Buffalo Sabres

Why isn’t Alexander Mogilny in the Hockey Hall of Fame? There are clues

Why isn’t Alexander Mogilny in the Hockey Hall of Fame? There are clues

Alexander Mogilny won’t be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday night. He has been eligible for 15 years, with cries from critics intensifying upon each rejection. Rebukes are delivered with indignation. The Athletic has called his exclusion “inexcusable.” The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has labeled it “a disgrace,” Sportsnet “almost laughable” and the Toronto Star […]

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NHL predictions 2.0: New Stanley Cup favorite, surprise Hart Trophy front-runner and more

NHL predictions 2.0: New Stanley Cup favorite, surprise Hart Trophy front-runner and more

How much could have changed in a month? Ask the Edmonton Oilers. When The Athletic polled its NHL staff for 2024-25 predictions in the preseason, Connor McDavid was the prohibitive favorite for the Hart Trophy, and his team was the front-runner to win the Stanley Cup. Now? Well, the Oilers are the top pick in

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Sweat equity: Why the sauna is a hot recovery tactic for NHL players

Sweat equity: Why the sauna is a hot recovery tactic for NHL players

The Dallas Stars landed in Helsinki, Finland, a few hours later than expected after a flight delay for the start of their Global Series trip last week. That meant the practice they had initially scheduled was canceled. Instead, the team went straight to enjoy one of Finland’s proudest institutions: the sauna. This has become part

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Each NHL team’s biggest concern a month into the 2024-25 regular season

Each NHL team’s biggest concern a month into the 2024-25 regular season

We’re just over a month into the NHL regular season, and for some teams, the high hopes and optimism of the preseason have faded away for one reason or another. The Athletic asked its NHL staff this week for each team’s biggest concern at this point. The responses covered the full spectrum, from goaltending and

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NHL’s biggest surprises early in 2024-25: Emerging stars, unexpected starts and more

NHL’s biggest surprises early in 2024-25: Emerging stars, unexpected starts and more

Just over three weeks into the 2024-25 NHL season, things are looking interesting. The Edmonton Oilers — our preseason Stanley Cup favorites — are struggling to score goals. The Calgary Flames and Minnesota Wild — two teams that missed the playoffs last year — are unexpectedly off to hot starts. And the Winnipeg Jets are

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NHL 2024-25 bold predictions: Breakout players, trades, offer sheets and 40-goal scorers

NHL 2024-25 bold predictions: Breakout players, trades, offer sheets and 40-goal scorers

Will the NHL’s newest club finish as one of the highest-scoring teams in the league? Will Pierre-Luc Dubois finally find a long-term home with the Washington Capitals? Are players like Juraj Slafkovský going to make a significant jump in their production? Those were among the responses The Athletic got this week when it asked its

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Dominik Hašek vs. the NHL: Why a legendary goalie shunned the Global Series spotlight

Dominik Hašek vs. the NHL: Why a legendary goalie shunned the Global Series spotlight

PRAGUE — The NHL opened its regular season in Prague last week with two Global Series games between the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils. Czech hockey legends were prominently featured. Jaromir Jagr dropped the ceremonial first puck ahead of the game on Friday. Patrik Eliáš, the Devils’ all-time leading scorer, was around the team

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NHL 2024-25 season predictions: Stanley Cup winner, playoff teams, dark horse and more

NHL 2024-25 season predictions: Stanley Cup winner, playoff teams, dark horse and more

Can the Florida Panthers repeat as Stanley Cup champions or is it the Edmonton Oilers’ turn to go from runners-up to No. 1? What will happen in the Eastern Conference wild-card race? After kicking off The Athletic NHL staff’s season predictions Thursday with individual awards, today we look at team expectations. Who makes the playoffs?

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