Two National Hockey League teams - including one former Waterloo Black Hawk - are in Sweden for the NHL Global Series this weekend.  Tommy Novak and the Pittsburgh Penguins with play the Nashville Predators at Avicii Arena in Stockholm on Friday and Sunday.  Novak will become the first Black Hawk alum to skate during a regular season game in Europe since Jacob MacDonald for the Colorado Avalanche in 2022 (against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Finland).

Besides the two games, Swedish hockey fans can also take a behind-the-scenes look at an open practice on Saturday.  The NHL plans to expand the festivities by hosting a concert on Saturday night.  The Stanley Cup even made the trip to Scandinavia for the event.  Friday's game begins at 1 p.m. Central, then the teams meet again at 8 a.m. our time on Sunday.
 
Near or far, the former Hawks skating in the world's best league have been very active this fall, collectively making more than 120 NHL appearances already in 2025/26.

Mikey Anderson – Los Angeles Kings
(Waterloo: 2015/16 – 2016/17)

The Kings have a share of second place in a tightly-packed Pacific Division.  Los Angeles is only three points behind Anaheim but only three points ahead of seventh place Vancouver.  Anderson has played in all 17 games and ranks third in ice time at 19:44 per contest.  No Kings player spends more time penalty killing (3:11 per game), and he also paces the team with 27 blocked shots so far.  On the offensive side of the ice, Anderson scored his lone goal this season October 11th during a 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.  He also has two assists and is +5.

Brock Boeser – Vancouver Canucks
(Waterloo: 2014/15)

During the first six weeks of the season, Boeser leads the cohort of former Hawks playing in the NHL with eight goals and 12 points.  Those eight goals rank second among the Canucks this season and push him up to 212 in his career.  Boeser's next goal will tie him with Jason Blake for third on Waterloo's list of all-time NHL goal scorers.  Only Joe Pavelski (476) and Craig Smith (220) have more.  So far during six November games, Boeser has six points (four goals, two assists), including a three-point game on the 3rd against the Nashville Predators.

Jack Drury – Colorado Avalanche
(Waterloo: 2016/17 – 2017/18)

On November 4th, the 25-year-old Drury played in his 200th NHL game as the Avalanche edged the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2.  Drury's assist on a Victor Olofsson second period goal put Colorado ahead for good.  Fifty of Drury's now-203 career games have been played for the Avalanche since a trade from the Carolina Hurricanes last January.  This season, Drury has seven points (three goals, four assists) and is +2 in 17 contests.  For good measure, he has also been one of Colorado's best faceoff men, winning 51.9 percent of his draws.

Vinnie Hinostroza – Minnesota Wild
(Waterloo: 2010/11 – 2012/13)

Last winter, Hinostroza didn't play in an NHL game until after Christmas, and in 2023/24 he only dressed on 14 nights as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.  However, the move to Minnesota last February has meant his most consistent time in the lineup since he was with the Buffalo Sabres in 2021/22.  Hinostroza has two goals and three assists.  His goal on November 1st against the Vancouver Canucks was the winner in a 5-2 decision.  Three nights later against Nashville, Hinostroza played a season-high 17:35 during a 3-2 overtime win.

Brandon Montour – Seattle Kraken
(Waterloo: 2013/14 – 2014/15)

Montour mourned the loss of his older brother in October.  Cameron Montour died at just age 35 of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).  Brandon was away from the Kraken for four games, returning to action on October 25th.  Three nights later, he had one of his most productive nights of the season, contributing to all three Seattle scores (two goals, one assist) during a 4-3 overtime loss against the Montreal Canadiens.  Montour was +2 that night and has a +4 plus/minus differential this year to go along with nine points (three goals, six assists).

Tom Novak – Pittsburgh Penguins
(Waterloo: 2014/15)

The Pittsburgh Penguins traded for Novak late last season but didn't get many opportunities to watch him following the deal.  During just his second Penguins game, an injury cost Novak the remainder of the season.  This year, he has dressed for all 17 games and helped Pittsburgh to a solid 9-5-3 record, which currently places them third in the Metropolitan Division.  Novak scored his first Penguins goal against the Vancouver Canucks on October 21st.  He added another on November 9th  versus the L.A. Kings and also has five assists.

Sam Rinzel – Chicago Blackhawks
(Waterloo: 2021/22 – 2023/24)

After finishing his Minnesota Gophers career last spring, Rinzel had a nine-game introduction to the NHL during late March and April.  He is a full-timer with the Chicago Blackhawks this fall and has been seeing significant power play time.  Rinzel's 2:30 of power play action per game is the most among Chicago defensemen.  However, his first NHL goal came at even strength against the Montreal Canadiens in a 3-2 loss on October 11th.  In fact, all three of Rinzel's points so far this fall have been recorded under those circumstances.

Dylan Samberg – Winnipeg Jets
(Waterloo: 2016/17)

Samberg could make his season debut tonight against the Seattle Kraken.  He missed Winnipeg's first 16 games as an after-effect of a broken wrist suffered during the Jets' exhibition schedule.  This summer, Samberg signed a new three-year contract.  All 216 of his NHL appearances have been made for Winnipeg, including 60 games with a career-high six goals and 20 points in 2024/25.

Max Sasson – Vancouver Canucks
(Waterloo: 2020/21)

Although Sasson missed Vancouver's opener, he hasn't missed much else.  One of the earliest call-ups this fall, Sasson played his first 2025/26 game on October 16th and scored a goal that night against the Dallas Stars.  He is up to three scores this season while playing in 15 of the Canucks' first 18 games.  The 25-year-old has already equaled his goal total from last season, and perhaps more importantly, Sasson is more than halfway to matching the 29 games he played in during a 2024/25 campaign where he shuttled back and forth between Vancouver and Abbotsford.

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