With his 149th point as a member of the Abbotsford Canucks, Arshdeep Bains has set a new franchise record in all-time points. The forward’s 47 goals and 102 assists as a member of Abbotsford passes the record set by Linus Karlsson last year. Bains registered his 149th point with the AHL Canucks by scoring a short-handed goal against the Henderson Silver Knights tonight.
Bains first joined Abbotsford after signing an entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks in 2022. He made his AHL debut on October 14 against the Ontatio Reign, also scoring his first AHL goal during this game. In his first season with Abbotsford, Bains scored 13 goals and potted 25 assists in 66 games played.
The seasons after were when Bains began to showcase his offensive skills. In 2023–24, he put up 55 points in 59 games with Abbotsford and made his NHL debut with Vancouver on February 20 against the Colorado Avalanche. He was also named to the AHL All-Star Classic in that season and earned MVP honours. In 2024–25, he scored 43 points in 50 games and was an instrumental piece in Abbotsford’s Calder Cup win.
Bains began the 2025–26 season with Vancouver but rejoined Abbotsford for two separate stints. Throughout his time in the AHL this season, the forward has scored seven goals and sixassists in 17 games played. He is currently tied for eighth on his team in points.
With Bains now holding the franchise record in all-time points, Karlsson (148), Christian Wolanin (124), Sheldon Dries (118), and Tristen Nielsen (115) all trail him to make up the club’s top-five. Karlsson still holds sole possession of the franchise lead in goals (70), while Wolanin leads in overall assists (109).
Oct 13, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Arshdeep Bains (13) skates against the St. Louis Blues in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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New York Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) and New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech (3) fight during the second period when the New York Islanders played the New York Rangers Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY.
Matt Rempe is probably giving this season a thumbs down.
The Rangers forward is set to undergo a second procedure on his left thumb and is heading to injured reserve, The Post’s Mollie Walker reported Friday.
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After missing 24 games — including the entirety of November — and finally returning in mid-December, Rempe revealed he had undergone surgery after breaking his thumb in “many places” during the heavyweight bout.
Rempe admitted adrenaline kept him from feeling the injury until well after the fight.
In January, despite practicing fully, Rempe was a healthy scratch for seven games with the lingering effects of the thumb issue not allowing the hulking forward to play at his best level.
New York Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) and New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech (3) fight during the second period when the New York Islanders played the New York Rangers Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
New York Rangers center Matt Rempe and San Jose Sharks right wing Ryan Reaves get into a scuffle in the first period at Madison Square Garden in New York, October 23, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
“Like, any time I don’t catch a puck perfectly, it felt like a hot potato on my stick. And like stick battles, I was dropping my stick multiple times a game, and any stick battles, if someone’s stick-lifting me, that puck’s gone.”
He did return to the Rangers lineup on Jan. 26 and played in the team’s final five games before the 2026 Winter Olympics break.
The 6-foot-9 winger has just one point in 26 games this season, a goal against the Penguins on Oct. 11.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a team to keep an eye on leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. With the Penguins in second place in the Metropolitan Division standings, they are setting themselves up to be buyers.
One area that the Penguins should look to address leading up to the trade deadline is the right side of their blueline. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke stands out as a very interesting option for the Penguins to consider.
While the Bruins currently hold the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference standings, Peeke's name has been floating around the rumor mill. If the Bruins make him available, the Penguins should consider kicking tires on the big right-shot defenseman.
If the Penguins brought in Peeke, he would provide them with a clear upgrade for their third pairing. Furthermore, his defense-first style of play would give the Penguins another clear option to work with on their penalty kill if acquired.
Peeke is also just 27 years old, so he could be the kind of pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) that the Penguins look to extend as a part of the deal. In that scenario, Peeke could be a strong trade fit for the Penguins.
In 56 games this season with the Bruins, Peeke has recorded four goals, eight assists, 12 points, 67 hits, and 101 blocks.
With some key members of the Ottawa Senators still away from the team for the Olympics, four top players from the Belleville Senators were recalled to help pick up the slack at Thursday’s practice.
Carter Yakemchuk, Tyler Boucher, Oskar Pettersson, and Arthur Kaliyev got the call, which made for better numbers and a smoother practice. But it also gave the organization a chance to check on their development as prospects.
For the players, it’s an encouraging sign to get a call like this because it means you’re a player of interest, which not every American Hockey League player can say.
But of the four players who filled in on Thursday, Yakemchuk is easily the best bet to play NHL games this season, though a lot will depend on what the Senators look like after the trade deadline.
The 20-year-old AHL rookie, generally a man of few words, described the practice as long and hard, but “super cool.”
“I think it's been a good year,” Yakemchuk told the media. “Obviously, the message is trying to keep getting better. You know you want to play here one day, so you just take it day-by-day and try to get better.”
Thomas Chabot might one day be Yakemchuk’s D partner and mentor and he likes what he sees.
“Seeing him up here is always fun, and you know it's only a matter of time before he’ll be up here,” Chabot said. “He’s so talented and the way he handles the puck and moves, he’s elite at it. So, it's fun. Obviously, it's more fun playing games, but still, practices are still fun to kind of come up and measure yourself up with the pace of practices.”
Yakemchuk is Belleville’s top point getter on the blue line with 25 points in 39 games. But it's hard to ignore a team-worst minus 28, 11 notches worse than any other player on the team.
Head coach Travis Green says the club remains high on Yakemchuk as a prospect, but the organization doesn’t want to rush him. They want him to have an impact when he arrives, not just trying to keep up.
“He's a young prospect that we obviously have a lot of hopes for,” Green told the media. “We want him to be the best that he can be and yet also want to make sure we do right by him to make sure that when he does get his opportunity that he's ready for it.”
Is he ready right now? That's up for debate. Sometimes players are better in the NHL than they are in the AHL. But the timing of Yakemchuk's NHL debut is also tied to what happens at the deadline, not to mention where the Senators are in the standings.
They certainly can’t afford many mistakes, and in the heat of a playoff chase, throwing a young player out there right now is like asking a first-time student driver to merge onto the Queensway.
For quite some time now, Jordan Kyrou and the St. Louis Blues have appeared to be at odds, and a recent report suggests that their relationship could be coming to an end very soon.
“I’d be surprised if Kyrou was a member of the Blues next season,” said Pagnotta.
He’s not certain whether it will happen before the trade deadline or in the off-season, but he believes Kyrou is open to being traded and would waive his no-trade clause for the right situation.
Kyrou has struggled production-wise this season, with 13 goals and 32 points in 47 games. However, Kyrou has turned it around recently. In his last eight games before the Olympic break, the 27-year-old notched five goals and 12 points.
Kyrou will generate plenty of interest on the trade market if/when he becomes available. The Blues’ season is continuing to dwindle, and it’s almost a guarantee that they will be sellers.
Throughout the season, we’ve seen names like Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk, Robert Thomas, Jordan Binnington, and Pius Suter, alongside Kyrou, placed on trade boards.
Kyrou has spent his entire NHL career with the Blues. Kyrou was selected by the Blues in the second round (35th overall) in the 2016 NHL draft. In 463 games, Kyrou has notched 163 goals and 364 points.
The price to acquire Kyrou will be high, given his skill set and the control he brings. He is currently in the third year of an eight-year, $8.125-million contract he signed in 2022.
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The Philadelphia Flyers currently have a 25-20-11 record and are eight points behind the Boston Bruins for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. They also have struggled as the season has gone on, as they have won just three out of their last 15 games.
With how this season has been trending for the Flyers, there is a chance that they could be sellers ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. If the Flyers do decide to be sellers, one player who could have the potential to generate some interest from playoff clubs is forward Carl Grundstrom.
With Grundstrom being a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), it would be understandable if the Flyers listened to offers for him if they elected to be sellers. While the 28-year-old forward is not the flashiest player, he would have the potential to be a nice addition for a contender looking to add a depth forward who plays a heavy game.
Grundstrom has also been solid this season with the Flyers, as he has recorded eight goals, 10 points, 80 hits, and a plus-3 rating in 27 games. With this, he could end up having some suitors once we get closer to the deadline.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Grundstrom leading up to the deadline, but the 6-foot hard-nosed forward could be a decent trade chip for the Flyers.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov took steps in the right direction on Friday morning as he works his way back from right shoulder surgery.
Prior to practice, Romanov was on the ice taking shots for what is believed to be the first time since hitting the shelf.
#Isles Alexander Romanov (shoulder surgery) was on the ice this morning ahead of practice.
The 26-year-old sustained the shoulder injury on Nov. 18 in the dying seconds of a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars after he was hit from behind by Mikko Rantanen. He had surgery with a recovery timeline between five and six months.
Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said that Romanov could return at some point in the mid-rounds of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, if the team is still playing then.
"It's great," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said about Romanov getting back out there. "You could see in his face. I mean, he's excited about practicing on his own and taking some shots. And I think it's been a while. He wants to take some shots. It's a long injury, and he's gonna have to be patient. And we have a really good staff, so I mean, I'm sure they're gonna take care of him, and he'll be fine."
The Islanders have tried out a ton of players in Romanov's spot before Darche opted for stability, acquiring Carson Soucy from the New York Rangers on Jan. 26 in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick.
Romanov, who is in the first season of an eight-year deal worth $6.25 million annually, had one assist in 15 games this season, averaging 19:27.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
Once the NHL Olympic roster freeze lifts later this month, the Montreal Canadiens will be a team to watch very closely. The Canadiens are currently one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, so they are naturally expected to be buyers ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline.
Due to this, we recently kicked off our Canadiens trade targets series by looking at potential targets from the Nashville Predators. Now, in this latest edition of the series, let's focus on the New York Rangers.
Vincent Trocheck
Vincent Trocheck is a player who has been connected to the Canadiens this season, and it would not be surprising in the slightest if they at least had him on their radar. He would give the Canadiens a clear answer for their second-line center spot and would also work on both their power play and their penalty kill if acquired.
Trocheck's contract adds to his appeal, as he has a $5.625 million cap hit until the end of the 2028-29 season. With this, he would be a long-term addition to the Canadiens' roster.
In 43 games this season with the Blueshirts, Trocheck has recorded 12 goals, 24 assists, 36 hits, and 130 hits. That mixture of offense and grit would make him a nice pickup for the Habs.
Alexis Lafreniere
Alexis Lafreniere has been the subject of trade rumors since Rangers GM Chris Drury confirmed through a letter to fans that the club is rebuilding. It is clear that the 2020 first-overall pick could use a change of scenery, and it would be fascinating to see the Canadiens take a chance on the St-Eustache, Quebec native.
At just 24 years old, Lafreniere could be a good fit on a Canadiens club that is on the rise. This is especially so if the fresh start helped him tap into his potential more.
Yet, Lafreniere's contract would make him a risky addition for the Canadiens. This is because he has a $7.45 million cap hit until the end of the 2031-32 season.
In 57 games this season with the Rangers, Lafreniere has 12 goals and 32 points. His best season so far was in 2023-24, as he set career highs with 28 goals, 29 assists, and 57 points in 82 games.
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 30: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The 2026 Men’s Olympic Hockey tournament concludes this weekend, which means the 2025-26 NHL season is getting closer to returning from its Olympic break. The Pittsburgh Penguins next game will be on Thursday, February, 26 against the New Jersey Devils. Overall, they have 26 regular season games remaining. So let’s talk about the four things they need the most the rest of the way.
1. Sidney Crosby
This is the biggest concern at the moment given his injury at the Olympics. There has been no official update on what exactly his injury is or the severity of it, and we only know that he tried to skate before Friday’s semifinal game agains Finland and was then ruled out for the game. All of the reporting so far seems to indicate it is not anything season-ending, but it seems likely he is going to miss at least something when the Penguins return from the break.
On one hand, the Penguins have surprisingly strong depth this season and still have enough to stay competitive if Crosby deals with a shorter-term injury.
They have played extremely well without him on the ice this season, and even though him being out of the lineup would move people up the depth chart they should still have enough depth to stay competitive and win games.
If they are going to actually make the playoffs and then have a chance to do anything when they get there, a healthy Crosby is eventually going to be a must.
2. The power play to rediscover its groove
Overall the Penguins power play has been excellent this season and a significant part of their success. For the season as a whole they are converting on 25 percent of their attempts, good enough for the fourth-best mark in the NHL.
Since the start of January, however, that unit has struggled to consistently fill the net.
Since January 1 the Penguins are converting on just 15.9 percent of their power play attempts, a number that drops them to 29th in the NHL over that stretch.
Even more concerning: They are not generating a ton of actual chances on the power play, either.
Over that stretch of games they are averaging just 8.59 expected goals per 60 minutes of power play time. That is 22nd in the NHL during that stretch.
They are generating just 53.6 shots on goal per 60 minutes. That is 15th in the NHL over that stretch.
They are averaging just 59.1 scoring chances per 60 minutes. That is 20th in the NHL in those games.
They are averaging just 28.4 high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes. That is 16th in the NHL during that stretch.
In other words, it has been a very average to below average unit for a significant chunk of the season. The Penguins are a good enough 5-on-5 team that they do not need a great power play to have a chance to generate offense, but that unit becoming a force again (or at least better than it has been since the start of January) would be a huge help for the offense and the team as a whole.
It seems very likely that, given their place in the standings, the Penguins are going to be in a position to add something before the March 6 trade deadline. Especially since they only play five games before the deadline. Their forward situation looks pretty settled with plenty of depth. Between their NHL roster and the options ready to go in the AHL (Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Avery Hayes, the potential return of Filip Hallander) they are probably 15-16 deep in terms of NHL capable forwards at the moment. The defensive depth is the question.
While the defense has been significantly better than we anticipated at the start of the season, especially as it relates to the left side of the defense, they could still use some help as it relates to the depth.
Kris Letang is 38 years old, missed some time this season, and showed serious signs of decline at times.
Erik Karlsson is 35 years old and just played four extra high-intensity games at the Olympic tournament.
The depth players like Connor Clifton, Jack St. Ivany, Ilya Solovyov and Brett Kulak have held their own, you still might like to see an upgrade for the playoffs or just simply have some extra depth. You probably need at least eight or nine capable NHL defensemen for a playoff run. I am not sure the Penguins have that right now. An upgrade would be nice. It also seems likely. It is just a matter of how big of an upgrade it is and how much the Penguins are willing to pay.
They are almost certainly still looking for any young talent that can help both now and in the future at any position, but if we are talking short-term upgrades the defense should be the focus. This team has raised its expectations for the season through its play and it deserves an addition.
4. Win 14 more games
We talked about this earlier in the week, but given where the Penguins are in the standings, what they have already done, what the teams around them have already done, and what it typically takes to make the playoffs, winning 14 more games, regardless of what they do in the other 12 (overtime loss, regulation loss, shootout loss, whatever the case may be) should be enough to secure a playoff spot.
The schedule is difficult. It is doable. The playoffs are within reach. Hope for the best with Sidney Crosby’s injury, get the power play back on track, keep getting some competent and capable goaltending, and get an upgrade on defense and that should be an attainable goal.
Along with comedian, podcaster and new author John Cullen, we remember Rob Davison, who had one major moment against a marquee opponent in his very short stint on Long Island.
Like a lot of defensive defensemen, Rob Davison was not a player most people would remember. His job was preventing goals, not scoring them, for a very good San Jose Sharks team in the early 2000’s. When he was dealt to the Islanders at the tail end of the 2007-08 season, it barely registered with the fanbase and was more about filling a giant injury hole than anything else. He arrived late to his first game and would eventually leave the team after that playoff-free season.
BUT! In those 19-games, Rob Davison – of all people – scored a goal so crazy, so unbelievable, so memorable that we’re still talking about it 25 years later. In an otherwise pointless game at Nassau Coliseum between two teams going nowhere, Davison launched the puck 190-feet down the ice and ended up with one of the most ludicrous shorthanded goals in NHL history, forever tying him to former Sharks teammate Vesa Toskala in a moment of infamy no one who watched it will ever forget.
Instead of finding a Sharks fan to talk about Davison, we asked John – a fan of the hated Maple Leafs – to talk about that game, that goal and Toskala’s legacy in Toronto. Ironically, we all find a degree of sympathy for the goalie who faced an impossible play and whiffed on it the way just about anyone would have. We talk about his reaction to his friend Davison scoring a goal like that on him, and about how trading Davison helped the Sharks draft an upgrade, who has a goofy connection to the Islanders decades later. We also enjoy a rarely remembered fact about that famous game (that the Islanders still lost).
After 176 mostly-quiet games and one Western Conference with the San Jose Sharks, Davison was traded to the Islanders for a seventh round pick that, ironically, turned into Jason Demers, another defenseman who played 200-plus games with the Sharks and an astute observer of the game.
On that same day, Garth Snow traded Chris Simon to Minnesota and Marc-Andre Bergeron to Anaheim. Replacing Bergeron with Davison is like replacing a fresh, sweet, juicy apple with an onion (in a complimentary way).
This man scored three (3) goals in his NHL career and this, from March 18, 2008, was by far the most memorable one (the Islanders lost 3-1). This was also the final NHL goal of Davison’s career.
That bouncing goal on Vesa Toskala of the Maple Leafs continues to be a core memory for those who saw it. Toskala and Davison were once teammates on the Sharks and, according to Davison, Toskala told him afterwards, ‘“If one guy was going to do it – I am glad it was you.”
Davison went on to have short stints with the Canucks (23 games) and Devils (1 game), and two seasons in Europe playing in Austria and Czechia. During his even more brief time with the Devils, Davison fought Islanders Micheal Haley and Matt Martin… in the samepreseason game!
Since retiring, he’s had an extensive coaching career, winning a Calder Cup with the Toronto Marlies and back-to-back championships with Salzberg in Austria. He’s currently an associate coach with the OHL’s Guelph Storm.
What makes a “Weird Islander?”
We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:
Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 31: Anthony Mantha #39 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his second period goal against the New York Rangers at PPG PAINTS Arena on January 31, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Back in August, we wrote about players who had the most on the line individually in the 2025-26 season by identifying some situations where there was a lot on the line. In the last days of the Olympics, let’s circle back and check out how some of the ups and downs have gone.
Anthony Mantha — Mantha is the literal and immediate player with the most on the line this season for the Penguins, because he has up to $2 million in performance bonuses that he could achieve and nearly double his take-home pay. In that sense, no one has more to potentially gain from a big year. Beyond that, Mantha is at a crossroads now. He just turned 30. Arguably, teams have always been looking for that little bit extra out of him, whether it’s been a spark of intensity or consistency of effort to match his obvious skills and absolute ideal size. There’s also been some major bumps in the road for him lately, Mantha was traded to Vegas for the 2024 playoff run and played so poorly that he was made a healthy scratch. He followed that up by suffering a major knee injury at the beginning of last season with Calgary and has been out since November. At some point players run out of second chances, especially when they reach the point of being older than most of their peers. This probably won’t be Mantha’s last opportunity, but it could well be his last good one.
Perhaps no better encapsulates the surprising season as a whole for the Penguins as Anthony Mantha. Pittsburgh only gave him a one-year contract worth $2.5 million (with another $2.0m in performance bonuses) and Mantha has made good on that signing by producing 20 goals and 42 points in the season’s first 56 games. Tremendous value on that to dig up a player trending towards career-highs in all the major categories from basically the NHL’s bargain bin of free agency.
Similar players signed last summer:
Andrei Kuzmenko ($4.3m, one year, LA): 23 points in 51 games
Gustav Nyquist ($3.25m, one year, WIN):0 goals, nine points in 39 games
Patrick Kane ($3.0m, one year, $4m in potential bonuses DET): 32 points in 43 games
Jeff Skinner ($3.0m, one year, SJ): 13 points in 32 games, contract terminated
Brandon Saad ($2.0m, one year, VGK): 9 points in 39 games
Reilly Smith ($2.0m, one year, VGK): 16 points in 53 games
Corey Perry ($2.0m, one year, $2m in potential bonuses LA): 28 points in 45 games
Usually teams get what they pay for in terms of mid-level veteran forwards in that $2-4m range in free agency, which as you can see from above generally works out to be not that much to write home about. Mantha has well exceeded that level for the Pens this season. There were some bumps in the road — like the three points produced in 12 November games — but other than that Mantha has been an incredibly consistent performer and one of the team’s best players throughout the campaign. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are the only players on the team with more points than Mantha at this time.
For the Pens, this is the equivalent of hitting a $100 win on a penny slot, regardless of how much longer Mantha’s stint with Pittsburgh ends up lasting. Simply making it this far has been a major achievement and credit to him and the Pens’ management for bringing him in. Mantha has exceeded the most realistic of best case scenarios, it’s benefited the team this season and in one form or another it will certainly benefit the individual to get a career back on track.
Danton Heinen — On reddit, a user semi-jokingly came up with the most average of all NHL players (last year it was Drew O’Connor!) Danton Heinen would probably fit that bill more often than not. Heinen isn’t bad, but he isn’t really good….Not terribly much is expected from Heinen, but he’s in a contract year and probably at risk at falling out of the picture now that the Pens have signed players like Mantha and Brazeau. That’s usually where, against all odds and perhaps logic, that Heinen has been at his best with surprisingly effective performances. Does he have one more up his sleeve for this season?
The new additions for the Pens did end up forcing Heinen all the way down to the minor leagues, having gone unclaimed on waivers. The writing was on the wall that his time was short with the organization and was included to even out contracts in the Egor Chinakhov trade. Heinen gets a chance to catch on with Columbus (where he has three points in 13 games so far) and this one falls into the “break” area of make or break. Can’t all be winners.
Philip Tomasino — Tomasino went from a promising player showing some upside and production last season to one that also frustrated and confounded coaches with his all-around play and occasionally attention to detail…Tomasino could legitimately score 15-20 goals this season if he stayed healthy and played his way into being a part of the team, or it could go sideways and have a lot less of an impact than that. It’ll be a fascinating part of the story to watch unfold for how it goes for him.
Well, this one went sideways in a hurry. Tomasino never found footing in Pittsburgh this season and also ended up in the minor leagues. A trade soon followed, where his new team has yet to call him up to the NHL. This isn’t a player without skill, yet he seems to lack that certain indescribable ‘something’ needed to settle into a groove.
In a lot of ways, Chinakhov could be seen as this year’s Tomasino for the Penguins: the former first round pick acquired at a discount to give a second chance to see if there was more growth. It looks like it worked out a lot better this year for results, though the underlying philosophy behind the moves make sense for a team like Pittsburgh that has more draft picks than anyone else in the NHL. Use some of those picks to see what can come from it. The Pens went down that road with Tomasino as far as they needed to go, then weren’t dissuaded by that end result to try it again with Chinakhov.
Matt Dumba — …Dumba hasn’t actually helped an NHL team in quite some time, and the Pens will be his fourth stop since just the start of the 2023-24 season. Still, at age-31, does Dumba have anything left in the tank that can help an NHL team? The answer has been trending to “no” for a while now, but as a right shot defender with the ability to shoot the puck and play with an edge, you might as well give the benefit of the doubt to see what kind of redemption arc may play out. It’s been several years and defensive staffs ago since Pittsburgh was known as a place to give a mid-career boost to struggling defenders, and maybe that magic is dried up…But it’s worth watching to see if Dumba can play his way into any value with the Pens this year.
The Pens saw enough of Dumba to reach the conclusion that other teams have – he’s not NHL quality any longer. The purpose of adding Dumba was truly always more about the second round draft pick attached to the trade more than a realistic hope of a reclamation. Pittsburgh gave it a shot, it didn’t quite work out and now Dumba is also off the NHL roster.
Arturs Silovs — Silovs is a goalie, so of course his level of play has been all over the place. He hasn’t been great in the NHL — except when he admirably performed well for the Canucks in the 2024 playoffs with a 5-5 record (which is more than Jarry’s two career NHL playoff wins). Silovs is coming off a fantastic performance in the AHL playoffs. Which, yeah, it’s the AHL and not NHL but can that be a launching point for an NHL career? There’s a lot for him to prove, but it’s at least a fresh gamble for the Pens to try and take, and they weren’t getting that good of performances out of the most recent backup goalie in the first place, so hey, why not? At this time in about ten months, Silovs might be free to the wind as a free agent that didn’t do much to establish himself, or he could be a semi-entrenched member of the Pens for 2026 if it goes well. The range of possibilities is very intriguing.
Silovs has worked out to be that fresh gamble. It must be remembered he is technically still an NHL rookie, yet he will likely lead the Penguins in appearances in net this season. His statistical profile (.895 save%, -1.6 GSAA, 2.89 GAA) is decent but far from impressive. At times he’s been strong, at other times he’s looked like a mid-level player. For someone who was unestablished in the NHL (26 of his 45 NHL appearances have come in these last four months), it’s been a slow process to get on the map, yet he’s starting to make a name for himself.
The future now in net remains just as alluring and seemingly as up in the air. Removing Tristan Jarry’s contract via a trade opens the situation up for the future. Silovs is a nice chip for the Pens to have on hand — other teams are always searching for an extra competent goalie. Silovs doesn’t appear to have an extremely high ceiling as an NHL starter but has shown he’s capable enough to belong, which will give him value in some respect, though it’s difficult now to see what the path ahead will be. The Pens have to decide what (if anything) they are going to do with impending free agent Stuart Skinner. Sergei Murashov continues to push his own development in a season where he made the AHL All-Star team as a 21-year old rookie. Joel Blomqvist is in a similar position as Silovs was a year ago in Vancouver buried on the organizational depth chart.
Silovs might be the case so far where the jury is out on ‘make or break’ at this point. He sure hasn’t been broken by jumping to the NHL level full-time for the first time, at the same time he hasn’t exactly become a shoo-in as a piece that is guaranteed to stick around for a while. That said, it’s not a stretch that Silovs could yet become the top choice for playoff goalie in two months time. The varying paths in front of him still look about as wide open as they did at the start of the season.
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The semifinals of the Olympic men’s ice hockey tournament get underway this morning with a matchup between the No. 1 seed, Canada, and the defending gold medalists from 2022, Finland.
Both teams advanced from the quarterfinals into today’s semifinal with overtime wins, though neither 3-on-3 overtime lasted more than three minutes. . Finland defeated Switzerland 3-2, while Canada won 4-3 against Czechia.
At the time of writing, there is still concern that Canada’s captain, Sidney Crosby, will not be available for today’s game. Crosby sustained a lower-body injury during Wednesday’s quarterfinal.
“Sid is by no means ruled out of the tournament,” head coach Jon Cooper said after a well-attended optional practice Thursday afternoon. “We’ve got the best of the best looking at him. … We’re taking this day by day. And we’re not going to put anyone in harm’s way. But if he can play, he’s definitely going to. We’ll know more in again in 24 hours.”
olympics 2026 men's hockey: what to know
What: Canada vs. Finland (Semifinals)
When: Feb. 20, 10:40 a.m. ET
Where: Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena (Milan, Italy)
Channel: USA Network (joining in-progress at 11:50 a.m. ET)
Streaming: Peacock
If Crosby is sidelined, then Cooper will have to name a new captain, per international hockey rules.
The winner of today’s matchup will, of course, advance into Sunday morning’s gold medal game against either the United States or Slovakia, while the loser will play the loser of the second semifinal for bronze.
Canada vs. Finland start time
The Canada vs. Finland semifinal is scheduled to start at 10:40 a.m. ET today, Feb. 20.
How to watch Canada vs. Finland in Olympics hockey semifinals
If you want to watch the whole semifinal between Canada and Finland, we recommend a Peacock subscription.
Peacock currently offers two subscription types: Premium with ads and Premium Plus ad-free. Peacock Premium costs $10.99/month, while Premium Plus costs $16.99/month.
You can also save a bit by subscribing to one of Peacock’s annual plans, which give you 12 months for the price of 10. These cost either $109.99 with ads or $169.99 without ads.
SUBSCRIBE TO PEACOCK FOR $10.99/MONTH
You can also utilize a DIRECTV five-day free trial to watch the men’s hockey semifinals on USA Network.
Canada and Finland team rosters
Below, check out the rosters for Team Canada and Finland, along with each player’s NHL team.
Canada
Travis Sanheim (D) – Flyers
Devon Toews (D) – Avalanche
Cale Makar (D) – Avalanche
Thomas Harley (D) – Stars
Shea Theodore (D) – Golden Knights
Josh Morrissey (D) – Jets
Colton Parayko (D) – Blues
Drew Doughty (D) – Kings
Sam Bennett (F) – Panthers
Nick Suzuki (F) – Canadiens
Sam Reinhart (F) – Panthers
Bo Horvat (F) – Islanders
Macklin Celebrini (F) – Sharks
Seth Jarvis (F) – Hurricanes
Nathan MacKinnon (F) – Avalanche
Brandon Hagel (F) – Lightning
Tom Wilson (F) – Capitals
Mark Stone (F) – Golden Knights
Brad Marchand (F) – Panthers
Sidney Crosby (F) – Penguins
Mitch Marner (F) – Golden Knights
Connor McDavid (F) – Oilers
Darcy Kuemper (G) – Kings
Logan Thompson (G) – Capitals
Jordan Binnington (G) – Blues
Finland
Olli Määttä (D) – Mammoth
Mikko Lehtonen (D)
Henri Jokiharju (D) – Bruins
Esa Lindell (D) – Stars
Nikolas Matinpalo (D) – Senators
Miro Heiskanen (D) – Stars
Rasmus Ristolainen (D) – Flyers
Niko Mikkola (D) – Panthers
Anton Lundell (F) – Panthers
Sebastian Aho (F) – Hurricanes
Roope Hintz (F) – Stars
Eetu Luostarinen (F) – Panthers
Eeli Tolvanen (F) – Kraken
Joel Armia (F) – Kings
Erik Haula (F) – Predators
Artturi Lekhonen (F) – Avalanche
Mikael Granlund (F) – Ducks
Kaapo Kakko (F) – Kraken
Teuvo Teräväinen (F) – Blackhawks
Oliver Kapanen (F) – Canadiens
Joel Kiviranta (F) – Avalanche
Mikko Rantanen (F) – Stars
Kevin Lankinen (G) – Canucks
Joonas Korpisalo (G) – Bruins
Juuse Saros (G) – Predators
When do the Winter Olympics end?
The 2026 Winter Olympics end with the closing ceremony on Feb. 22 at 2:30 p.m. ET.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: Sidney Crosby #87 of Canada gets to the Bech slowly after clash with Radko Gudas #3 of Czechia during the Men's Playoffs Quarterfinal match between Canada and Czechia on day twelve of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by RvS.Media/Robert Hradil/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…
Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper says captain Sidney Crosby has not been ruled out for the rest of the 2026 Winter Olympics due to his injury and will be evaluated daily with the hope he can play in the upcoming games. [PensBurgh]
With Crosby’s injury status still uncertain ahead of Canada’s Olympic semifinal, the team is prepared to step forward with others—likely Connor McDavid—to lead and wear the captain’s “C” if Crosby can’t play. [Sportsnet]
However, Crosby’s injury has reignited the long-standing debate over whether NHL players should participate in the Olympics, balancing the desire to represent one’s home country on the Olympic stage against the risk of key stars getting hurt and impacting their NHL teams. [PensBurgh]
Those Penguins players who didn’t go to the Olympics spent their break relaxing, often in warm, sunny locations with family and teammates to rest, recover, and recharge before the final stretch of the season. [Penguins]
News and updates from around the NHL…
Team USA rallied from a 1-0 deficit with a late regulation goal by Hilary Knight and a thrilling overtime winner by Megan Keller to beat Canada 2-1 and win the women’s hockey gold medal game on Thursday. [NBC News]
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev was back on the ice for a third consecutive day Thursday, though his availability to return to the lineup this season remains uncertain. [TSN]
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin says he’s rested from an Olympic break and focused on helping his team make a late-season playoff push, though he hasn’t decided on his future beyond this season. [NHL]
Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Avery Hayes has been a man on a mission over the last couple of weeks.
Two weeks ago, on Feb. 5, Hayes made his NHL debut and scored two goals, helping the Penguins beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. His first goal came on his first shot in the first period before scoring his second goal later in the period.
He was then assigned back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after the NHL went on its Olympic break, and he got a hat trick in his first game back on Feb. 7. He scored the first two goals of the game against the Hershey Bears before winning the game in overtime.
Hayes recently got in a big fight with former Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese last Sunday in a 4-3 loss against the Cleveland Monsters before registering another hat trick for WBS on Wednesday against the Springfield Thunderbirds.
