanes 4-2 win over Washington. Utah survived a Toronto rally to win 5-4. Alexis Lafreniere's seven goals in eight games leads the Rangers, while Dylan Garand outplays Andrei Vasilevskiy. Edmonton gets great goaltending from Devon Levi to keep the Kings winless. The Flyers are also still winless despite their best played game of the season, losing to east-coast killers from Seattle. In a frenzied final segment: we touch on the literal return of Connor Bedard and figurative return of Sidney Crosby in Chicago's home win over Pittsburgh, Boston's 11 p.m. start time not being a problem in San Jose, the oddly close Devils-Wings game, letdowns for Ottawa and Minnesota as they were blown out by St. Louis and Winnipeg…

Igor Shesterkin’s season-ending injury throws the New York Rangers’ playoff hopes into turmoil. Can rising stars like Alexei Lafreniere and a reshuffled goaltender rotation keep the Blueshirts in contention, or is a major trade for a replacement—like Jordan Binnington or Samuel Montembeault—on the horizon? Seth Toupal and JD Young break down the ripple effects of this crushing blow, weigh potential roster moves, and debate the smartest strategy for GM Chris Drury. As Connor Bedard gears up for his return, the Chicago Blackhawks face tough questions about their rebuild. Will Bedard’s star power spark a turnaround, or do the Blackhawks remain Central Division cellar dwellers? The episode also previews NHL Frozen Frenzy, spotlighting must-watch matchups—Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes, and more—while ranking the top games fans shouldn’t miss on hockey’s busiest night.

As the NHL continues to wait for the Florida Panthers to gel and look like the super team they were labeled to be, Mike Asti and Alex Wiederspiel discuss a Monday with only three games. They wonder if the Sabres were overlooked entering the season and what’s going on with Florida. How much time will the Panthers need to gel? Can the Senators keep this up and how much of a statement did Minnesota make in their win over Vegas?

How can the Rangers overcome the loss of Igor Shesterkin; Can the Mammoth sustain their fast start and what will it take for the Kings to overcome their early season struggles?

The Carolina Hurricanes continue to make Philadelphia fans boo. They've won five straight to improve to 5-1-1. The Flyers are off to their worst start in franchise history. Is this it for Rick Tocchet? The Rangers first game after the devastating Igor Shesterkin injury was a good one, and the team rallied around their new young netminder Dylan Garand. For Washington, what seemed like a scheduled win for them with Seattle traveling across the country turned out very differently. The Kraken are off to a nice start.

NHL Game Night recap: Scores, highlights, top performances, and storylines from every Saturday game, including Kaprizov, Nylander and more.

NHL Game Night recap: Rangers lose Shesterkin to injury, Capitals, Ducks, Kraken, and Blue Jackets secure wins. Latest scores, highlights, and analysis.

Jake Oettinger delivers back-to-back shutouts, the Panthers deal with injuries and the Red Wings trade rumors continue. Plus what impact has shorter preseasons and training camps had on early season play and an exciting weekend of action ahead.

Recap of NHL Game Night 10-8-26: Bruins, Hurricanes, Avalanche, and Golden Knights win big; Flyers, Canadiens, and Flames struggle to start the season.

Two weeks into the 2026–27 NHL regular season, sample sizes are growing and early trends are demanding attention

Mike Asti is joined by Tom Callahan on this episode of LockedOn NHL Game Night. With only three games, Tom Wilson stepped up to lead the Capitals to a win in the latest chapter of Sidney Crosby vs. Alexander Ovechkin rivalry. Winnipeg continued to show they can compete by handing the Cup-favorite Avalanche their first loss. Edmonton then capped off the night by storming back from an early deficit to blowout the Ducks in a playoff rematch.

The Toronto Maple Leafs rallied on the back of huge performances from Auston Matthews and Gavin McKenna (it's about time). The Sabres young core proves the front office right for another night. The Florida Panthers finally lead in a game and win in regulation. The Rangers lockdown the Islanders in the third period to win 5-2. The Canes cause leaks in the Habs defense. Dylan Larkin and Detroit have a nice night. Utah's power play surges in New Jersey. Jack Eichel goes bonkers as Vegas blasts Seattle. Chicago wins on Patrick Kane night.

Detroit Red Wings spiral deeper into crisis as a front office void, the Dylan Larkin trade drama, and Simon Edvinsson’s contract standoff spark outrage among fans. Is the “biggest mess in sports” about to cost Detroit its best assets? Seth Toupal and JD Young break down the dysfunction, from owner Chris Ilitch’s tone-deaf outreach to a powerless interim GM and a fanbase teetering on revolt. Detroit Red Wings spiral deeper into crisis as a front office void, the Dylan Larkin trade drama, and Simon Edvinsson’s contract standoff spark outrage among fans. Is the “biggest mess in sports” about to cost Detroit its best assets? Seth Toupal and JD Young break down the dysfunction, from owner Chris Ilitch’s tone-deaf outreach to a powerless interim GM and a fanbase teetering on revolt. Philadelphia Flyers’ offensive drought raises big questions after just five goals in four games, while Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, and Los Angeles Kings wrestle with chaotic starts. Can the Flyers’ offense recover, or is a…

Winnipeg steals one from Pittsburgh in the closest game of the night, a couple longtime contenders send a message to newer blood and Ottawa shows up in a big game. Mike Asti and Alex Wiederspiel guide you through a four-pack of games on this edition of LockedOn NHL Game Night and even mix in a game about possible overreactions as well.

The Florida Panthers Place Aleksander Barkov on LTIR but get Brad Marchand back; the Edmonton Oilers are scoring a lot of goals but giving up nearly as many; while the Toronto Maple Leafs adjust to new players including Gavin McKenna.

The New York Rangers vibes are... good!? New York wins their third straight, 4-2, over explosive Utah Mammoth. Jets power play surges in win over Detroit. Anaheim gets big contributions from Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier in win over Barkov-less Panthers. Vegas closes out a pesky Vancouver team. Dare we say: Vancouver's vibes are also improved!? Plus, Seattle wants to play the Calgary Flames every night, it seems.

San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings renew their rivalry with brilliance from Igor Chernyshov and Quinton Byfield. The Senators and Islanders both make statements in their wins. Carolina finally gets their first win, and Philadelphia starts 0-1-2 against their first three opponents, all of whom are in the Metropolitan. Are their reasons to be concerned about Dallas? Is Chicago already preparing to fall short of the baby step forward in expectations this season? Buffalo's young stars emerge again. Plus, the Oilers defense finally comes to life, the Mammoth look like NHL giants, Rick Bowness goes off (again), Pittsburgh and Montreal gets wild, the Wild skewer the Bruins, Jordan Binnington skewers himself, Tampa Bay rebounds and Vancouver with another third period explosion on a 13-game night in the NHL.

A night that started with a now former captain being booed at home ended with some statement wins. On this episode of LockedOn NHL Game Night, Mike Asti and Shukri Wrights debate the Dylan Larkin situation getting worse, which Eastern Conference winner of the night made a loud statement and if there’s any reason for concern about a pair of Western Conference contenders.

The Florida Panthers see Aleksander Barkov go down with a lower-body injury, Igor Shesterkin scores a goal for the Rangers and Victor Hedman returns to the Lightning, plus Gary Bettman hints at changes to no trade clauses and we preview a big first weekend of NHL action ahead.

Macklin Celebrini's brilliance emerges early in a 4-3 OT win over Florida. The Panthers wait with baited breath on news of captain Alex Barkov. The Devils finally solve Joseph Woll thanks to Jack Hughes in a 3-2 OT win. The Rangers get a brilliant night from Igor Shesterkin, including his first career goalie goal in a 5-1 win over a rusty Tampa Bay team. The Blue Jackets and newcomer Matthew Knies explode in a 6-3 win over Buffalo. It was absolute bedlam in British Columbia as Vancouver nearly came back from trailing 8-2 in a sloppy 9-7 Edmonton Oilers win. Utah looked every bit the superior team in a 6-0 win as Dylan Guenther's quest for 50 begins in a blowout over Chicago. The Minnesota Wild are solid across the lineup in a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators. Plus, Seattle obliterates Calgary on a night where multiple players had multi-point nights, a 6-1 final as Dustin Wolf struggles.

The NHL is officially back, and the opening slate of games did not disappoint. Hunter Hodies and Nick Zararis are back with another episode, where they discuss what really matters at the start of the season and whether teams can avoid slow starts because of the shortened training camp and preseason.

All 32 NHL teams enter. Only one will be the last team standing. In Episode 3 of Locked On NHL: Last Team Standing, the final cuts are made and the last team standing is crowned. Watch the eliminations, then tell us in the comments which team you think will win it all. Follow Locked On NHL for the rest of the series, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

All 32 NHL teams enter. Only one will be the last team standing. In Episode 2 of Locked On NHL: Last Team Standing, we continue the elimination series and make another round of cuts. Which teams have a case to survive, and which ones are out before the competition heats up? Watch the opening eliminations, then tell us in the comments which team you think will win it all. Follow Locked On NHL for the rest of the series, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

Night No. 2 of the new NHL season started with Sidney Crosby breaking a record and his Penguins team handing the rival Flyers their worst opening night loss in franchise history. Toronto also responded after Tuesday’s loss and the Avalanche flexed their muscles with an imposing performance in a playoff rematch. Mike Asti and Alex Wiederspiel discuss it all on the second episode of the 2026-27 edition of LockedOn’s NHL Game Night.

The Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes played a game that felt like a pre-season, regular season and playoff game all wrapped into one. Canadian on Canadian crime out west as Vancouver spoils opening night at Rogers. Montreal kicks off the season with a road win over Toronto. Montreal was drama-free and mostly efficient. Toronto had some moments, but did they allay the many concerns about this team? The Bruins and Rangers played 55 scoreless minutes, and then a whole bunch of stuff happened. Vegas lays a gentle beatdown of the Chicago Blackhawks in Ryan Craig's debut.

Toronto Maple Leafs shake up their roster with a blockbuster trade, acquiring Kirill Marchenko and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins while sending Matthew Knies to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Does this bold move finally set up Auston Matthews and William Nylander for a deep playoff run? Seth Toupal and JD Young break down how Marchenko’s scoring fits into Toronto’s offense and what Knies’ arrival means for Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson in Columbus. Eastern and Western Conference playoff predictions ignite debate—are the Buffalo Sabres poised for a breakout, and can Minnesota Wild or Colorado Avalanche topple the West? Award races heat up: Is Quinn Hughes ready to claim the Norris, and could Ivar Stenberg or Porter Martone surprise in the Calder chase? Plus, dark horse picks, coaching hot seats, and whether Connor Hellebuyck’s next move will shake the NHL landscape. Don’t miss these bold forecasts for the new NHL season.

All 32 NHL teams enter. Only one will be the last team standing. In Episode 1 of Locked On NHL: Last Team Standing, we kick off the elimination series and make the first cuts. Which teams have a case to survive, and which ones are out before the competition heats up? Watch the opening eliminations, then tell us in the comments which team you think will win it all. Follow Locked On NHL for the rest of the series, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

The Carolina Hurricanes finally, finally, finally got it done with this core. Flags fly forever, which is all that matters. They didn't do much in the off-season, but could they make a major addition DURING the season?

The Anaheim Ducks had a roller coaster 2025-26 season that included more highs than lows. A late-season swoon made most think the Ducks were dead in the water, which is exactly what they wanted the Edmonton Oilers to think. Now everything has changed thanks to the Leo Carlsson offer sheet match. Are the Ducks poised to take a step forward? Can they avoid a step back after subtracting talent to accomodate big new contracts for rising young stars?

The Blue Jackets finally sign Adam Adam Fantilli but Kirill Marchenko remains an issue; the Flames prepare to embark on their rebuild while the Bruins name a new captain.

Winnipeg Jets season preview: analysis of last year’s struggles, offseason moves, Connor Hellebuyck trade drama, and lineup outlook for 2024.

Adam Fantilli finally signs a new deal with the Blue Jackets, the NHL salary cap estimate continues to rise and the truncated preseason enters its final weekend.