Category: Ice Hockey

With the NHL's roster freeze a week away, trade talk appears to be ramping up around the league. For the Vancouver Canucks, the player who is involved in most reports is forward Evander Kane. The 34-year-old has 24 points in 51 games and is an unrestricted free agent on July 1. 

Kane's name has been mentioned in trade rumours for the past few weeks. On January 16, a report came out linking him to the LA Kings, while on Friday, NHL Network's Kevin Weekes mentioned the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars as potential destinations. On Tuesday, Kane met with the assembled media and was asked about his name coming up in trade rumours. 

"I think there's a lot of names that are out there," said Kane. "And all of a sudden, just because a member of the Vancouver media decides to tweet it out, I got a big scrum today. So, yeah, it's part of the process. It's part of the way business is on the NHL level. And just looking forward to tonight's game."

The post that Kane is referring to came from CHEK TV's Rick Dhaliwal. The post reads, "Evander Kane's agent Dan Milstein has been given permission to help facilitate a trade for his client." After it was mentioned in the scrum about Milstein getting permission to talk with other teams, Kane was asked if he thought trade talks would be happening this early based on the team being in 32nd place. 

"I don't think anybody anticipated from top to bottom, the season going the way it's gone. So, you know, when that does happen, I think every single year with the team who is in last place, changes happen.... Yeah, I think everybody's disappointed with how the season has gone. Nobody wanted to be in last place. I don't think anybody has that anticipation or that desire to start off a year so, but it is what it is, and you have to be ready to show up to work the next day and be a professional. And I think that's what everybody in the room has done so far, and we'll let the chips fall where they may."

As for a potential trade, the most likely outcome is that Kane is moved to a team heading to the playoffs. He has played in each of the last two Stanley Cup Finals and has plenty of experience both in the regular season and post-season. For Kane, he is also focused on winning a Cup before his time in the league comes to a close. 

"I don't know if there's a person in this room that doesn't have a hunger to play playoff hockey. I think that's, you know, when you train all summer and come into training camp, that's what you're training to do. So obviously, that's a desire for anybody, and no different with me."

Overall, moving Kane is not an easy task. He carries a cap hit of $5.125 million and has a 16-team approved trade list. Based on Kane's performance and contract, it is likely the Canucks will need to retain some money if the organization wants to trade him before the deadline and pick up additional pieces that will help the rebuild. 

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After his club missed three straight playoffs starting with the 1958-59 debacle, Rangers GM Muzz Patrick needed a trade to save his job. He got it from the most unlikely source – the Montreal Canadiens. Here's how:

Habs' boss Frank Selke had been furious over the fact that his star defenseman. Doug Harvey was one of a few key NHL aces who were trying to form the NHL's first players' union. Selke, like Conn Smythe in Toronto, wanted none of this union stuff.

"Harvey still was regarded as one of the best defenseman in the NHL," said Associated Press hockey writer Ben Olan, "but Selke said he wanted him out of Montreal. He also – as it happened, mistakenly – believed that Harvey was over the hill.". 

While many Montrealers gaped in amazement, Selke dealt Harvey to the Rangers along with Al (Junior) Langlois, another defenseman. 

Then, another astonishing event took place – Patrick signed Harvey to both play defense and coach the team – a move that was practically unheard of in the NHL at the time.

While Selke may have felt that Harvey was in the twilight of his career, Doug not only steered the Rangers into a rare playoff berth but also won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. The man hardly was over any hill.

P.S. The players' union that Harvey was kept from organizing finally became reality a few years after Doug became a Ranger.

P.S.S. Along with Glenn Hall – another union organizer – Harvey went on to star for the expansion St.Louis Blues – but only as a player. By this time the NHL Players' Association had been officially recognized by the league!

The New York Rangers completed their first trade of this suppressive retool on Monday night, sending Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders in exchange for a third-round pick. 

With Soucy set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Rangers’ playoff hopes dwindling by each passing game, it was only inevitable that the team would eventually trade the veteran defenseman. 

Mike Sullivan opened up about the trade for the first time after Tuesday’s practice. 

“Souce is a great person. He was a good Ranger,” Sullivan said. “He competed hard. Him and I had a conversation, that's what we talked about. I really enjoyed working with him. He's a good pro. This is just part of the game and the reality of where we’re at.”

When the Blueshirts acquired Soucy from the Vancouver Canucks during the 2024-25 season, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury had a different vision for Soucy, believing he could be a long-term piece for the franchise. 

“He's not a rental,” Drury said of Soucy last season. “He’s someone we could have in for the rest of the year and next year. I just like the overall game – the size, the skating, the sense, how he defends. We were able to do some homework on him the last couple weeks and we’re excited to get him.”

That mindset shifted after Drury issued a letter on Jan. 16 outlining the team’s plan to retool the roster and essentially punting on the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign in order to focus on the future. 

Rangers Reportedly Acquire Third-Round Pick In Exchange For Carson SoucyA reported trade between the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> and New York Islanders is all but official.

Soucy is only the first domino to fall, as we could see a flurry of deals made by the Rangers leading up to the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline. 

The Rangers will play the Islanders on both Wednesday and Thursday, after a rare trade between the two teams.

It looks like the Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their top forwards for an upcoming crucial stretch of games. 

On Tuesday, the Department of Player Safety suspended top-line winger Bryan Rust for three games following a hit to the head of Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser on Sunday. Boeser was concussed on the play and was placed on injured reserve by the Canucks. 

Rust, 33, has no prior history of suspension, and the hit happened around the net-front in the waning seconds of the game with the Penguins protecting the lead. These factors, along with others, are why head coach Dan Muse did not agree with the league's ruling.

"I think three games is a lot," Muse said. "I don't agree with it. The organization [doesn't] agree with it. They have a tough job in the league in terms of looking at these things. 

"Bryan Rust is a guy who you know what you're going to get from him every night. He's a guy that works his a-- off every day. He's a guy that's heart and soul. One thing he's not is a dirty player."

Canucks Place Boeser And Buium On IR, Recall Lekkerimäki And Mancini From AHL After a rough game against the Penguins, Brock Boeser and Zeev Buium are heading on the Canucks' IR. Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Victor Mancini have been recalled from the AHL in their places.

Muse wasn't done there.

"He's going to do everything he can to help the team win, and he's done it in a way..." Muse began. "I mean, I've coached against this guy. He's been in the league, for what, 12 years? [650]-plus games? You see his track record. He's a guy who works, but he also plays the game the right way, and he plays it clean. So, based on that track record, based on the player, who he is, what he's shown for a very long time in this league... yeah, I disagree with it.

"Again, I understand the league's got a tough job, but in terms of the play, like, it's the end of the game. He's doing everything he can to just get back to the net front, not allow another shot on net in the closing seconds. And, so, the way he comes in there, he kind of tries to come in on the defensive side. And when you look at the video, too, there's a lot of things happening there. There's the visual that you see, but I also think there's the intent and how all those things unfolded."

Penguins Defenseman Placed On Injured ReserveA Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman is out for the next several weeks with a hand injury.

Barring an appeal, Rust's suspension will be in effect until the Penguins' game against the Ottawa Senators on Monday, and the team will face the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday and the New York Rangers on Saturday. He has 18 goals and 39 points in 47 games for the Penguins this season, and the team has five games remaining before the three-week Olympic hiatus.

---

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Bryan Rust has been suspended by the NHL for three games over a check to the head of Vancouver’s Brock Boeser.

Pittsburgh’s Bryan Rust has been suspended for three games for an illegal check to the head against Vancouver’s Brock Boeser. https://t.co/qzLChro3Xn

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 27, 2026

The video states:

During net-front scramble at the Penguins’ goal, Boeser looks to collect the puck as Rust skates in from the slot. As Boeser finds the puck and attempts to play it towards the net, Rust loads up and delivers a high, hard check that misses Boeser’s core, picking his head and making it the main point of contact on a check where such head contact was avoidable. This is an illegal check to the head.

It is important to note that both elements of the illegal check to the head rule are satisfied on this play.

First, the head is the main point of contact as Rust’s shoulder and arm make direct contact with Boeser’s head and it is the head that absorbs the majority of the force. Second, the head contact on this play is avoidable. Rust takes a poor angle of approach, choosing an angle that causes him to cut across the front of Boeser’s body, missing his core. Rust then raises his arm and leans into contact, causing direct contact with Boeser’s head with requisite force for supplemental discipline.

If Rust wants to deliver this check, he must stay low and take an angle that hits through the shoulder and core =, rather than one that makes the head the main point of contact.

The incriminating angle comes from one not too often seen from the top down, compared to the standard replay. Boeser ended up in concussion protocol, per Canucks head coach Adam Foote and has been placed on injured reserve and will be out for a minimum of a week.

Rust is absolutely cooked for that elbow😬 pic.twitter.com/72gYiykdJp

— Jake (@_j_a_k_e_d) January 26, 2026

The Penguins were not pleased with the league’s decision, calling it “a lot”. Coach Dan Muse talked about it after practice on Tuesday.

Here's what Dan Muse had to say about Bryan Rust getting suspended three games for an illegal check to the head at the end of Sunday's game in Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/cB0NewQrLK

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) January 27, 2026

Rust had yet to be suspended in his 685 game NHL career. Despite the heavy punishment, it’s not unprecedented to for a first-time offender to be leveled with a three-game suspension.

There are numerous examples of players given 3 GP in their first suspension. Just involving Pens:

Pacioretty on Letang, illegal check to head, 11/26/11
Ristolainen on Guentzel, interference, 3/21/17
Asham on B. Schenn, 4/15/12
Engelland on Kruger, illegal check to head, 12/20/11

— Bob Grove (@bobgrove91) January 27, 2026

Last year Trevor Zegras, another first time offender, was suspended for three games for a hit to the head of Michael Rasmussen.

It’ll be a tough loss for the Pens, who have five games remaining until the Olympic break. Rust worked with his usual first line today in practice with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell, which means the teams will have to shuffle some lines around at a time they would prefer not to given how well everything has been rolling in their current four-game winning streak.

Barring an appeal and reduction of the suspension, Rust is eligible to play next on Tuesday, February 3rd when the Penguins play on the road against the New York Islanders. He will miss the team’s upcoming games against Chicago, the NY Rangers and Ottawa.

NEW YORK (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust has been suspended three games for an illegal check to the head of Vancouver’s Brock Boeser.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the ban Tuesday following a disciplinary hearing with Rust, who will be out Thursday against Chicago, Saturday against the New York Rangers and Monday against Ottawa. He's eligible to return next Tuesday at the Islanders.

Rust lifted his right shoulder into Boeser’s head in the final seconds of the Penguins’ game at the Canucks on Sunday, which they won 3-2. Boeser is out at least a week after going on injured reserve.

Rust will forfeit $80,078 in salary with that money going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

___

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

The Detroit Red Wings return home Tuesday riding a surge of momentum after a strong three-game road trip, having won eight of their last ten games and four straight at home. They’ll host the Los Angeles Kings in a rematch of an earlier 4–3 shootout win in California.

While Detroit has been heating up, the Kings arrive looking for consistency, posting a 7-8-6 record over their last 21 games. Still firmly in the playoff hunt and tied for the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, Los Angeles will be motivated by both revenge and the need to build momentum in a tightly packed race.

Detroit’s recent success has been fueled by balanced scoring throughout the lineup, with several players breaking out of slumps, including J.T. Compher, Marco Kasper, and Emmitt Finnie. That depth has eased pressure on stars like Patrick Kane, who remains on the verge of a historic milestone, while Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin, and Lucas Raymond continue to drive offense.

The Kings, meanwhile, have struggled to score consistently and may again lean on strong goaltending from Darcy Kuemper and a defense-first approach, with young blueliner Brandt Clarke and winger Adrian Kempe providing key offensive sparks. With John Gibson expected to start for Detroit, the matchup sets up as a tightly contested game between two teams relying on structure, depth, and timely goaltending.

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Detroit Red Wings’ Expected Line Combinations vs Minnesota (Thursday)

Kasper – Larkin – Raymond

DeBrincat – Copp – Kane

Finnie – Compher – van Riemsdyk

Soderblom – Rasmussen – Appleton

Benard-Docker – Seider

Sandin-Pellikka - Chiarot

Johansson – Hamonic

Gibson

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Red Wings, Kings Collide in Motor City With Goaltending Duel Front and CenterRed Wings' hot streak meets Kings' desperate playoff push as stellar goaltending showdown awaits in Detroit.

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On Monday night, the New York Islanders traded their 2026 third-round pick to the New York Rangers in exchange for left-side defenseman Carson Soucy. 

Islanders Trade 2026 Third-Round Pick To Rangers For Carson SoucyIslanders bolster blue line, acquiring rugged defenseman Carson Soucy from Rangers for a future draft pick. Family focus fuels the move.

On the surface, the Rangers were able to break even on a player whom they acquired for a third-round pick from the Vancouver Canucks, when Soucy had a season and a half left on his contract. 

Call that a win for the Rangers, as Soucy, outside of Artemi Panarin, was their most valuable pending unrestricted free agent.

For the Islanders, they are hoping that Soucy stabalizes their backend. Since Alexander Romanov went down with a regular-season-ending right shoulder injury on Nov. 18, his spot in the lineup has been a revolving door of Bridgeport Islanders' blue-line depth, along with seventh defenseman Adam Boqvist, who had been playing on his off-side. 

Was it a bit of an overpay by the Islanders? Sure. Is it a problem? Absolutely not. 

The morning after just the fourth-ever trade between the #Isles & #NYR…

Why NYI acquired Carson Soucy — plus my chat with @vzmercogliano, who broke the deal, on how it came together & a scouting report on his game @TheElmontershttps://t.co/hOSpB1mGFw

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) January 27, 2026

The reality of the situation right now is that the Islanders are not only without their 2026 third-round pick, but they are also without their 2026 second-round pick, which was attached to Josh Bailey, who had one season left at $5 million annually, in the deal that sent him to the Chicago Blackhawks on Day 2 of the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville. 

However, the Islanders do have two first-round picks this draft year: their own and the Colorado Avalanche's first-round pick from the Brock Nelson deal. That first is essentially a second-round pick, with Colorado currently leading the NHL in points with 79 -- the second closest is the Tampa Bay Lightning with 70.  

Had the Islanders not bolstered their prospect pool last summer, adding forward Victor Eklund, Daniil Prokhorov, Luca Romano, and Tomas Poletin, along with defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson through the first four rounds, then, sure, complain away about sending picks for rentals. 

No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer is no longer considered a prospect. 

However, the Islanders added those guys to a prospect pool that already has a strong foundation, with forwards Cole Eiserman, Quinn Finley, Danny Nelson & Kamil Bednarik, along with defenseman Jesse Pulkkinen and Isaiah George on the blue line. 

They'll be okay, especially if Soucy's able to help enough to keep the Islanders in a playoff spot. 

If the Islanders remain in a playoff spot by the trade deadline, they aren't likely to sell.

But, if first-year general manager Mathieu Darche did sell off players, getting back that third-round pick won't be a challenge -- he can probably do much better. 

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Blues (19-24-9) and Dallas Stars (29-14-9) will meet for the second time in what will be three matchups in a 13-day span on Tuesday in the second game of a four-game homestand at Enterprise Center (7 p.m.; ESPN+, HULU, ESPN 101.1-FM).

The Blues, who played arguably one of their best games this season when they topped the Stars 3-1 in October here, fell 3-2 at Dallas on Friday on a goal by Jason Robertson in the final minute of regulation.

“Just how smart and how they understand to win hockey games,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said of the Stars. ‘That was a very even game, but at the end, their players went out and they were hunting to win the game and it’s a mindset that we want to develop.”

The Blues, who have lost four straight (0-3-1), have been right there in the last three games but are a season-high five games under .500 yet somehow continue to tumble in the Western Conference standings.

The mood remains upbeat despite the dire situation, and it’s something that captain Brayden Schenn said is a must.

“You can’t walk around … 82 games of being miserable and unhappy,” Schenn said. “You have to find ways to keep yourself upbeat and ultimately when you’re upbeat and you have a good attitude, guys play better and that’s just the reality of it. You want to win hockey games, we all know that, but you can’t show up to the rink every day and be miserable because at the end of the day, you’ve got to be lucky and grateful for the job that we get to do and it doesn’t last forever and you have to enjoy the people around you and come to the rink with a good attitude, be ready to work and ultimately strive to get wins.

“We look one at a time. We’ve had spurts where we’ve played better. We kind of gave Dallas that last game. We’re in games now; obviously that Edmonton one, but we’re playing better, we’re playing harder together, but at the end of the day, we have to find better ways to win in this league and learn how to win and we just haven’t been able to do that.”

- - -

Pavel Buchnevich, who’s been at the center position the past three games, has seen an uptick in his game, and it’s not a coincidence that linemates Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours have played effectively as well.

“I think ‘Buchy’s been incredible at center,” Montgomery said. “I think his draws have been fantastic. He’s been able to use his vision a lot more to create time and space. Good entries and good forechecks and I think ‘Rouzy’s been really skating. This has been the longest stretch of ‘Rouzy’ here, I think it’s seven or eight games here, I would say he’s had one average game and the other ones are him skating, putting people on their heels, stripping people from behind. That goal where he fakes and he does the wraparound, that’s the ‘Rouzy’ that St. Louis Blues fans and us coaches and teammates love to see.”

- - -

Jonatan Berggren, who played a Blues-high 18:59 on Saturday, continues to get looks in the Blues’ top six despite a point drought of eight games. But don’t let those numbers fool you.

The Blues keep Berggren there because he continues to make high-end plays that are not being rewarded, hence why the Blues are last in the league in goal scoring at 2.42 per game.

“(Berggren’s game is) in a place where I think he’s getting comfortable within our structure,” Montgomery said. ‘I think that he has games where he’s very evident of how he’s making plays and winning 1-on-1 battles. When he’s winning 1-on-1 battles, that’s when he’s at his best because he has time and space. He is one of our best play makers. He’s one of our best players at seeing the ice and making plays through people and over people, and that’s something that we want to give him the opportunity here like he has been consistently here lately in a top six role to see how much be can produce.”

- - -

With Otto Stenberg being sent down to Springfield on Monday, Montgomery’s message was simple.

“He’s had a real good stint with us,” the coach said. “Consistently reliable, someone that is very smart offensively and defensively, and then offensively, he needs to expand his game. Right now, he gets a lot of opportunities. I think working on his shot and mindset of being more aggressive getting to the blue paint offensively is something that’s going to let him when he comes back to be an even better Blue for us. But he’s had a really, really good tenure with us in his first go-around in the NHL.”

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Jonatan Berggren-Brayden Schenn-Jimmy Snuggerud

Jake Neighbours-Pavel Buchnevich-Jordan Kyrou

Robby Fabbri-Dalibor Dvorsky-Mathieu Joseph

Alexey Toropchenko-Nick Bjugstad-Nathan Walker

Philip Broberg-Colton Parayko

Tyler Tucker-Justin Faulk

Cam Fowler-Logan Mailloux

Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.

The healthy scratch includes Matthew Kessel. Pius Suter (high ankle sprain), Robert Thomas (lower body), Oskar Sundqvist (skate laceration) and Dylan Holloway (high ankle sprain) are out.

- - -

Stars Projected Lineup:

Jason Robertson-Roope Hintz-Mavrik Bourque

Justin Hryckowian-Wyatt Johnston-Mikko Rantanen

Sam Steel-Matt Duchene-Jamie Benn

Oskar Back-Radek Faksa-Colin Blackwell

Esa Lindell-Miro Heiskanen

Thomas Harley-Nils Lundkvist

Kyle Capobianco-Alexander Petrovic

Jake Oettinger will start in goal; Casey DeSmith will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Nathan Bastian and Adam Erne. Tyler Seguin (ACL), Lian Bichsel (lower body), and Ilya Lyubushkin (lower body) are out.

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The Vancouver Canucks are taking a notable step ahead of the trade deadline by allowing former Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane to actively explore trade options with other teams.

Don't expect that to mean the Oilers will be anywhere near this. 

Trending Stories:

The Oilers' Trade Deadline Dilemma: Maybe the Answer Is Already Here

Podkolzin's Fight Shows What The Oilers Are Missing

According to reports, Kane’s agent, Dan Milstein, has been granted permission to help facilitate discussions around a potential deal. While no trade is imminent, it speaks to how badly the Canucks are trying to move this along. Both sides appear open to a change, and there was speculation the other day that Kane might be headed to the Dallas Stars, with a strange report that he followed a Dallas, Texas house and renovation company on social media. 

Kane, 34, is still a recognizable name around the NHL. The ex-Oiler brings a heavy, north-south style, a willingness to play physically, and a history of contributing in high-pressure playoff situations. However, his fit in Vancouver has been inconsistent, and with the Canucks essentially falling apart this season, the pending UFA was unlikely to be retained. 

Allowing Milstein to work the phones is a calculated move by Vancouver. Rather than waiting for teams to call, the Canucks can proactively gauge interest and better understand Kane’s value across the league — all while maintaining control over the process.

It is not known if Milstein has called the Oilers, but the response is likely to be a definitive no thank you. Multiple reports suggest that ship has passed and the Oilers don't have the cap space or the desire to bring him back under his current contract. 

Expect The Stars, Avalanche, and Kings To Be Interested

What might be unfortunate for Edmonton is the speculation that several Western Conference contenders have already been loosely linked to Kane, including the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and Los Angeles Kings. These are teams the Oilers could meet and would have to beat in the playoffs to get to another Stanley Cup Final.

Dallas could use Kane’s physical edge without sacrificing offense, Colorado has a history of adding veteran support around its stars, and Los Angeles feels like a team that is full of former Oilers, and one led by ex-Oilers GM Ken Holland.

Granting permission to seek a trade doesn’t guarantee a deal will happen. Salary cap logistics, Vancouver’s asking price, and fit will all factor into the final outcome. Still, the Canucks are no longer brushing aside speculation — they’re leaning into it.

Whether Kane is moved or not, or whether he'll indirectly impact the Oilers season remains to be seen. 

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The Montreal Canadiens host the Vegas Golden Knights in a tape-measuring matchup at the Bell Centre on Tuesday, January 27.

Vegas is coming off a 7-1 shallacking last time out, so my top NHL picks and Golden Knights vs. Canadiens predictions expect Montreal starter Jakub Dobes to be busy between the pipes tonight.

Golden Knights vs Canadiens prediction

Golden Knights vs Canadiens best bet: Jakub Dobes Over 23.5 saves (-110)

Montreal Canadiens backup Jakob Dobes is going to be busy Tuesday night.

The Vegas Golden Knights were steamrolled 7-1 by the Ottawa Senators last time out, and Vegas only put 20 shots on net. After recording north of 30 shots in four of the previous five, look for the Golden Knights to approach that number again at the Bell Centre.

Montreal has allowed the ninth-fewest shots per game (26.8) while ranking 12th in Corsi For percentage at five-on-five through 13 January games, so there have been recent improvements, but the Habs will still have their hands full with the Golden Knights looking to cap off a four-game road trip with a win.

Returning to Dobes, he’s 4-0 with a .907 save percentage across his past four home starts, and I’m anticipating enough push from Vegas for him to clear this saves total tonight.

Golden Knights vs Canadiens same-game parlay

The Golden Knights have played to the Over in five of their past six, and No. 1 goalie Adin Hill sports an abysmal .827 save percentage and 4.26 GAA across his past four starts.

And, while I expect Dobes to pick up 24 or more saves, the Canadiens have also hit the Over in five of their past seven.

Montreal rookie Ivan Demidov has missed the scoresheet in consecutive games despite being on the ice for a pair of tallies and 2.09 expected goals.

He marked the scoresheet in four straight before the mini skid and ranks 23rd in points per 60 minutes (3.22) this season, so I like him to pick up a point tonight.

Golden Knights vs Canadiens SGP

• Over 6.5
• Jakub Dobes Over 23.5 saves
• Ivan Demidov Over 0.5 points 

Golden Knights vs Canadiens odds

• Moneyline: Vegas -110 | Montreal -110
• Puck Line: Vegas -1.5 (+200) | Montreal +1.5 (-250)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-110) | Under 6.5 (-110)

Golden Knights vs Canadiens trend

The Montreal Canadiens have covered the puck line in 14 of their last 20 games (+10.30 Units / 33% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Canadiens.

How to watch Golden Knights vs Canadiens

Golden Knights vs Canadiens latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

On the eve of what they hope will be a better performance against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday, the Senators did a little roster shuffling.

The club has recalled forward Xavier Bourgault from AHL Belleville and returned goalie Mads Sogaard to Belleville. Sogaard backstopped the Senators to a shocking victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. For his efforts, he was named the game's first star and now he's back in the minors.

It's a tough game, this NHL business.

Sogaard's demotion means that 37-year-old James Reimer will draw back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch in that game. Reimer had played four games in seven days, and the Sens preferred not to use him in the second game of a back to back on Sunday.

They also preferred not to use Linus Ullmark who was also ready to play. Ullmark returned to the lineup to dress as the backup, and after a month on the sideline to deal with mental health issues, there's a chance he may start on Wednesday. But facing the most dominant team in hockey in his first game back would certainly be an ambitious choice for his return.

As for Bourgault's arrival, he's the plan B if Stephen Halliday can't play on Wednesday. Halliday hit his head on a stanchion near the Vegas bench in the game on Sunday. The good news is that Halliday felt well enough to attend Tuesday's practice as a spectator, watching from the Senators bench.

Bourgault is having an excellent second season in Belleville, far better than last year. He has 37 points in 43 games in the AHL, which is second best on the team, and already his career-best in four AHL seasons. He finally made his NHL debut with the Sens getting into one game earlier this season.

Meanwhile, Arthur Kaliyev has 46 points, and as Belleville's all-star selection, he must be wondering what he has to do to get another NHL look in Ottawa.

The Senators are coming off a 7-1 blowout victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, and an 8-2 blowout loss to the Avalanche earlier this month.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News  Ottawa

The Chicago Blackhawks have a surplus of young talent in their organization. They have it at the NHL and AHL levels, in pro leagues around the globe, and in developmental programs all across the hockey world. Kyle Davidson has been building the organization back up in true rebuild fashion. 

One prospect that they are excited about is Nick Lardis. Of course, Lardis was just sent back down to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs on Monday. This was a move to get him more top-line minutes, allow him to play during the Olympic break, and enable him to participate in the AHL’s All-Star festivities. 

Blackhawks Send Nick Lardis Back To AHL IceHogsOn Monday, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that they have sent Nick Lardis back to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs.

While in the NHL, Lardis recorded five goals and two assists for seven points in 21 games. It’s good rookie production, but he was a noticeable player when it comes to the little things, especially being in the right spot for good chances on net. 

There is a path for Lardis to return to the NHL this season. Obviously, he will need to stay productive in the AHL upon his return. His call-up to the NHL in the first place was earned by having 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in 24 games played. Building on that shouldn’t be too difficult for him now. 

The NHL trade deadline is Lardis’s next path back, unless there are a ton of injuries in between now and then. Right now, every forward on the roster is healthy enough to play, which played a role in Lardis being sent down. 

The Blackhawks may shop their handful of pending unrestricted free agents around ahead of the deadline. Whether they trade Connor Murphy or Matt Grzelcyk is irrelevant to Lardis’ status, but what they do with Nick Foligno, Ilya Mikheyev, Jason Dickinson, or Sam Lafferty could make room for him. 

Lardis is one of the 12 best forwards in the organization right now, but he is waiver-exempt, won’t play over some of the highly paid veterans on the team, and Kyle Davidson knows where his team is in the standings when he makes these decisions. 

It might not be only Lardis that gets added to the roster after the deadline. Other young players may get some games alongside him. Prospects like Anton Frondell and Sacha Boisvert are at the top of the list. 

Oliver Moore, who has played with Nick Lardis at both North American pro levels this season, is likely done in the AHL. He has proven that his speed, skill, and tenacity are ready for the NHL full-time. He is also incredibly versatile.

Moore can play wing or center, on the power play, on the penalty kill, and even strength at a high level. This being his rookie season speaks volumes about what his play might look like in his prime. 

Plenty of contending teams would consider trading for the UFA Blackhawks forwards if they are available. Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson are both veterans who would have a strong leadership role on any team.

Ilya Mikheyev is one of the best penalty killers in the NHL, and he provides enough offense to make him a good bottom-six option at even strength. Sam Lafferty is more of a 13th forward, but lots of teams need bodies who are willing to be ready at a moment's notice. 

There is no telling who will be moved, but it would be surprising if Kyle Davidson doesn’t move off at least one of them, if not more. Lardis will be back as a result. 

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