One year later, Charlie Coyle trade has been a success for Bruins originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins dismantled their roster ahead of the 2025 NHL trade deadline and dealt away many veteran players — including Brad Marchand, Brandon Carlo, Trent Frederic, and Charlie Coyle, among others — for draft picks and prospects.

It was the right decision at the time as the B’s were on their way to finishing with the league’s fifth-worst record. There was no playoff hockey at TD Garden for the first time since 2016.

The Carlo trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs has been a home run for the Bruins so far. The Coyle trade with the Colorado Avalanche has been a success for Boston, too.

Coyle returns to TD Garden on Thursday for the first time since the trade. He comes back to his hometown rink as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who acquired him in a trade with the Avs last June.

Here’s a recap of the March 7, 2025 trade between the Bruins and Avalanche:

• Bruins received: Casey Mittelstadt, Will Zellers, 2025 second-round pick (Liam Pettersson)
• Avalanche received: Charlie Coyle, 2026 fifth-round pick

How has the Coyle trade benefitted the Bruins so far?

Casey Mittelstadt providing versatility, scoring depth

The NHL player the Bruins got in return for Coyle was forward Casey Mittelstadt. He has tallied 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 47 games this season. He’s on pace to score 15-plus goals for the fourth time in his career. He’s also making a positive impact on Boston’s power play, which ranks third in the league with a 26.9 percent success rate. His 52.2 percent faceoff win rate is a career high as well.

Mittelstadt is a solid middle-six forward who’s versatile enough to play center or wing.

Will Zeller has exciting upside

The Bruins also acquired prospect Will Zellers in the Coyle trade. Zellers was a third-round pick by the Avalanche in 2024. He led the USHL in goals with 44 during the 2024-25 season and earned USHL Player of the Year and Forward of the Year awards.

Zellers has carried that success to the University of North Dakota, where he is having a tremendous freshman season with 26 points (16 goals, 10 assists) in 31 games for the No. 3 ranked team in the nation.

Zellers has exciting goal-scoring ability with the potential to be a top-six wing in the NHL.

Zellers with his second of the night to earn us a point!#UNDproud | #LGHpic.twitter.com/zZG0aW93bn

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) February 21, 2026

The Bruins also received a 2025 second-round pick from the Avalanche in the Coyle deal, which turned out to be the No. 62 overall selection. Boston picked Swedish defenseman Liam Pettersson, who skates really well and has an impressive offensive skill. He’s still a raw talent, but there’s a lot to like about his skill set.

Coyle has been productive in Columbus

How is Coyle playing for the Blue Jackets?

He’s been a dependable two-way center and a strong leader for a young Blue Jackets squad. He has 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists) in 56 games. He had 35 points in 82 games last season, so he’s bounced back offensively and could reach 50-plus points for just the third time in his career.

The verdict

Even though Coyle is playing well, the trade still has worked out pretty well for the Bruins, and there’s a strong possibility that it could get much better depending on how Zellers and Pettersson develop. Mittelstadt is six years younger than Coyle and has proven to be a good fit in the lineup as a versatile forward.

The final grade on the Coyle trade won’t be complete for several years, but the players involved will have a real impact on this season’s playoff race. The Bruins occupy the second wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings, and one of the teams chasing them four points back is the Blue Jackets.

Thursday’s matchup is the first of three meetings between the Bruins and Blue Jackets over the next seven weeks. Valuable points in the playoffs are at stake in these matchups, and you can bet Coyle and Mittelstadt will have their say in the outcome.

Three weeks removed from their last game in Buffalo, the Pittsburgh Penguins return to action this evening at PPG Paints Arena against the New Jersey Devils. They have 26 games left on their 2025-26 schedule and currently sit second in the Metropolitan division in playoff positioning.

On the downside, they will have to play the majority of those remaining 26 games without Sidney Crosby who will be sidelined with a lower-body injury suffered at the Olympics. That puts his minimum timeline for return sometime around the last week of March and that is the best-case scenario. Until then, it’s next man up as the Penguins enter their toughest and most important stretch of the season.

Puck drop tonight is scheduled for 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.

Pens Points…

After what felt like an agonizing wait, we learned the fate of Sidney Crosby after his injury at the Olympics last week. It’s not the worst-case scenario, but the Penguins will be without their captain for at least the next four week as he recovers from an lower-body injury suffered against Czechia. [Pensburgh]

One person who still believes in the Penguins despite the Crosby injury is Crosby himself. He knows they are in a good position and they have the talent to still perform and win without him in the lineup. That is easier said then done but Crosby’s faith in the team should inspire some confidence. [Trib Live]

There will be a new face wearing a Penguins uniform when the team takes on the Devils tonight, with Samuel Girard now in the fold after being acquired on Tuesday for Brett Kulak. Girard is a former Stanley Cup champion who will be looking for a fresh start with the Penguins. [Pensburgh]

For Girard, transitioning to Pittsburgh is going to take some time after spending almost the entirety of his career in Colorado to this point. He’ll be dropped into a heated playoff race which should make the move easier since that is exactly the same situation he saw with the Avalanche. [Trib Live]

It didn’t take the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins long to get back to their winning ways after being swept the weekend prior. Last week, the Baby Pens went a perfect 3-for-3, moving to 8-1-1 in their past 10 games and further solidifying a potential bye in the Calder Cup playoffs. [Pensburgh]

NHL News and Notes…

Fresh off leading Canada to a silver medal, John Cooper’s return to the Tampa Bay Lightning bench will be delayed until Saturday as Cooper returns home following the death of his father. Cooper will miss two games as assistant coach Rob Zettler takes over in the interim. [NHL]

If the NHL is expecting a big viewership bump on the heels of an exciting Olympic tournament they may come out disappointed in the end. History suggests that won’t be the case when compared to the past despite seeing record viewership numbers for the gold medal game in Milan. [Awful Announcing]

What has to go right for young Sharks to finish strong, make 2026 NHL playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

It’s been seven years since the Sharks weren’t obvious trade deadline sellers.

That was 2019, and a loaded Sharks squad, led by Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns, all in their primes, were eyeing a run to the Stanley Cup.

The Sharks aren’t back like that, just yet.

Heading into Thursday, San Jose’s first post-Olympics-break game against the Calgary Flames, the Sharks are five points out of the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot.

It will be, honestly, an uphill climb for the Sharks to make the playoffs: Beyond newly-minted “generational” superstar Macklin Celebrini, the roster is seriously flawed.

That said, the talent is there, besides Celebrini, for a surprise playoff berth. So what has to go right for the Sharks to make the postseason for the first time since 2019?

Celebrini Must Stay Healthy

There’s arguably no player in the NHL more important to his team than Celebrini.

Celebrini has 81 points, 28 goals and 53 assists, meaning that he’s been involved in 47.9 percent of the Sharks’ 169 goals. Only Connor McDavid and his 98 points, directly part of 48.3 percent of the Edmonton Oilers’ offense, has had a greater impact on his team than Celebrini.

McDavid, however, has fellow superstar Leon Draisaitl and his 80 points riding shotgun. Celebrini, meanwhile, is an astonishing 42 points ahead of second place on the Sharks, Will Smith’s 39.

To put that in perspective, that’s the widest chasm between No. 1 to 2 scorer on an NHL team, followed by Nikita Kucherov’s 34-point differential over Jake Guentzel (60) on the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Simply put, the Sharks cannot afford to lose Celebrini for any extended period of time.

How To Improve Goal Differential?

Easier said than done, but the Sharks need to score more and give up less.

“No team in the National Hockey League has, probably, made the playoffs at a -29 goal differential,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said of San Jose’s current deficit.

Actually, the 2023-24 Washington Capitals squeaked in to the postseason with a -36, but that certainly is the exception and not the rule. Before this Caps’ squad, the last team to make the playoffs with a -20 or worse goal differential was the -27 1996-97 Montreal Canadiens.

Starting at 5-on-5, for Warsofsky, improving San Jose’s -17 goal differential there, begins in the defensive zone.

“It starts with us breaking out pucks. We’ve got to execute our breakouts, support the puck,” he said.

The Sharks have the second-worst 5-on-5 Pass Completion Rate in the NHL at 73.72 percent, per Stathletes, trailing league-best Tampa Bay’s 78.54.

That doesn’t sound like a huge difference, but four or five more errant passes per game certainly can impact your goals against.

“And then, when we’re in our defensive zone, we’ve got to be tight, and we’ve got to have some level of desperation. We got to get into people, and close, and get numbers on pucks,” Warsofsky said. “When we do that, we have a lot of success on the other end of the ice.”

At the other end of the ice, the San Jose bench boss says the Sharks must shoot more. Their 25.5 Shots Per Game is fifth-worst in the league.

“We’ve got to put more pucks to the net,” Warsofsky said. “Then, on top of that, we’ve got to win the next puck.”

San Jose is fifth-worst in the NHL with 79.44 5-on-5 Offensive Zone Puck Recoveries Per 60, which contributes to them being dead-last in the league in 5-on-5 OZ Possession Time.

Perhaps this is an area where the newest Shark, Kiefer Sherwood, a dogged forechecker who wins lots of puck battles, can help with.

Can the Sharks acquire anybody else before the Mar. 6 trade deadline who can strengthen some of these weaknesses?

Where Can Special Teams Be Better?

The Sharks’ special teams actually are closer to average than bad — they’re 16th in the NHL on the power play and 21st on the penalty kill — but any improvement on either score could make a huge impact.

What could get the power play going?

“Just be a little bit more direct in what we want to do,” Warsofsky said, “and not go off script as much.”

For what it’s worth, the Sharks are eighth in the NHL with 8.08 Power Play High-Danger Chances Per 60. San Jose is in good company, the top-five in this category, the Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights, Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Stars, and New York Rangers are top-10 power plays.

San Jose might be doing more right on the PP than they’ve being given credit for, they just need more finish.

What about the penalty kill?

“Just being more aggressive. When we sit back is when we take bullets,” Warsofsky said. “Play with more anticipation.”

On the other side of things, the Sharks have allowed 2.26 Penalty Kill High-Danger Chances Per 60, third-worst in the league.

Less high-danger chances allowed should lead to more success on the PK.

Can Goalies Play One Great Month?

Yaroslav Askarov, under the radar, arguably has been the best penalty-killing goalie in the NHL.

Per Stathletes, his +9.52 Goals Saved Above Expected on the kill is the best in the league.

Askarov, however, hasn’t found as much success stopping 5-on-5 shots, his -2.55 GSAE in the bottom half of the NHL.

If Askarov can boost that and put together another month like he did in November, when he went 8-2-0 with .944 Save Percentage, that could be enough to get San Jose into the playoffs.

The same goes for Alex Nedeljkovic, and if he can replicate January’s 5-2-0 record and .916 Save Percentage.

That’s the power of goaltending.

Beyond all the aforementioned X-factors, just one brilliant month from Askarov or Nedeljkovic might be all the Sharks need to punch their ticket to the post-season dance.

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For the first time since Feb. 3, the Anaheim Ducks played NHL hockey on Wednesday evening, hosting the Edmonton Oilers after the extended Olympic break.

The Ducks entered Wednesday holding the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference playoff race. They trailed their Wednesday opponent, who entered the game in second place in the Pacific Division standings, by just one point, making this the biggest game of the season for both teams to date.

Game #57: Ducks vs. Oilers Gameday Preview (02/25/26)

Jackson LaCombe Discusses Olympic Experience, Winning Gold, Ensuing Events

Despite arriving in Anaheim on Tuesday and following his gold medal win on Sunday in Italy, Jackson LaCombe was inserted directly back into the lineup as the Ducks’ top defenseman. Leo Carlsson returned to action after missing the Ducks’ final 11 games heading into the break. Mikael Granlund missed this game with an upper-body injury sustained in Finland’s bronze medal game on Saturday. Ryan Strome and Drew Helleson served as healthy scratches.

Here’s how the Ducks lined up to start this game:

Killorn-Carlsson-Sennecke

Kreider-Poehling-Terry

Viel-McTavish-Gauthier

Johnston-Washe-Harkins

LaCombe-Trouba

Zellweger-Gudas

Mintyukov-Moore

Lukas Dostal got the start for the Ducks after starting four of Czechia’s five games in Italy last week. He saved 22 of the 27 shots he faced in this game. Dostal was opposed by Tristan Jarry in the Edmonton net to start. Jarry saved 20 of 25 shots before he was pulled with just over 13 minutes left to go in the third, and in a tie game. He was relieved by Connor Ingram, who stopped three of the four shots he faced in the final 12:41 of the game.

Game Notes

Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville earned his 1000th career win as an NHL head coach in a wild 6-5 win over the Oilers. He’s just the second coach in NHL history to reach the milestone, trailing only Scotty Bowman.

“The game was running through my mind,” Quenneville said when asked what his thoughts were when the final buzzer sounded. “It was a tremendous game as far as the unpredictability of the outcome. Both teams were swinging; it looked like they were in complete control of the game.

“It was an important game for us in a lot of ways. They had the puck a lot more than we did, but I thought we found a way to win a game.”

There weren’t many themes to take away from this game, as goals were scored of all varieties, and it was a sloppy affair from both clubs throughout. Though the Ducks gave up two goals early in the first period and two late in the second, with a pair of their own in between, those two-goal leads from Edmonton never felt safe, and this game always felt like one that was going to be decided by which team could harness the chaos best and score last.

The underlying numbers weren’t kind to the Ducks at 5v5, as they held just 40.45% of the shot attempts share, 44.19% of the shots on goal share, and 31.88% of the expected goals share.

Leo Carlsson: After attempting to play through injury for most of December and January, Carlsson regained the explosion that made him one of the NHL’s most dominant players through the first month of the season. His first three steps were quick and powerful, and he was making smart plays through neutral and after entry to optimize his ability to drive defenders back toward their goal line.

“A little tired, a couple of long shifts,” Carlsson said of how he felt returning to game speed. “I was absolutely gassed on the bench, but I felt okay. Stickhandling was okay, too. Speed was fine. So, pretty good.”

Carlsson would settle for distance shots off the rush, but again, optimized them by pouncing on ensuing loose pucks and establishing pressure or finding teammates through the chaos he created. He was processing plays at a faster rate than anyone on the ice at times.

Alex Killorn: Nobody on the Ducks roster can feed Carlsson pucks in transition and at full speed like Killorn can. He makes subtle adjustments as an outlet option, retreating toward his end or hooking his blade around a defending stick to lead his strong, speedy center with a slip pass.

Power Play: The Ducks only went 1-5 on the power play in this game, but manufactured several quality looks, as the coaching staff went to the drawing board over the break. They rotated the point defenseman to one of the flanks in attempts to get forwards out of position before changing sides of the ice with the puck.

When they’d get the openings to do so, the bumper was fed every chance the perimeter players got so that they could get quick shots off before defenders and the goaltender could react and adjust.

Pavel Mintyukov struggled a bit on his unit when carrying pucks up ice, as he had a difficult time fending off the first pressure in the neutral zone and finding his trailing forward with speed.

Lukas Dostal: Dostal has the ability to make difficult saves look incredibly easy. Edmonton worked several pucks low to high in the zone, changed angles on shots, and sent layered screens in front of Dostal’s field of vision, and he would find ways to make saves and even control ensuing rebounds, deflecting them to safety.

Defensive Zone Coverage: The Ducks struggled in this game, not in front of the net or against the rush so much, as they had throughout most of the season. In this game, they often got beaten back to the front of the net, one way or another, when the Oilers moved pucks off the walls and funneled them to the crease. They overcommitted a bit at times, and those little mistakes proved costly and could again if they persist, and if they don’t get the volume of goals they achieved in this game.

The Ducks will next host the Winnipeg Jets on Friday at 7 PM PST at Honda Center.

Ducks’ Dostál, Gudas on Their 2026 Olympics Experience

Ducks at the Winter Olympics: Final Recap

Maxim Masse Talks Prolific Season, Move to NCAA & More

Macklin Celebrini had just finished his first practice back with the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday – fresh off an unforgettable Olympic experience – when he entered a room buzzing with cameras and reporters.

“Most media we’ve had. Ever,” Celebrini said. “Starting to feel like a Canadian market.”

It was a reflection of his soaring popularity. Celebrini’s record-setting performance at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics – capped by a gold medal game watched by tens of millions – has elevated his profile both in the Bay Area and across the NHL.

Macklin Celebrini says the gold medal loss will always stick with him.#MilanoCortina2026

(via: @Sheng_Peng) pic.twitter.com/TMhjl0ADJG

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 25, 2026

Roughly a dozen news outlets attended the Sharks’ practice on Wednesday, more than usual, as Celebrini skated with his teammates for the first time since returning from Italy late Monday night. Some local media were at a Sharks practice for the first time this season, highlighting the team’s growing relevance and Celebrini’s status as one of the Bay Area’s most recognizable sports figures.

Thursday’s game against the Calgary Flames, kicking off a six-game homestand, was trending toward a sellout of 17,435. Tickets are also scarce and pricey for San Jose’s weekend matchups against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, and against goalie Connor Hellebuyck – who made 41 saves for Team USA in the gold medal game – and the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.

The Sharks have already sold out 12 of 26 home games this season, after drawing capacity crowds in 15 of 41 games at SAP Center last season.

“This was the goal,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “Not to talk to this many media people, but the goal was to get the energy back in the building and get people talking about the Sharks again, and I think the players did a great job of doing that.

“This homestand is going to be pretty much sold out,” Warsofsky added. “Crowds and people are going to be excited to see our team play again.”

Even as Celebrini embraced being back in San Jose, there was still a lingering bitterness from how the Olympic tournament ended.

Playing alongside some of the game’s greatest players, including McDavid, Celebrini tallied five goals in six games, and his 10 points made him the highest-scoring teenager in an Olympics featuring NHL talent.

Yet despite his success, there remained a sense of disappointment. Canada fell to the United States in the gold medal game at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, with the final coming down to 3-on-3 overtime. New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored the decisive goal, handing the Americans a 2-1 victory and their first men’s Olympic gold since 1980.

For anyone assuming Celebrini had moved past the heartbreak, think again.

“A lot of those guys I looked up to my whole childhood, and it was an honor play with them and be around them every single day,” Celebrini said at Sharks Ice. “But it sucks. It’s a little sour that you look back at it and just didn’t get the job done.”

When asked how long that feeling would last, Celebrini was blunt.

“Forever,” he said.

Now the Sharks are counting on other Olympians – Sweden’s Alex Wennberg, Switzerland’s Philipp Kurashev, and Slovakia’s Pavol Regenda – to channel the pressure and lessons from international play as their playoff push resumes.

Celebrini said skating alongside McDavid and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon – the NHL’s first- and second-leading scorers, respectively – showed him exactly “where the bar is at.”

“Those guys play with such pace, and they think the game so fast, and the level that they play at, the practice that they play at, probably the fastest practices I’ve ever been a part of. Just being around them, practicing with them, playing with them, it’s a different level.”

The Sharks’ homestand is vital to any postseason hopes, as they entered Wednesday five points out of a playoff spot with 27 games remaining.

Celebrini’s production so far this season – 81 points in 55 games – has been a major reason San Jose remains in the hunt for its first playoff berth since 2019.

“We want to take those next steps, and all this comes along with it,” Celebrini said. “The fans, the attention. We want those expectations. We want that pressure, because that means we’re doing a good thing and we’re trending the right way.

“So I think just at the end of the day, all this comes into it, and hopefully you guys come back more.”

A loss over a Golden Knights team missing five key rotation pieces, including Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, etc, that in itself wasn't enough for the Los Angeles Kings to defeat the Golden Knights at home. 

It looked like the Kings (23-20-14) had this game in the bag, leading 2-1 heading into the third period with a great ending in the second period. Instead, Los Angeles choked in devastating fashion, surrendering five goals in the third period, and lost 6-4 to the Vegas Golden Knights (28-16-14).

Final from LA.#GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/a73Silh2G1

— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 26, 2026

It was an electric 40 minutes with Artemi Panarin doing his thing in his debut and Quinton Byfield shining, then it collapsed, another reason why people shouldn't buy the Kings, who can never hold on to their leads this season. 

2 Kings Who Must Show Up For LA's Final StretchThe Los Angeles Kings will look for these two players to finish the season strong as LA fights to stay in the playoff race after the Olympic break.

First Period: Vegas Strikes First

Vegas opened the scoring at 9:01 when Pavel Dorofeyev buried the rebound off a 2-on-1 rush. A missed shot kicked off the end boards, and Dorofeyev stayed with the play, beating Anton Forbserg on the transition to make it 1-0. 

Even with Vegas missing five key rotation players, the Golden Knights are still dangerous in transition. 

LAK Goal - Just like they drew it up!

Panarin's pass through the slot kicks off Byfield's skate and in. Goal was deserved, actually a really good PP until the goal. 1 game, 1 point for 72! 1-1.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) February 26, 2026

But the Kings' response was quick; a few minutes later, at the 5:29 mark, Quinton Byfield tied the game 1-1, finishing off a sharp sequence set up by Artemi Panarin and Brandt Clarke. Panarin's touch and presence on ice immediately stood out, drawing coverage and creating space. The puck movement was crisp and beautiful to watch as Quinton Byfield snapped home his 12th goal of the season. 

Second Period: Kings Capitalize

The middle frame was tighter and more physically charged. 

Vegas pushed early in the second, winning the puck battles, but the Kings' talent took over the shorthanded Golden Knights. 

The turning point came at 5:16 of the second period, when Vegas turned over the puck at the offensive blue line. Panarin immediately transitioned up ice, feeding Anze Kopitar, who slid a perfect pass to Adrian Kempe, finishing the play cleanly to give the Kings the 2-1 lead.

LAK Goal - Tic-Tac-GOAL!

WOW. Panarin to Kopitar to Kempe in transition, what a goal. Incredible composure from the captain to find Kempe for the goal. 2-1 Kings!

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) February 26, 2026

It was a textbook transition play that saw some showtime on ice, led by Panarin and the trio of Kempe and Kopitar. Panarin picked up his second assist and point of the night, continuing to show the instant chemistry he brings to the Kings. 

As mentioned, the period got very physical, with Corey Perry dropping the gloves with Jeremy Lauzon after his hit on Byfield. Both teams were very into it tonight, fighting in a big divisional rivalry game. 

After 40 minutes, aside from the fight that resulted in a penalty to Perry, the Kings looked to be firmly in control of this game heading into the third period, leading 2-1. 

Third Period: A Five Goal Avalance

Everything slipped in the final frame. Within four minutes, the Golden Knights scored three goals to extend their lead to 4-2, with three different Golden Knights scoring despite missing five players. 

Vegas is the best team in the third period this season with the best goal differential, so it was always going to be a tough task to close out this team for the Kings, but even without its key players, Los Angeles couldn't do so, and the Golden Knights showed why they're the No. 1 seed in the Pacific Division. 

The momentum quickly shifted as the Kings were unable to create easy shots, while the Golden Knights were the much faster, more physical team, despite being severely shorthanded on the road. 

The Kings did score two more goals in the third period, with Byfield scoring his second goal of the game, his first time this season scoring two goals in a game, and Brandt Clarke keeping Los Angeles alive, cutting the deficit to 5-4, with just under a minute remaining. 

But, off a turnover, the Golden Knights hit the dagger on the empty netter, to win the game 6-4 in Crypto.com Arena. 

Vegas adds an empty-net goal to secure the 6-4 win over the Kings. Could argue that was the worst loss of the season.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) February 26, 2026

Despite the loss, Panarin was great in his debut, finishing with two points and two assists, showing why he will quickly become a game-changer for the Kings, but it still wasn't enough to win tonight. 

Vegas now leads the season series 3-1, winning the last three meetings. 

For the Kings, it's a tough one to swallow, especially against a banged-up team, but all they have to do now is move on and quickly forget about this loss. Los Angeles is back at it again tomorrow night against a tough Edmonton Oilers team, who will likely have most of their guys ready as tip-off starts at 10:30 pm EST. 

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.

 

If the San Jose Sharks elect to be buyers at the 2026 NHL trade deadline, one of their top goals should be to add to their blueline. Bringing in a steady right-shot defenseman should be one of their objectives, and the Chicago Blackhawks have an interesting option to consider in defenseman Connor Murphy. 

If the Sharks landed Murphy, he could slot nicely in their top four. Furthermore, due to his solid defensive play, he would also be a clear fit for the Sharks' penalty kill. 

Another appealing factor about Murphy is his experience. The veteran defenseman could be a very good mentor for the Sharks' young players to have around as they look to stay in the playoff race. 

Murphy is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) on a Blackhawks team out of the playoff picture, so there is an expectation that he will be moved. With this and the Sharks needing help on defense, they should be afraid to kick tires on Murphy leading up to the deadline. 

In 57 games this season with the Blackhawks, Murphy has recorded four goals, eight assists, and 12 points. 

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored to give him his ninth 30-goal season and added two assists for 701 in his career and the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight victory.

Brayden Point had two goals and an assist, Gage Goncalves had a goal and two assists and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 saves for the Lightning, who are 20-1-1 in their past 22 games. Vasilevskiy is 17-0-1 since Dec. 20.

Tampa Bay won in its first game back from the Olympic break without coach Jon Cooper on the bench. Cooper, who led Canada to the silver medal at the Milan Cortina Games, will miss two games after the death of his father, Robert.

Assistant Rob Zettler stepped in for Cooper and the Lightning ended the Maple Leafs' three-game winning streak.

The Russian-born Kucherov got his 700th assist in his 855th NHL game, becoming the second-fastest player born outside of North America to reach the mark and trailing only Peter Stastny (784 games). The milestone assist came on Goncalves' goal at 7:58 of the second period that gave the Lightning a 2-0 lead.

Kucherov's 30th goal came at 2:59 of the third and made it 3-0. His nine 30-goal seasons tie him with Steven Stamkos for the most in team history.

John Tavares and Matthew Knies scored and Anthony Stolarz made 32 saves for the Maple Leafs, whose five-game winning streak against the Lightning was stopped.

With Stolarz pulled to give Toronto an extra skater, Tavares scored with 3:41 remaining to end the shutout bid for Vasilevskiy. It came moments after Jake Guentzel missed an empty-net goal for the Lightning when his shot hit the post.

After Point made it 4-1, Knies capped the scoring with 2:47 left for Toronto. Auston Matthews had an assist on the goal, tying Tim Horton for 10th on the career franchise list with 349.

Up next

Maple Leafs: Play at Florida on Thursday night.

Lighting: Play at Carolina on Thursday night.

—

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Pittsburgh Penguins held their final practice before Thursday's game against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday. 

They practiced for less than an hour on Wednesday after multiple sessions that went over 80 minutes on Sunday and Monday. Wednesday's practice featured Samuel Girard on a pair with Kris Letang after the former was acquired by the Penguins from the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. The Penguins also got a 2028 second-round pick in that trade, while sending Brett Kulak the other way. 

A Girard-Letang pairing was something I hinted at in my Tuesday column, and it has the potential to be a peak chaos pair. However, if it doesn't work out, they could look to move Girard down to the third pair with Connor Clifton or Ilya Solovyov. Ryan Shea would likely move up to the second pair with Letang in that instance. 

Regardless, Girard is another puck-mover who the Penguins need on their backend. He's good in transition and exiting his own zone with control. 

He's also super happy about landing in Pittsburgh. 

"Very happy," Girard told SportsNet Pittsburgh's Hailey Hunter. "Like I said, it's a great organization, great players have been through here, and I'm very excited to be around those guys. Those guys have been together for a while, so very excited."

- Sidney Crosby missed practice and will be out for a minimum of four weeks with a lower-body injury. He suffered the injury during the quarterfinals of the Olympics against Czechia. 

Rickard Rakell centered the top line during Wednesday's practice and is slated to stay in that spot when the Penguins play on Thursday. He had Avery Hayes and Bryan Rust as his wingers.

- Speaking of Rust, he knows how important that "next man" mentality is for the team since Crosby is going to be out for a bit. 

"It's super important," Rust said after practice. "Anytime anybody goes out of the lineup, I think everybody's kind of got to ramp up their game a little bit. Guys are going to have opportunities to play in positions that they otherwise may not have been able to play in."

- Ben Kindel is one of many players who will likely see an increased workload with Crosby out, and he's more than ready for it. 

"Just collectively as a group, everybody's going to have to step up a little bit and chip in just a little bit more," Kindel said. "I'm ready for any extra that I need to do to help the team win, and I'll always be ready for that, no matter what the situation is."

Kindel has passed every test that the coaching staff and management staff have given him this year, so what's one more? 

'On Any Given Night, Anybody Can Step Up': With Crosby Out, Penguins Prepared To Elevate GameWith the news that Pittsburgh Penguins' star center Sidney Crosby will miss four weeks with a lower-body injury, his teammates are ready to step up in a big way to propel the Penguins to the playoffs in his absence.

The Penguins have dealt with injuries throughout the season, but this might be their biggest challenge yet, since it's an injury to their best player and it comes during a time when the schedule is turning nasty. Once they get past the Devils and the New York Rangers games, they'll be facing playoff team after playoff team once March starts on Sunday.

Here's what the lines looked like on Wednesday: 

Forwards

Avery Hayes-Rakell-Rust

Kevin Hayes-Novak-Malkin

Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau

Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari

Defensive pairs

Wotherspoon-Karlsson

Girard-Letang

Shea-Clifton

Kevin Hayes was in Egor Chinakhov's spot on the second line since Chinakhov and his wife welcomed the birth of their first child. 

Chinakhov will likely play on Thursday, meaning Hayes will be the 13th forward. He's been the 13th forward throughout practice this week.

Puck drop for Thursday's game is set for 7 p.m. ET.

---

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NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — U.S. Olympian Tage Thompson scored his 31st goal of the season and added an assist to help the Buffalo Sabres beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Wednesday night in the NHL’s return to action.

Thompson had three goals and an assist in six games in Milan for the champion United States.

Peyton Krebs also had a goal and an assist, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves. The Sabres have won seven of 10 to improve to 33-19-6.

Buffalo is looking to make the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons. The Sabres entered Wednesday night in the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Thompson scored in the second period, and Krebs made it 2-0 midway through the third. Timo Meier scored for New Jersey with 2:30 to play.

U.S. Olympic hero Jack Hughes was honored by the Devils before the game, and assisted on Meier’s goal. The Devils showed video of Hughes’ overtime goal in the United States’ 2-1 victory over Canada on Sunday in the gold-medal game.

Jake Allen had 28 saves for New Jersey. The Devils are 28-28-2.

Up next

Sabres: At Florida on Friday night.

Devils: At Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

The Olympic break is finally over!

After a three week pause for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, the Colorado Avalanche kick off the next phase of their historic 2025 – 2026 campaign for one last(?) visit to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Mammoth.

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche won’t have the luxury of easing their way into the swing of things as the NHL schedule resumes. They play five games in seven days right out of the chute, with four of those games coming in two back-to-back contests. Tonight’s game against Utah marks the first in those pairs of back-to-back games; the Avs will face the Minnesota Wild for the first time on Ball Arena ice on Thursday evening.

The Avs were one of three teams that sent at least eight (8) players to Italy to participate in the Olympic games. Martin Nečas was selected to play for Czechia. Having previously played in the Olympics (Sochi, 2014), Gabe Landeskog made his return to the Olympic stage, now representing Sweden as its team captain. Joel Kiviranta and Artturi Lehkonen were selected to the Finland roster, capturing the bronze medal. Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Devon Toews played for Canada, earning the silver medal. Brock Nelson, a third-generation Olympian, captured gold for the United States, adding the fourth Olympic gold medal to his family mantle, joining his grandfather Bill Christian and great uncle Roger Christian (Squaw Valley, 1960) and his uncle Dave Christian (Lake Placid, 1980).

While it will be a welcome sight to see a (relatively) healthy Avalanche lineup for the first time in nearly two months, there will be one notable absence on the roster. On Tuesday morning, the Avalanche announced that they had traded defenseman Sam Girard, along with their second round pick in 2028, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defenseman Brett Kulak. Kulak, 32, was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in the deal that sent him and goaltender Stuart Skinner to Pittsburgh. During his brief tenure with the Penguins, Kulak scored one goal and added six assists for a total of seven points in twenty-five games. He had two assists in thirty-one games played with Edmonton earlier this season. This is a considerable drop off from his previous season with Edmonton, where he set a career best in goals (7), assists (18), and points (25).

Coach Jared Bednar said this of Kulak: “You’re getting a big, solid D that can skate, and defend real well, and move the puck. He does a lot of good things, a guy that has been to back to back Stanley Cup Finals, and was an integral part of [Edmonton’s] blue line, and what they were trying to do as a team. We like the player a lot, and so, we’re excited.”

He added, “This is a big, strong guy that defends really well. He’s got a ton of experience as well. It’s just a different look for us, right? I think Kulak’s a guy, that depending on how you’re matching up in the playoffs, that he can go up and play with a guy like Cale if I want to move [Toews] against another team’s top line. […] Maybe Kulak can go up and Toews can go down and he can take care of that matchup with a guy like Manson. It gives us flexibility there that I don’t think we necessarily had with [Girard].”

Bednar noted that Kulak, along with most of the Avs roster, would arrive in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night, with some members of the team flying out this morning in order to get some extra rest.

With the NHL season paused through the Olympic break, MacKinnon will look to reclaim the NHL points lead; he trails Olympic teammate Connor McDavid (96) by three points. MacKinnon entered the Olympic break as the NHL’s goal scoring leader (40), the only player in the League to reach this milestone thus far. Nelson is one goal shy of reaching the thirty goal mark for the fourth time in his career. With Mackenzie Blackwood going 1-1 in both games before the break, expect Scott Wedgewood to start in goal this evening. Wedgewood last started on January 29, a 7-3 loss against the Montréal Canadiens at Bell Centre.

The Avs still remain the undisputed leader across the Central Division, Western Conference, and League standings. A win today would give them a seven point cushion over second place Minnesota, and although they still have two games in hand over their division rivals, every point will matter even more as teams jockey for position ahead of the postseason. The Dallas Stars, who have a game in hand on Minnesota and sit one point behind them in the division, host the Seattle Kraken tonight, so one can bet that Minnesota will be keeping a close eye on both games.

The Avs currently lead the season series against Utah, winning two of the three games played. They have yet to win at Delta Center to this point in the season, but won the most recent matchup on December 23, a 1-0 decision.

Projected Lineup

Forwards:
Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas
Gabe Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Victor Olofsson
Joel Kiviranta – Parker Kelly – Gavin Brindley

Defense:
Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Brett Kulak – Sam Malinski

Between the Pipes:
Scott Wedgewood
Mackenzie Wedgewood

Utah Mammoth

Utah started out 2026 with a bang, going 12-5 since the start of January. They sit in fourth place in the Central Division standings, edging out the Anaheim Ducks by one point for the first wild card spot in the Western Conference. They won two of their previous three contests prior to the start of the Olympic break, a 6-2 defeat of the Vancouver Canucks, and a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Tonight’s game is the third of a five game home stand at Delta Center, where Utah has performed considerably well: they boast a 17-8-2 record on home ice.

Occupying a wild card spot may seem a bit surprising during this sophomore campaign for Utah, but those who followed the former Arizona Coyotes are familiar with this trend. While there have been some changes to the present-day roster, the current version’s performance has echoes of its previous incarnation, being competitive just enough to find themselves on the periphery of the postseason, only to fall short time and again. Utah GM Bill Armstrong, with the backing of his new ownership group in Ryan and Ashley Smith, has infused his team’s roster with some new life, acquiring defenseman Mikhail Sergachev from the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to their inaugural season, and right wing J.J. Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres. Sergachev set a personal best in goals (15) in his first season with Utah and currently leads all defensemen in points (38). Peterka, who signed a five year, $38.5 million dollar extension as part of the trade with Buffalo, is tied with Sergachev in points, and ranks third in goal scoring (20). Armstrong may have a few more moves up his sleeve as the trade deadline approaches, so this could be the year that his squad bucks the trends of the past, which would be an incredible testament to the club’s performance since taking the ice in downtown Salt Lake for the first time last October.

Like Colorado, Utah sent multiple players to Italy to participate in the Olympics. Peterka was selected to the German Olympic roster, defenseman Olli Määttä joined Kiviranta on Finland’s roster, goaltender Karel Vejmelka joined Nečas to represent Czechia’s goaltending contingent, and captain Clayton Keller won gold with the United States alongside Nelson.

Keller leads all skaters in assists (37) and points (54). Dylan Guenther leads all skaters in goals (25), just two shy of his personal best (27). Nick Schmaltz is second in goals (23), equaling his personal best he set during the 2021-2022 season with Arizona. Vejmelka is tied for first place with Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy in goaltender wins (27), a personal best since entering the League with Arizona during the 2021-2022 season.

Tonight’s game wraps up the four game series against Colorado. Utah’s previous victory came on October 21, with Guenther scoring the game winning goal for the 4-3 decision.

Projected Lineup

Forwards:
Clayton Keller – Nick Schmaltz – Lawson Crouse
J.J. Peterka – Barrett Hayton – Kailer Yamamoto
Michael Carcone – Jack McBain – Dylan Guenther
Brandon Tanev – Kevin Stenlund – Liam O’Brien

Defense:
Mikhail Sergachev – Sean Durzi
Nate Schmidt – John Marino
Ian Cole – Nick DeSimone

Between the Pipes:
Karel Vejmelka
Vitek Vaněček

Follow along in the comments below!

The Vancouver Canucks could be making a trade sooner rather than later. According to Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV, defenceman Tyler Myers will be held out of the lineup on Wednesday for "trade reasons". The Canucks take on the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Arena in what will be their first game back after the 2026 Winter Olympics. 

Dhaliwal's report comes less than an hour after NHL Network's Kevin Weekes posted that Myers may be on the move. Weekes' post said, "I'm told Canucks are fielding plenty of calls on D Myers and he could be on the move shortly." Myers name had come up in trade rumours earlier this season but has not been mentioned recently as a player who would be moved. 

Myers has one more year left on his contract after this season and carries a cap hit of $3 million. The 36-year-old can choose his destination as he has a full no movement clause this year. In 57 games this season, Myers has eight points and is averaging 20:13 per game. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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The future has been on the minds of Nashville Predators fans for two years. 

After the flop that was the 2024-25 season, in which the Predators won just 30 games, the fansbase shifted toward what's next and how prospects can bring a Stanley Cup to Nashville.

General Manager Barry Trotz has built a rich prospect pool of college and junior stars, AHL standouts, and young guns already proving themselves in the NHL. 

This year has been a massive example of what could be in store for the future, as seven prospects played in the IIHF World Junior Championship, another earned All-Star honors at the Spengler Cup and another is an AHL defenseman point leader. 

In Nashville, a 24-year-old Luke Evangelista has a career-high 42 points (8G, 34A) in 56 games, and three players have scored their first career goals this season. 

However, taking a closer look at how these prospects have been handled calls into question whether the Predators have been doing enough for their future. 

Reassigning Fedor Svechkov too late

Fedor Svechkov, a 22-year-old center who was drafted 19th overall in 2021, is a player the Predators mishandled this season. 

Splitting time between Milwaukee and Nashville during the 2024-25 campaign, recording 17 points in 52 games, the Predators tasked Svechkov with the bold task of jump-starting Steven Stamkos.

After the blockbuster signing in the 2024 offseason, Stamkos generated just 53 points in 82 games, not bad at all, but well below what he as averaging. 

Svechkov struggled centering Stamkos in the first month of the season, as he had a point in 15 games played. Meanwhile, Stamkos had two points in the first 12 contests of the year. 

While a move back to the center on the first and second lines benefited Stamkos, Svechkov continued to struggle in various combinations.

After recording nine points in 49 games and getting scratched twice, the Predators finally made the decision to send Svechkov down to Milwaukee before the Olympic break.

The decision felt like it was a month too late, as Svechkov was scoreless throughout January and was essentially benched in his final game before being assigned to Milwaukee, recording 3:05 minutes of ice time in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on Jan. 27. 

Scratch, play or reassign? 

The Predators haven't frayed away from scratching their young players, as Brady Martin, Matthew Wood and others have all had to sit at some point this season. 

Head coach Andrew Brunette has spoken on this before, saying that it's a way for younger players to sit and learn the game.

However, some of the scratches have been questionable. Martin, the Predators' 2025 fifth overall pick, played just three games before being sent to the Soo Greyhounds (OHL). 

He was in Nashville for the season-opening game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 9 and their road matchup against the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 21.

That was a seven-game stretch, and Martin was scratched in five of those contests, including a "homecoming" game against the Maple Leafs in Toronto. 

The move was questionable enough that Trotz commented on it, saying he would've liked to see Martin play more.

On Jan. 3 and 6, Wood was scratched in back-to-back contests before returning to the lineup. He'd return to the lineup, but struggle throughout the month before the Predators decided to reassign him to Milwaukee ahead of the Olympic break. 

However, after three games with the Admirals during the pause, the Predators called Wood back up, casting doubt on the move and possibly being too early.

Joakim Kemell is another player who has sat more than he's played in Nashville. He's played in two games but has been scratched from six. 

Making the right call-ups

Trotz has notably "stuck his neck out" for a handful of players, moving them onto the roster ahead of other stat leaders down in Milwaukee. 

Reid Schaefer, who has logged just six points in 27 games, has made multiple stops in Nashville this season. He earned a call-up before seven other Admirals who are ahead of him in point totals. 

Zach L'Heureux recently earned a call-up after averaging a point per game in 28 straight contests with the Admirals. He even said that he expected to be called up sooner.

Justin Barron, whom Trotz traded Alexandre Carrier for in 2024, has not moved from the Predators roster despite scoring 32 points and recording just five points.

Meanwhile, Ryan Ufko, who is second in AHL defenseman points with 42 in 47 games, has yet to be called up to Nashville this season.  

Another piece was trading Spencer Stastney, a 26-year-old defenseman who had nine points in 30 games before he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers for a 2027 third-round pick. 

Trotz said the move was made to bring younger players up into the Nashville lineup, but movement has been minimal, specifically on the blue line.

The only defenseman the Predators have recalled for Milwaukee this year is Andreas Englund, a 30-year-old who was claimed off waivers by Nashville last season. 

He's played in only three games and has been scratched in a handful of contests. 

Too much or not enough? 

While there is likely a reason behind the decisions to sit these younger players or have them wait a bit longer for their opportunity, the trends show that Nashville is struggling to put its younger players in the right situations. 

Svechkov's elongated stay in Nashville may have hurt his game more than benefited it, as he could've spent a month or two down in Milwaukee instead of struggling with the Predators. 

Down in Milwaukee, guys like Ufko and Jake Lucchini (38 PTS in 49 GMS) can only do so much to prove they deserve a shot with the Predators.

It's fair to say this could be part of "the process" of having younger players earn their time and place, but with the Predators being so gung-ho about their future, they're teetering on the line between development and wasting prospects' time. 

Now, where were we?

With the Winter Olympics break now officially behind us, the Ottawa Senators return to action on Thursday night (7 pm TSN5) at Canadian Tire Centre, hosting the Detroit Red Wings. 

After the game, there's yet another long break in the schedule, at least as far as Senators home games are concerned.  This is how the schedule looks starting Saturday.

Feb. 28 at Toronto
March 3 at Edmonton
March 5 at Calgary
March 7 at Seattle
March 9 at Vancouver

Meanwhile, right in the middle of their Western road swing, the NHL trade deadline will come and go on March 6 at 3 pm Eastern.

So if the Senators decide to be active in the trade market, Thursday night's game against the Wings may be the last time some players ever put on a Sens jersey at home.

This will be Steve Staios' third trade deadline as an NHL GM and the first two couldn't have been more different. In 2024, Staios was handcuffed by Vladimir Tarasenko's no trade clause and shipped the pending free agent to the Florida Panthers for what turned out to be a third rounder.

That was pretty much it, although he made some huge moves in the summer, acquiring Linus Ullmark, Nick Jensen, David Perron, Michael Amadio, and Adam Gaudette.

2025 was just the opposite. Staios went hard at the deadline, getting Dylan Cozens and Fabian Zetterlund, then went slower in the summer, acquiring depth players Jordan Spence and Lars Eller.

The trade deadline is usually about two types of teams.

On the one hand, you have playoff-bound teams eyeballing their final chance to bulk up their roster with good established players to try and go deep. On the other hand, you have teams who are already out of contention, who are looking to do business with the great teams that can give them the picks, prospects or young players so they can retool.

But the Senators are caught in between, and in a parity-filled league where the standings are so tight, they're not alone in feeling stuck in the middle.

If the last four games before the deadline go well, maybe Staios fancies himself a buyer and strengthens the roster like he did last year. This year's Senators actually have a better record right now (.553) than they did at last year's deadline (.549) but their Eastern standing is way different.

The Sens held the second wild card last year at the deadline, but right now they're six points out.

Their needs would include a right shot D, but since almost everyone needs help in that area, they won't come cheap. It might cost them a first-rounder next year or one of their good forwards who are still young enough to help a team in rebuild.

If the last four games before the deadline don't go well, and the Sens slip further in the standings, maybe they shift to seller mode and unload some of their older UFAs rather than lose them and get nothing in return. When they dumped pending UFA Vladimir Tarasenko, in 2024 they were 19 points out of a playoff spot, but the strategy is still the same.

The Senators' list of older UFAs on expiring contracts right now includes Claude Giroux, David Perron, Nick Jensen, Lars Eller, Nick Cousins, and James Reimer.

As a dark horse move, Giroux might be a candidate to be one of those rare springtime rentals that ends up back with the team that traded him. He could go for that Cup that's eluded him, and re-sign back home in Ottawa this summer.

But even if someone gave the Sens back a 2026 first round pick (the NHL probably won't), moving Giroux would be highly discouraging to a fan base that's all in on at least the attempt at a making the playoffs.

Moving one or two of their other thirty-something UFAs may be an opportunity to shore up their draft capital without fully giving up on their playoff hopes.

The only thing we know for sure is that we won't see the Senators pulling off the firesale deals we saw from 2018-2020. Some of those deals completely blew up in their face, but others helped build a core that's now in its prime. And while it remains to be seen if they can still salvage this season, or ever emerge as a true contender, the window for this group is now wide open.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published by The Hockey News. More headlines here:

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