The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they have assigned goaltender Aleksei Kolosov to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Kolosov was called up to the Flyers' roster on Saturday ahead of their matchup against the Los Angeles Kings. This was after Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson left the Flyers' Jan. 29 contest against the Boston Bruins early due to a lower-body injury. Yet, with this latest roster move, Kolosov is now heading right back to Lehigh Valley.
Kolosov has appeared in 21 games so far this season with the Phantoms, where he has recorded a 9-10-1 record, a .908 save percentage, and a 2.52 goals-against average. This is after he had a 5-6-1 record, an .884 save percentage, and a 3.11 goals-against average in 12 games this past season with Lehigh Valley.
At the NHL level with the Flyers this season, Kolosov has a 0-2-0 record, an .830 save percentage, and a 4.00 goals-against average in four games. In 17 games this past season with the Flyers, the 24-year-old goaltender posted a 5-9-1 record and an .867 save percentage.
In Saturday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens’ power forward Juraj Slafkovsky scored his 21st goal of the season, setting a new career high. As things stand, the 21-year-old has 21 goals and 23 assists for 44 points, well on his way to establishing a new career mark. In the last two campaigns, he put up 50 and 51 points, but right now, he’s on pace to hit 66 points.
Beyond the points, though, the rest of his stats line is impressive. In his first two seasons in the league, he had minus-13 and minus-19 ratings; last season, he was plus-4 and right now, he’s a plus-7. While this may not be the most favoured stat these days, it shows a tendency which is matched by the eye test. He has become a much more responsible forward defensively and has cut down on his giveaways. Last season, he gave the puck away 77 times in 71 games; this year, he has 44 giveaways in 55 games, meaning he’s on pace for just 66 in an 82-game season.
There’s been a visible improvement there since the start of the season as well. At the beginning of this campaign, he often tried to enter the offensive zone on one side only to try a no-look backhand pass, which was frequently intercepted. That has now all but disappeared from his game; he has learned to manage both the puck and the game, making better decisions with and without it.
Furthermore, he has become a much more critical piece of the Canadiens’ attack. He now averages 18:05 minutes of ice time, up from 17:21 last season, and that will keep going up. Even though he’s now on the second line, he’s still on the first power play unit. He averages 3:05 minutes of ice time on the power play (3:06 last season) and already has 17 points on the man advantage this season, while he only had 10 last season. 10 of those 17 points are goals; last season, he only had five power-play goals.
He’s become much more efficient in the bumper position as well, moving to get in space and make himself a viable option for his teammates. His goal against the Sabres on Saturday night was a perfect example of that.
Great passes make great plays 🙂↕️
Juraj Slafkovský gets the @CanadiensMTL on the board!
The fact that he’s now a much more imposing presence physically means that he’s harder to deal with in front of the net; battling Slafkovsky for position is no easy task. He’s also become much more effective at fighting for the puck along the boards.
This season will more than likely be remembered as Slafkovsky’s breakout season, the year he made people realize that Kent Hughes and co. were right when they picked him first overall at the 2022 draft. That doesn’t mean we’ve seen his ceiling yet, though. There’s much to see and discover about Slafkovsky.
The NHL Olympic roster freeze will kick in on Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. EST, and while trades aren’t likely to commence beforehand, the markets for players on the trade block are beginning to formulate.
The St. Louis Blues are no exception, as several of their trade candidates are beginning to draw serious interest from plenty of teams.
Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk, and Jordan Kyrou appear on almost every trade board, and to no surprise, they do on The Fourth Period’s.
The 34-year-old is in the sixth year of his eight-year, $6.5-million contract. Although his production has dropped off over the last couple of seasons, scoring just 12 goals and 24 points in 55 games, he’s a defensively responsible player who can play a physical brand of hockey.
The 33-year-old has another season left on his deal following this year at $6.5 million. Faulk has scored 11 goals and 27 points in 55 games this season, providing offense and defensive fortitude.
Like Schenn, Faulk’s experience and two-way versatility are enticing traits teams are looking to add to their rosters.
Outside of Robert Thomas, no other Blues trade candidate might be a more intriguing add than Kyrou.
The 27-year-old is in year three of an eight-year contract that pays him $8.125 million annually. With just 12 goals and 27 points in 45 games, Kyrou has struggled to match his production from previous seasons, but a change of scenery could do Kyrou well.
Kyrou has been playing better hockey lately, recording four goals and 10 points in his last 10 games. According to The Fourth Period’s trade board, the Seattle Kraken, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Utah Mammoth, and the Leafs could have interest in trading for Kyrou.
Whether Kyrou is willing to waive his no-trade clause remains unknown, but the interest is there.
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TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 30: The Boston Bruins logo is seen during the build out for the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series game between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning at Raymond James Stadium on January 30, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Welcome to Sunday afternoon/evening, folks!
The Bruins and the Lightning will take it outside for an Atlantic Division showdown at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
It’s actually forecast to be pretty chilly in Tampa on Sunday afternoon, with temperatures in the mid-to-low 40s (F).
The forecast for Wednesday is 70º F, so…much better to try to play hockey outside today.
Per the NHL, today’s game is the league’s 45th outdoor game, but just the 6th to feature match-up between two teams with 30+ wins.
Both teams are 8-1-1 in their last ten. SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE.
Anyways, here’s to hoping for good ice, no injuries, and an entertaining game.
With the Vancouver Canucks in a rebuild, time on ice will be something to keep an eye on game to game. Vancouver is no longer fighting for a playoff spot, and, based on the current lineup, has committed to getting younger players minutes in the NHL. One of those young players is defenceman Tom Willander, who, based on his recent play, deserves more ice time.
On this recent homestand, Willander averaged 13:57 of ice time. He surpassed the 17-minute mark twice in seven games, but also recorded under 14 minutes on two separate occasions. It is also important to note that Willander, like others on the team, was dealing with an illness for part of the homestand, which is why he only played seven of the eight games.
One positive development when it comes to Willander's ice time is that he is getting more opportunities on the power play. He averaged 1:30 with the man advantage during the homestand, which ranked second behind Zeev Buium among Canucks defenders. At the same time, Willander only averaged 18 seconds per game on the penalty kill as Vancouver is still relying heavily on experienced players while shorthanded.
Saturday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs is a perfect example of the Canucks not using Willander enough. The 20-year-old played 16 minutes, which was the lowest amongst Vancouver defenders. Willander playing just 16 minutes is very surprising, as not only did he get some overtime shifts, but the game itself did not feature any special teams time.
Something else to keep an eye on outside of ice time is the number of shifts Willander has per game. On this homestand, he averaged 19.6 shifts per game, which ranked seventh out of the eight defencemen who played. At this point, Willander should be at or above 24 shifts per game, which has only happened three times in 43 games.
Jan 31, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) celebrates his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
While every game unravels differently, the Canucks are at a point where they need to be giving Willander more minutes. Not only has he earned them, but now is the time to see if he 20-year-old can handle a bigger role at the NHL level. Ultimately, Willander should be averaging at least 18 minutes a game for the rest of the season and should also get more of an opportunity on the penalty kill.
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The Buffalo Sabres have made some changes to their roster.
The Sabres have announced that they have recalled forward Isak Rosen from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. In addition, the Sabres shared that defenseman Zac Jones has been reassigned to Rochester.
Rosen is having an excellent season in the AHL with Rochester, so it is not too surprising to see him get another chance on Buffalo's roster. In 28 games with the Amerks this season, the 2021 first-round pick has recorded 20 goals, 12 assists, and 33 points.
Rosen has also played in 13 games so far this season with the Sabres, where he has set new career highs with three goals, four assists, and seven points.
Jones, on the other hand, has yet to play a game this season for the Sabres, even though he has been called up to the NHL roster multiple times. In 32 games this season with the Amerks, the 5-foot-11 blueliner has recorded six goals, 31 assists, and 37 points.
The sellout crowd at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday afternoon was primed from the get-go to explode in cheers for their Red Wings, who were facing the former heated rival Colorado Avalanche.
However, a good majority of the fans had already decided to get a head start on the traffic by the midway point of the third period in what was ultimately a 5-0 Avalanche win over the Red Wings.
Those that remained behind let out a few noticeable boos as time ticked away in regulation
The crowd wasn’t the only group feeling it. Several Red Wings players showed visible frustration after Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood shut down their scoring chances, while their power play came up empty and their passing lacked crispness.
Afterward, head coach Todd McLellan said that any visible frustration on the part of the players was earned by their performance, while also noting that it's on them to come up with the solution.
"There was frustration, but we earned it, and we deserved it," he said. "That can change just through our play and execution."
"They're (the Avalanche) a real good hockey club, and they're going to do some things to you that you're not comfortable with," he continued. "They're going to score some goals. But if you let frustration drag you down even deeper, you'll end up with exactly what we got."
All season long, McLellan has preached the importance of mental fortitude to avoid letting a rough stretch of play, which happens to every NHL team over the course of a long 82-game campaign, snowball out of control.
Never one to let his players off the hook, McLellan emphasized the need for a stronger start to games, as the Red Wings surrendered the first goal against in each of their last three outings, which all resulted in losses.
"One (reason) is lack of focus, and if there’s lack of focus, then that’s on all of us to get it back and make sure we’re executing," he said. "It could be you get stale with linemates, and it’s not working. It could be complacency that slips in, and you’re okay with what’s going on.
And that’s wrong, so we have to fix that."
Detroit gets a shot at a course correction Monday night in Denver when they face the Avalanche again.
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Forget about Nazem Kadri reuniting with the Colorado Avalanche.
Any trade with the Calgary Flames would demand a significant return, and the team acquiring Kadri would be taking on the remaining four years of his $7 million-per-season contract.
While the Avalanche certainly have the assets to meet Calgary’s demands, doing so would likely come at a steep cost to Colorado’s long-term flexibility—and, more importantly, its chances of competing for a Stanley Cup.
3 years ago, today…..Nazem Kadri became the first Muslim to hoist the Stanley Cup. 🥲🩵 pic.twitter.com/tCryJuA3iL
Even if the Flames were to retain 25% of Kadri’s $7 million annual salary, the Avalanche would still be responsible for $5.25 million through the 2028‑29 NHL season—assuming the Flames were even willing to be generous.
Kadri is typically a second-line center, but he wouldn’t be replacing Brock Nelson, who was recently named to Team USA for the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. At 34, Nelson is on pace for one of the best seasons of his career, projected to finish with a career-high 43 goals and 31 assists for 74 points. For context, his previous career-high in points was 75, set with the New York Islanders during the 2022‑23 campaign.
Kadri himself posted a career-high 87 points during the 2021‑22 season with the Avalanche, tallying 28 goals and 59 assists in 71 regular-season games—a season that culminated in a Stanley Cup championship for Colorado. After the Avalanche were unable to re-sign him, he joined the Flames. While he has put up solid numbers in Calgary, he isn’t quite the player he once was.
How are we feeling about Nazem Kadri?
For me, he looks like the Kadri from the end of the 22-23 season. He looks disinterested and he's making a lot of careless plays with the puck
He has 4 points in the last 17 games. He's been outscored 14-4 at 5v5. It's been tough to watch pic.twitter.com/1foX0j0NE3
Although Kadri could certainly boost production on the third line, the Avalanche’s depth remains their greatest strength. And if Colorado were to pursue a trade, you could likely kiss Parker Kelly goodbye, Ross Colton is probably gone, top prospect Mikhail Gulyayev could be included, and a draft pick might also be on the table.
Teams That Could Snag Kadri
Even if the Avalanche were willing to go all-in, the bigger question remains: what’s the point? Trading solely to block another team rarely makes sense.
Recent reports indicate that the Central Division’s Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild are showing interest in the 35-year-old forward. The Stars need little introduction: the Avalanche have historically struggled against them in the playoffs, losing five of seven series.
That might tempt some fans to argue for trading for Kadri just to keep him out of Dallas’ hands. But that’s a risky approach. Making a major financial decision just to block one team ignores the bigger picture—you still have to contend with other playoff contenders. Take the Wild, for example: they’re steadily closing in on the top spot that the Avalanche have long held.
Over the past month, while Colorado has hit a rough patch, Minnesota has continued to improve. At 32-14-10, the Wild have 74 points—just seven behind the Avalanche, who sit at 36-8-9 with 81 points.
Nazem Kadri has informed the Flames that he is open to being moved, per @TheFourthPeriod.
The Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild are among the teams that have kicked the tires on Kadri before. pic.twitter.com/GPDfwjMOga
If one of those teams ends up with Kadri, would it be disappointing? Perhaps, from a nostalgic perspective—but the Avalanche have their own battle to fight. No one will forget the 2022 team and what they accomplished, but the focus must remain on the present.
Chris MacFarland is probably working on a savvy trade as we speak and who knows, we could be wrong on the Kadri situation altogether. Let’s see what this team does to get even better.
The Winnipeg Jets are quietly turning things around at a point in the season when many had already written them off as a playoff contender.
After a deflating 4–1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, the Jets responded with a statement win Saturday night, edging the back to back defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers 2–1. While Florida is also enduring a challenging season and currently sits outside the playoff picture, defeating a team of that caliber could provide a significant momentum boost for Winnipeg.
The Jets have been collecting points when it matters most. They have earned at least one point in 10 of their last 14 games, posting a 7–4–3 record over that stretch. That mark is stronger than several current playoff teams, including the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken, and New York Islanders.
Winnipeg appears to be playing its best hockey at a critical time. Although the organization has been expected to sell off some assets, Fourth Period insider David Pagnotta reported recently that the Jets could also explore adding pieces if the price is right.
At 22–25–7, Winnipeg sits eight points out of a playoff spot and the road ahead will not be easy. The Jets are entering what looks to be their toughest stretch of the season with upcoming games against the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, and Anaheim Ducks. If they can survive that portion of the schedule, they could put themselves in position to make a serious push toward a playoff berth.
There are also opportunities ahead that the Jets will need to capitalize on. The schedule includes two games against the Vancouver Canucks, along with single matchups versus the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, and Nashville Predators. To remain in the hunt, Winnipeg will almost certainly need to win the majority, if not all, of those contests.
The next 13 to 14 games will be telling in determining whether this team can pull off a late season surge. Complicating matters is the timing of the trade deadline, as the Jets have just seven games remaining before decisions must be made on the team’s direction. If Winnipeg hopes to add reinforcements for a playoff run, winning now is essential.
With the Olympic trade freeze set to begin Wednesday, league wide activity is expected to pick up in the coming days. As a result, the Jets could be among the teams making notable moves as they attempt to turn a once written off season into something more.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 31: Noel Acciari #55 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his first 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
Over the summer, a respected voice like Elliotte Friedman really drove home a lot of feelings about the Pittsburgh Penguins in a podcast:
“It’s really hard to make deals right now because there are 31 teams in the NHL attempting to get better….then there is Pittsburgh”
Turns out the signings of players like Anthony Mantha, Parker Wotherspoon, Justin Brazeau and Connor Dewar didn’t impress many people in the moment. Someone forgot to tell the Penguin players they were going to be uncompetitive this year. Rolling on a six-game winning streak, Pittsburgh has climbed solidly into second place in the Metropolitan Division.
As the Olympic break approaches this Thursday, here’s the picture in the Eastern Conference.
The mission is becoming clear for the Pens: stay ahead of Columbus, Washington, Philadelphia and New Jersey and they will make the playoffs. Considering that Washington has been stuck in neutral for a while, Philadelphia has melted away and New Jersey has yet to put it all together, that mission for the Penguins looks more achievable with every passing game.
What a shocking season this has been. The two time Stanley Cup champion (and, let’s not forget 3x Eastern Conference champion) Florida Panthers are eight points out of a playoff spot. Other, almost near unanimous preseason playoff shoo-ins like Ottawa, Toronto, New Jersey and Washington find themselves in the bottom-half of the block too.
Pittsburgh is one of many surprise stories and success stories. John Gibson has boosted Detroit, Matthew Schaefer is absurdly good for the Islanders. Buffalo fired their GM and somehow shook themselves out of the doldrums at a most unexpected time. Ditto Columbus, just replace the word ’GM’ in last sentence with ‘coach’.
But, bias aside, Pittsburgh might be the most astounding stories of them all. The team that was pushed to the side and about unanimously picked to finish last – in the division, if not the conference or the entire league, instead has been one of the best teams and stories across them all so far. Now almost two-thirds of the way through the season (at 53 games, they’ve completed 64.6% of it), it’s no fluke or something to be written off as a small sample.
The Penguins have a good process offensively. Defensively they’re nothing special but not to a harmful amount, and they still keep shots down. Both of their special teams are top-5 level. They are getting great goaltending inputs and finishing chances when they shoot. Pick a category, Pittsburgh is pretty darn good at just about all of them.
Many of the popular models are starting to buy in at this point to shift and adjust their pictures that now include the Penguins in post-season outlooks.
Whichever way you look at it, Jakub Dobes has now taken over as the Montreal Canadiens’ number one goaltender. Hockey is a results business, and the Czech netminder does nothing but deliver results. With Saturday night’s win, the 24-year-old now has an 18-5-3 record. To put it bluntly, he has won twice as many games as Samuel Montembeault, who has a 9-5-3 record.
Granted, Dobes’ goals-against average (2.92) could be better and so could his save percentage (.894), but behind a Canadiens’ team that is now a well-oiled scoring machine (189 goals for, third-highest total in the league), they are enough.
With the week the young netminder has had, the net must be his to lose. He now has an 8-0-1 record in his last nine games, and considering how tight the standings are, the Canadiens need results. They need points, and Dobes is the man who gives them the best chance of getting them.
Montembeault has had more than enough chances to reclaim his spot, and he’s failed to do so. The Canadiens cannot afford to gamble on him anymore. Unless there’s a back-to-back or Dobes has an awful game, there’s no reason for the Habs to go back to Montembeault. Kent Hughes said in his mid-season review that the goaltender who plays the best will play the most, and by that logic, the net has to be Dobes’.
Granted, in an ideal world, an NHL team has two goalies who can perform, but you need to play with the hand you were dealt. As for needing a veteran in net in the playoffs, well, Montembeault may be 29, but he’s only ever played three playoff games, last season when the Canadiens were eliminated in five games by the Washington Capitals. He was injured in the third match, which means that Dobes, who was his backup, also has three games of playoff experience, and he’s the one who picked up the sole win (even though Montembeault started the game).
There’s been no sophomore slump for Cutter Gauthier, who leads the Anaheim Ducks in goals and points through 54 games.
Ahead of tonight's matchup against Las Vegas, my Golden Knights vs. Ducks predictions see Gauthier making his mark against a team struggling to keep the puck out.
Let’s dive deeper into my NHL picks for Sunday, February 1.
Golden Knights vs Ducks prediction
Golden Knights vs Ducks best bet:Cutter Gauthier Over 0.5 points (-150)
The Vegas Golden Knights may lead the Pacific Division, but they’re far from flawless — particularly in net.
Vegas currently ranks 28th in team save percentage and has struggled mightily to keep the puck out of its net. The Golden Knights had hoped goaltender Carter Hart would provide some stability, but he struggled mightily before getting injured.
Adin Hill has only further exposed those issues. Since rejoining the team, he’s endured a miserable stretch, allowing 21 goals over five starts.
Put it all together, and the Golden Knights have surrendered 3.4 goals per game over their last 20 contests and 3.5 over their past 10. Now they head into a road back-to-back against a potent Anaheim Ducks offense led by Cutter Gauthier.
Gauthier has feasted on teams that struggle defensively, hitting the scoresheet in 11 of his last 14 games against Bottom-10 teams in points allowed.
That stretch includes a two-point performance against Vegas in late November, when Gauthier piled up six shots and a ridiculous 14 shot attempts.
Anaheim will lean heavily on Gauthier to get back on track, and I expect him to deliver once again.
Golden Knights vs Ducks same-game parlay
Mason McTavish is centering Gauthier on the top line and should see increased opportunity with phenom Leo Carlsson sidelined.
Tomas Hertl has hit the scoresheet in eight of his last 10 games against Bottom-5 teams in goals against, piling up 13 points over that span.
Newcomer Rasmus Andersson has also been firing the puck since arriving in Vegas, recording multiple shots on target in all five games with the Golden Knights.
Golden Knights vs Ducks SGP
Cutter Gauthier Over 0.5 points
Mason McTavish Over 0.5 points
Tomas Hertl Over 0.5 points
Rasmus Andersson Over 1.5 shots
Golden Knights vs Ducks odds
Moneyline: Golden Knights -125 | Ducks +105
Puck Line: Golden Knights -1.5 (+205) | Ducks +1.5 (-250)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-120) | Under 6.5 (+100)
Golden Knights vs Ducks trend
Cutter Gauthier has points in five of his last six games. Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Ducks.
How to watch Golden Knights vs Ducks
Location
Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
Date
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Puck drop
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Golden Knights vs Ducks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Brandon Hagel has had more thrown on his plate this season due to Brayden Point's absence and has taken full advantage of it, producing 18 points and 52 shots over 15 games.
My Bruins vs. Lightning predictions see Hagel rising to the occasion once again in a Stadium Series matchup between two Atlantic Division foes.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Sunday, February 1.
Bruins vs Lightning prediction
Bruins vs Lightning best bet: Brandon Hagel Over 2.5 shots (-140)
Brandon Hagel has averaged 3.5 shots on 7.7 attempts through 15 games without Point, clearing 2.5 shots in 11 of them.
Those numbers are all well clear of what Hagel managed with Point healthy (2.7 shots, 6.1 attempts).
Hagel has a nice matchup to build on his outputs further. The Boston Bruins rank 20th in shot suppression and 22nd in shot share at 5-on-5, so Hagel’s line — which also features Nikita Kucherov — should be able to tilt the ice and spend a lot of time in the offensive zone.
It’s a great power play spot as well. The Bruins have given up shots at the third-highest rate while killing penalties over the last 10 games. Not to mention, Boston ranks 28th in shot suppression vs. wingers during that same period of time.
Hagel recorded six attempts the last time these two sides played, and that was with Point in the lineup. For reference, Hagel has three or more shots on goal in 81% of his games this season when generating six or more attempts.
Bruins vs Lightning same-game parlay
Hagel leads the Tampa Bay Lightning in expected goals and scoring chances since Point went down. He's piling up the looks around the net, and that should continue against the Bruins — especially on the man advantage.
Kucherov leads the team in helpers by a country mile and is setting up Hagel for a lot of his chances each night.
While Victor Hedman is expected to return today, Darren Raddysh produced 27 points over 22 games without him and figures to still play a large role offensively. Raddysh produced multiple assists in three of his last four following two days of rest.
Brandon Hagel has registered at least three shots in five of his last six against Boston. Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Lightning.
How to watch Bruins vs Lightning
Location
Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
Date
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Puck drop
6:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Bruins vs Lightning latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Welcome to this edition of "From The Archive". In this recurring series, we open The Hockey News' vault and display some of the top Vancouver Canucks related articles from the past. Today's article comes from Volume 79, Issue 4, where Sammi Silber wrote about defenceman Zeev Buium just months before he was traded to the Canucks.
Top 100 21 And Under: 11. Zeev Buium, Volume 79, Issue 4, October 31, 2025
ZEEV BUIUM WASN’T EASED into the pro game.
The Minnesota Wild prospect was thrust directly into Stanley Cup playoff action following his two-year run at the University of Denver, playing in four post-season games against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The 19-year-old picked up an assist and four penalty minutes while averaging 13:35 in ice time, but more importantly, he gained a better understanding of the standard of play the NHL requires. “I just kind of saw what it takes,” Buium said. “You play an 82-game season, that already takes everything out of you, and you’ve got to find a way mentally and physically to get through each round. That kind of set me up to understand what my summer was going to look like and how hard it is to play in the NHL.”
He also had the chance to learn from some of the best, with Marc-Andre Fleury leading the way as a mentor in his first days with the team. Of course, as tradition would have it, Fleury had a prank up his sleeve for the youngster. “My first day, I was sitting in for the video, just in the front row where everyone else told me to sit,” Buium said. “Then he came in and told me that’s his spot…He was great. Obviously, someone I watched a ton growing up, and he’s a legend.”
Buium also had a longtime friend to compare notes with, as U.S. National Team Development Program teammate Ryan Leonard also found himself thrown into post-season action just weeks after his own NCAA career came to an end. “We both know that it’s hard, and it was a big adjustment,” Buium said. “You’re playing different roles. It was just different, so we talked a little bit. But when we get back together, it’s kind of just about the memories and what’s going on in each other’s lives.”
Overall, Buium described his NHL taste as the hardest hockey experience of his young life. “It was challenging,” he said. “I mean, nothing I thought I couldn’t do but definitely challenging and a big adjustment.”
The six-foot, 183-pounder thrived at the NCAA level, putting up 50 points in 42 games as a freshman and following that up with 48 in 41 as a sophomore. But now, he’s a smaller fish in a bigger pond, and there are growing pains that come with that.
That’s why this off-season, Buium spent a lot of his time in Minnesota, taking in the area and training. A lot of that work happened in the gym as he tried to better prepare for what he’ll face full time at the highest level. “My biggest focus,” Buium said, “was putting on more muscle and weight and understanding it’s a tough league. Your body is going to go through a lot physically, and you need to put yourself in the best shape possible to be successful.”
That set me up to understand what my summer was going to look like and how hard it is to play in the NHL– Zeev Buium on getting into NHL playoff action
Buium, who was drafted 12th overall in 2024, is a speedy, skilled and crafty defenseman who always seems one step ahead of the play. He makes a great first pass, takes good care of the puck and finds the open space with ease, and he doesn’t shy away from being creative, either.
He tries to model his game after several players, but he said he’s learned a lot from watching Quinn Hughes in particular. “It’s amazing to watch him,” Buium said. “I mean, I think watching hockey, I take something from everyone’s game and try to put it into mine.”
At the end of the day, though, Buium wants just to be himself.
“I’m my own player,” he said.
The Hockey News, Volume 79, Issue 4 (Photo Credit: The Hockey News Archive)
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VANCOUVER — Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly sustained an upper-body injury at some point during the second period of the club’s 3-2 shootout victory against the Vancouver Canucks. While it is not yet known exactly what caused the injury, Rielly did not play in the final five minutes of the second period and remained sidelined for the duration of the game.
“Upper body right now,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said regarding Rielly’s status. “He’ll be looked at tomorrow (Sunday).”
D Morgan Rielly will not return to tonight’s game (upper body).
Rielly has recorded seven goals and 24 assists through 54 games this season. Despite his production, he has struggled defensively, sitting tied with John Tavares for the team’s worst plus/minus at -17. This underperformance reflects Toronto’s current struggles as they sit near the bottom of the NHL’s Eastern Conference.
With Rielly out, the Maple Leafs leaned heavily on their remaining five defensemen. Oliver Ekman-Larsson logged a massive 28:10 of ice time, while Jake McCabe played 27:40.
With the game going to overtime and the #Leafs without Morgan Rielly for the last 5 minutes of the second period and the rest of the game:
Oliver Ekman-Larsson played 28:10 Jake McCabe played 27:40
Defenseman Marshall Rifai made his season debut but saw limited action, logging just 9:40. Essentially operating with only two defensive pairs in the third period, the Leafs' blue line managed to lock things down, outshooting Vancouver 18-5 in the final frame.
“Obviously, Mo is a leader on our team and a heck of a player, so I don't know the extent of what happened, but I hope it's nothing serious,” goaltender Joseph Woll said. “As far as the five guys stepping up, I think in the third period we really didn't give up much. They did a great job, from the forwards all the way through the back end.”
The victory snapped a seven-game losing streak for Toronto. While the Maple Leafs are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline, the short-term win provides a boost to team morale—even if the points slightly hinder their positioning at the bottom of the standings.
