Teuvo Teravainen is the only player on the Chicago Blackhawks’ active roster participating in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, taking place in Milano Cortina. Adam Gajan, who is a Blackhawks prospect playing at the University of Minnesota Duluth, is the third-string goalie for Team Slovakia.

There were a handful of Blackhawks players who could have been chosen to make their respective teams, but only Teravainen earned a spot in the end. 

The number of Blackhawks participating is likely to increase by the time the games reach France in 2030. If all goes well, these three players should find themselves earning spots on Olympic rosters by then: 

Connor Bedard - Canada

Connor Bedard was on the cusp of making Team Canada this time around, but an injury at the worst time didn’t help his case. At the time of the injury, Bedard was keeping pace with the league’s leading scorers, but missing about a month took him out of that race. 

Right now, Bedard is one of the best young players in the NHL. By the time he is in his seventh NHL season, if he stays healthy, Bedard will be one of the best in the world. He is already an All-Star caliber player, but making the hardest team in the world to make is something he will achieve in his career. 

Last summer, Bedard was committed to working on some of the deficiencies in his game, and a lot of it appears to be corrected so far this year. Bedard came in faster, stronger, and more willing to play a 200-foot game. All of these skills will only help his Team Canada case down the line. 

Spencer Knight - USA

For the 2026 Olympic Games, Team USA just went with the three goalies that they brought to the 4-Nations Face-Off in 2025, which includes Jeremy Swayman, Connor Hellebuyck, and Jake Oettinger. Chances are that they will be looking in another direction by 2030. 

Spencer Knight had a case to make it this year, based on his play with an up-and-down Blackhawks team. Knight covers up for a lot of Chicago’s defensive issues, and he’s only 24. When he’s 28 in 2030, he should be at the height of his powers by then. 

When you look at the landscape of goaltending around USA Hockey, Knight is right in the middle of it. By that time, he may even be at the forefront of all goalies in the NHL, competing for Vezina Trophies and playoff positioning. Being a part of Team USA in the future must be on his checklist, and rightfully so. 

Anton Frondell - Sweden

The Chicago Blackhawks selected Anton Frondell with the 3rd overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Frondell’s national team is Sweden, which is one of three countries (United States, Canada) icing an entire roster of NHL players in the 2026 Winter Olympics. However, he could have easily fit in on that team with the skills he possesses. 

At the World Junior Championships representing Sweden, Frondell played incredible hockey and led them to a Gold Medal. You’d have to think that more international dominance is in his future. 

Frondell is likely to make his NHL debut at some point this season, and he should be a lock for the Olympics by the time 2030 rolls around.

Sweden is deep, but it is hard to see them being deep enough to keep a kid like Frondell off their roster, especially if he is an NHL regular by then. 

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

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MILAN – After player feedback and feedback from the NHL, the banners at Milano’s Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena are expected to be changed to a lighter color, multiple NHL sources confirmed Monday night. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan was the first to report.

The new banners are expected to be pasted on in time for the men’s hockey qualification round Tuesday, the league sources say. Arena staff began removing the current banners immediately following Monday night’s women’s hockey semifinal between Canada and Switzerland.

The banners were going to be changed all along due to wear and tear, but players and NHL officials have pointed out to the IOC how the darker green color specifically in different areas of the boards could be problematic for sight when it comes to finding a black puck.

In the U.S.-Denmark game, United States goalie Jeremy Swayman said he couldn’t see a puck coming at him fired from near the Denmark bench.

“It was a flash screen and it was just the perfect height right between the stands and board level, and I truly lost it,” he said.

The CBC and NBC broadcast crews wondered aloud during the telecast whether Swayman lost the puck because of the color of the boards in the vicinity of where the puck was shot.

To Swayman’s credit, he didn’t use it as an excuse, joking after the game that he was colorblind, so it didn’t matter to him anyway.

“It’s something all of us always have to face and we play in different arenas every night in the NHL, so this is just one, another one, and it’s a challenge that we have to embrace,” Swayman said.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Olympics, Men's Olympic Ice Hockey, Women's Olympic Ice Hockey, NHL, Olympics, Women's Olympics

2026 The Athletic Media Company

Former Florida Panthers goaltender Brandon Bussi has signed a three-year contract extension with the Carolina Hurricanes. 

The 27-year-old will earn $1.9 million annually starting in the 2026-27 season. Bussi has been one of the best stories of the season so far and has earned the job as the No.1 goaltender in Raleigh.

Bussi started the season with the Panthers, signing a one-year deal with the Panthers in the off-season. The goal was for Bussi to serve as the third-string goaltender and spend most of the season with the Charlotte Checkers. 

Unfortunately, as pre-season concluded, the Panthers attempted to send Bussi to the AHL via waivers, but the Hurricanes claimed him. He remained with the Hurricanes’ NHL club because of injuries to Frederik Anderson and Pyotr Kochetkov, and won the role as the starting netminder.

This season, Bussi had posted a .908 save percentage and a 2.16 goals-against average in 27 games. Additionally, he’s posted a 23-3-1 record with two shutouts. 

'It's A Great Day To Say The Least.': Brandon Bussi Talks New Deal, Extending In Raleigh And MoreRecord-shattering goalie Brandon Bussi inks a three-year Carolina extension, ready to chase championships and celebrate big moments in Raleigh.

Although the Panthers would have loved to see him remain with the organization, there wasn’t going to be much of an opportunity for Bussi to make such a lasting mark. With Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov remaining relatively healthy through the season, the Panthers would have seen no purpose in recalling Bussi to the NHL. 

In all, it’s a happy moment for Bussi, who is a perfect example of never giving up on your dreams and of hard work helping you accomplish what you desire.

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With a little bit of help and guidance from Vladislav Gavrikov, Artemi Panarin pinpointed the Los Angeles Kings as the team he wanted to be traded to.

Panarin and his agent, Paul Theofanous reportedly, spoke to multiple teams about a potential contract extension as the New York Rangers made their intentions not to re-sign Panarin public with the hope to trade him before the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline.

It was Panarin's full no-move clause that allowed him to dictate exactly where he wanted to play and treat this process almost as if he were already a free agent.

Eventually, Panarin gave the Rangers the green light to trade him to Los Angeles, and a deal was finalized with the Kings on February 4. 

It’s unclear exactly why Panarin specifically wanted to play for the Kings, but he admitted that conversations with Gavrikov, who played for the Kings from 2023-2025, helped sway his decision. 

“I tried to find a team for myself, where I want to be, so it was kind of about feeling,” Panarin said. “Obviously, you look at the players, and then I spoke with Gavrikov the last couple days a lot. 

Mike Sullivan Praises Jack Hughes As One Of The Best Players America Has To OfferAs coach of the U.S. Men’s Hockey Olympic Team, New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> head coach Mike Sullivan gets to work alongside some of the team’s top players from a different perspective.&nbsp;

“He introduced me to a great organization, great teammates in there and obviously a great spot to live. I just want to play for these guys, for that organization. Other teams were on the list too, but I actually never wanted to go anywhere else.”

While Gavrikov’s high praise of the Kings organization may not have been the deciding factor in Panarin’s ultimate choice to sign a two-year, $22 million contract extension with the Kings upon being dealt, it certainly helped guide the 34-year-old forward in the direction of Hollywood.

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the San Jose Sharks have placed forward Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination.

If Skinner passes through unconditional waivers unclaimed, he will then become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) and have the chance to look for a new home elsewhere. 

Skinner had become the odd man out in the Sharks' forward group, as he has been the subject of several healthy scratches. His last appearance as a member of the Sharks was back on Jan. 11 against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Sharks signed to a one-year, $3 million contract during this past off-season. This was after the Toronto, Ontario native posted 16 goals, 13 assists, and 29 points in 72 games during this past season with the Edmonton Oilers. 

In 32 games with the Sharks this season, Skinner recorded six goals, seven assists, 13 points, and a minus-8 rating. Overall, the six-time 30-goal scorer had a pretty quiet stint with the Sharks. 

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Fans of the Detroit Red Wings have every reason to feel excited about what lies ahead, thanks to their intriguing tandem of goaltending prospects, Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine.

Augustine, who is playing in his junior season with the Michigan State Spartans, ranks near the top of the NCAA in all major goaltending statistical categories, including wins, goals-against average, save percentage, and shutouts. 

Meanwhile, Cossa continues to have a stellar campaign for the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL, helping them set multiple records for the best start in AHL history. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Their most recent victory, a 5-0 shutout over the Texas Stars, improved their record to 37-7-2-1. 

Cossa made 26 saves to pick up his fifth shutout of the season, and in doing so, he matched a record that had stood for 10 years in Griffins history. 

Cossa's five shutouts are the most by any Griffins goaltender since Jared Coreau in the 2015-16 season.

Cossa is a brick wall 🧱

Cossa’s five shutouts are the most by a Griffin since 2015-16 (Jared Coreau) #GoGRGpic.twitter.com/bFhGrcb5TO

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) February 16, 2026

Coreau, who previously played at Northern Michigan, signed with the Red Wings as an undrafted free agent and spent several seasons with both the Griffins and the ECHL affiliate Toledo Walleye before making his NHL debut with Detroit during the 2016–17 season.

He would ultimately post a record of 5-4-3 with a 3.46 goals-against average and a .887 save percentage, along with two shutouts in his first taste of NHL action. 

He appeared in just 21 NHL games during his career, which continued primarily in the AHL with multiple clubs before he eventually moved overseas to play in Austria, Slovakia, and Sweden.

While Coreau was not viewed as a potential long-term goaltender of the future for the Red Wings, both Cossa and Augustine carry that potential, and their performances could be a strong indicator of even greater things ahead.

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With the preliminaries now over and the number one seed secured, Team Canada will now sit back and watch Czechia and Denmark duke it out on Tuesday in the Olympic Qualification Playoff round.

The good news for the winner of that game? They get to advance to the quarterfinals, where they'll be one win away from the semis and a chance to play for an Olympic medal. The bad news? They'll have to play the very next day against a well-rested, powerhouse Canadian team.

But lest we forget, Czechia and Denmark have both given Canada trouble in the recent hockey past.

At the World Juniors, Czechia has been up in Canada's face for three years now, eliminating them in each of the last three tournaments, while the Czechia men's national team won the World Hockey Championships in 2024.

And don't sleep on Denmark either.

Many of the current Canadian Olympians, like Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini and Jordan Binnington, were on the Canadian team that fell to the Danes 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the 2025 World Hockey Championships. 

Ottawa Senators veteran Lars Eller wasn't a member of that Denmark team, but as the only Danish player ever to win a Stanley Cup, he knows a thing or two about big games.

Eller was also Denmark's captain during Olympic qualification in 2024 when they defeated Norway, Great Britain and Japan to get to Milan for just the second Olympic appearance in their history. Eller led the Danes with two goals and two assists through those three games. In these games, he has one assist, along with 4 penalty minutes and a -2 rating.

The 36-year-old was joined on the team by Belleville Senators goalie Mads Sogaard, who played 51 minutes against the Americans before leaving the game with an injury. He made 33 saves on 38 shots in a 6-3 loss. 

He and Eller are two of only six players on Denmark's roster who've played NHL games this season. The others are Nikolaj Ehlers, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Oscar Moelgaard, and starting goalie Frederik Andersen.

Frank Dichow has never played in the NHL, but he was in goal for last spring's quarterfinal shocker against Canada, and is also available for what the Danes hope will be a back-to-back situation this week. 

If they do get to the quarters, the Danes will be badly outmatched, playing on short rest, and because of last spring's historic upset, there won't be a single player in Canada's locker room looking past them. Being on the wrong end of one of the greatest upsets in hockey history isn't something you soon forget.

As he prepared to make his Olympic debut earlier this month, Eller fondly recalled his childhood, watching the NHL's return to the Olympics in 1998 all the way to the 2010 games in Vancouver, when he was breaking in with the AHL's old Peoria Rivermen.

“Every Olympics is pretty memorable," Eller said in an interview with Senators writer Andrew Wilimek. "You remember flashes and players from those eras, so that’s pretty cool to think back on that, and now you’re going to be on that stage yourself.”

Meanwhile, if Canada's opponent is to be Czechia (1-1-1), which will be the favourite in Tuesday's Qualification Playoff matchup with Denmark, the Czechs bring a lot more NHL experience to the table, not to mention two former Senators.

Filip Chlapik, Ottawa's 2015 second-round draft pick, is Czechia's second-leading scorer with two goals and an assist. They also have forward Dominik Kubalik, one of the players acquired from Detroit in the Alex DeBrincat trade. Kubalik was ineffective in his one season in Ottawa and hasn't done much yet in his two games.

But the Czechs, despite their 5-0 loss to Canada, do have serious NHL game breakers in David Pastrnak (3 pts) and Martin Necas (5 pts). They also have Tomas Hertl, Ondrej Palat, Filip Hronek, Radko Gudas, and a solid goaltending tandem of Dan Vladar and Lukas Dostal.

On paper, Canada should be able to handle either nation in Wednesday’s quarterfinal (10:40 a.m. ET), but single-elimination hockey has a way of ignoring the script.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published at The Hockey News-Ottawa. Read more Senators features and articles from THN Ottawa here:

Former Senator Mark Stone Still Has Plenty Left... Just Ask Canada
From Hasek to Tkachuk: The Sens Have Been Burned By Best-on-Best Tournaments
Tim Stützle Named Germany's Alternate Captain As Outstanding Season Continues
Current And Former Ottawa Senators Competing At Winter Olympics
Senators Can Further Boost Playoff Hopes By Upgrading One Position At Deadline

The Carolina Hurricanes have signed goaltender Brandon Bussi to a three-year, $5.7 million contract extension the team announced on Monday.

Bussi, 27, was claimed off of waivers by the team before the start of the season and has quickly evolved into one of the best stories in the entire league.

'It's A Great Day To Say The Least.': Brandon Bussi Talks New Deal, Extending In Raleigh And MoreRecord-shattering goalie Brandon Bussi inks a three-year Carolina extension, ready to chase championships and celebrate big moments in Raleigh.

The New York native has had a tremendous start to his NHL career, with a 23-3-1 record, 0.908 save percentage, two shutouts and has shattered multiple records along the way.

“Before we brought him to Raleigh, Brandon had been successful at every level from the USHL to college to the AHL," said Carolina GM Eric Tulsky in a press release. “Given the opportunity at the NHL level this season, he’s proven to be a winner here too. We are thrilled that he will continue to provide a steady presence in the crease for this team into the future.”

The team also announced that in celebration of Bussi’s extension, the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation will make a $10,000 donation to the Autism Society of North Carolina.

Autism awareness is something that's close to Bussi’s heart as his younger brother, Dylan, has autism.

10 Questions With Rookie Phenom Brandon BussiRookie goalie Brandon Bussi reveals his favorite comedies, dream European escapes, and who inspired his NHL dominance. Get to know the Carolina Hurricanes' rising star.

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The Buffalo Sabres are expected to be buyers ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline as they look to end their 14-year playoff drought. 

The Winnipeg Jets, on the other hand, are likely to be sellers due to their struggles this campaign. 

With this, let's take a look at two Jets players whom the Sabres should consider targeting leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. 

Luke Schenn 

It is no secret that the Sabres would be wise to add another right-shot defenseman by the deadline. It is clear that their right side could use a boost, and the Jets have an interesting option to consider in blueliner Luke Schenn. 

Schenn would give the Sabres another solid, hard-nosed defenseman to work with for their bottom pairing and penalty kill if acquired. The 18-year veteran and two-time Stanley Cup champion would also be a good mentor for the Sabres' younger players if brought in.

Logan Stanley 

The Jets have another interesting trade candidate defenseman in Logan Stanley. While Stanley is a left-shot defender, he would still have the potential to be a nice addition for a Sabres club that could use more depth on their blueline.

Like Schenn, Stanley is well-known for playing a heavy game, so he would give the Sabres' defensive group more bite. Furthermore, the 6-foot-7 defenseman is having an excellent year for Winnipeg, as he has set career highs with nine goals, nine assists, and 18 points in 55 games. 

There’s a famous story in sports about how in 1925 the first baseman for the New York Yankees, Wally Pipp, showed up to the ballpark with a headache.

Miller Huggins, the Yankees’ manager, noticed this, and said “Wally, take the day off. We’ll try that kid Gehrig at first today and get you back in there tomorrow.” Gehrig played well and became the Yankees’ new starting first baseman. This story first appeared in a 1939 New York World-Telegram on Gehrig’s career, in which Pipp was interviewed. Pipp was later quoted to have said, “I took the two most expensive aspirin in history.”

For the non-baseball fans (or young) out there, Lou Gehrig would go onto play in a then-record 2,130 straight games. And thus, getting “Wally Pipp’d” became a point for the last hundred plus years in sports about a replacement stepping in and never looking back.

Avery Hayes might not go down in history to the same degree as the legendary ‘The Iron Horse”, though after Hayes’s two-goal NHL debut it’s worth thinking about the situation for where he might go from here for the rest of the season. That debut was partially brought on, ironically enough, in a fourth line right wing spot because the typical holder in the lineup of that position, Noel Acciari, was sick for a game. It won’t cost Acciari his spot forever, though it has opened up a door that will be worth further exploring this season.

Hayes was sent back to the AHL for the Olympic break, he still looks on a high, recording a hat trick in his first game back. Last night Hayes picked up an assist and dropped former Penguin Zach Aston-Reese in a fight with a mean short left.

AVERY HAYES 💥🥊 pic.twitter.com/CwXlA65bo4

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) February 15, 2026

You can bet Penguin management has to be intrigued. The question now becomes just how much they’ll be looking to do to get Hayes a chance to get back into the NHL lineup. It’s a legitimate question since the current forward group figures to leave the break with full health with the normal fourth line featuring Acciari, Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte playing with an abundance of chemistry and success together.

Josh Yohe wrote a good line in The Athletic today, saying: “the second you think pieces of your fourth line are unmovable, you’ve got yourself a problem”. That would apply to moving in or out of the lineup, or even status on the team itself.

One area working in the Pens’ favor is the 23-player roster maximum disappears after the NHL trade deadline. Teams just have to be mindful to stay under the salary cap (no problem at all there for Pittsburgh) and the limitation of four post-deadline call-ups (which is also no problem since emergency recalls if a team needs them due to injury as also allowed), all of which should definitely open up the possibility to get Hayes and his good pal Rutger McGroarty back with the NHL squad after the March 6th deadline. From there it won’t be too difficult to rotate out a player like Acciari or Dewar at times to get some younger blood in the lineup.

That could also be an audition for next season. Both of Acciari and Dewar are impending free agents this summer. Hayes and McGroarty are waiting in the wings as natural, younger replacements for next season, if the management team decides to go in that direction.

Another alternative could be to consider moving one of Dewar or Acciari in a trade. The wisdom of doing that when the team is clicking and remove a piece of their success is questionable at best. Trade value on both players won’t be high either, likely making the reward not worth the potential risk of damage it could do to this team’s morale and unity. Had this season unfolded like the previous few in Pittsburgh, it would be easy to trade veterans as their contracts near expiry (including Lizotte, who has already re-signed) and move onto younger players. This Pens team is fourth in the Eastern Conference with a .625% points percentage, they’ve earned keeping their group together a while longer.

The good news for the Penguins is that it’s a good problem to have right now where they have about 14 forwards that, all things considered, they’d probably like to have dressing for an NHL game on any given night. The problem pops up in that only 12 can actually dress. That offers them a lot of options on what to do next in the course of managing the excess of players they have available now at their disposal, building in some comfort to hedge against future injuries.

One of those angles will certainly be how much they decide to work Hayes back in for NHL opportunities down the stretch. The Pens are starring down a very difficult upcoming March that sees 17 games in 31 days against many of the best teams in the league. They have a real grind coming up, the post-March 6th ability to have fresh bodies like Hayes and McGroarty on hand could be a real blessing to keep players fresh and inject the lineup with new options as they go along.

Based on that timeline a transition wouldn’t be as immediate or impactful as a Hall of Famer like Gehrig entering the picture and never leaving it, but as Wally Pipp knew all too well opening the door to a new option can lead to changes that end up lasting longer than just a single game. Hayes is making a strong case to be in the NHL picture down the stretch in some form, the answer to just how much opportunity he’ll get will be one of the more intriguing little storylines for the Penguins in the final sprint of their 2025-26 season.

The Hockey News’ Frank Zawrazky caught up with Montreal Canadiens prospect and Laval Rocket Goaltender Jacob Fowler at the AHL All-Star Classic and asked him about a couple of topics.

The 21-year-old is in his first full professional season and has spent most of the season in the AHL with the Rocket, but the Canadiens’ goalie woes have led to a surprise call-up to the big team, where he played his first 10 NHL games. Still, he spent enough time in the AHL to earn his first invite to the All-Star Classic with a 17-7-0 record, a 2.21 goals-against average, and a .916 save percentage. Asked about what it meant for him to be an All-Star, he replied:

Yeah, it’s special. Obviously, every time you get to be a part of something like this, it’s cool. It’s the first in my career, and I’m just proud to represent this organization. There are a lot of people who have helped me get here, and I want to have a positive reflection on the organization.

- Fowler on taking part in the AHL All-Star Classic

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An upper-body injury kept him from taking part in on-ice activities, but he still made the trip, sporting a brand-new mask for the occasion. Asked why that new mask features a Quebec license plate on the back plate, the goaltender explained:

It was a little touch: I’ve always had a license plate on the back with Florida, which is where I’m from, and for an event like this, I thought it would be cool to do the Quebec license plate because it’s my new home now. I think it’s turned out pretty nice.

- Fowler on the new back plate on his mask

On the goalie coach changes in Laval and Montreal, the netminder said:

Obviously, I’m happy for Marco (Marciano), he deserves it, he’s great, he’s been awesome for me. Very fortunate to have the people that we do in our organization, it’s exciting times in Laval.

-

The netminder added that he still keeps in touch with Marciano, but he wasn’t sure if he was going to work with him during the Olympic break as initially planned, since Ilia Ejov has now been named interim goalie coach with the Rocket.

Fowler was cleared to play Laval’s first game after the All-Star break, and he backstopped the team to a 6-1 win over the Hershey Bears, saving 23 of the 24 shots he received. On Valentine’s Day, he acted as Kaapo Kahkonen’s backup in the game against the Toronto Marlies.

The Rocket is currently first in the Northern Division and fourth overall in the AHL. Fowler is having a great first professional season, and with what he showed during his call-up with the Canadiens, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him in the NHL sooner rather than later. The future looks bright in the Montreal crease, not only because of Fowler, but there are two Canadiens prospects amongst the nominees for the Mike Richter award in the NCAA.

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The NHL may be on its Olympic break, but the AHL season is still in full swing, coming off the AHL All-Star festivities. 

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins got crushed 5-0 by the Syracuse Crunch on Saturday and were trying to bounce back with a win against the Cleveland Monsters on Sunday, but it wasn't meant to be. WBS trailed three times during the game and came back to tie it each time before falling in overtime, 4-3. 

Rutger McGroarty tied the game at one in the first period after poking the puck in from the net-front. Avery Hayes took the initial shot, and McGroarty was able to finish the play off. 

Rut sticks with it! pic.twitter.com/0VwUgBc20y

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) February 15, 2026

McGroarty was assigned to WBS after the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 in their last game before the NHL's Olympic break. Before being sent back, McGroarty was playing really well in the NHL and continues to look even faster. He's also improved defensively and is making quicker decisions with the puck on his stick. He's going to be a full-time NHL player very soon.

The Monsters took a 2-1 lead later in the first period before Ville Koivunen tied the game with a little over a minute remaining in the period. The Monsters turned the puck over behind the net, leaving Koivunen with a wide-open cage. He made no mistake with the puck, making it a 2-2 game heading into the first intermission.

Koivy with a late tally! pic.twitter.com/hT7SAm5T1N

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) February 15, 2026

Koivunen has had a couple of NHL stints this season and scored his first NHL goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning back on Dec. 4. It was a long time coming since he was getting plenty of chances in other games, but wasn't getting the bounces to go his way. 

He has played in 27 NHL games this season and, according to Natural Stat Trick, has been on the ice for 57.7% of the shot attempts, 58.8% of the expected goals, 58.9% of the scoring chances, and 57.2% of the high-danger chances. The process is there, but now it's about fine-tuning the smaller details of his game so that the results come. He's still a player who will be back in the NHL soon. 

Emil Pieniniemi scored his first AHL goal to tie the game at three in the third period. He ripped the puck from the left circle, and it was a no-doubter. 

SAVE THAT PUCK!

Emil from the dot!! pic.twitter.com/JnDYyaXP0k

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) February 15, 2026

Pieniniemi has played in six games for WBS this season, compiling one goal and three points. This is his first full professional season after he finished the 2024-25 season with 10 goals and 60 points for the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL. 

Avery Hayes didn't score in Sunday's game, but he still made his presence felt when he dropped the gloves with former Penguin Zach Aston-Reese. He delivered some big right-hand punches and got credit for the takedown. What can't he do at this point?  

AVERY HAYES 💥🥊 pic.twitter.com/CwXlA65bo4

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) February 15, 2026

Hayes recently scored a hat trick for WBS and scored two goals in his NHL debut against the Sabres. It won't be long until he's a full-time NHLer. 

Despite the back-to-back losses this weekend, WBS is still in good shape in the Atlantic Division. WBS has a 32-13-3-2 record, good for 69 points and second place behind the Providence Bruins. The next closest team is the Charlotte Checkers, who are 14 points behind the Penguins. 

WBS will try to snap this two-game losing streak on Wednesday against the Springfield Thunderbirds, who are in seventh place in the Atlantic Division with an 18-24-4-2 record. They'll then have a home-and-home against the Bridgeport Islanders next weekend.

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Earlier this week, the CHL (Canadian Hockey League) announced their top 50 players of the last 50 years to celebrate their 50th anniversary. 

The list includes countless hockey legends that played their junior careers in either the OHL, WHL, or QMJHL since 1975-76. 

From current NHL superstars like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby to Hockey Hall of Famers such as Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Ray Bourque and Martin Brodeur, it truly is one of the greatest assortment of hockey greats you will ever lay your eyes on. 

Included in the list was six current and former members of the Los Angeles Kings who left their mark in the Canadian junior hockey world.

Drew Doughty: Guelph Storm 2005-2008

The greatest blue liner in Kings history gets some more recognition as the CHL gave the now 36-year-old his flowers for what he managed to accomplish in his three seasons as a member of the Guelph Storm in the OHL.

In a 190 games as a member of the Storm, Doughty scored 39 goals to go with 118 assists for 157 points. In his third and final season in junior, the London, Ontario native put together one of the best seasons by a defenceman in CHL history. In the 2007-08 season, Doughty was recognized as OHL's most outstanding defenceman and he was also named to the CHL's First All-Star Team.

His strong OHL career lead to him being selected second overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2008 NHL entry draft. We all know how Doughty's story has gone since becoming a King. He will undoubtedly enter the Hockey Hall of Fame one day thanks to his Norris Trophy, two Gold Medals (potentially three), two Stanley Cup Rings, and many other accolades. Kings fans, enjoy watching this legend for however left he has in the tank.

Corey Perry: London Knights 2001-2005

Before he was a giant thorn in the Kings side for many years, Corey Perry was perhaps on of the greatest junior hockey players of all time for the London Knights of the OHL.

In his four seasons with London, Perry racked up 140 goals and 240 assists for 380 points in 253 regular season games. His most notable season came in 2004-05 when he lead the Knights to a Memorial Cup championship. In the 18 games during that championship run Perry recorded a whopping 38 points and his efforts were recognized as he was named OHL Playoff MVP, as well as the OHL's most outstanding player for the regular season.

Flash forward over 20 years and the now 40-year-old is still kicking around in the NHL. Perry has been a great pick up for the Kings as he has 11 goals and 17 assists in his first 45 games in silver and black.

Where To Watch the Kings At The 2026 Winter OlympicsThe Kings have 5 players representing their country at the Olympics. Here is how, when and where to watch them.

Luc Robitaille: Hull Olympiques 1983-1986

It's no secret that Luc Robitaille is on the Mount Rushmore of Los Angeles Kings, but due to how long ago it was, many new fans may not know how dominant he truly was. During his time on the Hull Olympiques of the QMJHL, Robitaille put up historic numbers.

In his 197 regular season games in the QMJHL, 'Lucky' scored 155 goals to with 269 assists for 424 total points. Truly insane numbers. His 1985-86 camp gain with Hull will go down in history as he registered 191 points in 63 games played. In the same season, he lead his team to a QMJHL Championship, however they ultimately fell short in the Memorial Cup finals.

After a bittersweet ending to his junior career, Robitaille continued to dominate, this time in the NHL where he was named rookie of the year in 1986-87 with the Los Angeles Kings. The eventual eight-time All-Star had three separate stints with the Kings. His 1,154 points as a King rank him third all time in franchise history. Robitaille now serves as President of the franchise.

Jarome Iginla: Kamloops Blazers 1993-1996

One of the greatest power forwards of all time, Jarome Iginla was recognized on the CHL's top 50 list for his tremendous junior career with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL.

In 183 games with the Blazers, Iginla scored 102 goals along with 134 assists for 236 points in the regular season. His numbers look ridiculous but his career in the WHL got off to a slow start. In his rookie season, 'Iggy' scored just six goals and 29 points. Just two years later, he scored 63 goals in 63 games for Kamloops, proving that not every players path is the same. 

His time with the Kings was very brief, but Los Angeles is where he ended his career after the Kings traded for the winger in hopes he could help fuel a playoff push. In 19 games played with L.A. Iginla picked up six goals and three assists for nine points. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2020, Iginla's hockey legacy lives on thanks to his sons Tij (Utah Mammoth/Kelowna Rockets) and Joe (Vancouver Giants).

Usage, Support, and the Myth of RegressionHas Quinton Byfield regressed? The environment around him certainly did. What looks like a stalled breakout is really the cost of years of indecision down the middle, and now, with the insulation gone, the Kings finally have some clarity over their top center situation.

Paul Coffey: Kingston/Soo/Kitchener 1977-1980

Although he became one of the greatest defenders the NHL will ever see, Paul Coffey's junior career was quite different from other past legends. Coffey suited up for three different franchises in the OHL (then known as the OHA); the Kingston Canadiens, Soo Greyhounds, and Kitchener Rangers. 

Coffey played in 151 games in the OHA, registering 48 goals and 147 assists for 195 points. His beast season came in his final season where he split time with the Greyhounds and Rangers, he put up 102 points in 75 games played. He was also a bully on the blue line as he accumulated 193 penalty minutes in 1979-80.

It's extremely rare that you'll see a Hall of Famer play for as many teams as Paul Coffey did in his 21-year NHL career. The Kings were Coffey's third stop of eight, when he joined the club in 1991-92 when the Kings acquired him from the Penguins in search of their first Stanley Cup. Unfortunately L.A. fell short and Coffey ended up playing in just 60 games with the Kings. He was very productive however picking up nine goals and 53 assists for 62 points in the silver and black.

Wayne Gretzky: Peterborough Petes & Soo Greyhounds 1976-1978

'The Great One' had one of the most interesting starts to a hockey career we will ever see. His start in the OHL (then OHA) began with the Peterborough Petes in 1976/77, and finished with the Soo Greyhounds in 1977/78 before he went on to dominate the hockey world.

In 1976/77, Wayne Gretzky joined the Peterborough Petes as a 15-year-old where he would appear in just three games, registering three assists. At 16, Gretzky was now a member of the Greyhounds and he officially put the hockey world on notice as he scored 70 goals and 112 assists for 182 points in 63 games played. Imagine how much fun it is to be that good. Shockingly, Gretzky and the Greyhounds did not qualify for the playoffs that season.

We all know how 99's career ended up, but his shocking trade to the Kings in 1988 will forever go down in history as the biggest trade in sports. Although the Kings didn't get Gretzky's best seasons, his 918 points in 539 games is certainly nothing to scoff at. Those numbers have him at 5th place in franchise history. One of the biggest shames in hockey history will be the Kings failing to raise Lord Stanley while Wayne was in town.

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Chicago Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev is one of multiple pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) on the Original Six club's roster. With this and the Blackhawks not being a playoff team, he has naturally been creating some chatter as a trade candidate. 

With Mikheyev being a solid top-nine forward who provides secondary offensive production and is a very effective penalty-killer, there is no question that there could be some clubs interested in him near the deadline. However, one specific top club is being viewed as a clear fit for the Blackhawks winger. 

In a recent article for The Athletic, Scott Powers, Mark Lazerus, and Chris Johnston named the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens as two teams that could express interest in Mikheyev if he is made available. 

"The Montreal Canadiens are absolutely in the market for a penalty-killing depth forward, but might have to part with a roster player to make the math work. That would largely defeat the purpose for the Blackhawks. The Carolina Hurricanes could be a nice fit for Mikheyev’s style, as well," The Athletic wrote.

If the Canadiens could find a way to acquire Mikheyev without sending a player the other way to Chicago, he could slot nicely in their bottom six and on their penalty kill. The same can be said about the Hurricanes, as he could be a nice pickup for their third line if acquired. 

Yet, with Mikheyev being a solid all-around forward, it's very likely that multiple other playoff clubs could kick tires on him. However, with Mikheyev being a key part of the Blackhawks' roster, the possibility of them signing him to a contract extension should not be ruled out, either.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what ends up happening between the Blackhawks and Mikheyev from here. 

With NHL stars back in the Winter Olympics for the first time in 12 years, organizers of the Milan-Cortina hockey tournament have seemingly done everything they can to make the players feel at home.

A horn blast marks goals and the end of each period, an NHL tradition since the 1970s; foreboding organ music plays whenever a player is banished to the penalty box; and the songs used during breaks in play lean heavily toward American artists such as Dean Martin, Neil Diamond and The Black Eyed Peas.

They even brought in Kings’ organist Dieter Ruehle to complete the ambience. So it should be no surprise that the U.S. and Canada, whose rosters include only NHL players, have been the most comfortable in that environment, emerging from the three-game group stage Sunday as the tournament’s only unbeaten teams.

Canada blitzed France 10-2 behind two goals from the San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini to earn the top seed into Wednesday’s quarterfinals while the U.S beat Germany 5-1 to grab the second seed.

The Americans got two goals and an assist from Toronto Maple Leafs’ captain Auston Matthews and goals from Zach Werenski, Brock Faber and Tage Thompson in its win. The U.S. have scored at least five goals in each of its three games.

“It's kind of been familiar to an NHL-style environment, but with the pride of country,” said Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy. “So it's been a blast.

“The environment that they created here, I think they did an awesome job.”

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson, who was still in college during the 2022 Olympics, played for the U.S. in front of an empty arena in the COVID-marred tournament in Beijing, where there was no environment. These Games are better, he said.

“The crowd's a little bit different than in NHL,” he said. “It's a little more rowdy, maybe that's just the European way. But it's amazing seeing the flags. Obviously, a lot of American flags, but flags from all over the world.”

McAvoy and Sanderson are two of 147 NHL players at the Milan-Cortina Games. All 32 teams sent at least one player and every country in the tournament, save host Italy, has an NHL player on its roster.

Italy, not surprising, lost all three of its first-round games, getting outscored 19-4.

NHL players were held out of the 2018 Olympics after the IOC announced it would no longer cover player-related costs such as insurance, travel and accommodations, and they missed the 2022 Games after a COVID-19 outbreak scrambled the league’s schedule, forcing it to withdraw its players from the Olympics six weeks before they were to leave.

In their absence, countries fielded teams of college players or professionals from lower-tier leagues while many NHL players figured their Olympic dreams would never be realized.

“We missed out on a couple. So I think it kind of went to the back of everyone's mind,” said Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who is playing in his first Olympics for Canada. “But then they announced that we're going to this one. I think everyone got really excited.”

“I dreamed about it growing up, like every other kid,” he continued. “Whenever we were playing mini-sticks or street hockey or on the outdoor rink, you were always playing for the Stanley Cup or playing for Olympic gold.”

Kuemper has already won a Stanley Cup. A title in Milan would complete the set.

“The two greatest honors in hockey,” he said. “Winning the Stanley Cup and winning Olympic gold.”

Canada will probably have to get by the U.S. to get Kuemper his medal and the U.S. looked beatable for most of a sloppy first period Sunday, one that saw two defensemen collide on a power play, knocking one another to the ice. Later in the period forward Jack Hughes tumbled to the ice untouched.

The Americans finally found their stride, going ahead to stay when Werenski, a defenseman with the Columbus Blue Jackets, took a pass from Matthews in the center of the right circle, stepped up and drilled a wrister past German goalie Maximilian Franzreb nine seconds before the first intermission.

Read more:Brock Nelson lives up to his family's Olympic hockey legacy in U.S. rout of Latvia

Matthews doubled the advantage 3:25 into the second period, poking the rebound of a Quinn Hughes’ shot by Franzreb for his second power-play goal of the Olympics. Faber, who plays in the NHL with the Minnesota Wild, made it 3-0 with less than 2:30 left in the second period, playing the puck off the boards near the blue line and flicking it on goal where Eichel got a stick up in front of Franzreb, distracting the goalie as he reached up unsuccessfully to glove the puck.

Thompson, of the Buffalo Sabres, and Matthews closed out the scoring for the U.S. with goals less than five minutes apart into the final period. Tim Stutzle of the Ottawa Senators finally got Germany on the board with his fourth of the Olympics with less than nine minutes to play.

Now for the U.S. it’s on to the quarterfinals, which is the Olympic version of the NHL playoffs.

“We'd be idiots to think anything other than the game in front of us,” McAvoy said when asked about facing Canada in the final. “We've said from the beginning ‘every single game, every single day.’ It’s just about winning one hockey game.

“We were able to accomplish our goal, get two wins, win the group. That was our goal coming into this and now we get some added some added rest, which is huge.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.