The Florida Panthers opened a critical four-game road trip on Sunday night as they continue to fight for a playoff spot.
A strong start by the Cats would not be enough as the host New York Islanders picked up their third straight win in which they were down by multiple goals, taking down Florida 5-4 at UBS Arena.
The Panthers didn’t waste any time in getting their road trip off on the right foot.
After getting a friendly bounce on a clear by Sergei Bobrovsky, A.J. Greer found a streaking Sandis Vilmanis heading into the Islanders’ zone.
Vilmanis sent a backhand toward the net that found its way past David Rittich at the 3:44 mark, giving the Cats a 1-0 lead.
The first power play of the game came late in the opening period, when Ryan Pulock was called for hooking Matthew Tkachuk.
Directly off the ensuing faceoff, Sam Bennett played a quick pitch and catch with Aaron Ekblad, getting the puck back, walking into the left circle and wiring a wrist shot past the glove or Rittich.
Islanders’ rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer picked up his 19th goal when a long shot went of a pair of Panthers’ skates, the goal post and the back of Bobrovsky before bouncing into the net with just under two minutes left in the period.
Carson Soucy completed the two-goal comeback for the Islanders 7:28 into the second period, snapping a loose puck over Bobrovsky’s glove while the teams were skating four-on-four.
About five minutes later, Matthew Tkachuk picked up a loose pick along the boards in the defensive zone and sent a backhand across the ice and to Bennett, who was heading toward Rittich with speed.
Bennett sent a backhand against the grain that handcuffed Rittich and put Florida back in front with 7:56 to go in the middle frame.
A goal by Bo Horvat another five minutes after that sent the game into the third period knotted at three, and a second goal by Schaefer that, like the first one, deflected off a Panthers play before skipping past Bobrovsky, gave the Islanders their first lead of the night with 9:31 to go.
From that point on, Florida put on a strong fight to even the score back up, and they would get rewarded for their efforts with Bobrovsky on the bench for a sixth attacker.
Sam Reinhart somehow found a way to get a wrist shot through from the point to the net, beating Rittich over the blocker with 1:58 to go, seemingly sending the game to overtime.
Anders Lee had other thoughts, driving with the puck around Aaron Ekblad and past Bobrovsky with a backhand forehand move that came with 30.9 on the clock.
At a time where Florida needs every point they can get, that’s pretty inexcusable.
Photo caption: Mar 1, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) celebrates his goal against the Florida Panthers during the first periodat UBS Arena. (Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images)
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Michael Misa scored 1:40 into overtime, and the San Jose Sharks topped the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 on Sunday for their second straight win.
Misa scored for the second straight game when he drove down the slot before beating Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. It was the fourth goal of the season for the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s NHL draft.
Will Smith also scored for San Jose, and Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 27 shots. The Sharks had lost five in a row before Saturday’s 5-4 victory over Edmonton.
Morgan Barron scored for Winnipeg, and Hellebuyck finished with 31 saves. The Jets lost for fourth time in five games.
PENGUINS 5, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 0
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Rust, Ben Kindel and Justin Brazeau each had a goal and an assist, helping Pittsburgh beat Vegas.
Rickard Rakell and Egor Chinakhov also scored as Pittsburgh improved to 10-1-3 in its last 14 games. Erik Karlsson had two assists, and Arturs Silovs made 22 saves in his first shutout since opening night on Oct. 7 at the New York Rangers.
Vegas goaltender Adin Hill stopped 17 shots. The Golden Knights dropped to 4-7-2 in their last 13 games.
Vegas captain Mark Stone left late in the first period with an undisclosed injury. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang gave Stone a seemingly harmless shove to the left arm with his stick in the neutral zone, though it may have caught him in the gap between his elbow and shoulder pads. Stone grimaced in pain, went down to one knee and skated off.
BLUES 3, WILD 1
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Pavel Buchnevich scored late in the third period and St. Louis snapped a 10-game road losing streak by beating Minnesota.
Logan Mailloux and Alexey Toropchenko also scored for St. Louis, and Joel Hofer stopped 22 shots.
Kirill Kaprizov scored to tie Marian Gaborik for the most goals in Wild franchise history with 218. Filip Gustavsson made 21 saves, but Minnesota lost its second straight after six straight wins. The Wild lost 5-2 Friday in Utah.
It was the first time in 42 games this season that Minnesota lost when allowing three or fewer goals in regulation.
With the game tied at 1, Buchnevich scored with 3:39 remaining. He took a backhand pass from Jimmy Snuggerud and beat Gustavsson with a wrist shot from near the right dot, extending his scoring streak to five games.
BLACKHAWKS 4, MAMMOTH 0
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Teuvo Teravainen scored twice, Arvid Soderblom made 22 saves for his first NHL shutout and Chicago beat Utah to end a three-game losing streak.
Nick Foligo, and Landon Slaggert also scored to help the Blackhawks win for just their second win in 10 games. Chicago had allowed at least three goals in eight straight games.
Karel Vejmelka stopped 24 shots for Utah. The Mammoth were shut out for the first time at home this season and the fifth time overall.
Teravainen opened the scoring on a power play with 55 seconds left in the first period. He controlled the puck off a blocked shot and snapped it around Vejmelka’s side.
Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Boris Katchouk is on the move again.
The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they have acquired Katchouk from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for forward Roman Schmidt.
Katchouk started this season with the Tampa Bay Lightning after signing with them during this past off-season. Katchouk was then traded to the Wild back in late December in exchange for Michael Milne. Now, after spending a little over two months with the Wild organization, Katchouk is heading to Philly.
Katchouk has primarily played in the AHL this season, where he has recorded five goals, eight assists, and 13 points in 29 games split between the Syracuse Crunch and Iowa Wild. He also played in three games for the Lightning this season before being traded to Minnesota, where he was held off the scoresheet.
In 117 games over three seasons with the Blackhawks from 2021-22 to 2023-24, Katchouk recorded 11 goals, 15 assists, 26 points, and 176 hits. He was acquired by the Blackhawks ahead of the 2022 NHL trade deadline as part of the deal that sent Brandon Hagel to the Lightning.
For the first time in a decade, the Detroit Red Wings have positioned themselves as buyers rather than sellers at the NHL Trade Deadline, which is just five days away (Friday at 3:00 p.m. ET).
Although Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is known for keeping his cards close to the vest, the club has been linked to several high-profile names, most notably Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks and Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues.
It's because of the recent trade history between the Red Wings and the Blues that a deal involving Thomas could make sense in the eyes of noted NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman.
"I do think the conversations around him have intensified in the last few days," Friedman said on Sunday afternoon during a guest appearance on the NHL on TNT. "I think the Red Wings have been around there, and St Louis and Detroit have done deals before."
Earlier this week, Friedman indicated that Thomas being traded from the Blues could happen before Friday afternoon's deadline.
“I think it actually could potentially happen (before Friday’s deadline), and I have to say, I’m a bit surprised about that,” Friedman said. “I think it’s heated up around him a bit.”
In fact, Thomas isn't the only Blues player that the Red Wings could have eyes for. Because they are reportedly in the market for another right-handed defenseman, Justin Faulk fits that bill.
The veteran blue liner, who has already tallied 11 goals with 32 points so far this season, is under contract through the end of next season and carries a $6.5 million cap hit.
Meanwhile, Thomas is signed through 2031 and has an $8.125 million cap hit. In order to facilitate a trade for either player, the Red Wings would likely request that the Blues retain a portion of their cap hits.
In recent years, Yzerman has made multiple deals with the Blues, not the least of which was the 2022 acquisition of defenseman Jake Walman, forward Oskar Sundqvist, and a 2023 second-round pick in return for Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski.
Detroit's 2019 acquisition of Robby Fabbri in exchange for checking forward Jacob de la Rose became one of their more underrated moves, as Fabbri was a regular contributor when healthy.
Additionally, Yzerman acquired goaltender Ville Husso from the Blues later that summer in return for the 73rd overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Armed with multiple prospects, draft capital, and ample salary-cap space, Detroit has the necessary pieces to put together a trade package for one of Thomas or Pettersson.
Given his Stanley Cup-winning experience and his knack to produce timely offense, the Red Wings will not be alone when it comes to bidding for his services.
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Recently, The Hockey News Montreal Canadiens looked at a few potential targets for the Habs from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Now, in this latest edition of the Canadiens trade targets series, let's take a look at the Winnipeg Jets.
Logan Stanley
If the Canadiens want to add another potential option for their bottom pairing, Jets defenseman Logan Stanley could be worth pursuing. The 6-foot-7, 231-pound blueliner would not only provide the Canadiens with another tough defenseman, but would also give them more offense from the point. His stats this season show this, as he has set career highs with nine goals, 11 assists, and 20 points in 57 games.
Stanley's contract also adds to his appeal, as he has an affordable $1.25 million cap hit for the remainder of the season. With this, he would be a valuable player for the Canadiens to add to their defensive depth.
Luke Schenn
Luke Schenn could be another defenseman for the Canadiens to consider if they want to improve their depth on the right side. If they added Schenn, he would give them another option to work with for their bottom pairing or seventh defenseman role. Furthermore, he would give them a good mentor for their younger players and a defenseman who has won the Stanley Cup twice.
In 44 games this season with Winnipeg, Schenn has recorded one goal, seven points, and 137 hits.
In a corresponding move to the Tye Kartye waiver pick-up, the New York Rangers sent Brennan Othmann down to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.
In the final game leading up to the Olympic break, Othmann was scratched out of the lineup, as Mike Sullivan did not hide his feelings toward Othmann’s overall readiness for the NHL.
“I think there are elements of his game that have to continue to improve in order for him to establish himself as an NHL player,” Sullivan said of Othmann.
Despite what seemed like a golden opportunity for Othmann to carve out a role with the Rangers due to the team’s direction to retool and focus on getting younger, he finds himself back in the AHL.
The decision to send Othmann down to Hartford stems from inconsistencies in his level of play.
“I just think it has been a little bit of an inconsistent game,” Sullivan said. “There’s been times when he’s made a positive impact on the game, there’s been others when he hasn’t. We’ve talked a lot to him about attention to detail, bringing in a reliable conscientious game.
“If you’re playing in a bottom six-role, and you’re not filling the net on the offensive side of the rink, then your contributions have to be in those areas. Those are the areas we’ve worked with Otter to try to help him.”
In 17 games this season with the Blueshirts, the 23-year-old forward has recorded one goal and one point, while averaging 9:53 minutes.
Ahead of Friday's March 6 NHL trade deadline, the Philadelphia Flyers have officially made their first move.
On Sunday night, the Flyers made their first of what is expected to be a few trades this week, sending defenseman Roman Schmidt to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for forward Boris Katchouk.
Schmidt, 23, was acquired by the Flyers on Dec. 8 in exchange for fellow defenseman Ethan Samson, but failed to establish himself on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms' blueline in the AHL.
Instead, players like Christian Kyrou, Helge Grans, Oliver Bonk, and Maxence Guenette held or earned positions ahead of the 6-foot-5 former third-round pick.
As for Katchouk, the 27-year-old is a Canadian-Russian forward and a former second-round pick with 179 games of NHL experience, scoring 15 goals, 21 assists, and 36 points.
The journeyman winger will serve as organizational depth for the Flyers, and it's worth noting that his Russian heritage should be helpful for goalie prospect Aleksei Kolosov down in Allentown.
Katchouk was a player I figured the Flyers would sign specifically for that role in the 2024 offseason, though it never came to fruition in the end.
No picks were exchanged by either side in this trade, so the Flyers move a younger, out-of-favor defenseman for an older, more established forward. That's it.
It's possible the Phantoms will need the reinforcements in preparation of a future call-up, which could be winger Alex Bump. The Flyers also need a fourth-line center as things currently stand, so Karsen Dorwart or Lane Pederson could reprise their previous NHL roles, too.
We haven't gotten that far yet, but the Flyers are getting started on their trade deadline business early.
The Chicago Blackhawks came into Sunday's match with the Utah Mammoth losers of three straight games going back to before the break.
On Saturday night, they suffered a tough loss at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche. This game was their opportunity to bounce back against another team that's been hot. Since the year flipped to 2026, the Mammoth have been one of the best teams in the NHL.
Depth scoring had been an issue for the Blackhawks, as Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi were the only ones scoring goals with much regularity.
Things started well for the Blackhawks as they played a good road period to open the game. They were awarded a power play with under a minute remaining, and they took advantage.
Tyler Bertuzzi forced a Utah turnover, and the puck found Teuvo Teravainen at the side of the net. He made it 1-0 with a nice move to find twine.
In the second period, the Blackhawks put a stranglehold on the scoreboard by scoring two goals two minutes apart. First, it was Nick Foligno, followed by Landon Slaggert. This 3-0 lead held through the second intermission.
Early in the third, while on the penalty kill, Teuvo Teravainen scored a short-handed goal to make it 4-0. His second goal of the game was his 8th career short-handed tally, and the first given up by the Mammoth this season.
4-0 stood as the final. Arvid Soderblom earned his first career shutout with the win, making 22 saves. He didn't face a high-volume of shots, but he did make big saves on a handful of high-danger chances. He earned this shutout and played a big role in the team snapping their losing streak.
The Blackhawks completed a game in which they played mostly well from beginning to end. Whether it was their much-needed depth scoring, defending well, or good goaltending, the Blackhawks had one of their best performances in a long time. It's a win to build on in every way.
Next up for the Blackhawks is the final game of their road trip. They close things out with a Tuesday night visit to Manitoba for a game against Jonathan Toews and the Winnipeg Jets.
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The San Jose Sharks and Winnipeg Jets faced off for the second time this season on Sunday afternoon. The Sharks were on the second half of a back-to-back, as they defeated the Edmonton Oilers the previous night, while the Jets looked to bounce back from an overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks in their last outing.
The opening minutes were filled with end-to-end action, with both teams generating shots on the rush. Immediately after the first whistle, two and a half minutes into the game, Morgan Barron was able to break the deadlock and give the Jets an early lead. Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic was forced to make a couple of big saves in quick succession shortly after the goal. William Eklund had a partial breakaway chance just under eight minutes into the game, but Connor Hellebuyck was able to get his glove on the puck, sending it just wide of the net.
The Sharks got two power play opportunities near the middle of the opening period. The first came when Gustav Nyquist was called for slashing Tyler Toffoli. The Sharks were unable to take advantage of the extra man, but got another opportunity shortly after when Jonathan Toews was penalized for hooking Macklin Celebrini. Although the Sharks got some quality chances, once again, the Jets’ penalty kill stood strong.
Kiefer Sherwood took the first penalty of the night for the Sharks with less than a minute remaining in the opening frame, as he was called for goaltender interference following contact with Hellebuyck. The Jets weren’t able to capitalize on the man advantage before the period came to an end, and carried their power play and 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
One area where the Sharks certainly excelled in the first period was in the faceoff circle. They won 67% of draws in the first period. Alexander Wennberg led the team in faceoff wins in the opening frame, winning five draws while losing two.
The Sharks quickly killed off the penalty, but were shorthanded again five minutes into the period when Shakir Mukhamadullin visited the penalty box for tripping. Once again, the Sharks were able to kill it off with little issue. The second period overall was fairly uneventful, as it was a lot of back-and-forth with few quality scoring chances.
Will Smith tied things up 1:47 into the third period. After Collin Graf took a shot, the puck bounced right to the stick of Smith, who took inspiration from the upcoming baseball season as he bunted it past Hellebuyck and into the net for his 18th goal of the season.
The Jets got an opportunity to restore their lead halfway through the third when Philipp Kurashev took down Dylan DeMelo in the offensive zone, giving Winnipeg a late chance on the power play. The call was not popular amongst the crowd at the SAP Center, and quickly resulted in chants toward the official. The Sharks penalty kill remained perfect though.
The Sharks got a man advantage of their own moments after Kurashev's penalty expired. Winnipeg's captain Adam Lowry went to the box for interference on Vincent Desharnais. The penalty was again killed off.
The Sharks earned another late power play opportunity when Kyle Connor took down John Klingberg in the corner behind the Sharks' net with just over four minutes remaining in regulation. The Sharks generated quite a few chances, but couldn't beat Hellebuyck.
Neither team was able to break the tie in regulation, and the game moved on to overtime.
A minute and 40 seconds into overtime, Michael Misa was able to beat Hellebuyck and earned the win for the Sharks.
The Sharks' homestand will continue on Tuesday, when they host the Montreal Canadiens.
The clock is ticking, and the Colorado Avalanche still have a hole to fill down the middle.
With the NHL trade deadline less than a week away, Colorado remains in the market for a third-line center — and the latest buzz doesn’t center around Nicolas Roy. Instead, a familiar name is resurfacing. Scott Laughton, long linked to the Avalanche over the past couple of seasons, is once again generating momentum.
The 31-year-old forward once believed he would spend his entire career with the Philadelphia Flyers, the organization that selected him 20th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Laughton spent parts of 12 seasons in Philadelphia before being dealt at last year’s deadline to the Toronto Maple Leafs — a move that proved how quickly stability can disappear in this league.
Now, as speculation swirls again, Laughton understands the reality of the business.
Ahead of Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators, he was asked how difficult it is to stay focused when trade chatter lingers in the background.
"I haven't changed much, you know?" Laughton said. "I take pride in trying to be consistent in every facet of coming in to the rink and being positive.
"It's out of our control. It's in no one's control except the staff. We have to go out and do a job and play for each other and hold each other accountable and make it difficult on teams and get a lead and make it hard for them to come back in games."
Why Laughton Makes Sense
What makes Laughton particularly appealing on the market isn’t just positional need — it’s the details of his game. He brings a veteran presence to the room, sets a professional tone on and off the ice, and consistently delivers in the faceoff circle. His 56.7 percent win rate ranks among the NHL’s top 20, giving any contender an immediate boost in puck possession, especially in critical defensive-zone draws.
There’s also financial flexibility at play. With a manageable $3 million cap hit, and the possibility that Toronto could retain a portion of the salary, Laughton becomes an even more attractive option for cap-strapped teams looking to add experience and reliability without disrupting their books.
Other Options And Cap Realities
If Laughton emerges as the primary target, it could effectively cool any reunion chatter involving former Avalanche center Nazem Kadri, now with the Calgary Flames. League sources suggest Calgary has little interest in retaining any portion of Kadri’s $7 million cap hit — a significant hurdle for a Colorado front office that values financial maneuverability.
Nazem Kadri looks on during Saturday's matchup against the Los Angeles Kings. Credit: Griffin Hooper.
General manager Chris MacFarland has built a reputation around disciplined cap management and calculated moves. Absorbing a full $7 million commitment for a depth role would run counter to that philosophy.
Another name to monitor is Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers. However, similar questions arise there as well. Trocheck carries a $5.625 million cap hit, and any serious discussion would likely hinge on salary retention.
Trocheck taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Credit: Wendell Cruz
The Makar Factor
No matter who Colorado ultimately acquires — if anyone — the move will almost certainly be made with the bigger picture in mind.
A contract extension for star defenseman Cale Makar looms large. The two-time Norris Trophy winner’s six-year, $54 million extension expires at the end of next season, and with the salary cap projected to climb to approximately $113.5 million by the time his next deal kicks in, Makar could realistically command an average annual value in the $17–18 million range.
Cale Makar scores twice last night en route to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Credit: Ron Chenoy
That reality makes it far more likely the Avalanche pursue a rental option rather than taking on long-term money that could complicate future flexibility.
As the deadline approaches, Colorado’s front office remains active — and The Hockey News will keep you updated as the situation unfolds.
ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 30: Pius Suter #22 of the St. Louis Blues scores a goal against the Vancouver Canucks on October 30, 2025 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
For the purposes of this article, I am not going to touch the question: “should Tom Fitzgerald be making trades?” Regardless of what I think of him, he has the job. He should keep doing his job as long as he has it, and it’s entirely on ownership to decide whether or not he should continue in his role today, tomorrow, and in July. The person in the GM chair should have no bearing on what kind of moves the Devils need to become a competitive, contending team.
I am going to break this down into three sections. The first group of players are those who I think are largely uncontroversial. They are not top line players, but they can contribute in the right roles. The second group of players are those who I think are breakout candidates: your “boom or bust” types. The third group of players are those who I expect to inspire some readers to ask me if I recently suffered a head injury (especially with the state the team is in). However, the third group are those who can make a real, guaranteed long-term difference. Regardless, I do not think the Devils cannot go into next season with the same roster, and there are some moves I could support regardless of who is running the show.
Group 1 — A New Supporting Cast
Target #1: Pius Suter, C, St. Louis Blues
The New Jersey Devils faced the St. Louis Blues last night, and Pius Suter did not fare a whole lot better than his teammates at five-on-five as the Blues were dominated in puck possession. However, Suter did have a good night on the penalty kill as their only forward without an on-ice shot attempt allowed (1:04) in their two penalty kills, and he skated away with an assist and no on-ice goals against. But Pius Suter is not meant to be a top-line center (19:51), he is meant to be a second or third-line defensive center.
Last season, for the Vancouver Canucks, Suter had 25 goals and 21 assists playing over 17 minutes per game. Many of these minutes (184:24) came on the penalty kill, where Suter was one of the best penalty killing forwards in the league. With Suter on the ice, the Canucks had 14 power play goals against, or 4.56 GA/60 for a net goal differential of -3.91 GA/60 when accounting for shorthanded goals. Translation: his top-end penalty killing output is nearly twice as good of what you would want from a PK1 center. Even this season, with a much worse St. Louis team, Suter’s penalty killing performance has come out to a net goal differential of -5.49/60, which is still better than:
Luke Glendening (-7.54/60)
Nico Hischier (-6.46/60)
Connor Brown (-6.35/60)
Dawson Mercer (-5.93/60)
So, Pius Suter would be an expected improvement over all of the Devils’ top four penalty killing forwards by minutes killed this season. I have argued on many occasions that Nico Hischier would be better served killing fewer penalties and playing more offensive situations at five-on-five, and an acquisition like Suter would be perfect for that. He might not be a 50 or 60-point scorer, but he is effective in his minutes and can handle a shutdown role while still contributing 15-25 goals. Suter’s contract runs through 2027, and his cap hit is only $4.13 million. He is extremely affordable and would be able to give the Devils a Hughes-Hischier-Suter-Glass center lineup, perhaps with more of an ability to use Jack Hughes on Hischier’s wing in must-score situations.
Target #2: Morgan Frost, C, Calgary Flames
Like Pius Suter, Morgan Frost is under contract through next season, though his cap hit comes in a bit higher at $4.38 million. However, he is a few years younger and less defensively polished. He wins a lot more in the faceoff dot than Suter, but he does not play the penalty kill and relies a bit too much on the power play for his point production. In 58 games for Calgary this season, Frost has 12 goals and 15 assists, though his career high is 19 goals and 27 assists for 46 points in the 2022-23 season under John Tortorella in Philadelphia. With Frost heading towards unrestricted free agency, I wonder if the Calgary Flames would be willing to part ways with him, as things have not really gone too well for them since acquiring Farabee and Frost.
I would be more on board with acquiring Suter than Frost, but Frost would still be a welcome addition. I think his skillset is more of a winger than that of a center, as his offensive chance generation is weak but he has the skill to score when given the chances. Historically, he has positive defensive impacts, but Calgary has been pretty weak in all three zones this season. Frost might be a good choice as a left wing for a player like Jack Hughes, who benefits from having a winger who can win more than 50% of his faceoff draws and deflect pucks into the net. Over the last three seasons, 10 of Frost’s 39 goals have come by a tip or deflection, per HockeyViz. This season, the Devils are one of the worst teams in the league at deflecting pucks into the net with 17 goals on 23.7 expected deflection goals.
Target #3: Morgan Barron, C/LW, Winnipeg Jets
Under contract with the Winnipeg Jets for another season at a cap hit of $1.85 million, Morgan Barron is a great bottom six player who can add a ton of size with positive two-way impacts. He is not going to light the scoresheet up by any means, but he has had an on-ice goals for percentage of 53.14% in his five years in Winnipeg. This season, the 6’4” and 220 pound Barron has picked up some centering duties, winning 200 of 422 draws while putting up seven goals and 10 assists through 49 games, playing about 12 and a half minutes per game.
Barron, 27, is the perfect age to become a fourth-line regular for a team like the New Jersey Devils. He is physical without taking a ton of penalties (104 PIMs in 305 career games), he can win a decent amount of faceoffs (48.0% of 820 career draws), and he can play both center and wing. While I appreciated the Nick Bjugstad trade, the Devils need a younger presence on their fourth line who can still be counted on to be around in 3-5 years. He may not be as established of a penalty killer as Pius Suter, minutes-wise, but he can be relied on for PK2 duties at the very least, and he can still take some of those minutes away from Nico Hischier (especially if Cody Glass also starts to take more of those situations). Last season, Barron killed 89:48 and had a net goal differential of -4.67/60 on the penalty kill, while he has a -5.74/60 net differential in 94:09 this season.
Due a new contract in July 2026, the Florida Panthers might be hard-pressed to convince the 23-year old winger to take less money to continue playing in a bottom six role. After being scratched for all but four games of their 2025 Stanley Cup run, Samoskevich took the league minimum salary to remain with Florida this season. His ice time has not increased much, and he has had an unlucky shot. Now entering an arbitration year, he is going to have to start making a name for himself, and the Florida top nine will be even tougher to crack consistently with Matthew Tkachuk back from LTIR.
This season, Samoskevich has six goals and 15 assists in 57 games. In his career, he has been a very poor finisher, though his two-way impacts are positive and he has drawn a ton of penalties. Samoskevich has the highest CF% on the Florida Panthers (56.93) and the third-best xGF% (55.01), the second-most hits at five-on-five (102), and the second-most penalties drawn (24). I was really disappointed when Samoskevich was selected five spots before Chase Stillman in 2021, but maybe the Devils could afford to give Samoskevich more of a role than the Panthers have been able to.
Group 2 — Under the Radar
Target #1: John Leonard, LW, Detroit Red Wings/Grand Rapids Griffins
Nobody on the Utica Comets has 26 points. But Leonard, a 27-year old winger, nearly doubles Brian Halonen’s 21 points in similar games played while also having four points in nine NHL games for the Red Wings. In those nine NHL games, Leonard also has six blocked shots and eight hits: he’s trying in all areas. In the AHL, per AHL Tracker, Leonard has an on-ice goals for percentage of 54.3% at five-on-five. He has played some shorthanded minutes, creating two shorthanded goals while only allowing two power play goals against. And with the net empty, Grand Rapids has scored twice and allowed three empty netters with Leonard on the ice.
If you want a “make something happen” third-line winger, John Leonard could be that guy. And shooting 23.2% while getting 3.5 shots on goal per game, with only five of his 40 points being secondary assists, it’s very difficult to argue that his production is not a true sign of his ability.
At 27, if Detroit is not willing to give Leonard regular ice time, I cannot imagine they would ask for a ton in a trade. But every time Leonard has played in the NHL, he has tracked like a middle-six winger. Give him a chance with regular ice time, and the Devils might have their unlikely local native story.
Fresh off of a two-point performance in five games for Team Germany at the Winter Olympics, Josh Samanski could use a team with more openings for ice time than the Edmonton Oilers. The undrafted center has two points in five games for Edmonton this season, but his path to the NHL right now is by getting some fourth line minutes as an injury fill-in. Unlike Leonard, though, Samanski is young. At only 23 and under contract through 2027, the Oilers could very well be holding onto him for next season.
That does not mean nobody should be asking about him. Per AHL tracker, Samanski has the 20th-best five-on-five on-ice goals for percentage among centers who have played 15 or more AHL games this season (59.6%). With the Condors, Samanski has 28 points in 39 games, though he has not been much of a goal scorer. Prior to signing with Edmonton, he had 40 points in 52 games for the Straubing Tigers of the DEL last season. In the NHL, he has won 16 of 27 draws, and his 6’2”, 195-pound frame at center is a solid fit for a playmaking or checking role.
Group 3 — Longshots, One Way or Another
Target #1: Matvei Michkov, RW, Philadelphia Flyers
Yeah, yeah, I know. But if Rick Tocchet and the Flyers are going to misuse Matvei Michkov to this extent, I cannot imagine that his representation is particularly happy with his situation and may welcome a trade. Regardless of the state of that relationship, the New Jersey Devils need one thing above all: skill, and Michkov has it.
Would they have to pay Philadelphia a premium to trade for Michkov? Surely.
Would it be worth it?
For a player as skilled as Michkov, at his age, there are not many limits to what I would be okay with the Devils giving up to get him. They could give Philadelphia two first-round picks (with some level of protection for 2026), Briere’s choice of any prospect not in the NHL, and a non-core NHL player, and I would be happy. You get the picture: unless the Devils miss the playoffs and win the Draft Lottery, they are not likely to get a player as talented as Michkov.
It’s a huge bet, undoubtedly. Michkov has well-documented defensive struggles in the NHL, his coach has called him out for being out of shape, and he has regressed in his second season at 21 years old. But with this Devils roster, I am beginning to have a bit of a “go big or go home” sort of attitude. Michkov is still on an ELC, and will still be on it next season. I think the Devils need another source of top-level skill, but they will not be able to add an established top-line winger with their contract situation. They need to go young. Would you not want to see what Jack Hughes could do with a younger winger with as much potential as Matvei Michkov?
I do.
Target #2:Jason Robertson, LW, Dallas Stars
If there’s ever anyone to throw the kitchen sink at in a trade, it’s Jason Robertson.
Robertson is in an arbitration year of restricted free agency this offseason. The Dallas Stars should not trade him in the midst of a season where they are in contention for the Stanley Cup, but I think he is worth mentioning. As of now, Robertson is second on the team in points with 33 goals and 35 assists in 54 games, as he already has about as many shots through 59 games as he had in all of last season. Robertson has not missed a game since 2021-22, when he missed eight games, and he is on track for about 95 points this season. If the Devils had a winger like Robertson next to Jack Hughes, we could see the kind of scoring heights from the team’s top offensive center that fans have been hoping for since the 2022-23 season.
It would be a very high acquisition cost to get Robertson, and there is no guarantee Dallas will even move him. He has been in general rumors and whispers for awhile, though, and I would be happy if any Devils general manager kicked the tires there. Dallas is looking for a right-handed offensive defenseman who can handle top pairing minutes, and the Devils have one in Dougie Hamilton. Right now, Dallas has three lefties playing over 23 minutes a game in Heiskanen, Lindell, and Harley, while their righties all play between 15 and 17 minutes per game, with their leading right-handed scorer on defense being Alex Petrovic with 9 points in 51 games. Pairing Dougie Hamilton with Miro Heiskanen or Esa Lindell could give them ridiculous top four pairings, as Hamilton has recently shown that his goal scoring ways might not be in the rear view mirror. Over his last 16 appearances (i.e. since Keefe stopped using him as a defensive defenseman), Dougie has three goals and 11 assists, which rates to a 15-goal, 72-point pace per 82 games.
If the Stars preferred a younger return, Robertson is one of the few players in the league I would also include Simon Nemec in a trade for. Likewise, I would have no issue with including players such as Anton Silayev, Lenni Hameenaho, Seamus Casey, or any other prospect the Stars would want in return for a player as good as Robertson. But, since Dallas is in Cup contention mode, I imagine they would like to add more players who can contribute to them in a playoff run. On the other end of things, Robertson would command a lot of money (I imagine $12-13 million) from 2026-27 and beyond, and the Devils may even need to look for a way to shed salary on top of Hamilton if they were to acquire him.
Final Words and Your Thoughts
I know this an awkward time to suggest any sort of “buying” moves, but it is clear that the Devils do not just have a coaching problem, they have a roster problem. Aside from a few players who have the ability to score and impact the game on both ends of the ice, the roster has far too many offensive passengers and players paid to pay defense who are apparently not quite good enough at doing so consistently. Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of faith in the 2026 unrestricted free agency class, and I question how much the Devils can actually improve there. Trades are the best path this team has out of their issues, but not necessarily in the sense that they should sell players like Dougie off for low returns and draft picks. I still have not recovered from the Devils only getting second and third-round picks for Tyler Toffoli when I argued beforehand that I would prefer re-signing Toffoli to taking a late first-rounder for him. Fitzgerald didn’t even get that much for him. I said then:
Making a rash move like trading Tyler Toffoli for the shiny object of a first-round pick, which could very well turn into the next Chase Stillman — just because the Devils are only hanging around in striking distance of a playoff spot with their top offensive player out of the lineup — would be an insane way to let the team’s stars know that management is serious about winning a Stanley Cup.
Tyler Toffoli might be past the age of a max-length extension, but that does not mean the team’s top scorer would presently be better utilized in a trade for futures. Toffoli has struggled at times, but trading him would be punting the season. At that point, you might as well tell Jack and Jonas not to bother returning from their injury. You might as well fire Lindy Ruff and let Travis Green hack around the bench for 35 games and not do a better job.
Do you think Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes would find it acceptable that management gave up on the season? How long would it be until they gave up on management and requested trades? These guys are in the primes of their lives and careers — and the Eastern Conference Stanley Cup Finalist in 2023 had 92 standings points, getting in on the last game of the season.
A pure teardown and rebuild is still not appropriate for this roster. Jack Hughes was just the best skater at the best-on-best Olympics, in my opinion, on a minute-per-minute basis. Shift in, shift out, he generally looked like the best player on the ice. Nico Hischier and Timo Meier just looked good for Switzerland and Meier has looked like the monster they traded for since returning to New Jersey. Simon Nemec looked awesome at the Olympics in top pairing minutes all the way to an unlikely path to the Bronze Medal Game and Luke Hughes looked great in his first game back last night in St. Louis.
This is not about making the playoffs this season. The team is so far out of it that they would probably need to win 18 of their remaining 22 games to make the playoffs. It’s a one-in-one-thousand shot at this point, so there is not much need to waste ink about whether the Devils are keeping pace with wins and losses among teams above them. It doesn’t matter what other teams do, the Devils need to win games. On the other hand, I am starting to look at top-10 prospects in the 2026 Draft. It’s just where they’ve ended up.
This is about making an honest effort to the core players on the roster that the team is serious about winning. Even if they do not finish this regular season in a playoff spot, wasting hockey games not caring about putting the team into a position to contend is a bad message. Whether that means coaching changes or switching out some of the supporting players for different ones, the team should continue to try fixes that do not involve trading those core players away until they get into a run of good hockey that can either pull off the impossible or get something better going into next season.
I will say that I think the Devils should look for young players. The supporting cast on the current roster skews on the older side, and it may be that too many different guys are aging and can maybe still succeed on another team, but not on one with so many teammates on the older side of 30. I have seen the Steven Stamkos rumor surface again, but it would be a risk. It is not necessarily a move I would recommend now, but I was not against it when it was first talked about a few months ago, when the Devils were winning games. He is a goal scorer and the Devils need more of them, but I would not be looking for more players any older than Pius Suter in this year’s trade deadline. Maybe, after shaking out their offseason cap situation and seeing where the roster stands then, it would make more sense.
But what do you think of these trade option ideas? Are there any more you can think of? What do you think of the resurfacing Stamkos rumor? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Kings fired coach Jim Hiller on Sunday after losing five of their past six games and falling out of playoff position.
D.J. Smith was named the interim replacement for the rest of the season in the first coaching change by general manager Ken Holland, who kept Hiller behind the bench when he took over the front office last May. Player development coach Matt Greene is joining Smith’s staff as an assistant.
“I want to thank Jim Hiller for his dedication, professionalism, and the commitment he showed to our players and our team every day: He is a respected coach and person, and we appreciate the work he’s done behind our bench,” Holland said. “At this point in the season, we believe a change in leadership is necessary to give our group the best opportunity to reach its potential and compete at the level we expect. These decisions are never made lightly, but our responsibility is to position this team for success now and moving forward.”
Hiller was in just his second full season in the charge of the Kings, who looked lifeless in an 8-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. Fans broke into repeated chants of “Fire Hiller!” while the Oilers poured it on in the second and third periods of Los Angeles’ largest defeat of the season by far.
One night earlier, Los Angeles allowed five goals in the third period of an embarrassing 6-4 loss to short-handed Vegas in both teams’ first game back from the Olympic break. A 2-0 win against Calgary on Saturday was not enough to save Hiller’s job.
Hiller went 93-58-24 with the Kings and made the playoffs twice, but never won a postseason series.
The 56-year-old Hiller was a longtime NHL assistant who got his first chance to lead a team when the Kings promoted him to replace the fired Todd McLellan in February 2024. He righted their season and got the Kings to the playoffs, but they lost in the first round to Edmonton — just as they had in each of the previous two seasons under McLellan.
Los Angeles tied its franchise records for victories (48) and points (105) last year in its first full campaign under Hiller, but they landed in yet another first-round matchup with the Oilers — and Connor McDavid sent them packing yet again in six games.
Hiller maintained McLellan’s commitment to defense-first hockey as the Kings’ primary identity, even if it sometimes meant playing a boring style for fans.
Holland addressed their offensive problems by acquiring high-scoring Artemi Panarin in a trade with the Rangers before the break, but the Kings then lost star forward Kevin Fiala for the season when he broke his leg while playing for Switzerland at the Olympics.
With back-to-back losses out of the break, Los Angeles slipped three points behind Seattle, which is in position for the final wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference.
“We didn’t feel good tonight,” Hiller said immediately after the 8-1 shellacking from Edmonton. “I don’t feel good standing here. Those players don’t feel good today, but we’ve got a job to do.”
Smith was the coach of the Ottawa Senators from 2019 to 2023, leading four non-playoff seasons before he was fired 26 games into his fifth season. He joined the Kings’ staff after Hiller replaced McLellan.
He is the Kings’ fifth coach since the firing in 2017 of Darryl Sutter, who led Los Angeles to its only two Stanley Cup championships.
The Kings haven’t won a playoff series since raising that second Cup in 2014, winning just nine total games in six first-round exits.
Hiller is just the second coach fired in the NHL this season. Columbus replaced Dean Evason with Rick Bowness in January.
The Nashville Predators are the closest they've been this season to moving into the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference: one spot out.
On Saturday, with a 2-0 lead against the Dallas Stars and needing two points to tie the Seattle Kraken and surpass them in wins for the final spot, the opportunity was "for the taking."
However, Nashville gave up three unanswered goals, including the game-winning conversion in overtime to Jason Robertson, in a 3-2 loss to the Stars. Once again, Nashville finds itself on the outside looking in.
"The game was there. It was for the taking," Steven Stamkos said. "Both teams had stretches where they were the better team, and we obviously had a great start...but you can't just sit back."
The joy of being in playoff position was going to last at most two hours anyway as the Kraken defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 5-1, to move back into the second Wild Card spot.
However, losing a point to the Stars puts the Predators off-pace with the Kraken, now needing to win two games instead of one to potentially surpass Seattle in the standings.
The Predators have accomplished a lot in dragging themselves out of the basement in the NHL, but have been chasing the Wild Card for nearly two months now, coming up to it, but failing to cross the threshold.
"We're disappointed in not getting two (points), but coming out of the break and getting three of four is positive," Stamkos said. "We need as many points as we can. We're trying to stay the course and we've gotten on a little streak of collecting points. We'll take it."
Nashville will host two teams this week that are in desperate positions as well. Both Detroit (Monday at 1 p.m. CST) and Boston (Thursday at 7 p.m. CST) are in Wild Card positions, with Washington just two points behind the Bruins for the final spot.
While the Predators have a wide 6-3 win over the Red Wings this season, they've dropped an overtime result to the Bruins, losing 15 seconds into the extra frame.
An early start to Monday's game benefits the Predators, as a victory will give them a feel of where they stand before the evening games start.
Seattle also hosts the best team in the Eastern Conference, Carolina, and Los Angeles (62 points, tied with Nashville) hosts Colorado, the best team in the NHL. Of the three, the Predators have the "easier" opponent.
After Saturday's disappointing loss, head coach Andrew Brunette said the key is to get back to the basics and even get into a learning mindset.
"We have to grow our game, build our game. It was a great experince for our group to go through...We've got some really good teams coming in this week. It's another big week for us."
The Flyers added some organizational depth at forward Sunday night when they acquired Boris Katchouk in a trade with the Wild.
In exchange for Katchouk, the Flyers sent Roman Schmidt to Minnesota. Schmidt was acquired by the Flyers in December, but the 23-year-old defenseman never played for the big club. He went scoreless in 16 games with AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.
Katchouk, who will report to the Phantoms, is a 27-year-old with 179 games of NHL experience between three teams. He played three games with the Lightning this season before being traded to the Wild in December. He saw eight games with Minnesota’s AHL affiliate Iowa, recording a goal and two assists.
The 2016 second-round pick started his career with Tampa Bay and scored his first NHL goal against the Flyers in 2021-22. It came in a 7-1 win for the Lightning, a game that ended up being Alain Vigneault’s last as the Flyers’ head coach.
Katchouk has also played for the Blackhawks and Senators. In 2022-23, he set a career high with 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) over 58 games for Chicago.
He set AHL career highs last season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, putting up 21 goals and 49 points.
Katchouk is 6-foot-2 and has played primarily as a winger, but he also has some ability down the middle.
There’s a familiar name stepping back into the NHL head coaching spotlight, this time in Southern California.
The Los Angeles Kings have hired former Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith to take over their bench on an interim basis after the firing of Jim Hiller on Sunday. Hiller becomes the second coach to be fired this season after Columbus parted company with Dean Evason and gave the role to Rick Bowness back in January.
Interestingly, this season's two NHL coaching subs share something in common. They were both doomed to fail, taking over Ottawa Senators teams that were years away from being good.
Smith was hired by the Senators in 2019, just after they had traded away all their best players. Bowness took over the expansion Senators in 1992 at a time when expansion teams were still universally bad by design.
Smith coached four seasons for the Sens posting a record of 131-154-32, good for a points percentage of .464.
Prior to his time in Ottawa, Smith and Hiller were assistants together in Toronto under Mike Babcock. When Smith was fired by Ottawa in Dec. 2023, Smith took a job in LA as Hiller's assistant coach.
On Sunday, he took Hiller's job.
The Kings had just dropped five of six, including a massive beatdown at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, and it sounds like that was probably the final straw.
"Couple of tough games going into the Olympic break and I was hoping that the time off and then the mini training camp, that our team was able to respond," Kings GM Ken Holland told LA Kings Insider. "Tough couple of games coming out, especially the game against Edmonton on Thursday night.
"On Friday, I did a lot of thinking. I didn't do it on Friday because Friday was an off day, the players weren't here and we played at 4:00 on Saturday. I didn't want just a new coach behind [the bench] and make the move going into a game."
The Oilers game had to be particularly frustrating as the last thing anyone wants is to be pounded 8-1 by the team they used to run. Holland was GM of the Oilers from 2019-24.
During that same time period, Smith was in Ottawa, vainly trying to mould a young roster that was poorly insulated by fading veterans. GM Pierre Dorion was patient with Smith, almost to a fault, and never got the chance to fire him. Dorion lost his job a month before Smith got his walking papers.
Now in Los Angeles, the personable 48-year-old Smith now has a more veteran roster to work with, one that's built to win now, so it's hard to believe that his second NHL coaching chapter won't be more successful than the first.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
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