There was breaking news to break down on this week’s episode of The Hockey Show.

In addition to a busy week with the Florida Panthers, upcoming outdoor games and Rip the Ice punishments, THS co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork reacted to the news of the Edmonton Oilers trading Stuart Skinner and several other assets to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Tristan Jarry.

They also discussed Carter Hart’s start in Vegas and how the Golden Knights have kept him away from the media, particularly during their visit to Philadelphia earlier this week.

Joining the show this week was the Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson, who had some very interesting ideas on how we can make the amazing NHL even better.

Wins and fails included a beautifully colorful game between a pair of Original Six franchises, the NHL’s most punchable face, a pair of leads lost in literally the last second and a reason why players should be practicing crawling across the ice.

You can check out the full show and interview in the videos below:

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The Buffalo Sabres are attempting to salvage what earlier in the week appeared to be a disastrous Western road swing. After losses in Philadelphia, Winnipeg, and Calgary, the Sabres beat the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday and on Thursday, they bested the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. 

Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson, and Zach Benson scored for Buffalo, and Alex Lyon, fresh off a relief victory against the Oilers, made 30 saves in the victory. The Sabres have dealt with the roster dilemma of carrying three goalies all season, as they cannot demote Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Lyon, or Colten Ellis without clearing waivers. 

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Head coach Lindy Ruff has commented that dealing with three goalies has been challenging, and based on the fact that a number of clubs are looking to shore up between the pipes, it would make sense that opposing GM’s would check in with GM Kevyn Adams to gauge the availability of one of his netminders.

Confirmation of that came from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in his 32 Thoughts column, as he indicated that the Oilers checked in with the Sabres on the availability of Lyon, who is in the first year of a two-year, $3 million deal, before trading with Pittsburgh for Tristan Jarry on Friday. The Oilers deal with the Penguins was a money-in, money-out deal involving Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak, which resulted in only a $25,000 difference against the salary cap. 

Although the timing of the inquiry was not revealed, the fact that Colten Ellis is on injured reserve would likely not have been a factor with Buffalo since they have Devon Levi in Rochester, but the Sabres would probably not have been interested in taking back a goalie or more salary in a swap. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram  @MikeInBuffalo

One of the Montreal Canadiens' biggest objectives of this season should be to improve at the center position. This is a major need for the Habs, and they are now being linked to one of their former centers because of it. 

According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, the Canadiens are one of the teams interested in Los Angeles Kings forward Phillip Danault. 

"One team I'd keep a really close eye on is the Montreal Canadiens on trying to bring Phillip Danault home," Seravalli said. "I know the Canadiens are one of the teams circling around Danault with the LA Kings."

Hearing that the Canadiens have their eye on Danault is not necessarily surprising. As noted above, they need help at the center position, and a player like Danault would have the potential to provide them with just that. 

Danault has struggled this season, however, recording zero goals and five assists in 30 games with the Kings. Yet, he also had 43 points this past season with the Kings, so it would not be surprising if we saw his offense go back up as the season rolls on. Perhaps a move back to Montreal could be the boost he needs to turn things around.

In 360 career games over six seasons with the Habs, Danault posted 54 goals, 140 assists, 194 points, and a plus-47 rating. 

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo will be out for a month after undergoing foot surgery.

Carlo hasn't been in Toronto's lineup since Nov. 13 against the Los Angeles Kings due to a lower-body injury. The 29-year-old defender joined the Maple Leafs on their most recent road trip and had skated before having to return to Toronto on Dec. 1 after a setback.

Two days later, on Dec. 3, Carlo underwent foot surgery, which Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube says has a recovery time of about a month. It's unknown how Carlo initially picked up the injury.

"I mean, at some point, he'll be able to get on the ice and skate," Berube added on Friday after an optional practice. "I don't know that timeline right now. It depends on the healing process, right?"

Carlo has two points and averaged 20:04 of ice time in 18 games this season.

The Maple Leafs acquired the defenseman from the Boston Bruins at the trade deadline last season. Toronto sent Fraser Minten, a conditional 2026 first-round pick, and a 2025 fourth-round pick to Boston. The Bruins also retained $615,000 of Carlo's $4.10 million salary.

William Nylander Produces In Third Line, But Costly Late-Game Blunders Sink Maple Leafs in Overtime vs. SharksWith Bobby McMann returning from suspension, the Leafs must decide if Nylander's instant chemistry on the third line is worth keeping together.

The Maple Leafs are only paying the defenseman $3.49 million for the next season and a half.

Toronto is also dealing with injuries to Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson (who could skate on Saturday), and Dakota Mermis, who took a knee from Tampa Bay Lightning forward Gage Golcalves on Monday night.

With Tanev, the veteran defenseman is getting a second opinion. He's been out with an upper-body injury since leaving a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on a stretcher on Nov. 1. Ekman-Larsson's injury isn't as serious as once thought, and he will test out his leg at Saturday's morning skate ahead of a game against the Edmonton Oilers. Mermis will be out for at least a month.

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When the Pittsburgh Penguins traded goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday morning, the deal caused a ripple effect for the rest of the roster. 

And one veteran Penguins' defenseman is a casualty of that. 

Right defenseman Matt Dumba - acquired along with a second-round draft pick this summer from the Dallas Stars - was designated non-roster Friday for the purpose of being put on waivers by the Penguins, it was announced by the team. The move comes in direct correspondence to the Jarry trade, which brought back goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick. 

Dumba, 31, was a frequent healthy scratch for the Penguins this season and appeared in only 11 games. He has registered a goal and three points to go along with a minus-5, and he is expected to be optioned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) if he clears waivers Saturday in order to make room for Kulak. 

The veteran blueliner is in year two of a two-year contract that pays him $3.75 million annually.

Fans React To Oilers And Penguins' Bold Goalie Trade: 'Great Move By Dubas'The Edmonton Oilers traded Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak and a second-rounder to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Tristan Jarry and Sam Poulin. Fans were quick to point out similarities between Skinner and Jarry.

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With many quick to tie Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes to teams like the New Jersey Devils and the Detroit Red Wings, teams such as the Washington Capitals have fallen to the wayside when it comes to discussing potential trades. However, according to a report by Sammi Silber of DC Backcheck and The Hockey News, the Capitals may be a team to keep an eye on when it comes to a potential Hughes trade. 

Per the report, the Capitals are “very interested” in adding Hughes to their organization and have even made calls to Vancouver with questions regarding the defenceman’s fate. Prior to this report, NHL insiders such as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal have brought up the idea of Washington having interest in Hughes. 

The Capitals are an interesting team to consider regarding a potential Hughes trade. Washington is a team that seems to be racing closer and closer to a shuttering window with every year that passes. Alex Ovechkin is not getting any younger, despite playing like it at times, and it appears that the Capitals may not be keen on moving on from one particular young player in the event that they engage in trade talks. 

“I am told Ryan Leonard, forget about it if the Canucks are going to ask about that guy,” Dhaliwal said on Donnie and Dhali. 

Regardless of whether he is traded or not, the noise throughout the fanbase has cut through the walls of Rogers Arena and into the Canucks’ dressing room. Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote confirmed that the locker room is aware of what’s being discussed and how the team has been dealing with it. 

"They obviously hear it," Foote said on Wednesday after practice. "When I have been around things like that, you're not talking about it. You're trying not to think about it, but it's there. You can feel it certain days more than others. I can feel it certain days more than others, and these guys are human. They can feel it. It can affect for sure a locker room but give the guys credit. They're in a tough spot, hearing the noise, and they keep coming to work every day and keep doing their job. They're pros, and that's what they are supposed to do. They can hear it. It probably affects some players more than others. But, like I said, I give them a lot of credit for how they are handling it. Coming to work, try to win hockey games and do their jobs."

The Canucks’ first stop on their upcoming road trip will be the most interesting, as Vancouver heads to New Jersey to take on Hughes’ brothers, Jack and Luke, in a Sunday morning matchup against the Devils. New Jersey has been one of the frontrunners to try and acquire Hughes mostly due to the fact that a trade to the Devils would reunite the three brothers. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:30 am PT. 

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

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On paper, the Philadelphia Flyers’ 3–2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights will be remembered as a single-point night—solid, not spectacular. But the performance itself offered much more to unpack.

Against a heavyweight opponent, the Flyers matched pace, matched pressure, and for long stretches matched control. The margins were razor-thin, the mistakes selective, and the special teams issues made themselves known in the midst of an otherwise commendable performance.

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1. The Flyers Skated with Vegas—Comfortably, Consistently, and Without the “Surprise” Factor.

For the tenth time this season, the Flyers faced a top-tier team and looked like they belonged on the same sheet of ice. And, at this point, the framing of the question—“Can they skate with these teams?”—is outdated. They can. They do. They did again tonight.

Each period ended with identical goal totals and identical shot totals for both teams, a stat that neatly captures the rhythm of the game. Vegas tried to dictate with pressure and layers; the Flyers countered with pace, structure, and quick exits. The physicality wasn’t lopsided either. The Flyers absorbed and delivered, shift after shift, without blinking.

There was no stretch in regulation where they unraveled or chased. The game was played on equal terms—and that in itself should no longer be treated as a novelty.

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2. Trevor Zegras Continues to Be One of the Flyers’ Most Consistent Sources of Offense.

Trevor Zegras’ integration into Philadelphia’s system has been one of the most compelling storylines of the season, not because he had to change who he is, but because he’s meshed his flair with a far more direct brand of hockey.

Sanny’s playing chess, not checkers.#VGKvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/A9fSgEuhbo

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) December 12, 2025

His first-period goal—his team-leading 11th—was another example of that blend: assertive, opportunistic, finished with calm.

Zegras now leads the Flyers in points (28), goals (11), and remains tied for the team lead in assists (17). He has six points in his last six games, and according to NHL Stats, only Chris Kreider and JJ Peterka have scored more goals this season among players skating with a new team.

He wasn’t a “try it and see what happens” addition. He’s become a central engine.

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3. The Flyers’ Depth is Giving Them Real Value—Including Some Unexpected Offense.

Noah Juulsen picked a good night for his first goal as a Flyer. His second-period finish was the type of shot that requires awareness and confidence, and it came at a moment when the Flyers needed a jolt.

Christian Dvorak was at the center of much of that depth impact: two assists, now 14 on the season, and a point streak stretched to three games. He has five multi-point nights this year, including back-to-back ones against the Sharks and Golden Knights in the Flyers' last two games.

Carl Grundstrom added an assist of his own and now has points in consecutive games despite being only three games into his Flyers tenure. His physical, straight-line game has fit seamlessly on the fourth line, and that line—despite a production drought—looked more cohesive in all three zones.

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4. Special Teams Fell Short Against Vegas.

For all the positives, the Flyers’ special teams kept them from taking control, and Rick Tocchet made it clear afterward that the issue was in the decision-making.

“We’re not getting middle shots," Tocchet said postgame. "We’ve got to get the middle shots… They’re having a tough time making a play. I know the coaches are a little frustrated because we’ve been like a broken record in practice and, for some reason, when the pressure is on, we kind of lose our bearings.”

(Attempting To) Fix The Flyers’ Power Play: Who Should Be Trusted With The Man Advantage?In the NHL, power plays are make-or-break. They swing momentum, pad leads, and save games that might otherwise slip away. And if you watched the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> last season, you don’t need a stats sheet to know their man-advantage was broken.

This wasn’t directed at any individual player. In fact, Tocchet explicitly dismissed the idea. 

“It’s not just one guy; it’s everybody," he said. "We’ve got to keep grinding away… it’s not gonna take away from our five-on-five play, because I thought we played well, but we have to fix it.”

A power play goal could've easily tilted the game more in the Flyers' favor, and may have even prevented overtime. Instead, on Thursday night, it kept them from seizing momentum at the moments where Vegas was briefly on its heels. 

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The Bottom Line

The Flyers didn’t need to prove they could keep up with Vegas. They needed to show they could play a structured, disciplined game against a team that punishes hesitation and overthinking.

Zegras delivered offensively. Dvorak supported below the hashmarks and transitioned play with poise. Sanheim quietly stacked another strong night with an assist. Juulsen chipped in a goal. Murchison held his own in his second NHL game. Dan Vladar made the timely saves he needed to make.

The Flyers have done exceptionally well to prevent losing streaks this season, always able to take losses on the chin and collect themselves to get a better result in the next game on the schedule. A point against Vegas is nothing to sneer at, but this team has proven that they're always in the hunt for more.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting forward Rickard Rakell back sooner than expected. 

A little over a week after Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas said that Rakell was three to four weeks away from a return, he was activated on Friday and was at practice. He figures to return on Saturday when the Penguins host the San Jose Sharks. 

6-7 IS BACK 🙌

The Penguins have activated forward Rickard Rakell from Injured Reserve. pic.twitter.com/VS6GKMvLkm

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 12, 2025

This will be a significant boost to the lineup, as Rakell is one of the Penguins' best players. He suffered a hand injury during the Penguins' 5-4 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 25. He had compiled three goals and eight points in nine games before getting hurt. 

There's a chance that he could be the Penguins' second-line center while Evgeni Malkin is still week-to-week since Kevin Hayes has been struggling in that spot. Rakell's return will also help the power play since he has a really strong release. 

The Penguins have lost three in a row and are 14-8-7 going into Saturday.

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The Chicago Blackhawks are going to visit the St. Louis Blues in game number 31 of the season on Friday night. This is the first half of a back-to-back set that will be played by Chicago this weekend. 

Chicago and St. Louis have matched up once before this season. This was an 8-3 victory for Chicago, also in St. Louis. Friday’s game is the second of four meetings this year. 

Scouting St. Louis

The St. Louis Blues are not having a good season. After making the playoffs last year, things have been a disaster this year for them. At 11-14-7, their 29 points have them in 29th place out of 32 in the entire National Hockey League. 

St. Louis's most recent game, a 7-2 loss to the then-31st-place Nashville Predators, came on Thursday night. That makes this a back-to-back situation for them. 

Neighbours-Thomas-Buchnevich

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Hofer

Jordan Binnington started for the Blues on Thursday, but he was pulled in favor of Joel Hofer after giving up 6 goals on 25 shots. Hofer allowed 1 on 7 shots before the game ended. Expect Hofer to get the nod again against the Blackhawks on Friday. 

Robert Thomas, Jake Neighbours, and Pavel Buchnevich are expected to lead the way offensively for the Blues. They also get contributions from Dylan Holloway, Brayden Schenn, and Pius Suter, but they all would like to produce much more. Without Jordan Kyrou, who is on injured reserve, their depth isn't what it needs to be. 

On defense, they have a much better group than you'd think based on their record. Things just aren't panning out the way they thought, which is going to eventually force change. With that said, they still present a challenge on any given night. That is especially true with a division rival. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks will have 12 forwards and six defensemen for the second game in a row. They haven't gone with the traditional lineup much this season, but with Sam Rinzel down in the AHL, this will be the new norm. 

Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky

Moore-Nazar-Bertuzzi

Teravainen-Dickinson-Mikheyev

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Knight

Spencer Knight is going to get the nod for the Blackhawks against the St. Louis Blues. That leaves Arvid Soderblom an opportunity to start on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings. 

Louis Crevier comes into the matchup looking to extend his team's lead in goals by a defenseman. He didn't go into the season with a reputation of being an offensive player, but that's what he's been for a lot of the year. 

Tyler Bertuzzi is one of Chicago's most productive players so far this season. He is tied for second in the league with 8 power-play goals. With the way that Connor Bedard's top line is going, Bertuzzi will come in looking to get Frank Nazar going alongside Oliver Moore on the second line. Bertuzzi could be the beneficiary of all the speed he's playing with. 

More On Frank Nazar

Frank Nazar scored a goal when these two last met. Based on how the Blues have played recently, they could be his "get-hot" team. 

After Chicago's last game against the Rangers, head coach Jeff Blashill came to the defense of his young center when asked about his scoring drought. He is confident that the scoring will return if he keeps playing the way he did against New York. 

Blackhawks Coach Jeff Blashill Defended Frank Nazar With CommentsThe Chicago Blackhawks have a future star in Frank Nazar, but it is going to take some time for him to be elite.

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found on ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:00 PM. 

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

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After acquiring goaltender Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins and defenseman Spencer Stastney from the Nashville Predators, the Edmonton Oilers have made a roster move.

The Oilers have announced that they have recalled defenseman Riley Stillman from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors.

With the Oilers trading away defender Brett Kulak to the Penguins in the Jarry deal, it is not surprising to see them call up another blueliner in Stillman. The 27-year-old defenseman will now give the Oilers another option to work with. 

Stillman joined the Oilers organization this off-season after signing a two-year contract with the Pacific Division club in free agency. He has yet to play in a regular-season game for the Oilers this season. 

Stillman has instead appeared in 22 games this season with the Condors, where he has recorded two goals, five assists, seven points, and 41 penalty minutes. 

In 163 career NHL games split between the Florida Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, and Carolina Hurricanes, Stillman has recorded four goals, 22 assists, 26 points, and 111 penalty minutes. 

This year, the Montreal Canadiens’ traditional parents’ road trip has been replaced by a mentor’s road trip. While many players still opted to bring family members (Cole Caufield brought his brother Brock, and Arber Xhekaj brought his sister Sophia), captain Nick Suzuki chose differently.

The pivot’s guest on the trip is a former professional hockey player: Joey Hishon. The 34-year-old was a Colorado Avalanche first-round pick in the 2010 NHL draft, the 17th overall selection. After being drafted in 2011, he sustained a concussion that threatened his career, but he did manage to play a few games in the NHL (13). His pro career was spent mainly in the AHL, where he played for parts of four seasons before heading overseas. He then played a season in the KHL and another one in Sweden before retiring at the end of the 2017-18 season.

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Straight after that, he returned to his junior team, the Owen Sound Attack, as a regional scout and skills development coach. That’s where his path crossed Suzuki’s as he worked with him as a skills coach. Suzuki also attended his summer skills camp. Clearly, the coach had a significant impact on the captain, who decided to invite him on the trip.

Hishon’s role has evolved over the years, and his passion for hockey has enabled him to serve not only as an assistant coach but also as an assistant GM. He learned about scouting and how to build a team, everything you need to have a successful hockey career, even if it’s not on the ice, but behind the scenes.

In addition to the many mentors who have tagged along with the Canadiens on this trip, two familiar faces also rejoined the group: Kirby Dach, Kaiden Guhle and Patrik Laine. They still have some way to go before returning to play, but they made the trip according to TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie, who reports that the only injured player he didn’t see in Pittsburgh is Alex Newhook. He did add that it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not on the trip.

The Habs players will spend a day off with their mentors on Friday, as the practice initially scheduled was cancelled after the Canadiens’ win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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The Anaheim Ducks continued their five-game East Coast road trip on Thursday, when they traveled to Long Island to take on the New York Islanders.

The Ducks came into this game still atop the Pacific Division standings and were coming off an improbable shootout win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, one in which they were outplayed and fortunate to come out of with two points.

Beckett Sennecke has Entered the Early Calder Trophy Discussion, From Draft Day "Reach" to Rookie Scoring Leader

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Shootout Win over the Penguins

The Islanders entered play third in the Metropolitan Division and having won four of their previous five games before this one.

The Ducks’ coaching staff elected to ice the exact lineup that earned them their win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Once again, the Ducks turned to Ville Husso in the crease for his sixth straight start for Anaheim. He saved 32 of 37 shots.

Opposing Husso was David Rittich in the Isles' net. He stopped 31 of the 33 shots he faced.

Game Notes

Though the Ducks were improved in the puck possession department in this game as compared to Tuesday’s, the Isles did well to lock up the interior of their zone and keep plays to the outside against Anaheim. The Ducks elected, whether by design or dictation from their opponent, for a shot volume approach, as their rush attacks and seam attempts were dismissed.

At 5v5, Anaheim held a 66-50 shot attempt advantage, but lost the shots on goal battle 29-26 and only held 45.79% of the expected goals share. Perhaps most discouraging was the lack of push in the third period, a period that they entered down 3-1 and brought to 3-2 in the first few minutes of the frame.

Penalty Kill: The defenseman at the bottom of the diamond has been exploited since the start of the season against Anaheim. When the puck is high, they’re tasked with covering both the opposing bumper and the net-front forward. However, they’ve shaded toward the bumper a bit too heavily, resulting in the more dangerous attacker, the net front forward, alone in front of the goaltender to screen and tip. Anders Lee scored the Isles’ second and third goals in an identical fashion, which practically sealed the game early.

Breakout: The Islanders either played an ultra-passive 1-2-2 or 3-2 neutral zone forecheck, which clogged ice between the bluelines and limited the number of rush opportunities for Anaheim. Anaheim did well to counter with clever chip-and-chase plays or cohesive passing sequences to advance pucks up ice.

Cycle: Anaheim manufactured multiple elongated cycle sequences in this game, utilizing their active and fearless defensemen, such as Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger, and Pavel Mintyukov, and forwards kept their feet moving low-to-high and across the top of the zone to open shooting and passing lanes.

However, as mentioned above, the Islanders were stingy in their end and especially around their net. East/west seams were nonexistent or were sealed quickly, as Anaheim was looking for them, and active defensive sticks swatted away rebound sequences.

Jackson LaCombe: LaCombe had been one to slow down pace of play to this point in the season, relying on poise and trusting his puck protection ability to advance pucks up ice. However, in this game, he dictated pace against a more methodical Islanders team by pushing and elevating tempo, driving defenders back toward the goal line, and attacking downhill from the point. He created multiple chances and was a dangerous presence from the backend, an encouraging sign for Anaheim moving forward.

Ross Johnston: Johnston has performed admirably through the first 30 games of the season. He’s been a quality forechecker and has even shown skill at the crease, deflecting pucks and creating space. However, the Ducks arguably ice 11 top-nine forwards on a nightly basis (when healthy), and when he’s playing alongside more offensively inclined and calculating players, he’s a step behind, physically and mentally, resulting in a reactive performance rather than a proactive one and hindering the output for his linemates.

Leo Carlsson: As mentioned, the Ducks held onto the puck for extended periods in the offensive zone in this game, and the most impactful driver of that effort was Leo Carlsson. Though his bread and butter is attacking off the rush, in this game, that aspect was eliminated by the Islanders, so Carlsson adjusted. He was not only involved, but he was winning small area battles, scanning off-puck, and exploding to soft ice or support to get pucks back on his stick.

He displayed a multidimensional game, providing an impact whether he had the puck on his stick or not. Coming into his draft year, he was praised for his attention to detail on the defensive end, but he has struggled in that area to this point in his young career. However, in this game, he was angling and engaging properly while breaking up multiple attacks in his end of the ice. He was a true 200-foot 1C in this game.

The Ducks will look for a bounce-back effort on Saturday, when they’ll travel to Newark to take on the New Jersey Devils in a matinee weekend game.

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This morning, the Edmonton Oilers acquired Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a blockbuster deal.

The full deal sees Edmonton receive goaltender Jarry and right winger Sam Poulin from Pittsburgh in exchange for goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and a second-round pick in the 2029 NHL draft. The Oilers also acquired defenseman Spencer Stastney from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2027 draft.

Although it's a trade between a Pacific Division team and a Metropolitan Division team, it has implications with the St. Louis Blues. The Oilers were pondering a move to acquire Jordan Binnington from the Blues if he became available, as several reports have indicated that the Oilers had interest and the Blues were open to ideas.

The trade to acquire Jarry, at least for now, shuts that door. Whether the Blues continue to dangle Binnington to other teams as their season continues to go south is unknown, but for now, the consensus No.1 destination for Binnington has been wiped off the board. 

Despite Binnington struggling to produce wins and quality starts, his reputation draws plenty of interest. His save percentage is at a career low of .869, and his goals against average is 3.49, but his playoff performances and success on the international stage make him a prime candidate to turn his season around on a better team.

Binnington has been outplayed by Joel Hofer this season and is beginning to lose some of his starts to the 25-year-old. The Blues are committed to another season of Binnington as his contract doesn't expire until the end of the 2026-27 season, so their options are to trade him or help him find his game again. 

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