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The Chicago Blackhawks are now 0-1-1 through two games to open their season. It began with two road Eastern Conference matches. Chicago lost to the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Tuesday night and dropped an overtime game 4-3 to the Boston Bruins on Thursday.

Now, they will return home to the United Center, where the celebration of Chicagoâ€s centennial season will begin. They will host the Montreal Canadiens for an Original Six matchup.

Ahead of this upcoming two-game home-stand, we learned a few things about the Blackhawks that we couldnâ€t confirm before the games started to count.

Frank Nazar might already be a star.

So far, Frank Nazar has been Chicago’s best player. He drives his own line, makes his teammates better around him, and has numbers to show for it through two games. That includes one goal and two assists.

In overtime of game two against the Boston Bruins, he had a great chance in overtime, but was stoned by Joonas Korpisalo. That was one of many plays he was a part of that would be considered scoring chances for Chicago.

Nazar isn’t the type of star who only contributes offensively, either. He plays well in his own end, kills penalties, and uses his skating to impact the game in all three zones. Nobody on the team is faster at top speed or with their bursts.

Although he isn’t even 82 games into his NHL career, Nazar is already showing the signs of being a star. He was given a big contract extension over the summer, which drew criticism due to its length, monetary value, and his lack of experience, but now it appears to be a bargain.

There is a long way to go for Nazar to truly realize that dream of being a star player, but he’s on the right track. He had a strong finish to last season, was one of Team USA’s best forwards at the World Championships, controlled play throughout camp/preseason, and now is off to this great start through two games that count. Expect him to be a difference-maker from now on.

Connor Bedardâ€s summer speed/skating workouts are already paying off.

Connor Bedard skipped the World Championships with Team Canada to spend the early stages of his summer working on skating. He didn’t waver from that at any point leading up to training camp, either. It shows.

Through the first two games, Bedard has one goal and one assist, which is nice, but his style of play is what’s really eye-popping right now. Only Frank Nazar has had higher overall speeds and speed bursts through the first two games, which is good company to be in for Bedard.

He didn’t score in overtime against the Bruins on a breakaway, but he had the speed and tenacity to have a chance all alone, which is important to see.

Bedard has all of the tools to be a high-end offensive player. His shot, passing, and offensive IQ are as good as it gets for young players. Adding this element of speed and high-end skating could be what gets him to that next level of superstardom. Through two games, it looks like he’s headed down that road.

Artyom Levshunov has a long way to go.

As good as it’s been for Nazar and Bedard, it’s mostly been the opposite for Artyom Levshunov. He collected an assist thanks to a good play to help set up an Andre Burakovsky goal, but the rest of his play has been subpar through the first two games.

This does not mean that Levshunov is going to have a bad year, but it does mean that he has a long way to go before being a top-tier defenseman in the NHL.

Since the beginning of camp, Jeff Blashill has had him stapled next to Wyatt Kaiser, who has been great in his role as a top-four defender on the team. The same can’t be said for his partner.

Levshunov has had more valleys than peaks so far as the second man on the pair. Bad positioning, questionable decision-making, and too many penalties taken are what lead to these struggles. For a young defenseman in his teens, these are common problems.

Does Levshunov need time in the AHL? An argument can be made, but then who comes up? Nolan Allan, Ethan Del Mastro, and Kevin Korchinski haven’t been much better, so they might as well let the guy with the highest ceiling continue to work out his issues.

By the end of this season, the hope for Levshunov is that he will have shown a lot of improvement. He had good moments last season after some seasoning, so there is already evidence that he can play well at this level. If he just works on his penalty trouble and positioning, he will be a serviceable defender at worst.

If the offensive IQ continues to take leaps, like on the Burakovsky goal against the Boston Bruins, then there will be chatter about him being a legit top-pair guy.

What will come of these storylines once the Blackhawks return home? Frank Nazar and Connor Bedard are going to continue on their upward trajectory. They will be this team’s two-headed monster down the middle for the entire year, and possibly long beyond that.

As for Levshunov, he will work to change the narrative as quickly as possible. With home ice for two games, Blashill will have the opportunity to get Levshunov more favorable matchups to get his confidence back.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Season 2 of Prime Videoâ€s Faceoff: Inside the NHL drops Friday, and the behind-the-scenes docuseries devotes Episode 4 to the Toronto Maple Leafs†2025 two-round playoff run against the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers.

Although only former president of hockey operations Brendan Shanahan and superstar winger William Nylander granted off-ice access and sit-down interviews with Amazonâ€s crew, fans will be treated to never-before-seen micâ€d-up moments and dressing-room speeches.

Aside from the familiar stage-setting of the talented team trying to get over the playoff hump, and the inevitable tragic ending for the boys in blue, there are some intriguing nuggets in the show that will get diehards†attention.

Here are five things we learned from the Maple Leafs episode.

(Alert: This article contains spoilers.)

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Shanahan leaves believing.

The former and yet-to-be-replaced president of the hockey club is a smart guy. Certainly smart enough to know that his season-ending ouster was a very real outcome when he agreed to be the only executive so prominently featured in Faceoffâ€s first two seasons.

And smart enough to speak with grace and positivity in his first interview upon being fired.

“When your season ends and youâ€re not the winner, youâ€re devastated,†a measured Shanahan explains, while nursing a coffee in his breakfast nook.

He doesnâ€t look devastated during the interview, though time heals and he is still a champion after all.

The Mimico, Ont., native explains that when he was hired by ownership 11 years ago, he came home with two goals: to rebuild the organization and to win a Stanley Cup.

“Iâ€m disappointed that I wasnâ€t able to finish the job, but I think weâ€ve rebuilt the Toronto Maple Leafs,†says Shannahan, vaguely acknowledging that heâ€d like a mulligan on some decisions. (“Which ones?†weâ€d love the interviewer to press. But alas.)

“What weâ€ve built, Iâ€m confident they can still get the job done. Unfortunately, I wonâ€t be around to see it finish, but it would give me a lot of joy to see them finish it.â€

More interesting are Shanahanâ€s recollections of his firefighting father, Donal, who loomed large in his childhood, calling out the future Hall of Famer for writing graffiti in the neighbourhood, and barely missing any of his sonâ€s hockey and lacrosse games.

Donalâ€s Alzheimerâ€s kicked in strong when Brendan was just 14 years old.

“By the time I was in the NHL, he had forgotten what my name was,†Shanahan reveals.

The executive believes Donal would have found his efforts to build a winner in Toronto more interesting than his decorated playing career. So, even when Shanahan was busy trying to improve the Leafs, heâ€d remind himself to enjoy the privilege of running such a storied franchise.

“It was the honour of a lifetime,†Shanahan concludes. “I leave here now with nothing but gratitude.â€

Nylanderâ€s dad is making up for lost time.

William Nylander was born as the Calgary Flames’ 1995-96 season finished.

William was 13 by the time his father, Michael Nylander, left the NHL. The son was 18 when Michael called it a career in Sweden.

Deep insight into Williamâ€s psyche is tough to gather, despite this being his second time inviting Prime Video along for the ride and the release of a personalized YouTube channel. (Compare the riveting furniture-browsing segment with Nylander in this episode to, say, Seth Jarvisâ€s open dialogue about his mental insecurities in Episode 5.)

The tiny peek William gives into his relationship with Michael — who jets to North America for Leafs playoff runs — is the realest bit here.

“Heâ€s always been a pretty loving, caring dad. He can be intense. Any parent wants the best for their kids, and he obviously helped me and my brother get to where we are today,†William says.

“Growing up, he was not really there a lot of the time. Very few times I remember that he would be able to come to a practice or a game. The times he could (attend) would be very special. Now, heâ€s giving all that back from the times he missed. Gives you that little extra boost.â€

The Tkachuk boys steal the Leafs episode.

Even though Brady and Matthew Tkachuk feature prominently in Season 1 and shine in their own dedicated episode in Season 2, they still manage to steal the spotlight from Torontoâ€s stars because they bring humour and emotion.

Brady rides an emotional roller-coaster with hands over his head in the Battle of Ontario. We see him soaking up the boos in Toronto, then convinced his Senators will rally when they knot Game 6 at 2-2 (“Weâ€re winning this game, boys!â€), and ultimately puddled when the Leafs take care of business.Â

“I donâ€t want to continue seeing my dream fly by,†Brady says, gutted. (Seven seasons in, Brady is still searching for his first playoff series victory.)

Matthew, on the other hand, plays the villain role to a T.

Down 0-2 in Round 2 to the Leafs, the series flies south, where we find the Panthers winger rolling a golf cart, palm trees glistening in the sun.

“Theyâ€re a great team. Theyâ€re different in years past, for sure. Nylanderâ€s playing amazing,†Matthew begins. “But with their history and everything, they might be overthinking it right now. And the Toronto pressure is unlike any pressure in the league.â€

Before a pivotal Game 3, Tkachuk devises a plan to harness those demons and use them to Floridaâ€s advantage, not unlike the way Daenerys Targaryen wrangles dragons.Â

“Theyâ€re the greatest team on planet Earth right now — and itâ€s our job to squash â€em,†Tkachuk says, in a way that lets you know that he knows he just dropped the best line of the episode.

While a micâ€d-up Nylander offers few quotables (“F— me!†or “F— sakes!†heâ€ll pipe when the Leafs let one in), mouthpiece Tkachuk is relentless.

“F—, youâ€re soft, Willy,†Tkachuk begins in Game 7, after Nylander canâ€t convert on a breakaway.

When the Cats reel off three unanswered goals in Period 2, Tkachuk begins mocking: “Whereâ€s Willy?… Iâ€m scared of you guys. Iâ€m scared of you.â€

And when Game 7â€s 6-1 blowout is finally complete and Toronto is booed out the building: “Boys, isnâ€t this the f—–†best?â€

Marner and Matthews†cameos are brief … and uncomfortable.

The producers are likely aware of the irony of Mitch Marnerâ€s rant during the Panthers series, his final one in a Leafs uniform, considering they clipped it for the series trailer.

“Start f—– hitting people. Everyone!†Marner screams at his teammates, trailing Florida at intermission during Game 5.

“Weâ€re a f—–†joke right now. Theyâ€re running our f—–†D. Run them!â€

A tad rich coming from a player not exactly known for throwing the body. Cringe-worthy stuff, in hindsight.

As for Matthews, who has chosen privacy over participation in the docuseries, his biggest moment in the show comes in the second intermission of Game 7. Down 3-0, season on the brink, the captain walks into the room with 20 minutes to go. He spots a cameraperson and points one finger to the door.

“Out,†Matthews commands.

Berube isnâ€t afraid to use the S word.

Behind the scenes, as things begin to fall apart against the champs, Leafs coach Craig Berube gives his players the same criticism your uncle hurls at the television.

During some emotional intermission rants, the head coach will demand a better attitude. Heâ€ll beg them to dig in harder.

“Weâ€re f—–†soft,†Berube rips.

He points to his head: “Itâ€s all about right here — mental.â€

Berube is at his angriest after Game 5â€s blowout at home, which leaves the Leafs trailing in a series for the first time:Â

“You have a f—-†opportunity. F— me. Donâ€t f—-†piss it away by not f——†playing hard and not working. Get a f—–†attitude in here.â€

Game 6â€s victory leaves the bench boss in a positive mind fame heading into the decisive Game 7. He praises the group for weathering the Corsi storm Florida unleashes in Period 1 and remains encouraging and upbeat after a goal or two go in the home net.

Once the Leafs fall behind 3-0, however, Berube sounds off. He challenges Matthews to lead the way and urges Nylander to start moving.

“Seriously? Weâ€re better than this,†he says, addressing the room. “Decide in here what you wanna do. Because itâ€s not f—–†good enough.â€

• Shanahan on the “Shanaplan”: “I donâ€t think Iâ€ve ever used that word in a sentence.â€

• The Nylanders love rigatoni rosé.

• Major storylines of the Panthers-Leafs series — Marnerâ€s looming departure, Matthews†back injury, and Sam Bennettâ€s elimination of Anthony Stolarz — are completely brushed over.

• Nylander and Shanahan stayed loyal to the end.

“People have said Iâ€m gonna get traded and stuff,†Nylander says, with a grin. “And heâ€s believed in me throughout the entire process, which I really appreciate.â€

Explains the ex-president: “Iâ€ve just seen too many players who got quit on too early, and they go and win their Stanley Cups with other organizations.â€

• Shanahan still gets “dialed in†during his drive to the rink on game days, even though he no longer laces â€em up: “When it doesnâ€t go well at the end of the year, we feel like dying. And I know the fans feel like dying because I remember feeling like that when I was a kid.â€

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Injuries again ruled the day as the Sixers formally got the ball rolling on their 2025-26 season.

“Obviously, we know that for us, the biggest thing is health,†Joel Embiid said Friday.

From Embiidâ€s knee to Kelly Oubre Jr.â€s pinkie, hereâ€s what we learned about the teamâ€s health at media day in Camden, New Jersey.

Joel Embiid

Embiid had arthroscopic surgery in April on the bothersome left knee that limited him to 19 games last season.

The 2022-23 MVP is pleased with his trajectory since then, although Embiid and the Sixers are not inclined to place any exact public timelines on his next steps.

“I feel pretty good,†he said. “I think we made a lot of progress over the last couple of months. Weâ€ve got a plan in place, try to check off all the boxes. … This is still kind of like a feel period where weâ€re just taking it day by day. Keep getting stronger, keep getting better.Â

“Thereâ€s been a few court sessions, so everything has been on schedule. … I think thereâ€s not necessarily an expectation. Itâ€s more about making sure everything is right and doing everything right, and then going from there.â€Â

Embiid acknowledged that, as his injury-filled, unlucky history suggests, the season may not be an ultra-smooth ride.

“I think I want to be as honest as possible,†he said. “I think going forward, Iâ€m just going to listen to the body. Iâ€ll be honest and say itâ€s going to be unpredictable at times, and thatâ€s OK. Weâ€ve got to work with that. Weâ€ve got to take it day by day and go from there.

“So I think the only thing Iâ€m focused on is every single time weâ€re on the right path, keep going. If thereâ€s something that happens in that time, itâ€s OK. Just focus on fixing it and keep going. Thatâ€s my mentality.â€Â

Rookie Johni Broome provided a bit of insight into how Embiidâ€s looked in pre-training camp action.

“Heâ€s great. He practiced the other day and I had to guard him. He scored a couple in a row,†Broome said with a smile. “Thatâ€s what you kind of expect. You play good defense and he has better offense. Thatâ€s the type of player he is, but Iâ€m glad that Iâ€m going against him in practice and Iâ€m going to have him on my side during the year. Heâ€s a great person to learn from and heâ€s very open to talk to you about things you need to improve on.â€

Paul George

George underwent a more recent arthroscopic left knee surgery than Embiidâ€s.Â

He said heâ€s “getting better and better, feeling stronger and feeling†following that July procedure. However, the 35-year-old forward does not expect to participate in the Sixers†weekend training camp practices. George noted heâ€s able to do “pretty much everything besides full contact.â€

“Iâ€m in the weight room, Iâ€m lifting, Iâ€m working out every day,†he said. “Iâ€m on the court. Not ready to start the full ramp-up of conditioning on court with running and stuff like that, but Iâ€m on the court, Iâ€m working out. Iâ€m doing stationary drills … one-to-two dribble moves. Iâ€m still able to move and be active on the court, Iâ€m just not ready to be a full-on contact participant right now.â€

George played in just half of the Sixers†games last year. He also tried to grind through several significant lingering injuries — knee, groin, pinkie — even when the Sixers were many games below .500. It didnâ€t work well for him or the team.

Will his attitude be any different moving forward about playing with nagging issues?

“Iâ€m not a doctor, but I think just trusting my body, trusting the process going into this season,†George said. “The team is allowing me to kind of be as (close) to 100 (percent) as possible, because thatâ€s what I signed up for. Thatâ€s what they signed me for, to come in and be the Paul George that they went out and recruited last year. So for me to do that, I do have to be healthy. Thatâ€s really it.

“Again, Iâ€m putting the work in, Iâ€m putting the time in, Iâ€m seeing the progress. Iâ€m feeling more and more like myself each day, and thatâ€s the most important thing as the dates are winding down and weâ€re getting ready for the season to start. So I like where Iâ€m at, I like how weâ€ve progressed things, and thatâ€s the only way I can look at it right now.â€

Jared McCain

A day after suffering a UCL tear in his right thumb, McCain was absent from media day.

“Heâ€s still consulting with specialists. … Still gathering that feedback,†Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said. “We know Jaredâ€s going to attack this just like he did the last (injury) and be back even better.â€

Kelly Oubre Jr.

Oubre went into detail Friday about addressing the long-term finger injuries that heâ€s previously indicated have posed challenges with his jumper.Â

“I have had surgery on my left pinkie and my thumb as well,†he said. “Different years, different surgeries. I got hurt for the first time around (the start of) COVID and the rehab process was kind of non-existent because the world shut down. So I built up a lot of scar tissue in those areas. And then in my thumb, I have a brace.

“I did attack that really hard this summer. I was able to see my old therapist. Her nameâ€s Mo; shoutout Mo, sheâ€s amazing. Get some more range of motion in my wrist, in my hand, in my fingers. Get my fingers straighter. … Iâ€ve just got to put the ball in the hole and then you guys can talk about it when I do.â€

Oubre had an offseason follow-up consultation.

“I actually saw the doctor who did it this summer, just to go over everything, let him know how Iâ€m healing,†he said. “We thought about taking the brace out of my thumb. But Iâ€m going to take that out, gain some range (of motion) but lose something on the back end somewhere else. Itâ€s not really worth it. And over these years, Iâ€ve been able to compensate and my body does a good job of adapting to less flexion and range of motion.

“Iâ€ve been just figuring it out, honestly. But with this range, I have to re-write the patterns in my brain of shooting like I used to before all of these things. Iâ€m just a hooper, man. Iâ€m just looking forward to going out there and making it work. The triumph will be better than the adversity for sure.â€

Andre Drummond

Drummond had a straightforward report on the left big toe injury that hindered him for much of last year.

“It was a good summer for me,†the veteran big man said. “I did all the necessary things to build the strength back in my foot and Iâ€m 100 percent to go. Iâ€ve looked great during (offseason workouts) and Iâ€m ready.â€

Drummond ventured into new territory with his rehab.

“Honestly, I didnâ€t know there was such a thing as toe yoga,†he said. “Iâ€ve been doing a lot of toe yoga this summer to be able to really get that strength back in my big toe, being able to move it freely without having to tape it. … If you donâ€t know what it is, look it up. Itâ€s definitely not a fun experience, but it worked out for me.â€

Eric Gordon

The 36-year-old Gordon is back for a second season in Philadelphia. His first ended with right wrist surgery.

“I would say a couple of months after the surgery, I was really able to shoot,†Gordon said. “So Iâ€ve been able to shoot all summer. Anytime you have a surgery, youâ€re always going to have ups and downs, but so far everythingâ€s been good. Iâ€m looking forward to practice tomorrow with really no limitations.â€

Kyle Lowry

Lowry, 39, spoke with great enthusiasm Friday about mentoring Sixers youngsters like VJ Edgecombe and McCain, who he said have a “pureness†in their approach to the sport.

As far as on the floor, Lowryâ€s last season was frequently disrupted by a right hip problem. Thatâ€s improved over the summer.Â

“I feel great,†he said. “I feel really good. I think just being able to be on the court to help these guys the best that I can. But I know my role this year. So if Iâ€m needed, Iâ€ll be there, but my role is to help these guys. I would love to play 25, 30 minutes (per game), but thatâ€s not my role, thatâ€s not my job.â€Â

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FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Long before Luke Donald was Europe’s captain at the Ryder Cup, he was an amateur golfer at Northwestern University in the late 1990s and early 2000s. That time in the Chicago area overlapped with the tail end of Michael Jordan’s heyday winning six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls.

Jordan liked to play golf, the two became friends and remain so, now living nearby each other in Florida. Donald has not let that connection go to waste.

“Michael is someone I’ve been very fortunate to get access to and pick his brain occasionally about what made him tick, what motivated him, how he was able to get the best out of himself,†Donald said Tuesday. “It’s nice to have someone that is a legend of their sport — the greatest ever, quite arguably — to sit down occasionally and pick their brains.â€

Donald expects Jordan, an American, to be supporting the U.S. at the Ryder Cup this week (U.S. captain Keegan Bradley is also tight with Jordan). But one of the lessons of MJ’s career — which came through in the “Last Dance†documentary that Donald watched during the pandemic along with countless others — could help in the captain’s role.

“You can be a team of champions but not a championship team,†Donald said. “You always need the people around you. You’re always stronger being a collective. I think that’s something that I certainly took from him, and I’ve tried to implant on my teams the last two times, that we’re always stronger together.â€

OTTAWA — Hockey’s back. Finally.

Even though the Battle of Ontario on Sunday really resembled a matchup between the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Marlies, we can certainly grab insights from the Maple Leafs’ 4-3 win.

Here are some of the key developments from Ottawa’s side after a game against a Leafs team without many of its key players:

Claude Giroux could play right wing on Ottawa’s first line

Senators coach Travis Green would tell you not to read anything into his line combinations just yet. They might not mean everything, but they are something. Last season, the combination of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and Giroux played more than any other forward line and posted excellent analytics, including a 60 per-cent shot share. Playing vastly inferior competition on Sunday, they were dominant, outshooting Toronto 4-0 at five-on-five according to Natural Stat Trick, with a 73-per-cent shot share and an outrageous 97.46 expected goals percentage.

“Those guys have played a lot of hockey together,†said Green. “They had a lot of time in the other zone, too. Timmy could have, it felt like, four or five goals tonight. Brady had a few whacks around the net, Giroux was good.â€

Stutzle killing penalties

Watch out for the penalty kill. In their first pre-season game, the Sens had a similar diamond zonal formation as they employed last season. The Senators struggled last season with the 19th-ranked penalty kill at 77.7 per cent — although a nice wrinkle Sunday was seeing Stutzle on the penalty kill. Stutzleâ€s compete level and skating ability could allow him to become an elite killer, much as Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews have been for Toronto. Itâ€s where the NHL is going and Ottawa should do the same with its star forward.

“Want to give him a chance at it,†said Green. “Obviously, adds some offence, and heâ€s got really good hockey sense and quickness.â€

Green said he believes Stutzle can be a penalty killer, and so do we.

If the Senators want to be better than last season, they will need Linus Ullmark to be the Vezina-calibre goaltender he was with the Bruins in 2022-23.

Ahead of the game, Ullmark said he was not satisfied with his camp so far.

“I thought it was a pretty terrible showing today,†said Ullmark about his play in camp earlier this week. “Sometimes you’re the best one out there and sometimes you’re not.”

Unfortunately in Sundayâ€s game, Ullmark allowed three goals on eight shots in the first period and was pulled afterward. Green said the plan was always for Ullmark to play only the first period. Ullmark didnâ€t join his teammates on the bench after that, explaining later that it was the “higher-ups†who made that decision.

He said it was better to get the bad starts “over with†rather than carry them into the regular season.

“It’s hard to make an assessment when you only do one period,†said Ullmark. “Because at the end of the day if I play three periods, and if I got 20 more shots and saved them it could have been pretty. So, I don’t take too much out of playing just one period.â€

Itâ€s too early to assess, as Ullmark said, but the hope for Sens fans is that Sunday was a bump in the road and not a trend.

Ridly Greig, a natural centre who played left wing almost all of last season, shifted to centre for his first pre-season game. Greig had a promising start, scoring a goal and adding an assist.

“Yeah, I’m comfortable with both now,†said Greig. “Whatever Green wants me to do, I’m happy to do it.â€

Greig looked good at left wing in the second half of last season, scoring 22 points in his final 42 games.

If Ottawa has injuries or regression in play from any of its top three centres, donâ€t be surprised if Green gives Greig more ice-time down the middle, especially if the latter’s offence starts to pop.

Olle Lycksell and Arthur Kaliyev had strong games, each tallying a goal.

“I thought they were both pretty solid tonight,†said Green. “Little bit of different players, because one guy (Lycksell) is more of a darter and skater. Kaliyev is a bigger body and bigger shot.â€

For the past couple years, Lycksell was a “tweener” with the Philadelphia Flyers organization, a player with great AHL numbers that havenâ€t translated to NHL success. Meanwhile, Kaliyev battled injury while with the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. The former first-round pick is hoping to rejuvenate his career in Ottawa, where his old junior GM Steve Staios now presides. Â

“He’s going to have beat someone out of a job,†said Green. “He’s got to be good in his own zone. He’s going to be able to hunt pucks. He’s got to be reliable.â€

Both players have stood out early and will be vying to crack the Senators’ opening-night roster or be the first call-ups from Belleville.

• Brady Tkachuk arrived an hour before Sundayâ€s fan fest and signed or took selfies with every single fan. There is a reason why he is beloved in Ottawa.

• Tyler Kleven left in the third period after a collision. His coach did not have an update after the game.

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Years removed from his days at Nike and working with Mike Taylor at The Oven, Patrick Reed still credits the legendary club designer for showing him what the possibilities are with golf clubs.

Taylor was Nike’s master wedge and iron craftsman, most notably shaping Tiger Woods’ irons for years.

On this week’s episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped, Reed reflected on his time working with Taylor at Nike and called it an “unbelievable” and “eye-opening” experience that showed him what can be done to a golf club.

“Being in Houston, you know, being when I was with Nike and Mike was up in Dallas, kind of be able to go up there and watch the process of not just the clubs being built, but also what he can do to kind of personalize wedges, irons and things for the players on staff, was unbelievable and fantastic,” Reed said. “I’m obviously a gearhead, so seeing how it’s done and seeing the background is awesome.

”Like they’d send us clubs in junior and college golf. You’d get a set of clubs and all right, you might change the shaft and grip and that’s about it. But then now all of a sudden you see what all can be done.”

The 2018 Masters champion said he use to rely on his short game a lot, so he and Taylor would spend hours perfecting his wedges to get the right sound and feel.

”We’ll take off some, grind some off here, grind some off there,” Reed said. “I go back out there and test it. He’s like, that doesn’t sound right.

“I was like, ‘Yeah, it seems like it’s clicking here.’ And so he would sit there, we just, you know, for hours, just kind of fine tune one. And then once we got it, I was like, all right, that feels great.”

How to know if a golf club is working (or you’re making it work)

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Jack Hirsh

Once that happened, Reed said Taylor would go create a mold of the shape they settled on so next time he needed a new wedge, they didn’t have to go through the whole testing process again.

For more from Reed and GOLF’s Fully Equipped co-host Johnny Wunder, listen to the full episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped here, or watch it below.

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