NHL Sees Record-Setting Number of Americans on Rosters: Puck Drop
It's official, at age 27 former Western Michigan goaltender Brandon Bussi will be the oldest player in the National Hockey League looking to make his debut this season. He's one of five players 25 or older who made the final roster of a team for opening day.
Bussi, who is with the Carolina Hurricanes , will be joined by goaltender Colten Ellis (Sabres), center Curtis Douglas (Lightning), right wing Max Shabanov (Islanders) and former Maine left wing Harrison Scott (Stars).
Meanwhile, there are two players who made their debut in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year who will not suit up for the first time for a regular season game: former Denver defenseman Zeev Buium (Wild) and defenseman Alexander Nikishin (Hurricanes).
Overall, there's a record-number of Americans playing in the NHL this season, with 195, which of the 726 total number of players on season-opening rosters works out 26.9 percent. Per NHL Stats, the previous record was 178 in 2023-24.
There are 304 Canadians, 41.9 percent, while 32 percent of the league is made up of players born outside of North America (229).
Finally, at the risk of making everyone feel old, the number of players born in the 2000s is up from 169 last year to 232, or 33 percent of the league, and each team has at least two. There are 16 teenagers, including five who are 18, all out of the 2025 NHL Draft: Matthew Schaefer (Islanders; No. 1), Michael Misa (Sharks; No. 2), Brady Martin (Predators; No. 5), Ben Kindel (Penguins; No. 11) and Braeden Cootes (Canucks; No. 15).
The last time there were more than 10 teenagers was 2018-19, when there were17. The last time at least five members of a draft class skated in an ensuring season opener was 2016-17 and there were six: Auston Matthews: No. 1; Patrik Laine: No. 2; Jesse Puljujarvi: No. 4; Matthew Tkachuk: No. 6; Mikhail Sergachev: No. 9; Jakob Chychrun: No. 16).
Puck Drop: Thursday, October 10, 2025
Men's Schedule
Matchups of Ranked Teams Bolded
Thursday’s Games (All Times ET)
Non-Conference
Clarkson at No. 4 Penn State, 6:30 p.m.
Ferris State at No. 1 Western Michigan, 7 p.m.
New Hampshire at No. 2 Michigan State, 7 p.m.
No. 11 Boston College at No. 12 Minnesota, 9 p.m.
Exhibition
Team USA Under 18 at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
Friday’s Games
Atlantic America
Sacred Heart at RIT, 7:05 p.m.
Hockey East
Lowell at Merrimack, 7 p.m.
Ice Breaker (at Mullett Arena, Tempe, Ariz.)
Alaska Fairbanks at No. 8 Quinnipiac, 5 p.m.
Notre Dame at No. 15 Arizona State, 10 p.m.
Non-Conference
Bowling Green at Niagara, 6 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Ohio State, 6:30 p.m.
LIU at Canisius, 7 p.m.
No. 9 Michigan at No. 7 Providence, 7 p.m.
Union at Mercyhurst, 7 p.m.
Holy Cross at No. 6 Maine, 7 p.m.
Army at Northeastern, 7 p.m.
Miami at RPI, 7 p.m.
No. 11 Boston College at No. 12 Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Clarkson at No. 4 Penn State, 7 p.m.
No. 1 Western Michigan at Ferris State, 7 p.m.
Colgate at No. 3 Boston University, 7 p.m.
No. 14 UMass at Stonehill, 7 p.m.
Lindenwood at Lake Superior State, 7 p.m.
St. Lawrence at Vermont, 7:05 p.m.
New Hampshire at No. 2 Michigan State, 7:30 p.m.
No. 20 Minnesota State at Omaha, 8:07 p.m.
No. 19 St. Thomas at No. 10 North Dakota, 8:07 p.m.
St. Cloud State at Bemidji State, 8:07 p.m.
Augustana at Minnesota Duluth, 8:07 p.m.
Bentley at Colorado College, 9 p.m.
No. 5 Denver at Air Force, 9 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Atlantic America
Sacred Heart at RIT, 5:05 p.m.
Ice Breaker (at Mullett Arena, Tempe, Ariz.)
Alaska Fairbanks vs. Notre Dame or No. 15 Arizona State, TBD
No. 8 Quinnipiac vs. Notre Dame or No. 15 Arizona State, TBD
Non-Conference
Union at Mercyhurst, 5 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Ohio State, 5 p.m.
Bowling Green at Niagara, 5 p.m.
Miami at RPI, 6 p.m.
Colgate at No. 3 Boston University, 6 p.m.
Lindenwood at Lake Superior State, 6 p.m.
LIU at Canisius, 7 p.m.
No. 9 Michigan at No. 7 Providence, 7 p.m.
Holy Cross at No. 6 Maine, 7 p.m.
Colorado College at Air Force, 7:05 p.m.
No. 20 Minnesota State at Omaha, 7:07 p.m.
Bemidji State at St. Cloud State, 7:07 p.m.
Augustana at Minnesota Duluth, 7:07 p.m.
Bentley at No. 5 Denver, 9 p.m.
Sunday’s Games
Non-Conference
Stonehill at Army, 4 p.m.
Vermont at St. Lawrence, 4 p.m.
No. 19 St. Thomas at No. 10 North Dakota, 6:07 p.m.
Women's Schedule
Matchups of Ranked Teams Bolded
Friday’s Games (All Times ET)
No. 4 Minnesota Duluth at No. 1 Wisconsin, noon
St. Thomas at Minnesota State, 1 p.m.
Assumption at Post, 1 p.m.
Providence at No. 13 Northeastern, 1:30 p.m.
Saint Anselm at Maine, 2 p.m.
No. 7 Quinnipiac at Syracuse, 5 p.m.
Merrimack at Lindenwood, 5 p.m.
Franklin Pierce at Sacred Heart, 5 p.m.
Bemidji State at No. 2 Ohio State, 6 p.m.
No. 14 Boston University at No. 8 Colgate, 6 p.m.
No. 5 Penn State at Delaware, 6 p.m.
Vermont at No. 12 St. Lawrence, 6 p.m.
Holy Cross at Boston College, 6 p.m.
New Hampshire at Union, 6:30 p.m.
No. 10 St. Cloud State at No. 3 Minnesota, 6:30 p.m.
RIT at Robert Morris, 7 p.m.
LIU at Saint Michael’s, 7:10 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Post at Assumption, 1 p.m.
No. 5 Penn State at Delaware, 2 p.m.
RPI at No. 13 Northeastern, 2 p.m.
No. 3 Minnesota at No. 10 St. Cloud State, 2 p.m.
Merrimack at Lindenwood, 2 p.m.
Boston College at Providence 2 p.m.
Franklin Pierce at Sacred Heart, 2 p.m.
Vermont at No. 12 St. Lawrence, 3 p.m.
No. 7 Quinnipiac at Syracuse, 3 p.m.
St. Thomas at Minnesota State, 3 p.m.
Stonehill at Saint Anselm, 3 p.m.
New Hampshire at Union, 3 p.m.
LIU at Saint Michael’s, 3 p.m.
No. 14 Boston University at No. 8 Colgate, 6 p.m.
Bemidji State at No. 2 Ohio State, 6 p.m.
RIT at Robert Morris, 7 p.m.
Sunday’s Games
No. 4 Minnesota Duluth at No. 1 Wisconsin, 2 p.m.
Did You Notice?
• Hours before Las Vegas opened its season against Los Angeles, the Golden Knights signed former Boston University center Jack Eichel to an eight-year, $108 million contract extension that begins with the 2026-27 season. The 28-year-old is in the last year of an eight-year, $80-million deal signed with Buffalo in 2017, which would have made him an unrestricted free agent after this season. Eichel tallied 28 goals and 66 assists in 77 games last season.
• Former Michigan right wing Kyle Conner signed an eight-year, $96 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets, one day befroe their season opener. The contract begins next season. "It's awesome," Connor said per NHL.com. "Both sides were working hard to get this done before the season, and I couldn't be more thrilled and excited to be part of this organization for the next eight, nine years, including this year. And I think the culture and identity of this city and this organization fits well in my values and that's something that was a big priority for me."
• Former Michigan State and UND left wing Isaac Howard, the 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner who refused to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning after he was selected with the 31st -overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft and demanded a trade, didn't make the Edmonton Oilers ' opening roster. Instead he was sent down to their AHL team the Bakersfield Condors.
• Former Boston College right wing Cam Atkinson will sign a one-day contract on Oct. 16 so he can retire as a Columbus Blue Jacket, the team he played 10 seasons with in the NHL. Overall, Atkinson played in 809 regular-season games over 13 seasons and tallied 253 goals and 236 assists for 489 points. For more, check out Breakaway On SI.
• Ex-Gophers star says playing at Minnesota was 'closest thing' to NHL
• Gophers reportedly among 'top three schools' for Edina High School star
• No. 2 MSU Hockey Readies for Season Opener vs. New Hampshire
• 2025-26 Hockey East Season Preview: UConn Huskies
• USA Hockey announced 31 players invited to the 2026 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team Selection Camp, which will take place Oct. 26-28 at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minn. Team USA will compete at the IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship in Sydney and Membertou, Nova Scotia, from Jan. 10-18, 2026.
Meet the 31 players invited to the 2026 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team Selection Camp! 🇺🇸 #U18WomensWorlds camp details: https://t.co/vchdXSmvpu pic.twitter.com/i6D565993p
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) October 8, 2025
On This Date in Hockey History:
October 9, 1896: Hall of Fame right wing Bill Cook was born in Brantford, Ontario.
October 9, 1947: Wisconsin goaltender Wayne Thomas was born in Ottawa, Ontario.
October 9, 1950: Hall of Fame goaltender George Hainsworth died in a car accident in Gravenhurst, Ontario. He was 57.
October 9, 1972: Michigan State forward Rem Murray was born in Stratford, Ontario.
October 9, 1974: The Washington Capitals made their NHL debut, but lost 6-3 to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
October 9, 1975: New Hampshire center Jason Krog, the 1999 Hobey Baker winner, was born in Fernie, British Columbia.
October 9, 1975: Michigan State right wing Tony Tuzzolino was born in Buffalo, N.Y.
October 9, 1978: The Los Angeles Kings sent a first-round draft pick to the Boston Bruins for former Denver goaltender (and future athletic director) Ron Grahame. The Bruins used the pick to selected Ray Bourque.
October 9, 1981: Former UMD and Miracle on Ice center Mark Pavelich scored his first NHL goal during an 8-3 loss by the New York Rangers at Winnipeg.
October 9, 1983: Boston College center Stephen Gionta was born in Rochester, N.Y.
October 9, 1990: Former Bowling Green defenseman Rob Blake scored his first NHL goal as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6-2.
October 9, 1993: Michigan left wing Phillip Di Giuseppe was born in Toronto.
October 9, 1996: Wisconsin center Cameron Hughes was born in Edmonton, Alberta.
October 9, 1997: Alaska Anchorage left wing Mike Peluso notched 27 penalty minutes for the Calgary Flames in a 1-1 tie with the New York Rangers.
October 9, 1998: Former St. Cloud State right wing Mark Parrish scored two goals during his first NHL game, a 4-1 victory against the Visiting Tamp Bay Lightning. It was also the first game in the new home of the Florida Panthers, National Car Rental Center.
October 9, 2000: Former UMD forward Brett Hull notched his 611st goal to top his father Bobby Hull’s career mark of 610. The son also had two assists as the Dallas Stars defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1.
October 9, 2002: The Los Angeles Kings retired Wayne Gretzky’s No. 99 and a bronze statue of the Great One was unveiled outside of the Staples Center.
October 9, 2008: Former Minnesota right wing Blake Wheeler scored his first career goal to help the Boston Bruins notch a 5-4 opening night win against the Colorado Avalanche
October 9, 2010: Former Wisconsin center Derek Stepan became just the fourth rookie since 1918 to score a hat trick in his first career NHL game as the New York Rangers defeated Buffalo, 6-3.
October 9, 2014: Former Minnesota right wing Blake Wheeler had a Gordie Howe Hat Trick (a goal, an assist and a fight) to lead Winnipeg to a 6-2 victory against Phoenix. Wheeler scored a second goal in the first period as well.
Hockey Quote of the Day
"[Wayne] Gretzky on one line and [Mark] Messier and [Glenn] Anderson on another line is the best one-two punch in hockey. It's like Muhammad Ali followed by Larry Holmes."Bill Gardner on facing Edmonton in 198
We'll Leave You With This ...
Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of Alabama Crimson Tide On SI, which first published as BamaCentral in 2018, and is also the publisher of the Boston College, Missouri and Vanderbilt sites . He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004 and is the author of 27 books including “100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die” and “Nick Saban vs. College Football.” He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.
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