EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Paul Coffey is returning to the Edmonton Oilers' coaching staff after a previous two-year stint leading the club’s defensive unit.
The former Oilers defenseman and Hall of Famer had returned to his role as a special adviser to ownership and hockey operations in July.
From the time of his first hire on Nov. 13, 2023, through the end of the 2024-25 season, the Oilers allowed 2.78 goals per game, which was the fifth-best mark in the league over that span.
Edmonton is currently 25th in the NHL with 3.29 goals against per game.
The Oilers are second in the Pacific Division, four points back of Vegas, and one point ahead of Seattle and Los Angeles.
When thinking about who will be a part of the New York Rangers’ core in the future, Noah Laba is one of the first players to come to mind.
Laba’s emergence with the Rangers came as a surprise. He entered training camp having just played in 11 American Hockey League games after two years at Colorado College, and given his fourth-round draft status, he wasn't highly touted or necessarily on anyone’s radar heading into September.
From the start of training camp and into the preseason, Laba stole the show, standing out amongst the rest of the pack, which made it impossible for Mike Sullivan to deny him an NHL roster spot.
Not only did the 22-year-old forward secure an opening-night spot in the lineup, but he’s carved out a permanent role with the Rangers as the team’s third-line center, playing in all sorts of situations, including on both the power play and penalty kill.
In 54 games this season, Laba has recorded six goals, 10 assists, and 16 points, while averaging 13:18 minutes. Laba’s stats don’t tell the full story of his impact..
He provides the team with a combination of speed, physicality and reliability that is rare for a rookie.
Making a quick jump from the NCAA to the NHL, Laba has been forced to adapt to the professional game on the fly.
“I think just learning each and every day more and more, and trying to become a better player, and become more of an impact for this team,” Laba said. “It's my focus, it's been my focus, and it'll continue to be…
“I think it takes a certain level of discipline and maturity to play at this level, so I definitely grew there, and as well as how to be a pro, and just learning from the guys here who've done it a long time.”
Of course, the Rangers are not in an ideal spot as a team despite the emergence of Laba.
The Blueshirts are currently sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference and are heading in the direction of a “retool”, which was outlined in Chris Drury’s letter to fans issued on Jan. 16.
On top of learning about the pace of NHL play, Laba has also learned a lot about the business side of hockey, watching the Blueshirts trade veteran players the likes of Artemi Panarin and Carson Soucy.
“I think I've always kind of known, and when you're kind of experiencing it, it’s a little different, it becomes more of a reality,” Laba said of the business side of the NHL “It’s something that everybody's fully aware of, and you just kind of continue to focus on what you can control.”
With Drury emphasizing the Rangers’ desire to get younger in his letter moving forward, it presents an opportunity for Laba to truly establish himself as one of the franchise's cornerstone pieces.
Laba wants to be part of what the Rangers are attempting to build for the future, with the intention of staying in New York for years to come.
“I think anytime you’re given an opportunity, you try to do the best you can with it, and that’s my goal,” Laba said. “I want to be here for a long time and continue to be a key player here. It takes a lot of work on my end, and I’m going to continue to try to work towards that.”
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- No matter what comes of Slovakia at these 2026 Winter Olympic men's hockey league games, St. Louis Blues coach Jim Montgomery knows he has a player there that could be galvanized by his play.
Dalibor Dvorsky, a first-round pick (No. 10) in the 2023 NHL Draft, had a goal and an assist for the Slovaks, who continue to defy the odds and reached Friday's semifinal with a 6-2 thumping of Germany in quarterfinal play at Santagiulia IHO Arena in Milan, Italy on Wednesday.
The center now is up to six points (three goals, three assists) in four games for Slovakia, which awaits its opponent pending the result of USA-Sweden's game on Wednesday.
"It can catapult his confidence," Montgomery said of Dvorsky. "To do this on the world stage in the Olympics, it's one of the biggest events you can ever do it. It's like seeing a player do it not only in the NHL playoffs but also the American (Hockey) League. It gives you the confidence that you know how to stay in the moment, how to execute in the moment, and how to come through in big moments. And when you're a gifted player like Dvorsky is, this gives you the confidence that you can do it. That's a big mental hurdle to achieve."
Dvorsky was a plus-1 with three shots on goal in 14:03 of ice time in the game Wednesday.
* Finland 3, Switzerland 2, OT -- It was a tough ending for Pius Suter and the Swiss players in their quarterfinal matchup when they led 2-0 late in the third period before succumbing late, ultimately losing when Artturi Lehkonen (Colorado Avalanche) won it in overtime for the Finns.
Suter had an assist on a Nino Niederreiter (Winnipeg Jets) goal that gave Switzerland a 2-0 lead in the first period but couldn't hold it.
Suter, who finished the tournament with two goals and an assist in four games, played 15:31 and was a minus-2 in the game.
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As the Detroit Red Wings return to practice with the NHL schedule set to resume in just over a week, they’re expecting to welcome back one of their most important pieces on the blue line.
Defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who hasn’t played since Jan. 21 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, is expected to return when Detroit faces the Ottawa Senators on the road on Feb. 26.
Detroit’s top defensive pairing of Edvinsson and Moritz Seider has been among the NHL’s best, and the Detroit Red Wings clearly missed the towering Swede during their stretch of games leading into the Olympic break, when they earned just six of a possible 14 points.
Simon Edvinsson couldn't even STAND after taking a 86MPH one-timer off the knee and he STILL managed to block another shot with his stick 🤯💪 pic.twitter.com/KatDe4o51b
"It sucked, it was probably the worst feeling that you have to sit there and feel like you can make a difference, but can't do anything when you're sitting," he said.
"It sucked, for sure."
While Edvinsson was able to play the remainder of the game against the Maple Leafs after aggravating his lingering injury during the first period, he knew the next day that something would need to be done to fix the problem.
“It was lingering for a while, and in the last game, I felt something even more, and that was like the last drop that I needed to really do the surgery,” Edvinsson continued. “I thought I could go the whole season without doing it, but when I felt that and couldn't really put weight on my knee, it happened in the first period in the Toronto game, and it was the adrenaline that made me play the whole game.
"The next day, it was just a no-go," he said. "I’m glad that we got the surgery timed so quick, the recovery and everything have been great.”
Playing in his second full NHL season, Edvinsson has tallied six goals with 11 assists while averaging 22:34 of ice time per game.
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FISH CAMP, CA — The National Hockey League sent its players to the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014, and the risk seemed varied. For teams and individual players, it presents an opportunity to represent your country and play at a very high level against elite competition. On the flip side, it also means a nice, cut block, two-week-plus break from the grind of the regular season. For the Los Angeles Kings and Kevin Fiala, it spiraled into a worst-case scenario situation.
An injury that put things into perspective.
A hit from Tom Wilson, and the season is officially over for Fiala. That is woeful timing for a team that just made its most significant in-season trade since its championship glory days. The Kings' third-leading scorer (second before the Artemi Panarin deal) hasn't been ruled out for the playoffs, but is shut down for the critical stretch run to qualify for the playoffs. Ironically, the NHL's first involvement in the Olympics since 2014 coincides with the last playoff round the Kings won.
See, since 2014, the organization has won 9 playoff games across 5 appearances. That's right around winning less than two games per playoff appearance. With a Stanley Cup-winning core nearing a single thread in the pending retirement of Anze Kopitar, the team's actual cup contention is trending towards delusion and refinement of previous rhetoric.
Panarin is a big deal, and I do say that with gusto. The loss of Fiala doesn't necessarily bring the Kings back to square one, as Panarin certainly ranks among the top 5-10 wingers in the league, but it does feel like three steps forward, two steps back.
Panarin, even with Fiala healthy in the lineup, wasn't going to elevate this marginal team to the heights of contender legitimacy. The Kings, even before the trade in the aftermath of the Phillip Danault departure, had been involved in numerous discussions about acquiring a center to bolster this lineup, despite a backend that hampers this team. Their defensive core slows their transition game and strains the entire forward group through increased defensive labor due to a lack of overall outlet ability/footspeed in their own zone.
The team is stuck with that; they have to eat this situation on the backend, as fixing it would likely require serious retention and assets going back, which they are already thinning out. That being said, a center is still needed.
That raises questions about their heir apparent, but Quinton Byfield is not out of the equation just yet, as I've covered before. He's undoubtedly under the spotlight now with a legitimate star winger that should be attached to his flank. It's now or never for the young forward, who is getting a better winger than Kopitar ever had, albeit in decline. There is the struggling Byfield, and then there's a massive drop-off in the ability to drive play and handle top six matchups in the stark decline of Kopitar.
Samuel Helenius and Alex Turcotte aren't elevating this team to contention status. The reinforcements from Ontario are more detrimental than helpful. It has to be external.
The hockey world has been brimming with rumors of a potential trade that involves Vancouver's eleven-million-dollar centerman, Elias Pettersson. There's also a growing desire for Robert Thomas from St. Louis. Other names that have been tossed around are centers like Charlie Coyle and Nazem Kadri. The Kings are likely to look at all available options, even though most NHL teams are competitive this season, save for a few souring teams. There's no 2024 White Sox team in the NHL.
Re: Pettersson and Kadri—No movement clauses and modified trade lists come into play, so hoping for a Panarin-type situation asks that lightning strike twice. Panarin held all the cards in his deal, essentially handcuffing Chris Drury to a maddening effect for Ranger fans. Furthermore, I have a hard time putting stock in tagging the Kings to Pettersson solely because of his wife's long-time connection in Los Angeles. I also have a heck of a time thinking a player of this caliber gets swapped in a divisional trade.
That goes for Kadri, too, as the Flames won't be so inclined to do in-division deals, and Kadri has a modified no-movement clause. The aging veteran doesn't exactly thread the needle when considering the seasons in the wake of Kopitar's retirement (Kadri's contract runs through 2028-29). In one season, the team trades away Greentree, then gives up a first-round pick and more for a 35-year-old center with term? That doesn't bode well for the club.
Interestingly, Thomas has a no-trade clause and is locked up with the Blues until 2029-30, with an AAV of 8.125 million. That's gem-worthy on price; he's 26, a righty with 1C capacity. Thomas does sit in that rarified category with Pettersson, but would be extremely pricey if the player were to waive his clause. Should Thomas waive, and unless he demands a trade in the near future, St. Louis can wait out bidders with aplomb, picking apart what would likely be 15+ suitors. Doug Armstrong and Alexander Steen can deal with bids into next season if need be.
Unless there is some wizardry from Ken Holland, I don't see him dipping into the honey pot twice with New York to chase Vincent Trocheck. As mentioned, the Rangers got worked by Panarin's NMC. Trocheck has a 12-team no-trade clause.
There are those clauses again, and the three highest upside names at center (Pettersson, Thomas, Trocheck) all have some clause. Kadri has a clause too.
On the lower end, there's Coyle, who plays for a competitive Columbus team in a similar situation to the Kings (four points out of the Eastern Conference wildcard playoff spot). These situational trades between aspiring playoff teams typically mean assets leaving matches, with the return, if only marginally better, from each team's perspective. Columbus, like the Kings, is looking to upgrade now.
That leaves a more realistic vision for the Kings' trade strategy, but much less on the table regarding the higher-tiered ceiling in the return.
Untested goalie prospects, draft picks, and marginal middle-six pivot prospects to bargain with? Their legitimate blue-chip prospect pantry took a practical knockout blow in the deal to acquire Panarin without shedding a roster player: Liam Greentree. That asset pool has gone from bleak to barren. Solely relying on their plethora of picks might get a conversation with St. Louis or Vancouver going, or entice a fall-from-grace team such as New Jersey or Winnipeg, but it doesn't close the deal.
There is also the absurdity that Byfield would have to go the other way. Swapping him out for another center, even a much better one like Thomas or Pettersson (on the rare, off chance it happens), doesn't fix the center depth weakness. That feeds into a retool, not a rebuild.
Bottom line, moving Byfield for a center is nonsensical for LA, unless the center is a clear cut upgrade in every way. Kings need a center to add to Byfield, not one to replace him.
There just aren't proper assets to get something substantial in return for the Kings in the wake of the Panarin deal. There aren't a plethora of clear-cut sellers as suitors in the league right now, forcing a perilous waiting game towards the trade deadline. It makes me believe the team needs to retain Warren Foegele, despite a back-down-to-Earth-level of production this season.
Ears are certainly ringing if Foegele, a first-round pick and more, is the mock trade out there for the player who could actually redefine the team's current trajectory down the middle. Those extremely limited players (Pettersson or Thomas) who can actually put the Kings' categorization up a level or two are leaning towards the 'pipe dream'/'fleece' trade categorization. This isn't an Xbox game.
Holland has stated he has no interest in a rebuild. This suggests the Kings are putting all their chips in, especially given Kopitar's final season.
The situation, however, is getting derailed and exposed by an ill-timed injury. Even before that, Holland was working with peanuts to make lemonade, as the former GM, Rob Blake, hamstrung the team across many areas. For Holland, credit where credit is due: the Panarin move was a stroke of beauty, given the assets sent over for the player, largely influenced by Panarin himself. But has Holland played his full hand?
An overpay for a center not expected, or one expected, is assumed to be looming. However, many doors must open for the right moves to be unlocked, leading to better short and long-term outcomes for the club. Landing a player who has to waive some form of trade clause twice in one season seems like a pretense for a not-so-well-thought-out plan. The reality is that the season was always going to be a stretch, and the organization might have just pulled a muscle.
Waiting and hoping for a game-breaking 1C or high-end 2C to be available in free agency is foolhardy roster planning, given their last five years of franchise navigation. It directly ties into the notion of rebuilding this team. That long-term rebuild Holland is publicly deferring away from the organization will resurface in the offseason in a bad way should the Kings falter, yet again.
Olympics hockey, just like the NHL, doesn't allow for ties.
Canada and Czechia are the latest two nations to embody that, as their quarter-final matchup in the 2026 Winter Olympic games headed to overtime after a back-and-forth affair during regulation.
A late goal from Team Canada's Nick Suzuki tied the matchup at three goals apiece with time ticking down in the third. Now, both squads head to overtime looking to keep their medal hopes alive.
There are differences between NHL rules and Olympic rules on how overtimes and shootouts are conducted. The maximum length of a sudden death overtime depends on the round in which the game is being played. And the shootout format is totally different from the one used by the NHL.
Here's an explainer on how overtimes and shootouts work in Olympic hockey:
Olympic overtime rules
If the teams are tied after 60 minutes in the preliminary round, a five-minute sudden-death overtime will be played at 3-on-3. Unlike the NHL, teams don't change ends for overtime.
Overtime in a playoff game, along with the bronze medal game, lasts a maximum of 10 minutes. It's also 3-on-3, as opposed to 5-on-5 in NHL playoff games.
In the gold medal game, teams play 20-minute 3-on-3 overtime periods, separated by 15-minute intermissions, until someone scores. Teams don't change sides for the first overtime but do for subsequent overtimes.
Olympic shootout rules
If overtime doesn't settle a game outside of the gold medal game, there will be a shootout. The winner of a coin toss gets to choose whether their team shoots first or second.
The format differs from the NHL, with five shooters per team instead of three. If nothing is settled after five rounds, then each round is sudden death as in the NHL. But there's another difference. Olympic teams can use the same shooters multiple times during the sudden death rounds (think back to TJ Oshie in the 2014 Olympics). They also can change goaltenders.
In the sudden death round, the team that shot second in the first five rounds will shoot first. The rounds continue until one team finishes with one more goal than the other. That team is declared the winner.
Only four teams — USA, Canada, Finland and Slovakia — remain in the men’s ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, and several Boston Bruins players still have a chance to win their first ever gold medal.
The United States defeated Sweden in men’s ice hockey at the Olympics for the first time in 60 years Wednesday afternoon to punch its ticket to the semifinal. The Americans earned a 2-1 overtime victory in the quarterfinals with Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes scoring the winning tally 3:27 into the extra period.
Team USA will play Slovakia in the semifinals on Friday. Slovakia beat Germany 6-2 in the quarterfinals Wednesday.
Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy played very well against Sweden. He dished out a few big hits and excelled defensively.
Alexander NEMENOV / AFP via Getty Images
Charlie McAvoy brought toughness to the U.S. team in the semifinals.
Jeremy Swayman is also on the American roster, but likely will be the third-string goalie vs. Slovakia.
Sweden’s loss means Bruins center Elias Lindholm and defenseman Hampus Lindholm will leave Milan without a medal.
The U.S. has not reached the gold medal game in men’s hockey at the Olympics since 2010 when it lost in overtime to Canada in Vancouver. We could get a rematch of that epic clash this year because Canada also advanced to the semifinals Wednesday, although it needed a third-period comeback and an overtime winner to eliminate Bruins right wing David Pastrnak and Czechia.
Montreal Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki scored the tying goal with 3:27 left in regulation and then Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner scored the winning tally 1:22 into overtime to give Canada a 4-3 win. The Canadians, who have won the last two Olympics that featured NHL players (2010 and 2014), will play Finland in the semis on Friday.
There are no Bruins players on Team Canada, but ex-B’s captain Brad Marchand is on the roster. He is seeking his first goal medal.
Finland earned a semifinal berth with a 3-2 comeback win over Switzerland in overtime Wednesday. Bruins defenseman Henri Jokiharju played 6:49 and tallied one shot in Finland’s win. Bruins backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo also has been in the backup netminder role for Finland behind starter Juuse Saros.
Four Bruins players — McAvoy, Swayman, Jokiharju and Korpisalo — still have a chance to win gold at the Olympics. But to accomplish that goal, they will likely have to defeat the heavily favored Canadians.
All eyes remain on the Olympics in Milan, where the men’s hockey tournament shifts into high gear Wednesday with the quarterfinals set to begin. For Ottawa Senators' stars Brady Tkachuk, Jake Sanderson, Tim Stützle and Nikolas Matinpalo, the pursuit of Olympic gold is still very much alive.
But back home in Ottawa, their well-tanned, well-rested Senators teammates are getting back to work.
After scattering during the midseason break, most of them escaping Ottawa’s February chill for a few days in the sun, the Senators returned to the ice Tuesday at Canadian Tire Centre, beginning preparations for the final 25 games of the season.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy agree they'd like to see more actual best on best games within the best on best Olympic hockey tournament.
Ottawa’s last game was on Feb. 5, a 2–1 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. That was the Senators' fifth win in six games, moving them to within six points of the final Wild Card with three teams to jump past.
Except for their Olympians in Milan, the Senators had almost everyone on the ice. David Perron remains out following sports hernia surgery, but head coach Travis Green had some positive news on that front.
Green says the veteran winger has been skating on his own and could be an option for the club’s upcoming western road trip, which begins in Edmonton on March 3. With Perron about to turn 38 in May and in the final year of his contract, it will be interesting to see what the Sens plans are on the March 6 trade deadline.
The Sens are in a stretch of the schedule that sees them play 8 of 9 games on the road. They already have the first three out of the way, winning two. They'll return to action next Thursday (Feb 26) at home against the Detroit Red Wings. Then it's on the road to Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Seattle, and finally, Vancouver.
Senators winger Drake Batherson, probably the best golfer on the team, opted to spend much of his February break back home in Nova Scotia, seeing family, watching the Olympics, and staying sharp by skating with Acadia University's men's hockey team.
Batherson is a player who's also a bigger NHL fan than most and watches a ton of hockey. So naturally, he's been closely monitoring the action in Milan. He says the morning start times work out nicely for him.
"I'm having a few coffees, kicking the feet up and watching some hockey," Batherson said. "So it's been awesome, all the boys have been playing great, so I'm excited for the quarterfinals and see what happens."
As the spotlight continues to shine brightly on Olympic hockey in Milan, the work toward getting back in the playoff race has officially resumed in Ottawa.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
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A day of Winter Olympics men’s hockey quarterfinals comes to a close with two teams made entirely of NHL players: USA vs. Sweden.
It marks Team USA’s first elimination game of the Olympics after going 3-0 in the opening group round and finishing atop Group C. In their last game, they defeated Germany handily, 5-1, thanks in part to captain Auston Matthews‘ three-point night.
Sweden finished third in Group B with a 2-1 record, but a big win in the playoff round propelled them into today’s quarterfinal. Lucas Raymond, Mika Zibanejad and captain Gabriel Landeskog were all on the scoresheet multiple times in the 5-1 win over Latvia.
olympics 2026 men's hockey: what to know
What: United States vs. Sweden (Quarterfinal)
When: Feb. 18, 3:10 p.m. ET
Where: Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena (Milan, Italy)
Channel: NBC
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed that Connor Hellebuyck will start in goal today.
Addressing the media, Sullivan said, “A lot of these players on this team are selected to this team because of this environment and how they’ve shown an ability to thrive.”
The winner of today’s quarterfinal will advance into the Feb. 20 semifinals against an opponent to be determined after the quarterfinals are reseeded.
USA vs. Sweden start time
United States vs. Sweden is scheduled to start at 3:10 p.m. ET today, Feb. 18.
How to watch USA vs. Sweden for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the Olympics live for free.
DIRECTV is our top pick for watching TV live for free — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus every other channel you’ll need for the rest of the Winter Olympics). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.
TRY DIRECTV FOR FREE
You can also catch every minute of the Olympics with a subscription to Peacock, which starts at $10.99/month.
United States and Sweden men’s hockey team rosters
Below, check out the rosters for Team USA and Sweden, along with each player’s NHL team.
United States
Jackson LaCombe (D) – Ducks
Zach Werenski (D) – Blue Jackets
Brock Faber (D) – Wild
Noah Hanifin (D) – Golden Knights
Charlie McAvoy (D) – Bruins
Quinn Hughes (D) – Wild
Jaccob Slavin (D) – Hurricanes
Jake Sanderson (D) – Senators
Brady Tkachuk (F) – Senators
Jack Eichel (F) – Golden Knights
J.T. Miller (F) – Rangers
Matt Boldy (F) – Wild
Vincent Trochek (F) – Rangers
Matthew Tkachuk (F) – Panthers
Dylan Larkin (F) – Red Wings
Brock Nelson (F) – Avalanche
Auston Matthews (F) – Maple Leafs
Jake Guentzel (F) – Lightning
Tage Thompson (F) – Sabres
Kyle Connor (F) – Winnipeg Jets
Jack Hughes (F) – Devils
Clayton Keller (F) – Mammoth
Jeremy Swayman (G) – Bruins
Jake Oettinger (G) – Stars
Connor Hellebuyck (G) – Jets
Sweden
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (D) – Maple Leafs
Rasmus Andersson (D) – Golden Knights
Philip Broberg (D) – Blues
Rasmus Dahlin (D) – Sabres
Hampus Lindholm (D) – Bruins
Gustav Forsling (D) – Panthers
Erik Karlsson (D) – Penguins
Victor Hedman (D) – Lightning
Filip Forsberg (F) – Predators
Alexander Wennberg (F) – Sharks
Joel Eriksson Ek (F) – Wild
Adrian Kempe (F) – Kings
Lucas Raymond (F) – Red Wings
Elias Lindholm (F) – Bruins
Pontus Holmberg (F) – Lightning
Elias Pettersson (F) – Canucks
Jesper Bratt (F) – Devils
Rickard Rakell (F) – Penguins
William Nylander (F) – Maple Leafs
Marcus Johansson (F) – Wild
Gabriel Landeskog (F) – Avalanche
Mika Zibanejad (F) – Rangers
Jacob Markström (G) – Devils
Jesper Wallstedt (G) – Wild
Filip Gustavsson (G) – Wild
When do the Winter Olympics end?
The 2026 Winter Olympics end with the closing ceremony on Feb. 22 at 2:30 p.m. ET.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
One of the San Jose Sharks' top objectives ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline should be to improve their blueline. Adding a right-shot defenseman, in particular, would be beneficial for a Sharks club that is looking to stay in the playoff race.
Now, they are continuing to be connected to one of the NHL's top defenseman trade candidates because of it.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson named the Sharks as a potential landing spot for New York Rangers blueliner Braden Schneider.
"Adding Schneider would give the Sharks a young, physical shutdown defenseman who can log over 20 minutes per game and could fit in well with this rising young roster. Schneider's restricted free agent status would give them a chance to ink him to a long-term deal at a reasonable average annual value," Richardson wrote.
The Sharks being named as a potential trade fit for Schneider is very easy to understand. As Richardson noted, the Sharks have already been linked to Schneider this season. Furthermore, with Schneider being 24 years old, he would be a strong addition to a Sharks club that is focused on both the present and the future.
If the Sharks acquired Schneider, he could slot very nicely in their top four. Furthermore, due to his defense-first style of play, he would be a clear option for the Sharks' penalty kill if acquired.
Ultimately, with Schneider still being young and having good upside, it would make a lot of sense if the Sharks worked hard to acquire him leading up to the deadline. It will be interesting to see if they end up winning the sweepstakes from here.
As the 2026 Winter Olympics resume, NHL teams have slowly begun to return to practice, with the resumption of play beginning on February 25. When the Vancouver Canucks return to play, some members of the team will be on the hunt for some career milestones.
The player closest to his next career milestone is David Kämpf, who has been in Italy representing Team Czechia at the Olympics during the NHL’s break. The centre is one assist away from reaching 100 throughout his career, with his last helper coming during a two-assist game against the Washington Capitals on January 21.
A fellow Olympian this year, Elias Pettersson also has a couple of milestones to be on the lookout for in the coming games. The forward is currently sitting on 198 NHL goals, putting him only two away from the 200 mark. Once he hits 200, he’ll only need to score two more goals to take sole possession of ninth-most goals scored in franchise history. When he does so, he’ll pass Bo Horvat, who recorded 201 in his time with the Canucks. Pettersson can also enter the top-10 in franchise power play points once he records four more, passing Todd Bertuzzi (163).
Representing Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Kevin Lankinen can also hit a milestone with his next two wins. The goaltender currently sits at 32 regular-season wins as a member of the Canucks, putting him at 16th in franchise history. Once he registers two more, he’ll pass Garth Snow (33) and claim sole possession of 15th.
Drew O’Connor is another player who is nearing a career milestone as the forward currently has 96 career NHL points. Four more will put him at 100 throughout his career. With 13 goals and eight assists through 57 games so far this season, O’Connor looks to be on-pace to hit that milestone in the coming games.
This particular record could be set as soon as tonight. Arshdeep Bains tied Linus Karlsson’s record for most career points in franchise history for the Abbotsford Canucks (148) on Monday after recording two assists. One more point will make Bains the sole leader in this stat, with every point he registers after setting a new record. Abbotsford plays the Ontario Reign tonight at 7:00 pm PT.
The Canucks will resume play at home against the Winnipeg Jets on February 25 at 7:00 pm PT. Before that, their Olympic representatives will continue their quests for medals.
Jan 21, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward David Kampf (64) and forward Drew O'Connor (18) and forward Brock Boeser (6) celebrate O’Connor’s goal against the Washington Capitals in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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The Chicago Blackhawks have multiple trade candidates to watch ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. One of them is Jason Dickinson, as the veteran forward is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and certainly has the potential to generate interest from contenders looking for a bottom-six center who can kill penalties.
Now, a few potential suitors have been named for Dickinson.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Scott Powers, Mark Lazerus, and Chris Johnston named the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights as two potential trade fits for Dickinson.
"The Minnesota Wild are looking for a top-six center, but any help down the middle would be welcome. The Vegas Golden Knights could be an interesting destination, as well," Powers, Lazerus, and Johnston wrote.
The Wild being named a potential landing spot for Dickinson is understandable. When looking at their roster, he could fit perfectly as their fourth-line center. That would not be a bad thing for a Minnesota club that is looking to go on a run this spring.
As for the Golden Knights, it is clear that their bottom six could use a boost as well, and Dickinson would have the potential to give them just that. In addition, he would give them another clear option for their penalty kill if acquired.
Ultimately, the Blackhawks have a decision to make with Dickinson. It is fair to wonder if they could look to extend him, as he has been a good veteran mentor for the club's younger players. However, at the same time, the Blackhawks have several promising youngsters in their system, so they could very well move him if they do not see him as a long-term part of their plans.
Once the NHL Olympic trade freeze lifts, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be a team to keep an eye on. With the Penguins exceeding expectations in a big way and currently being second in the Metropolitan Division standings, it would not be surprising if they looked to add to their roster ahead of the deadline.
One area that the Penguins could look to improve is their forward group. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann stands out as a very interesting trade target to consider.
There is no question that the Penguins could use another middle-six forward who provides a bit of everything, and McMann is just that. This is because he is not only a solid goal-scorer, but also provides plenty of physicality. This could make him a good pickup for a Penguins club that looks ready to get back into the playoffs.
McMann is currently impressing this season with the Maple Leafs, as he has recorded 19 goals, 13 assists, 32 points, and 126 hits in 56 games. This is after he had 20 goals, 34 points, and 134 hits in 73 games this past season with Toronto. With numbers like these, he would be a great addition to a Penguins club that could use a bit more secondary scoring.
McMann is also a player whom Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas knows well, as he signed the 29-year-old forward back when he was GM of the Maple Leafs. Dubas has shown that he is not afraid to reunite with his former players.
Overall, with the Penguins needing another forward, McMann is an option worth considering. This is especially so if acquiring him came with a contract extension
On Tuesday, the Montreal Canadiens resumed practice at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard, but not all players were present and accounted for. Of course, the team’s four Olympians, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Oliver Kapanen, and Alexandre Texier, were absent, but there was another player missing: Patrik Laine.
Shortly after practice began, the Canadiens reported that the player was dealing with a lower-body injury that would be evaluated daily. That raised more than a few eyebrows for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because the big Finn took part in an impromptu practice with his teammates the day before and looked just fine, and secondly, because the injury which forced him to miss months of action and from which he hadn’t been cleared before the Olympics was not a lower-body injury, but a core muscle one.
When the Canadiens’ communications department was asked whether Laine was injured during yesterday's training, they said they did not know. The sniper has been talked about at length recently as trade rumours swirl around, and finding a place for him in the lineup if and when he is cleared to play will be a challenging endeavour for Martin St-Louis. There’s a trade freeze in the NHL right now, but it expires on February 22 at 11:59 PM ET. Some are wondering whether his absence isn’t just a sign that a trade is in place, which will be officialised when the calendar turns to February 23. It looks like we’re in for a bit of a waiting game.
Meanwhile, Alex Newhook joined his teammates at practice for the first time in three months after fracturing his ankle. Although he wore a non-contact jersey, it indicates he has made significant progress in his recovery. When he is ready to return, it will be interesting to see what kind of impact he will have on the Canadiens’ lineup. Could he go back to the second line with Slafkovsky going back to the first line after his great performance at the Olympics? Where does Kirby Dach land if that’s the case? And Texier? Who comes out of the lineup? Joe Veleno? Brendan Gallagher?
While there are still eight days left until the Canadiens play their next game against the New York Islanders, it doesn’t look like we’ll be short of discussion topics.
It's uncommon for swaps of minor-league prospects to amount to anything meaningful in the NHL, but the Philadelphia Flyers and Christian Kyrou have turned out to be perfect fits for one another.
The Flyers traded for Kyrou, 22, in an Oct. 30 deal that sent winger Samu Tuomaala the other way to the Dallas Stars, and since then, it's been clear who the winner of that trade was.
In 37 AHL games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Kyrou has erupted for seven goals, 18 assists, and 25 points from the blueline, easily surpassing his previous career-high of 23 points in 57 games with the Texas Stars in 2023-24 with plenty of hockey left to spare.
With an AHL All-Star appearance now under Kyrou's belt in place of Denver Barkey, who made his leap to the NHL official, the rest, as they say, is history.
"Once I got traded, I just stopped worrying so much about what the coach thinks or what anybody thinks. Just trust playing my game," Kyrou told The Hockey News's Frank Zawrazky at the AHL All-Star Classic in Rockford, Illinois. "No stress, just trust my teammates."
The 5-foot-11 rearguard has taken full advantage of the fresh start given to him, leapfrogging the likes of Ethan Samson (later traded for Roman Schmidt) and Helge Grans and assuming the role of No. 1 power play quarterback on the Phantoms.
Schmidt and Maxence Guenette, who were both in-season trade acquisitions themselves, have not been enough to slow Kyrou's offensive production down and reduce his role on the team.
For the Flyers, that's a good problem to have going forward.
"He's been really good and better than expected. We didn't have a power play QB after [Emil Andrae] left and he came in, took charge of it," Flyers GM Danny Briere told The Hockey News of Kyrou.
"Like any young defender, he has to learn when and where to take chances with the puck and learn how to physically defend versus bigger and stronger forwards. Overall, a great addition to our group."
The coming months have a lot riding them, as the undersized Kyrou is a pending RFA for a Flyers organization that already has quite a few established defenders on the smaller side, including Andrae, Cam York, and Jamie Drysdale.
Andrae and Drysdale, of course, are pending RFAs themselves.
Alexander NEMENOV / AFP via Getty Images
