When Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes spoke to the media after the trade deadline had passed, he let it be known that he had been working hard on one particular deal that would have been significant for the Habs, but that he couldn’t close it. He then added that it could be revisited in the summer, meaning the target was still with its team. Given the rumours we had heard around the league about Robert Thomas’ availability, most thought that was who the GM was talking about.

Since then, another name has been making the rounds. Nick Kypreos believes the target was none other than Toronto Maple Leafs’ youngster Matthew Knies. Speaking on the podcast The Fan Hockey Show, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman said that was his theory too, but that he chased down that lead and it was denied. Before adding, there was definitely smoke there. As the saying goes, there’s no smoke without fire, and one has to admit that the 23-year-old, 6-foot-3, 232-pound would fill a need for the Canadiens, much more than Robert Thomas, who’s quite similar to Nick Suzuki.

Canadiens Take Down The Maple Leafs With Another Strong Dobes Performance
Canadiens: Can Suzuki Hit The Magic Number?
Montembeault Is Working On His Big Issue

The last few weeks have shown just how much the Habs need another top-six player, and the fact that Juraj Slafkovsky was returned to the first line after multiple players tried to fill the void on Suzuki and Cole Caufield’s side shows Montreal could use another power forward type of player. This season, Knies has 51 points in 62 games playing on the Leafs’ first line.

Why would the Leafs entertain trading such a promising player? Well, it’s obvious that the Toronto brass cannot be pleased with how their season has been going. They failed to acquire a suitable replacement for Mitch Marner, and as a result, they are headed for an early summer. If they are to turn it around for next season, changes will have to be made, and they’re not exactly strong on the blueline. A prized asset like Knies, who’s already proven that he can perform in the NHL, can land you several pieces and help to jump-start a quick “reset”. Of course, the price to pay wouldn’t be low. Toronto wouldn’t want to create another issue in its lineup by trading him, meaning they would need a replacement for him on top of a defenseman.

David Alter, who covers the Leafs for The Hockey News, doesn’t believe a deal with the Habs could have been made unless Noah Dobson was part of the package coming back. Needless to say, Dobson isn’t going anywhere, but you have to think that it would have taken a significant offer to get Knies.

If Knies were indeed the target, it would be interesting to see if anything comes of it this summer. With the season the Leafs have had, changes could be made behind the bench and in the front office. Craig Berube looks like he has lost the room, and he may well be dismissed. Would that buy Brad Treliving more time? Maybe. Time will tell. One thing’s for sure, though, if the Canadiens were to acquire Knies, the package could include quite a few assets: a first-round pick (the Leafs do not have one this year), a right-shot defenseman, perhaps David Reinbacher, and a forward, perhaps like prospect Alexander Zharovsky. I don’t see the Canadiens including Michael Hage in a trade for a winger, given how hard it is to acquire good NHL centers. Mind you, if a deal like that had gone down, the Canadiens would more than likely have needed to make another deal to get some help on their blueline, and it is believed that Hughes had another trade lined up for a right-shot defenseman.

Would it be surprising to see a deal go down between the two divisional rivals? Yes, it would be, but at the end of the day, they now face each other only four times per season, so starting next year, that’s four games out of 84 or 4.7% of the games. Of course, you don’t want to see a player you had burn you down the line, but that’s a risk that exists wherever you trade them.

Time will tell if Kypreos and Friedman’s theory pans out, or we may never know if Treliving is dismissed or if the target was someone else entirely.

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There have been many milestones for Pittsburgh Penguins' players this season, and that tends to happen when there are four potential future hall-of-famers on one roster. 

But, on Tuesday, their general manager and president of hockey operations hit one of his own. 

Penguins GM and POHO Kyle Dubas reached his 600th career game as an NHL GM on Tuesday when the Penguins played the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh. Dubas is in the midst of his third season with the Penguins, while he spent five seasons as the GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs after being with the Leafs' organization for four years prior to his GM hire. 

About to be 600 @NHL games in the books for Kyle Dubas 👏 pic.twitter.com/r5CIniHHs7

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 10, 2026

The 40-year-old Dubas has drawn the attention of many this season, as his drafting,  offseason additions, and in-season acquisitions have helped Pittsburgh to second in the Metropolitan Division in a season where many expected his team to be in contention for a lottery pick. One of those additions is new head coach Dan Muse and his staff, who have managed to produce successful results with the Penguins' mix of veterans and young players. 

If the Penguins do indeed make the playoffs, there are many who believe that Dubas will contend for GM of the Year. 

Pittsburgh has yet to make the playoffs under Dubas. 

Penguins Forward Closing In On Career High In GoalsAnthony Mantha is three goals away from a new career-high.

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Travis Konecny has piled up the points in Philadelphia, and now draws a Washington team that has conceded 40 goals over the past 10 road games.

My Capitals vs. Flyers predictions expect Konecny to make the most of this advantageous matchup.

Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Wednesday, March 11.

Capitals vs Flyers prediction

Capitals vs Flyers best bet: Travis Konecny Over 0.5 points (-160)

Travis Konecny has stuffed the scoresheet all season long, especially at home. He has picked up a point in a remarkable 73% of home dates and recorded almost as many multi-point showings (seven) as zeros (eight).

The points should continue to come against the Washington Capitals. They have not limited goals nearly effectively on the road, conceding an extra 0.49 goals per game.

Washington’s goal suppression in away games has gotten even bleaker of late. They’ve given up 40 goals over their past 10 on the road and allowed 3+ in nine of them. Look for Konecny to take advantage.

Capitals vs Flyers same-game parlay

The total of 5.5 is juiced to the Over and trending towards 6, so we should see goals here. Alex Ovechkin is a prime candidate to get involved for the Capitals.

He has points in seven of his last 10 away games and 61% of road dates on the season.

Jakob Chychrun has seen a massive uptick in shot volume without John Carlson, averaging an additional 1.2 attempts per game. Carlson was traded at the deadline, opening the door for Chychrun to play an even bigger offensive role moving forward.

Capitals vs Flyers SGP

• Travis Konecny Over 0.5 points
• Alex Ovechkin Over 0.5 points
• Jakob Chycrun Over 2.5 shots on goal

Capitals vs Flyers odds

• Moneyline: Washington -110 | Philadelphia -110
• Puck line: Washington -1.5 (+210) | Philadelphia +1.5 (-260)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+115) | Under 6.5 (-135)

Capitals vs Flyers trend

Travis Konecny has points in 15 of his last 20 home dates. Find more NHL betting trends for Capitals vs. Flyers.

How to watch Capitals vs Flyers

Capitals vs Flyers latest injuries

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Following a successful weekend with dual shootout triumphs over their central division rivals, forward Martin Nečas of the Colorado Avalanche was named the NHL’s second star of the week with eight points over four contests.

Mark Scheifele, Martin Necas and Tage Thompson have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending March 8.

3 Stars of the Week presented by @GEICO#NHLStats: https://t.co/LgUvVFZCz3pic.twitter.com/YOXHtT5S8z

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) March 9, 2026

The best part of the trade deadline passing is when the true stories of what happened behind the scenes during the frenzy start to come out including how the Montreal Canadiens were in on Nazem Kadri until the end.

Canadiens Were “In The Mix” Late On Nazem Kadrihttps://t.co/tg02vQQmAb

— Pro Hockey Rumors (@prohockeyrumors) March 9, 2026

ICYMI, hear about our first hand account of Nazem Kadri’s return to Colorado! He’s more ready and focused than ever on earning the grand prize one more time.

Nazem Kadri Didn’t Come Back for a Specific Role — He Came Back to Win a Stanley Cup#GoAvsGo | @AdoHernandez27https://t.co/b8DgNebc7i

— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 9, 2026

Bad news for the Colorado Eagles, their arena build project in Greeley has hit a snag with a local vote that didn’t go their way. The builders are still optimistic they will find a solution.

Greeley residents kicked the Colorado Eagles out of their new nest in Tuesday’s special election. At least for now. https://t.co/6c1Cdf4c61

— The Colorado Sun (@ColoradoSun) February 26, 2026

Finally, the bulletin board at Altitude studios: a list.

Tallest current NHL players:

6'9"
Curtis Douglas
Matt Rempe

6'8"
Elmer Soderblom
Adam Klapka
Louis Crevier
Tyler Myers

6'7"
Vincent Desharnais
Jamie Oleksiak
Victor Hedman
Nikita Zadorov
Logan Stanley
Lian Bichsel
Adam Edstrom

— NHL Rosters (@NHL_Rosters) March 9, 2026

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It’s a short turnaround for the Montreal Canadiens, as they’ll play their second Atlantic Division clash in consecutive nights against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday, March 11.

My top Canadiens vs. Senators predictions and NHL picks call for Ottawa to take care of business on home ice tonight.

Canadiens vs Senators prediction

Canadiens vs Senators best bet: Senators moneyline (-170)

The Ottawa Senators are cruising along a 9-1-2 stretch while allowing the fewest goals per game (2.08) and ranking fourth in Corsi For percentage and second in expected goals percentage, so this is a daunting matchup on the second leg of a back-to-back set for the Montreal Canadiens.

Of course, the Habs rank 27th in CF% and 30th in xGF% at 5-on-5 during the same stretch, too.

Finally, I also value Ottawa No. 1 Linus Ullmark’s rock-solid .908 SV% and 2.34 GAA on home ice this season. 

Canadiens vs Senators same-game parlay

While I prefer the Sens moneyline for the best bet, going with the puck line in the same-game parlay offers a nice odds boost. The Sens have allowed the fewest expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 on home ice, which paves the way to this game going Under.

Turning to Ottawa winger Drake Batherson, he’s recorded two or more shots in seven of his past nine games for 24 total while jumping the boards with the top line and No. 1 power-play unit.

The Habs' possession numbers have also been down, and Montreal has surrendered the seventh-most shots per game (30.5) during the highlighted stretch.

Canadiens vs Senators SGP

• Senators -1.5
• Under 6.5
• Drake Batherson Over 1.5 shots on goal

Canadiens vs Senators odds

• Moneyline: Canadiens +145 | Senators -170
• Puck Line: Canadiens +1.5 (-155) | Senators -1.5 (+135)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-115) | Under 6.5 (-105)

Canadiens vs Senators trend

The Ottawa Senators have covered the puck line in 9 of their last 12 games (+8.60 Units / 54% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Senators.

How to watch Canadiens vs Senators

Canadiens vs Senators latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

With two back-to-backs this week and Samuel Montembeault still struggling to find his game, the Montreal Canadiens have decided to call up Jacob Fowler from the Laval Rocket. Given the fact that Jakub Dobes played last night, chances are Fowler won’t have long to wait before playing in his 11th NHL game; he could face the Ottawa Senators tonight. 

In his first stint with the Habs back in December, the 21-year-old put together a 4-4-2 record with a 2.62 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage, on top of getting his first shutout against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Canadiens Take Down The Maple Leafs With Another Strong Dobes Performance
Canadiens: Can Suzuki Hit The Magic Number?
Montembeault Is Working On His Big Issue

In the AHL, he has played 27 games this year, winning 19, losing 7 in regulation and 1 in overtime, and recording 3 shutouts. While the plan was initially for Fowler to spend the whole season in the AHL, the circumstances in Montreal have forced the Canadiens to call him up midseason, when both Montembeault and Jakub Dobes were struggling.

It remains to be seen how long this call-up will last, but since the trade deadline has come and gone, there is no more roster size limit, as long as the team is under the salary cap. In other words, he could be kept with the Habs indefinitely.

This move from the Habs’ front office is not surprising, but it’s not good news for Montembeault. The Becancour native is working on fixing his game with Marco Marciano, but the Habs’ patience is clearly wearing thin. Given the importance of every single point in a playoff race, they just couldn’t afford to wait anymore, and to be honest, he’s been given plenty of opportunities to bounce back throughout the season, but he hasn’t been able to.

This does not mean that the Habs are getting ready to waive him; there is no roster size limit, but it may well further indicate that the Canadiens will have to make a goaltending decision sooner than expected. The team has confirmed that all three goaltenders are healthy right now.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have managed a 3-2-3 record since the Olympic break without Sidney Crosby. That might not sound like much, but in the NHL’s point system that level of play (.563%) will keep them afloat for now until their captain returns. That might be happening soon since Crosby took part in the morning skate yesterday and is now starting the fourth week from the time of his injury.

Their comebacks lately, both complete and incomplete, have been something to marvel about. On Sunday, the Boston Bruins were leading the Penguins 3-0 in the second period, Pittsburgh would rally back for a 5-4 overtime win. Last night, the Carolina Hurricanes swamped the Pens in the third period to hold a 4-2 lead in the third period, the Pens rallied to tie before dropping the shootout decision. Avoiding regulation losses is the name of the game when it comes to the NHL standings, the Pens have managed to find a way in that department through resiliency and a force of will.

“We’re a resilient team,” Stuart Skinner said after last night’s game. “We’ve got guys in here who will do whatever it takes to win games and to get a point. We’re in March now, against a team that’s really hard to beat in their building. The fact that we came back on them is impressive to say the least.”

Skinner’s contribution might have been the most impressive. He made this save with 3:14 to go, in a 4-2 loss. Shots in the third period were 14-2 Carolina at that point, which speaks to the magnitude of how unlikely any potential positive result was looking with so little time remaining.

STUART SKINNER FLASHES THE LEATHER! 😮‍💨

What a save! pic.twitter.com/FmLzcoRiiU

— NHL (@NHL) March 11, 2026

Between the setup and shot, it was a tremendous save that kept the Penguins in the game, even if it didn’t look it at the time. It was a good enough effort to deserve to become a game-changing moment, and somehow it ended up becoming relevant. Pittsburgh would score two goals in the final 2:08 of regulation to pick up a point that it looked like for much of the third period would not even be a possibility.

“We certainly don’t give up in this room,” Bryan Rust said. “It says a lot about the guys in here.”

Rust, of course, would know, because he’s forefront at the players that fueled the comeback by shooting a puck that deflected off Noel Acciari for the Pens’ third goal. Rust would go onto score the last minute goal to force overtime and etch another small chapter in his Penguin lore for coming through in the clutch. Creating a couple of regular season goals aren’t as magnificent as Game 7 goals by circumstance, yet Rust’s late performance was no less heroic.

The Penguins have some areas to clean up, especially defensively where they’ve allowed 16 goals over the past four games (with two more tacked on for shootout losses). The shootout itself continues to be an abject disaster now with a 1-10 record and inability to both score goals and keep the puck out of the net.

The pluses have outweighed the negatives, given the circumstance of playing without Crosby in this stretch and having Evgeni Malkin out on suspension. Rust (4G+5A) and Erik Karlsson (2G+6A) both have nine points in the eight games. Budding star Egor Chinakhov (3G+4A) has seven points. Anthony Mantha has four goals and six points. Usually Rust, Chinakhov and Mantha have played on three separate lines, adding a touch of balance that belies the lack of on-paper depth the team shows right now. They keep scrapping and finding ways, like Skinner did with his 39 saves last night, capped by the huge stop towards the end.

“Huge credit to those guys,” Skinner said. “We battled hard all night. You could tell that it was a division game, and a huge point for us. This group should be very proud.”

The road rolls on, the Pens are in Vegas tomorrow night to meet a Golden Knight team that has now lost three-straight games. Malkin will be unavailable and there’s no certainty that Crosby will be playing. That hasn’t much affected a resilient, proud group that keeps on showing mettle by carving out impressive performances without their two leading scorers.

After sitting out nine straight games, New York Islanders rookie forward Maxim Shabanov found himself in the lineup on Tuesday night against the St. Louis Blues for the first time since Jan. 31.

He came in for forward Anthony Duclair, who skated on the fourth line in their 2-1 overtime win over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Shabanov played 10:07 minutes in their 4-3 comeback overtime win, which included 1:14 on the second power-play unit, recording two shots on three attempts.

When Shabanov was on the ice at 5-on-5, 8:52, the Islanders were outshot 5-3 and outscored 1-0.

However, they did have four scoring chances, three of which were considered high-danger chances. On the goal against, Shabanov definitely wants to get his stick or body in front of Dylan Holloway's shot from the top of the left circle, which beat a screened Ilya Sorokin.

It happens, especially as a rookie. Other things went wrong on that play.

In the third period, Shabanov made a power move, cutting to the top of the crease off the rush, but Blues netminder Jordan Hofer made the save. 

Standing at 5'9, he has a strong ability to find open ice, which is what led to that scoring chance. Shabanov doesn't force things, and we saw a handful of times on Tuesday when the 25-year-old Russian forward looked up the ice but opted for the smarter read, sending the puck back to his defenseman to start a cleaner breakout.

It's hard to remain confident in your ability when you sit for as long as Shabanov has, but he's been putting in a ton of work behind the scenes. Whether it's after practice or morning skate, Shabanov seems to always be on the ice for an hour-plus, working 1-on-1 with Benoit Desrosiers.

Getting acclimated to the NHL has been a process, but it says something that Patrick Roy went with him on their road trip finale, a game they really needed to win with the Columbus Blue Jackets breathing down their neck.

Shabanov also saw some minutes with Brayden Schenn and Ondrej Palat afer Calum Ritchie's failed coverage on the Jimmy Snuggerud goal at 9:10 of the second period, which gave St. Louis a 2-0 lead.

The question is, does Roy rotate the fourth-line left-wing spot for a few games before just riding the hot hand? 

Are Shabanov's hands warm enough to get another game? Duclair should be the guy in there given his speed and goal-scoring ability, but seeing him come out for Shabanov wasn't a good sign for No. 11 in what's been another difficult season on Long Island.

Kyle MacLean had held that role for quite some time, but a few rough games saw him come out. He's served as one of the two healthy scratches for the last two games.

The Islanders are back in action against the Los Angeles Kings at UBS Arena on Friday, the first of a back-to-back, before they host the Calgary Flames on Saturday. The Kings handed the Islanders a 5-3 loss last Wednesday in Los Angeles. 

Aatu Räty is adjusting to life as a full-time NHLer with the Vancouver Canucks. The 23-year-old has played 48 games this season and is set to hit the 100-game mark for his career before the month is over. With just 18 games left during the 2025-26 campaign, Räty is focused on showing management and the coaching staff that he is ready for a bigger role in the future. 

This is the first season in which Räty has not played a game in the AHL. Over his career, he has played 169 games with both the Abbotsford Canucks and the Bridgeport Islanders, scoring 44 goals and recording 119 points. As Räty explained, there is an adjustment period when players go from part-time to full-time at the NHL level. 

"I mean, obviously, just getting used to the day-to-day of the NHL," said Räty. "I feel like I'm getting very comfortable here. But also, learning so much from the players and also from the coaches. My defensive games got a lot better, and yeah, just getting more and more comfortable playing the NHL game."

One of the ways Räty is carving out a role for the Canucks is by consistently winning faceoffs. Of the 118 players who have taken at least 400 faceoffs this year, he ranks tied for second in win percentage at 61.1%. Räty's ability to win key faceoffs has also led to him getting more ice time, as he will sometimes jump over the boards for a defensive-zone draw or an overtime faceoff. 

"100%, yeah. That's definitely my biggest strength right now. I'm still trying to improve, and definitely want to be one of the best in the league at that. That's a good way to get minutes and, you know, even, like, (against the Jets), get a shift in overtime and stuff like that. So definitely really proud of that. And, yeah, keep trying to work on that."

As for his overall game, Räty continues to work with the coaching staff to get better every day. Not only is there a focus on individual skill, but also on learning how to play as a five-man unit. As Räty explained, he is constantly communicating with the coaching staff in order to find ways to improve his game. 

"We're on the same page. I know what I need to work on, and they agree. They give me good pointers and stuff like that. But at the same time, most of the stuff that you're doing during the year, though, you're focused on more team-oriented stuff. Obviously, it's important to work on your own skill set and everything, but I think a lot of stuff is like inside the game. How to mark this guy and more stuff like that.

Räty will be a player to keep an eye on for the Canucks over the final month of the season. Not only has he been consistent in the faceoff dot, but he has also shown, with 114 hits, that he can play a physical brand of hockey. Ultimately, Räty is developing into a solid NHLer who should play a key role for the foreseeable future. 

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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The New York Islanders found themselves in the NHL record book on Tuesday night after they defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-3 in overtime. 

Islanders Rally From Down 3-0, Beat Blues 4-3 In OT In Brayden Schenn’s Return To St. LouisTrailing by three, the Islanders stormed back. Barzal netted the overtime winner, capping a stunning comeback victory.

They improved to 10-0 in games decided in overtime this season, surpassing the 2020-2021 Vegas Golden Knights, who went nine straight games. 

Per @NHLMedia: #Isles recorded their fourth three-goal comeback win in the past decade. The others: Oct. 29, 2022 (vs. COL), Nov. 16, 2019 (at PHI) and Feb. 9, 2018 (vs. DET).

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) March 11, 2026

Mathew Barzal scored his second overtime winner of the season, matching Bo Horvat, Matthew Schaefer, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Simon Holmstrom. 

Because of their overtime success, the Islanders are tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for points (79) but sit third in the Metropolitan Division, with Pittsburgh having one game in hand. 

They remain three points up on the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have one game in hand. 

MONTREAL — If you didn’t watch the opening 20 minutes of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 3-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, you probably would have thought the club was just a bit unlucky. But the first period was a disaster; they were fortunate to only be down 2-0 after being outshot 18-5 by a Canadiens club loaded with young talent.

In isolation, it wasn’t the worst game for the Leafs, but they lost their eighth game in a row, falling to 0-6-2 since the Olympic break. They’re out of moral victories, and the playoffs aren’t in sight.

William Nylander scored Toronto’s lone goal, a lovely give-and-go with rookie Easton Cowan, but they just couldn’t finish. The club has averaged just 1.875 goals over the eight-game span.

"I think it's a lot of losses in a row now," Nylander said after the game. "I think in parts of all the games we've been playing, we've been playing snippets of good hockey. And that's not how we want to play. We want to play a full game of good hockey. So until we trend closer to that, I think then it'll be positive".

The issues are evident, but Toronto seems to be at a loss for why they have had a lack of finish. Auston Matthews has now gone 12 consecutive games without a goal as Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube remains at a loss in terms of how to get a full 60 minutes out of his club.

"It's tough to say. I mean, it's hard to win in this league if you don't get it," Berube said. "You don't have to dominate a period, but you have to be in the game. You've got to create and you've got to defend. Throughout this stretch, there's been a lot of good hockey, but then there's that stretch, if it's a period or a 10-minute stretch, where these teams scored two or three goals on us. And, you know, right now we can't find the back of the net enough. So when this is going on, we've got to keep the puck out of our net as much as possible and hopefully find our groove with the scoring. But we need more guys to dig in and contribute than there are right now".

Toronto fell to 27-27-11 this season and is now just five points ahead of the New York Rangers for last in the Eastern Conference. As far as the playoffs go, they are 13 points back with 18 games remaining in the season, and the outlook remains bleak.

Perhaps the first sign of looking toward the future was Toronto calling up the Marlies’ leading scorer, Bo Groulx, and playing him as a prominent third-line center. All things considered, the player showed promise with 14:13 of ice time and two shots on goal. Once the club is mathematically out of contention, I suspect we will see more call-ups.

The Philadelphia Flyers have decisions to make on their wingers this summer, and while they do have a logjam, they should also be looking to make upgrades where possible.

It's well established that the Flyers have a glut of right wingers or right-shot wingers, and Matvei Michkov, Porter Martone, and Travis Konecny will be the immediate future there.

On the left, Tyson Foerster and Owen Tippett have played on their weak sides out of necessity, and Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, and Nikita Grebenkin have filled in behind nicely as middle-six options.

The Flyers have good options there, but they lack a clear top dog that they can find elsewhere. Fortunately, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who played ball in the Scott Laughton trade, might be looking to further restructure their roster.

Ahead of the NHL trade deadline, there was a lot of smoke surrounding young forward Matthew Knies, 23, and him potentially being available at the right price.

Report: Flyers Rejected Big Maple Leafs Trade for Rasmus RistolainenAccording to a new report, the Philadelphia Flyers received a massive trade offer from the Toronto Maple Leafs for veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. GM Danny Briere and Co. didn't budge.

"I heard some Matthew Knies, and that, to me, is the Maple Leafs seeing if there’s a massive offer they can’t turn down," top NHL insider Elliotte Friedman wrote in a blog post for Sportsnet. "That is the only way I see it happening."

Given how bad they've been this season, the Maple Leafs would sure love to get their 2027 first-round pick back, and they need help at nearly every position.

The 6-foot-3 Knies has 16 goals, 35 assists, and 51 points in 62 games for the Maple Leafs this season and would instantly be in a hit in Philadelphia when paired with the likes of Michkov and Trevor Zegras.

For the cap-strapped Maple Leafs, Knies's $7.75 million cap hit might prevent them from being creative and make it harder for them to divert assets elsewhere on the roster, so more cost-effective options like Foerster or Tippett would be a good starting point.

Flyers' David Jiricek Experiment Will Require PatienceJiricek scored in his Phantoms debut, but made a costly blunder that resulted in a goal against.

It helps that Knies does not have any trade protection in his contract, so the Maple Leafs can simply accept the best offer for him at any time.

A bottom-six center group of B.O. Groulx and Jacob Quillan isn't going to get them anywhere, either, and they could assuredly use an upgrade over Simon Benoit on defense as well.

Knies is a talent worth getting the Flyers to consider dangling Noah Cates and/or Cam York, so a potential deal between the two teams could go many ways.

If the Flyers can nab a top center or defenseman in the 2026 NHL draft and acquire an upper-echelon left wing, the rebuild suddenly looks a lot better.

The defense, with or without York, needs a lot of work, and the Flyers can use their horde of wingers to start making something happen this offseason.

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

“The Devils rank dead last in goals scored above expectation and Timo Meier might be the poster boy for their struggles. He is scoring at a pace of 23.6 goals per 82 games. That’s not a bad total but certainly not $8.8 million worthy – and the worst of any full season in his NHL career.” [Infernal Access ($)]

On Simon Nemec: “Whether another team swoops in and tries to steal the Slovak defenseman remains to be seen. However, a source tells New Jersey Hockey Now that the Nemec camp may start negotiations with Luke Hughes‘ number on his new contract. That’s noteworthy given Nemec switched agents recently and is now represented by Craig Oster of Newport Sports Management.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]

Our guy Jack:

Some insight from #NJDevils Keefe on how Jack Hughes has evolved since the Olympics:

"There’s been a significant increase in Jack speaking up both on the bench and in the locker room (…) to me he’s come back and really taken charge of a lot of different areas for our team." pic.twitter.com/ZHpt884hnG

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) March 10, 2026

Hockey Links

Pretty good!

Lane Hutson officially has the record for most assists by an NHL defenseman through his first 150 games 🤯

With 116 assists, he passes Sergei Zubov in the history books 📖 pic.twitter.com/N4oVG5KEbP

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 11, 2026

19-year-old Macklin Celebrini joins some elite company tonight after scoring his 90th point of the season against Buffalo 🙌

(h/t @NHL) pic.twitter.com/W6QrcAMjD7

— BarDown (@BarDown) March 11, 2026

“The 2026 NHL trade deadline didn’t produce the type of fireworks hockey fans wanted to see — and maybe even some NHL front offices. It might, though, be a precursor to an offseason that delivers some rather explosive moves.” [The Athletic ($)]

“The Colorado Avalanche were not happy after superstar Nathan MacKinnon was ejected from Tuesday’s loss to the Edmonton Oilers. MacKinnon received a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct after colliding with Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram.” [Sportsnet]

“The Florida Panthers aren’t expecting to see Brad Marchand play again anytime soon, and with the team’s playoff hopes dwindling it’s possible that the two-time Stanley Cup winner and Olympic silver medalist’s season could be over.” [Associated Press]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

The Montreal Canadiens were back in action at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night, hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs for one last time this season. Jakub Dobes got the start following his outstanding outing against the Los Angeles Kings, and the talk of the town in the run-up to the game was whether he should be playing both games of this important back-to-back.

Meanwhile, the Leafs showed up riding a seven-game losing streak, with a captain who hadn’t found the back of the net in 11 games. For a player like Auston Matthews, who has won multiple Rocket Richard trophies and just captained Team USA to the gold medal in Milano-Cortina, that’s worrying. Before the game, he had just 26 goals in 58 games.

Canadiens: Can Suzuki Hit The Magic Number?
Montembeault Is Working On His Big Issue
Canadiens: Slafkovsky Wants To Be The Man

Flat As Can Be

If we’ve seen the Canadiens be dominated in the first frame at times this season, what we saw from the Leafs on Tuesday night was even worse. Toronto looked like it was simply going through the motions; they had no spring in their step and no emotion whatsoever, looking as active as a piece of agonizing roadkill on a highway.

At the end of the first frame, shots were 18-5 Montreal, and the score was 2-0. It almost felt like Toronto wanted Dobes to be fresh and ready to go for Tuesday’s game in Ottawa.

That was until Brendan Gallagher hit Easton Cowan while the youngster didn’t have the puck. Veteran blueliner Jake McCabe took exception and immediately came for Gallagher. The alternate captain had no intention of fighting, nor should he with the number of injuries he’s had on his hands, but McCabe wouldn’t let it go, so he dropped the mitts.

Toronto came out much stronger in the second period, with two power plays, which helped them gain some momentum. They managed to cut the lead in half through William Nylander, after two cross-zone passes, Dobes had no chance.

Dobes’ Confidence

Meanwhile, Dobes looked as confident as can be in the net, stopping 10 of the 11 shots he faced in the second frame. He made quite a few glove saves, adding some mustard, a bit like Patrick Roy used to in the good old days. I’m not comparing him to Roy but just saying that his demeanour in net and his attitude remind me of Roy’s. It’s a stark contrast with what Montembeault looks like when he’s in the net, and that plays on the team’s confidence as well.

The Czech netminder only surrendered a goal on 18 shots, finishing his night with a .944 save percentage. Since he wasn’t particularly busy, it will be interesting to see if Martin St-Louis will give him the nod for Wednesday’s game or if he’ll stick to his alternating policy on back-to-backs.

DOBERMANNNN pic.twitter.com/caktFrOwJa

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 10, 2026

The Kids Are Alright

The Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, and Ivan Demidov line hadn’t been impressive in its first two games back together, but tonight, they were much better. Kapanen, who scored the first goal, had seven attempts on net tonight, three of his shots made it to the goalie, and he looked like he was just everywhere.

As for Demidov, he only had one shot on net, but his combativity along the boards was the key factor in the Canadiens’ first goal. He was knocked down in a battle but managed to shake it off, jump back up, and make the play that led to Kapanen’s goal. That was his 20th goal of the season, meaning he'll be getting a $250,000 bonus. 

Oliver Kapanen. Recrue. 20 buts.

Oliver Kapanen. Rookie. 20 goals.#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/q0WyJVW3H3

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 10, 2026

Caufield Benched?

Cole Caufield started the game on the top line, as he always does, but then, in the second period, he had his last shift at 14:23 and was stapled to the bench until the Canadiens had a power play in the third.

There was much speculation about why he wasn’t playing since nobody had seen an injury, and no one could remember a bad play that could have warranted benching him.  Then, he was back on the ice for the two power plays. After the game, Martin St-Louis confirmed the winger wasn’t feeling well; that he was a bit sick, but he does believe he’ll be available for Wednesday’s game against the Ottawa Senators.

In the end, given how the Leafs looked for much of the game tonight, this game should have been easier for the Canadiens, but if you have a glass-half-full approach, the Habs managed to win a tight hockey game and protect a lead, even at five-on-six, a rare feat. The coach praised his team’s decision-making in the neutral zone tonight; they didn’t take any unnecessary risks. The coach summed it up by saying his charges took what the Leafs gave them.

Montreal kept its effort level high right up to the end. Mike Matheson made a very good play, diving to clear the puck and send it to Jake Evans, who outskated Easton Cowan to score the third goal and put the final nail in the Leafs’ coffin.

Très bien. Très très bien

Very nice, very nice#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/QiF5RgcwMg

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 11, 2026

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Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina, on Tuesday night for a Metropolitan Division battle against the Carolina Hurricanes. Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead into the third period, then Carolina roared back to take a 4-2 lead. Pittsburgh scored two goals in a frantic, gutsy comeback to force overtime, but dropped the shootout yet again. [Recap]

The Penguins should give defensemen Samuel Girard and Ilya Solovyov an extended look to see if their styles can mesh and stabilize the team’s otherwise inconsistent blue line. [PensBurgh]

The team received a few positive and negative injury reports from Tuesday morning’s practice. Most notably, Sidney Crosby took the ice once again, although skating on a separate pairing with the currently suspended Evgeni Malkin, meaning he is close but not 100% ready to return to game action. [PensBurgh]

How inconsistent is the NHL’s Department of Player Safety after Evgeni Malkin received a five-game suspension for slashing Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, while Tampa Bay forward Brandon Hagel was only fined for also attacking the defenseman? Malkin undoubtedly deserved the suspension, but how does Hagel get off with a lesser punishment while Malkin sits for five games? [Trib Live]

News and updates from around the NHL…

Washington Capitals and NHL icon Alex Ovechkin said his decision on when to retire will depend largely on his health and how his body holds up as he continues playing at or past 40. He said he still loves the game, but wants to avoid long-term injuries that could affect life after hockey. [Sportsnet]

Former Penguins netminder and current Seattle Kraken Matt Murray, 31, has been activated from injured reserve. He had been out of action since Nov. 15. [TSN]