More information is now available about why Vancouver Canucks winger Filip Chytil did not finish Monday night's game. According to Head Coach Adam Foote, the 26-year-old left after the second period due to "migraines he has dealt with in the past that flared up the last couple of games". Foote also said that Chytil is unlikely to play in Vancouver's final game before the 2026 Winter Olympics on Wednesday.
Post-game on Monday, there was some confusion about what exactly happened to Chytil. Foote said he "tweaked something", but followed it up with "I hope not" when asked if the injury was to the head. Chytil only played 7:36 in the game, with his last shift ending with 3:55 left in the second period.
Chytil only recently returned after missing three months with a head injury. He has played six games, which included Monday's loss to the Utah Mammoth. In the six games since he returned, Chytil has zero points and nine shots on goal while averaging 14:23 per night.
Jan 27, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Filip Chytil (72) skates in warm up prior to a game against the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The Canucks wrap up their pre-Olympic schedule on Wednesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Vancouver has yet to play Vegas this season. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Though everything seems to be going wrong for the Philadelphia Flyers at the moment, one of their most recent trade acquisitions has quietly been a bright spot who continues to shine.
On Tuesday afternoon, the AHL announced that Lehigh Valley Phantoms defenseman Christian Kyrou, acquired by the Flyers in an Oct. 30 trade that sent winger Samu Tuomaala to the Dallas Stars, has been added to the 2026 AHL All-Star roster.
Because he is remaining with the Flyers at the NHL level through the Olympic break, forward Denver Barkey will be unable to participate, so Kyrou will be representing the organization instead.
Kyrou, 22, already has seven goals, 17 assists, and 24 points in just 34 games with the Phantoms this season, surpassing his previous career-high of 23 points in 57 games with the AHL Texas Stars in 2023-24 with more than enough room to spare.
Although a bit streaky, the 5-foot-11 defenseman has been a pleasant surprise for the Flyers, having gotten him in exchange for a winger in Tuomaala who very clearly had no path to NHL time with the organization.
Kyrou is still relatively inexperienced and just played his 100th AHL game earlier this season, but his production has probably warranted an NHL opportunity at some point, even if only to serve as a power play specialist.
Fans have been clamoring for the former second-round pick to get a chance, and while it may be a bit early, it is probably refreshing to see Kyrou get recognized by the AHL for his efforts.
Kyrou, who is a restricted free agent at the end of this season, has three goals, seven assists, and 10 points in his last 10 appearances for the Phantoms.
The Detroit Red Wings have emerged as a leading candidate to acquire New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin as the NHL trade deadline approaches, sources say.
The Russian forward, an over point-per-game scorer for much of his career, is reportedly looking to move before the March 6 deadline, potentially with an extension included. Multiple outlets, including TSN’s Chris Johnston, suggest a deal could be completed as early as Wednesday, ahead of the Olympic trade freeze.
Panarin has captured significant attention this season after Rangers management announced they would not be looking to re-sign him. Rumors swirled for weeks about potential landing spots, but Johnston noted that speculation has begun to simmer as New York decides its next move.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently listed the top teams in the mix: the Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, and the Detroit Red Wings.
Friedman highlighted that Panarin’s desired contract could range around $50 million, with some teams considering short-term, high-cap deals while others may emulate the structure of Brad Marchand’s six-year, $31.5 million deal with Florida. The Panthers remain in the mix, partly due to Panarin’s close friendship with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
Detroit stands out among the contenders for several reasons as they possess significant cap flexibility, a deep prospect pool, and draft capital appealing to the Rangers.
Panarin could slot immediately onto Detroit’s top line alongside stars Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, providing a major boost to a team looking to accelerate its rebuild. The Red Wings also have relatively few long-term contract commitments outside of key re-signings like Simon Edvinsson, making a sizable contract for Panarin feasible.
However, the decision is not without risk. Panarin, 34, is enjoying another productive season with 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 52 games, but a lengthy extension could be a gamble if his performance declines in the coming years.
For the Red Wings, the question is no longer whether they could acquire Panarin, it’s whether they want to make a bold move now to potentially shorten the timeline toward contention. With a deal potentially coming as early as Wednesday, fans could see the superstar in a winged wheel jersey very soon.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Los Angeles Kings are one overtime loss away from putting their names into the NHL record book for most overtime losses in history, and it's not the kind of milestone that a team wants to celebrate over.
With 14 overtime losses on the season, the most in the NHL, with only the Vegas Golden Knights having the same amount, who sit in first place right now in the Pacific Division, the Kings have turned close games into costly missed opportunities, losing out on critical points in a Western Conference playoff race that has no margin for error.
The LA Kings and Vegas Golden Knights both have FOURTEEN OT losses which is on pace to shatter the NHL record 😳
Those extra points have Vegas leading their division and LA tied for a Wild Card spot 👀 pic.twitter.com/EuqJVoGQDq
This has been a recurring rollercoaster for the Kings this season; it's been the one issue they haven't been able to escape. The inability to close out close games and dig themselves out of a win in overtime or regulation when it becomes a one-possession game.
But with all this going on, Los Angeles is still very much alive in the West playoff picture. Despite all the struggles and heartbreaking losses they've gone through, it's still a very tight race.
The Pacific Division has been very inconsistent this season, with no team you can look at and say is running away with the conference or a clear contender. Only three teams are either exactly .500 or above .500 in the conference: the Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks. Not even the number one seed, the Golden Knights, are above .500, with a record of 25-16-14.
Three-on-Three Is Exposing the Kings' Weaknesses
Three-on-three is designed to reward speed, skill, shot-making, and execution. While the Kings have had solid shot-making and speed, they have struggled this season to score in the 3-on-3 format.
Whether it's the lazy defense that gets tired in overtime or turnovers that the Kings give up a lot late in games, LA, for most of this season, always loses the same way in every game.
A Warning Sign
There's also a psychological factor to this repeated outcome for the Kings. With Los Angeles constantly losing the same way, especially in overtime games, that chips away at their confidence, especially when the same mistakes keep surfacing.
A team that expects to compete in the Western Conference shouldn't be learning how to close games in February; it should already have it figured out, as we are well into the second half of the season and almost into the postseason.
Now, none of this means the Kings are a bad team; in fact, it means the opposite: Los Angeles can compete with anyone on any given night and is competitive almost every night against the best teams in the league.
But being competitive without execution or clutch is how good teams become average or mediocre, and how playoff teams become first-round exits.
Overtime Change
Now, fans have argued that much of this inconsistency, not only in the Pacific Division but also in other divisions, has been due to overtime games. Fans have even argued that, from a competitive standpoint, ties would be preferable to the constant drift into 3-on-3 overtime matches, especially for several teams that haven't shown any ability to win in that format.
The NHL used to have ties; the last season was 2004-05, before the controversial change in 2005-06 eliminated them and adopted 3-on-3 overtime and a shootout. But there have been no discussions in the NHL about changing the overtime rules again or going back to ties, as other professional leagues do in the NFL.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Kings recalled defenseman Joe Hicketts from the AHL's Ontario Reign. In the same transaction, center Kenny Connors is headed back to Ontario.
These roster moves are likely due to the injury that defenseman Mikey Anderson suffered in Los Angeles' last outing against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. He left the game with an upper-body injury after playing just 2:50 of ice time.
Hicketts, 29, has spent the past six seasons exclusively in the American League, the past three campaigns with the Reign.
He hasn't made an NHL appearance since 2019-20, and that was with the Detroit Red Wings, where he played six games. Hicketts has a total of 22 NHL contests under his belt, all for the Red Wings.
The undrafted blueliner has a small 5-foot-8 frame and a left-handed shot. He's featured in 41 games this season with the Reign, recording three goals and 14 points. With that, Hicketts has accumulated 41 penalty minutes and a minus-nine plus-minus rating.
Mikey Anderson (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
As mentioned, Connors gets sent back down to the minors after a brief period with the Kings. The 22-year-old didn't get a chance to set foot on the ice and make an appearance for coach Jim Hiller's squad.
In what is his AHL rookie campaign and first year in professional hockey following three seasons at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Connors has scored nine goals and 24 points in 41 games.
Connors is sixth in Reign scoring and second in plus-minus with a plus-13 rating.
The Kings' next game is on Wednesday against the Seattle Kraken. These roster moves suggest that Anderson may not be back in time for that affair, and maybe not until after the Olympic break.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice spoke to the media today following an optional practice, providing updates on three recently injured players.
Those players are Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Anton Lundell. All three players are considered day-to-day and possible game-time decisions for tomorrow’s contest against the Boston Bruins.
“There’s a chance they all play tomorrow; there’s a chance none of them play tomorrow,” said Maurice.
The 29-year-old has scored 19 goals and 42 points in 55 games this season and was recently named an injury replacement for Team Canada.
Marchand had returned for four games before suffering another injury. He’s missed the previous two games with an undisclosed injury and is hoping to get back into the lineup before departing for the Olympics. The 37-year-old ranks second in both goals and points on the Panthers.
Marchand was on the ice today, skating in a regular practice jersey.
Lundell is the final Panthers forward now dealing with an injury, as his is also to the upper body. He’s missed the previous three games, but like Bennett and Marchand, he hopes to return to the lineup before joining Team Finland for the Olympics.
The 24-year-old has scored 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points in 52 games this season.
The Panthers are now nine points back of the Bruins for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and if they are without all three forwards, they run a real risk of falling even farther behind in the playoff race. Their chances of making the playoffs are already slim, and a pair of losses before the Olympic break would begin to shut the door on their three-peat hopes.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Pittsburgh Penguins saw their six-game winning streak snapped by the Ottawa Senators on Monday night and will try to bounce back in their biggest regular-season game to date on Tuesday against the New York Islanders.
In fact, this is probably the biggest Penguins game since they played the Boston Bruins on Apr. 13, 2024, with all of their playoff hopes on the line.
A regulation win for the Penguins would give them a four-point cushion on the Islanders with two games in hand. However, a regulation win for the Islanders would pull them even with the Penguins for second in the Metropolitan Division.
The Islanders enter this game losers of two-straight games and didn't look good in a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday. They'll have Ilya Sorokin for Tuesday's game, which is a big deal since he's arguably been the best goaltender in the NHL this year and has covered up many of their defensive warts. Sorokin leads the NHL with 27 goals saved above expected and also has a .916 save percentage and a 2.44 goals-against average.
Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer is having a fantastic season for the Islanders, compiling 15 goals and 37 points in 56 games. He's been exceptional in his own zone, and his skating is breathtaking.
Don't forget about Mathew Barzal, either. His edgework is elite, and he's having a really good season with 15 goals and 47 points in 55 games. Bo Horvat earned his way to the Team Canada Olympic roster this season and has 21 goals and 35 points in 42 games.
The Penguins will get Bryan Rust back from his three-game suspension on Tuesday, which could be huge for Sidney Crosby. Crosby hasn't been himself for the last week, so getting his linemate back might jumpstart him.
Stuart Skinner is set to start in goal after Arturs Silovs started on Monday. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT and HBO Max. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
The Ottawa Senators take a four-game winning streak into the Lenovo Center to face the Carolina Hurricanes tonight.
My Senators vs. Hurricanes predictions and top NHL picks are calling for Ottawa to cover the puck line in a low-scoring game tonight.
Senators vs Hurricanes prediction
Senators vs Hurricanes best bet: Under 6.5 (-105)
The Ottawa Senators have allowed the fewest expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, and the Carolina Hurricanes have surrendered the eighth-fewestper 60, so I’m not expecting the scoreboard to be lit up tonight.
Additionally, the Sens will be playing the second leg of a back-to-back road set, and for the third time in four nights, so it’s a tough schedule spot for Ottawa.
Hurricanes starter Brandon Bussi has also posted a rock-solid .912 SV% and 2.01 GAA with a respectable 4.36 goals saved above expected across his past nine starts.
Senators vs Hurricanes same-game parlay
Ottawa has won four straight with just six goals against, and that highlighted strong defensive play will enable the Sens to keep this game close. Carolina has only won once by multiple goals across its past six games, too.
Sens winger Drake Batherson has marked the scoresheet in three consecutive games and continues to skate on the top line and jump the boards with the No. 1 power-play unit alongside leading scorer Tim Stutzle. The duo has been on the ice for a high-end 5.45 goals per 60 minutes this season, too.
The Senators have covered the puck line in eight of their last 13 away games for +6.35 units and a 34% ROI. Find more NHL betting trends for Senators vs. Hurricanes.
How to watch Senators vs Hurricanes
Location
Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC
Date
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
TSN, FDSN-North
Senators vs Hurricanes latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 27: (L-R) Assistant coach Todd Nelson, Nick Bonino, head coach Dan Muse and Mike Stothers talk during the game against the St. Louis Blues at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 27, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
There are a couple of different ways you can look at the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Monday night.
You could take the charitable approach and say they have been playing spectacular hockey for more than a month now, and that after such a long, sustained run of excellent play they were probably due for a stinker and a regulation loss.
You could also rightfully acknowledge that the Senators are probably a better team than their record indicates, and with better goaltending would probably be closer to a playoff spot right now. They were nearly flawless on Monday and have been on a roll over the past week-and-a-half, beating quite a few playoff teams rather convincingly.
But I was not really in the mood to be overly charitable after that game. Not because the Penguins are not entitled to loss, or an off night, or because they should win every game. It was not about the result. It was about the way they played. It was about how much of a no-show performance it was in a game where two points were there for the taking against a team below them in the standings.
If the Penguins were still the team everybody expected them to be at the start of the season I think games like Monday become more tolerable, especially after a hot streak. But the Penguins are not that team. They have raised the bar for what should be expected of them this season, and they have done that through their own play.
They entered Monday’s game with the sixth-best points percentage in the NHL, the third-best points percentage in the Eastern Conference, the fifth-most regulation wins in the NHL and a top-10 goal differential. Their underlying numbers are strong, their defensive play has steadily improved, they are getting steady, winnable goaltending.
What anybody expected before the season does not matter at this point.
What you think of their roster on paper does not matter at this point.
What matters is what they are doing on the ice, the way they are playing and the results they are producing.
And those results are that of a good team. A very good team.
This is no longer a team that should be looking at this season as, “Hey, what if we make the playoffs?” This a team that should be looking at this season and expecting to make the playoffs.
The question should not be “can they make the playoffs?” It should be “what can they potentially do in the playoffs?”
That is the position the Penguins have put themselves in in the standings. We are getting down to under 25 games in the regular season, and they are not only in a good position to potentially have home ice in the first round of the playoffs, there is a gap forming between them and the teams on the outside of the playoff picture. Not only due to the gap in points, but also due to the fact the Penguins still have multiple games in hand on pretty much every team they are competing with for one of those playoff spots.
It is a good team, and our expectations for them should be that of a good team. Sometimes that means being disappointed with such a flat effort. Sometimes that means criticism for such a flat effort, even in the context of a larger sampling of good to great games.
That is what makes Monday so disappointing. They did not just lose. They did not lose a competitive, well-played game. They were dominated from start to finish. While Ottawa was excellent, a lot of the Penguins mistakes were also very self-inflicted. There was no crispness to their game, their best players were some of their worst players in the game and had it not been for starting goalie Arturs Silovs absolutely standing on his head that could have easily been a 6-2 or 7-2 game. The fact they were even in a position to potentially get a point with five minutes to play in regulation is a testament to the game Silovs played.
When the Penguins had that disastrous home stand against against the Minnesota Wild and Seattle Kraken back in late November, coming back from the Sweden trip, head coach Dan Muse fumed after one of the games that just playing well and not getting results was not acceptable, and that they should be beyond that point in their expectations.
At the time, when the Penguins were still very early in the season and had not yet developed a larger sampling of play, it was a pretty bold statement from a first-year head coach of a team that was thought to be in a rebuilding season. That mindset is even more true now. Even though this is a team in some sort of a rebuilding phase, and even though there are young players on the roster and players developing, it is still, in general an older more veteran team that now should have serious playoff expectations.
Generally speaking, I am not down on the Penguins based on yesterday’s game.
I am simply down on that performance because my expectations have changed on this season.
This is a good team. Part of me thinks it is a really good team, and perhaps even a better team than a lot of people in Pittsburgh think it is. With strong play comes expectations. The Penguins failed to meet those expectations on Monday. Not because they lost. The way they lost. They have a big opportunity on Tuesday in a big game against the New York Islanders to make up for it.
The Florida Panthers were once again on the losing end of another key Atlantic Division matchup, falling 5-3 to the Buffalo Sabres.
The urgency was apparent, with 43 shots on goal, but in the end, they allowed timely goals and paid the price.
While the performances haven't given the organization much to be happy about as of late, one bright spot is the play of rookie Sandis Vilmanis.
He's now played 12 games in his first NHL stint, and he’s given the Panthers every reason to keep him in the NHL for the rest of his career. While averaging 10:44 of ice time, Vilmanis has notched two goals and four points. As the games have gone along, he’s begun to garner more trust from coach Paul Maurice, now recording seven games with more than 10:00 of ice time.
Last night against the Sabres, Vilmanis got the scoring started, firing the puck into the top corner. It’s been known for quite some time that Vilmanis has a dangerous wrist shot. It’s heavy, accurate and his release is quick, which makes it challenging for goaltenders to track and prepare themselves for.
While the Panthers have been impressed with his shot, he’s shown so much more during these 12 games. His playmaking flies a bit under the radar, but he is more than capable of creating plays for himself and his teammates. But he’s also shown an attentiveness to the defensive side of the puck, and the willingness to mix it up physically.
“He’s not a single-style player where he has to play with a certain kind of player,” said Maurice about his rookie winger. “He looks like he could play with some guys and be a good player. He’s a good one.”
Sandis Vilmanis will represent Latvia in the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics. (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)
The 22-year-old has thrown 22 hits, blocked three shots, and has fired 10 shots on goal. If the Panthers had a complaint, it would be that they’d like to see Vilmanis shoot more. With age and experience, Vilmanis will feel more comfortable shooting the puck more frequently.
There’s a lot to like about the Vilmanis’ game, and the stats back it up. According to naturalstattrick.com, at 5-on-5, the Panthers own a 53.40 Corsi For percentage, 54.71 percent of the expected goals, and 60.61 percent of the high danger chances, when Vilmanis is on the ice. Additionally, the Panthers have outscored opponents 6-5 at 5-on-5 while Vilmanis is on the ice.
Although injuries may end up being the downfall of the Panthers’ season, it has created an opening for Vimanis, and he’s taken advantage of it. The next step for Vilmanis is to force his way up the lineup, but that will come in time; his goal should continue to leave a positive impact on games.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
RALEIGH, NC - FEBRUARY 01: Goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) of the Carolina Hurricanes congratulates teammates after the NHL game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Carolina Hurricanes on February 1, 2026 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Katherine Gawlik/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Carolina Hurricanes (34-15-6) are back in action as they take on the Ottawa Senators (27-21-8) tonight at the Lenovo Center.
This will be the last home game before the Olympic break for Carolina, so come and see your team or wait until their next home game which will be on February 26th against the Lightning.
The Canes are riding an eight game point streak. They are 6-1-3 in their last 10 games.
The Sens have won four games in a row since their 4-1 loss to Carolina on January 24th. They are 6-2-2 in their last 10.
Brandon Bussi was in the starter’s crease at the morning skate and will get the start tonight. Bussi has a 21-3-1 record and he sets a new NHL record for fewest number of games needed for every win he gets.
The lines for the Hurricanes at the skate were the same as in recent games.
Svechnikov – Ah0 – Jarvis
Hall- Stankoven – Blake
Ehlers – Staal – Martinook
Kotkaniemi – Jankowski – Carrier
Slavin – Chatfield
Walker – Miller
Nikishin – Gostisbehere
For more information about the game, check out the game preview put out by the team.
The charity event came during the Lightning’s game with the Bruins.Photograph: Josh Lavallee/NHLI/Getty Images
The NHL has received backlash after slashing a donation to cancer research by $800,000 after a missed shot during a charity promotion.
The incident came during Sunday’s game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins. Rob Higgins, the athletics CEO of the University of South Florida, was brought on to the ice to attempt a shot through a very small opening in an empty goal. If Higgins, who is a cancer survivor, made the shot the NHL said it would donate $500,000 to cancer charities; if he missed the donation would be $100,000. The event was broadcast live on Sportsnet in Canada and ESPN in the US. Higgins missed what was a very tough shot. He was then given another chance, with a guaranteed donation of $200,000 if he missed, which would increase to $1m if he scored. Higgins missed again.
Higgins thanked the Lightning and the NHL for an “amazing honor” but many on social media attacked the league for leaving $800,000 on the table that could have gone to charity.
One account said the move was “classless”, adding that “the NHL should’ve built the widest net and asked dozens of survivors to score symbolically”. Another user called the event “dystopian”.
Higgins was a little more upbeat. “And with that, my hockey career (which thankfully only lasted two shots) is now officially over,” he wrote on X.
If you watched the Montreal Canadiens’ game against the Minnesota Wild on Prime on Monday night, you probably saw the excellent interview Christine Simpson did with Habs coach Martin St-Louis. The most interesting moment of that interview came when Simpson asked the bench boss how the coach-player relationship had evolved since he was an NHL player. He explained:
You know, I came into the NHL, and it was “You do it this way”, and I think with this generation, you have to be demanding, but not demeaning. When I came into the league, they were very demanding and demeaning; at the time, you would get it. And I know I annoyed some of my coaches by going to their office to say, “Why? Can we talk about this? Can I explain something to you?” I feel like I stretched some of my coaches a little bit, and I know I might have been annoying, but I was very curious. […] I encourage that from my players. For me, now I feel that this generation, you have to convince them. And if they’re not convinced, let’s talk about it because I have no problem with you convincing me the other way.
-
Hearing a former player describe coaches as demeaning at one stage is unsurprising, especially when he played under a coach like John Tortorella, who was known for being tough. The secret to St-Louis' successful relationship with his players is that there’s tremendous respect going both ways. They respect him because everything they’re going through, he’s been through, and he respects them by treating them as he would have liked to be treated when he was in their shoes.
When you watch a practice, you can often see him get into animated discussions with his players, not because he’s yelling at them or getting annoyed, but because he’s trying to convince them that what he’s trying to teach them is the best way to go about something. Being passionate and believing in what you’re selling is the best way to be convincing.
St-Louis may be the boss, but he’s not a dictator; he’s a team player. He’s not on the ice anymore, but he clearly still sees himself as one of the guys working to achieve the same goal, bringing a Stanley Cup to Montreal. This is likely why it’s so rare to see him come out with punishing practices, even when his team suffers a big loss. He doesn’t believe in demeaning and punishing players; for him, the game has evolved, and that’s not how you’ll get the best out of your players.
Will that coaching style allow him to finally capture the 25th Stanley Cup that has eluded Montreal for so many years? Time will tell, but so far, the players seem to be reacting very well, and that may be the way to avoid a coach’s message not getting through anymore, because there’s dialogue and not just orders being given.
Jan 20, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei (6) looks on during the game at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The NHL is nearing a three-week Olympic break, which will allow players from the league to play in the Olympics for the first time since the 2014 edition in Sochi. For those not traveling over to Italy to play, it will allow for some time to recharge their batteries for the final month and a half of the NHL regular season.
While they won’t be heading to the Olympics, two former Ohio State hockey players have found success in the NHL this year. Montreal goaltender Jakub Dobeš and Boston defenseman Mason Lohrei have become important pieces of their teams as they make a run at the NHL playoffs, which start in the middle of April.
Both Dobeš and Lohrei were last on the Ohio State roster for the 2022-23 season.
Jakub Dobeš
When he was born it was destined that Jakub Dobeš was going to have some sort of career on the ice, as his father was a hockey player and his mother was a figure skater. During his freshman season at Ohio State in the 2021-22 season, Dobeš was the 2022 Big Ten Goaltender of the Year and co-Freshman of the Year.
In both 2022 and 2023, Dobeš was named a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award, which is given annually to the best collegiate goaltender.
Prior to beginning his Ohio State career, Dobeš was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. Following the 2022-23 season, Dobeš signed a entry level contract and began his professional career.
After playing with Laval of the AHL during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, Dobeš made his NHL debut at the end of December in 2024, becoming the fourth goaltender in Montreal history to register a shutout in their NHL debut.
Dobeš continued the hot start to his career a few days later, becoming the first Canadiens goaltender to allow one goal through his first two career NHL starts. After two more victories, Dobeš became the third goaltender in NHL history to win their first four games while allowing four or less goals during that span, and then he was the 13th goaltender in NHL history to win his five career games.
After Dobeš spent the rest of the season as Montreal’s backup, he was forced into action when starter Sam Montembeault was injured. Dobeš would help the Canadiens win the game Montembeault had to leave, but Montreal would ultimately lose the next two games, both of which were started by Dobeš, and Washington would advance to the next round in five games.
Following his play during the regular season and playoffs, Montreal and Dobeš agreed to a two-year contract extension. So far this season Dobeš has started 25 games, posting an 18-5-3 record with a 2.92 goals against average.
The former Buckeye was named the NHL’s third star of the month in October after winning all six of his starts in the month, allowing just 12 goals.
January was also a banner month for Dobeš, as he would again win all six of his starts. To close out the month, Dobeš beat the Colorado Avalanche, who currently have the most points in the NHL, followed by a win over the Buffalo Sabres, who are one of the hottest teams in the league right now.
As of Monday, Montreal has 69 points, which has them sitting in third place in the Atlantic division.
Mason Lohrei
Much like Dobeš, Mason Lohrei was selected in the 2020 NHL Draft. Even though the Boston Bruins selected Lohrei with the 58th pick, the defenseman decided to attend Ohio State.
In his first season with the Buckeyes, Lohrei was named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team and was a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year finalist. Then in his sophomore season, Lohrei was named Second Team All-Big Ten.
Following his sophomore season, Lohrei signed an amateur tryout contract with the Providence Bruins, appearing in eight games between the regular season and playoffs. Lohrei started the next season at Providence but would make his NHL debut in November 2023, recording an assist in his first game.
During the 2023-24 season, Lohrei shuttled between Providence and Boston, appearing in 41 games in the NHL, recording 13 points.
The 2024-25 season would see Lohrei earn a permanent spot on Boston’s roster, scoring five goals and recording 33 points over 77 games. Even though Lohrei finished with a -43, which was the lowest in the NHL, the Bruins haven’t lost faith in Lohrei.
Through 51 games this season, Lohrei already has six goals and 23 points, but more importantly he has posted a +7. In January, Lohrei had four goals, with two coming in a win over Chicago.
On Sunday night, Lohrei and the Bruins played the Tampa Bay Lightning at Raymond James Stadium in the annual NHL Stadium Series game. After building a 5-1 lead, Tampa Bay mounted a comeback and ended up winning 6-5 in a shootout.
Lohrei was on the ice for 16:28 in the game. Currently the Bruins hold the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with 68 points, which is seven points better than the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Islanders trail them by two points with two games in hand.
Like the Islanders, the Penguins are also on the second leg of their back-to-back, falling 3-2 to the Ottawa Senators on Monday.
Both backups went against their Monday foes, which means the goaltending matchup at UBS Arena is Ilya Sorokin (18-13-2, 2.44 GAA, .916 SV%, 6 SO) vs. Stuart Skinner (19-12-4, 2.72 GAA, .903 SV%, 2 SO).
Sorokin, who is in the midst of a Vezina-caliber season after a really shaky start, went 6-3-0 in the month of January, with a 2.13 GAA and a .931 SV% with three shutouts.
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
Skinner, who was dealt to the Penguins on Dec. 12 after falling out of favor in Edmonton, lost his first three games for Pittsburgh. But since then, he's found a groove, going 8-1-0 over his last nine games with a 2.01 GAA and a .917 SV%.
He's been tremendous.
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Now, he and Sorokin are tasked with helping their team rebound when the puck drops at 7:30 PM ET. The game can be found on TNT, HBO MAX, and TVAS.
Skinner is 2-2-0 in his career against the Islanders with a 2.53 GAA and a .900 SV%.
Sorokin is 11-6-0 in his career against the Penguins with a 3.15 GAA and a .905 SV% with one shutout.
