Arda Ocal — Nov 10, 2025
One month into the season, the points leaderboard offered a snapshot of hockey’s near future. Atop the chart sit Macklin Celebrini, 20, with 23 points, and Connor Bedard, 19, with 22. According to ESPN Research, this is the first time in NHL history that two players 20 or younger have occupied first and second through this stage of a season (or later, across 230 games). That stat alone makes this moment feel significant.
Seeing these two young stars ahead of familiar elite names such as Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Nathan MacKinnon and Leon Draisaitl has a poetic resonance. It also brings back a Crosby–Ovechkin parallel: both were sequential No. 1 overall picks in the mid-2000s, and Bedard and Celebrini were consecutive first-overall selections in 2023 and 2024. Bedard arrived with Crosby-level hype and took home the Calder Trophy as a rookie; Celebrini arrived with similar expectations and now the conversation has shifted from who will be better someday to watching two likely superstars perform now.
Will they hold the top two spots all season? Probably not — established stars will reassert themselves over 82 games — but for the moment Bedard versus Celebrini is an electrifying glimpse of the next chapter in the NHL: a potential rivalry driven by creativity, speed and scoring that is worth enjoying while it lasts.
Biggest games to watch this week
New York Rangers trend
Keep an eye on the Rangers. They opened the season with an odd split: 7-1-1 on the road and 0-6-1 at Madison Square Garden, including five home shutouts that tied a single-season mark in their first seven home games. This week they host Nashville and Detroit and have road games at Tampa Bay and Columbus in between. Will the home-ice struggles continue or correct themselves?
Anaheim Ducks at Colorado Avalanche — Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
The Ducks (10-3-1) lead the Pacific and are 8-1-1 in their last 10, boasting the West’s second-best goal differential at plus-14. The Avalanche lead the Central and have the top West differential at plus-21. Their first meeting is a strong test for both clubs and should be a high-event matchup.
Edmonton Oilers at Carolina Hurricanes — Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+
A modern echo of the 2006 Stanley Cup Final, this one features Rod Brind’Amour behind the Hurricanes bench. Carolina typically limits chances and allows the eighth-fewest goals per game this season. Their defensive structure will be a real challenge for McDavid, Draisaitl and Edmonton’s firepower.
Other matchups worth noting
– Dallas Stars at Montreal Canadiens — Thursday, 7 p.m., ESPN+
– Anaheim Ducks at Detroit Red Wings — Thursday, 7 p.m., ESPN+
– Winnipeg Jets at Seattle Kraken — Thursday, 10 p.m., ESPN+
– Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers — Saturday, 5 p.m., ESPN+
What I liked this weekend
Kudos to the Philadelphia Flyers and their creative team-store puck collection. At the Star Wars Day event the shop featured collectible pucks with 3D printing, mixed materials like metal and rhinestones, and playful designs. Even Gritty had his own puck with googly eyes and an orange beard. If you’re a Flyers fan, it’s the kind of display that makes walking out with a souvenir almost inevitable.
Hart Trophy snapshot if voting happened today
For this week only, the top Hart candidates would be Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini. Behind them a strong case goes to Nathan MacKinnon, who jumped to the league lead in points after a 9-1 Avalanche shellacking of the Oilers in which he recorded two goals and two assists. If the Washington Capitals were in playoff position, Logan Thompson would be getting serious Hart consideration too; he is posting a .930 save percentage and has allowed 16 goals in 10 games. William Nylander has 21 points and 18 at even strength, which matters, but team success will factor into voters’ minds.
Honorable mention: Leo Carlsson. After 45 points last season, Carlsson already had 23 through 14 games and was on a nine-game point streak, a heater that will keep him in Hart conversations as the season progresses.
Social media highlight
NJ Devil continues to be one of the best mascots in sports for content and community engagement. This weekend he teamed up with AEW wrestler Claudio Castagnoli for a staged moment that saw a Penguins fan put through a table. Castagnoli, a Swiss native, also connected with fellow countrymen Timo Meier, Jonas Siegenthaler and Devils captain Nico Hischier, who presented him with a Devils jersey.
Stick taps
Logan Coyle, a 9-year-old battling cancer, asked mascots earlier this year for videos of encouragement. Hundreds responded across sports, and the New York Islanders’ mascot Sparky was among the first on the scene to visit Logan in his hospital room. Logan has faced setbacks but has recently been well enough to attend games and meet mascots in person. The continued support from mascots and teams, including NJ Devil’s promise to welcome him at The Rock, is a small but powerful reminder of the positive impact sports can have off the scoreboard.