DENVER —  Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson each recorded a goal and an assist as the Colorado Avalanche extended their winning streak to eight games with a 5–2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at Ball Arena on Monday night. 

Jack Drury, Martin Nečas, and Cale Makar also found the back of the net for Colorado (29-2-7), which has now won 14 straight games on home ice and is 10-0-1 over its last 11 contests. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots in the win, making several timely, highlight-reel saves to help seal the victory. 

Corey Perry and Joel Armia scored for Los Angeles (16-13-9), while Anton Forsberg made 21 saves. The Kings have dropped seven of their last nine games and have lost five of their last six meetings with the Avalanche. 

First Period 

Brent Burns turned the puck over at center ice early, allowing Alex Turcotte to break in alone, but Blackwood stood tall and turned aside the chance. 

Just over nine minutes into the period, Colorado had managed only one shot on goal, though its defense was doing its part. Josh Manson set a physical tone by knocking Quinton Byfield off the puck during one sequence. 

At the 9:24 mark, the Avalanche doubled their shot total in emphatic fashion. Drury fired a shot that deflected off Darcy Kuemper’s blocker and into the net to give Colorado a 1–0 lead. The play developed after Ross Colton intercepted a pass, surveyed the ice, and found Drury streaking down the middle for the finish. 

With nearly four minutes remaining, Colorado went to the power play after Andrei Kuzmenko was whistled for interference following a collision with Gavin Brindley off the draw. The man advantage came up empty, and the teams returned to even strength. 

After one period, the Avalanche held a 1–0 lead despite Los Angeles owning a 10–8 edge in shots. 

Second Period 

Parker Kelly was penalized for holding early in the frame, and with just four seconds left on the kill, Colorado surrendered the equalizer when Perry deflected a pass from Kevin Fiala past Blackwood to tie the game. 

A few minutes later, Brian Dumoulin was sent off for interference on Drury. Dumoulin vehemently disagreed with the call and argued with the officials before heading to the box. After Colorado failed to convert on its second power play, Colton was assessed an interference penalty. 

Nečas restored the lead with 6:39 remaining on a scramble in front. Gabe Landeskog and MacKinnon each took swings at a loose puck, and after Forsberg failed to smother it, the rebound trickled free to Nečas at the doorstep for an easy tap-in. 

Los Angeles was penalized again when Brandt Clarke cross-checked Artturi Lehkonen in the back. The power play struggled once more, and Kempe nearly made Colorado pay with a shorthanded breakaway, but Blackwood came up with a massive save. 

Nelson made it 3–1 with 2:30 left in the period, ripping a wrist shot over Forsberg’s glove after taking a perfectly placed saucer feed from Kiviranta. 

Third Period 

Nearly four minutes into the final frame, Clarke was sent to the box again—this time for tripping Kiviranta and sending him crashing into the boards. 

The Kings, however, refused to fold. Armia struck shorthanded to pull Los Angeles within a goal, skating the length of the ice before toe-dragging around Cale Makar to give himself additional real estate and time before snapping a wrist shot from the high slot that slipped through Blackwood five-hole. 

As the clock approached the midway point of the period, Drury was whistled for hooking on what appeared to be a questionable call, but the penalty kill stood firm and snuffed out the threat. 

MacKinnon only had two shots on net, and the final one was a goal as he shot the puck into an empty net at 18:23 to make it 4-2, and Makar scored on a rebound with 45 seconds left to complete the 5-2 victory. 

As the Avalanche have shown all season, they have exhibited grit and the ability to suffocate their opposition in the championship rounds. 

Next Game 

The Avalanche will square off against the struggling St. Louis Blues on New Year’s Eve to close out 2025. Coverage begins at 7 p.m., with a fireworks show scheduled to follow the game.  

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ST. LOUIS – Colten Ellis is not mad. The former St. Louis Blues farmhand is nowhere near upset.

In fact, the goalie is grateful for his time, and the belief the Blues had in him and the time they devoted to develop him.

So when the Blues had to make the decision, one general manager Doug Armstrong has said he did not want to make but ultimately felt he had no other choice, of putting the 25-year-old on waivers hoping to pass their No. 3 goalie on the depth chart through to assign him to Springfield of the American Hockey League, only to have the Buffalo Sabres – in need of goaltending due to injury issues at the time – jump in and snatch him on Oct. 5.

The Blues were left scrambling. The Sabres were banking on someone they felt, just like the Blues did, have promise.

But bottom line, it was going to be really difficult for the Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia native to push his way through the barrier in St. Louis with Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer ahead of him.

“When they told me I was going on waivers, I know that’s a process, I really didn’t know what to expect,” Ellis told The Hockey news on Monday morning. “It was my first year going through this process. I was actually back in Springfield moving into my apartment. I was there when I got the call from Doug. It’s a crazy business, you never know what’s going to happen. You’ve kind of got to be ready for everything. Thinking in the back of my mind, I knew there was a possibility, but didn’t necessarily think something was going to transpire like that.”

Ellis got that call from Armstrong, one he said was comforting for both and one he appreciated.

“I had a really good conversation with him when he told me the news,” Ellis said. “He just wished me all the best. It was nice to kind of have that conversation with him. I’ve known him for however many years I was in the organization, right? It was cool to kind of talk to him about it and wish me the best and all that.”

And Ellis was off to Buffalo. For however long, nobody really knew, since Ukko Pekka-Luukkonen was on the mend at the time. But to the surprise of many, the Sabres have decided to keep three goalies rostered. They’ve liked Ellis that much.

Unfortunately, for the time being anyway, Ellis is recovering from a concussion sustained Dec. 9, when the Sabres’ eight-game winning streak began prior to facing the St. Louis Blues, against the Edmonton Oilers.

“He’s played well,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said of Ellis. “It’s unfortunate what happened in the Edmonton game where he got knocked out of the game and went into the concussion protocol process. I think he’s given us that ability when we’ve had other goalies hurt or on the sideline. He’s given us that backup when needed to step up and win games.

“You’ve got to give our scouting staff and our management a lot of credit. I think they must have had him on the radar and I think that’s what good teams do. They identify those guys that get on waivers and when you need a guy like that, whether it’s a forward, a defenseman, your pro scouts, your management staff’s the ones that see these players all the time. They bank information on him.”

And for Ellis, who is 4-3-0 with a 3.25 goals-against average and .985 save percentage this season, this is where he wants to be; he wants to be in the NHL, and as much as he said he loved being in Springfield with great people and great teammates, this is every player’s ultimate goal, and if it wasn’t going to come here, he’s glad it has come somewhere.

“A hundred percent,” he said. “Whenever someone kind of takes a chance on you like that, I’m obviously super grateful to have the opportunity to be here. For them to show an interest in me and pick me up, it means a lot. Obviously this is where I want to be for sure.

“I think the last couple years in Springfield really grew my game. Now I have a great foundation that I’m really confident in and really working closely with the goalie development guys and the goalie coaches in St. Louis really helped me get to this point. I did a lot of figuring out myself too and figuring out what makes me who I am as a goalie. I had a couple years in Springfield to figure that out and just keep building on things because you’re never done.”

Ellis made his NHL debut on Oct. 22 against the Detroit Red Wings, and he stopped 29 shots in a 4-2 win and won three of his first four starts.

It was a whirlwind of emotions but ones he was glad to experience.

“Yeah, absolutely. Not really knowing what to expect,” Ellis said. ‘I was never up in St. Louis during the regular season. I was up for one last year during the playoffs, but you’re not really a part of it. I didn’t really know what to expect, but everything here has been great. A really good group of guys around the room and everybody’s been really helpful to me being my first time going through all this. It’s been awesome.

“Before the game, we were maybe a little emotional kind of just talking about it with my family and my fiance and all the people that helped me get to this point. It’s something I’ve always dreamed about and to be able to kind of live it and go through that whole experience. I had so many people here I got to share that with. It was amazing.”

Suter Sidelined At Least Four Weeks With Ankle InjuryBlues center was hurt in third period of 3-2 win against Predators on Saturday despite returning to gameAnother St. Louisan To Play Meaningful Game In Hometown For Sabres, Josh Dunne Joins Prestigious ListSabres forward hails from O'Fallon, Mo., has played here in past but only in preseason games

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On Monday, the Pittsburgh Penguins made a somewhat unexpected move when they sent forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Yegor Chinakhov.

Chinakhov, 24, requested a trade out of Columbus over the summer, which forced their hand a bit. And after the 6-foot-1, 203-pound winger posted just three goals and six points in his first 29 games this season, it seemed unlikely that the Blue Jackets were going to get first-round value out of a player that - despite a lot of scoring upside - had not yet put it all together at the NHL level and has an extensive injury history. His best season came in 2023-24, when he had 16 goals and 29 points in 53 games. 

So, on the surface, it may seem like the Penguins gave up a bit much in hopes that a disgruntled, unproven former first-round pick (21st overall in 2020) could kick it into another gear and be an impact player for them at the NHL level. Chinakhov may still be young, but his injury history is a bit concerning - in his first four NHL seasons, he played in 175 games and was on the shelf for 109 games - and he has been inconsistent. 

But, that doesn't mean that the risk wasn't worth taking and that the cost will not outweigh the benefit.

When a team is in a position like the Penguins are with overflowing draft capital, this is the kind of chance move said team can afford to make. Prior to the Chinakhov trade, the Penguins had 17 picks within the first three rounds of the next three NHL drafts, including three second-round picks in 2026. After the trade, they only have 15 and two, respectively, but those 15 are still more than any other team in hockey over that time. They have two selections in the second and third rounds each of the three years at this point.

And it's not as if the Penguins are taking the same chance as they did on, say, Philip Tomasino, last season. Yes, Tomasino was in a similar boat age-wise and draft-wise - he was also a former first-round pick (24th overall by the Nashville Predators in 2019) - but Chinakhov has higher pedigree and what seems to be a much more translatable NHL toolset.

BREAKING: Penguins Acquire Chinakhov From Blue Jackets For Heinen, Two Draft PicksThe Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

At the end of the day, Chinakhov is a sniper, and he - at times - looked like Columbus's best player. When he was put into that role during his time in Columbus - prior to this season - he performed relatively well, as that 2023-24 season saw him get top-six minutes. He was also playing pretty well in that position during the 2024-25 season despite a back injury that ended up knocking him out for the rest of the season, registering seven goals and 15 points in the 30 games he played. 

That injury is part of what, ultimately, led to his trade request, as he got surgery on his back in Russia despite Columbus's medical staff not approving the procedure. That entire situation - as well as an apparent rift between him and head coach Dean Evason - soured Chinakhov to the Blue Jackets, and the result for the 2025-26 season was a string of healthy scratches and inconsistent lineup deployment.

But if he can use his goal-scoring skillset as well as his speed to his advantage in Pittsburgh, that - combined with sensical deployment - may just bring out the goal-scorer in Chinakhov that the Blue Jackets always thought they were getting. 

Make no mistake: This is something that had been in the works for a while for Kyle Dubas and the Penguins. Chinakhov was on their radar, and they felt it was the right time to strike a deal. And it's also the first glimpse into what could be a pretty interesting series of events for the Penguins' organization to move on to the execution phase of their rebuild into the summer of 2026.

Penguins Hit Home Run With This Great MoveThe Penguins' decision to sign this forward just keeps getting better.

"No hesitation," Dubas said about the trade. "We have a lot of draft picks and we need to use them to procure high-potential young players."

And that, perhaps, was the most interesting bit to come out of all of this. 

This is, really, the first time since the Jake Guentzel trade - aside from the prospect swap of Rutger McGroarty and Brayden Yager - that Dubas and the organization have "bought" on a player. Yes, they've made little deals here and there, but they've either been low-risk, late-round pick returns, swaps, or deals where they're taking on contracts and salary in return. 

The Penguins spending assets that they took the time to collect is a sign that they're beginning to slowly but surely transition into that "execution" phase of the rebuild that Dubas has alluded to in the past. They have built out a pretty good prospect pool in the two-plus years that Dubas has been in Pittsburgh, they have their first-round pick in the next three drafts and could get more depending on how the Penguins manage the trade market, and they project to have $54.2 million in cap space this summer to splurge if they want to. 

"Using draft picks to procure high-potential young players" could mean a few things. Yes, they can acquire that talent by drafting it, which seems to be a safe bet for, at least, the first-round picks. But the Chinakhov deal shows that they are, indeed, willing to leverage some of these assets to address areas of need and grab young talent that can help them in both the immediacy and the long-term. It could also be a precursor to another move where the Penguins recoup those lost assets - or, perhaps, get even more - by trading off a bigger name like Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust, or Erik Karlsson, as long as they feel they have the necessary talent to fill those holes.

NHL Rumors: 3 Penguins Featured On New Trade BoardThese three Penguins have made a new trade board.

And the more Chinakhov-type players they can land, the better chance they have of offsetting the losses of some of their bigger players that can still fetch a good return. That's - textbook - how you manage a quick-turnaround rebuild while simultaneously building for the future. You attempt to replace veterans with cheaper, younger talent, and you use the capital acquired from moving the veterans to either draft more talent or leverage in a trade for a bigger name that they can extend long-term. 

When it boils down to it, Dubas made a potentially high-reward trade that he was able to make in the first place because of all the draft capital he has worked tirelessly to accrue. Whether the Penguins tank the rest of the season or find themselves in the playoffs at the end of it, the long-term future of the franchise is not going to be in jeopardy over a chance taken on a talented player in need of a change.

And - if Chinakhov plays to his potential - this won't even be a conversation down the line. 

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In light of the trade bringing forward Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Pittsburgh Penguins will need to clear out a roster spot in order to make room for him to join the team. 

And it appears that said move is in the works. 

On Monday, the Penguins designated defenseman Ryan Graves as non-roster with the intent to place him on waivers Tuesday. The move would clear the necessary space for Chinakhov to join the NHL roster prior to Pittsburgh's game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.

It will mark the second time this season that Graves was sent to waivers, as he was waived on Oct. 4 following Penguins' training camp. 

The Penguins acquired Chinakhov from Columbus in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 third-round pick, and forward Danton Heinen, who was designated non-roster for the purpose of waivers prior to the Penguins' tilt against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. Chinakhov, 24, has recorded three goals and six points in 29 games for the Blue Jackets this season.

Graves, 30, is in the third year of a six-year contract that pays him $4.5 million per season, and he was recalled from the AHL on Nov. 4. In 17 games for Pittsburgh this season, he has one goal and is a minus-4. 

BREAKING: Penguins Acquire Chinakhov From Blue Jackets For Heinen, Two Draft PicksThe Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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The Florida Panthers picked up an exhilarating comeback win on Monday night in the Sunrise hockey barn.

Falling behind early in the third period, Florida battled back thanks to standout performances from several veterans, taking down the visiting Washington Capitals by a final score of 5-3.

Washington’s top goal scorer got things started, but it’s probably not who you think.

Tom Wilson (not Alex Ovechkin) scored his team-leading 18th goal off a tough rebound after Martin Fehervary’s shot caught Sergei Bobrovsky up high at the 3:53 mark.

It didn’t take long for Florida to tie things up.

A turnover by the Capitals in their zone that came directly off a Sam Reinhart forecheck saw the puck picked up by a wide-open Jeff Petry at the point.

He skated toward the net and wound up for a slapshot, but instead noticed Anton Lundell at the back post and sent a slap-pass to the Finnish forward, who tapped the puck into a wide-open net behind a surprised Logan Thompson to knot the score at one just 42 seconds after Wilson’s goal.

Washington was called for back-to-back penalties midway through the period, and the second one would bite them in the behind.

With Ethen Frank in the box for slashing against Niko Mikkola, Reinhart walked into the right circle and wired a shot that went off the skate of Trevor van Riemsdyk and over Thompson’s shoulder, giving Florida a 2-1 lead with 7:15 to go in the period.

Unfortunately for the Cats, another goal by Wilson in the final seconds of the period would keep Florida from taking a lead into the locker room.

The score remained tied at two until early in the final frame, when a long wrist shot by Dylan Strome got past a screened Bobrovsky to give the Capitals a 3-2 lead with 16:49 on the clock.

Just over a minute after Washington scored, Ovechkin took a penalty for interfering with Aaron Ekblad, and while Florida didn’t cash in on the man advantage, they did score quite literally a moment later.

After Thompson stopped a Sam Bennett one-timer, Brad Marchand got a stick on the fluttering rebound in midair to knot the score back up at three.

Florida continued to control much of the possession and eventually went back in front thanks to a goal off the stick of Aaron Ekblad.

A laser of a pass out of the corner from Reinhart found an open Ekblad in the high slot, and his quick clapper went right over Thompson’s glove and into the back of the net with 6:48 on the clock.

Reinhart’s second of the game and 21st of the season went into a vacated Capitals net, cementing a solid home victory for Florida.

On to the Canadiens.

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Photo caption: Dec 29, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) and center Anton Lundell (15) celebrate his goal against the Washington Capitals during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jeff Romance-Imagn Images)

Calvin Pickard wasn't just good on Monday night as the Edmonton Oilers pulled out a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. He was the best player on the ice, stopping 41 of 42 shots, a season high for the Jets. 

As TSN's Ryan Rishaug wrote after the game, "Impressive night from Pickard. He’s being pushed this season for his job, and he’s had a couple of major statement games. [Tristan] Jarry and [Connor] Ingram have had some good starts, but neither has done recently what Pickard did tonight - Flat out steal a game."

Related: NHL Rumors: 2 Trade Fits For Oilers' Andrew Mangiapane

Pickard’s strong play and him stealing a win comes at just the right time for him personally. Despite earlier fan frustration with the Oilers goaltending, Pickard’s recent performances have been welcomed, with the sentiment that his emergence gives the Oilers a good problem to have and something fans can feel excited about.

It wasn't long ago that the Oilers probably felt like no one could make a save. Now, Ingram, Jarry, and Pickard are all putting on solid performances. It's a significant change. 

The question now will be, does Pickard get the start against the Boston Bruins on New Year's Eve. One factor to consider is how waivers will work with Ingram. Because Ingram is on an Emergency Recall, he can play up to 9 NHL games (backups do not count), then be returned to the AHL without requiring waivers. 

Once Ingram hits 10 games, waivers are triggered. So far, he has played three. Do the Oilers roll with the hot hand? Or, do they go back to Ingram because he's been sitting? Jarry's injury may also factor into that decision. 

Oilers Pull Out A Different Kind of Win

The Oilers bent, but didn't break. It's the kind of game the Oilers used to win a lot last year, but have struggled to pull two points out of in 2025-26.

The Jets limited Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to just two shots between them. Going in, if you'd told the Jets that was a solid game plan, they'd have taken it. Ultimately, it was Max Jones who got a goal from the fourth line, and Jack Roslovic who scored from the second-unit power play. Zach Hyman got the empty-net goal.

Edmonton was flooded with shots, but Pickard stood tall, and the Oilers limited the rebound chances. The blue line on the Oilers was pressed hard and did a solid job of keeping the Jets from breaking through. 

The game had a bit of everything. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins got involved in a spirited scrap, which told a much more aggressive and physical Jets team that the Oilers wouldn't be intimidated. 

What About Andrew Mangiapane?

Going into the game, the storyline was Andrew Mangiapane. Pickard stole the spotlight from that surprising narrative that began on Monday afternoon. Still, the questions remain. 

Is Mangiapane on the verge of being traded? Reports were that he was open to the idea, and while he was pegged to be on the fourth line, he wound up being a healthy scratch just prior to puck drop. Many wondered if the move was trade-related. It might be, even if nothing is imminent and reports are the forward and his agent have not been told a trade is coming. 

Jones was inserted into the lineup and he scored a goal. The last 24 hours have been quite the turn of events. 

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There’s no two buts about it – one way or another, the year 2026 is going to be huge for the Buffalo Sabres. 

In the next 12 months, the Sabres are either going to continue their current strong stretch and end their 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought, or they’re going to fold like a cheap suit, miss the playoffs for a full decade-and-a-half. 

That has to be something Sabres fans look forward to, right? Either they get a team they can really invest their time and emotion in, or they throw up their hands in exasperation after yet another lost season. It’s really that simple. Feast or famine. And there is no in-between.

This is why we believe Sabres fans should welcome the new year. In short order, we’ll see if Buffalo’s current win streak was just a mirage, or whether they’re at best a Mushy Middle team – too flawed to make the post-season, but too good to land a generational player at the top of the draft. And that result would still be considered a massive failure for the Sabres. If ever there was a “playoffs or bust” team, it’s this season’s Buffalo team.

The Sabres are beyond moral victories and games to build on. Prior to this current win streak, Buffalo was well on its way to cratering their season yet again. So while winning eight straight games has pushed the Sabres up the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings, the reality is that Buffalo is still out of a playoff spot, and they could easily slip back down the standings with a bad week or two.

The road ahead for the Sabres is lined with solid teams who are desperate to make the playoffs. But nobody needs a playoff appearance more than Buffalo. And new Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen needs to make some hard decisions in advance of the March 6 trade deadline – because he has to decide whether to be a buyer on the trade market, or a seller.

Here's Why Sabres' Next Stretch Could Decide Whether Buffalo Makes Or Misses The Playoffs The Buffalo Sabres' Stanley Cup playoff hopes hinge on a brutal upcoming schedule. Can they survive facing top NHL contenders after their current winning streak ends?

That’s what’s at stake for these Sabres players. They’re going out every night and the stakes for them are sky-high. They’re playing for the job security of coach Lindy Ruff, and they’re playing to keep their families in Western New York. Because if the rest of the season goes sideways for them, Kekalainen is going to start trading Sabres players to the highest bidders. 

This is why the next 12 months will be so compelling to Sabres fans. In short order, they’re going to find out what this Buffalo team is made of. If the Sabres rise to the occasion and end their playoff drought, Buffalo fans will be thrilled, and the core of the team will almost assuredly be kept intact. If they embarrass themselves and fall short of the playoffs yet again, Sabres fans will demand Kekalainen smash this team into pieces and radically remake the franchise’s depth chart.

Patience, Sabres Fans – World Junior Success Doesn't Guarantee Buffalo's Prospects A Successful NHL FutureThe Buffalo Sabres will have four players at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. But success at the World Junior tournament offers little guarantee prospects of NHL success. While World Junior glory would be great, the Sabres' youngsters need more time and patience to develop.

Thus, Sabres fans should brace themselves for the coming year. There’s going to be drama one way or another, but there’s still time for Buffalo to salvage their season and show their fans they deserve their support.

2026 is going to be a huge year for the Sabres organization, and the hockey they play in the coming months will dictate their direction for the coming years.

The Pittsburgh Penguins made several moves during the 2025 NHL off-season. Among them was signing forward Justin Brazeau to a two-year, $3 million contract in free agency. 

When the Penguins signed Brazeau, the expectation was that he would provide their bottom six with a bit of a boost due to his secondary scoring ability and physicality. However, with the new year approaching, it is clear that Brazeau has been giving the Penguins far more than just that.

Brazau is proving to be an excellent addition for the Penguins, and the truth can be seen with his stats. In 23 games so far this campaign, Brazeau has already matched his career high in goals with 11 and has recorded 18 points. He has also been impactful with his physicality, as he has recorded 39 hits on the year so far. 

Brazeau is only continuing to stay hot as the season carries on, too. Over his last two games with the Penguins, the 6-foot-6 winger has posted four points. This included him recording a hat trick during the Penguins' most recent contest against the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 28. 

With the way Brazeau has been playing for the Penguins, it is clear that the team's decision to bring him in is looking like a real home run. It will be fascinating to see if he continue to make a big impact for Pittsburgh from here. 

During a recent episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that Edmonton Oilers forward Andrew Mangiapane would be open to waiving his no-movement clause if the Oilers could find an interested team that would give him the chance to have a more prominent role. 

Mangiapane has had trouble finding his fit with the Oilers, so a change of scenery certainly could help the 29-year-old forward. In 39 games so far this season with Edmonton, Mangiapane has posted five goals, six assists, and a minus-16 rating. 

While Mangiapane's offensive totals are low this season, his past success could make some clubs be interested in him if he becomes available. Due to this, let's look at two potential trade fits for the former 35-goal scorer. 

Boston Bruins 

The Bruins have been struggling big time lately, as they have lost each of their last five games. They have also fallen to seventh in the Atlantic Division, so that could spark them to pursue a trade. There is no question that they could use another skilled winger in their middle six, and a player like Mangiapane could grab their attention because of it.

The Bruins were also rumored to be interested in Mangiapane this off-season before he signed with Edmonton.

Buffalo Sabres 

The vibes are high with the Sabres right now, as they have won each of their last eight games and have climbed up the standings because of it. With the Sabres being red-hot, perhaps it could spark them to try to make a move to improve their roster further. They could use another forward in their top nine, and Mangiapane could be a nice pickup for their group because of it. 

A former Chicago Blackhawks forward is set to miss time, as the St. Louis Blues have announced that Pius Suter will be out for the next four weeks due to a right ankle injury.

Suter suffered his injury during the Blues' Dec. 27 contest against the Nashville Predators, where he recorded one shot in 10:55 of ice time and 15 shifts. Now, with this update, the Blues are going to be without Suter for a decent chunk of time.

With Suter being a solid part of the Blues' roster, there is no question that they will miss him while he is sidelined. This is especially so when noting that the Blues are currently fighting for a playoff spot, being just one point behind the San Jose Sharks for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference standings. 

Suter is currently in his first season with the Blues after signing with the club in free agency this past summer. In 37 games so far this campaign with St. Louis, he has posted seven goals, seven assists, 14 points, and a minus-3 rating.

Suter played his first NHL season with the Blackhawks during the 2020-21 campaign. In 55 games with the Blackhawk, he posted 14 goals, 13 assists, and 27 points. 

The Buffalo Sabres were one of the teams that were connected to forward Yegor Chinakhov. However, the 24-year-old winger is no longer an option for the Sabres, as he has been traded elsewhere.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have acquired Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick. With this, the Sabres have officially missed out on Chinakhov. 

The Penguins bringing in Chinakhov is entirely understandable. The Penguins are in the middle of a retool, so it certainly makes sense that they are taking a chance on a skilled former first-round pick like Chinakhov. 

The Sabres will now need to explore their options elsewhere. Given how well the Sabres are playing right now, they are certainly in a position to make a move to help strengthen their roster. Unfortunately, Chinakhov is no longer a potential option for them, with him heading to Pittsburgh. 

In 29 games so far this season with Columbus before this trade, Chinakhov posted three goals and three assists. This is after he had seven goals and 15 points in 30 games for the Blue Jackets in 2024-25. 

The Ottawa Senators will begin a four-game homestand on Monday night as they host the Columbus Blue Jackets. After a win over the Islanders on Sunday, Columbus is on a back-to-back with travel that was complicated by a cancelled flight on Sunday night.  They were supposed to leave on Monday morning instead, but that flight was delayed as well.

As a result of their later-than-usual arrival, the NHL has switched the start time of Monday night's game from 7 pm to 7:30 pm.

This is an important game for both teams as they try to stay within shouting distance of the division and conference leaders. The Jackets may be in last place in the East, but they're just 3 points behind the Senators and four out of a playoff spot.

While the Senators didn’t play on Sunday, they did get a shock to the system when starting goaltender Linus Ullmark shared that he will be taking an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons. The team said in a prepared statement on Sunday that Ullmark has the organization's full support but won't comment further on the matter. The veteran was yanked from a 7-5 loss in Toronto on Saturday night after allowing four goals on 14 shots.

So that leaves 23-year-old Levi Meriläinen to man the net for the foreseeable future.

Meriläinen posted excellent numbers in an emergency role last season, appearing in 12 games, but hasn’t yet been able to replicate that form this year. In 10 games, he has a goals-against average of 3.40 and a save percentage of .874. He entered Saturday night’s game in relief of Ullmark, whose numbers this season haven't been a whole lot better.

Ottawa Senators: 'Linus Ullmark Will Be Taking A Leave Of Absence From The Team'The club announced on Sunday afternoon that 'Ullmark has the full support of our organization during this time.'

30-year-old Hunter Shepard has been recalled from the Belleville Senators to serve as Ottawa's new backup. Between them, Shepard (5) and Meriläinen (24) have appeared in a grand total of 29 career NHL games.

Ottawa has also sent down Dennis Gilbert and Xavier Bourgault, who made his NHL debut on Saturday. That signalled that Shane Pinto and Tyler Kleven, who both practiced on Monday for a second straight day, may be ready to return to the lineup.

Pinto has been sidelined since December 4, while Kleven has been out since December 20. Both players were injured on similar falls near the boards. 

After practice, the Sens confirmed that Kleven would be in while Nick Jensen comes out. They're not sure yet on Pinto.

As for the Blue Jackets, they placed star defenseman Zach Werenski on the IR yesterday, retroactive to Dec. 20. He's day-to-day with a lower-body injury and can return whenever he's ready. Werenski leads his team in goals, assists and points, so the Senators probably wouldn't mind if he needs another game off.

Yesterday's roster move allowed the Jackets to activate tough guy Mathieu Olivier off the injured list. 

Projected Rosters from NHL.com (subject to change)

Senators

David Perron -- Tim Stutzle -- Fabian Zetterlund

Brady Tkachuk -- Dylan Cozens -- Drake Batherson

Michael Amadio -- Ridly Greig -- Claude Giroux

Kurtis MacDermid -- Stephen Halliday -- Nick Cousins

Jake Sanderson -- Artem Zub

Thomas Chabot -- Jordan Spence

Tyler Kleven -- Nikolas Matinpalo

Leevi Merilainen

Hunter Shepard

Scratched: Nick Jensen

Injured: Shane Pinto (lower body), Lars Eller (broken foot)

Blue Jackets

Mason Marchment -- Adam Fantilli -- Kirill Marchenko

Dimitri Voronkov -- Sean Monahan -- Kent Johnson

Boone Jenner -- Charlie Coyle -- Mathieu Olivier

Miles Wood -- Brendan Gaunce -- Cole Sillinger

Ivan Provorov -- Dante Fabbro

Denton Mateychuk -- Damon Severson

Jake Christiansen -- Brendan Smith

Elvis Merzlikins

Jet Greaves

Scratched: Zach Aston-Reese, Yegor Chinakhov

Injured: Zach Werenski (lower body), Erik Gudbranson (hip), Isac Lundestrom (lower body)

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa

Read more Ottawa Senators news and features at The Hockey News:

Top Ottawa Senators Prospect Suits Up Again At World Juniors
Josh Norris: 'I Really Felt Like (Ottawa Fans) Had My Back, Even When I Was Injured'
NHL Player Fined For Cross-Checking Senators Star Tim Stutzle In The Face
Ottawa Senators Have A Soft Spot For Their Tough Guy
Senators Announce Their Latest Addition To Ring Of Honour

---

Steve Warne is the Ottawa Senators site editor at The Hockey News. Steve has covered the Senators since day one, first as Sports Director for Rogers Radio in Ottawa on AM 1310 and FM 105, then as the long-time host of the morning show at TSN 1200 radio, the Sens' flagship station. Steve is also the owner and host of The Sens Nation Podcast.

Tonight, the Colorado Avalanche take on the Los Angeles Kings at Ball Arena, having won four of their last five games against them. Colorado will look to secure its eighth straight victory in a matchup that carries added significance, as it could be Anze Kopitar’s final visit to Denver as an NHL player.

Avalanche Stats

Nathan MacKinnon has tallied nine points in his last five games against the Kings, recording one goal and eight assists over that span.

Martin Nečas has posted seven points in his last five games against Los Angeles, scoring four goals and adding three assists.

Artturi Lehkonen has put up five points in his last five contests against the Kings, with two goals and three assists in that time.

Brock Nelson has also produced five points in his last five games against Los Angeles, registering three goals and two assists over that stretch.

The Avalanche are coming off an electrifying 6-5 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. It was their first shootout win of the year. Nečas had two goals and both MacKinnon and Sam Malinski had three-point games.

Los Angeles Stats

A trio of Kings have posted four points in their last five against the Avs, including Alex Laferriere, Kevin Fiala, and the aforementioned Anze Kopitar. Los Angeles also played Saturday and are fresh off a 6-1 smackdown of the Anaheim Ducks.

Avalanche Projected Lineup

Forwards

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas

Gabriel Landeskog — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin

Victor Olofsson — Ross Colton — Gavin Brindley

Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Joel Kiviranta

Defensemen

Devon Toews — Cale Makar

Josh Manson — Brent Burns

Samuel Girard — Sam Malinski

Goaltenders

Mackenzie Blackwood

Scott Wedgewood

Kings Projected Lineup

Forwards

Alex Laferriere — Anze Kopitar — Adrian Kempe

Warren Foegele — Quinton Byfield — Trevor Moore

Kevin Fiala — Alex Turcotte — Andrei Kuzmenko

Joel Armia — Samuel Helenius — Corey Perry

Defensemen

Mikey Anderson — Drew Doughty

Joel Edmundson — Brandt Clarke

Brian Dumoulin — Cody Ceci

Goaltenders

Anton Forsberg

Phoenix Copley

Game Time

Coverage of tonight's game kicks off at 7 p.m. local time and stay tuned to The Hockey News for all of the action. 

The Florida Panthers have been named as a possible match for Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy. 

There have been several reports throughout the season that the Panthers could be interested in adding a third-pairing defenseman. Since Dmitry Kulikov went down with an injury, the Panthers have struggled to find a third pairing that they feel comfortable with. 

They signed Jeff Petry in the off-season to a one-year, $775,000 contract, but the move hasn't paid off quite as well as the Panthers would have hoped. They've attempted to play both Uvis Balinskis and Donovan Sebrango alongside him, but haven't always liked the results.

Murphy, whom The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun selected as a match for the Panthers, is a right-handed defenseman and would likely replace Petry in the lineup. As they are both right-handed, the Panthers' third pair could be Kulikov-Murphy. Murphy, 32, has played in 38 games this season, notching five assists.

Throughout his NHL career, Murphy has played 783 games, scoring 43 goals and 165 points. He's only been to the post-season once, playing in nine games. 

The Blackhawks have added several young defenseman to their lineup this year, which is why the 6-foot-4, 212-pound defenseman's ice time has gone down. He's averaging just 15:26 of ice time, over five minutes fewer than last season. 

"The hurdle for Florida would be finding the cap space," said LeBrun. "Murphy’s $4.4 million cap hit is rich, but obviously it would require Chicago retaining some, plus the Panthers have $3.8 million in long-term-injured-reserve money at their disposal with captain Aleksander Barkov out. The Panthers and Blackhawks made a trade a year ago involving Seth Jones. Obviously, this wouldn’t be at the same level, but it could be beneficial."

"I also think the Blackhawks will want to do right by Murphy, who has long been respected in that room," LeBrun continued. "He’s only played nine career playoff games and they were in the Edmonton pandemic bubble in 2020, so he hasn’t experienced a traditional playoff run with fans. Joining the Cup champs would be perfect."

Murphy is in the final season of a four-year, $ 4.4 million contract he signed with the Blackhawks. With the rising cap, the Panthers could re-sign him in the off-season when his contract expires. 

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 Chicago Blackhawks went 1-1-0 over the weekend. At the Dallas Stars, the Blackhawks pulled off a shootout victory against one of the best teams in the NHL. On Sunday, at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the second half of back-to-back woes continued with a 7-3 loss. 

Things are difficult right now without Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar. They were already a young, growing team with those guys in the lineup, and now they are missing an exponential amount of offensive talent. 

Blackhawks Snap Losing Streak With Quality Win Over Stars The Chicago Blackhawks picked up a quality win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday night. Penguins Skate Out Of Chicago With 7-3 Victory Over BlackhawksThe Chicago Blackhawks were run out of their own building by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night.

Ahead of Monday's practice at Fifth Third Arena, Connor Bedard was seen skating. He was stick handling and using some speed while skating, but he did not take any shots. Jeff Blashill said after practice that this is a part of his rehab plan. 

Blashill also gave an update on Nazar, saying that he has been upgraded to eating solid foods again. Now it is even more obvious that it is a broken jaw keeping him out of the lineup. 

Ilya Mikheyev returned to practice following the birth of his child, and the lines/defense pairs looked as such with him back: 

Bertuzzi-Greene-Burakovsky

Teravainen-Moore-Lardis

Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev

Foligno-Dach-Slaggert

Extras: Lafferty, Toninato

Vlasic-Crevier

Kaiser-Levshunov

Grzelcyk-Murphy

Extra: Del Mastro

Knight

Söderblom

There is a lot to unpack with these lines. For one, Nick Lardis is on the same line as Teuvo Teravainen. This is a chance for Lardis to play alongside a forward whose sole goal is going to be feeding him. Oliver Moore and his speed are getting an opportunity to play center on that line, which could lead to good things for Chicago's offensive chances. 

Ilya Mikheyev was on the third line with Ryan Donato and Jason Dickinson. This line, no matter what, is going to play hard, be sound defensively, and may chip in some offense here and there. 

Landon Slaggert goes down the lineup with Colton Dach and Nick Foligno on the fourth line. Slaggert, who was recently recalled by Chicago from Rockford, deserves to be in the lineup more than the extras based on how he's played since coming back. 

With Bedard and Nazar out at the same time, Ryan Greene is getting another chance at the top-line center position. Tyler Bertuzzi and Andre Burakovsky are good wingers for Greene in this experiment. 

On defense, Ethan Del Mastro was the extra. They haven't been dressing seven since Sam Rinzel was sent down to the Rockford IceHogs. For now, it is status quo for this group.  

Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom each played in the 7-3 loss to the Penguins on Sunday. Both of them are going to be needed with a lot of hockey coming up in a short period of time. We won't know until Tuesday who is going to start against the New York Islanders on the same evening. 

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

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.