The St. Louis Blues announced during their 3-0 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday they signed defenseman Logan Mailloux to a one-year, one-way contract extension for $850,000.
Mailloux, 22, is in his first season with the Blues after being acquired from the Montreal Canadiens on July 1, 2025 for forward Zack Bolduc.
Mailloux (6-foot-3, 212 pounds) has played in 32 games this season and has two points (one goal, one assist).
Mailloux played 14:55 on Tuesday but played a season-high 20:01 on Saturday in a 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, mostly due to the departure of Philip Broberg from that game that forced the Blues to play with five defensemen for the majority of the game.
"When I look at a guy like Mailloux, I thought last game might have been his best game of the year, poised with the puck, carrying of the puck and he got into a rhythm of the game because he played more minutes because of Broberg's unfortunate fall," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. "... With all young players, the more ice time they get, the more comfortable they feel. It's true at every level. That being said, at this level, it's hard to earn more ice time. You have to earn it, because to earn more ice time without injuries, you're supplanting someone's minutes. That's an earned reward sat this level."
Overall, the Belle River, Ontario native has seven points (three goals, four assists) in 40 NHL regular-season games. Mailloux was originally drafted by the Canadiens in the first round (No. 31) of the 2021 NHL Draft.
"Some players come into the league, just like [Jimmy] Snuggerud did last year and boom, he assimilates it," Montgomery said. "And when we look at Snuggerud this year, it's been an adjustment because he's getting used to traveling in time zones, playing in different times zones, coming back, your maintenance, your recovery level, how do you recover at this level. Yeah, we fly in private jets, we stay in great hotels, but in college, he never gets out in his time zone except five games out of 36 a year, and you're seeing the same thing with [Otto] Stenberg, Dalibor Dvorsky and Mailloux. They're used to Eastern time zone in the American (Hockey) League the whole time. Now, they're balancing it. They're playing on Monday's, they're playing on Tuesday's, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday."
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It was Roman Josi that delivered in the clutch again, scoring the game winner for a second straight game.
Tuesday, the Predators captain scored from a wide angle in overtime as the Nashville Predators defeated the Edmonton Oilers, 4-3, at Bridgestone Arena.
In addition to his game-winner, Josi had the game-tying goal in the third period, recording five points in two games. Steven Stamkos netted his 20th goal of the season and 602nd of his career, passing Jari Kurri for 21st on the all-time scoring list.
Erik Haula also found the back of the net in the second period.
Juuse Saros picked up his 18th win of the season, making 28 saves on 31 shots.
Here are three takeaways from the Predators thrilling victory over the Oilers.
Setting the tone
Jan 13, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (25) and Nashville Predators right wing Michael McCarron (47) exchange punches during the first period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
The last matchup between the Predators and Oilers was a 6-2 drubbing in Edmonton a week ago. Rematching on Tuesday, Nashville wanted to set the tone early.
Three seconds into the game, Michael McCarron dropped the gloves with Darnell Nurse, the fourth time the pair have squared off, dating all the way back to juniors. McCarron got the best of him and quickly swung momentum in the Predators' favor.
"He (Nurse) challenged me, and I gave him one," McCarron said. "Not only for myself, but for a team, as well, it's a huge thing to show that we're here to play, and if I back down there, maybe their whole bench thinks that we're not here ready to play."
Right after the fight, Cole Smith got a great shot on net that nearly went in, all within the first minute of the game.
A little under three minutes into the game, Michael Bunting broke out the puck and swung a pass back to Stamkos in the high slot. Unable to find the open man, Stamkos let a shot go that went into the net.
It was the first time in 11 games that the Predators had not given up the first goal of the game.
"He (McCarron) got them (Predators) going, and our team fed off of it, and we got the lead," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. Credit to Big Mac."
Josi's hot streak continues
Roman Josi speaks to media following the Nashville Predators 4-3 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 13, 2025 at Bridgestone Arena. Jack Williams/The Hockey News
It was a similar conversation to Sunday, when Josi recorded three points, including the game winner, against the Washington Capitals. Josi's presence on the team is massive, and the offensive element to his game is starting to flare up.
Josi scored off a slap shot to tie things just beyond the halfway point of the third period. Brunette went as far as saying that the goal was more important than Josi's game-winner.
"As much as the overtime goal was big for us, the goal to make it 3-3 when we lost the momentum was arguably the play of the game," Brunette said. "It was a heck of a shot."
In overtime, Ryan O'Reilly lifted the puck into the neutral zone to get it in front of a streaking Josi. Tristian Jarry poked it away from Josi, but there wasn't enough momentum on the push to move the puck as it stopped in the left part of the slot.
Brady Skeji skated to it, and instead of shooting it, he made a pass to Josi in the left corner. He let a quick shot go that found the back of the net.
"I was a little nervous and it was tight (window)," Josi said. "I was tired and I didn't want to go back again. Skjeiy made a good play and I'm glad it went in."
Limiting McDavid, Draisaitl
Jan 13, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) skates past Nashville Predators left wing Cole Smith (36) and left wing Reid Schaefer (49) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
While the Predators were able to limit Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they couldn't keep them off the board.
Draisaitl had three points (a goal and two assists), and now has 49 points (27 goals and 22 assists) in his last 19 games played against the Predators. McDavid had two assists, extending his point streak to 20 games.
Edmonton also executed on two of its four power plays on the night. McCarron even admitted that the Predators have struggled to figure out Edmonton's power play all season.
"They've (Edmonton) taken it to us over the past few years, as you guys know, who've been here, they seem to always play really, really good against us," McCarron said. "Their power play was awesome again tonight. We'll eventually learn how to play that power."
However, the Predators were able to shut down the Oilers' two superstars when it mattered most: 3-on-3 overtime.
With two defensemen on the ice, Nashville was able to overcome one of the biggest thorns in its side and pick up a massive win, closing out a homestand.
"The players they have are going to get their chances, but I felt like most stretches we played them well," Josi said. "McDavid had two points, so I guess that's a good night to keep him to two. It was a good win."
Up next: Nashville Predators (22-20-4, 5th Central) at Colorado Avalanche (33-4-8, 1st Central) on Friday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. CST at Ball Arena.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Adam Lowry and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist, and the Winnipeg Jets beat the New York Islanders 5-4 on Tuesday night.
Dylan DeMelo, Jonathan Toews and Josh Morrissey also scored for Winnipeg in its third straight win. Connor Hellebuyck finished with 23 saves.
Kyle MacLean, Emil Heineman, Anthony Duclair and Matthew Schaefer scored for the Islanders, who fell to 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. Ilya Sorokin finished with 17 saves.
DeMelo gave the Jets a 4-3 lead with 7:37 remaining in the second period as he scored on a screened shot from the blue line.
Lowry made it a two-goal lead with 20 seconds to go in the middle period as he deflected Neal Pionk’s point shot past Sorokin.
Schaefer scored with 46 seconds left in the third and the goalie pulled to get the Islanders within one.
Connor opened the scoring 4:20 into the game. After Alex Iafallo deflected Scheifele’s shot from the middle of the point, Connor pounced on the rebound and swept it past Sorokin.
Morrissey upped the lead to 2-0 at 5:41 of the second, with a shot through traffic.
Just 42 seconds later, Toews scored on the power play for a three-goal lead, slipping the rebound of Gabe Vilardi’s shot past Sorokin.
The Islanders then scored three times in 2:41 to tie it midway through the period.
Duclair converted a backward pass from the corner by Anders Lee at 7:40 to get New York on the scoreboard. Heineman then scored on a penalty shot to pull the Isles within one at 8:58. MacLean tied it from in front off a pass from Casey Cizikas with 9:39 left.
Up next
Islanders: At Edmonton on Thursday night in the fourth of a seven-game trip.
The four-game winning streak for the Detroit Red Wings was halted on Tuesday evening against a longtime Original Six rival.
The Boston Bruins broke what was a scoreless tie midway through the second period, and added another pair of goals in the third period en route to a 3-0 win over the Red Wings at TD Garden, in which they had a decided 40-24 advantage in total shots.
It was the second game in 24 hours for the Red Wings, who defeated the Carolina Hurricanes by a 4-3 final score in overtime on Monday evening, during which the iconic No. 91 jersey number of Sergei Fedorov was officially retired.
Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman was sharp when he needed to be, stopping all 24 shots he faced from the Red Wings for his first shutout of the season. Meanwhile, Cam Talbot had a strong game of his own with 38 saves.
The Red Wings were a bit sluggish to start Tuesday's game, finding themselves outshot by a wide margin early on before eventually catching up by the end of the first period.
Midway through the second, Pavel Zacha broke the ice with his 14th goal of the season, giving Boston the 1-0 lead. They doubled the lead early in the third after Fraser Minten was left all alone at the side of the net and had an easy tap-in goal after taking a pass from Charlie McAvoy.
Just seconds after Dylan Larkin fired a shot off the post and with Talbot on the bench for an extra attacker late in regulation, the Bruins sealed the victory with an empty-net tally from Mark Kastelic.
With Detroit's regulation loss combined with the 11th straight victory by the Tampa Bay Lightning, it's the latter who now have a one-point lead for first place in the Atlantic Division.
The Red Wings will return home for two straight games, starting on Friday evening against the San Jose Sharks followed by late Sunday afternoon against the Ottawa Senators.
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In a recent article for Daily Faceoff, Anthony Di Marco reported that the Philadelphia Flyers are considering potential replacement options for Sam Ersson. This comes with Ersson in the middle of a tough 2025-26 season with the Flyers, as he has recorded a 6-6-4 record, a 3.33 goals-against average, and a .858 save percentage in 16 games.
Di Marco then reported that he heard from a source that the Flyers would be open to the possibility of acquiring Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon, who has been the subject of trade speculation this season.
"The Sabres, who have been the league’s hottest team since their GM change, had been dealing with a three-goaltender rotation for the majority of the season. The source I spoke with did not seem to have too much interest in Ellis based on his lack of NHL experience but was open to the idea of Lyon – at the right price," Di Marco wrote.
Hearing that the Flyers would be open to bringing in Lyon is not necessarily surprising. It is no secret that the Flyers could use a boost between the pipes, and the 33-year-old would have the potential to provide them with just that if acquired.
Lyon is in the middle of a strong season with the Sabres, as he has recorded a 10-6-3 record, a .906 save percentage, and a 2.82 goals-against average in 21 games. With numbers like these, he would give the Flyers a bit of an upgrade over Ersson.
Yet, at the same time, the Sabres might be wise to hold onto Lyon rather than trading him. The Sabres are currently in the playoff race due to their excellent play as of late, and Lyon has proven to be a strong addition to their roster this campaign.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what the Sabres end up doing once we get to the 2026 NHL trade deadline.
The St. Louis Blues have announced that they have signed former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Logan Mailloux to a one-year, $850,000 contract extension.
Mailloux is currently in his first season with the Blues, as the Canadiens traded him to St. Louis this past off-season in exchange for forward Zack Bolduc. Now, with this new deal, Mailloux will be sticking with the Blues for at least another season.
While Mailloux has landed a contract extension with the Blues, it is fair to say that the start of his tenure in St. Louis has been rocky. In 31 games with the Blues so far this campaign, the former Canadiens prospect has recorded one goal, one assist, and a minus-21 rating.
Mailloux has also played in five games with the Blues' AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, this season, where he has scored two goals.
The Blues are hoping that Mailloux will become a key part of their blueline in the future, as the 22-year-old defenseman has good to upside.
The Canadiens selected Mailloux with the 31st overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In eight games over two seasons with the Canadiens from 2023-24 to 2024-25, Mailloux posted two goals, three assists, and five points.
Mailloux also played in 135 games over two seasons with the Laval Rocket, where he had 26 goals and 80 points.
The Buffalo Sabres 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday was another in a recent string of third period letdowns, but unlike the previous three, the Sabres did not hold a sizable lead and could not erase a two-goal deficit in the waning moments of regulation.
The Sabres practiced at KeyBank Center on Tuesday, in advance of a rare back-to-back games at home against Philadelphia and Montreal. Head coach Lindy Ruff spoke to the media after practice, in which he updated the injury status of a few players.
How did (injured blueliner) Michael Kesselring look?
He looked like he had a real good day. I haven't had any post practice (contact), but just evaluating his skating and some of that extra work we gave him, I thought this is the best he's looked and the hardest he's been able to go. We ran a couple competitive small ice drills, and it looked like he got through them ok. I don't know about (him playing) tomorrow, but I think he's real close.
Why did Josh Dunne not take part in practice?
(Dunne) is being evaluated by the doctors, so he there's a chance he could miss some time.....It's been something that has been bothering him a little bit. So he went to have it evaluated this morning, and the initial (report is) it looks like he might miss a little bit of time.
Are you closely monitoring the heavy minutes of the top-four defensemen with the compressed schedule??
I think that's part of the reason. You try to give those extra off days, but I can guarantee if you asked any of those four defensemen, they relish the opportunity to play those minutes. I think we do have to be mindful, when you play back to back and that next day, you got to make sure they get the rest, because of a lot of hockey coming up. I think the minutes may get dispersed a little better, if Kesselring's back in, (and if)you look at it, Bryson and Metsa have done a good job too.
The NHL and the Buffalo Sabres announced on Monday what was widely reported late last week, that Buffalo will serve as host for the 2026 NHL Draft. The annual event will be the fourth to be held in the Queen City, which NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman pointed out is second only to Montreal in the drafts 63-year history.
"This is a place where hockey really matters. Great fans, great history and tradition. Hockey at all levels in the game, grassroots on up, and people have always supported and been enthusiastic about hockey, particularly the team is as competitive as this one looks,” Bettman said in a press availability prior to the Sabres game against Florida. “It's an exciting opportunity to bring it back.”
The last draft was in 2016, when the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Auston Matthews with the first overall selection, but the upcoming draft will be decentralized as last year’s in Los Angeles was, with hopefully some improvements to make it less time consuming.
"Since it was the first time we were decentralizing, we wanted to try some things out and be new and different than you see perhaps in other drafts,” Bettman said. “I think the first round may have been a bit over produced, and so we learned some things work and some things didn't work. And so I think we're going to look to streamline it, but at the same time, we'll try some new things to be innovative and creative."
In Sabres news, the club announced the hiring of Stacy Roest as a pro scout. The 51-year-old served as an assistant to current Sabres associate GM Marc Bergevin as Team Canada’s GM at the Spengler Cup, and spent 11 seasons as Director of Player Development for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and in 2020 was promoted to an Asst. GM and handed GM duties for the Lightning’s AHL affiliate in Syracuse.
The Ottawa Senators are back in action on Tuesday night at Canadian Tire Centre, trying to snap a four-game losing slide and begin the long climb back to relevance in the Eastern Conference playoff chase.
And if the Senators cannot pull points away from the visiting Vancouver Canucks, the last-place team in the entire NHL, losers of four straight games, recently trading away their captain, and in game two of a back-to-back situation, then we'll be getting awfully close to waving the white flag on this season.
Ottawa enters the night at 20-19-5, sitting seven points (and seven teams) out of a wild card spot, tied for last in the East with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who just fired their head coach this week.
Jack Richardson discusses goaltending in Ottawa, which has gotten even worse since Linus Ullmark stepped away over the holidays.
Vancouver is in even worse shape at 16-24-5, the very worst record in the league.
That makes this more than just another January game. For the Senators, it almost feels like a final chance to stop the slide before it turns into something much bigger.
Goaltending still the biggest question mark
The Senators’ biggest problem all season has been inconsistent goaltending, so management made a move Monday by officially signing 37-year-old free agent James Reimer. Reimer won’t dress tonight, but he is expected to be available at some point this week.
For now, the crease still belongs to Leevi Meriläinen, who will start against Vancouver, with Hunter Shepard backing him up. Ottawa is still waiting on Linus Ullmark, who remains on personal leave, but the team is hopeful he can return soon.
Sens-Canucks Trade talk?
This game also comes with a heavy layer of trade intrigue.
Senators general manager Steve Staios was in Montreal Monday night watching Vancouver’s 6–3 loss to the Canadiens, which raised more than a few eyebrows. With the Canucks sitting dead last in the NHL and already having moved star defenceman Quinn Hughes, they are clearly in sell mode.
Two Vancouver blue-liners stand out:
Filip Hronek and Tyler Myers.
With Hughes gone, Hronek now leads all Canucks skaters in ice time at over 24 minutes per night, while Myers plays more than 20 minutes a game. Hronek is signed for $7.25 million for the next four-and-a-half years. Myers has one-and-a-half years left at $3 million. Both have no-movement clauses, but when you’re on the worst team in the league, players tend to be more open to change.
On TSN 1200 on Tuesday, Darren Dreger also mentioned Kiefer Sherwood as a possible target. The 30-year-old forward has 17 goals this season and is on an expiring contract.
All of that makes Tuesday night feel like not just a must-win, but a bit like a scouting mission for the Sens.
Ottawa is usually competitive in its losses, including a 3–2 defeat to Florida on Saturday, but the silver linings playbook needs to close. Moral victories are worthless, especially at home against a tired, 32nd-ranked team that's in sell-off mode.
The Sens need wins, and they need them now.
Projected Lineups
Canucks (16-24-5)
Jake DeBrusk — Elias Pettersson — Linus Karlsson
Conor Garland — David Kampf — Brock Boeser
Liam Ohgren — Max Sasson — Drew O’Connor
Evander Kane — Aatu Raty — Nils Hoglander
Tom Willander — Filip Hronek
Zeev Buium — Tyler Myers
Marcus Pettersson — Victor Mancini
Kevin Lankinen
Nikita Tolopilo
Scratched: Arshdeep Bains, P.O. Joseph
Injured: Thatcher Demko, Kiefer Sherwood, Marco Rossi, Filip Chytil, Teddy Blueger, Derek Forbort
Senators (20-19-5)
Fabian Zetterlund — Tim Stützle — Drake Batherson
Brady Tkachuk — Dylan Cozens — Claude Giroux Ridly Greig — Shane Pinto — Michael Amadio
Nick Cousins — Lars Eller — David Perron
Jake Sanderson — Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot — Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven — Jordan Spence
Leevi Meriläinen
Hunter Shepard
Scratched: Kurtis MacDermid, Nikolas Matinpalo, James Reimer
Injured: None
Final word
There will be plenty of talk about trades and the future, but Tuesday night comes down to one simple thing: a victory. The Sens are facing the worst team in hockey, at home, against a tired opponent. If they can’t get it done here, the long climb back to the playoff race may never even begin.
Steve Warne The Hockey News - Ottawa
This story is from The Hockey News Ottawa. You can visit the site here or click on one of their latest articles below:
The Ottawa Senators finally made the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season after an 8-year drought, and coming into 2025-26, the expectations were reasonable: make it again, and maybe make some noise.
But just over halfway through the season, the Senators need to defy the odds to return to the playoffs, a position nobody in the organization could have possibly expected to be in.
And the team’s President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Steve Staios has to wear it, marking the first time this front office has faced adversity from its own missteps.
The whole season hasn’t been a disaster. Around the quarter mark, the Senators were right in the mix, sitting top-3 in the Atlantic division, most of which was accomplished without star forward Brady Tkachuk while he recovered from a thumb injury.
THN Ottawa's Jack Richardson says GM Steve Staios bears responsibility for this season's goaltending issues.
However, a record of 8-12-1 since the captain’s return has the Senators tied for last place in the Eastern Conference and 7 points out of a wildcard spot, with six other teams ahead of them.
Typically, in such a disappointing season, the coach is the first one under the microscope. But Travis Green is in a unique position because the results under the hood are very impressive in his 2nd year with the Senators.
In other words, no team in the league makes life easier for their goaltenders than the Senators do, yet the club is dead last in the NHL in team save percentage at .868.
The issue for the Senators is goaltending, and it’s been so bad that trying to point blame at any other area of their game for this disappointing season is foolish.
That is why Staios is getting scrutinized.
Coming into the season, addressing the crease was not a priority for the Senators. They let Anton Forsberg go in free agency, putting faith in a tandem of Linus Ullmark and Leevi Meriläinen, which has proven to be a colossal mistake.
Forsberg has a respectable .901 save percentage for the Kings, right where he was last season, which was deemed expendable by the Senators’ front office.
It’s notable when a Senators goaltender provides a .900 save percentage or better this season. That’s not good.
Let’s start with Ullmark. He was acquired from the Boston Bruins for a package that included a 1st round pick, one of Staios’ biggest trades as GM. The 32-year-old is in the first season of a 4-year deal that pays him $8.25M per season, the biggest contract Staios has signed to date.
The Senators are all-in on Ullmark, so his results will reflect on this front office. To be blunt, he is having a bad second season in Ottawa through 28 starts.
Ullmark has a -18.3 Goals Saved Above Expected, ranked 2nd last in the NHL this season, according to Moneypuck.
He did seem to be turning his game around before taking a personal leave of absence on Dec. 28th. He had a .908 save percentage in 8 games from Dec. 1 - Dec. 24 with a record of 5-2-1.
Meriläinen has not been any better, especially in Ullmark’s absence, and that’s the biggest knock on Staios. The 23-year-old has a .866 save percentage in 17 games this season.
Meriläinen burst onto the scene a year ago, when Ullmark and Forsberg each went down with an injury. He had a record of 8-3-1 with a .925 and 3 shutouts. Meriläinen’s performance was remarkable, but he’s taken such a significant step back this season that it’s now hard to analyze what the Senators have on their hands.
The way they handled his development feels uncharacteristic for this front office.
23-year-old forward Stephen Halliday had a stint in Ottawa this season with extremely sheltered minutes, and barely got a look in any offensive situations before being returned to Belleville. Top prospect Carter Yakemchuk played well enough in each of his first two training camps to get a look in the NHL, but was sent to junior last year and Belleville this year to develop his defensive game.
Yet Meriläinen was handed a backup role because there was nobody else to push him in camp, which is where his troubled season started.
In what can only be categorized as a desperation move, Staios signed 37-year-old James Reimer last week to help stop the bleeding in Ottawa. When Ullmark returns, Reimer will likely back him up for the rest of the season, and Meriläinen will mercifully be sent to Belleville to find his game.
The Senators need to salvage the season, because they are in danger of missing the playoffs in a year they don’t own a 1st round pick in the draft.
To be fair, not having a pick this season isn't on Staios. Former GM Pierre Dorion is to blame, as the Senators were ruthlessly punished by the NHL for his blunder while trading away Evgeny Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Senators had to forfeit their pick in either 2024, 2025 or 2026 - and Staios chose to keep 2024’s at 7th overall, selecting Yakemchuk, and then keep 2025’s to trade back and select Logan Hensler at 23rd overall.
The choice to continue deferring was likely made on the assumption that the Senators would progress this season, but as it stands right now, they have regressed.
If the season ended today, the Senators would have the 9th-best odds to win the Draft Lottery and pick 1st overall based on points percentage.
Coupled with a tumultuous week off the ice where he released a strongly worded statement discrediting online rumours about his players, Staios has been busy trying to keep the Senators from tailspinning out of control.
With the season in the balance, the pressure has never been higher on the first-time GM in Ottawa.
Jack Richardson The Hockey News- Ottawa
This story is from The Hockey News Ottawa. You can visit the site here or click on one of their latest articles below:
The Vancouver Canucks are 45 games into the 2025–26 NHL season. The Canucks have yet to win their first game of 2026, as they are currently riding a seven-game losing streak. Their last win came against the Seattle Kraken on December 29, with their first regulation win coming against the New York Islanders on December 19. Here’s how the Canucks stack up to the rest of the NHL 45 games into the season.
Team Stats
Vancouver Canucks team stats 45 games into 2025-26.
While they had previously registered a couple of stats within the top-half of the NHL, at the 45-game mark, Vancouver currently ranks within the bottom-half in all the listed categories. Their highest-placed listed team stat is their power play, which ranks 18th in the NHL with a success rate of 19.7%. Everything else places below the top-20, with their penalty kill (72.7%, t-30th), goals-against (163, 31st), points-percentage (0.411%, 32nd), and record (16–24–5, 32nd) all placing within the bottom-three in the league.
Individual Skaters
Vancouver Canucks individual skater stats 45 games into 2025-26.
Vancouver’s offensive woes this season are summed up pretty well in how their individual skater stats compare to the rest of the NHL. Their team points leaders, Elias Pettersson (12G, 15A) and Filip Hronek (3G, 24A), are tied for 135th in the league in total points scored this season. For reference, the current highest point total on the season belongs to Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche who has 36 goals and 45 assists. Maintaining their places at the top of the league are Hronek with overall TOI (1104:58, 11th) and Kiefer Sherwood with hits (210, 2nd).
Goaltenders
Vancouver Canucks goaltending stats 45 games into 2025-26.
Canucks goaltenders Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen have maintained their team-leading stats in goaltending for the third consecutive segment of this check-in article. Demko has once again held the team lead in SV% (0.895%, t-37), GAA (2.90, t-36), wins (8, t-41), and high-danger SV% (.803%, 37th). On the other hand, Lankinen holds the team records in overall minutes played (1272:15, 29th), shots faced (611, 19th), and high-danger shots faced (185, t-22). With Demko once again out for an undetermined period of time, Lankinen will have to continue carrying a fair chunk of the weight for his team.
The Canucks will return to Vancouver throughout the next five-game span, but not before taking on the Ottawa Senators in the second-half of their current back-to-back tonight. They’ll face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday for the final game of their road trip before heading back to Rogers Arena for a Saturday night matchup against the Edmonton Oilers. To round out this upcoming five-game stretch, the Canucks will face the New York Islanders on January 19 and the Washington Capitals on January 21.
Jan 12, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Vancouver Canucks center Max Sasson (63) celebrates with his teammates at the bench his goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Former New York Islanders forward Matt Martin, who is currently the special assistant to general manager Mathieu Darche, will be inducted into the Sarnia Sting's team Hall of Fame on Feb. 27 ahead of their game against the Barrie Colts.
A Sting legend is heading to the Sarnia Sting Hall of Fame presented by All Seasons Trophies & Signs 🏒
We’re proud to announce Matt Martin as the newest member of the Sarnia Sting Hall of Fame.
Martin, who retired from the NHL after 987 games over 16 years following the 2024-25 season, was not selected in the CHL Draft. He walked on with Sarnia ahead of the 2006-07 season.
After just three goals and three assists through his first 39 OHL games, the Windsor, Ontario native scored 5 goals with 13 assists for 38 points in 66 games during the 2007-08 season. He was drafted 148th overall by the Islanders at the 2008 NHL Draft.
In his third and final campaign with Sarnia, Martin exploded, scoring 35 goals with 30 assists for 65 points in 61 games. He then joined the Islanders' organization.
Over 166 games with Sarnia, Martin totaled 60 goals with 43 assists for 103 points, with 349 penalty minutes.
Sarnai made the playoffs in each season Martin was on the roster. In 18 career OHL playoff games, Martin recorded six goals and three assists for nine points.
What will be cool about the induction ceremony is that Sarnia will be playing an Islanders' prospect, 19-year-old defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson, who was selected 17th overall at the 2025 NHL Draft.
The Calgary Flames have placed forward Martin Pospisil on the long-term injury list and assigned him to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers on a conditioning loan, marking a significant step in his return-to-play process.
Pospisil has yet to appear in a game for the Flames this season, and until recently, it remained uncertain whether he would return at all. Given his history with concussions, the organization has continued to take a cautious, measured approach with the 26-year-old forward, as timelines surrounding similar injuries can often be unpredictable.
The conditioning stint suggests Pospisil is progressing toward game readiness, allowing him to ease back into competition in a controlled environment. While the Flames have not indicated when — or if — he could rejoin the NHL roster, the move itself is a positive signal after an extended absence.
There may also be international implications. Team Slovakia general manager Miroslav Šatan recently hinted at the possibility of Pospisil being part of Slovakia’s roster for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. The timing of this assignment could indicate that both the player and the Flames are preparing him for potential Olympic participation later this season.
Selected by Calgary in the fourth round (105th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft. Over 144 NHL games across two seasons, he has recorded 12 goals and 49 points while playing an energetic, physical style that has resulted in 193 penalty minutes. He also finished last season with a plus-14 rating, highlighting his effectiveness at five-on-five.
For now, the focus remains on health and gradual reintegration. How Pospisil responds during his time with the Wranglers will go a long way in determining his NHL future — and potentially his availability on the international stage later this winter.
On Friday morning, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Carolina Hurricanes are open to dealing center Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
In Friedman's blog, he shared that Kotkaniemi has already been pitched in trades that ultimately went in the other direction.
The Hurricanes were in on ex-Vancouver Canucks D-man Quinn Hughes, who was moved to the Minnesota Wild. Kotkaniemi was mentioned in that deal.
Furthermore, when the Los Angeles Kings were in the process of trading away Phillip Danault, Carolina was involved in that discussion, with Kotkaniemi on the table. However, Danault was traded to the Montreal Canadiens instead, in exchange for a second-round pick.
The connection can be made with the Kings who dealt a center in the Danault and picked up another, younger center in Kotkaniemi. However, that doesn't mean it's a great idea.
After this season, Kotkaniemi still has another four years on his current contract. His deal pays him $4.82 million in average annual value in what was inked as an eight-year ticket.
That price wouldn't be so hefty if the 25-year-old contributed at a sufficient level. But with the Hurricanes this season, he only has two goals and six points to show for it.
As a result, he's been demoted to the fourth line this year, and hasn't scored a goal in 14 games.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
An indication of how poor and disappointing Kotkaniemi has been as of late would be the lack of representation he's had for Finland.
He was left off the Olympic roster for the upcoming tournament in February, and wasn't even included on Finland's 4 Nations Face-Off roster either.
Not only does acquiring Kotkaniemi not make sense for the Kings from a quality and performance standpoint, but there also isn't a true spot in the lineup for Carolina's center.
With Danault in Montreal, Kings center Alex Turcotte has been given an elevated role, moving from the fourth line to the third line. Bringing in Kotkaniemi would just complicate Turcotte's role once again.
There isn't much more time in Turcotte's development as a young player. Turning 25 years old in February, he could use all the opportunities he can get in order to blossom as an effective NHL player, and the Kings organization should roll with that.
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The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that defenseman Adam Ginning has been loaned back out to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Flyers announce that Adam Ginning has been loaned back to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Interesting move after Tocchet said today that Jamie Drysdale was a "possibility" to come back to the lineup on Wednesday.
Ginning was recalled to the Flyers on Jan. 9 after Jamie Drysdale was placed on Injury Reserve retroactive to Jan. 6, after suffering a brutal hit from Anaheim Ducks forward Ross Johnston that caused Drysdale to exit the game early with an upper-body injury.
Recently, though, Drysdale has been participating in practices and morning skates in a non-contact jersey, and updates from Rick Tocchet suggested that the 23-year-old was moving in a positive direction regarding his recovery.
On Tuesday, when asked if Drysdale and Bobby Brink (who also left the Anaheim game early with an upper-body injury) would be available for the Flyers' game against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 14, Tocchet said that both players would be a "possibility."
Through 41 games played in the 2025-26 season, Drysdale has recorded 18 points (3G, 15A) and had been showing significant improvements in several aspect of his game, most notably his five-on-five play.
"I think he's a big loss sometimes, when things get a little hectic going on there," Tocchet said of Drysdale on Tuesday. "He does settle things down."
The Flyers are heading into a back-to-back on the road, against the Sabres on Jan. 14 and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 15.
