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Reported asking price for Robert Thomas trade is high: Should Bruins pay it? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

There are less than 24 hours remaining before Friday’s 3 p.m. ET NHL trade deadline, and the Boston Bruins still haven’t made a move.

B’s general manager Don Sweeney typically is pretty active at the trade deadline, whether he’s a buyer or seller. Last year, he dealt away a ton of veterans and received several quality prospects and draft picks in return. Those trades, at least so far, are looking very promising for the franchise.

Those assets give the Bruins extra firepower to make moves ahead of this year’s deadline if there’s a player(s) that interests Sweeney.

The top player rumored to be available is St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas. He is a first-line caliber center early in his prime at just 26 years old.

Thomas is an elite playmaker who has tallied 60-plus assists and 80-plus points in each of the two previous seasons. He also averaged 21.25 goals scored over the last four seasons. A potential first-line duo of Thomas and David Pastrnak would be a lot of fun to watch.

Thomas’ production this season has been down a bit. He has scored 13 goals with 24 assists in 44 games. But he has missed 17 of the Blues’ 61 games.

A No. 1 center has been the Bruins’ top roster need since Patrice Bergeron retired in 2023. Elias Lindholm is a very good player, but he’s not a true No. 1 center. Fraser Minten is having the best season of his young career, but it’s no guarantee he develops into a top-six center on a contending team.

Bringing in Thomas would bolster the Bruins’ biggest weakness. And it wouldn’t be a rental, either, because Thomas is signed long-term. His contract runs through the 2030-31 season with an $8.125 million salary cap hit, which isn’t steep at all when you consider how much the salary cap is projected to rise in the near future.

The cost to acquire Thomas via trade is understandably very high.

The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford, on Feb. 26, reported it to be “three first-half-of-the-first-round assets. For example, that could mean an established young player, a drafted prospect and a draft pick who were all selected or could be taken in the first 15 or so picks.”

Based on Rutherford’s parameters, a hypothetical trade package from the Bruins might have to include a first-round pick and a top prospect such as James Hagens or Dean Letourneau, plus another asset or two, to satisfy the Blues’ asking price. Hagens was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and is having a fantastic season for Boston College. Letourneau, who was the No. 24 overall pick in 2024, is having a great season for BC, too. Both players are Hobey Baker Award nominees this year. Boston’s best young players with NHL experience are Minten, Mason Lohrei and Matt Poitras.

The question the Bruins must ask themselves is how soon can Hagens develop into a valuable contributor? Will Hagens ever develop into a player of Thomas’ caliber?

The Bruins’ core is Pastrnak (29 years old), Charlie McAvoy (28), Jeremy Swayman (27), Morgan Geekie (27), Hampus Lindholm (32), Elias Lindholm (31), Pavel Zacha (28) and Fraser Minten (21). Most of the core is still in its prime, but outside of Minten, they’re not necessarily young, either. How old will Pastrnak and McAvoy be by the time Hagens is a key part of the team? Can the Bruins afford to wait that long with this group?

Thomas, at 26 years old, fits the age timeline of Boston’s core players. He’s already a legit top-six forward, and he still has room for improvement. He would accelerate Boston’s journey toward being an elite team again.

The Bruins, as a result of last year’s trade deadline selling, would still have plenty of quality young players/prospects even if they gave up a lot to land Thomas. Boston’s prospect pool and draft pick stash would not have to be completely gutted to get him, despite the asking price for the Blues star being very high.

The B’s could still have a potential lottery pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (via the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first rounder, top-five protected), plus an extra first-rounder in 2027 from the Florida Panthers. Boston also owns all its future second-round picks and has three fourth-rounders in 2026.

If the Bruins had to part with Hagens in a hypothetical Thomas trade, they’d still have Letourneau and North Dakota wing Will Zellers as prospects with the potential to be difference makers at the NHL level.

Parting with a couple awesome assets for Thomas would be tough for Bruins fans. There’s no doubt about that. But No. 1 centers are extremely difficult to find. You have to draft and develop them, or make a trade for one. They almost never get to free agency anymore. And players of Thomas’ caliber and age rarely are available via trade, either.

It’s a unique situation the Bruins should take advantage of. Adding Thomas wouldn’t immediately make the Bruins one of the top three Stanley Cup contenders this season, but it gets them a lot closer to being in that group.

With the trade deadline upon us, rumours are swirling everywhere around the league, and there are a couple of big-name goaltenders reported to be on the market. Given how the Montreal Canadiens have struggled in net, could they try to bolster the position before tomorrow’s trade deadline?

Samuel Montembeault has struggled out of the gate this season and has a 10-8-3 record on the season with a 3.37 goals-against average, while rookie Jakub Dobes, who started the season as the backup, has a 19-6-4 record with a 3.04 GAA and a .889 SV. Despite not having great numbers, Dobes leads all rookie goaltenders in wins with his 19 triumphs. San Jose Sharks’ rookie Yaroslav Askarov also has 19 wins, but he earned them in 38 games, while Dobes saw only 29 games of action.

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Despite the goalies’ underwhelming numbers, the president of hockey operations, Jeff Gorton, said in an interview with Sportsnet’s Eric Engels that the Canadiens are probably more comfortable than most people think with their goalies. But Kent Hughes and Gorton have both said in the past that Hughes has his fingers on the pulse of the trade market and that it’s his job to know what’s out there and how much it could go for. When Gorton spoke to Engels, the names of Sergei Bobrovsky and Jordan Binnington weren’t out there.

Now that the Florida Panthers are on their way to missing the playoffs after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, and the veteran goaltender is in the last year of his contract, he could become a solid rental option. Despite being 29 years old, Montembeault has only played three playoff games in his career, just like 24-year-old Dobes, meaning the Canadiens could certainly use some experience in net.

However, with his $10 M cap hit, Bobrosky would be tricky to acquire; the Canadiens would need the Panthers to be willing to take Patrik Laine and a goaltender in return, which doesn’t appear very likely. It wouldn’t be cheap to convince them to play ball, and the Habs have said in the past that they do not want to have to part with assets to move the big Finn.

Besides, it’s hard to imagine Hughes being willing to sacrifice assets for a very temporary solution. As for Binnington, he’s in year five of his six-year, $6M cap hit contract. The St. Louis Blues have been in a lot of trade rumours of late because of their abysmal results, and it’s not hard to imagine them being ready to move on from the netminder.

He has proven he can win, guiding the Blues to a Stanley Cup as a rookie in 2019 and winning the 4 Nations Face-Off with Canada last year. However, he is having an awful season; he’s 8-18-6 in 33 games with a 3.60 GAA and a .867 SV. Would a change of scenery instantly make him better? That’s doubtful.

There’s no denying that the Canadiens will soon have to make a big decision when it comes to their goaltending. Prospect Jacob Fowler didn’t look out of place in the 10 games he played in the big league this season, and he could very well end up starting the next season in Montreal, making one of Montembeault and Dobes surplus to requirements. Acquiring Binnington would probably delay his arrival, and if the Habs’ brass deems him ready, it would make very little sense. Unless, of course, they intend to move on from both Montembeault and Dobes, but that’s easier said than done.

It feels as if the Canadiens are likely to get reinforcements in net, they are more likely to come from the Laval Rocket than from outside. Giving Fowler some playoff experience would make much more sense than acquiring a band-aid solution.

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Things are apparently getting hotter off the ice for U.S. Olympic hockey hero Jack Hughes.

A source told Us Weekly that the New Jersey Devils forward and Canadian singer-songwriter Tate McRae are officially a couple.

"Tate and Jack are dating," the source said. "They started casually seeing each other late last year, so it’s still new, but they are exclusively seeing each other."

Hughes, who scored the winning goal in overtime against Canada in the gold medal game at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games, had been seen with McRae on several occasions since their first public appearance together last December.

The Florida Panthers are gearing up to play their final game before the NHL Trade Deadline.

With their playoff hopes dwindling following three consecutive losses, the Panthers are in Ohio for a matchup with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.

About 17 hours later, the Trade Deadline will hit.

Unfortunately for Florida, a stretch of eight defeats in 10 games has cost them deadly, dropping the Panthers from three points out of a playoff spot to their current position, 10 points back with only 21 games left to play.

Columbus, meanwhile, is three points behind the Boston Bruins for that final Wild Card spot.

The Blue Jackets have points in 10 of their past 11 games and are 13-2-1 since Jan 11.

Florida has welcomed several long-injured players back into their lineup recently, and that may continue on Thursday night.

Defenseman Seth Jones, who has missed more than two months, is close to making his return, and that could come in Columbus or Detroit on Friday.

Over the past several games, Florida has welcomed back Dmitry Kulikov and Tomas Nosek as well, with forward Jonah Gadjovich, who has been out since late October, also nearing a return to the lineup.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Thursday’s battle with the Blue Jackets:

Carter Verhaeghe – Evan Rodrigues – Brad Marchand

Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart

A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Sandis Vilmanis

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Dmitry Kulikov

Uvis Balinskis – Jeff Petry

Extras: Jesper Boqvist, Donovan Sebrango, 

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Photo caption: Mar 20, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner (38) reaches for the loose puck as Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola (77) defends during the second period at Nationwide Arena. (Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images)

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The Detroit Red Wings were unable to protect a two-goal lead on Wednesday evening against the Vegas Golden Knights, dropping a 4-3 overtime decision after having entered the third period with a 3-1 lead.

Tomas Hertl's power-play goal gave Vegas the victory, and it was their first win over a team in a playoff position since Nov. 20. 

While Emmitt Finnie scored his second goal in as many games for the Red Wings, who also got first-period goals from Simon Edvinsson and Alex DeBrincat, they sat on their lead and stopped attacking, registering only a single shot on goal through the first 12 minutes of the game's final frame while Ivan Barbashev and Mitch Marner eventually knotted the score at 3-3. 

Detroit had a prime opportunity on the power-play with just over two minutes left in regulation, during which there was a concerning scene involving team captain Dylan Larkin. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Larkin took a cross-check from behind in front of the net from Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb and collapsed to the ice. Not only was there no penalty called on the play, but Larkin appeared to be injured and very slowly made his way off the ice while hunched over. 

While he was eventually able to come back during the subsequent overtime, Vegas eventually secured the extra point thanks to Hertl, with Edvinsson in the box for slashing. 

Afterward, Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan indicated that while Larkin was sore, it was a good sign that he was able to return during the game. 

"Dylan is sore, I'm sure, and obviously, not very happy with the outcome," McLellan said. "He'll get looked at by the training staff right now, I'm sure, and we'll get an update. But, he was able to come back and play, which is a good sign."

Red Wings Lose Two-Goal Lead, Fall 4-3 In OT To Golden Knights The Detroit Red Wings weren't able to protect their 3-1 third period lead on Wednesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights, falling by a 4-3 final score in overtime.

The scene was reminiscent of a truly frightening incident in December 2023, when Larkin was cross-checked from behind by Ottawa Senators forward Mathieu Joseph, leaving him motionless on the ice for several moments. He missed the next handful of games. 

Thankfully, in this case, the Red Wings may have avoided the worst-case scenario. 

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The New York Islanders and Los Angeles Kings have both been kind to Under backers this season, scoring few goals at one end while limiting them effectively at the other.

My Islanders vs. Kings predictions expect another low-scoring game in the cards when they square off in Los Angeles.

Let’s break down my NHL picks for Thursday, March 5.

Islanders vs Kings prediction

Islanders vs Kings best bet: Under 5.5 (-115)

The New York Islanders sit tied for fourth in goals allowed per game, leading to low-scoring contests — particularly against sound defensive teams like the Los Angeles Kings.

Isolating matchups with Top-10 goal suppression teams, the Isles have played 10 straight games featuring five goals or fewer. An average of just 4.7 goals was scored along the way.

New York is unlikely to push the pace in a road back-to-back. It also saved star netminder Ilya Sorokin for this contest, who leads the NHL in goals saved above expected, and will make life difficult on a struggling Kings' offense.

Islanders vs Kings same-game parlay

Adrian Kempe has generated at least three shots on goal in four of five games with Artemi Panarin on his opposite wing. He's averaged 7.2 attempts against teams outside the Top 10 in shot suppression this season, which is the kind of output you’d see from someone with a 3.5 shot total.

Bo Horvat has generated three or more shots in five of six games with Ondrej Palat and Mathew Barzal as his two wingers, averaging 3.6 per night.

Islanders vs Kings SGP

• Under 5.5
• Adrian Kempe Over 2.5 shots
• Bo Horvat Over 2.5 shots

Islanders vs Kings odds

• Moneyline: Islanders +120 | Kings -140
• Puck Line: Islanders +1.5 (-210) | Kings -1.5 (+170)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-105) | Under 5.5 (-115)

Islanders vs Kings trend

The New York Islanders have hit the game total Under in 17 of their last 25 away games (+10.65 Units / 39% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs. Kings.

How to watch Islanders vs Kings

Islanders vs Kings latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

It’s trade season, and with less than a couple of days until the March 6th 3pm deadline, teams have been placed in the categories of buyers and sellers.

For the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Panthers, an injury plagued season has made it a high task to make it back to the postseason in 2026.

According to money puck, the Florida Panthers have a 2.6% chance of making the postseason.

One silver lining in a season that has gone south is that their first round pick that was sent to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Seth Jones trade is top-10 protected.

Per tankathon, after Florida’s 5-1 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night, they stood at ninth in the NHL lottery odds, based on points percentage.

Based on being 10 points out of the final wild card spot, and the Boston Bruins having a game in hand, it’s more likely than not that Florida will end up selling some of their pending free agents.

Florida has 18 players on their current roster who are signed through the 2026-27 season, so there are not a lot of pieces to trade off. However, there is one player in question where the entire hockey world wants to know about, their two-time Stanley Cup winning goaltender, Sergei Bobrovsky.

Bobrovsky is in the final year of his 7-year, $70 million deal that he signed back in July of 2019, and is set to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1st of this offseason.

At 37 years old, there are questions on whether the Panthers should keep him and have him sign a team-friendly deal while they search for his successor, or explore the trade market and obtain some assets.

It has not been the best season for Bobrovsky, where he currently has a 22-19-1 record, 3.13 goals-against average and a .873 save percentage, his worst season as a Cat.

A source has told the Locked On Panthers Podcast that three teams have been calling the Panthers to see what it will take to swing a trade before Friday mid-afternoon.

The teams that we were told go as follows (in no specific order): Montreal Canadiens, Carolina Hurricanes, and the San Jose Sharks

Montreal and Carolina are currently in playoff spots, while San Jose is three points back of the final spot in the western conference with a game in hand on the Seattle Kraken, so getting a goaltender with long playoff experience could be a major boost to each team.

Let’s go over each team and where they stand with their roster and their salary cap situation.

Montreal Canadiens:

A young team who got some playoff experience in 2024-25 before losing to the Washington Capitals in round one.

They have carried over their good fortune into this year, but it’s been up-and-down between the pipes.

Although the Habs could score goals with the best of them in the NHL with the likes of forwards Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki and defenseman Lane Hutson, they’ve had trouble all year keeping pucks out of their net.

Montreal is ninth worst in goals against per game at 3.27, and an upgrade in goaltending could help their chances of advancing further than one round.

A trade to Montreal would likely require 50% retention from Florida, but more work would need to be done in order for Montreal to fit Bobrovsky in.

There is a chance that forward Patrik Laine could be a piece that could be dealt at the deadline, but doubtful that it would be to the Panthers.

Laine has not played since mid-October, but has practiced and is closer to a return. He is also set to become a free agent this summer as well.

Montreal as of Wednesday night has $1.4 million in cap space, and retaining 50% of Laine’s $8.7M salary in a trade would exceed the necessary space in order to bring in Bobrovsky at 50%..

Both of Montreal’s goaltenders Samuel Montembault and Jakub Dobes are signed through next season, so either a reunion in Florida for Montembault could be on the table or Dobes could compete for starts for the rest of this season and next if the Panthers decide to bring him in as part of a possible deal.

Carolina Hurricanes:

Carolina’s front office has been intentional about having cap flexibility in order to have space for the present and future. To think that at certain points, they’ve had star forwards like Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen in the mix, but still found a way to swing them in trades in order to gain assets themselves. Getting superstars to stay has been a major issue in Raleigh.

General manager Eric Tulsky was able to bring in probably the biggest free agent of the 2025 class in Nicolaj Ehlers to a six-year deal worth $8.5 million per year, and they still have room to make more moves with $14 million in cap space this offseason and 19 players under contract.

Their 2025 deadline cap space is projected to be $40 million, per puck pedia, and one of their goaltenders in Frederik Andersen is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. With Pyotr Kotchetkov out for the season, and injury scares for Andersen in the past, Tulsky could be looking for another piece to add to their goalie tandem.

Brandon Bussi, 27 year old goaltender who the Hurricanes claimed off of waivers from the Panthers, has been one of the greater stories in the league.

Bussi has won 25 of his first 28 starts to begin his NHL career going into Wednesday evening.

However, he is inexperienced when it comes to playoff hockey, so the Hurricanes kicking the tires on a goaltender who has been on multiple long playoff runs does not come as a surprise.

There is also familiarity as both have shared the same locker room (despite it being short lived), back in the preseason in 2025-26, so the possibility is there for Bobrovsky to not head too far from South Florida at the deadline.

San Jose Sharks:

The Sharks are looking to accelerate their rebuild as Macklin Celebrini is in the running for the Hart Trophy, factoring on a majority of the Sharks goals while providing excellent two-way play.

Over the years San Jose has been adding on contracts in order to get to the salary cap floor, taking on the contract of defenseman Nick Leddy, claiming him off of waivers from the St. Louis Blues, and obtaining the contract of Canadiens great, goaltender Carey Price, who has not played a game since the 2021-22 season and is on season-ending long-term injured reserve.

San Jose also has retention slots taken from trades of defenseman Erik Karlsson, forward Tomas Hertl, along with loads of bonuses and contract buyouts.

The best thing about that? San Jose still has not gone over the cap ceiling.

What does this mean? They could actually afford to take on the entirety of the Bobrovsky contract if they decided to trade the contract of Carey Price back to Florida.

Captain Logan Couture will not play hockey again, due to persistent hip and groin injuries but is not even listed on long-term injured reserve, let alone season-ending. There are cap gymnastics that general manager Mike Greir could pull off with a Bobrovsky trade

That would likely cost San Jose less in a return than the two other teams mentioned, because Florida could retain nothing.

Highly unlikely that Florida retains zero, but something to consider.

If that scenario plays out, it would mean that San Jose could obtain a championship level goaltender, while the Panthers are in greater cap health for the remainder of the season, and do not risk the possibility of being short a roster player for a Seth Jones return, or even the unlikely return of captain Aleksander Barkov.

Another upside on the San Jose front is that Bobrovsky could mentor fellow countrymen Yaroslov Askarov for a possible playoff push, as the Sharks are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

No matter what, the decision will be tough for Zito and the Panthers front office. Chances are, number 72 will never be worn again and will eventually go up in the rafters at Amerant Bank Arena.

Will the move be made? Will he stay or will he go? Because there is also word from David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period that there is also a chance that Bobrovsky signs a two-year deal once the season is over at a lower cap charge to help the team continue to contend going into next season and beyond, but it has to make sense for both parties.

Fans from across the league will be on the edge of their seats prior to Friday because only three times has a starting goaltender of a Cup winner been traded the very next season after winning it: Lorne Chabot (1928), Terry Sawchuk (1955), and Mike Vernon (1997).

Will Bobrovsky be the fourth? Stay tuned.

At this point in the season we should have a pretty good idea of what the Pittsburgh Penguins are capable of and what kind of team they are. They have a 60-game sample size, which is pretty much three quarters of the season, and really do not have any secrets. We know what they do well, we know where they struggle, we know what they need both short-term and long-term.

Along those lines, there are some pretty big discussion points that have been coming up in recent days and weeks that could present varying levels of concern.

So let’s talk about some of them and try to figure out what, exactly, your concern level is with each of them. I will rate my concern level on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being no concern and 5 being major concern.

1. The Penguins faceoff struggles without Sidney Crosby

We knew Crosby being out of the lineup for a couple of weeks was going to present some problems for the Penguins. He is Sidney Crosby. He is still their best player and one of the best players in hockey. He still does a lot of heavy lifting offensively, and has also eaten a lot of tough minutes this season against other team’s top lines. That is difficult to replace.

He is also the Penguins best faceoff man, and in the games he has missed since the return from the Olympic break the Penguins have been abysmal in the faceoff circle.

My concern level: 2

Look, I am not saying it is okay to lose every faceoff. It is obviously beneficial to win more of them. But my opinion on faceoffs has always been they matter in individual cases, not big picture cases.

It is a micro event. Not a macro event.

The top-four faceoff teams in the NHL this season are the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers. Those teams, for the most part, stink. Their faceoff success is not helping them. Because they stink after the faceoff.

The bottom-four faceoff teams in the NHL this season are the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks. The Tampa Bay Lightning are fifth-worst. Those teams, outside of Chicago, are all very good. Their faceoff struggles are not hurting them. Because they are very good after the faceoff.

Yeah, winning more faceoffs from a big picture outlook might help you win some of those smaller picture faceoffs that actually matter, but no matter the situation what you do after the faceoff is often times just as important, if not more important, than the faceoff itself.

Crosby will return. They will get better in this area when that happens. Do not trade an asset for somebody just because they win faceoffs.

2. Evgeni Malkin’s contract

Aside from what they do before Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline, this might be THE story with the Pittsburgh Penguins right now. Malkin is an unrestricted free agent after this season, he clearly wants to play another season and play it in Pittsburgh, but there seems to be some real hesitancy on the part of the front office to get him signed.

Malkin and Kyle Dubas reportedly met this week face-to-face, but there is still no contract.

Coming into this season there was a belief that Malkin could retire after this season, making any potential contract talks totally meaningless. But his strong play, and the Penguins being ahead of schedule in their timeline, have certainly changed the outlook for a lot of people. Including, perhaps, Malkin.

Is this something the Penguins and Malkin will eventually settle before he ends up playing for, I don’t know, the Florida Panthers?

My concern level: 3

On one hand, Dubas is pretty busy with things right now when it comes to building the roster and making moves. Hammering out a contract extension that could probably wait a few weeks is most likely not high on his priority list at the moment.

It would also probably be a pretty easy thing to get signed after the trade deadline or after the season.

I could also see the Penguins wanting to see how the rest of this season goes with both Malkin and the team as a whole. He is still playing really well. But he is also going to be 40 years old next season and is playing through some kind of shoulder/upper-body issue. That stuff can linger the older you get.

You do have to be realistic about these things. There are not a lot of 40 year olds that play at a high level in the NHL, and while Malkin could absolutely be one of them (and I suspect he will be), you want to make sure you are making the best possible decision. Especially if you intend to compete next season.

Personally, I think it is a slam-dunk decision. He can obviously still play, he has developed an instant chemistry with Egor Chinakhov, he has already shifted over to wing, he is probably not going to cost a lot of money, they have a ton of salary cap space to work with, and even at 40 I am not sure they are going to find a more productive player at the contract he would likely get.

At this point I still think it probably gets done. The longer it goes without it getting done, however, the more you have to start wondering.

3. The March schedule

We have been looking at this all season and wondering what the Penguins would do with it. Not only do they play a very condensed schedule with a lot of games squeezed into a very short period of time, the overwhelming majority of these games are against playoff teams, top Stanley Cup contenders, and some of the best teams in hockey. At the moment, they are playing them without their captain and best player.

The month got off to a strong start with an extremely impressive win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. They followed that by playing a solid game in Boston, but were unable to buy a goal.

My concern level: 4

At least for now. It is not just the quality of opponents that plays into this, but also the number of games squeezed into the month and the back-to-back situations. That is a lot of hockey for a team that, while mixing in more young talent, has a lot of veterans over the age of 30 on it.

The good news is the Penguins have put themselves into a good situation with a pretty solid cushion between them and the non-playoff teams. At some point you also have to imagine the Columbus Blue Jackets will start losing a few more games, while the Washington Capitals might be selling away pieces before the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday.

The Penguins basically just need to play .500 hockey the rest of the way and a playoff spot should be theirs. They could probably even go a little lower than that and still get in. They are very capable of that, especially given the way they have played against the top teams in the NHL this season. It is still going to be a big test. They still have to pass it.

The 2026 NHL trade deadline is just about here, and the Philadelphia Flyers have some decisions to make. With the Flyers being on the wrong side of the playoff line, there is a chance that we could see some of their players get moved by Friday at 3 p.m. ET. 

One Flyers forward who has been the subject of trade speculation leading up to deadline day is Bobby Brink. With the Flyers having a surplus of wingers, questions about his long-term future in Philadelphia have naturally come up.

Now, Brink is being linked to the top team in the Atlantic Division.

During a recent appearance on the NHL Network, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman brought up the possibility of the Tampa Bay Lightning being interested in Brink. 

"I'll give you one name that I've kind of wondered about for Tampa because I haven't checked his contract situation, but he's still a pretty young guy, and he is a right-hand shot, and I like him as a player. A guy like Bobby Brink from Philadelphia. That's the kind of guy I have wondered about for Tampa," Friedman said.

When looking at Tampa Bay's roster, it is fair to argue that they could use another middle-six winger with skill. Because of this, it is understandable that Friedman sees Brink as a potential fit for the Lightning. This is especially so when noting that Brink's $1.5 million cap hit makes him an affordable option for Tampa Bay to consider. 

However, with Brink being just 24 years old and a pending restricted free agent (RFA), the Flyers would need to get a good offer for them to consider moving him. He is still young enough that he could improve, so the Flyers could use him as a good trade chip to improve their roster elsewhere.

Brink has also had a solid season for the Flyers, as he has scored a career-high 13 goals and has recorded 26 points in 54 games this campaign. 

Former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta is on the move. 

The Utah Mammoth have traded Maatta, Jonathan Castagna, and three 2026 second-round picks to the Calgary Flames in exchange for star defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. 

Maatta is in the first season of his three-year, $10.5 million contract, so he will be more than a rental for the Flames if they elect to keep him. However, with the Flames rebuilding and Maatta being 31 years old, he could also be a decent trade chip for them. 

Maatta has played in 22 games this season, where he has recorded one assist, one hit, 17 blocks, and a minus-5 rating. This is after he had two goals, 18 points, 124 blocks, and a plus-7 rating in 77 games split between the Detroit Red Wings and Utah this past season. 

Maatta was selected by the Penguins with the 22nd overall pick of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. From there, he played his first six NHL seasons with Pittsburgh, where he recorded 25 goals, 107 points, and a plus-61 rating in 362 games. He also won the Stanley Cup twice during his time in Pittsburgh. 

Montreal Canadiens prospect and 81st overall pick at the 2025 draft, Bryce Pickford, had himself a game on Wednesday night, scoring a hat trick in the Medicine Hat Tigers’ 6-3 win over the Brandon Wheat Kings. In 49 games, the right-shot defenseman has 41 goals, the second-highest total in the league behind right-winger Cameron Smith, who has 43 goals, but he’s scored his in 63 games.

With seven games left in the Tigers’ regular season, it’s far from out of the question that Pickford could reach the 50-goal milestone, a feat only accomplished twice in league history by a defenseman. Blueliner Troy Mick scored 63 goals in 1987-88 and 60 in 1989-90 and was drafted in the seventh round of the 1988 draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, but never made it to the NHL, which goes to show that success in the WHL doesn’t necessarily guarantee success in the NHL.

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As things stand, Pickford has 76 points in just 49 games, the 10th highest total in the league and the second highest amongst defensemen, two points behind leader Jonas Woo, who plays with him on the first pairing in Medicine Hat.

40 wasn't enough, he wants MORE! 🥶

Bryce Pickford completes the hat trick! 🎩@tigershockey | @CanadiensMTL | #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/YcAYeZaGAT

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 5, 2026

The 19-year-old Pickford was passed over in the 2024 draft, but his 47 points in 48 games performance in 2024-25 convinced the Canadiens to draft him, and so far, that has proven to be an excellent decision. On Christmas Eve, the Habs even signed him to a three-year entry-level contract, which kicks in at the start of the 2026-27 season.

There’s no denying that the Canadiens have a lot of depth when it comes to left-shot defensemen, but the situation is far from ideal when it comes to right-shot ones. Martin St-Louis only has two right-shot rearguards on his roster right now: Noah Dobson and Alexandre Carrier, which forces him to use Kaiden Guhle on his off-side. Down with the Laval Rocket, David Reinbacher is the only right-shot defenseman who seems to have NHL upside, and his development hasn’t exactly gone according to plan so far. Could Pickford be used as part of a package to secure some immediate help?

Yesterday, news broke that the New Jersey Devils could be willing to part with right-shot blueliner and second overall pick at the 2022 draft, Simon Nemec, Juraj Slafkovsky’s teammate at the Olympics. Given the fact that Martin St-Louis seems to have little trust in Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble, one must wonder if Kent Hughes shouldn’t pounce on this opportunity. The Devils are struggling to find the back of the net this season, and perhaps an offer featuring rookie Oliver Kapanen, who has 19 goals so far, Pickford, who’s showing great potential in the WHL, and a draft pick could tempt Tom Fitzgerald.

Pickford is still some time away from being ready for the NHL, and acquiring Nemec would help the team now. He could slot right into the lineup and reestablish the balance between right-shot and left-shot defensemen, allowing everyone to play on their right side.

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Ben Kindel is having an impressive rookie season for the Pittsburgh Penguins and has stepped up in Sidney Crosby's absence.

My Sabres vs. Penguins predictions and NHL picks expect the young pivot to put forth another strong offensive performance in a high-paced matchup against Buffalo.

Sabres vs Penguins prediction

Sabres vs Penguins best bet: Ben Kindel Over 2.5 shots (+135)

Ben Kindel is centering the Pittsburgh Penguins' top line without Sidney Crosby in the lineup. He has taken full advantage of the opportunity, averaging 3.8 shots on 6.3 attempts over four games.

Kindel has logged 17+ minutes in two of the last three, well above his season average of 15:24. He has clearly earned the trust of head coach Dan Muse.

The Buffalo Sabres rank first in pace and 31st in shot suppression at 5-on-5 over the past 10 games. They’re playing fast, high-event hockey and giving up a ton of shots.

That bodes well for Kindel in his first-line center role.

Sabres vs Penguins same-game parlay

Evgeni Malkin has seen an uptick in shot volume without Crosby, averaging more than a full extra shot attempt each night. He has also picked up three points over two games on home ice. In a high-paced matchup with more on his plate, Malkin will make noise.

Let’s round out the parlay with another player benefiting from injury. Jack Quinn has registered 2+ shots on goal in 73% of his appearances without Jiri Kulich and eight straight overall.

Sabres vs Penguins SGP

• Ben Kindel Over 2.5 shots
• Evgeni Malkin Over 0.5 points
• Jack Quinn Over 1.5 shots

Sabres vs Penguins odds

• Moneyline: Sabres -110 | Penguins -110
• Puck Line: Sabres -1.5 (+210) | Penguins +1.5 (+260)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-105) | Under 6.5 (-115)

Sabres vs Penguins trend

Ben Kindel has recorded 13 shots over his last three games, generating at least three in each. Find more NHL betting trends for Sabres vs. Penguins.

How to watch Sabres vs Penguins

Sabres vs Penguins latest injuries

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Eight games are on the slate tonight across the National Hockey League, and I’ve found the very best NHL player props to cash in.

My NHL picks include Nikita Kucherov, Tim Stutzle, and Erik Karlsson, all having strong offensive showings on Thursday, March 5. 

Best NHL player prop bets today

Player
Kucherov anytime goal	+120
Stutzle Over 0.5 assists	-120
Karlsson Over 0.5 points	-115

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(not available in Ontario)

Our best NHL player props for Thursday, March 5

Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.

Prop #1: Nikita Kucherov anytime goal

+120 at BET99

Nikita Kucherov has notched 96 points overall, including 32 goals. The Russian ranks second in the NHL in that category. Kucherov just found the back of the net on Tuesday against the Wild. 

In fact, the Tampa Bay Lightning superstar has scored in three of his last four games since the league hit pause for the Winter Olympics. 

While the Bolts haven’t faced the Winnipeg Jets yet this season, Kucherov has potted 19 goals in 28 road games, and Tampa is in Manitoba this evening to take on the Jets.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: The Spot, TSN3

Prop #2: Tim Stutzle Over 0.5 assists

-120 at BET99

Tim Stutzle continues to deliver the goods for the Ottawa Senators, with 28 goals and 37 assists. Stutzle has cashed the Over in helpers in three straight contests. 

During that span, Stutzle has four assists. Despite a loss to the Oilers on Tuesday, he did his part, registering a pair of helpers. The Sens are visiting the Calgary Flames tonight, and Stutzle has already notched an assist against them this season in one meeting. 

Also, he has collected 17 helpers in 31 road appearances.

• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: TSN5, Sportsnet West

Prop #3: Erik Karlsson Over 0.5 points

-115 at BET99

Erik Karlsson isn’t the point producer he once was, but the veteran is still contributing for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Swede has notched five goals and 34 assists, and he’s cashed the Over in three straight. 

During that three-game stretch, he’s scored a goal, registered two helpers against Vegas, and also set up another against the Rangers over the weekend. 

Karlsson has 21 assists in 27 home games, and the Pens welcome the Buffalo Sabres to town this evening.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

These props are available now at BET99, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

NEWARK, N.J. — Many Toronto Maple Leafs players fully expected to have the same lineup they practiced with during their morning skate. However, when they arrived at Prudential Center for gametime later that evening, they discovered that teammates Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson would all be held out of the lineup for roster management purposes.

According to reports, there is nothing imminent to suggest a deal is on the table for any of these players at the time of this writing. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman used the term “bubble wrap” to describe the situation, as the Leafs try to avoid an injury to any player while also acknowledging that trade talks are heating up.

The timing is unsurprising, as the NHL trade deadline is 3 p.m. ET this Friday.

“It would be very tough to see them go,” William Nylander said of the three players. “It’s something you don’t want to think about too much”.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton are out of the lineup tonight for the Maple Leafs.@FriedgeHNIC stopped by #NHLNow to provide the latest as the #NHLTradeDeadline approaches.

NHL Network's coverage of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline begins Friday at 10a ET! https://t.co/qIO9einCkNpic.twitter.com/GBz77d4SCh

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) March 4, 2026

The abrupt change in the lineup opened the door for Easton Cowan to get his biggest opportunity with the Leafs yet, playing on the first line alongside Nylander and captain Auston Matthews. Cowan logged 17:03 of ice time and recorded an assist in Toronto’s 4-3 shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils.

Cowan was particularly feeling down about the possibility of Laughton being dealt.

“He’s been nothing but good to me,” Cowan said. “Honestly, I haven’t known him long, but I probably wouldn’t be the person I am right now without him. Just a great teammate. Yeah, it’s unfortunate [that he was scratched]. It obviously sucks”.

All three players attended the game on Wednesday. It is likely they will be scratched again on Thursday when the team visits the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden —that is, if they haven’t been dealt by then.

According to Friedman, Laughton is currently drawing interest from the Colorado Avalanche. Meanwhile, Ekman-Larsson has drawn interest from teams like the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins, and several teams remain interested in McMann.

Just the facts

• When: Tonight, 8 PM
• Where: Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
• How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub
• Opposing perspective:On the Forecheck

Know your enemy

• 27-26-8, 62PTS, 5th in the Central Division
• Ryan O’Reilly: 22G-37A-59PTS; Filip Forsberg: 27G-23A-50PTS; Steven Stamkos: 30G-17A-47PTS
• Juuse Saros: 21-18-6, 3.19 GAA, .892 save percentage

Game notes

• The Bruins visit Nashville for a brief, one-game road trip prior to Friday’s trade deadline. I don’t know if you can even call it a road trip if it’s for one game. Day trip? Outing?
• After a trying start to the season, the Predators are hanging around the wild card race in the Western Conference. Nashville is five points behind Seattle, who currently occupy the second spot. There are two teams (Los Angeles and San Jose) between Nashville and Seattle.
• Having said that, they are fading a bit as of late. Nashville is 1-2-1 coming out of the Olympic break, with three losses in a row. They’re 3-3-4 in their last ten games.
• These two teams played at TD Garden in late January, a 3-2 OT win for the Bruins. That was the OT game where David Pastrnak scored off of a set play just 15 seconds into the extra session.
• It sounds crazy to say it for a guy who has been so consistent for so long, but that was actually the last goal Pastrnak scored for the B’s. He’s gone goalless in six games, though he does have three assists in that span.
• Steven Stamkos is well on his way to eclipsing his production during his first year in Nashville. The longtime Lightning captain had 53 points in 82 games for Nashville last season; this year, he’s already up to 47, including 30 goals, in just 61 games.
• The Predators are 3-0 in games that have gone to a shootout this season, one of six teams with an unblemished shootout record.
• On the Bruins front, we’re mostly just waiting to see what happens at the trade deadline at this point. Big deal? Small deal? No deal? Time will tell, I guess.
• If you’re interested in scoreboard watching tonight, there are a few games that will impact the Eastern Conference wild card/playoff race: Utah vs. Philadelphia, Buffalo vs. Pittsburgh, Florida vs. Columbus, and Ottawa vs. Calgary.

See ya tonight!