More information is now available about why Vancouver Canucks winger Filip Chytil did not finish Monday night's game. According to Head Coach Adam Foote, the 26-year-old left after the second period due to "migraines he has dealt with in the past that flared up the last couple of games". Foote also said that Chytil is unlikely to play in Vancouver's final game before the 2026 Winter Olympics on Wednesday.
Post-game on Monday, there was some confusion about what exactly happened to Chytil. Foote said he "tweaked something", but followed it up with "I hope not" when asked if the injury was to the head. Chytil only played 7:36 in the game, with his last shift ending with 3:55 left in the second period.
Chytil only recently returned after missing three months with a head injury. He has played six games, which included Monday's loss to the Utah Mammoth. In the six games since he returned, Chytil has zero points and nine shots on goal while averaging 14:23 per night.
Jan 27, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Filip Chytil (72) skates in warm up prior to a game against the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The Canucks wrap up their pre-Olympic schedule on Wednesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Vancouver has yet to play Vegas this season. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
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Though everything seems to be going wrong for the Philadelphia Flyers at the moment, one of their most recent trade acquisitions has quietly been a bright spot who continues to shine.
On Tuesday afternoon, the AHL announced that Lehigh Valley Phantoms defenseman Christian Kyrou, acquired by the Flyers in an Oct. 30 trade that sent winger Samu Tuomaala to the Dallas Stars, has been added to the 2026 AHL All-Star roster.
Because he is remaining with the Flyers at the NHL level through the Olympic break, forward Denver Barkey will be unable to participate, so Kyrou will be representing the organization instead.
Kyrou, 22, already has seven goals, 17 assists, and 24 points in just 34 games with the Phantoms this season, surpassing his previous career-high of 23 points in 57 games with the AHL Texas Stars in 2023-24 with more than enough room to spare.
Although a bit streaky, the 5-foot-11 defenseman has been a pleasant surprise for the Flyers, having gotten him in exchange for a winger in Tuomaala who very clearly had no path to NHL time with the organization.
Kyrou is still relatively inexperienced and just played his 100th AHL game earlier this season, but his production has probably warranted an NHL opportunity at some point, even if only to serve as a power play specialist.
Fans have been clamoring for the former second-round pick to get a chance, and while it may be a bit early, it is probably refreshing to see Kyrou get recognized by the AHL for his efforts.
Kyrou, who is a restricted free agent at the end of this season, has three goals, seven assists, and 10 points in his last 10 appearances for the Phantoms.
The Detroit Red Wings have emerged as a leading candidate to acquire New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin as the NHL trade deadline approaches, sources say.
The Russian forward, an over point-per-game scorer for much of his career, is reportedly looking to move before the March 6 deadline, potentially with an extension included. Multiple outlets, including TSN’s Chris Johnston, suggest a deal could be completed as early as Wednesday, ahead of the Olympic trade freeze.
Panarin has captured significant attention this season after Rangers management announced they would not be looking to re-sign him. Rumors swirled for weeks about potential landing spots, but Johnston noted that speculation has begun to simmer as New York decides its next move.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently listed the top teams in the mix: the Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, and the Detroit Red Wings.
Friedman highlighted that Panarin’s desired contract could range around $50 million, with some teams considering short-term, high-cap deals while others may emulate the structure of Brad Marchand’s six-year, $31.5 million deal with Florida. The Panthers remain in the mix, partly due to Panarin’s close friendship with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
Detroit stands out among the contenders for several reasons as they possess significant cap flexibility, a deep prospect pool, and draft capital appealing to the Rangers.
Panarin could slot immediately onto Detroit’s top line alongside stars Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, providing a major boost to a team looking to accelerate its rebuild. The Red Wings also have relatively few long-term contract commitments outside of key re-signings like Simon Edvinsson, making a sizable contract for Panarin feasible.
However, the decision is not without risk. Panarin, 34, is enjoying another productive season with 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 52 games, but a lengthy extension could be a gamble if his performance declines in the coming years.
For the Red Wings, the question is no longer whether they could acquire Panarin, it’s whether they want to make a bold move now to potentially shorten the timeline toward contention. With a deal potentially coming as early as Wednesday, fans could see the superstar in a winged wheel jersey very soon.
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The Los Angeles Kings are one overtime loss away from putting their names into the NHL record book for most overtime losses in history, and it's not the kind of milestone that a team wants to celebrate over.
With 14 overtime losses on the season, the most in the NHL, with only the Vegas Golden Knights having the same amount, who sit in first place right now in the Pacific Division, the Kings have turned close games into costly missed opportunities, losing out on critical points in a Western Conference playoff race that has no margin for error.
The LA Kings and Vegas Golden Knights both have FOURTEEN OT losses which is on pace to shatter the NHL record 😳
Those extra points have Vegas leading their division and LA tied for a Wild Card spot 👀 pic.twitter.com/EuqJVoGQDq
This has been a recurring rollercoaster for the Kings this season; it's been the one issue they haven't been able to escape. The inability to close out close games and dig themselves out of a win in overtime or regulation when it becomes a one-possession game.
But with all this going on, Los Angeles is still very much alive in the West playoff picture. Despite all the struggles and heartbreaking losses they've gone through, it's still a very tight race.
The Pacific Division has been very inconsistent this season, with no team you can look at and say is running away with the conference or a clear contender. Only three teams are either exactly .500 or above .500 in the conference: the Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks. Not even the number one seed, the Golden Knights, are above .500, with a record of 25-16-14.
Three-on-Three Is Exposing the Kings' Weaknesses
Three-on-three is designed to reward speed, skill, shot-making, and execution. While the Kings have had solid shot-making and speed, they have struggled this season to score in the 3-on-3 format.
Whether it's the lazy defense that gets tired in overtime or turnovers that the Kings give up a lot late in games, LA, for most of this season, always loses the same way in every game.
A Warning Sign
There's also a psychological factor to this repeated outcome for the Kings. With Los Angeles constantly losing the same way, especially in overtime games, that chips away at their confidence, especially when the same mistakes keep surfacing.
A team that expects to compete in the Western Conference shouldn't be learning how to close games in February; it should already have it figured out, as we are well into the second half of the season and almost into the postseason.
Now, none of this means the Kings are a bad team; in fact, it means the opposite: Los Angeles can compete with anyone on any given night and is competitive almost every night against the best teams in the league.
But being competitive without execution or clutch is how good teams become average or mediocre, and how playoff teams become first-round exits.
Overtime Change
Now, fans have argued that much of this inconsistency, not only in the Pacific Division but also in other divisions, has been due to overtime games. Fans have even argued that, from a competitive standpoint, ties would be preferable to the constant drift into 3-on-3 overtime matches, especially for several teams that haven't shown any ability to win in that format.
The NHL used to have ties; the last season was 2004-05, before the controversial change in 2005-06 eliminated them and adopted 3-on-3 overtime and a shootout. But there have been no discussions in the NHL about changing the overtime rules again or going back to ties, as other professional leagues do in the NFL.
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The Kings recalled defenseman Joe Hicketts from the AHL's Ontario Reign. In the same transaction, center Kenny Connors is headed back to Ontario.
These roster moves are likely due to the injury that defenseman Mikey Anderson suffered in Los Angeles' last outing against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. He left the game with an upper-body injury after playing just 2:50 of ice time.
Hicketts, 29, has spent the past six seasons exclusively in the American League, the past three campaigns with the Reign.
He hasn't made an NHL appearance since 2019-20, and that was with the Detroit Red Wings, where he played six games. Hicketts has a total of 22 NHL contests under his belt, all for the Red Wings.
The undrafted blueliner has a small 5-foot-8 frame and a left-handed shot. He's featured in 41 games this season with the Reign, recording three goals and 14 points. With that, Hicketts has accumulated 41 penalty minutes and a minus-nine plus-minus rating.
Mikey Anderson (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
As mentioned, Connors gets sent back down to the minors after a brief period with the Kings. The 22-year-old didn't get a chance to set foot on the ice and make an appearance for coach Jim Hiller's squad.
In what is his AHL rookie campaign and first year in professional hockey following three seasons at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Connors has scored nine goals and 24 points in 41 games.
Connors is sixth in Reign scoring and second in plus-minus with a plus-13 rating.
The Kings' next game is on Wednesday against the Seattle Kraken. These roster moves suggest that Anderson may not be back in time for that affair, and maybe not until after the Olympic break.
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Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice spoke to the media today following an optional practice, providing updates on three recently injured players.
Those players are Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Anton Lundell. All three players are considered day-to-day and possible game-time decisions for tomorrow’s contest against the Boston Bruins.
“There’s a chance they all play tomorrow; there’s a chance none of them play tomorrow,” said Maurice.
The 29-year-old has scored 19 goals and 42 points in 55 games this season and was recently named an injury replacement for Team Canada.
Marchand had returned for four games before suffering another injury. He’s missed the previous two games with an undisclosed injury and is hoping to get back into the lineup before departing for the Olympics. The 37-year-old ranks second in both goals and points on the Panthers.
Marchand was on the ice today, skating in a regular practice jersey.
Lundell is the final Panthers forward now dealing with an injury, as his is also to the upper body. He’s missed the previous three games, but like Bennett and Marchand, he hopes to return to the lineup before joining Team Finland for the Olympics.
The 24-year-old has scored 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points in 52 games this season.
The Panthers are now nine points back of the Bruins for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and if they are without all three forwards, they run a real risk of falling even farther behind in the playoff race. Their chances of making the playoffs are already slim, and a pair of losses before the Olympic break would begin to shut the door on their three-peat hopes.
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Darren Raddysh continues to be a huge weapon on the back end, averaging more than a point per game while generating shots at a high clip.
My Sabres vs. Lightning predictions expect Raddysh to stay hot in an advantageous positional matchup.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Tuesday, February 3.
Sabres vs Lightning prediction
Sabres vs Lightning best bet: Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots (-120)
Darren Raddysh is a red-hot, one-man shooting gallery. He's averaged 3.8 shots on 7.9 attempts over his last 10 games, going Over this line in eight of them.
Victor Hedman’s return made no impact on his usage. He continued to quarterback the top power play — a unit that scored three times in the Stadium Series game — and saw a steady dose of minutes at 5-on-5.
Raddysh attempted 12 shots, recorded a pair of points, and flirted with 30 minutes of ice time. He’ll be just fine with Hedman back.
The 29-year-old has a nice matchup to keep ripping the puck, as the Buffalo Sabres rank 29th in shot suppression vs. the right blueline over the past 10 games, and that’s where a healthy chunk of Raddysh’s volume comes from.
The Sabres sit 26th in that regard, so it’s not a matter of a dip in play for an otherwise strong side at defending that area. They've bled shots there all year.
With the Sabres also in a road back-to-back after an emotional divisional win against the defending Stanley Cup winners, Raddysh and the rested Tampa Bay Lightning should be able to enjoy plenty of time on the front foot.
Sabres vs Lightning same-game parlay
Jake Guentzel leads the Lightning in high-danger chances over the past five games, but only scored in one of them. Playing for a sizable home favorite in a game with a 6.5 total, this is a good spot for him to find twine.
The Lightning are a strong shot suppression team, but that shouldn’t matter too much for Jason Zucker.
He's recorded multiple shots in nine of his past 10 road games, including against the Panthers, Islanders, Canadiens, Jets, and Flyers — all strong defensive teams or lower-pace opponents.
Darren Raddysh has gone Over 2.5 shots in seven of his last 10 home games. Find more NHL betting trends for Sabres vs. Lightning.
How to watch Sabres vs Lightning
Location
Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
Date
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Puck drop
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
HULU, ESPN+
Sabres vs Lightning latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Despite offseason expectations, the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders find themselves in the Top 3 of the Metero standings — and their defensive play is a big reason why.
My Penguins vs. Islanders predictions expect both teams to rely on their goal-suppression abilities in tonight's important divisional clash.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Tuesday, February 3.
Penguins vs Islanders prediction
Penguins vs Islanders best bet: Under 6.5 (-130)
The Pittsburgh Penguins (ninth) and New York Islanders (third) are both Top 10 teams in goal prevention, while they each rank in the bottom half of the league in pace.
Pittsburgh and New York played on Monday night and used the lesser of their goaltenders in Arturs Silovs and David Rittich. That sets up for Stuart Skinner and Ilya Sorokin to square off this evening.
Skinner is quietly playing excellent hockey. He has been terrific since the holiday break, posting an 8-1 record, .916 save percentage, and stopping +6.25 goals above expectation through nine starts.
Sorokin has stopped 14.19 goals above expectation over the same period, the second-highest mark in the NHL. He also leads the league in GSAx on the season. We should expect great goaltending.
These two sides also don’t force the issue when facing other strong defensive teams. They don’t change their style, open up, and try to flex their muscles offensively. Instead, they lean into lower-event, defensive battles.
An average of 5.5 goals have been scored in Pittsburgh’s last 10 games against Bottom-10 teams in goals allowed.
Conversely, Islanders games have averaged 4.0 goals over the last 10 against teams in the Bottom-10 in goals against. Five goals or fewer were scored in each.
Penguins vs Islanders same-game parlay
Tony DeAngelo has averaged less than 19 minutes per game this season, but that number has grown above 21 over the past 10 games. He’s responded with more shot volume, averaging 2.9 shots and 5.1 attempts in that span while clearing his line eight times.
Pittsburgh is an older team, so it might need to rely on fresh legs in a back-to-back. That’s no problem for Ben Kindel, who has generated multiple shots on goal in eight of his last nine games on zero days of rest.
The New York Islanders have hit the Game Total Under in 14 of their last 25 games (+4.15 Units / 15% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Islanders.
How to watch Penguins vs Islanders
Location
UBS Arena, Elmont, NY
Date
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Puck drop
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
TNT
Penguins vs Islanders latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 31: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche skates up ice against the Detroit Red Wings. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
Colorado Avalanche teams up with “Dungeon Crawler Carl” author Matt Dinniman to support cat rescue. [CBS News]
MacKinnon scores twice to become first 40-goal scorer of season, Avalanche blank Red Wings. [TSN]
There’s still something special about Canadiens-Avalanche games. While broadcasters love to babble about NHL “rivalry” games these days, the Habs-Nordiques clashes provided unmatched drama. [Montreal Gazette]
Ottawa Senators topple first-overall Colorado Avalanche with a 5-2 victory. [Ottawa Citizen]
News Around the League
Will Canada regret not taking Evan Bouchard? [Sportsnet]
Lightning owner to miss outdoor game with ‘major leg fracture’. [USA Today]
Ullmark overcomes emotions, Devils in winning return for Senators. [CBC]
Ice hockey venue will not be ready for start of Olympics. [BBC]
2026 U.S. Winter Olympics Hockey Roster: Why The NHL’s Top American Scorers Missed The Cut. [Forbes]
Lightning’s Hagel scores 11 seconds into outdoor game, a record. [ESPN]
Every NHL player participating in 2026 Winter Olympics. [Sports Illustrated]
Olympics to help satisfy international appetite for hockey best-on-best. [NHLPA]
Olympic ice hockey vs. NHL rules: How are they different? [NBC LA]
Lack of Quebec-born NHL stars, Olympians mystifies Marc-André Fleury”It’s a little sad,” retired goaltending star and two-time Stanley Cup champion says of his province’s hockey pipeline running dry. [Montreal Gazette]
New Jersey Devils - 28-25-2 - 49 Points - 3-6-1 in the last 10 - Lost 1 - 7th in the Central
Columbus Blue Jackets - 27-20-7 - 61 Points - 9-1-0 in the last 10 - Won 5 - 4th in the Metro.
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
Columbus has won a season-high five-straight games, as well as nine of its past 10 games overall, while outscoring opponents 39-26 since Jan. 11 following its 5-3 victory at St. Louis on Saturday.
CBJ lead the NHL in points pct. (.900) and rank fifth in goals for/game (tied, 3.90), team save percentage (tied, .909) and power play pct. (30.4) as well as sixth in goals-against/game (2.60) over that stretch.
The Blue Jackets finished 10-4-1 (21 pts) in January, tying for the most wins (2014, 2025) and points (2025) in the month in club history.
The club has scored the opening goal in eight of the past 10 games and has scored the first goal in 32 contests, tied or third-most in the NHL in 2025-26.
Columbus leads the NHL in goals by defensemen and ranks fourth in points with 41-97-138 in 54 contests.
CBJ play their 11th of 16 back-to-back sets of the season (12-5-3 .675 pts. pct;) at New Jersey and vs. Chicago.
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Charlie Coyle has notched 9-5-14 in the last 10 contests and ranks second-T in the NHL in goals since Jan. 11. He has 15 goals, 24 assists, and 39 points.
Adam Fantilli has collected points in three of the last four contests (1-4-5) and is one assist shy of tying his single-season career high (23, 2024-25). He has 13 goals, 22 assists, and 35 points.
Jet Greaves (5-0-0, 2.47 GAA, .914 SV%) and G Elvis Merzlikins (4-1-0, 2.49 GAA, .910 SV%) have each won four games for the Blue Jackets since Jan. 11.
Kirill Marchenko has points in four-straight games (1-4-5) and is tied for the team lead in scoring since Dec. 22, while recording points in 15 of the last 19 contests (9-11-20). He has 19 goals, 27 assists, and 46 points.
Zach Werenski posted the second-most assists and points by a Blue Jacket in a single month (Panarin, 8-17-25, Mar. 2018) with 5-15-20 in 15 games in January. He leads NHL blueliners in goals (tied, 19), points (60), multi-point efforts (20), points-per-game (1.20), even strength goals (16), even strength points (44) and shots on goal (179) this season. He leads all Blue Jackets in goals, assists, and points.
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 20.1% - 17th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 76.5% - 28th in the NHL
Goals For - 167 - 18th in the NHL
Goals Against - 176 - 22nd in the NHL
DevilsStats
Power Play - 21.4% - 14th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 78.6% - 20th in the NHL
Goals For - 142 - 28th in the NHL
Goals Against - 169 - 16th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheDevils
Columbus is 30-23-1-3 all-time, and 13-10-1-3 on the road in New Jersey.
The Blue Jackets are 3-9-1 in the last 13 games vs. the Devils.
The Jackets are 1-2-0 against New Jersey this season.
The road team has won the first three meetings of the 2025-26 series and has earned points in eight of last 10 matchups (7-2-1).
The winning team has recorded four or more goals in 10 of the last 15 meetings overall since Jan. 8, 2022, and five of the past six at Prudential Center since Oct. 30, 2022.
The teams have combined for seven or more goals in each of the past three contests at New Jersey.
The teams have combined for 65 shots or less in seven of the last nine matchups overall.
Who To Watch For TheDevils
Nico Hischier leads the Devils with 18 goals and 41 points.
Jesper Bratt leads NJ with 27 assists.
Goalie Jacob Markstrom is 15-12-1 with a SV% of .881.
Jake Allen is 12-13-1 with a SV% of .907.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Devils
Zach Werenski has 11 points in 26 career games vs. the Devils.
Sean Monahan has 27 points in 22 games.
Charlie Coyle has 13 points in 37 games against New Jersey.
Injured Reserve
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 16 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 151
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have won back-to-back games for the first time in almost a month.
It wasn't always pretty, especially as the Calgary Flames cut Toronto's lead to one in the second period. But the Maple Leafs held on to beat the Flames 4-2, winning both games against Calgary this season.
Monday’s win was also the Maple Leafs’ first regulation win since Jan. 10.
William Nylander stole the show. Joseph Woll came up massive when they needed him most. And the defense, which was missing Morgan Rielly — who's out until after the Olympic break with an upper-body injury — held up.
But first, let's discuss the game that was, between the Maple Leafs and Flames:
The William Nylander show
There wasn't a better play on the ice than Nylander.
It was the forward's second game back in the Maple Leafs' lineup after reaggravating a groin injury that forced him to miss seven games. He returned on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks and, while he didn't register a point, you could notice glimpses of the Swede returning to full form.
Nylander was in his final form against the Flames. As he always appears to be.
Entering Monday night's game, Nylander had an 11-game point streak against Calgary, the city where he was born. And it didn't take him long to find the 12th straight game with a point.
After John Tavares cut off a pass at Toronto's blue line, he sprang Nylander on a breakaway, with the forward making no mistake. He put it under Dustin Wolf's glove for his 18th goal of the year.
Back at it again was Nylander in the middle frame.
Just over seven minutes in, a loose puck was up for grabs behind Calgary's net. Morgan Frost appeared to have a handle on it before Nylander snuck up from behind, stripping Frost, and finding Matias Maccelli in front for a goal.
It was Nylander's second point of the game and Maccelli's eighth goal (and surprisingly, his first on the road) to put Toronto up 2-0.
And no, Nylander wasn't done there.
After some slick passing from Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, which concluded with a scoring chance for Matthews, the puck popped back out to Nylander. He found Troy Stecher with a great pass, and the defenseman slotted it into the pretty-much wide-open net.
In the third, he hit a post, set up a few scoring chances and, as he was for the entire first and second period, all over the place. Nylander finished with
Joseph Woll is getting a much-needed break
If there's anyone on the Maple Leafs who needs rest, it's Woll — especially after that third period against the Flames alone.
(And sure, the rest of Toronto's players, too.)
But Woll has started in 17 of the Maple Leafs' last 25 games. Zoom in a little further: Woll has been the starting goalie in 13 of the previous 17 games. Only two goaltenders have started in more games than Woll since Dec. 16: the Nashville Predators' Juuse Saros (18) and the Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck (19).
On Monday, there wasn't much the 27-year-old could do on Nazem Kadri's goal, Calgary's first of the game. The former Maple Leafs forward went upstairs on Woll's short side.
Later in the period, after Woll couldn't control a rebound, the Flames' continued offensive pressure created another goal. Kadri, again, was involved; this time, finding Joel Farabee heading to the net.
Kadri's pass went off Farabee's skate and in, making it 3-2 for Toronto.
In the third period, Woll made a few incredible stops. None better than the one later in the game, after the puck took a weird bounce off the glass and went towards the net.
Woll, out of his crease, quickly got on his horse to get back and take a swipe at the puck as it approached the net. Luckily, Woll got his stick on it before Adam Klapka, whose swipe of the puck put it over the net.
Woll finished the game, stopping 28 of 30 shots and picking up his 13th win of the season.
Other takeaways
- Bobby McMann's empty-netter was his 18th goal of the year. He's now two goals shy of his career high in goals and three shy of his career high in points. If Toronto decides to move him before the trade deadline, it could bring them some good assets.
- Troy Stecher came up big for the Maple Leafs. He scored a goal and finished with 20:08 of ice time, the third-most among Toronto's players against the Flames. The defenseman continues to come up big for the club since being picked up on waivers in November.
- Easton Cowan should get into Tuesday's game against the Oilers. Not only is it the second half of a back-to-back, but he's got to play eventually, and what better test than against two of the league's best players? Cowan in for Calle Jarnkrok? Who says no?
That’s been the feeling around the Florida Panthers this season as the injury issues continue to pile up.
Already missing key forwards Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell, the Panthers saw another one of their vital pieces come out of a game with an injury.
Center Sam Bennett left Monday’s 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres after the first period and did not return.
“It seems like somebody is getting injured every night,” said Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk. “I feel for him, that’s not ideal going out with an injury that early (in the game).”
He played seven shifts during the first period, logging 5:11 of ice time and going 2-for-4 in the faceoff circle.
Afterwards, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice did not have much of an update on Bennett’s injury.
“We’ll just leave it as upper-body,” Maurice said. “We’ll get a better handle on it tomorrow.”
If that sounds familiar, it’s because Maurice has given similar evaluations for many of Florida’s injured players this season.
The good news is that the NHL is about to take a league-wide pause during the 2026 Winter Olympics, giving players who aren’t participating a few weeks to rest and heal for the late-season push toward the playoffs.
The bad news is that Florida picked a horrible time to go on a losing streak and have all but fallen out of contention for a playoff spot.
Following Monday’s loss to Buffalo, the Panthers are now nine points behind Boston for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, and they’re 11 points back of Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division, with one game in hand on both.
Florida has played 55 games, meaning they have only 27 remaining to make up all those points.
The next two outings for the Panthers, Wednesday against Boston and Thursday at Tampa Bay, are the only chances the Cats have to make up any ground before the Olympic break.
Adding Bennett to a Florida injured list that doesn’t seem to want to get any smaller is just the latest setback for the league’s back-to-back Stanley Cup Champs.
Without Bennett, the Panthers are now down all of their starting centers: Sasha Barkov, Bennett, Lundell and Tomas Nosek.
Surviving without key injured players is one challenge, but removing all of the center icemen on a team that plays a five-man defensive system like Florida is like trying to skate to the bench after your blade pops off the holder.
We'll see how things play out in the coming days and weeks, but the Panthers need to start piling up the points before its too late.
Photo caption: Nov 22, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) moves the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
The Montreal Canadiens were taking on the Minnesota Wild on Monday night in what promised to be a tough task. Both teams were 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and had won their previous three matches. Montreal was seventh in the league while Minnesota was fourth prior to puck drop, but the Wild had been the Canadiens’ pet peeve for a long time, before the Habs finally managed to beat them less than two weeks ago in Montreal.
For a fourth game in a row, Martin St-Louis gave the net to Jakub Dobes, who had won his last six games and was undefeated in regulation in his last nine games. The Czech netminder had played a massive role in the Canadiens’ last three wins, being named the second star of the game in each one.
While some are eager to point out that Brendan Gallagher doesn’t produce as much as he once did and that he gets hunched over on his stick much faster than he did in the past, there’s one thing that has never changed throughout the right wing’s career: his level of effort and dedication. On Monday night, the Alberta native was playing in the 890th game of his career with the Habs, and he decided to celebrate in style.
After the Wild had taken a 2-0 lead in the first frame, Gallagher found himself with the puck high up in the Wild’s zone, and John Hynes’ men didn’t try to close him down. The veteran took the space he was given and used it to beat both Quinn Hughes and Jonas Gustavsson, scoring a beautiful backhand goal, much like Jake Evans’ game-winning goal against the Vegas Golden Knights.
If you don’t respect Gallagher, he will hurt you. That goal gave the Canadiens a much-needed spark and was the first of three unanswered goals by the Habs. The 33-year-old doesn’t panic when his team is down; he keeps on working, grinding away. His combativity is second to none, and that’s the main reason why the coaching staff will hesitate to scratch him. He might have been a fifth-round pick, but his work ethic, effort, and dedication have always been first-class. The goal was point number 480 for Gallagher, who now trails Bobby Smith by two points for the 26th highest scorer in franchise history.
Timely Goals
The Canadiens’ first two goals were scored with less than a minute to go in the first two frames, the kind of goals that are an absolute gut-punch to the opposition. Too often this season, the Habs have given up an early goal that has taken their legs right from under them, and when the Wild scored 38 seconds in, some wondered if the early goal would send them down to the mat, but they got back up.
Better yet, after the Wild dominated the second frame, Montreal scored another late-period goal through Ivan Demidov on an exquisite Lane Hutson cross-zone pass and then followed it up with its own early goal to take its first lead of the game. It took Kirby Dach 12 seconds from the start of the period to get the puck past Gustavsson.
In the end, though, it was the Wild who scored the ultimate timely goal, with the overtime game-winner. While the Canadiens would have liked to see a penalty called on the play, Joel Eriksson-Ek was just standing his ground, and Nick Suzuki collided with him because he didn’t see him, so that wasn’t interference.
With this 4-3 overtime defeat, the Canadiens leave Minnesota with one point and remain in third place in the Atlantic division, one point ahead of the Buffalo Sabres, who beat the Florida Panthers on Monday night to keep the pressure on the Habs. It also means that the Panthers are now nine points out of a playoff spot, just like the Toronto Maple Leafs. As for the Ottawa Senators, they are now trailing the Boston Bruins by seven points, but they have a game in hand. Montreal now has roughly an 80% chance of making the spring dance and finds itself in a much more comfortable position than it was last season when the league entered the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (28-15-11, 67 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division) @ New York Islanders (30-21-5, 65 points, 3rd place Metropolitan Division)
When: 7:30 p.m. ET
How to Watch: National broadcast on TNT, streaming on HBO Max
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins have just one game left after tonight, a Thursday road matchup against the Buffalo Sabres, before the Olympic break. The team will hope to give everyone, especially Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, some time to rest up before NHL play resumes on Feb. 26 with a home game against the New Jersey Devils.
Opponent Track: Like the Penguins, the Isles are coming into this game on the second part of a back-to-back. While the Penguins were losing to the Ottawa Senators, the Islanders were also looking flat in a Monday night 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals.
Season Series: The Penguins won the season opener thanks to a third-period goal from Justin Brazeau back during the second game of the season in Pittsburgh on October. 9. The Pens will meet up with the Isles one more time in Elmont on March 30.
Getting to know the Islanders
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Ondrej Palat – Bo Horvat – Mathew Barzal
Emil Heineman – Jonathan Drouin – Simon Holmstrom
Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Anthony Duclair
Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb
DEFENSEMEN
Mathew Schaefer / Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech / Tony DeAngelo
Carson Soucy / Scott Mayfield
Goalies: Ilya Sorokin (starter), David Rittich
Potential scratches: Adam Boqvist, Max Shabanov, Calum Ritchie
Injured Reserve: Kyle Palmieri
Jonathan Drouin has spent most of his career as a winger, although the Islanders are currently running him as a center. He has just three goals in 49 games since he signed with the Islanders last summer, and he’s been struggling on the face-off dot as of late (he had a 36.4 percent success rate on the draw last night against the Washington Capitals).
The Islanders suffered a second-period collapse last night against the Capitals, blowing a 1-0 lead by allowing two goals in 32 seconds and never recovering.
David Rittich started last night (he made 20 saves on 23 shots in the 4-1 loss), putting Ilya Sorokin on track to start against the Pens.
The Islanders’ power play is running at 16 percent this season, ranking them down at for 26th in the NHL.
Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer has been a driving force behind the Isles’ climb back into the playoff picture this season. He has 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 56 games of his first NHL season, the third-most points among rookies and sixth-most goals among all defensemen.
Potential Scratches: Kevin Hayes, Rutger McGroarty
IR: Kris Letang (broken foot, out at least four weeks), Ryan Graves, Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones, Jack St. Ivany
Bryan Rust should be back in the lineup tonight after serving out the final game of his three-game suspension on Monday. That could bump Rutger McGroarty back out of the lineup.
The Pens are looking to bounce back from a flat loss to the Senators on Monday night. Head coach Dan Muse called the Penguins’ performance last night “far off the mark” from where the team has been lately:
"We have to be better than this. For me this is so far off the mark of where we've been playing & working to get to. It's an opportunity tomorrow to show ourselves there's a much better game that we have the ability to play than that."#Pens head coach Dan Muse after 3-2 loss
“It was flat. It was execution. Silovs had a really strong game. I think our penalty kill did a good job, outside of that I don’t think there is much that I’m walking away here liking.”#Pens head coach Dan Muse after 6-game win streak broken in 3-2 loss
Especially notable last night was continued struggles by Evgeni Malkin, who is seemingly playing hurt and who committed three official giveaways, and the Penguins’ top line. The Justin Brazeau/Sidney Crosby/Rickard Rakell trio earned the fewest expected goals for of any line the Penguins iced last night, per MoneyPuck. The Pens will hope the return of Bryan Rust can spark something there by re-shuffling the lines.
Arturs Silovs played in the defeat, so Stuart Skinner will likely be expected to get the nod against the Isles.
Last night was the first time the Pens have finished a game without a point since a Jan. 11 shutout loss to the Boston Bruins.
The Penguins currently have two points and two games in hand on the Islanders for second place in the Metropolitan Division, so a win tonight could be key down the stretch of the playoff race.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - FEBRUARY 2: Egor Chinakhov #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores a goal in the first period during the game against the Ottawa Senators at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 2, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Coming off six straight victories, the Pittsburgh Penguins were due for a dud performance and that is exactly what they delivered in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators in their final home game before the Olympic break. Despite being badly outplayed most of the night, the Penguins did lead 1-0 in the first period and had the game tied at 2-2 with about five minutes left before old nemesis Claude Giroux scored the eventual game winner to halt the Penguins winning run. [Pensburgh]
It’s a quick turnaround for the Penguins who head to Long Island for a contest later this evening against the New York Islanders. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM and will be broadcast on TNT.
Pens Points…
Three games stand between the Penguins and the Olympic break, a number that will be down to just two following last night’s game against the Senators. They may be hot coming into the week, but it’s imperative they keep that momentum rolling heading into the hiatus. [Pensburgh]
While the Penguins understood why Bryan Rust was suspended, they were quietly fuming at the length of the suspension for a first time offender. That anger was multiplied over the weekend when franchise villain Tom Wilson was let off with nothing for a violent hit. [The Athletic $$]
In victories over the Blackhawks and Rangers, it was the Penguins depth scoring that did most of the damage when it came to putting the puck in the net. After seasons of weak depth that held the team back, it’s turning into a strength for the 2025-26 Penguins. [The Hockey News]
There were no splashy free agent signings for the Penguins last summer, but those players they did bring in have played like superstars this season. Anthony Mantha, Justin Brazeau, and Parker Wotherspoon have all outplayed their contracts and boosting the Penguins playoff push. [The Hockey News]
NHL News and Notes…
Jared McCann had a massive week for the Seattle Kraken and takes home First Star of the Week honors from the NHL. Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy went unbeaten last week and capped it off with a goalie fights in the Stadium Series to nab Second Star. [NHL]
Following a career in hockey that has spanned over two and a half decades, Barry Trotz will step back and retire from his role as general manager of the Nashville Predators. Trotz will remain in the job until his replacement is named and will then transition into an adviser role. [NHL]
