COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Adrian Kempe scored his second goal of the game with 1:26 left in overtime to give the Los Angeles Kings a 5-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.

With the victory, Los Angeles moved within a point of Seattle in the race for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Columbus tied the score late for the second straight home game. Kirill Marchenko scored on the power play at 18:04 to force the extra period.

Brian Dumoulin had a goal and two assists. Scott Laughton scored for the second straight game since joining the Kings from Toronto and added an assist. Artemi Panarin also scored. Anton Forsberg made 28 saves for Los Angeles in the opener of a five-game trip.

Connor Garland scored twice — his first goals since coming to Columbus from Vancouver — and Denton Mateychuk added a goal and an assist. Jet Greaves made 26 saves for Columbus, which has lost two straight at home.

The Blue Jackets are two points behind Boston in the race for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot, and three points behind the Islanders for third in the Metropolitan Division.

RANGERS 6, FLYERS 2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Mika Zibanejad had two goals and an assist, and New York scored on three power plays in a win over the Philadelphia.

Noah Laba and Alexis Lafreniere each had a goal an assist. Gabe Perreault and Vladislav Gavrikov also scored for the Rangers, who won for the third time in five games. Igor Shesterkin finished with 32 saves.

Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier scored for the Flyers. Dan Vladar allowed six goals on 24 shots and was replaced by Samuel Ersson at the start of the third period. Ersson made three saves in relief.

CAPITALS 7, FLAMES 3

WASHINGTON (AP) — Connor McMichael scored twice and the Washington Capitals beat the Calgary Flames 7-3 on Monday night.

Justin Sourdif had a goal and two assists and Hendrix Lapierre added a goal and an assist for Washington. Tom Wilson, Ethen Frank and Ryan Leonard also scored for the Capitals, who ended a three-game slide.

Matvei Gridin, Blake Coleman and Yegor Sharangovich scored for Calgary, which has lost five of its last six.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Mika Zibanejad had two goals and an assist, and the New York Rangers scored on three power plays in a 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.

Noah Laba and Alexis Lafreniere each had a goal an assist. Gabe Perreault and Vladislav Gavrikov also scored for the Rangers, who won for the third time in five games. Igor Shesterkin finished with 32 saves.

Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier scored for the Flyers. Dan Vladar allowed six goals on 24 shots and was replaced by Samuel Ersson at the start of the third period. Ersson made three saves in relief.

The Rangers pounced early and scored in bunches. Laba converted from close range 1:04 into the game when Vladar failed to control the puck after a glove save. Zibanejad scored his first at 13:07 while charging down the slot, and Lafreniere posted New York's first power-play goal with 38 seconds left in the first.

Michkov got the Flyers on the board at 3:54 of the second, but the Rangers stormed back. Perreault scored with the man advantage less than three minutes later. Zibanejad scored on the power play and Gavrikov added a goal — in a 20-second span — at the end of the period.

Couturier scored at the 15:28 of the third.

New York defenseman Uhro Vaakanainen, in action after being scratched for five games, saw 15 minutes and 18 seconds of ice time. Matt Rempe (upper body), J.T. Miller (upper body) were sidelined for the Rangers, and forward Taylor Raddysh is away from the team for his father’s funeral.

Travis Konecny and Nick Seeler were back in action for the Flyers. Konecny, who leads Philadelphia with 23 goals and 57 points, missed three games with an upper-body injury. Seeler missed 2 games with a lower-body injury sustained in a win over Toronto a week ago Monday.

Up next

Rangers: Host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Flyers: Host the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.

___

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

The Calgary Flames fell 7–3 to the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Monday night.

It marked the Flames debut for Victor Olofsson, while Matvei Gridin returned to the lineup following his recall from the Calgary Wranglers of the American Hockey League. Devin Cooley got the nod in goal for Calgary.

Despite goals from Gridin, Blake Coleman and Yegor Sharangovich, the Flames couldn’t overcome an early deficit and a pair of quick third-period strikes from Washington.

Capitals Jump Out Early

Washington wasted little time opening the scoring. Just 2:46 into the first period, Cooley stopped an initial shot but the rebound bounced straight to Hendrix Lapierre, who quickly snapped it home to make it 1–0.

The Capitals doubled their lead midway through the frame. After sustained pressure in the Calgary zone, a loose puck slid to the side of the net where Tom Wilson gathered it and wired a shot into the top corner at 9:13.

Washington added one more before the intermission. Justin Sourdif won a battle along the boards and fed Connor McMichael alone in the slot. McMichael ripped a shot past Cooley at 17:43, sending the Capitals to the dressing room with a 3–0 advantage.

Flames Surge Back in the Second

Calgary mounted an impressive response in the middle period.

Gridin got the Flames on the board after a crisp passing play. Olli Maatta moved the puck to Ryan Strome, who slid a cross-ice feed to Gridin for a one-timer that beat Logan Thompson.

Late in the period, the Flames struck twice while shorthanded.

First, Mikael Backlund intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and sprung Coleman on a breakaway. Coleman made a smooth backhand-to-forehand move before tucking the puck past Thompson at 17:39.

Still killing the same penalty, Calgary tied the game moments later. Joel Farabee chased down a loose puck deep in the Washington end and set up Sharangovich trailing into the slot. Sharangovich buried the chance at 18:55, recording the sixth-fastest shorthanded goal in franchise history and sending the game into the second intermission tied 3–3.

Capitals Regain Control

The third period swung back in Washington’s favour.

On a power play at 10:52, a scramble in front of the Calgary net led to McMichael collecting a loose puck and roofing his second goal of the night to restore the Capitals’ lead.

Just 23 seconds later, Washington struck again. Sourdif forced a turnover and fired a shot that deflected off traffic in front and into the net, giving the Capitals a two-goal cushion.

Ethan Frank added an empty-net goal at 17:14 and then a breakaway goal from Ryan Leonard (19:44) sealed the 7–3 win for Washington.

Three Takeaways

1. New additions making an impact

Strome and Maatta each picked up assists, extending their point streaks to start their Flames tenures and continuing to contribute offensively.

2. Gridin showing growth

Gridin looked comfortable in his return to the NHL lineup. The young forward generated multiple scoring chances and finished with his fourth goal of the season, bringing his total to eight points in 18 games.

3. Momentum swings decided the game

Calgary’s two quick shorthanded goals completely shifted the momentum in the second period, but Washington responded with two goals just 23 seconds apart in the third — a sequence that ultimately proved to be the difference.

With a record of 7-1-2 in their last ten games, Ottawa Senators head coach Travis Green probably isn't thrilled about having to mess with his lineup.

But the injury bug has forced his hand. 

Green announced on Monday that his best defenseman, Jake Sanderson, is listed as week-to-week with a probable shoulder injury suffered on Saturday night against the Seattle Kraken. So, that means one lineup change, but it also knocks over several dominoes.

Nikolas Matinpalo, who's only played two NHL games in 2026, will dress on Monday night for the Senators' game in Vancouver, and Sanderson's absence also means that other defensemen are forced to move higher up in the blue line batting order.

But don't talk to the Canucks and their fan base about the challenges of adjusting to lineup changes. Quite frankly, they don't want to hear it.

Since December, through various trades, the Canucks have said goodbye to team captain Quinn Hughes, along with Kiefer Sherwood, Tyler Myers, Conor Garland, Lukas Reichel, and David Kampf.

As a sidebar, it's quite remarkable that the Canucks held on to veterans Teddy Blueger and Evander Kane at the deadline when both are UFAs this summer. They're not in the team's rebuilding plans and probably don't want to be.

Get something for them.

After winning 50 games and finishing first in the Pacific Division two seasons ago, Vancouver is now the worst team in the NHL, and it isn't particularly close. The Canucks are 10 points behind the second-worst team, the New York Rangers.

James Reimer is expected to start for the Senators against Kevin Lankinen for Vancouver. Stephen Halliday is sitting for a third straight game, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see the 23-year-old back in Belleville soon to get some playing time.

Here's how the Sens and Canucks will line it up on Monday night (9 pm, Prime, RDS)

Senators projected lineup

Drake Batherson - Tim Stutzle - Claude Giroux
Brady Tkachuk - Dylan Cozens - Ridly Greig
Nick Cousins - Shane Pinto - Michael Amadio
Warren Foegele - Lars Eller - Fabian Zetterlund

Thomas Chabot - Artem Zub
Nikolas Matinpalo - Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven - Jordan Spence

James Reimer
Linus Ullmark

Canucks projected lineup

Jake DeBrusk - Elias Pettersson - Nils Hoglander
Liam Ohgren - Marco Rossi - Brock Boeser
Evander Kane - Aatu Raty - Drew O’Connor
Max Sasson - Teddy Blueger - Linus Karlsson

Elias Nils Pettersson - Filip Hronek
Marcus Pettersson - Tom Willander
Zeev Buium - Victor Mancini

Kevin Lankinen
Nikita Tolopilo

According to NHL.com, Kane missed game-day practice, and Brock Boeser left early, but both are expected to play. If one of them can't go, 6-foot-9 Curtis Douglas will draw into the lineup. The former Belleville Senator was picked up off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

Salary cap inflation is always something to monitor. The cap is currently set at $95.5 million, but is expected to raise signifcantly over the next few seasons. Next year, the cap is projected to be $104 million while the 2027-28 ceiling is projected at $113.5 million. 

Recently, NHL player agent Allan Walsh provided an update via social media on what the 2028-29 salary cap could look like. Walsh wrote via "X", "Analyzing NHL HRR projections and the current revenue slack that exists in the system, hearing the NHL is projecting a Salary Cap Upper Limit of approx $123M in 2028-29. We are currently at $95.5M. (That’s an almost $30M rise of the Cap within 3 years)."

At the time of writing, the Vancouver Canucks only have seven players signed for the 2028-29 season. Those players are Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, Filip Hronek, Marcus Pettersson, Kevin Lankinen and Thatcher Demko. The Canucks will also have a $2,126,667 penalty that season as the Oliver Ekman-Larsson buyout will not be complete.

According to PuckPedia, Vancouver currently has $52,226,667 commited for the 2028-29 season. If no players are moved, that would count for just over 40% of the projected $123 million. The Canucks are projected to still be in a rebuild in 2028-29, meaning some contracts already signed could be on the move before the season starts. 

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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Florida Panthers star Brad Marchand will miss time this week to see doctors and determine whether he needs surgery for a lower-body injury.

Marchand has missed 10 games with the injury since early January.

"There's going to be a decision on what's the best way to get to 100 percent full health," coach Paul Maurice told reporters on Monday, March 9.

He said that even if surgery isn't needed, Marchand would be out for weeks, not days.

"We had had a handle on it and there were times where he didn't play but kind of maintained it and then came back in," Maurice said. "But it just got to the point on this road trip that it was never recovering and continuing to get worse."

The Panthers have been devastated by injuries this season, starting with hernia surgery for Matthew Tkachuk that kept him out until January and ACL surgery for Aleksander Barkov when he was hurt in his first practice of training camp.

NHL power rankings: Which teams aced the trade deadline?

Eetu Luostarinen missed time after being burned while barbecuing. Seth Jones is potentially a week away from returning from an injury suffered in the Jan. 2 Winter Classic.

The Panthers haven't been able to gain traction this season and were 11 points out of a playoff spot on March 9. They could see the end of a run that took them to the Stanley Cup Final for three years in a row and win championships the past two.

Brad Marchand injury update

Brad Marchand will see doctors this week to determine if he'll need surgery. Maurice said the injury has been bothering the winger for months. Marchand also played at the Olympics, winning a silver medal with Canada.

Brad Marchand stats

Brad Marchand has 27 goals and 27 assists in 52 games for the Panthers this season. He had one assist in four games at the Olympics.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Panthers' Brad Marchand to see doctors about whether he needs surgery

The Detroit Red Wings earned a much needed reset Monday night, defeating the New Jersey Devils 3–0 to halt a difficult stretch that saw the club lose seven of its previous ten games.

The victory also marked the debuts and returns of several new faces. Recently acquired defenseman Justin Faulk made his first appearance with Detroit, while call ups Dominik Shine and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard helped inject fresh energy into the lineup. The performance was enough to deliver two points in the standings, but Detroit knows it cannot afford for the win to be a one time response if it hopes to stay in the playoff picture.

Detroit currently sits third in the Atlantic Division in the National Hockey League standings. The Red Wings began the season near the top of the division but has gradually slid from first place to second and now to the third seed. At points during the slump the team even found itself clinging to a wild card spot, a scenario it hopes to avoid as the season enters its final stretch.

Pressure from behind continues to build. The Montreal Canadiens trail Detroit by just one point, while the Boston Bruins sit only three points back. With the standings tightening, the margin for error is shrinking quickly for a Red Wings team attempting to end a playoff drought that has stretched close to a decade.

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

They will face an uphill battle with the fifth-hardest remaining strength of schedule in the league. Among the toughest tests ahead are two matchups with the Tampa Bay Lightning, along with single games against the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres and the Canadiens.

Because of that challenging stretch, Detroit will need to take advantage of games against teams lower in the standings. Upcoming contests against the New York Rangers and Calgary Flames, along with a two game set against the Florida Panthers and three remaining games versus the Philadelphia Flyers, could prove crucial in determining their playoff fate.

For the Red Wings, the shutout win over New Jersey provided a necessary boost. Maintaining that momentum may ultimately determine whether Detroit finally returns to the postseason or sees its playoff drought continue.

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The Los Angeles Kings (26-23-14) survived a near-late collapse, avoiding another meltdown in Columbus thanks to a clutch finish from Adrian Kempe, walking away with two points.

Kempe blasted a slap shot from the left circle 2:26 into overtime, giving Los Angeles a dramatic 5–4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets after a chaotic back-and-forth contest. 

TWO POINTS!#GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/DM4Jlmlofb

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 9, 2026

Adrian Kempe had a great afternoon, scoring the game-winner and finishing with two goals and two points. Artemi Panarin had another good outing, scoring a goal, assisting on one play, and finishing with two points. 

Brian Dumoulin also played a great game, especially late down the stretch, giving the Kings the lead late in the third period, finishing the game with one goal, two assists, and three points. 

Meanwhile, Anton Forsberg was phenomenal on the defensive side of things, finishing with 29 saves on 33 shots attempted, coming up with multiple key saves early in the game to help pay off Los Angeles on offense. 

Newly acquired Scott Laughton had another strong performance for the Kings, scoring a goal in his second straight game as a member of the Los Angeles Kings and winning the key face-off in overtime, which led to Kempe's game-winning goal. 

Los Angeles struck first in the opening period when the trade deadline addition Scott Laughton continued his string start with the club. Laughton finished the play with a nice coast-to-coast play from Brian Dumoulin down the left side before setting up Laughton for the easy goal. 

LAK Goal - Laugh and Order!

Kings open the scoring against the run of play. Nice activation by Dumoulin, Laughton makes it 2 goals in 2 games as a King at the net. 1-0..

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) March 9, 2026

Later in the period, Artemi Panarin doubled the score with a goal midway through the period, pushing Los Angeles ahead 2-0, despite heavy pressure and traffic from Columbus. 

The Blue Jackets would answer late in the period when Conor Garland cut the deficit to 2-1, where the momentum really started to shift to Columbus to end the first period. 

Colombus eventually erased the lead in the second period, scoring back-to-back goals in two minutes after both teams were struggling to get a shot up early in the second period. 

Both teams had several chances to score on the power play, but failed, and Columbus eventually broke out of their slump behind Garland scoring his second goal of the game and Denton Mateychuck to give Columbus its first lead, 3-2. 

Faceoffs were starting to kill Los Angeles in a fate that we've seen repeatedly happen this season when games get close. But today, Los Angeles won 65.7% of their face-offs, compared to the Blue Jackets' 34.3%. 

But Los Angeles would respond despite going down by one goal. After a missed shot by Anze Kopitar, the puck bounced right to where Kempe was on the rebound, and he converted the goal, tying things up for Los Angeles. 

LAK Goal - Tie game!

Great shift by the top line to respond. Dumoulin/Ceci involved offensively as well, five-man unit attacking, Kempe buries the rebound. 3-3.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) March 9, 2026

Dumoulin later put Los Angeles back in front after it was starting to get very nervous for LA, with the score tied 3-3. Dumoulin, with one of the best plays of the game, moved into the slot, faked the defense on the sustained pressure, and beat Jet Greaves to give the Kings their lead back. 

Brian Dumoulin!!!!! pic.twitter.com/dsa11iPUuJ

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 9, 2026

However, the Blue Jackets would refuse to go away. 

After a controversial call that didn't give the Kings a two-goal lead late when Alex Turcotte thought he scored the goal, the refs took it away because the whistle had gone. 

This would give Columbus another chance to tie the game up, and they did just that. With under two minutes remaining in regulation, Columbus forced overtime when Kirill Marchenko buried a power-play goal off a feed from Zach Werenski, tying the game 4–4 with just 1:56 left.  

The late rally from Columbus would secure them a point as we headed into overtime. 

But, Los Angeles this time didn't go away in the extra period, winning key faceoffs, and Kempe finally ended the game scoring his 25th goal of the season and his second goal of the afternoon, sending the Blue Jackets home. 

The winger hammered a shot from the left circle off a pass from Panarin, beating Greaves and securing the win.

Key Takeaways

Massive win for Los Angeles, especially after blowing their last game against the Montreal Canadiens. Los Angeles outplayed the Blue Jackets throughout the first two periods, and when the game got close, they shut the door. 

This win now gives Los Angeles 66 points on the year, and now they're just one point behind Seattle for the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division. 

A very great game overall from the team, arguably one of its most complete wins of the season, playing great defense behind Forsberg and getting contributions on offense from multiple forwards. 

Los Angeles will continue their five-game road trip tomorrow, taking on the Boston Bruins at 7:00 PM EST. 

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Sunday evening marked the Detroit Red Wings' debut for defenseman Justin Faulk, who was acquired on Friday from the St. Louis Blues. 

Known as an offensive-minded defenseman who can play in all situations, Faulk showed poise in his first game with the Red Wings, playing in just under 20 minutes while also firing three shots on goal and blocking four Devils shots. 

He had a golden chance to score after partially breaking in alone into the Devils' zone on a broken play during the second period, but his attempt was gloved by goaltender Jacob Markstrom. 

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

Faulk is already a fan of how the Red Wings play, and is looking forward to doing what he can to help them get over the hump. 

“It’s a good group, I like the way we play, guys like to make some plays and play with some pace," Faulk said afterward. "It’s a hungry group, I can tell. There’s definitely some veterans in here, too, that’ll help lead the way with that.

I’m excited to be a part of it, get going, and then try and play my part.”

For Faulk, it's the second time in his NHL career that he's been traded. A former 2010 second-round (37th overall) pick of the Carolina Hurricanes, he was dealt to the Blues in September 2019 for Joel Edmundson, Dominik Bokk, and a 2021 seventh-round pick.

"I've been traded before, so I have a little experience with it," he said. "It's definitely a unique time of year for it, but I'm not the only one to go through it by any means, and won't be the last.

It's a challenge, but it's an exciting challenge coming to a team that's trying to do some damage and get to the playoffs and win a lot of games. It's exciting." 

While he had a sense that the Blues could move him, he didn't get the official word until after the 3:00 p.m. ET deadline had passed. 

"I got the call a couple of minutes after the Deadline, I was waiting all day," Faulk said with a laugh. "

One of the biggest needs of the Red Wings was a right-handed defenseman with some offensive upside, and they fulfilled that need with the acquisition of Faulk.

He and his new teammates will continue their road trip by taking on the Florida Panthers on Tuesday evening. 

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The Buffalo Sabres passed a difficult and challenging test in their quest to make and succeed in the postseason, battling through five fights, blowing an early three-goal lead, before staging a late comeback to win 8-7 over the Tampa Bay Lightning at a raucous KeyBank Center on Sunday. The victory is the Sabres 13th in the last 16 games, and propelled Buffalo into sole possession of top spot in the Atlantic, and perhaps set the stage for an exciting second-round matchup with the veteran-laden Tampa squad.

The Lightning clearly took a page out the playbook of their division rival, the Florida Panthers, attempting to push around the Sabres, instigating five fights, and specifically targeting Sabres team captain Rasmus Dahlin and defenseman Bowen Byram. Dahlin dropped the gloves with Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh early in the game, and then was assaulted by Tampa’s Brandon Hagel, earning the former Sabre draftee a double-minor for roughing and a $5,000 fine from the NHL on Monday, while Byram tussled with Lightning defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous. 

"I'm not a referee, but I mean a situation like that, usually a guy gets kicked out, he doesn't get four (minutes). He probably should get two for every punch, and it probably would lead to at least 20 minutes," Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said after the win. 

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Tampa responded with three goals in the middle frame, and took a 7-5 lead in the third, but goals from Dahlin and Jason Zucker tied the game, and Josh Doan scored the Sabres fourth power play goal with 4:17 left to give the Sabres the victory. 

"I think the group has got real tight, and it showed tonight. They answered every call. They were there in every play, and even getting down. You're up 4-1., you get down by a couple, just how hard we worked to get back in the game. There was no quit. The desire to finish this thing the right way. I thought every guy was on board.” Ruff said "We're playing for a playoff spot. That's what we're playing for. Both teams are still playing for a playoff spot. That's really what it was all about. We know how tight this conference is, we know how tight the division is. It's one game at a time, but knowing that we're looking for a playoff spot."

Although the fact that goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen gave up seven goals on 28 shots, and the Sabres surrendered a significant lead, it is tough to ignore the momentum that Buffalo continues to build on. The win over Tampa has the Sabres at an .806 winning percentage (28-6-2) since December 9, when they were at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. This is reminiscent of the St. Louis Blues magical run in 2019, when the Blues went 30-10-5 in the final 45 games after being in last place in the NHL on New Year’s and that resulted in a Stanley Cup victory.  

At this point, the Sabres are concerned with clinching their first postseason berth since 2011, but their winning ways have their long-starving fanbase hungering for more. 

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It didn't appear that Timothy Liljegren wanted to leave San Jose, but that didn't matter.

The San Jose Sharks moved the defenseman at the deadline, sending the 26-year-old to the Washington Capitals for the Vegas Golden Knights’ 2026 fourth-round pick.

Although Liljegren never publicly made it clear he wanted to move, the Sharks were already planning to let him go in free agency at the end of the season anyway, so it made sense to make a trade and try to salvage something out of it.

Evander Kane and Timothy Liljegren go at it and drop the mitts 💥 pic.twitter.com/JdWn2R8i7G

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 28, 2026

“We just thought it was good value,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said.

In many ways, the decision reflects a combination of motives. San Jose was open to giving Liljegren a fresh opportunity elsewhere, but it also wasn’t interested in moving him without receiving something of value in return.

“Hopefully, it’s a good thing for Lily, too,” Grier said. “Maybe he gets a chance to play a little bit more going into his UFA year.”

Liljegren will now look to strengthen his market ahead of July 1 while helping the Capitals address the absence of recently traded defenseman John Carlson.

Off to Washington! 🦅

Timothy Liljegren is joining the @Capitals! #NHLTradeDeadline

Powered by @SAPpic.twitter.com/u2CFJvcYzl

— NHL (@NHL) March 6, 2026

The Sharks originally acquired Liljegren from the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, in exchange for third- and sixth-round draft picks. At the time, the organization hoped the 2017 first-round pick could solidify himself as a reliable top-four defenseman in San Jose.

Instead, his tenure in teal was marked by inconsistent performances, and he had been a healthy scratch in each of the team’s last three games before the trade.

The move could also create an opportunity for Shakir Mukhamadullin, another former first-round pick who is still working to establish himself as a full-time NHL regular, to take on a larger role in the Sharks’ lineup.

We wish the best to Mr. Liljegren in his future endeavors.

Following a nine-game homestand, with a two-and-a-half-week Olympic break between, the Anaheim Ducks will head on the road for a four-game road trip to Canada to face the Winnipeg Jets before taking on the three Eastern Conference Canadian teams: Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens.

The Ducks left Orange County on a sour note, losing 4-0 to the St. Louis Blues on Sunday, their fourth time being shutout this season and first time since Jan. 29.

The Ducks head on the road, sitting in first place in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights and three points ahead of the Edmonton Oilers, with a game in hand on each.

Anaheim Ducks 2026 Trade Deadline Review

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In perhaps the most surprising move during the NHL’s March 6 trade deadline and the days leading up to it, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek seemingly recognized an opportunity to win their division and perhaps afford his team the easiest (on paper) road to the Conference Final of any of the four divisions when he parted with a first-round pick and a third-round pick in exchange for veteran defenseman John Carlsson from the Washington Capitals.

Carlson (36) is a pending UFA in the final year of an eight-year contract with an AAV of $8 million. When the trade was made, the Ducks were guaranteed a maximum of 21 regular season games with Carlson in the lineup, in addition to any number of potential playoff games they’d play this spring.

However, Carlson had sustained a lower-body injury on Feb. 5, when he was forced from the ice after logging 7:03 TOI in Washington’s game against the Nashville Predators. He missed the Caps’ three games heading into the Olympic break and the one they played upon return, before he was traded to Anaheim on March 5.

“As soon as we kind of agreed to the deal, in these types of situations, you’re always having the medical staffs reach out to each other,” Verbeek said following the trade. “We actually got permission to go through his medical records, which was important to us.

“We’re not too concerned about it. Hopefully, when we get going on the trip, he’ll be able to join sometime on the trip with us, to be 100% healthy. “When you get in these certain circumstances, would he be healthy enough to play in a playoff game? Yeah, probably. But we don’t want to get in those situations.

“We want to make sure that John’s 100% and ready to contribute to our group, which we’re really excited to add him to our group.”

Carlson has now been on the Ducks’ roster for two games, but was ruled out for each. Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville stated after Sunday’s game that Carlson will travel with the team on their upcoming four-game road trip, but isn’t expected to play until the end of it.

“I would say that we hope he can play at the end of the trip,” Quenneville said. “That’s what we’re kind of targeting.”

Carlson has played 55 games this season, scoring 46 points (10-36=46) and averaging 22:52 TOI per game.

Carlson will now likely play a maximum of 17 regular season games with Anaheim before his contract expires. Parting with a first-round pick, along with a third, for a player who is that limited in terms of output he can provide for a team is typically reserved for teams that feel they’re in contention to win the Stanley Cup that season. As stated, that may be how the Ducks view themselves at this juncture.

When acquired, Verbeek stated his desire to re-sign Carlson at the conclusion of the Ducks’ season. A contract extension would only further justify the price he paid to acquire Carlson at this year’s deadline.

Another Ducks player who will be unavailable for the foreseeable future is winger Troy Terry, who has only played six of the Ducks’ 23 games since the new year with a confirmed recurring upper-body injury.

He played in the Ducks’ two games leading into the Olympic break and the one following, but has been ruled out for the team’s last six. He’s been confirmed to be on the Ducks’ four-game road trip, but isn’t expected to play.

“Yes, he is,” Quenneville said when asked if Terry would join the team on the trip. “Not sure he’ll play.”

Despite having been sidelined for 16 games this season, Terry still ranks fourth on the Ducks in scoring, with 45 points (13-32=45) in 46 games and averages 18:21 TOI per game.

Ducks GM Pat Verbeek on 2026 Trade Deadline Moves

Ducks Acquire John Carlson from Capitals

Ducks Trade Ryan Strome to Flames

Much has changed since the last USA TODAY Sports NHL power rankings in early February.

There were the Olympics in which the United States picked up its first men's hockey gold medal in 46 years by defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime during the final.

There was a coaching change in Los Angeles, and most importantly, the NHL trade deadline on March 6.

There had been a roster freeze during the Olympics, so it was a rush to get trades done. Big names moved, such as Nazem Kadri, MacKenzie Weegar, Brayden Schenn and John Carlson.

This version of the NHL power rankings recaps trades and hands out grades.

NHL power rankings

Numbers in parentheses reflect the change from the most recent power rankings. Statistics and standings are as of March 8.

1. Colorado Avalanche (0)

They were busy in the leadup to the deadline, adding forward Nicolas Roy and defenseman Brett Kulak. But they saved the best for the last minute, bringing back 2022 Stanley Cup winner Nazem Kadri. They gave up Victor Olofsson, Samuel Girard and draft picks in the deals, but they're deeper down the middle and grittier. Grade: A

2. Dallas Stars (+3)

Tyler Myers, a 6-foot-8 defenseman, is joining 6-foot-7 Lian Bichsel on the blue line. He's a right shot, too. Forward Michael Bunting will help make up for the loss of Tyler Seguin to season-ending knee surgery. Grade: A

3. Minnesota Wild (0)

The Quinn Hughes trade in December was the big one, and he has been a marvel. But Bill Guerin didn't stop there. He added forwards Michael McCarron, Bobby Brink and Nick Foligno (he'll join brother Marcus) and depth defenseman Jeff Petry. Vinnie Hinostroza and prospect David Jiricek were moved out. The Wild's bottom six is better and McCarron kills penalties. Grade: A

4. Carolina Hurricanes (0)

They could have used more center depth (along with the rest of the league), but their only acquisition was tough guy Nicolas Deslauriers. Still the Hurricanes are a threat to reach the Eastern Conference final again. Grade: C

5. Buffalo Sabres (+4)

The Sabres took off after Jarmo Kekalainen replaced Kevyn Adams as general manager, and the new GM rewarded the team with some moves. He added Sam Carrick to help the league's worst faceoff team. He also changed course after Colton Parayko didn't waive his no-trade clause and brought in defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn, giving the Sabres a physical third pairing. Schenn and fellow newcomer Tanner Pearson are Stanley Cup winners. Grade - B

6. Tampa Bay Lightning (-4)

The Lightning brought back pesky forward Corey Perry, who has a recent habit of getting to the Stanley Cup Final. The Lightning have lost in the first round the past three seasons, so they'll appreciate his presence even if he hasn't won a Cup since 2007. Grade: B-

7. Pittsburgh Penguins (-1)

Their big move was the goalie swap in December. They got out of Tristan Jarry's contract, and Stuart Skinner is doing better than he was in Edmonton. Egor Chinakhov, acquired in December, has been a great addition. Girard hasn't done much since arriving from Colorado and the Penguins also added 6-foot-8 forward Elmer Soderblom. Grade: B+

8. Montreal Canadiens (-1)

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said the Canadiens were working on something big but weren't able to pull it off. Nothing happened, and the goaltending remains inconsistent and they didn't find a taker for Patrik Laine. Grade: D

9. Detroit Red Wings (-1)

Popular David Perron, recovering from hernia surgery, has returned to the Red Wings. He totaled 41 goals in his two seasons in Detroit. Right-shot defenseman Justin Faulk, acquired from St. Louis, will move into the second pairing. Grade: B+

10. New York Islanders (+2)

They added forward Brayden Schenn, moving out underperforming Jonathan Drouin in the deal. They did the same earlier by moving out Maxim Tsyplakov in the Ondrej Palat deal. Grade: B

11. Boston Bruins (-1)

They were relatively quiet, adding Lukas Reichel. They're sticking with a team that's in a playoff position earlier than expected after last season's sell-off. Grade: B-

12. Anaheim Ducks (+4)

Adding veteran John Carlson was a nice move for a team that appears poised to make it back to the playoffs. If they don't, they'll give their 2027 first-round pick to the Capitals rather than this year's. They also moved out Ryan Strome's $5 million cap hit, which will help with restricted free agents Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier, plus unrestricted free agents Carlson and Radko Gudas, needing new contracts this summer. Grade: B+

13. Columbus Blue Jackets (0)

Conor Garland was a solid deadline pickup, as was Mason Marchment earlier. Chinakhov is thriving since being dealt to Pittsburgh, but he had requested a trade. Grade: B+

14. Utah Mammoth (0)

The team has been beefing up its blue line since moving from Arizona and MacKenzie Weegar is the latest arrival. The right-shot defenseman will fit nicely in the top four. They didn't have to give up Tij Iginla, former Flames standout Jarome Iginla's son, or a first-round pick (three second-rounders instead) to land a player with five years left on his deal. Grade: A-

15. Ottawa Senators (+2)

Forward Warren Foegele had only seven goals in Los Angeles, but scored in his first game in Ottawa. They also traded pending unrestricted free agent Perron. Grade: C

16. Vegas Golden Knights (-5)

They added forward depth and penalty killing at the deadline with Nic Dowd and Cole Smith. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson, acquired earlier, helps replace injured Alex Pietrangelo. They didn't do anything at the deadline to upgrade their goaltending. Grade: B

17. Edmonton Oilers (+1)

They moved out Skinner, who was tremendous or mediocre during two trips to the Stanley Cup Final. Jarry hasn't worked out in Edmonton. GM Stan Bowman gave up a first-round pick to move out disappointing Andrew Mangiapane. They landed Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach in that trade. Connor Murphy, acquired from Chicago in a separate trade, was a good pickup. Grade: C

18. Philadelphia Flyers (+3)

They moved out 5-foot-8 forward Brink, who's a pending free agent with arbitration rights, and brought in 6-foot-4 defenseman Jiricek. Perhaps the Flyers will help with his development. Rasmus Ristolainen was in the rumor mill but didn't move. Grade: D+

19. San Jose Sharks (+5)

Their biggest move was trading for Kiefer Sherwood earlier in the season. GM Mike Grier got him signed to an extension during trade deadline week. He also re-signed goalie Alex Nedeljkovic. Grade: B

20. Seattle Kraken (-5)

The Kraken need more scoring. Bobby McMann, acquired from Toronto, becomes the team's second-leading scorer. They moved on earlier from Marchment, receiving a second- and fourth-round pick after giving up a third- and fourth-rounder to land him in the offseason. Seattle also signed captain Jordan Eberle to an extension. Grade: B

21. Washington Capitals (-2)

It was a tough week for Capitals players as they parted ways with franchise defenseman Carlson, plus Dowd, who had been with Washington since 2018-19. They received a first-round pick for pending UFA Carlson and later dealt for Timothy Liljegren and David Kampf. Not the same. Grade: D+

22. Florida Panthers (+1)

The back-to-back champions' run is all but over because of major injuries. But they wisely held on to their free agents, outside of Petry. If they can get Sergei Bobrovsky and others re-signed, their core remains championship material, assuming they can stay healthy and rest up from three runs to the Final and heavy representation at the 4 Nations Face-Off and Olympics. Grade: B-

23. New Jersey Devils (+3)

They traded Palat, added Nick Bjugstad and held on to Dougie Hamilton. A disappointing season for the Devils, even if Jack Hughes became a national hero for his golden goal at the Olympics.

24. Los Angeles Kings (-2)

The Kings made a huge splash before the Olympic break by trading for Artemi Panarin. Then they lost Kevin Fiala to a broken leg at the Olympics. A slump after the Games cost coach Jim Hiller his job and they traded Foegele and Perry and added Scott Laughton. Grade: B-

25. Toronto Maple Leafs (-5)

The Maple Leafs were sellers during a disappointing season. Toronto got a third-round pick (a second if the Kings make the playoffs) for Laughton after giving up a first-rounder and a prospect to land him at last year's deadline. GM Brad Treliving did get a first-rounder in the Roy trade, plus draft picks for McMann. Grade: D

26. Winnipeg Jets (+3)

The Jets moved out pending UFA defensemen Stanley and Luke Schenn and got promising prospect Izak Rosen as part of the return. They got a seventh-round pick for Pearson. Grade: B

27. Nashville Predators (-2)

The Predators weren't far from a playoff spot when they decided to sell. McCarron, Cole Smith, Bunting and Nick Blankenburg were among those moved, mostly for draft picks. They didn't move Ryan O'Reilly, who had no trade protection. GM Barry Trotz is retiring and left a lot of work for his eventual successor. Grade: D

28. St. Louis Blues (+3)

The St. Louis rumor mill featured most of the core. The trade of Parayko to the Sabres leaked out (the Blues said it wasn't them), and he exercised his right not to waive his no-trade clause. Brayden Schenn and Faulk did move and St. Louis got first-round picks and prospects in those deals. Grade: C+

29. Calgary Flames (-1)

They moved out Kadri, Weegar and Andersson in a rebuild. They added defensemen Olli Maatta and Zach Whitecloud, prospects Jonathan Castagna and Max Curran, plus lots of draft picks. Grade: B+

30. Chicago Blackhawks (-3)

They get a first-round pick in the Dickinson/Dach deal and also moved out Murphy and team captain Foligno. That seems to set the stage to naming Connor Bedard captain next season. He has to sign first. Grade: C

31. New York Rangers (0)

Announcing a pending retool put management at a disadvantage. The return for Artemi Panarin, who had to waive a no-trade clause, was just OK. GM Chris Drury held onto Vincent Trocheck rather than get less than he wanted. Carrick was dealt and they moved out former first-round pick Brennan Othmann. Grade: C-

32. Vancouver Canucks (0)

The return for Quinn Hughes in December (Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a first-rounder) will help the team best in the long run. They added more draft picks by moving out Myers, Garland and Kampf. Grade: C

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL power rankings, grades for trade deadline moves

All three of the St. Louis Blues first-round picks from the 2023 NHL Draft are now in the NHL.

The Blues recalled forward Otto Stenberg and defenseman Theo Lindstein from Springfield of the American Hockey League on Monday, joining Dalibor Dvorsky.

Dvorsky has spent the majority of the season  in St. Louis, playing in 53 games (15 points; nine goals, six assists), and Stenberg had his first NHL stint in St. Louis prior to the Olympic break playing in 18 games (eight points; one goal, seven assists). 

This will be Lindstein's first call-up and first stint in the NHL having played in 56 games for the Thunderbirds (14 points; six goals, eight assists).

Dvorsky was the No. 10 pick in the draft, Stenberg was the 25th pick and Lindstein was selected at No. 29.

Stenberg has also played in 33 games with Springfield (15 points; four goals, 11 assists).

Rosters may now be unlimited after the NHL Trade Deadline and with the Blues making trades to ship out Brayden Schenn (New York Islanders) and Justin Faulk (Detroit Red Wings), as long as a team is cap-compliant, rosters can be unlimited.

Observations From Blues' 4-0 Win Vs. DucksTeam continues to build momentum in sweeping road trip of four or more games for third time in franchise history; Hofer gets fifth shutout; Drouin, Holl make immediate impacts; Blues take game over in second perio

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It’s still early in his career, but the early signs suggest Jesper Wallstedt may be the type of goalie who elevates his game in big moments.

Even after Sunday’s shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche, Wallstedt’s numbers against top competition stand out.

Against teams currently in playoff position, the Minnesota Wild goaltender owns a 7-3-1 record with a .931 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average.

"I feel like my game has been in a good position, but goals somehow have ended up happening either way," Wallstedt told reporters after the Avalanche game. "But I like playing these big games. I like playing Colorado, where there's a lot of action and you get to be in the game the whole time. Yeah, I enjoy it."

Wallstedt, 23, still might have a few areas to his game to develop if he’s going to become the elite goaltender many believe he can be. Growth and inconsistency are part of the process for most young goalies. But Wallstedt has proved that he continues to become better and better.

One trait organizations love to see in a potential franchise goalie is the ability to play their best against the best. So far in his young NHL career, Wallstedt appears comfortable in those moments.

If that trend continues, it could be a very encouraging sign for Minnesota’s long-term future, even with Filip Gustavsson under contract. Or, provide the Wild with a massive trade chip to acquire a big-time player.

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