PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 30: Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The injury to Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is obviously not ideal. The time of the year, the playoff race, the fact he is going to miss a couple of weeks and just the simple fact he is Sidney Crosby and there is not really an easy way to replace him all add up into an unfortunate situation the Penguins are going to have to navigate for a bit.
While all of that is true, it is also a big opportunity for rookie center Ben Kindel to keep establishing himself as a big-time player.
He is doing exactly that.
He did not appear on the stat sheet in the Penguins 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night from a goals or assists or points perspective, but it does not matter. He was still one of their best players. In fact, other than starting goalie Arturs Silovs (who was sensational), I thought he was their best overall player. That has also been a recurring theme over the past few weeks of games.
Over the course of the game he had a couple of those “wow” moments where you watched him play and had to say to yourself, “okay, this guy has it.”
There was the play in the first period where he overpowered Nico Hischier, threw him to the ice, stole the puck, and then went back for an odd-man rush to set up Justin Brazeau for a grade-A scoring chance. It did not result in a goal, but it was an incredible play.
There was the one zone exit in the second period where he confidently spun around one New Jersey forechecker and smoothly went up the ice to help establish possession in the offensive zone.
He was everywhere. He has been everywhere.
In the middle of the season he seemed to hit a little bit of a slump offensively, which was always going to be expected given the fact he is an 18-year-old playing in the NHL, but has quickly played his way through it. Over the past 10 games he has six goals, seven total points and is a plus-11 overall. When he is on the ice during 5-on-5 play during this stretch of games, the Penguins have a 13-2 goals advantage (best on the team among players that have played at least 100 minutes during that stretch) and own 58.9 percent expected goal share (fourth-best on the team among players that have played at least 100 minutes during that stretch). He has only had three individual games during that stretch with an expected goal share of under 59 percent, and only two under 50 percent. He has been over 60 percent five times, including one game against the New York Rangers where he posted a 98.9 percent expected goals share.
Just incredible stuff for an 18-year-old center.
Players that age, at that position, do not just step right into the NHL and do this in their draft year unless than are a top-two or-three pick. Even then they do not always drive possession and have this good of a defensive game so quickly.
His presence, as well as his overall development as this season has progressed, and especially his play over the past 10-or-so games, is a big reason why I think the Penguins have a really good chance to maintain something close to their current level of play with Crosby sidelined. He is also a big reason why the long-term math with the Penguins has changed so much. He might not be a Crosby or Connor McDavid level star at his peak, but his potential looks to be even higher than anybody could have reasonably hoped for or anticipated when the Penguins called his name.
ELMONT, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 03: Stuart Skinner #74 of the Pittsburgh Penguins warms up prior to a game against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on February 03, 2026 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Kyle Dubas operates on his own timeline for making trades, often culminating deals out of nowhere and sending out players in surprising ways and with trade partners that were unexpected. That almost colors recent reports that Stuart Skinner’s name is in the trade rumors. Other teams might be a little looser with information and the media could be finding out details from the other side of things (the media sure is in the dark in Pittsburgh until moves happen!) but it almost seems like if it’s out there, it doesn’t happen with Dubas. Then when it’s least expected, boom, big moves happen.
So everything can be taken with a grain of salt these days, yet it probably means something that Skinner’s name is somewhat out there in the NHL rumor mill, albeit it seems to be emanating from the singular source of Frank Seravalli at this point.
Frank Seravalli: Re Stuart Skinner: His name has popped up here in trade talks…I'd say over the last couple weeks – Frankly Hockey (2/25)
Frank Seravalli: Re Stuart Skinner: There's a bunch of teams that are saying, well, if the price was right and if there were no strings attached…then yeah maybe; Montreal; maybe the Sens make sense; what about the Hurricanes – Frankly Hockey (2/25)
Skinner is an impending unrestricted free agent. Given the timing that Brett Kulak — the other player (also a free agent this summer) involved in the Tristan Jarry deal was traded earlier this week — the grand plan to accumulate more assets from that Jarry deal could be coming into light.
On the ice, Skinner did not start the Penguins’ first game after the break last night. That went to Arturs Silovs, who has now given up two or fewer goals in six of his last eight starts. Pittsburgh also has wonderkid Sergei Murashov waiting in the AHL. Murashov made the AHL All-Star team and has a .924 save% in 28 games with Wilkes-Barre this season. Sooner than later, in one form or another, the Pens are going to need to move on from one of the current NHL goaltenders to open up a spot for Murashov with the way that is trending.
Whether or not now is the right time remains to be seen and will be the major question for Dubas to weigh. Goalies don’t tend to carry a ton of value on the trade market, which has always been an oddity given the major importance of the position. Skinner still has a checkered reputation on top of that which could add more reluctance for a suitor to be looking for “the right price” instead of showing a ton of interest. Dealing Skinner would also mean chugging along to the playoffs with a 24-year old Silovs and a 21-year old Murashov, unless another goalie was coming back in any potential Skinner trade.
To this point much of Dubas’s strategy has been to trade away veterans when their contracts are close to expiring, doing so recently with Jake Guentzel, Marcus Pettersson, Drew O’Connor, Lars Eller, Anthony Beauvillier and recently Kulak. Giving out contract extensions to players in that circumstance, like for Blake Lizotte earlier this winter, has been more of the exception than the rule. In the grand scheme of things Dubas will have to decide if it’s better for his team to keep an experienced goalie like Skinner (who has 50 career NHL playoff games under his belt, even if not all of that experience has been individually successful) or flip him out to even further extend the list of assets that stem from the Jarry trade.
Seeing some smoke in trade rumors doesn’t necessarily indicate a fire, though at this point on the heels of the Kulak trade it’s only natural to wonder what the immediate future could hold for Skinner, the other player involved in that trade. The NHL trade deadline is coming up quickly, one week from today on the afternoon of Friday March 6th. By then Dubas will have set his course for the rest of the season, what those plans with Skinner are going to be will certainly be near the top of the list for areas to watch as the week goes along.
And, let's just say, that Canadiens fans saw why Schaefer is the clear front-runner for the award, despite Demidov's brilliance this season.
There's no question that Demidov, 20, is a tremendous player. But there's elite, and then there's generational, and Schaefer is the latter.
With the Islanders down 2-0, Schaefer scored twice in 55 seconds to get the game tied up before the second period came to a close. Then, after an Anders Lee tally tied the game late after the Islanders trailed yet again, Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored the game-winning goal in overtime.
Demidov leads all rookies with 47 points (12 goals, 35 assists) in 58 games. There's no denying that.
But Schaefer's 41 points as a defenseman in 59 games are incredible, let alone the fact that he's scored 18 goals, which puts him second behind Anaheim Ducks' rookie Beckett Sennecke. His 23 assists rank third.
Any other year, Demidov would be walking away with hardware. But this isn't any other year. He's going up against an 18-year-old who is accomplishing things at the NHL level that the league has never seen.
Most players have ceilings. Schaefer does not.
There are over 20 games left before Demidov and Schaefer's rookie seasons come to a close. Both should be proud of what they've been able to accomplish, but there can only be one winner, and right now, it's Schaefer's award to lose.
SUNRISE, Fla. — A three-week break in the schedule due to the Olympics should have helped the Toronto Maple Leafs feel refreshed and ready to chip away at their deficit in the NHL playoff race. Instead, they looked like a team lacking the details in their game. They made critical mistakes and were badly outplayed in consecutive games against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers.
If Toronto’s 4-2 loss to Tampa on Wednesday wasn’t bad enough, they followed that up the next night with one of their worst periods of the season. The Leafs were outshot 16-6 and surrendered three goals in quick succession. This allowed Florida to seize control early and never look back.
Brad Marchand opened the scoring at 3:18 with a wrist shot from the slot, assisted by Anton Lundell. It marked his 26th goal of the season. Evan Rodrigues followed with the first short-handed goal of his career on a breakaway, capitalizing on a Toronto turnover during a power play to make it 2-0.
The Panthers’ aggressive penalty kill continued to disrupt the Leafs’ setup, leading to another tally before the period ended. Marchand’s early marker ignited a flurry that highlighted Toronto’s inability to clear zones or generate forecheck pressure. Florida’s transition game overwhelmed the Leafs’ blue line, as turnovers and poor positioning contributed to the outburst. The Panthers generated high-danger chances at will while limiting Toronto to low-quality perimeter shots.
The Leafs looked better in the second and third periods, but they ultimately lost the game 5-1. While the team kept much of their focus on that late-game improvement, it offers little consolation now. With the Boston Bruins defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto moved to eight points out of a playoff spot with only 23 games remaining.
“We have a lot of hockey left and I get it’s not the start we want coming out of the break,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said. “But we have to understand that if you play the second and third for 60 minutes, you give yourself a better chance to win. We’re capable of doing it, but we’ve got to do it for 60 minutes. We have no time to take shifts off and periods off. We’re not in that mode”.
If the Leafs lose to the Panthers in regulation tonight, their playoff odds drop to just 3.8%, per Moneypuck.
When asked if it is concerning that the Leafs find themselves in the spot they’re in, captain Auston Matthews was blunt.
“I don’t think ‘concern’ is the right word,” Matthews said. “I just think we need more desperation, more fire—especially to start games. We know the position that we’re in and we need to be the more desperate team every single night”.
The Panthers entered the game behind the Leafs in the standings and showed the exact desperation Matthews described. With the win, Florida moved ahead of Toronto via a tiebreaker.
The NHL Trade Deadline is March 6. Based on what Toronto has shown over these two games, there is little reason to believe they will leap in front of the Washington Capitals, Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, Panthers, and Philadelphia Flyers just to reach the second wild card spot currently occupied by the Bruins.
Before the NHL paused for the Olympics, the Leafs rattled off three consecutive victories in Western Canada. But after this loss, Toronto's slim chances to make the playoffs went from 5.9 percent to 3.8 percent via MoneyPuck.com
All Toronto has is hope and hope isn't a strategy. It may be find to finally admit the inevitable and sell at the deadline.
Kirill Marchenko(20) and Adam Fantilli(14) scored the only goals for the CBJ, while Elvis Merzlikins stopped 19 of 22 Boston shots in a 4-2 Columbus loss to the Bruins.
Joonas Korpisalo earned every penny of his contract by standing on his head the entire game. The Blue Jackets pumped 40 shots at the Bruins goalies but just couldn't solve Bronze Medal winner Korpisalo.
This is only the new HC Rick Bowness's second loss as the Jackets' bench boss.
First Period - SOG 20-10 CBJ - Columbus Goal Marchenko (20)
The Jackets started the game and looked to set the tone early. They weren't generating many shots but were buzzing around Joonas Korpisalo. Kirill Marchenko took a stretch pass from Mason Marchment, who split the defense and smoked a wrister by Korpisalo to make it 1-0 Jackets.
Marchenko would give the Bruins their first power play when he hooked Henri Jokiharju. The CBJ killed it with relative ease to keep the game in favor of Columbus.
With six minutes left in the first period, there were anxious moments on both ends of the ice when Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo seemed to be under siege. Elvis was tripped behind his net, who then fell and had to dive through the crease to make a goal-saving stop on Sean Kuraly. Going back the other way, Korpisalo had to make a couple goal savers of his own.
Viktor Arvidsson would score for Boston when he put in a puck passed Merzlikins off the stick of CBJ forward Isac Lundestrom. Nothing like a little bad luck to start the post-Olympic break.
The Jackets got their first power play with 2:09 left when Michael Eyssimont got called for holding Boone Jenner. The Bruins killed it, keeping it a 1-1 tie heading into the first intermission.
Second Period - SOG 9-8 CBJ - Columbus Goals - None
Miles Wood gave Boston a power play at the 6:13 mark of the second when he ran into Joonas Korpisalo, drawing a Goalie Interference call. Korpisalo was pulled by concussion spotters, causing Michael DiPietro to be inserted into the crease for Boston. Korpisalo apparently passed concussion protocol and was back in the game with 8 minutes left in the second period.
Morgan Geekie wasted no time when he scored his 33rd goal of the season, putting Boston up 2-1.
The Blue Jackets couldn't get anything going in the second. Boston clamped down defensively and didn't give Columbus a thing. The Jackets actually outshot the Bruins 9-8 but went into the third period down by a goal.
Third Period
With 11:29 to go, Mason Marchment was put in the box for slashing, in what looked to be a very soft call in a tight game like this. Merzlikins and the Jackets' PK were able to fend off the Bruins' man advantage to keep the game 2-1.
Sean Kuraly put the Bruins up for good with 8:34 left in the third period to essentially end the game. The goal might have been helped in by a Blue Jacket defender's stick on the shot, which may have affected the angle of it.
Adam Fantilli did score a goal at the 13:45 mark, but it just felt like it was too late.
Viktor Arvidsson scored an empty net goal to end the CBJ's seven-game win streak. The Boston win was their 10th straight win at home.
Boston goalie Joonas Korpisalo played out of his mind in this game, stopping 36 CBJ shots to collect his first win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Rick Bowness says he doesn't think the game got away from them at all and had more than enough chances to win. He's also curious about how they can control play and have the puck in the Bruins D-Zone so much and not draw any penalties.
Final Stats
CBJ APP
Player Stats
Kirill Marchenko scored his 20th goal of the season.
Adam Fantilli scored his 14th goal of the year and 20th assist. He also had 5 shots on goal and went 8/12 on faceoffs.
Mason Marchment recorded his 14th and 15th assists
Zach Werenski picked up his 43rd assist. He now has points in 8 straight games and 12 of his last 13. He also had 7 shots on goal and played 28:34 after returning from Milan.
Team Stats
The Jackets power play went 0/1.
The Columbus PK stopped 2 of 3 Bruin man advantages.
Columbus only won 41.2% of the faceoffs - 21/51
The Blue Jackets had 24 hits and 11 blocks.
NextUpFor Columbus- The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at home after 23 days away from NWA to face the New York Islanders on Saturday.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs' rookie hasn't been in the lineup since Jan. 29, which is six games ago. In that time, Toronto won its three games before the break, and then lost their last two in Florida.
You would think, given how the Maple Leafs fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, that a day later, Cowan would be inserted into the lineup against the Florida Panthers.
Instead, the only swap Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube made was putting Dakota Joshua in for Calle Jarnkrok. Thursday's game against the Florida Panthers was Joshua's first back since suffering a lacerated kidney on Dec. 28.
Even with Joshua coming into the lineup, though, Berube could've found a spot for Cowan, too. Putting the young forward in would be a discreet message to his team that their performance against the Lightning — amidst a crucial playoff race — wasn't good enough.
But no, Cowan sat again, and it's been almost a month since he's seen game action.
"What does he got? Forty-something games this year played for us? At the time I took him out of the lineup, I felt like he hit a bit of a wall. We won three in a row, so I kept the same lineup going into the game last night against Tampa," Berube said on Thursday before their 5-1 loss to Florida.
"It's decisions that I make as a coach, and I don't believe his development is getting hurt. I think he's improved this year as the year went along, and I think he still has the swagger that's needed. He's a confident kid.
"Now, saying that, he's got to get in there and play. And that's our job to get him in there at some point here."
So, let's get this straight: if Cowan has the "swagger that's needed," why isn't he playing more often? It doesn't even have to be in the NHL — the Marlies would be the perfect place for him to get big-time minutes.
Through 43 games with the Maple Leafs, Cowan has seven goals and 17 points. That's more than forwards Steven Lorentz, Scott Laughton, and Calle Jarnkrok.
It's worth noting that Cowan wasn't eligible to be sent to the AHL before the Olympic break due to a stipulation which states waivers-exempt players can't be sent down if they had played 16 of the team's 20 NHL games before the roster freeze or had been on the NHL roster for 80 league days before Jan. 21, via PuckPedia.
He can be sent down now — though I doubt that will happen.
The bottom line is Cowan needs to play. You can argue his development isn't being harmed because the rookie is around NHLers every day, and likely learning tips and tricks from them. But that can only take him so far.
He needs to get into games to apply the tools he's learning. Cowan could've been the guy for the Marlies this year had they loaned him to the AHL club for more than just the two games he played down there in early November.
Either play him with the Maple Leafs, or send him to the AHL, where he'll get ample opportunity to play in every situation. Cowan needs it. The Maple Leafs' future needs it. And if you're not going to do that, you're doing a disservice to the player and the team's fans.
The Montreal Canadiens finally resumed their season on Thursday night when they hosted the New York Islanders at the Bell Centre. To celebrate their return, the Habs also celebrated their “Soirée Québécoise”. As the arena filled up before puck drop, pictures of poutine, the Rocher Perce, maple syrup and Elvis Gratton were projected on the ice to name a few as Diane Bibaud warmed up by playing Noir Silence’s On jase de toi on the organ.
It wasn’t Bibaud who needed to rehearse the most, though; both teams looked as rusty as one could have expected in the first frame, and there were quite a few icings, offsides, and missed cues, but they got there in the end.
Once they had shaken off the rust, the Habs had a few dominant shifts, including one in which they made a full line change in the offensive zone without losing possession. They had the Islanders pinned down and good puck movement, but they were looking for the perfect play, and when they finally took a shot, it was one Ilya Sorokin had no trouble stopping and freezing, allowing the Isles to get a much-needed change.
The tendency to look for the perfect play rather than putting pucks on net is nothing new for the Canadiens, but it is something that really needs to be addressed. In tight physical playoff games, there won’t be time or space for the perfect play.
Discipline
The Canadiens were in perfect control of the game, up 2-0 in the second frame with 3:30 to go in the period, thanks to two Noah Dobson goals, when Juraj Slafkovsky took an interference penalty after slashing Tony DeAngelo’s stick, and Mike Matheson took a high-sticking penalty seven seconds later.
As a result, the Islanders had 1:53 at five-on-three, and they made the most of the golden opportunity with rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer scoring two power-play goals. It was a shame for Samuel Montembeault, who was tracking the puck well and had made two saves on one-timers during the penalties, but Schaefer showed just how good he was with a couple of picture-perfect shots.
Managing The Lead
After the game, Martin St-Louis was disappointed with the way his team failed to manage the puck after getting a 3-2 lead:
In those last 10 minutes, I felt like we let them play with the puck too much. We had to be able to still generate some offensive time. You’ve got to be calculated with what you do with it in the neutral zone, be selective in your choice of play in the offensive zone, which allows you to make them defend a little bit, but we had to defend the last 10, so you know, they just kept coming. I felt like we were defending pretty well, but at the end, they pulled the goalie, and they got an extra guy, that’s something we talked about, but we didn’t get the job done.
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The bench boss was clearly annoyed at that five-on-six goal, adding: “The five guys have to do their job, and that’s not what happened”. After the game, the players told the media that the tying goal came from a bad bounce, but St-Louis didn’t agree.
When the Islanders scored with less than two minutes to go in the game, Mike Matheson, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Philip Danault, and Noah Dobson were on the ice, and given the coach’s comments, it feels like there might be a video session in the cards the next time there’s a full practice.
The Calder Trophy
Seeing Schaefer play in person for the first time tonight, it was hard not to be impressed with the way he plays the game at such a young age. The way he moves with so much fluidity, coupled with his stickhandling skills and decision-making at 18, it feels like the Calder Trophy is already his.
Whether or not Ivan Demidov wins the scoring race probably won’t matter, not against such a young player who has mastered the defenseman role to that kind of extent at that age. While age shouldn’t really be a factor, it generally is.
In the end, the loss was a shame for Dobson, who did manage to score twice against his former team, but he was also on the ice for three of their goals. In the net, Montembeault had a respectable outing even though he surrendered four goals on just 27 shots. The tying goal at the end of regulation was a tipped puck right in front of him, and as for the overtime goal, it was a clear faceoff win by the Islanders, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau took off, outskating everyone and showing up in front of the goaltender all alone. It’s not the first time that he’s spoiled the Canadiens day; it was his fourth game-winning goal in 37 games against the Habs.
As for Alex Newhook, he played a very good game in his return to action, spending over 13 minutes on the ice, picking up an assist on Dobson’s power play goal, taking a shot, landing a couple of hits, and winning four of the seven draws he took.
The Canadiens will hold an optional skate in Brossard at 11:30 AM on Friday, and they’ll be back in action on Saturday night when they’ll host the Washington Capitals.
The Florida Panthers are looking to make a late-season playoff push, and they got things off to a solid start on Thursday night.
Hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team Florida is chasing in the standings, the Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 lead en route to a strong 5-1 victory.
Now they’ll get right back to work, as the Cats finish up a quick back-to-back when they welcome the Buffalo Sabres to Sunrise.
Buffalo arrives in South Florida holding on to the second Wild Card spot, with 72 points through 58 games played. That puts them nine points ahead of the Panthers with the same amount of games remaining.
Boston, who holds the second Wild Card spot, remains eight points ahead of Florida after picking up a 4-2 victory over Columbus on Thursday.
It’s quite the mountain to climb.
Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice knows how difficult of a stretch it will be, and was enthused by what he saw on Thursday, knowing what a healthy Florida team is capable of.
“It’s a real easy thing to focus on,” Maurice said. “It’s not even distractions; When you’ve got a 4 Nations year, an Olympic year, everything is kind of out of control and your schedule is completed different. We obviously had so many injuries that affected us, and I think the normal distractions that come from winning, but now this is nice and clean for us.”
The Panthers will be looking to pick up on Friday against Buffalo where they left off the previous night when they dismantled the Maple Leafs.
Leading the way for Florida was their new-look top line of Evan Rodrigues centering Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart.
The trio combined for two goals and two assists on 14 shots on goal.
“Evan Rodrigues was pretty good tonight, pretty dynamic with that line,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “There’s an awful lot of speed the one side and some great hands on the other side. I thought the three guys just played off each other really well, found holes, supported the puck and made some really good plays.”
Outside of Daniil Tarasov stepping in for Sergei Bobrovsky on the second night of a back-to-back, don’t be surprised to see Maurice roll out the same lineup against the Sabres that took down Toronto last night.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Friday’s battle with Buffalo:
Carter Verhaeghe – Evan Rodrigues – Sam Reinhart
Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Photo caption: Feb 2, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) moves the puck against the Buffalo Sabres during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - FEBRUARY 25: Arseny Gritsyuk #81 of the New Jersey Devils drives the puck towards the goal during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at Prudential Center on February 25, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
In a dispiriting season, a great moment the other night:
With the Olympic break in the rearview mirror and the guys back in New Jersey, the Devils dropped a 2-1 decision to the Sabres on Wednesday. [Devils NHL]
Then on Thursday night, a three-goal third period pushed the Penguins to a 4-1 win over the Devils. [Devils NHL]
“Jack Hughes still gets an indescribable feeling when asked about scoring the biggest goal of his young career. Three days after becoming a national hero by scoring at 1:41 of overtime to give Team USA a 2-1 win against Team Canada in the gold medal game of the men’s hockey tournament at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, Hughes returned to the New Jersey Devils lineup for a night of reflection and celebration at Prudential Center on Wednesday. The 24-year-old center doesn’t want to dwell on the goal and prefers to speak about the team that made it all possible.” [NHL.com]
“The New Jersey Devils have no shortage of problems right now and Johnathan Kovacevic is moving up the list quickly. The 28-year-old defenseman has struggled mightily since making his season debut, and last night against the Buffalo Sabres may have been his worst showing yet.” [Infernal Access ($)]
Hockey Links
Sidney Crosby and Mikko Rantanen will miss some time:
Sidney Crosby is expected to miss at least four weeks with a lower-body injury coming out of the Olympics, according to the #pens.
With the NHL trade deadline fast approaching after the league's return from the Olympic break, the upcoming draft is quickly coming into focus for hockey fans around the world.
The 2026 draft class, headlined by Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg and Keaton Verhoeff, features a ton of talent that has the chance to become foundational pieces of NHL franchises for a long time.
Considering the standings and the needs of the teams positioned to select in the top 16 of the first round, let's take a crack at what those picks could look like in June.
(Draft order determined by standings, sorted by points percentage, before games played on Feb. 26)
Stenberg's historic offensive pace in the Swedish League is just one of many reasons why he's proved to be the top player in this class. His compete level is off the charts in his ability to fight off defenders and retrieve pucks, all while possessing the playmaking, shooting and cerebral game to be a threat in every area of the offensive zone. He's a difference-maker on every single shift and rises to the occasion when the lights are the brightest.
2. St. Louis Blues: Penn State (NCAA) left wing Gavin McKenna
McKenna has been on a tear with Penn State as of late, putting together a dominant eight-point performance against Ohio State as part of a two-game series where he finished with two goals and eight assists. He's operating with the level of confidence and swagger that he had in his WHL days, and he's been much more engaged without the puck as of late. He's inching closer to reclaiming his spot as the top prospect in this class.
3. New York Rangers: North Dakota (NCAA) defenseman Keaton Verhoeff
Verhoeff's raw athleticism has become one of his defining traits as a freshman at North Dakota. While his skating will be the biggest point of emphasis for his development, he's got great range with his stick and is efficient at closing gaps when defending oncoming pressure. He's got room to grow offensively, but the creative foundation is there, making him the most projectable two-way defender in this class for the time being.
4. Calgary Flames: Boston University (NCAA) center Tynan Lawrence
Lawrence's offensive production in the NCAA hasn't translated to the same level of dominance he displayed in the USHL, which, to an extent, was to be expected. However, his transition game remains elite, and he processes offense at a high level, all without compromising his defensive effort. There's nobody with a higher ceiling at the center position in this class than Lawrence, and if the Flames trade top center Nazem Kadri in the next week, they'll eventually need another No. 1 pivot.
At 6-foot-5 and 228 pounds, Belchetz possesses the physical profile that scouts rarely pass up on when combined with his hands, shot and playmaking vision. His pace of play has been a concern at times, but in Chicago, where he wouldn't be relied on as a primary puck carrier, he should be more than capable of becoming a complementary top-line winger alongside Connor Bedard.
6. Winnipeg Jets: Jukurit (Finland) defenseman Alberts Smits
Smits played a sizable role for Latvia at the Olympics, an incredible accomplishment for the 18-year-old. While his team was heavily outmatched from a talent standpoint, it allowed everyone to see he's capable of playing a more conservative, defensive game than we're used to seeing with Jukurit, while still being incredibly poised with the puck and calm while under pressure.
Despite being an undersized player, Bjorck proved all of his doubters wrong with a stellar performance at the world juniors with Sweden, recording nine points in the team's seven games, including two assists in the gold medal win over Czechia. As a result, he's seen a major uptick in ice time with Djurgarden, where his tenacious forechecking and creative playmaking have made him one of this draft's biggest risers.
Malhotra is a stable, detailed center with great hockey sense who has shown flashes of offensive brilliance in his time with Brantford this season. He's always trying to find ways to drive the middle of the offensive zone and knows how to create advantages with his size despite not being an overly physical player. Coaches will gravitate toward Malhotra's approach to the game, and he projects as a reliable middle-six center.
Reid controls the flow of play in all three zones with his high-end mobility being used to break out pucks on offense and kill rush plays when defending the opposition. His puck skills are strong as well, zipping passes to hit teammates in stride while being able to manipulate opponents in order to create space. With a blistering shot in his arsenal as well, Reid may have the highest ceiling among all defensemen in this class.
10. San Jose Sharks: Prince Albert (WHL) defenseman Daxon Rudolph
The Sharks could use another first-round defenseman to develop alongside 19-year-old rookie Sam Dickinson. Rudolph brings decent size at 6-foot-2 and 206 pounds, and he's a smooth skater. In his last 10 games in the WHL, he's recorded at least a point in eight of them, totalling nine points. While Dickinson shoots left, Rudolph shoots right, which would better balance out the Sharks' future on the back end.
Carels is a two-way defenseman who logs a ton of minutes with Prince George and has proven to be trusted in all on-ice situations. He's great at adapting to what the game demands of him, being relied on to push the pace offensively and to play a shutdown role. While he's put together a campaign that makes him worthy of being selected in this range, there isn't a true standout trait that Carels has shown just yet.
12. Chicago Blackhawks (via Florida): Vancouver (WHL) defenseman Ryan Lin
Lin has been a stabilising presence on the Vancouver Giants' blueline over the past two seasons, remaining one of the most defensively detailed players in this class. He's also put up strong offensive numbers with 50 points in 42 games this season, though his defensive positioning and ability to read and react to opponents at this stage of his development make him projectable as a top-four defender at the NHL level.
13. Boston Bruins (via Toronto): Boston College (NCAA) left wing Oscar Hemming
Hemming has a physical edge to his game that would fit perfectly in Boston. He's a powerful forechecker who lays thunderous hits, giving opponents little to no time to make plays and often causing turnovers in dangerous areas of the ice. He doesn't get enough credit for his offensive instincts, proving capable with the puck on the rush while also reading off his teammates well in the offensive zone.
The Ottawa Senators must forfeit this year's first-round pick after not disclosing Evgenii Dadonov's limited no-trade clause when they sent him to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2021. That led to an invalidated trade between the Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks the following year.
15. Washington Capitals: Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL) defenseman Xavier Villeneuve
Villeneuve is the most dynamic blueliner in this class, with his deception and skating ability being the biggest highlights as a gifted offensive defenseman. He's averaged over a point per game in back-to-back QMJHL seasons. While there are concerns about his commitment in the defensive zone, he has all the makings of a top power-play quarterback at the NHL level. There's a chance he goes much higher on draft day.
Suvanto is a proficient net-front presence who engages well in the defensive zone, showing dominant physical traits while playing against older competition. He's shown instances of being able to generate offense in a way that's translatable to the NHL, but will have to do so more consistently to be projected beyond a bottom-six center at this point. With few long-term solutions at center, this would be a safe pick for the Blue Jackets.
PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 26: Tommy Novak #18 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his first period goal against the New Jersey Devils at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 26, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…
Thursday night was the return to action for the Pittsburgh Penguins after the Olympic break, playing host to the New Jersey Devils. Playing against a team lower than them in the standings, Pittsburgh took care of its business and defeated the Devils by pulling away with multiple third-period goals to secure two points and a win. [Recap]
As Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is set to miss at least the next month on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, he still believes in his teammates to maintain course and fight for a playoff spot in his absence. [Trib Live]
Updates from around the NHL…
The Detroit Red Wings are reportedly keen on acquiring veteran defenseman Tyler Myers from the Vancouver Canucks, according to NHL insider Darren Dreger. [TSN]
Joel Quenneville became only the second head coach in NHL history to reach 1,000 career wins when his Anaheim Ducks rallied for a 6-5 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night. [ESPN]
With a silver medal finish in the rearview mirror, is it too early for Team Canada to examine a possible roster for the 2030 Olympic Games? Perhaps Canada aims to go with a younger, faster squad, anchored by Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini, and Sidney Crosby?! [Sportsnet]
The Hockey Hall of Fame announced the death of former chairman Ian Morrison on Thursday. He was 95 years old. [TSN]
Montreal’s public transit agency, the Société de transport de Montréal, announced that it will once again display the English slogan “Go Habs Go!” on some city buses’ electronic signs to support the Canadiens after the provincial language watchdog reversed its earlier decision to ban the phrase following public criticism and government intervention. [Montreal Gazette]
The Boston Bruins, whether as buyers or sellers, are no strangers to trade deadline moves.
General manager Don Sweeney has made at least one move ahead of the NHL trade deadline every year since taking over his current role in 2015. In fact, the trade deadline is typically where Sweeney does some of his best work.
He has been a buyer in most of those years, but in 2025, the B’s took a sledgehammer to their roster and dealt veterans such as Brad Marchand, Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic and others. It was the right move because the B’s went on to finish with the fifth-worst record in the league and miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
It’s still early, but with almost a year of results, those 2025 trade deadline deals have provided the Bruins with a lot of quality assets in the form of NHL players, prospects and draft picks.
Some of those assets could potentially be used over the next seven days as Sweeney decides how to approach the March 6 trade deadline.
The Bruins enter Friday in the Eastern Conference’s second wild card playoff spot. They have exceeded most expectations so far. But remaining in that spot, or moving up the standings, could prove difficult.
A huge factor in their better-than-expected record is overachieving offensively. The B’s have scored about 18 more goals (197) than expected (179.6) in all situations, per Natural Stat Trick. No other team has scored more than 12 goals above expected. Regression could be coming for a Bruins team that lacks high-end offensive talent. Therefore, adding a forward would be a meaningful upgrade ahead of the deadline.
The Bruins also have the second-toughest remaining schedule, per Tankathon, which includes 14 of their last 24 games on the road.
Improving the blue line, particularly the right side, would be a smart move. The B’s rank 30th in shots allowed, 26th in scoring chances allowed and 31st in high-danger chances allowed in all situations, per Natural Stat Trick. They have survived this lackluster defense because the goaltending has been strong. Jeremy Swayman ranks No. 4 in goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck. He has bailed out the Bruins many times this season.
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Jeremy Swayman has been one of the Bruins’ best players this season.
Boston reportedly had real interest in acquiring veteran defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames before he ended up getting dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights in January. Does the pursuit of Andersson tell us that the Bruins wouldn’t be opposed to buying at the trade deadline if the right deal presents itself?
The bottom line is they should be buyers. Investing huge assets for a rental makes no sense for this group, but minor tweaks to the roster absolutely should be explored. The Bruins aren’t one of the top Stanley Cup contenders, but could they win a round in the playoffs and maybe surprise some people? Sure. They have a very good goalie in Swayman. They have the league’s third-best power play. They rank No. 7 in faceoff win percentage. David Pastrnak is one of the most talented offensive players in the world.
And another thing to consider: There is no dominant, clear favorite in the East this season. The two-time defending champion Panthers have taken a step back and might even miss the playoffs. There are good teams in the East, like the Hurricanes and Lightning, among others, but none of them look unbeatable by any means.
If the Bruins decide to be buyers at the trade deadline, let’s look at some of the assets they could use to make roster upgrades.
2026 or 2027 first-round pick
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The Bruins currently own a total of four first-round picks in the next two drafts.
The Bruins acquired an extra first-round pick in the 2026 and 2027 drafts as part of their trade deadline deals last season. They got the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2026 first-rounder (top-five protected) in the Brandon Carlo trade, and they got the Florida Panthers’ 2027 first-rounder in the Brad Marchand trade.
The Leafs have struggled more than anticipated this season and could miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016. That means the B’s could have a lottery pick even if they reach the postseason themselves. A top-15 pick has a lot of value, especially when you consider that the 2026 draft class is pretty strong.
There are a couple really impressive defenseman prospects who could go in the No. 6 to No. 15 pick range. The B’s would be wise to bolster their blue line depth in this draft.
The Bruins shouldn’t be trading any first-round picks for rentals. They are not a top-tier contender. It would be extremely reckless to make that kind of move. Sweeney should only trade a first-round pick if he’s getting an impact player in his prime who fits the age timeline of the Bruins’ other franchise pillars (David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, Jeremy Swayman, etc.).
The Bruins have made a first-round pick in back-to-back drafts, and those picks — Dean Letourneau at No. 25 in 2024 and James Hagens at No. 7 in 2025 — look quite promising. The previous time they picked in Round 1 in consecutive drafts was 2016 and 2017. Continuing to build the prospect pool should be a priority.
The only first-rounder that makes sense to dangle on the trade market is the Panthers’ 2027 pick, but only if used to acquire a player with term on his contract beyond this season.
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Day 2 draft picks
Over the next four drafts, the Bruins own all of their second-round picks, all but one of their third-round picks (no selection in 2027) and six fourth-round picks. The B’s have three fourth-round picks in 2026 — their own, the Flyers’ pick and the Lightning’s pick.
If Sweeney wants to add a depth forward or a third-pairing defenseman at this trade deadline, these 2026 fourth-round picks would be a good place to start.
With six first-round picks in the next four drafts, the Bruins can afford to let go of some mid-round selections for immediate help.
NHL players and prospects
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Andrew Peeke is in the final year of his contract and could become a UFA this summer.
It can be tough to trade young players who flash exciting potential from time to time. But to get good veteran players — especially if they’re not rentals — you have to give up actual assets.
Mason Lohrei still needs to improve defensively, but his skating and offensive skill set as a 25-year-old defenseman could intrigue other teams. Fabian Lysell has 37 points, including 15 goals, in 46 games for the AHL’s Providence Bruins. The B’s have not given Lysell much of a chance to prove himself at the NHL level. If the Bruins don’t think Lysell is part of the long-term future, then it would make sense to move the 2021 first-round pick.
Matthew Poitras has shown flashes of being a good playmaker at the NHL level. But can he withstand the physical toll of an 82-game NHL schedule? Poitras has value as a center with above-average offensive talent.
Andrew Peeke is 27 years old with an expiring contract. He was a healthy scratch in Thursday’s win over the Blue Jackets. The Bruins have seven — maybe eight — defensemen worthy of ice time right now, and Jonathan Aspirot’s emergence as a key part of the blue line has added even more depth to that group.
If the Bruins could move Peeke as part of a trade that brings in a bottom-six forward with a little offensive punch, that would be worth considering. Even if he could fetch a mid-round pick, that would be a trade worth doing if both sides don’t feel an extension is likely.
Chicago Blackhawks (22-27-9, in the Central Division) vs. Colorado Avalanche (38-10-9, in the Central Division)
Denver; Saturday, 6 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche host the Chicago Blackhawks after Martin Necas' two-goal game against the Minnesota Wild in the Avalanche's 5-2 loss.
Colorado is 38-10-9 overall and 9-2-4 against the Central Division. The Avalanche are 12-0-4 when scoring a power-play goal.
Chicago is 22-27-9 overall and 7-5-2 against the Central Division. The Blackhawks have a -31 scoring differential, with 153 total goals scored and 184 conceded.
Saturday's game is the second meeting between these teams this season. The Avalanche won 1-0 in the last matchup.
TOP PERFORMERS: Necas has 25 goals and 40 assists for the Avalanche. Brock Nelson has six goals and three assists over the last 10 games.
Tyler Bertuzzi has 26 goals and 17 assists for the Blackhawks. Ilya Mikheyev has three goals and six assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Avalanche: 4-5-1, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.8 assists, 3.3 penalties and 7.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.
Blackhawks: 3-5-2, averaging 2.2 goals, 3.7 assists, 2.8 penalties and 6.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Avalanche: None listed.
Blackhawks: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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