Stunned to the very core, the Beleaguered Blueshirts have to wonder whether – s the fabled Chicken Little predicted.
You have to wonder – kidding, of course – whether the American Hockey League would allow an even-up trade, Hartford Wolfpack for the New York Rangers? (Just a joke Jim.)
Losing all four games to the Islanders this season – last one on Thursday night had to be the utter humiliation.
Remember, The Hockey News Yearbook pegged the Blueshirts to finish fourth in the Metro and the Islanders seventh. (Doesn't look like that scenario will happen, does it?)
Most compelling will be the Rangers latest passion play unfolding today in Pittsburgh. Let's not forget The Hockey News Yearbook also had the Penguins in eighth place; ergo the cellar, where the Seventh Avenue Skaters happen to be shoveling coal. (Oops! It hit the goal post.)
Here's the fact that blows up in the Blueshirts' mug. Last summer the Pitt brass dumped Mike Sullivan and hired former Ranger aide Dan (Dan Who?) Muse to rule the Penguins' bench.
The result is that the musical Muse has his Pens hellbent for a playoff berth and while we know where Salad-Quote-Sully has his losers,
Even with Sidney Crosby, Geno Malkin and Kris Letang, Sully could do nothing. Zippo, nada playoffs for three straight years; four if you count this Sighted-Sub-Sank-Same imitation of a major league team.
Now, all of a sudden, the trio of future Hall of Fame Penguins are swimming up to a winning iceberg that almost resembles a Stanley Cup.
The Maven asked his favorite Pitt hockey guru Vince Comunale to compare Muse with New York's Great Pretender, Sullivan.
"Muse lets his guys play to their strengths – and not try to fit them into a style that Sullivan wanted to play," says Comunale. "Dan has put his players in roles where they can thrive."
Sully has put his players in a position where they don't know Madison Square Garden from The Planet Mars.
And if you don't believe me, check out the game today at PPG Paints Arena. WARNING: It may move you to tears!
Colorado Avalanche forward Martin Necas is out of today’s lineup due to a lower-body injury but is listed as day-to-day.
The 27-year-old skated in Thursday’s 7-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre, where he fired three shots on goal but failed to register a point.
In Wednesday’s game against the Ottawa Senators, Necas absorbed a hard reverse hit from Artem Zub, which left him sprawled on the ice. He was briefly evaluated in the tunnel before returning to the contest. It remains unclear if today’s injury is connected to that incident.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang will miss at least four weeks with a fractured foot.
The club announced the extent of the injury on Saturday before the surging Penguins faced the New York Rangers. Pittsburgh coach Dan Muse said Letang, who is in his 20th season, injured the foot during a 6-2 victory over Chicago on Thursday.
Letang's absence comes with the Penguins surging into the Olympic break. Pittsburgh is 6-0-2 in its last eight games to move into second place in the Metropolitan Division.
The 38-year-old Letang has three goals and 22 assists in 50 games this season for the Penguins. He is currently three points shy of 800 for his career.
Letang's injury comes at a potentially fortuitous time for Pittsburgh with the NHL set to take an extended break for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan Cortina, which start next week. The Penguins not participating in the Olympics will be off from Feb. 6 to Feb. 25.
Nothing has seemed to phase the Buffalo Sabres over the last seven weeks, as the hottest club in the NHL has gone 20-3-1 since early December, in spite of a variety of injuries to key players. One player who seemed to help spur Buffalo’s 10-game winning streak was center Josh Norris.
The 26-year-old forward missed two months after suffering an upper-body injury in the season opener against the NY Rangers, and averaged nearly a point-per-game in 19 games before suffering a rib injury in a victory over Philadelphia on January 14.
Norris skated at the Sabres morning skate prior to their Saturday matchup against Montreal, a sign that he is close to returning to the lineup, but with just four games remaining before the Olympic hiatus, some consideration has been given to holding Norris out until after the break in late February.
"I don't know. We've talked about both situations, but I think if you're ready to go, then you're not just going to sit out. So when I feel like I'm 100%, then I'm going to play." Norris said."(It was) a hockey play, happens all the time during the game, and just happened to catch me at the wrong point."
Is Rasmus Dahlin capable of winning a Norris Trophy?
After Saturday’s key matchup with the Habs (who are tied with the Sabres at 67 points), Buffalo has back-to-back road games in Florida against the Panthers on Monday and Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, before their final contest before the break against Pittsburgh next Thursday.
"Obviously, (it’s) a great step getting him back out there. He's been skating a few days on his own, (today was the) first day with the team, and then he’ll get a practice in tomorrow, and just keep evaluating and see where we're at." Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said. "If you're not chomping (at the bit), you're in the wrong place, for sure. When you're hurt, you want to get back.....You want to get back as soon as you feel you're healthy enough to play."
Nathan MacKinnon recorded a three-point night, scoring two goals and adding an assist to become the first NHL player this season to reach 40 goals, Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 28 shots for his 17th career shutout, and the Colorado Avalanche blanked the Detroit Red Wings 5-0 on Saturday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena.
But that wasn’t the only milestone of the day. Brent Burns, the oldest active player in the NHL, scored to tie Bobby Orr for seventh on the all-time goals list among defensemen. Ross Colton found the back of the net for the second straight game, and Parker Kelly also lit the lamp for Colorado.
Detroit finished the night with more shots on goal, 28–17, but this time it was Colorado’s opponent getting the goalied treatment. John Gibson allowed four goals on 17 shots in the loss.
Nathan MacKinnon has a goal and an assist halfway through the first period!
Burns got the party started just 6:44 into the game after MacKinnon shoveled a pass to him following a broken play at the point. Burns walked the puck in and snapped a shot over Gibson’s glove to give Colorado the early lead.
What a shot by Brent Burns for his ninth of the season! 🎯
Shortly after, Josh Manson was sent to the box for holding Andrew Copp, but Colorado’s penalty kill—struggling in recent games—successfully killed off the infraction.
MacKinnon then took control, maneuvering around two defenders and circling the offensive zone before finding an opening. He fired a wrister off the post and in to make it 2-0, giving him a goal and an assist just over 10 minutes into the game.
Colorado continued to apply pressure, and with about nine minutes remaining in the period, Kelly ripped a slap shot that rang off the post, leaving the Avs inches away from a 3-0 lead. With 3:15 left in the period, Kelly was sent to the penalty box after former Av J.T. Compher stepped on his stick and went down, drawing a tripping call and giving Detroit its second power play of the night.
Second Period
1:24 into the second period, Brock Nelson, after being knocked to the ice along the boards, recovered the puck and fed a perfect pass to Colton, who beat Gibson to make it 3-0. After going 20 games without a goal, Colton has now scored in back-to-back contests.
Just over a minute later, the Avalanche went on the power play after Erik Gustafsson tripped Kelly and sent him airborne. Despite several chances—including a MacKinnon setup for Valeri Nichushkin on a backdoor tap-in—the Avs were unable to convert.
Following a neutral-zone turnover, Colorado countered quickly, with Artturi Lehkonen setting up MacKinnon for a one-timer from the left circle. MacKinnon blasted it past Gibson for his NHL-leading 40th goal of the season with 6:27 remaining in the period.
With 2:47 left, Compher gave the Avalanche another power play after tripping Kelly. Earlier in the game, Kelly had been penalized for tripping Compher. The Avs nearly broke their power-play drought, but MacKinnon missed a wide-open net that would have completed the hat trick. Detroit responded with a 2-on-1 rush, but Emmitt Finnie rang a shot off the post. Moments later, a fight erupted behind the net, with Nelson and Compher assessed matching minors.
Third Period
Blackwood was outstanding all night, but his best save came around the seven-minute mark of the third period, when he robbed James van Riemsdyk with a clean glove save. A fortunate bounce left the puck on van Riemsdyk’s tape, but the shot went straight into Blackwood’s glove.
On the very next play, Colorado put the game out of reach. Kelly jammed one home to make it 5-0. Jack Drury dumped the puck in from the point, Joel Kiviranta got a stick on it and slid it to Kelly, who attempted to deke past Gibson. The initial shot was stopped by the pad, but Kelly stayed with it, whacking away on the backhand until the puck crossed the goal line.
The goal was Kelly’s 12th of the season, continuing what has been a career-best campaign.
With five minutes left in regulation, the Red Wings had outshot the Avalanche 27-20, but they still hadn’t scored. It wasn’t for a lack of effort—they were simply getting goalied.
The Avalanche badly needed this win after a pair of subpar performances. Now, the focus shifts to whether Colorado can build another winning streak and recapture some of the early-season dominance that made them so dangerous.
Next Game
It's a rematch! The Avalanche (36-8-9) will square off against the Red Wings (32-17-6) again, but this time at Ball Arena on Monday. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time.
The Colorado Avalanche will be looking to close out this road trip with a win, but it’s been a frustrating stretch.
Colorado Avalanche
After blazing out to a 31‑2‑7 start, the Avalanche have struggled mightily over their last 12 games. Since a comeback victory at Carolina on January 3, they’ve gone just 4‑6‑2. Where they once lost by three goals only once in their first 44 contests, the Avs have now dropped four games by three or more goals in their last eight games — including a lopsided 7‑3 defeat to Montreal on Thursday evening.
The Avs take on the Detroit Red Wings from Little Caesars Arena at 11 a.m. local time and with one less extra player. Martin Necas suffered an injury in the Montreal game and will not start today. That adds insult to injury as captain Gabriel Landeskog and star defenseman Devon Toews remain out of the lineup with injuries.
The Red Wings have gone 6‑2‑2 over their last ten games. However, Detroit has dropped their last two contests, falling 3‑1 to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday and losing 4‑3 in a shootout to the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Despite the setbacks, right winger Patrick Kane reached a major milestone, recording the 1,375th point of his career to become the highest-scoring American-born player in NHL history, surpassing former Red Wing Mike Modano.
Defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who missed his fifth consecutive game on Thursday night due to a lower-body injury, was placed on injured reserve and will remain sidelined through the Olympic break, which concludes for the Red Wings on February 26.
On Thursday, the Wings recalled forward Sheldon Dries and defenseman Justin Holl from their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. However, Holl was just sent back to the AHL this morning without playing a single game, so it appears they're going to stick with Erik Gustafsson.
Wings Projected Lineup
Forwards
Marco Kasper - Dylan Larkin - Lucas Raymond
Alex DeBrincat - Andrew Copp - Patrick Kane
Emmitt Finnie - J.T. Compher - James van Riemsdyk
Elmer Söderblom - Michael Rasmussen - Mason Appleton
It’s been two years since the Vancouver Canucks acquired Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko, Hunter Brzustewicz, Joni Jurmo, and a 2024 first-round pick. While Lindholm departed from the Canucks organization only a few months after being acquired, some pieces acquired by the Flames have remained within their organization. Here’s a look at where all five pieces of this trade are now.
Elias Lindholm Would Be A Welcome Piece In Vancouver’s Centre Depth
Lindholm’s first year as a member of the Boston Bruins, who he signed with during the 2024 off-season, didn’t exactly go as planned. The centre finished the season with 17 goals and 30 assists throughout a full 82 games — not ideal considering his past offensive abilities with the Flames. However, it appears things are starting to shift for Lindholm now, as the centre has put up 11 goals and 26 assists in 44 games this season. While this point total puts him ahead of any Canucks so far this season, Lindholm is also currently playing in a first-line centre role alongside David Pastrňák and Morgan Geekie. His linemates if he were still in Vancouver would likely be much different.
Andrei Kuzmenko Is On His Fourth NHL Team In As Many Years
Vancouver was the first NHL team that Kuzmenko played for before he was traded to the Flames in January 2024. However, since then, the forward also made his way to the Philadelphia Flyers before finally appearing to settle down with the Los Angeles Kings. Kuzmenko played alright during his first 22 regular season games with the Kings, scoring five goals and 12 assists, but proved to the Kings why they acquired him with a three-goal, three-assist effort in six playoff games. As a result, Kuzmenko signed a one-year, $4.3M contract with Los Angeles that will make him a free-agent at the end of this season. He currently has 11 goals and 10 assists in 47 games throughout 2025–26.
Hunter Brzustewicz Is Carving Out Some NHL Playing Time With The Flames
After making his NHL debut on April 17, 2025 against the Kings, it looks like Brzustewicz is getting his first look at an extended period of NHL minutes. The defenceman made his season debut for the Flames on December 10 and has stuck in Calgary’s lineup primarily since then. With Jake Bean on the IR and Zayne Parekh taking part in a conditioning stint after dealing with an injury, Brzustewicz has been playing on the Flames’ third-pairing, putting up a goal and an assist throughout 18 games. In his 23 AHL games played with the Calgary Wranglers this season, Brzustewicz has four goals and eight assists.
After Some Time With The Flames Organization, Joni Jurmo Has Returned To Finland
Jurmo is the last player who was sent to Calgary in exchange for Lindholm. The defenceman spent one season with the Flames organization before making his return to Finland, where he currently plays for Kiekko-Espoo in Liiga. His time with the Flames was split between the Wranglers and the Rapid City Rush in the ECHL, the latter of which saw him score two goals and eight assists in 12 games. After this season, Calgary put Jurmo on unconditional waivers with the purpose of terminating his contract despite his deal carrying only one more year on it.
Jan 22, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm (28) reacts after scoring a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Vancouver’s 2024 First-Round Pick Turned Into A Surprising Prospect
The most intriguing part of Calgary’s return in the Lindholm trade may very well be the first-round pick they snagged from Vancouver during it. The pick, which ended up at 28th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, was ultimately used by the Flames to select forward Matvei Gridin. Gridin played for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL and Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL before joining the Flames organization in 2025–26. He scored his first NHL goal in his NHL debut on October 8 against the St. Louis Blues, playing in a total of four games before being sent down to the Wranglers. Calgary has since called Gridin up, with the forward having played with the team since the middle of January.
There are pros and cons for both teams when it comes to the repercussions of this trade. On one hand, Lindholm was one of the Canucks’ top performers during their 2024 playoff run, but ultimately was with Vancouver for less than six months. Calgary has only retained two parts of this particular trade, though they acquired two big pieces to their forward core when they traded Kuzmenko. Overall, Calgary was the team to win this trade given the pieces they have managed to keep as well as those they acquired in return for those that were flipped.
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.
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Two teams fighting desperately to hold onto their playoff chances will meet tonight when the Ottawa Senators host the New Jersey Devils.
Brady Tkachuk has been doing his part to keep the Sens alive, and my Devils vs. Senators predictions and NHL picks for Saturday, January 31 like him to score tonight.
Devils vs Senators prediction
Devils vs Senators best bet: Brady Tkachuk anytime goal (+135)
It’s crunch time for the Ottawa Senators, who sit 10 points back of a playoff spot with less than 30 games to go in the regular season.
Brady Tkachuk has stepped up at the perfect time for this desperate Sens team, scoring a team-leading seven goals and 15 points in January.
The Senators captain has found the back of the net in five of his last eight outings, and I expect him to do the same tonight vs. the New Jersey Devils.
The Devils will likely send Jake Allen to man the crease tonight, which could be a blessing for the Senators. Allen is carrying an .884 SV% through five starts this month while allowing four goals in three of his last four outings.
Ottawa, which has scored 12 goals over its last two games, should be able to keep the offense rolling while Tkachuk stays hot.
Devils vs Senators same-game parlay
Jake Sanderson has come into his own as one of the NHL’s best defensemen this season. The Ottawa blueliner has 13 assists in 15 games this month, collecting at least one helper in 11 of those contests.
The Senators have cashed the Over in 60.4% of their games this season, tied for the third-highest rate in the NHL. Ottawa is coming off two high-scoring wins, so this could be another fun game.
The Senators have hit the 1P Game Total Over in 15 of their last 20 games (+9.00 Units / 32% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Devils vs. Senators.
How to watch Devils vs Senators
Location
Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON
Date
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
MSG, Sportsnet One
Devils vs Senators 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
Marc-Andre Fleury retired from hockey after the 2024-25 season but that hasn't stopped him from lacing up the skates during the 2025-26 season.
Fleury, 41, retired after playing in 26 games for Minnesota last year and 1,051 career NHL games.
In his last season, Fleury went 14-9-1 with a 2.93 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage.
He even started the season off by playing a preseason game for the Pittsburgh Penguins. But has since said he is retired and won't play in the NHL.
That isn't stopping him from strapping the pads on.
The future Hall of Famer has been on the ice many times this year. He has played in alumni games and has regularly been on the ice for practices with the Wild.
Not only has he been to most home games and been shadowing Wild General Manager Bill Guerin, Fleury also will practice with injured players who are in Minnesota when the team is on the road.
A few days ago he actually was on the ice for the Wild's practice and did not look out of place. There is no question he would still be good enough to play.
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Erik Karlsson is quietly having a strong season, pacing for his highest point total since being traded to Pittsburgh.
My Rangers vs. Penguins predictions see Karlsson finding success in a dream matchup against a free-falling team.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Saturday, January 31, with puck drop set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Rangers vs Penguins prediction
Rangers vs Penguins best bet: Erik Karlsson Over 0.5 points (-120)
Erik Karlsson has points in 61% of his home games this season and enters play red-hot, having piled up 12 over his last 10 in the Steel City. He produced more multi-point efforts (four) than zeros (two) during that span.
The veteran offensive defenseman has consistently taken advantage of strong matchups all season. Karlsson has points in 79% of his home games against teams in the bottom half of the league in goals against.
The New York Rangers meet the criteria. They have allowed more goals than anybody in the 11 games since Igor Shesterkin went down, pushing them closer to the bottom feeders in goals allowed.
Predictably, the increase in goals against is leading to a lot more production for opposing defensemen. The Rangers have allowed the sixth-most goals and fourth-most assists to blueliners over the past 10.
Karlsson will be put in positions to succeed at 5-on-5 and quarterback the top power play against a PK unit clicking at 75% over its last nine.
Expect him to take advantage.
Rangers vs Penguins same-game parlay
The Rangers haven’t just allowed a ton of points to defensemen of late, but they’ve given up a lot of shots as well.
They’ve conceded the second-most shots to the position over the last 10, and Kris Letang has multiple shots in 67% of his games against sides ranking Bottom-16 in shots against vs. defenders.
Last but not least, we are backing the best player of his era. Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby still knows how to put the puck in the net, and he’s scored in seven of nine home games against Bottom-10 teams in points allowed.
Rangers vs Penguins SGP
Erik Karlsson Over 0.5 points
Kris Letang Over 1.5 shots on goal
Sidney Crosby anytime goal
Rangers vs Penguins odds
Moneyline: New York +165 | Pittsburgh -200
Puck line: New York +1.5 (-145) | Pittsburgh -1.5 (+125)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+100) | Under 6.5 (-120)
Rangers vs Penguins trend
Erik Karlsson has points in eight of his last 10 home games. Find more NHL betting trends for Rangers vs. Penguins.
How to watch Rangers vs Penguins
Location
PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
Date
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Puck drop
3:30 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Rangers vs Penguins 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
Ilya Sorokin will start again tonight as the Islanders host Barry’s Predators.
After starting what looked like another lost, tankable season, Nashville has rebounded a bit and is in shouting distance of the Western playoff wild card slots. But the odds are still slim and the question persists of whether they should dump assets like Ryan O’Reilly (still very useful) and Steven Stamkos (streaky, big-contract-laden) if they can.
Tonight is the return match of the opener from that big ol’ Western road trip, where the Isles fell annoyingly in a shootout.
Preview before the preview: Mostly stats from the past week plus Predators notes. [Isles]
Morning preview: Casey Cizikas will return from illness, likely pushing Max Shabanov back out and they hope adding energy that was missing in the second half of the sweep of the Rangers. Also: Calum Ritchie will not return before the Olympic break. [Isles]
(Yester)day in Isles history: Bo Horvat acquired. [Isles]
The most striking thing to me right now is Schaefer is so damn lovable that he adds fun to the rivalry but also takes some of the bite out of it, at this point. Like, the way he approaches it in a familial way makes it feel a little less vicious and kind of turns a mirror to the absurdity of us getting overly worked up about it. (This feeling will change with the first dirty hit or important meeting, if the latter ever happens again.)
Elsewhere
Just one game in the league last night, for some reason (after 15 Thursday and before 14 today). Columbus doubled the Blackhawks.
Nikita Tolopilo was denied a shutout due to the weird rule for that and a concussion spotter. [TSN]
Kris Letang will be out four weeks for the Penguins, good timing with the Olympics. [NHL]
And Jack Hughes is still being evaluated after his latest malady. [NHL]
But Linus Ullmark is set to return for the Senators. [Sportsnet]
Bourne: Could the Leafs plummet so well that they keep the top-five-protected pick they sent to the Bruins last year? [Sportsnet]
The Detroit Red Wings kick off a two-game set Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche in what shapes up to be one of their toughest tests of the season. Based on the rest of their schedule, it may only be the start of a grueling stretch.
Holding onto a top-two position in the Atlantic Division has been a challenge for Detroit. The Red Wings are pushing for home-ice advantage in the playoffs and have played at a high level to protect their spot, but consistent play throughout the division has made it difficult to create separation in the standings.
As of Saturday, Detroit faces the most difficult remaining schedule in the NHL. The Avalanche are just the beginning. The Red Wings will also see the Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, the red-hot Buffalo Sabres, the Utah Mammoth, and the Vegas Golden Knights. The road only gets harder with two games against the Tampa Bay Lightning and three matchups against the Florida Panthers.
Protecting their place in the division will not be easy, as these upcoming games represent the most critical portion of the season. Detroit enters the stretch with a 32-17-6 record. Buffalo, Montreal, and Boston sit just three points behind and could overtake the Red Wings for second place at any time with a strong run. Florida also remains a factor. Despite dealing with injuries, the Panthers are eight points out of a playoff spot and are expected to push for one of the final postseason positions.
The race is shaping up to be tight down the stretch. Detroit will need to stay competitive in its toughest matchups while capitalizing on games against more vulnerable opponents.
That includes upcoming contests against the Calgary Flames, New York Rangers, and Nashville Predators, along with two games each against the struggling Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils. The stretch concludes with three important games against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Red Wings have the roster capable of executing and securing a favorable playoff position. Avoiding a midseason slump will be crucial, as any misstep could open the door for a division rival to gain ground in an increasingly crowded Atlantic race.
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Numerous members of that team will be inside PPG Paints Arena to be honored and watch the Penguins try to secure their sixth-straight victory.
The Penguins and Rangers have split the previous two meetings this season, both in October. The Penguins won 3-0 in New York, while the Rangers won 6-1 in Pittsburgh.
A lot has changed since those two meetings. The Penguins are currently second in the Metropolitan Division, while the Rangers are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and will be a seller when the trade deadline rolls around. The Rangers have lost two in a row and eight of their last 10 games.
Rangers forward Artemi Panarin is still being held out for roster management reasons, and they'll also be without defenseman Adam Fox and goaltender Igor Shesterkin for this game. Fox and Shesterkin are still recovering from their respective injuries.
Despite playing on a bad team, Mika Zibanejad is having a good season for the Rangers, compiling 23 goals and 51 points in 54 games. JT Miller has 14 goals and 35 points in 46 games, and Vincent Trocheck, who is also on the trade block, has 11 goals and 33 points in 41 games.
The Penguins will be without defenseman Kris Letang for Saturday's game and for at least the next four weeks after the team announced he fractured a bone in his foot.
Evgeni Malkin is still questionable for the game after missing Friday's practice. Stuart Skinner is set to start in goal for the Penguins.
Puck drop is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
The Montreal Canadiens will face the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, January 31, in a massive Atlantic Division matchup.
My Canadiens vs. Sabres predictions and NHL picks suggest a red-hot Mike Matheson will continue to produce, while Jakub Dobes will look to further establish himself as the go-to man in the Habs' crease.
Canadiens vs Sabres prediction
Canadiens vs Sabres best bet: Mike Matheson Over 1.5 shots (+100)
Perhaps no Montreal Canadiens defenseman has been on more of a tear than Mike Matheson over the last few weeks. He's on a six-game assist streak and has hit the Over for shots in five straight games.
He's tied for eighth among blueliners in shots since January 20.
The Canadiens allot a sizeable chunk of ice time to himself, Lane Hutson, and Noah Dobson, and it's Matheson that leads the group with an average of 24:46 per game — good for ninth in the NHL.
Opportunities for shots on goal will undoubtedly be there tonight. The Buffalo Sabres rank 26th in shots allowed, and the Quebec native put up two against them just over a week ago.
Canadiens vs Sabres same-game parlay
The Habs have turned to Jakub Dobes in goal against two of the league's top teams in the Vegas Golden Knights and the Colorado Avalanche this week, and he earned the win in both while comfortably hitting the Over for saves.
He'll look to make it three in a row tonight.
Captain Nick Suzuki is enjoying a generous stretch with 13 assists in his last 13 games and eight in his last seven. He's recorded a helper in all three games against Buffalo this season.
Montreal has won six of the last 10 games versus Buffalo, including five consecutive from November 2024 to October 2025. Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Sabres.
How to watch Canadiens vs Sabres
Location
KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
Date
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet East
Canadiens vs Sabres 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
DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 25: Valeri Nichushkin #13 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates a goal against the Detroit Red Wings at Ball Arena on March 25, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Many have wondered how the Colorado Avalanche would handle adversity after such a prolonged run of unrivaled success to start this season.
Adversity came in spades throughout January, but the Avalanche have one more chance to finish the month on a positive note, but they’ll have to do it against their longtime (and much improved) rival, the Detroit Red Wings.
Colorado Avalanche (35-8-9)
The Opponent: Detroit Red Wings (32-17-6)
Time: 11:00 A.M. MST/1:00 P.M. EST
Watch: ABC/ESPN (US National Broadcast), SN+/SNE/SNO/SNP (Canadian National Broadcast)
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Colorado Avalanche
Today’s game is the final game of a four game road trip, and the first of a home and home series with Detroit, who will fly out to Denver to wrap up the season series against the Avalanche on Monday night at Ball Arena. The Avalanche are coming off consecutive losses to the Ottawa Senators and Montréal Canadiens in consecutive nights, losing both games by a combined score of 12-5. The Avs looked limp and lifeless as Ottawa shelled Mackenzie Blackwood for five goals on Wednesday night, and Scott Wedgewood fared worse as Montréal pumped seven goals—including two from behind the goal line—behind him on Thursday.
Despite feeling his team put together a more competitive effort against Montréal than what they showed in Ottawa, head coach Jared Bednar noted the struggles that his team is having on both ends of the ice. “We’re having trouble putting the puck in the net; we’re having trouble keeping it out of our net right now, too […] It’s kind of tough sledding for us right now, but we’ve got to be a little better in some areas again than we were tonight.”
Brock Nelson has continued to shine bright for the Avs in the goal scoring department, scoring four goals in his last three games. His 28 goals rank second to League leader Nathan MacKinnon (38), and his 47 points are good for fourth place on the team. MacKinnon, however, has not scored a goal since January 19 against Washington. The goal scoring drought isn’t limited to just MacKinnon; Martin Nečas hasn’t scored since January 12 against Toronto.
When asked about the lack of production from both MacKinnon and Martin Nečas, Bednar said, “It’s not like they’re not doing some good things, because they did. They’re creating some chances; they’re not scoring on them like they normally would, right? Part of it is that, you’re going to finish off some of the chances, so I think they fall into that category.”
Currently, the Avs sport a 5-6-2 record for the month of January. Without a win today, the Avs will finish with a sub-500 record for a given calendar month since going 5-6-0 in October 2024. Despite their struggles this month, they still remain the undisputed leader across the Central Division, Western Conference, and League standings. With three games remaining on their schedule before the Olympic break, they’re not in any danger of losing much ground to the third second place Minnesota Wild or the Dallas Stars prior to heading to Italy.
The Avs have won three of their last four regular season games against Detroit, including the most recent matchup on March 25, 2025, by a 5-2 decision.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas Victor Olofsson – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Gavin Brindley Zakhar Bardakov – Parker Kelly – Joel Kiviranta
Defense: Sam Malinski – Cale Makar Josh Manson – Brent Burns Keaton Middleton – Sam Girard
Between the Pipes: Mackenzie Blackwood Scott Wedgewood
Detroit Red Wings
Detroit currently sits in second place in the Atlantic Division standings, just two points shy of the first place Tampa Bay Lightning. Given the packed standings in the Eastern Conference, a playoff spot isn’t guaranteed at this point in the season, but Detroit’s chances of seeing their first playoff berth in nine seasons is looking more and more likely. With the franchise currently celebrating its centennial season, a return to the postseason would be a noteworthy accomplishment to commemorate the occasion.
Detroit has fared better than Colorado throughout the month of January overall, going 6-2-2 in their previous ten games. However, Detroit has lost two of their current three game home stand at Little Caesars Arena, losing 3-1 to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday evening, and a 4-3 shootout loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Despite the loss, right winger Patrick Kane recorded his 1,375 point of his career to become the highest scoring American-born player in the NHL, surpassing one-time former Red Wing Mike Modano.
Alex DeBrincat currently leads Detroit in goals (30), and is one point shy of the team lead in overall points behind Lucas Raymond (58). Raymond also leads the team in assists (40). Team captain Dylan Larkin ranks second on the team behind DeBrincat in goals (25) and third in points (48).
Goaltender John Gibson, who was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks during the offseason, is enjoying a bit of a renaissance in his first full season with Detroit. He currently has 21 wins on the season, the most he’s had since the 2018-2019 season (26), and setting a new career high in wins (Gibson won 31 games during the 2017-2018 season) isn’t out of the question, but if Detroit has its sights set on the postseason, Gibson’s career best will have to come this spring.
Detroit’s last victory over Colorado came on February 22, 2024, a 2-1 victory on an overtime goal from Kane.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Marco Kasper – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond Alex DeBrincat – Andrew Copp – Patrick Kane Emmitt Finnie – J.T. Compher – James van Riemsdyk Elmer Söderblom – Michael Rasmussen – Mason Appleton
Defense: Jacob Bernard-Docker – Moritz Seider Axel Sandin-Pellikka – Ben Chiarot Albert Johansson – Travis Hamonic
