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Detroit Red Wings team captain Dylan Larkin was one of a handful of players selected to represent his country in the 2026 Winter Olympics, marking the first time in over a decade that the NHL will be sending their players to international Olympic competition. 

Along with Larkin, Moritz Seider (Germany) and Lucas Raymond (Sweden) were also selected.

However, Patrick Kane, arguably the greatest U.S.-born player to suit up in the National Hockey League, was ultimately not selected. 

Neither was his longtime teammate in both Chicago and Detroit, Alex DeBrincat, who leads the club in goals with 22. 

Following Sunday's practice at Little Caesars Arena, Kane admitted that he was feeling some disappointment over being left off the Team USA roster. 

"Of course, it was disappointing," Kane said. "I thought that when Todd came in last year, from that time to the end of the season, I gave myself a chance to be considered. This year, I thought I had a good start, but I got into some injury trouble." 

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Kane has missed a total of 15 games this season. He was sidelined for nine games after suffering an upper-body injury during a 2–1 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct. 17, then missed six games in December after being injured against the Blackhawks in the same game in which he scored his 498th career goal.

"You can make all the excuses in the world, but at the end of the day, I didn't make it, and it's disappointing for sure," Kane continued. "Just have to move on." 

Kane has represented the United States in Olympic competition twice before, starting with the in 2010 in Vancouver, where he and his teammates won the silver medal, and again in 2014 in Sochi, which resulted in a fourth-place finish. 

He's an American hockey icon, and currently trails Mike Modano by only seven points for the most in NHL history by a U.S.-born player. In the 28 games that Kane has played so far this season, he's tallied six goals with 18 assists, just short of a point-per-game pace. 

Modano, who spent the final season of his NHL career with the Red Wings, has expressed support for Kane and also said he would like to be in attendance if possible for the occasion. 

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Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios met with the media this morning as his hockey team nears the halfway point in the offseason. With the Senators being four points out of an Eastern Conference playoff spot, the moment represented the opportune time to reflect on his team’s 19-15-5 record through their first 38 games.

If you are not familiar with the format of these posts, they are pretty straightforward. The full video of Staios’ availability can be found here, but the general manager’s comments are transcribed below. Following each of his thoughts, I’ve included my own, which are highlighted in bold.

Enjoy.

Staios’ opening remarks...

“There are a couple of things I think that are different this year. One is expectations. The expectations that come with how well the team played last year, particularly post-trade deadline, are well earned. Teams aren't taking us lightly now, and we have higher expectations for ourselves.      

What are the expectations for our group? We talked about taking a step last year. We want to take another step this year towards wanting to be a contending team. This is certainly part of the process, but expectations are different. Coming into this year, we're two points better than we were at this point last year.      

Do we want to be better than that? Of course, we're always striving to be better, but I watch our team, and objectively, there's a lot to like about the way we've been playing. We use the underlying numbers to confirm what we're seeing with our eyes. We've improved in some of the most important categories.      

When you look at the numbers, we went through a 2-7-1 stretch when I was watching our team play. I felt pretty good about the way we were playing, but we weren't getting the results. So, keeping with the theme of being process-driven, I think those are some of the things I look at to make sure we understand exactly who we are as a team.      

The other thing that is unique, and we've talked a lot about it, is the parity in the league, and in particular in the Eastern Conference and in the Atlantic Division. It puts greater emphasis on each and every game. The margins are tighter than ever, and we've got to be up for the challenge to get through some of those areas and improve our game.”

The Eastern Conference is a logjam, particularly because the Western Conference is an absolute mess, where only four teams have positive goal differentials. Another problem is the frequency of three-point games. According to an article by The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman in December, almost 30-percent of games this season were determined after regulation.

Staios is not wrong when he says that many underlying metrics portray his team favourably. The Senators rely on their own proprietary datasets, but publicly available metrics on sites like Natural Stat Trick show that they have done an excellent job of suppressing the shots, chances, and expected goals they allow at five-on-five.

According to that site, the Senators rank in the top 10 in the percentage of total shots (52.98 CF%, 4th), shots on goal (52.46 SF%, 6th), total goals (50.60 GF%, 10th), and expected goals (54.45 xGF%, 3rd). The rate at which the Senators allow these events is impressive, too.

- Shots allowed per 60 (CA/60): 51.48, second-lowest

- Shots on goal allowed per 60 (SA/60): 24.57, fifth-lowest

- Expected goals allowed per 60 (xGA/60): 2.24, lowest in the NHL

The Senators’ five-on-five offence is trending in a positive direction, but there are a few reasons the team should be doing much better than its record and current position in the standings suggest. I will get to these shortly.

On this team struggling with consistency...

“We live in reality. There are a couple of areas of our game that aren't up to our expectations, and we can talk about goaltending. If the goaltenders were in here right now, they would be honest that they haven't lived up to expectations.      

Now, the optimism comes from the fact that over the last month or so, they have played to expectations. It wasn't the best of starts for them, but it has stabilized, and I would feel comfortable saying it's going to continue to stabilize and move in the right direction.”

The Senators’ goaltending has statistically been awful. Linus Ullmark has the second-lowest goals saved above expected metric in the NHL, trailing only the St. Louis Blues’ Jordan Binnington. Leevi Merilainen has the third-lowest in the NHL, and he has played in fewer (12) than half the games Ullmark has appeared in (28). The weird dynamic is that, visually, I feel like the duo hasn't given up many soft goals. They simply have not saved enough shots that would have tilted winnable games in the Senators’ direction.

From a team-perspective, the Senators have the third-lowest save percentage in the league at five-on-five per Natural Stat Trick. According to Evolving-Hockey’s historical data, the Senators’ 80.45 shorthanded save percentage is the third-lowest recorded total since the beginning of the 2007-08 season.

On the Senators’ goaltending depth...

“Linus (Ullmark) knows he's got our full support, and we're going to respect not having a comment on that situation. We have full belief in Linus, along with Leevi (Merilainen), a good young goaltender who continues to develop, and in our depth with Mads Sogaard and Hunter Shepard.     

"We know what Linus is as a goaltender. He knows what he is as a goaltender, but at this point in time, we just have our full support and respect his privacy until we have him back.”

The Senators and Staios will never disparage their players or their performances publicly, but admitting that, if the goaltenders were present at that availability, they would say they need to be better is the closest they will come to it. Supporting this group publicly is not much of a surprise either, considering Staios could actively be shopping around the league for alternatives.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had an interesting point on a recent episode of his ‘32 Thoughts Podcast’.

“We talk about how life throws you curve balls, and how do you handle it?  It's going to be interesting for Ottawa because what's their goalie combination going to be? It's not the easiest thing to ask right after an announcement like that. You kind of have to let it breathe a bit and see how things develop. But if you look at their Sportlogiq numbers, like limiting scoring chances against, they're very good. And so you're sitting there, and you're looking at their situation, and you're saying, ‘Okay, how do the Senators handle this?’ They've got a good defensive team. They do a really good job of defending themselves, particularly at even strength, and the goaltending has been a struggle. How do they let this play out? And I admit, I don't have the answers right now, and I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but it's probably something they were even thinking about before the unfortunate announcement on Sunday about Ullmark.”

It is interesting because what Friedman says sounds like the organization was having initial discussions about what it could do to bolster the goaltending position. Does it mean strengthening the backup option given the struggles, or were the Senators thinking about Ullmark’s future?

Ullmark had a hot stretch from November 11 through December 12 last season, in which he went 8-0-1 while recording a .954 save percentage, two shutouts, and a 1.43 goals against average.  Removing those nine appearances, Ullmark has compiled a 31-22-7 record, an .889 save percentage, and a 3.01 goals against average in 63 appearances for the Senators. Aside from that one stretch of games, Ullmark has failed to live up to the expectations that come with a goaltender who was awarded a four-year, $33 million deal.

On when the Senators can expect Linus Ullmark back...

“No, I’ll just leave it at we'll give him the time afforded to make sure that things are in order.”

It is unfair to speculate as to what is going on. All that you can do is offer unconditional support to his family.

On whether the Senators are in the market to add a goaltender...

“Like I said, with the depth that we do have being relatively unproven. Leevi’s had some time, but Mads (Sogaard) is continuing to develop and is in the right spot right now, where he's got the net in Belleville and getting that time, but he's always been a top prospect goaltender turning into a top pro prospect on the cusp of getting an opportunity.”

Goaltenders can often take time to develop, but if Mads Sogaard was not a second-round pick in 2019, I feel like fewer people would be throwing his name around as an alternative.

On whether the organization would be comfortable trading some of its highest value prospects in Carter Yakemchuk or Logan Hensler to bolster its NHL lineup...

“Oh, I wouldn't go so far to that. We're looking at trades.  We're always active (in trade talks), and I think that goes for most general managers. We speak often on ways to continue to improve our team. But you know, as far as the assets that we have at the right time, if it's the right player, it's just kind of too hard to really put a finger on what might go out for, for what's out there.”

The Senators obviously do not want to part with their most well-regarded prospects. With a system that is relatively barren of high-end talent thanks to the drafting, development, and short-sighted deals of Staios’ predecessor, the Senators should have more talent in their cupboards than they presently do. Staios did stop short of outright saying that he would not consider trading either of these right-shot defencemen, but with guys like Brady Tkachuk having three years left on his contract, Drake Batherson having another season beyond this one on his deal, and Thomas Chabot expiring at the conclusion of the 2027-28 season, the Senators’ window to push is now.

On whether the Senators have any insight into whether they could get their 2026 first-round pick back...

“No indication.”

Everyone would feel better in the nation’s capital if there were an indication.

On whether the Senators are comfortable with their goaltending depth with Ullmark away from the team...

“Yes, and we continue to evaluate. They're all good goaltenders, and again, with (Shepard) and (Sogaard), who haven’t had the opportunity yet, they're quality goaltenders. And Leevi, like I said, continues to build.      

The goaltending position, you can talk to any team in the league, it's under a microscope. You can have players that go through stretches that don't have a good month or a good 10 games, or whatever it might be, but obviously, there is an emphasis on goaltending. We've had full faith in the goaltending, and we have full faith in Linus once he gets back heavy, and then (Sogaard) and (Shepard).”

Again, Staios is not going to disparage his players or depth in the public realm. I would be curious to hear his thoughts on why the underlying five-on-five metrics portray the Senators so favourably while both goaltenders have allowed more goals than were expected, but maybe that’s a conversation for another day.

On the Eastern Conference’s parity and whether the team is where he thought they would be at this point in the season.

: “Absolutely no. I mean, could we be five points better? Watching our team play over 82 games, you hope that it levels out. If we play to that level over 82 games, you hope that would get us back to the level we were last year from a point-total perspective.      

But we can't get wrapped up in looking at the standings. We have to stay focused on what we do in the day-to-day, which is... we've talked about being process-driven. And the expectation is that we continue to take a step forward. And it's not that we have enough of a sample size; that's 39 games where we have taken a step forward in some of the most important categories, but certainly we hope it reflects in wins.      

We're going to get judged on wins and losses and where we end up standings, but the margins are so fine that we can't you want to stay on top of these areas to continue to improve, but there has we're not where we want to be, for sure, from a point total perspective, but I don't think our game's far off.”

To Staios’ point, the Senators’ underlying metrics have improved significantly from last season to the 2025-26 campaign. The difference has been the goaltending and the penalty killing unit's performance, which, ironically, relies heavily on its goaltenders making saves.

On the Senators' window of competitiveness...

“I'll start with the contention window of the next couple of years. We'll contend when we're ready to contend. I think that we're continuing to build towards that. Putting a timeline on when our contending window is, I think we have a good young team that continues to develop. And we continue to evaluate and watch as the team moves forward.

Now, I felt last year that there was an opportunity, under sort of tight cap constraints, to try and improve our team, lengthen our lineup. Had a couple of players who are in our top six. If we're moving towards that, I'll be looking to do the exact same thing, and we're always trying to get better. And last year we had the opportunity to do that. 

We'll look at it again. I think what you're getting at is, if the team doesn't get to a certain level, which direction do we go? I mean, we'll continue to evaluate. But there's enough optimism with this group that I'm hopeful that we're looking at it a different way.

The “We’ll contend when we’re ready to contend” quote is going to get a lot of play in this market, but Steve Staios is the hallmark of the modern front-office executive. To me, he is reminiscent of Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro era with the Toronto Blue Jays. Both took and continue to take a ton of heat for their ability to be verbose without revealing much of anything in their media availabilities.

Fans may bemoan the fact that Staios does not articulate an expectation of when the Senators should compete for a Cup, but it simply does not make sense for an executive to hang an arbitrary date on something for fans and media to measure this organization’s success against.

On whether there are areas the Senators can improve in to tip the scales in their favour down the stretch...-

“I think when you look at five-on-five play, it's so tight. Across the league, teams are so prepared to play. The parity is incredible. I think mentally, we've done a good job. The other thing that's becoming clearer in our league is the swings, whether we’re up two goals, down two goals, you're never really out of it. I think we've done a good job being able to stay level headed and maintaining our play.      

Certainly, the margins in special teams, when I look at the underlying numbers, there's a lot of good in our game. Our defensive game is very strong. Our structure is great. The coaching has held our players accountable to winning hockey, and they've bought into it. So there's been a couple of areas for sure that we look to improve.”I t

Staios is not wrong. If the Senators can get a higher percentage of saves at five-on-five and while on the penalty kill, they should, theoretically, be in great shape down the stretch. Of course, the caveat to that is that it would rely on the Senators preserving their current five-on-five metrics, but if they can continue to do that, the hope is that the luck will swing the team’s way and afford them the chance to make up ground in a tight Eastern Conference.

On experiencing the postseason and the assumption that this team can continue to be a playoff team...

“Now we just keep building, and how hard that can be from year to year in the work that needs to go into being right where you got to last year. I feel that they're game for it. There's a mindset with this group that they wanted, and you guys said after the 20-game market, early on, we may have gotten away from that process-driven approach.     

I'm not sure if it was the eagerness, but they're a very coachable group. They're very motivated. Sometimes, when you want it so bad, you're not doing yourself any favours. I think coming out of the gate, I was a little surprised. I think we didn't really play to our identity, which is probably the best way to describe it. I feel like we're getting closer to playing to our identity more consistently.”

Not coming out of the gate strong is a nice reminder that momentum from season to season does not necessarily carry over in the short term.

On his assessment of the penalty kill and whether improvement can come from adjustments, adding another penalty killer or changing the coaching staff...

“All of that's in discussion. I'm in and around the coaches' room. I see how hard they work, and it's not just on one coach. They all work together on all these areas. They recognize that it's an area that needs to improve. There's no panic in it. We go through a process to try and find ways, whether it's personnel who're playing, which defense pairings (are on), how we deploy them, all of that comes in  from a structure perspective.      

Most of the league plays it the same way we do now. We just have to execute better. Certainly, we live in reality, our penalty kill hasn't been good enough. But it's not like there haven't been adjustments along the way. It's seen a little bit of an improvement in that area.      

The players that go out there for the penalty kill take a ton of pride in it, and I'm hoping, with some of the adjustments that we've made, and some confidence you get on the other side of it, and momentum is an interesting thing, and it goes for five-on-five, power play or penalty kill, and we're hoping we have some positive nights and we can continue to improve.”

The Senators’ penalty kill ranks 31st in the league, but there is an obvious discrepancy in how they kill penalties with their hybrid diamond formation kill. When the group is aggressive and making proactive reads on the puck, they assertively do a much better job of forcing plays and creating opportunities for turnovers. If the group falls into a more passive structure, they afford the opposition too much time and space while putting too much pressure on their goaltenders to make high-danger saves.

On whether the Senators have continued to “piss away” points as the team did in the first 20 games of the season...

“The 2-7-2 stretch that we played, we played really well. Yeah, you'd hope that you get a few more points. But we can't look back on it. We have to keep moving forward. If we're five points better right now, how much better do we feel about it?      

You know, you'd hope again, over 82 (games) that with a consistent effort, that our group puts in improvement in some some of those areas that that that comes back to us, and you got to believe that some of the things that I see as I watch, and what we're we're reading as well, as far as tracking our team that that it gets to that level.”

Staios is not wrong. If the Senators keep doing what they’re doing at five-on-five, they should theoretically put themselves in a great position down the stretch. At the same time, if those five-on-five numbers suffer while the goaltending and special teams play continue to struggle, they will be sunk. It works both ways. The encouraging thing is that the team is healthier now and will hopefully remain so for some time. If they can ice their best lineups while continuing to hold their own at five-on-five, they should be competitive down the stretch.

On the state of the trade market right now...

“I continue to add, that with the standings being so tight, that puts another variable into how the conversations are going to go. Typically, when you see a bit more of a divide, you have teams looking to recoup some assets and move on. And it's, it'll be interesting, for sure.     

There's been lots of dialogue, even leading into the holiday freeze there. There has been some dialogue, but I sense that there are a lot of teams that are sort of just in the middle right now, trying to continue to evaluate where their group is.”

With so few out of the postseason market, it is a seller's market. The wrinkle to this, of course, is that middle-of-the-pack teams may recognize that the likelihood of Cup contention is small. Knowing that, they may feel compelled to make a deal given the market conditions.

On evaluating Brady Tkachuk’s game since returning from his thumb injury...

“Well, I don't feel like that's fair to cherry-pick on one player or another. We talked about players going through stretches where they're not on their game. We know what Brady means to our team. We know what he's all about and what he brings to our group. So to bring up one player specifically, I don't think that's right. There are plenty of players that, if it were 10 games ago, you could have brought them up as well, and we've had players that have now turned the corner that had questions on them, so I don't think it's fair.”

Again, Staios is not wrong. At various points during the season, it would have been easy to criticize the contributions of Fabian Zetterlund or Ridly Greig. Both of whom have found their games and have begun contributing at both ends of the ice. It is noticeable that Brady Tkachuk has not necessarily played his most dynamic of games, but maybe that is a sign of optimism.

He did have that thumb injury that forced him out of the lineup for a quarter of the season, so there is no shortage of context to explain why he may not be at the top of his game. Tkachuk still wears a wrap to protect his hand and thumb, so if he continues to progress from his surgery, there is reason to believe he can reach another level as a player.

On Tkachuk’s importance to the team and why his play is under the microscope...

“Yeah, but we have other players on the team that when you know one of our players isn't, maybe at the top of their game... We could, at any point in the season, come up here after every five games and talk to me about a certain player that maybe isn't at the top of his game.      

Brady is what he is for our group, and you know whether he's getting points or not. He brings it for our group. Now, we've played well enough to keep winning games. And if we can get to some of these areas that we need to improve on, I feel like this group can turn the corner.     

And let's be honest, I saw a graphic on one of the broadcasts. They went through after every game, and they showed our division. I watched the teams move around, moving up three or four spots. When you get on the right side of it for a few games, things change.

The one thing the Senators have not done this year is win consistently. For whatever reason, the Senators have curbed streaks. Whether it was a winning streak or a losing streak, the team has basically traded wins with losses. Their longest winning streak of the season was four games, while they have had three separate three-game losing streaks.

On assessing the Senators’ defensive depth...

“In losing (Donovan) Sebrango, we brought in (Dennis) Gilbert for depth on the left side. Jorian Donovan continues to develop as a potential call-up for us as well.      

Carter Yakemchuk, unfortunately, is injured. It is nothing too serious, but we probably would have seen him recalled by now. He has continued to impress and round out his game in the American Hockey League with Belleville.      

When you have Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot, you have the top guys, and you can continue to bring in guys who can play alongside them. And then, with our bottom pair, I feel good about our depth.”

Carter Yakemchuk’s defensive aptitude continues to develop in Belleville, but 12 of his 18 points have come while Belleville was on the power play. Before his firing, former head coach David Bell was on the ‘Coming in Hot’ Podcast articulating how Yakemchuk was playing well but still had ways to develop defensively, but the organization and management are not going to downplay the development of their top prospect.

Perhaps there was a chance that the Senators considered bringing up the offensive defenceman when Thomas Chabot reaggravated an upper-body injury during the team’s western coast swing in November, but the team has not suffered any injuries on the right side.

Would the Senators have benched any of their current right defencemen in Jordan Spence, Nick Jensen or Nik Matinpalo to make room for Yakemchuk at this juncture? To quote Daniel Alfredsson, probably not.

On whether Nick Jensen was rushed back too quickly...

“Nick Jensen might have rushed a little bit too early with what he had. I think you saw (Jensen’s) game is interesting. When Jensen’s game hit full stride, and he was back to being (himself), that was probably the timeline we originally had in mind. But credit to him for coming back and pushing, and for wanting to be here for his teammates.”

I recently wrote a piece on how Jensen’s skating metrics have noticeably improved in the past few weeks, but most of his mistakes are reads and mental errors. Some of those mistakes could stem from a player working his way back from a major surgery and the adjustments he needs to make to recognize and play with whatever limitations exist.

The optimistic belief is that the further Jensen is removed from surgery, the better he should play. The skating results are beginning to take effect, but if he can limit the mental mistakes, it will markedly improve the Senators’ performance. If he cannot, it will inevitably put the organization in a spot where it will have to look for outside help.

On whether improvements to the penalty kill and goaltending will put the Senators in a better spot...

“Yes, and I think that's pretty clear. We live in reality. When we look at it, we watch it, we look at the numbers, that's really and we have faith that both can improve.”

If the Senators’ goaltenders can make a higher rate of saves at five-on-five and while on the penalty kill, they will be in great shape. Heading into Saturday’s games, the Senators allowed 31 goals on 152 shots. If they had an 85.74 league-average save percentage while shorthanded, they would have allowed 11 fewer goals.

League average goaltending of 90.66 percent at five-on-five would have saved the Senators an additional 12 goals. Those are 23 goals that the Senators could have back just by being average. Considering how the Senators have a .455 win percentage in one-goal games while only the Winnipeg Jets and Utah Mammoth have lost more one-goal games, if the Senators miss the postseason, blaming the goaltenders for not making enough quality saves will be at the forefront of stories this offseason.

On Jordan Spence’s acquisition and his role...

“Well, it had a little bit to do with Nick (Jensen)'s injury, but probably the role that he has now is very versatile. He can play up and down our (defensive) pairings. He is a very good puck mover, very good at going back for pucks and breaking pucks out. So I think he’s exactly what we’ve seen now. I know it didn't sort of meld in perfectly at the beginning because Nick was back, and we had the depth. It's harder on the player, but it's a good problem to have for a team that knows it has NHL players who can step in.”

The underlying metrics that Staios alluded to earlier, when describing why he has faith in his club, have been exemplary while Jordan Spence has been on the ice.

Spence tilts it in the Senators’ favour through his efficient puck collection and movement. At his best, Spence makes quality reads in the neutral zone, stepping up into the play to disrupt outlet passes and create turnovers before the puck has a chance to enter the Senators’ zone. There, he can get exposed because of the limitations of his size, but as a whole, he has been a nice addition to the Senators’ blue line.

On evaluating the Senators’ draft record under his watch and whether he’s happy with the job his amateur scouts are doing...

“Yeah, positively. I think when you look at some of the players that you know, couple players that we picked in the fourth round that looked like they're real players, that's hard to do, you know, so I think that, and it's a, there's no science to it, you know, draft is it comes with a we do the best that we can to, you know, build a profile in the player, make a decision, and then it's up to us to continue to develop them.

That's why Belleville is so important. So the player that we draft is one thing. Scouts have to go and identify them, and then we have a big job to make sure that we put them in the right environment so they can develop.”

I was unable to attend Staios’ availability due to family commitments, but given the timing of the World Junior Championship, I was curious to hear Staios’ reflections on his organization’s draft record now that he has had two years under his belt. 

Unlike other parts of the Senators’ hockey operations department, Staios’ amateur staff is largely inherited from the previous regime without any turnover, so as a group that prides itself on a ‘best in class’ mantra, I was curious whether this was one of the few remnants of the previous regime that was headed for change.

As I’ve detailed elsewhere, the Senators have done a good job procuring prospects who have played NHL games. The issue is the philosophical divide over weighing the importance of playing games against the value these players add when they do play.

I respect the fact that the Senators found value in the fourth round by drafting Stephen Halliday. He appears to have skill and size that could lend itself to future NHL success, but historically, the Senators have drafted a ton of players who have played NHL games without providing much impact. The obvious caveats to this are players drafted in the top five (Jake Sanderson, Tim Stützle, and Brady Tkachuk), Shane Pinto and to a lesser extent, Ridly Greig.

Considering how 20 of the organization’s 48 picks between the 2018 and 2022 NHL Drafts were slotted between the first and second rounds, it is inexcusable that the team did not churn out more talent given what was available to them when they were making selections. It is a problem that has persisted in recent years, but if you’re interested in their amateur draft record, give this old piece a read.

On his evaluation of Belleville’s season and the development being done down there...

“A big part of my job is to make sure that the environment is right, and so Belleville continued to take a step from the beginning here, and it's a big step forward in that regard. That environment has to be right for us to nurture and develop players, and we continue to improve from day one.      

When I got here and met all of you for the first time, we were talking about the different areas that needed improvement within the organization. We can look back and feel good about a lot of that. Now. We talk about the day-to-day. We talk about the points, the standings, and where we want to be. But I think when you start to reflect sort of on the longer-term vision, including Belleville, it's taken a step in the right direction. It's critical that we make sure that the environment is right, that we can develop our players.”

Ultimately, the success of the farm team will be predicated on the quality of players added, and the Senators have struggled to add impactful young players to the farm.

On whether the Senators are looking to add a coach in Belleville...

“I'm comfortable with where it's at right now, and Matt Turks is on it on the day-to-day, so we feel good about where we're at. We'll continue to evaluate, as we do anywhere. And if they need more support, Sam Gagner is on staff and has been a big support, not only in player development but also with the coaches. He has been on the bench for them down there as well. He's an incredible resource who played there.”

The Senators have done an exceptional job building up the facilities and support that the organization’s players have at every level, but it will take time to build up the pool of talent. It just feels like their amateur scouting and decision-making have not caught up to the rest of the progressive and modern decision-making that the organization is undertaking in other areas.

On his evaluation of the coaching staff at the NHL level...

“No issues with my coaching staff here. Maybe the hardest, most cohesive group that I've seen. It's impressive. I wish you guys could see it like, the amount of work, the passion, the commitment, the dedication, the understanding, the way Travis (Green) has included all the coaches. It's as good as it gets, from what I've seen, and no issues there.”

The underlying metrics are impressive, but at some point the results have to begin to mirror what is happening on the ice. If the goaltending continues to submarine their five-on-five play and exacerbate some ill-timed passive tendencies on the penalty kill, it will sink an otherwise impressive season. This will, in turn, fuel questions about who bears responsibility for these shortcomings. Is it the player(s)? Is it the specialized coaches or, by and large, the coaching staff? Or is it on management for acquiring the player or not addressing the coaches?

On what management’s message to the players is right now...

“Continue to stay with it, you know, continue to stay with it, to be able to take that next step. With the margins, I think, like everything that we've talked about, we feel like we're close. But in this league, you cannot take that for granted at all. On every given night, it feels like every game is tight. The emphasis on each and every game now, now this year, I think, has never been highlighted with the parity that we have.      

So, improvements in some areas; margins are very tight, so make sure you're prepared for every game. With a condensed schedule, look after yourselves leading into the Olympic break. We've taken a lot of time for rest and recovery as well in a year like this. Those are the margins if we're looking at every single detail to make sure we're prepared.”

The margins are small, and if the Senators fall short, we may be looking back at a relatively soft December schedule, rueing the fact that the team did not take advantage and build a points cushion. Their margin for error is much smaller than it should be and obviously, there is context for it, but every team in the NHL experiences trouble and hardships over the course of a full 82-game schedule.

On Fabian Zetterlund’s performance and whether he has adjusted to help provide secondary scoring to this group...

“Now, the one thing about him is that, even when he wasn't scoring, he has a fallback, which was always comforting. He's on the forecheck. He's heavy. He's got great speed. You know, he was a little snake bitten for a while there, but seems to have found it. He continues to create opportunities. He's fit in well.

It is just the transition for a player in particular coming from a system where, if you're coming from a system to a team that plays similarly, I think the transition may be a little bit more seamless, and maybe it took Fabian a little bit longer, but certainly feels like he's fitting quite well there.”

Fabian has 10 goals in 39 games, putting him on pace for 20, but he is generating more chances. A large part of that is his improved play away from the puck, where it feels like he is more engaged and working harder to battle and turn pucks over, creating more opportunities for him and his linemates.

By Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News - Ottawa

The Buffalo Sabres' 10-game winning streak came to an end, as they lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets by a 5-1 final score in their last contest. Although the Sabres lost, they undoubtedly put themselves in a far better place than they were with their big winning streak. 

The Sabres currently have a 21-15-4 record and are just one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. With this, it would not be surprising in the slightest if the Sabres look to add to their roster by the trade deadline. This is especially so when noting that Buffalo is desperately looking to snap their 14-year playoff drought. 

When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman would have the potential to be a nice pickup for the Sabres.

The Sabres could use another impactful forward for their top nine, and acquiring Coleman would provide them with just that. The 34-year-old forward is also capable of playing multiple positions, which certainly adds to his appeal. He would also give the Sabres another option to work with on their penalty kill.  

Coleman's experience also makes him a fascinating potential target. With the Sabres looking to take that next step and be a playoff team, bringing in a player who has won the Stanley Cup twice like Coleman certainly could benefit them.

In 41 games so far this season with the Flames, Coleman has recorded 13 goals, 21 points, and 103 hits. With numbers like these, the 10-year veteran would give the Sabres both secondary scoring and plenty of grit if brought in.

The Philadelphia Flyers didn’t simply leave Edmonton with two points — they left with a performance that showed clarity in how they wanted to play and discipline in how they executed it.

In a 5–2 win over the Oilers to close out their West Coast road trip, Philadelphia delivered a game that balanced patience with assertiveness, matched skill with detail, and responded decisively when momentum threatened to swing. 

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1. The Flyers Managed Edmonton’s Stars Without Chasing the Game.

Beating the Oilers often comes down to resisting the temptation to overreact. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are going to generate chances; the danger comes when teams start cheating offensively or abandoning assignments trying to stop them outright. Philadelphia largely avoided that trap.

The Flyers kept McDavid and Draisaitl from dictating pace through the middle of the ice, forced plays to the outside, and limited second opportunities around the net. When Edmonton did generate looks, they were rarely off broken coverage or extended chaos — a key difference from the Flyers’ earlier loss to the Oilers this season.

Dan Vladar benefitted from that approach, but he also earned his night. The shots he faced were competitive, not overwhelming, and his rebound control prevented Edmonton from turning single chances into game-shifting sequences. The Flyers didn’t neutralize Edmonton’s stars — they managed them, which is often the more realistic and effective goal.

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2. Denver Barkey’s First NHL Goal Fit the Night Perfectly.

Denver Barkey’s first career NHL goal was a highlight, but what made it notable was how naturally it arrived within the flow of the game. He's fit in so naturally with the NHL game since his debut on Dec. 20 (where he recorded his first two NHL assists) that it only felt like a matter of time until he started making an impact through goals. 

Denver Barkey is a Philadelphia Flyer. #PHIvsEDM | #LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/7MIGtZvsTu

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 3, 2026

His goal mattered not just on the scoreboard, but in reinforcing how the Flyers are integrating younger players into meaningful situations without overexposing them. Barkey didn’t look overwhelmed by the stage or the opponent, and his ability to contribute without needing to dominate touches speaks well to his adaptability at the NHL level.

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3. The Blue Line Helped Drive the Outcome.

Travis Sanheim’s goal and continued climb up the franchise’s all-time scoring list for defensemen is worthy of recognition, but the broader takeaway is how involved the Flyers’ defense was across all three pairs.

Sanheim, Cam York (1A)), Nick Seeler (1G, 1A), and others consistently supported the attack without abandoning defensive responsibilities. Pucks were moved efficiently, pressure was relieved quickly, and Edmonton was rarely able to hem the Flyers in for extended stretches.

Seel Team checking in! 🫡#PHIvsEDM | #LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/8vph7L5pAX

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 3, 2026

Sanheim’s milestone goal — moving him into sole possession of fourth all-time in points by a Flyers defenseman — was the headline, but it was the collective reliability of the group that allowed Philadelphia to control large portions of the game.

That’s Olympic Athlete Travis Sanheim, to you. #PHIvsEDM | #LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/Q1FBFZwIuM

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 3, 2026

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4. Depth Scoring Continues to Define This Team’s Ceiling.

The Flyers didn’t win this game on a single dominant line or a one-off performance—and they rarely do anymore. They won it because production came from everywhere.

Bobby Brink’s 11th goal, Nick Seeler’s first goal of the season (along with an assist), Owen Tippett’s multi-point night, and contributions from Matvei Michkov, Sean Couturier, Cam York, and Rodrigo Abols all added up to a balanced offensive night that Edmonton struggled to contain.

The Magic of Owen Tippett: Unpacking His Impact On Flyers Beyond The Scoresheet<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/owen-tippett-speaks-on-individual-season-closeness-of-current-flyers-group">Owen Tippett</a> is a player who makes you sit up in your seat.&nbsp;

When 12 different players factor into the scoresheet, it becomes far harder for opponents to game-plan or survive momentum swings. Philadelphia’s ability to generate offense without relying exclusively on its top-end skill has quietly become one of its most reliable traits.

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5. The Flyers Know What They're Capable Of, and They're Hungry For More.

Closing a West Coast trip with a win against Edmonton wasn't simply about energy or emotion alone. It’s about decision-making when tired legs meet elite opposition. The Flyers were smart with the puck, selective with their pressure, and opportunistic when Edmonton overextended.

The Flyers didn’t need to be perfect to win this game. They needed to be deliberate, composed, and committed to doing the hard things consistently—a mindset that has defined this group since Rick Tocchet took over this season.

Dan Vladar summed up where the Flyers are at pretty perfectly, telling media postgame, “Those are the moments that I think a lot of guys in here are living for. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best… Obviously, we’re still not the best, but we are doing everything we can to get to the best spot we can. We still know it’s a lot of hockey left, but I think that if you’re going to follow our leaders and the coaching staff, we are going to be in a good spot.”

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Bonus: Welcome Back, Garnet Hathaway!

Garnet Hathaway returned to the Flyers lineup in Edmonton, and didn't take long to drop the gloves with Darnell Nurse in an entertaining—and also quite dizzying—first period brawl.

Just a CHAOTIC fight between Hathaway and Nurse 😂🥊 pic.twitter.com/MZ9VDQHCfK

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 3, 2026

The Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights are set to face off on Sunday night at the United Center. After defeating the Washington Capitals in DC on Saturday night, this is another back-to-back with travel for Chicago. 

So far this season, they have had terrible results in these situations. This is their fifth opportunity to make it right, as plenty more loom in the second half of the season. With the team carrying some momentum as they’ve played well following the holiday break, this is as good a time as any to get a back-to-back sweep. 

Scouting Vegas

The Vegas Golden Knights have one of the best rosters in the NHL when healthy. The problem for them is that they are not very healthy. They’ve also lost three in a row coming into this game and are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games. 

They do now, however, have Jack Eichel back in the lineup. Eichel is their best player as he creates chances, scores goals, and has a heavy two-way game that brings out the best in everyone. It is only a matter of time before this group finds its groove.

Barbashev-Eichel-Marner

Dorofeyev-Hertl-Bowman

Smith-Howden-Stone 

Saad-Sissons-Kolesar

Hanifin-Whitecloud

Lauzon-Korczak

Megna-Hutton

Hart

Jack Eichel playing with Mitch Marner is pure hockey magic. These two are both playmaking wizards, and Eichel has an all-world shot. This duo, on a line with Ivan Barbashev, is one to focus on for Jeff Blashill and his staff. 

Although Eichel is back, they are still missing two-way forward William Karlsson and Team Canada defenseman Shea Theodore. Brayden McNabb, who is also a pretty good defenseman, is out as well. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks have two straight wins with the same lineup. There really isn’t much of a reason to mess with it unless there is any sort of injury or return of an injured player. 

In the last couple of games, they’ve seen veterans like Ryan Donato, Ilya Mikheyev, and Teuvo Teravainen produce in the absence of Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar. Even Nick Foligno and Andre Burakovsky coming up clutch in the shootout on Saturday night were big moments for this team, trying to gain some steam again. 

When Bedard and Nazar come back, they will be returning to a team that learned how to play without them. That may help everyone overall once the lineup is at full strength. There will be no reason for the young guys playing well or the veterans to slow down once those two return, which would make it a much more balanced attack. 

Bertuzzi-Greene-Burakovsky 

Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev

Teravainen-Moore-Lardis

Dach-Foligno-Slaggert

Vlasic-Crevier

Kaiser-Levshunov

Grzelcyk-Murphy

Soderblom

After Spencer Knight shut down the Capitals on Saturday night, Arvid Soderblom will certainly go against the Golden Knights at home on Sunday. To have success in the NHL these days, you need two good goalies. Soderblom has played well, and this is another good test for him. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found locally on CHSN. Nationally, it can be streamed on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 6:00 PM CT. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

There has been no love lost between the Nashville Predators and the Calgary Flames this season. 

While Nashville has won the regular-season series, picking up a 4-3 win on Saturday in Calgary, there have been 118 penalty minutes combined across those three games. 

The most recent matchup featured two fights, a 10-minute misconduct and a missed sucker punch that left Predators head coach Andrew Brunette irate at the officials.

It was a chippy game that was a lot closer than the previous one, but in the end, it was the impact of Nic Hague that resonated and gave the Nashville Predators the win. 

"It's never going to be easy for us, and it hasn't been all year, and tonight was another example of that, but I'm really proud of the group," Hague said. "We stuck together and kept pushing for that next goal."

John Beecher's impact in the game could debatably led to the Predators' win. During a scrum in the first period with Michael McCarron, Beecher got a punch in that caused McCarron to fall to the ice. 

Brunette and the Predators argued that Beecher should've been given a match penalty as his lick in on McCarron could've been deemed a suck punch. Beecher was not given an extra penalty, as both he and McCarron were given roughing and misconduct calls. 

Fast forward to the second period, right as Ryan Lomberg broke into the Predators zone, creating a prime scoring chance, Hague dropped the gloves with Beecher.

It's unknown whether or not Hague was aware of the Flames' offensive chance generating down the ice, but the fight stopped the play dead in its tracks. 

"We believe that we're a good team. There's going to be ups and downs through the season and throughout a game, but there was no better example than tonight," Hague said. "We just never backed down, no matter if it was physically or finding our own play. That's what good teams do and it took us right to the end." 

In the final minute of the game, tied, McCarron and Cole Smith worked the puck up the boards to Hague at the point. He let a slapshot go that went in, beating Dustin Wolf's glove side for the game-winning goal with 27 seconds left in the game. 

"They (Calgary) get one late to tie it up, but there wasn't any discouragement on the bench and we gotta go out there and work for that next one," Hague said. "Mac's (McCarron) line did an unbelievable job all night getting it (the puck) on the forecheck and (generating) the last goal." 

In addition to the game-winning goal, it was announced on Sunday that Beecher is scheduled to have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on the McCarron sucker punch. 

With the win, Nashville is still very much in the hunt for the final Wild Card spot in the west, now just one point out after the San Jose Sharks lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Nashville is now at 19-18-4, with 42 points and can move into that final Wild Card spot if it defeats the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. 

"We've had a lot of grit all year," Brunette said. "We've gone through stuff together, stayed together and we've never been tighter. We grow every day and we're continuing to get better, but we also believe in each other...It's nice to get the win in a hard place to play." 

Three days into the new year, as the Ottawa Senators approach the midway point of the season, GM Steve Staios held a state-of-the-union address with the local media on Saturday morning.  

As the team got ready to host the Winnipeg Jets later in the day, Staios began with a prepared statement that described expectations being different this year, the incredible parity in the league, and that there is a lot to like about the "process-driven" way the club is playing this year.

But as former NFL head coach Bill Parcells once said, "You are what your record says you are." Silver linings and moral victories will only go so far with this hungry Ottawa fan base, which was hoping the club would take a step forward after making the playoffs last spring. Instead, the Senators will have to take some major steps forward in the second half just to replicate last season's success.

The Senators opened play on January 3rd near the bottom of the Eastern standings. Three points out of a wild card spot doesn't sound all that bad, but when you have seven teams ahead of you, someone is always going to be winning games to keep you stuck in the logjam. 

It's not unreasonable to suggest that it will take a five or six-game winning streak to break on through to the other side of this wild-card jungle. And if they manage to do it, they'll have to keep playing well consistently.

When asked about the team's lack of consistency this season, goaltending was the first thing Staios brought up.

"I don't know if it's been consistency in player effort," Staios told the media. "We live in reality, and there are a couple of areas of our game that aren't up to expectations. We can talk about goaltending, and if the goaltenders were in here right now, they would be honest that they haven't played up to expectations.

"I think the optimism comes from, over the last month or so, they have played to expectations. It wasn't the best of starts for them, but it had stabilized, and I would I would feel comfortable saying that it's going to continue to not only stabilize, but move in the right direction."

That's all well and good to say, but between having the worst save percentage in the NHL, combined with Linus Ullmark on indefinite personal leave, and their current two goalies with just 31 games of NHL experience between them, this all seems like the complete opposite of stability.

Staios was asked if he knew roughly when Ullmark might return.

"Well, Linus knows he's got our full support, and we're going to respect him by not having a comment on that situation. We have full belief in Linus, along with Leevi, who's a good young goaltender who continues to develop, along with our depth with Mads Sogaard and Hunter Shepard.

"We know what Linus is as a goaltender, and he knows what he is as a goaltender. But at this point in time, he has our full support, and we'll respect his privacy until we have him back.

"We'll give him the time afforded to make sure that things are in order."

When asked about the possibility of pulling the trigger on a deal to get more goaltending depth, Staios shoehorned Mads Sogaard into the discussion.

"Mads is continuing to develop and in the right spot right now where he's got the net in Belleville and getting getting that time. But he's always been a top prospect goaltender turning into a top pro prospect, on the cusp of getting an opportunity."

For now, though, Merilainen is the emergency plan A and has been since last summer. Staios is now executing what he believed was the very best plan available to him if something happened to Ullmark.

He believed it, knowing that Merilainen is the sixth-youngest goalie in the league; he believed it the day he let Anton Forsberg walk into free agency; and he believed it, knowing that Ullmark had never played more than 50 games in a season.

Now we're about to find out if he was right or not. 

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News-Ottawa

Read more Ottawa Senators news and features at The Hockey News:

Senators Announce That Linus Ullmark Is Taking Leave Of Absence
Top Ottawa Senators Prospect Suits Up Again At World Juniors
Josh Norris: 'I Really Felt Like (Ottawa Fans) Had My Back, Even When I Was Injured
'NHL Player Fined For Cross-Checking Senators Star Tim Stutzle In The Face
Ottawa Senators Have A Soft Spot For Their Tough Guy
Senators Announce Their Latest Addition To Ring Of Honour

An extremely difficult task awaits the Florida Panthers on Sunday afternoon in Sunrise.

Florida will look to avoid a third straight defeat when they host the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche at Amerant Bank Arena.

After marching through a strong stretch in December that saw the Panthers reel off wins in seven of eight, Florida has struggled of late.

Following the NHL’s annual holiday break around Christmas, the Panthers have lost three of four, including Friday’s Winter Classic at loanDepot Park.

Now they’ll try to right the ship against the top team in the league.

The Panthers were in Colorado a little less than a month ago, playing the second night of a back-to-back after winning in Utah the previous evening.

Several Panthers players said that was one of the toughest back-to-back sets they’d played due to the sudden changes in both time zone and elevation.

We’ll see if they can come up with a better effort on Sunday, after having a day off and being able to sleep in their own beds beforehand.

Florida defenseman Seth Jones left Friday’s Winter Classic with an upper-body injury and did not return, and his status for Sunday’s game remains unknown.

Jones took a deflected puck to the shoulder/collarbone area, but after the game Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said he didn’t think it was anything too serious.

Hopefully, for Florida’s sake, that means Jones will be good to go against Colorado.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Sunday’s meeting with the Avalanche:

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Brad Marchand

Mackie Samoskevich – Evan Rodrigues – A.J. Greer

Jesper Boqvist – Luke Kunin – Jack Studnicks

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Uvis Balinskis – Jeff Petry

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Photo caption: Jan 2, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice looks on during the second period in the 2026 Winter Classic ice hockey game against the New York Rangers at loanDepot Park. (Rhona Wise-Imagn Images)

No team has beaten the Montreal Canadiens like the Dallas Stars did this season. On November 13, at the Bell Centre, Glen Gulutzan’s men put seven goals past the Canadiens’ goaltenders, five past Jakub Dobes in 40 minutes and two past Samuel Montembeault in the remaining 20 minutes. Meanwhile, the Habs could get a single puck past backup goalie Casey De Smith. Yes, the Washington Capitals scored eight on the Tricolore a week later, but in that loss, the Habs at least managed to score four goals. On Sunday afternoon at the American Airlines Center, the Sainte-Flanelle will have a chance at redemption.

After being blanked by Jordan Bennington and the St. Louis Blues, Montreal will try to end its seven-game road trip on a high note with a win in Dallas. That’s no small task; however, the Stars have 57 points and are third in the standings, but they have lost their last two games and are 4-4-2 in their previous 10 games. The hosts have beaten the visitors seven times in the last 10 duels between the two sides, but the Canadiens won the earlier meeting in Dallas last January, 3-1, with Jakub Dobes in net.

Opportunistic Blues Beat Canadiens
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Martin St-Louis has yet to confirm who will start in net, but since the Canadiens returned from their Christmas break, he’s been alternating his goalies, and if he keeps it up, it would be Samuel Montembeault’s turn to step between the posts. The Becancour native has a good record against the Texans; in six games, he’s 2-2-1 with a 2.80 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. Meanwhile, Jakub Dobes is 1-1-0 with a 3.61 GAA and a .870 SV, and Jacob Fowler has never taken them on.

At the other end of the ice, the starting goaltender hasn’t been confirmed yet, but Jake Oettinger has seen the lion’s share of the work this season, and since the Stars haven’t played in two days, he’ll be rested and ready if called upon. The American has a 5-2-0 record against the Habs with a 2.48 GAA and a .907 SV.

Meanwhile, DeSmith is 4-2-2 with a 2.07 GAA and a .930 SV%, but the Stars announced on Saturday that he was taking a personal leave of absence to address a family matter. As a result, they’ve recalled Farnham, Quebec native Remi Poirier from their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars. Drafted by Dallas in the sixth round of the 2020 draft, the 24-year-old has yet to play in the NHL, but he has an 8-10-5 record in the AHL with a 2.77 GAA and a .903 SV.

Up front, Nick Suzuki is the Canadiens’ most productive forward against the Stars with 14 points in just 11 games. Phillip Danault comes in second place with 13 points in 24 games, and Brendan Gallagher is third with seven points in 18 games. It’s worth noting that blueliner Noah Dobson has six points in just nine games and Cole Caufield five points in eight games. When the Habs lost 2-0 to the Blues, Ivan Demidov's five-game point streak ended; he had nine points over that span and will be looking to start another streak on Sunday.

As for the Stars, Matt Duchene has 22 points in 27 duels with the Habs, closely followed by Jamie Benn with 21 points in 23 duels and Mikko Rantanen, who’s a point-per-game player against Montreal with 16 points in as many games. A couple of top point producers for the Stars have been ignored for the Olympic rosters and will likely play with a chip on their shoulders as a result. Team Canada has decided to do without Wyatt Johnson, who has 46 points this season in 41 games, while Team USA has no room for Jason Robertson, the highest-scoring American in the league with 48 points in 41 games (including 24 goals).

To win, the Canadiens will need to play a disciplined game, since the Stars have the second-best power play in the league at 29.8% and the sixth-best penalty kill at 82.2%. Montreal also can’t afford to underperform in the second frame (the Habs have a minus-12 differential in the middle stanza), since Dallas is plus-nine in that period. Furthermore, the Stars are the third-highest-scoring team in the league, averaging 3.41 goals per game, so whoever is in net for the visitors will need to play well.

The game is set for 2:00 PM on Sunday, and you can catch it on Victory+, TSN2, and RDS. Jordan Samuels-Thomas and the always-entertaining Wes McCauley will be officiating, while Ben O’Quinn and CJ Murray will be the linemen. After the game, the Canadiens will fly back home and enjoy a much-deserved day off on Monday, before hitting the ice again in Brossard on Tuesday to start preparing for their Wednesday night tilt against the Calgary Flames.

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Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 3-2 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins. 

Despite the loss, the Canucks were the better team at even strength. Vancouver held a 27-22 scoring chances advantage and won the even-strength high-danger scoring chances 12-8. In the end, it was special teams that made the difference as the Bruins scored twice on the man advantage compared to one goal on six opportunities for the Canucks. 

As for the heatmap, Vancouver did a good job of protecting the front of the net, but still allowed two goals from in front of the crease. At the other end, the Canucks crashed the net all game, generating 11 high-danger shots on goal. Overall, it was a positive performance, but one that still resulted in a loss. 

To wrap things up, the Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson and Linus Karlsson line were virtually unstoppable. During their 6:57 together, Vancouver held a 10-0 shots advantage and won the scoring chances battle 12-0. The trio also found the back of the net as Pettersson scored early in the second period. 

The Canucks start their Eastern road trip on Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres. These two teams met earlier this season, with Buffalo picking up a 3-2 victory. Game time is scheduled for 4:00 pm PT. 

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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For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are at home to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at Nationwide Arena.    

Pittsburgh Penguins - 19-12-9 - 46 Points - 5-4-1 in the last 10 - 5th in the Metro

Columbus Blue Jackets - 18-16-6 - 42 Points - 5-5-0 in the last 10 - 8th in the Metro  

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 18.4% - 21st in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 76.1% - 28th in the NHL
• Goals For - 119 - 21st in the NHL
• Goals Against - 131 - 22nd in the NHL

Penguins Stats

• Power Play - 29.6% - 3rd in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 81.5% - 10th in the NHL
• Goals For - 129 - 11th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 122 - 16th in the NHL

Series History vs. ThePenguins

• Columbus is 19-31-9 all-time, and 13-12-4 at home vs. Pittsburgh.
• The Jackets are 5-5-1 in the last 11 against the Pens overall, and 4-6 in the last 10 at home.
• The Blue Jackets are 1-1 vs. Pittsburgh this season.

Who To Watch For ThePenguins

• Sidney Crosby leads the Pens with 23 goals and 45 points.
• Erik Karlsson leads Pittsburgh with 27 assists.
• Yegor Chinakhov is making his return to NWA after being traded to the Pens.
• Goalie Arturs Silovs is 7-5-6 with a SV% of .884. His last start was on January 1st.

CBJ Player Notes vs.Penguins

• Zach Werenski has a stat line of 5-10-14 in 23 career games against Pittsburgh.
• Boone Jenner has 14 points in 25 games.
• Charlie Coyle has 22 points in 36 games.
• Elvis Merzlikins has a career record of 2-2-0, with a SV% of .864 vs. Buffalo.

Injuries 

• Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 34 Games - IR - No timeline for a return.
• Isac Lundeström - Lower Body - Missed 2 Games - IR
• Miles Wood - Lower Body - IR - Week-to-week.
• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 1 Game IR - Week to week.

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 90

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play. 

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Former Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan has found a new gig.

The 56-year-old is set to join Hockey Canada and lead a review of men's junior hockey within Ontario. Shanahan will look at developing the skills and character traits of hockey players, plus ensuring junior hockey in Ontario is athlete-centred and development-focused, before sharing his findings with a six-person committee.

Shanahan will also produce two public documents: "an interim paper that includes a framework for consulting with stakeholders in the coming weeks, and a final report with his recommendations later in 2026."

The committee Shanahan will report to consists of Craig Halpenny (Hockey Eastern Ontario president), Dean Filane (Hockey Northwestern Ontario president), Jeffrey Turner (chair of the Ontario Hockey Federation Board of Directors),  Jonathan Goldbloom (chair of the Hockey Canada Board of Directors), John Kastner (Hockey Canada board member), and Katherine Henderson (president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada).

"Playing hockey for Team Canada was one of the greatest honours of my career, so to work on this project with Hockey Canada and its three Ontario Members to help give back to the game in my home province is an opportunity that I am very grateful for," said Shanahan in the press release.

"Throughout this review, I’m looking forward to learning from those involved in junior hockey in Ontario and better understanding their visions for how we can build a stronger system for everyone participating in our great game."

Shanahan was the president of hockey operations for the Maple Leafs from 2014 to 2025. In that time, he contributed to getting the Maple Leafs back on track, with the team making the playoffs in all but two seasons (2015 and 2016).

Brendan Shanahan Out: Why the Maple Leafs Are Moving On From Their Longtime PresidentThe Toronto Maple Leafs and Brendan Shanahan are parting ways.

The Mimico, Ontario native also helped develop the relationship between the team and the alumni to what it is now. That included converting all honored numbers into retired numbers, plus the creation of Legends Row

Toronto parted ways with Shanahan following the 2024-25 season, which was his final season under contract as president of the Maple Leafs.

Before joining the Maple Leafs, Shanahan worked for five years within the NHL, which included three years as senior vice president of player safety. After departing Toronto, Shanahan reportedly took a job to join the NHL's hockey operations department.

Report: Ex-Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan Joins NHL Hockey OpsShanahan is returning to work for the NHL in his first gig since his contract was not renewed by the Maple Leafs last summer.

Shanahan never played for the Maple Leafs, but had major success as a player in hockey. He's part of the IIHF Triple Hold Club and has three Stanley Cups to his name, all with the Detroit Red Wings.

Through 1,524 games spent with the Devils, New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, and New York Rangers, Shanahan has 656 goals and 698 assists for 1,354 points.

In the sixth game of a seven-game road trip, the Montreal Canadiens were taking on the St.Louis Blues on Saturday afternoon. Martin St-Louis’ men were attempting to get at least a point in an eight straight game, and they were hoping to bank on the hosts’ fatigue, as the Missouri outfit was playing in the second game of a back-to-back. Still, goaltender Jordan Binnington, who rode the pine on Friday night, was in great form.

On paper, the Habs were the better side with a 10-point lead over the Blues in the standings, but the game is played on the ice and not on paper, unfortunately for the Canadiens. The team that makes the most of its opportunities typically grabs the win, and that’s precisely what happened on Sunday.

Two Canadiens Prospects Make Semifinals
Canadiens: Kicking Off The Weekend With A Stop In St. Louis
Canadiens’ Rookies Dominate On Both Sides Of The Atlantic

A System Not Suited To Binnington

The Canadiens’ coach often says that it’s essential to play the game that’s in front of you, and often for the Habs, that starts with a well-placed dump-in and effective forecheck, but against Binnington, that’s not a winning strategy.

While St. Louis’ netminder may not be having a great season, with a 7-10-6 record, a 3.56 goals-against average, and a.869 save percentage, he is still one of the best goaltenders in the league to handle the puck outside of his net. This is one of the reasons why Team Canada still picked him for the Olympics, despite his lukewarm performances this season.

If you put the puck deep against the Blues, Binnington comes out and assists his blueliners, effectively assuming the role of a third defenseman.

Furthermore, the masked man was in top form on Saturday, and even though the Canadiens had a lengthy five-on-three power play in the second frame, they couldn’t solve him. Montreal might have had a better chance of doing so had it used Lane Hutson on the two-man advantage instead of Noah Dobson. While the latter has been very productive lately, with more space on the ice, you need Hutson’s mobility and creativity to make the defensive unit move. Dobson’s rocket of a shot is more efficient when there’s a lot of circulation in front of the goalie. Saturday night’s win was Binnington’s first at home since November 28.

Costly Mistakes

While the Blues were 29th in the league before the game, they still have some very talented offensive players, and feeding them odd-man rushes is never a good idea. In the first frame, the hosts had four of those opportunities. They didn’t capitalize on them as Jacob Fowler stood tall, but it certainly helped them build some much-needed momentum.

In the second frame, on the power play, Hutson committed a turnover at center ice, and it led to yet another odd-man rush. The Blues didn’t miss on that one. Robert Thomas gave the host a 2-0 lead, which held through 60 minutes.

A Tough Game For Former Blues

Zachary Bolduc, who was acquired from the Blues last Summer, played a big part in his former team taking the lead in the first frame when he sent a hard pass off target to Jayden Struble; the puck ended up in the net seconds later.

As for Alexandre Texier, he had a golden opportunity in the first frame, alone in space, but he took so long to unleash a shot that the Blues had the time to not only pick his pocket but launch an attack the other way, with numbers.

For some reason, the execution was lacking tonight, and the Habs missed several opportunities with a wide-open net, something that’s always sure to bring its fair share of frustration. In Josh Anderson’s absence, Brendan Gallagher was skating on the third line alongside former linemate Phillip Danault and Bolduc, and he had six shots through 40 minutes. Still, he was unable to get the puck past Binnington, who signed a 2-0 shutout, his first in a year to the day. 

The Habs had no time to lick their wounds after the game as they needed to head straight to Texas, where they’ll take on the Dallas Stars on Sunday. They’ll try to avenge the 7-0 walloping the Stars handed them in November.

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Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Washington Capitals in a shootout on Saturday night. This is their second straight win after playing their best game without Connor Bedard on Thursday night at the United Center. 

The Blackhawks opened the scoring just 1:13 into the game as Ryan Donato made it 1-0. It took just over three minutes, however, for Washington to get it tied up. 

At 4:24 of the second period, the Blackhawks once again took the lead. Teuvo Teravainen made it 2-1 with his 9th goal of the season. From there, the Blackhawks controlled the scoreboard for quite some time.

The Capitals did eventually make the expected push, and Ryan Leonard tied the game at 11:18 of the third period. From there, some good goaltending between Spencer Knight and Logan Thompson led to overtime. 

With nothing doing in the extra frame, despite a Blackhawks power play to end it, the game went to a long shootout. After a lot of back and forth, Nick Foligno won it for his team in the 6th round. 

In addition to Spencer Knight making a couple of nice saves, Nick Lardis and Andre Burskovsky also scored in the shootout to help it get to round six. 

This is a solid 3-2 victory for the Blackhawks. They were unable to hold Washington off in the third period, but they found a way to win in the end. For young teams like that, it’s important to claim victory at all costs. 

Knight didn't only make good saves in the shootout, either. Throughout regulation and overtime, he made 32 saves on 34 shots. That is a signature win for him this season, as he helped defeat a great team on the road to extend a nice streak of play. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

wasting no time getting down to business💼 pic.twitter.com/CIexbjRTnE

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 4, 2026

turbo on the power play🙌 pic.twitter.com/saHNm3tqn4

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 4, 2026

a twirl of the stick for the rookie🫡 pic.twitter.com/7GWCW0voev

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 4, 2026

a shootout win by the cap😃 pic.twitter.com/JWixHIyzoy

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 4, 2026

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Blackhawks are back in action on Sunday night. The second half of back-to-back situations has been a struggle for them, home or away. This one will take place at the United Center with the Vegas Golden Knights in town.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.