ELMONT, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 3: Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates a goal with teammates during the second period of the game at UBS Arena on February 3, 2026 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Dennis DaSilva/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Tuesday morning….
The NHL trade deadline is this Friday, March 6. While general manager Kyle Dubas and the Penguins could hedge their bets on the current roster to withstand Sidney Crosby’s absence or answer any lingering defensive questions, Dubas may yet have a trick or two up his sleeve, given the bevy of draft capital and cap space at his disposal. [PensBurgh]
Veteran forward Bryan Rust remains a proud player, growing his game from a “non-offensive threat” to his seventh straight 20-goal season, and says he’s fully committed to the Penguins, calling Pittsburgh “home” as the trade deadline approaches. [Trib Live]
Silovs shines again: Goaltender Arturs Silovs has been named the NHL’s second star for the week ending March 1, the team announced on Monday. [Penguins]
News and updates from around the NHL…
If Dubas and Co. go bargain hunting to look for a new center or defenseman, here are some potential options he could entertain. [Sportsnet]
One potential defensive trade target is off the board for the Penguins. Connor Murphy was traded to the Edmonton Oilers by the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday for a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. [NHL]
If New York Rangers forward and Pittsburgh native Vincent Trocheck is traded before Friday’s deadline, he has made it abundantly clear that he will not accept a deal that sends him to the West Coast. [NHL]
The Ottawa Senators made a bid to be a host for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, but according to a new report, Canada’s capital city did not make the shortlist of options. [TSN]
It was a long time coming for Detroit Red Wings forward Emmitt Finnie, but the giant piano finally fell off his back, fittingly, in the place known as Music City.
Finnie scored his first goal in 23 games, his first since Dec. 23 against the Dallas Stars, as part of Detroit's 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville on Monday afternoon.
The victory helped the Red Wings leapfrog the Montreal Canadiens for third place in the Atlantic Division; they have the same number of points as the Buffalo Sabres, who own the tiebreaker and also have a game in hand.
For Finnie, one of three rookies who initially made the club out of Training Camp, it was a naturally good feeling - but he also gave credit to teammates Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 2, 2026
“Yeah, it felt good, good play by Marco getting it to Apps, then Apps with a great play to Marco in front," he said. "I was just fortunate to be there in the right spot to put it in.”
"Obviously, you think about it in the back of your mind," he continued about his goalless drought. "I wasn't trying to focus on it too much, I want to score and produce. It was good to get that one in, but I'm going to try and keep playing my game."
The Red Wings dropped a disappointing 5-2 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes earlier in the week, which put them back into a Wild Card position in the tightly-packed Atlantic Division standings.
The need for two points on Monday afternoon was discussed beforehand by the club, and they responded well.
"I thought we played well right from the start," Finnie said. "You know, coming into this, we knew it was like a must-win for us, so I thought we responded pretty well."
Finnie is one of just two rookies on the Detroit Red Wings roster who have stayed with the club all season, the other being defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka.
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Mar 2, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Martin Necas (88) celebrates with center Nathan MacKinnon (29) after scoring a goal. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Colorado Avalanche secured a milestone victory on Monday night, defeating the Los Angeles Kings 4–2 at Crypto.com Arena to capture the franchise’s 1,750th regular-season win.
A late third-period goal from defenseman Devon Toews proved to be the difference, while Martin Nečas delivered a dominant three-point performance (one goal, two assists). Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog each contributed a goal and an assist as Colorado improved to 40-10-9 on the season. In net, Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 19 of 21 shots to anchor the win.
What Happened
Colorado established control early.
MacKinnon opened the scoring just 4:27 into the first period, wiring a one-timer from the slot off a rush chance created by Nečas. The goal — his 41st of the season — extended his torrid offensive pace and immediately quieted the home crowd.
The Avalanche doubled their advantage at 10:13 of the opening frame. Landeskog buried a one-timer from the high slot for his eighth of the year after a crisp setup from defenseman Brent Burns, showcasing Colorado’s sharp puck movement through the neutral zone.
It looked like the visitors were going to cruise to an easy win but Los Angeles responded late in the period. Brandt Clarke cut the deficit to 2–1 with a power-play blast from the point at 17:20, beating Blackwood through traffic.
To begin the second period Martin Nečas had a goal wiped off the board due to a quick whistle. Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg didn’t have the puck secured and dropped it in the crease. But the officials deemed it no goal and play moved on.
The Kings carried that momentum of good fortune and evened the game at 8:32 when Angus Booth redirected a feed at the left doorstep, tying the contest at 2–2.
The game remained tightly contested until the closing minutes of regulation.
With 4:55 remaining in the third period, Toews broke the deadlock on his second goal of the season. MacKinnon controlled the puck high in the zone, skating from the point toward the right circle before threading a cross-ice pass into the slot. Toews stepped into the feed and snapped home his second goal of the season, restoring Colorado’s lead at 3–2.
Nečas sealed the victory in dramatic fashion at 19:59, scoring into an empty net on the power play for his 26th goal of the year to secure the 4–2 final.
Colorado now turns its focus toward sustaining momentum as the regular season enters its decisive stretch. Unfortunately they lost the services of Artturi Lehkonen early in the first period to an upper-body injury and Jared Bednar stated postgame that the Finnish winger will miss some time.
Upcoming
It’s a quick turn around as the Avalanche continue their road trip Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks, with puck drop scheduled for 8 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast on Altitude, Altitude+, and Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM.
The Vancouver Canucks lost for the 35th time this season as they fell 6-1 on Monday to the Dallas Stars. Evander Kane scored the only goal while Nikita Tolopilo stopped 31 of the 37 shots he faced. With the defeat, Vancouver has now lost six games in a row and have just two win in their last 22 games.
After a balanced first period, the Stars took over and completely controlled play through the final 40 minutes. The Canucks registred just seven shots in the second, finishing with 14 on the net. For comparisson, Dallas recorded more shots in both the second and the third periods, as they finished with 15 and 16 in those periods.
Vancouver's lack of really anything in the final 40 minutes was concerning, especially considering that the Stars were missing both Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen. While the Canucks were not favoured in this game, some form of effort was at least expected, especially in front of the home crowd. Unfortunatly, it was another in a long line of nights this season where Vancouver just could not find any form of momentum.
The only positive to come out of this game was the play of Tolopilo. While the rookie goaltender did allow six goals, he came up with some massive saves in this one. In the end, if not for the play of Tolopilo, this game could have turned into an even bigger blowout.
"Ultimately, I mean, I thought we had a decent start, said Marcus Pettersson post-game. "Power play was clicking in the first and gave us some life. And then, you know, they started coming after us in the second. I thought we started, stolen pucks a little bit everywhere, and not helping each other get get out of our zone, and that allowed them to kind of get back at us. And then, I mean, we left Tolo out to dry today."
Mar 2, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) checks Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn (14) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
While tanking is the goal at this point of the season, the fans at Rogers Arena deserve to at least see a better effort on a nightly basis. The Canucks esentially gave up after te first period, which once again led to fans exiting early and empty seats scatter around the arena when the final horn blew. Something needs to change in Vancouver, and quickly as the effort this team has put forth, especially since returning from the Olympic break has made games virtually unwatchable.
Stats and Facts:
- Canucks record a season-low with 14 shots on net
- Marcus Pettersson led all players in ice time at 23:43
- Defenceman Elias Pettersson led the team with three hits
- Vancouver has just two wins in 21 games since the calander flipped to 2026
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
7:57- VAN: Evander Kane (11) from Jake DeBrusk and Marcus Pettersson 17:40- DAL: Adam Erne (4) from Colin Blackwell and Lian Bichsel
2nd Period:
8:31- DAL: Lian Bichsel (2) from Ilya Lyubushkin and Sam Steel 9:41- DAL: Jason Robertson (34) from Matt Duchene and Miro Heiskanen (PPG)
3rd Period:
1:32- DAL: Matt Duchene (12) from Sam Steel and Miro Heiskanen 5:40- DAL: Colin Blackwell (3) 15:39- DAL: Lian Bichsel (3) from Mavrik Bourque (13), Jason Robertson
Up Next:
The Canucks wrap up their mini two-game homestand on Wednesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Wednesday will also be the final game before the 2026 trade deadline. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT from Rogers Arena.
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 Vancouver Canucks appear to be facing more injury issues, as the team announced mid-game that defenceman Pierre-Olivier Joseph would not return in a 6-1 loss to the Dallas Stars. Joseph finished the game with 10:36 minutes played.
Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote noted post-game that Joseph left due to an upper-body injury and that he would be getting X-rays. As of writing, there is no update on the severity of the injury or how long the defenceman could be out for.
In 23 games played with Vancouver this season, Joseph has a goal and four assists. While he has not been a consistent part of the Canucks' lineup, with Vancouver eyeing a potential Tyler Myers trade, Joseph has regularly skated with rookie Zeev Buium through the past three games.
With Joseph out, Vancouver will likely look to their organizational youth to round out their D-core. Buium, Elias Pettersson, and Tom Willander have already gotten their fair share of minutes as young defencemen in the organization. If Myers does not remain with the team, this could mean a player like Abbotsford Canucks defenceman Victor Mancini could be called-up.
Vancouver's final game before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline is on Wednesday, when they'll take on the Carolina Hurricanes on home-ice. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Dec 30, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph (7) handles the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Even if things haven't quite gone as planned at the NHL level for Pittsburgh Penguins' forward prospect Ville Koivunen this season, he is still making some noise at the AHL level with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins.
And, in the month of February, he did his best to make sure he won't be forgotten if Pittsburgh needs another call-up or two.
On Monday, Koivunen was named AHL Player of the Month for the month of February after registering six goals and 16 points in 11 AHL games, which was the highest mark in February by any AHL player. The 22-year-old right wing has 11 goals and 32 points in 27 total AHL games this season.
He currently holds a six-game scoring streak, and he is second on WBS's team in points behind center Tristan Broz, who was injured in Saturday's game against the Cleveland Monsters.
Koivunen was dealt to Pittsburgh in the spring of 2024 as part of the deal that sent Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes, and he's had a few short stints at the NHL level since. In 35 NHL games between this season and last season, he has two goals and 12 points.
Jan 30, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy (5) moves the puck against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the first period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The Edmonton Oilers are fortifying their defense ahead of the NHL trade deadline as they look to make another deep run in the playoffs.
The back-to-back Western Conference champions on Monday acquired dependable defenseman Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2028 second-round pick. Chicago is retaining half of Murphy’s $4.4 million salary as part of the deal finalized 93 hours before the deadline Friday.
The Oilers rank 26th out of the league’s 32 teams in goals against this season, including a couple of losses since the Olympic break ended that can be chalked up to shoddy defensive play. They got beat 6-5 by Anaheim on Wednesday and 5-4 by San Jose on Saturday, defeats to rivals in the Pacific Division that have threatened Edmonton’s precarious place in the standings.
Murphy, who turns 33 on March 26, is a reliable defender who should slot in on the blue line on the third pair. He’s averaging 16 1/2 minutes of ice time through 60 games with the Blackhawks this season, his 13th overall and 12th full one since making his debut in 2013.
He leads Chicago with 87 blocked shots.
Oilers general manager Stan Bowman has a long history with Murphy. He was GM of the Blackhawks when they acquired Murphy from Arizona in 2017, and Bowman also signed Murphy’s current $17.6 million, four-year contract that expires on June 30.
Edmonton is coming off losing the Stanley Cup Final to Florida in consecutive years, with keeping the puck out of the net a considerable reason for each defeat. Bowman in December made a goaltending swap with Pittsburgh, sending Stuart Skinner to the Penguins for Tristan Jarry as part of a four-player trade that also involved a 2029 second-round pick.
Jarry’s .864 save percentage with the Oilers ranks 44th out of 49 goalies who have appeared in at least 10 games since the move on Dec, 12, which also included Brett Kulak being sent to Pittsburgh. The Oilers acquired Spencer Stastney that same day, and getting Murphy is the latest step in piecing together a more solid defense.
To make room for Murphy, the Oilers sent forward Andrew Mangiapane and defenseman Alec Regula to Bakersfield of the American Hockey League after they cleared waivers. Mattias Janmark went on long-term injured reserve.
Edmonton was not the only contender in the West to add Monday. The Minnesota Wild claimed forward Robby Fabbri off waivers from St. Louis, and they almost certainly are not done.
“We’ve got room to do some things,” GM Bill Guerin said Sunday, pointing to the center position and faceoffs in particular as an area he’d like to shore up. “If I have a chance to make the team better, I will. It’s just got to make sense. Whatever the ask is, whatever we feel like is a good price for whatever we’re getting, we’ll do it.”
It's been almost three months since the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Stuart Skinner from the Edmonton Oilers in the Tristan Jarry trade.
The Penguins traded Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Oilers on Dec. 12 in exchange for Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick. They then flipped Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche for Sam Girard and a 2028 second-round pick last Tuesday.
Dubas is never afraid of making deals, and he figures to be pretty active again this week since the NHL's trade deadline is this Friday. He's in charge of a team that finds itself in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.
The Penguins have surpassed everyone's expectations this year and are trying to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2021-22 season. However, Skinner has been in trade rumors over the last week and is No. 6 on Frank Seravalli's trade target board.
Skinner is a pending UFA, so it's only natural that the Penguins will at least listen to offers on him. He's been good since coming over from the Oilers and went through a stretch where he won eight of nine starts before losing his last two. During Skinner's hot streak, he had a .912 save percentage or better in seven of those games.
To take it a step further, over the last 10 games, Skinner ranks sixth among all goaltenders in goals saved above expected with six.
There's a legit argument to be made that Skinner could be the best available goaltender at the deadline, but the Penguins shouldn't move him unless they get an offer they can't refuse. It would have to be at least a second-round pick, plus something else in return, whether it's a veteran goaltender or a player at another position.
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) defends the net in the second period against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Otherwise, the Penguins should keep him and roll with him and Silovs for the stretch run and potentially into the playoffs. Skinner has extensive playoff experience that can pay dividends for the Penguins. He recently started for the Oilers in two straight Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers, and you can never have enough goaltending during this time of the season.
I know that Sergei Murashov is lighting up Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and everyone is excited about his future (myself included), but it would be asking a lot to rely on him and Silovs for the most crucial stretch of the season. They're both still rookies at the end of the day, and Murashov has only played in four NHL games.
He should cook a little more in WBS and help his team try to win a Calder Cup before he's on the team full-time next season. There's no need to rush him for the sake of it.
Overall, there are teams that need goaltending before the deadline (hello, Vegas and Carolina), but unless the Penguins are getting a dream return, they should roll with Skinner and Silovs the rest of the way.
NEW YORK (AP) — Kirill Marchenko scored his second goal of the game 1:04 into overtime and the Columbus Blue Jackets edged the New York Rangers 5-4 Monday night after squandering a four-goal lead.
Columbus built a 4-0 advantage through the first two periods before the Rangers staged a furious comeback, scoring four unanswered goals, including Gabe Perreault’s tying goal with 4:46 remaining in the third __ to force OT.
Marchenko also added an assist for Columbus, which snapped a two-game skid . Adam Fantilli, Sean Monahan and Mathiew Olivier also scored for the Blue Jackets, and Charlie Coyle had two assists. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 27 of the 31 shots he faced.
After falling behind four goals after two periods, the Rangers rallied in the third, scoring twice in a 24-second span in the first minute. New York, which had a 16-7 edge in shots in the period, scored two more goals in just over a two-minute span later in the third and managed to force overtime before falling short.
Perreault finished with two goals, and Vladislav Gavrikov and Will Borgen also scored for New York, which dropped to 7-16-5 at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers were coming off a 3-2, shootout win over Pittsburgh on Saturday that snapped a five-game skid. Igor Shesterkin made 23 saves.
RED WINGS 4, PREDATORS 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond each scored a goal and added an assist and Cam Talbot made 18 saves in relief of John Gibson to lead Detroit to a victory over Nashville.
Gibson did not return for the second period because of an upper-body injury. He stopped 10 of the 11 shots he faced. Emmitt Finnie and Albert Johansson also scored for the Red Wings, who have two of three.
Filip Forsberg and Jonathan Marchessault scored and Juuse Saros made 27 saves for the Predators, who are 1-2-2 in their past five.
FLYERS 3, MAPLE LEAFS 2, SO
TORONTO (AP) — Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras scored in a shootout and Philadelphia extended their winning streak to three games with a win over the Toronto.
William Nylander scored on the Maple Leafs’ first shootout attempt, but Auston Matthews and Max Domi failed to convert as Toronto’s losing streak reached four games.
Noah Cates converted a pass from Bobby Brink with 5:18 remaining in regulation time to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead. The Maple Leafs tied the game when Nylander slammed in a feed from John Tavares on the power play with 2:30 left.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube adjusted his lines, with the most notable move being the pairing of Matthews, the team captain, alongside Nylander.
Toronto’s Dakota Joshua opened the scoring at 15:22 of the first period, knocking in a pass from Matias Maccelli. It was Joshua’s first goal since returning last week after missing two months with a lacerated kidney.
Flyers center Christian Dvorak tied the game three minutes later on the power play, sweeping in a loose puck in front of the net.
Toronto outshot the Flyers 31-25, and Anthony Stolarz finished with 23 saves. Philadelphia’s Dan Vladar made 29 stop
TORONTO (AP) — Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras scored in a shootout and the Philadelphia Flyers extended their winning streak to three games with a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night.
William Nylander scored on the Maple Leafs’ first shootout attempt, but Auston Matthews and Max Domi failed to convert as Toronto's losing streak reached four games.
Noah Cates converted a pass from Bobby Brink with 5:18 remaining in regulation time to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead. The Maple Leafs tied the game when Nylander slammed in a feed from John Tavares on the power play with 2:30 left.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube adjusted his lines, with the most notable move being the pairing of Matthews, the team captain, alongside Nylander.
Toronto’s Dakota Joshua opened the scoring at 15:22 of the first period, knocking in a pass from Matias Maccelli. It was Joshua’s first goal since returning last week after missing two months with a lacerated kidney.
Flyers center Christian Dvorak tied the game three minutes later on the power play, sweeping in a loose puck in front of the net.
Toronto outshot the Flyers 31-25, and Anthony Stolarz finished with 23 saves. Philadelphia’s Dan Vladar made 29 stops.
Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale had a chance to end the game in overtime, but his shot off the rush hit the outside of the near post with 30 seconds remaining.
Flyers' leading scorer Travis Konecny missed the game with a lower-body injury. He was a game-time decision.
Matthews has gone eight games without a goal, his longest drought of the season. A member of the U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal in Italy, Matthews was without a goal in four games before the break and has gone four more since his return.
At long last, the NHL trade deadline is just four days away, which also means the league's most chaotic and exciting time during the regular season has finally arrived.
And the Pittsburgh Penguins figure to be one of the most interesting teams ahead of the 3:00 p.m. deadline on Mar. 6.
Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas has done a masterful job so far this season, as his offseason signings, trade pickups, and draft prospects - as well as some in-season acquisitions - have led to Pittsburgh being a top-six team in the NHL. They currently sit second in the Metropolitan Division and are fifth in the league in goal differential at plus-30.
In other words, the Penguins may just be contenders, but they could be even more so once that deadline passes. Dubas has a careful line to walk between continuing to prioritize the long-term and putting his chips on the table for a run this season with a legitimately good hockey team.
Here are six Penguins' storylines to keep an eye on during trade deadline week.
When thinking about where the Penguins' goaltending situation was just a few months ago, no one could have imagined they'd be making a legitimate playoff push with two goaltenders playing lights-out.
But, that's what has happened. Skinner was brought to Pittsburgh as part of the Tristan Jarry trade in mid-December, and he has been more than serviceable since. Aside from a few outlier bad performances that skew his numbers down a bit - overall, he is 8-4-2 with an .890 save percentage with the Penguins - the 27-year-old has proven to be just as valuable, if not more valuable, as Jarry was in a Penguins' uniform this season.
Second shutout of the season, .981 save percentage, and 2-0-0 over the week? That’s our kind of Arty party 🎊
Congrats to Arturs Silovs on being named @NHL Second Star of the Week!
However, with Arturs Silovs beginning to pull away from Skinner a bit in terms of performance - Silovs has a whopping .936 save percentage over his last nine appearances and has a track record of performing well in high-stakes situations - Skinner, who is on an expiring contract, could end up being the backup down the stretch.
It's certainly a risk rolling with two young, inexperienced goaltenders as opposed to having a veteran with ample playoff experience, so Dubas and the Penguins may have a tough decision ahead of them.
With Crosby out, will the Penguins target a depth center?
This will be one of the more interesting storylines to follow, as Crosby is expected to miss approximately three more weeks with a lower-body injury, and his team has the NHL's most difficult schedule for the remainder of the season.
So far, scoring hasn't proven to be much of an issue for the Penguins without Crosby. However, faceoffs certainly have been, as they have won just 52 of 159 total draws (32.7 percent) in their three games back from the Olympic break Crosbyless.
We'll circle back to this, but it will be interesting to see how the Penguins approach this situation. They do have two capable younger centers in Tristan Broz and Filip Hallander - barring their health - who should be able to help offset at least some of it. But depth never hurts, especially when that depth serves to improve the team overall. And the best bet at acquiring the best depth is in the trade market.
So, it will be interesting to monitor whether or not the center depth on the roster - especially without Evgeni Malkin manning the middle - looks like it could use a boost in the two games the Penguins have remaining prior to the deadline.
Will Evgeni Malkin sign before the trade deadline?
It was reported by Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now on Saturday that Malkin would meet with Dubas early this week, which follows Malkin saying in a postgame interview after a 2-1 shootout loss to the New York Rangers that they wouldn't meet until the offseason.
Of course, no one in their right mind actually believes that Malkin is going to be anywhere but Pittsburgh for the remainder of the season. However, it sure would bring some peace of mind to Penguins' faithful if Dubas and the team show priority to their 39-year-old future hall-of-famer, who is having his best season in several years with 13 goals and 47 points in 44 games.
Malkin has also developed ridiculous chemistry with winger Egor Chinakhov, who was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in late December and has 10 goals in 21 games since - more than anyone else on the Penguins since his arrival and half of which have primary assists credited to Malkin.
Many feel Malkin has earned another season with the Penguins, and folks will be anxious to hear about how that meeting with Dubas goes down.
Something they could still use? A young blueliner with higher upside, whether that's on the left or right side. Harrison Brunicke, a right-side d-man, has to play out the rest of his WHL season before becoming a young depth option for the Penguins again, and that won't be until April.
Of course, the Penguins have some options in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) should someone go down, including Dumba, Owen Pickering, Alex Alexeyev, and Finn Harding. But if they want a young defenseman who can make an impact on the NHL roster now, they're likely not within the organization already.
Heading into this season, a priority outlined by Dubas was improvement on the left side. Well, Parker Wotherspoon and Ryan Shea have both been good for the Penguins this season, and whoever has been in that other slot has been good enough. Still, it will be interesting to see if Dubas targets a younger blueliner with promise along the lines of Braeden Schneider (Rangers) or Pavel Mintyukov (Anaheim Ducks), if available.
Given the Penguins' place in the standings - and the fact that they already have more high-value draft capital (and more draft capital, period) than any other team in hockey - it's unlikely that Dubas is going to sell big at the deadline, even if he could receive fairly significant value in return for some of his better assets.
That said, it doesn't mean a "max value hockey trade" won't happen.
Names like Skinner's and Anthony Mantha's have popped up and have the attention of other teams, but in order for those guys to be moved, value would have to come the other way - simliar to the Kulak trade and the Jarry trade, where a guy playing the same position was part of the return along with draft capital (or a prospect).
However, Dubas needs to tread carefully here. Messing with the chemistry of a locker room on a team with a high degree of belief is a tricky thing, and sometimes, these kinds of moves backfire.
Obviously, "going big" - like selling - typically requires one or more pieces on your NHL roster or a high-value prospect going the other way in addition to high-value draft capital, which the Penguins do have. The discourse on trading their first-round pick this season comes with mixed response, as the 2026 draft is deep, but the Penguins, at this point, will probably draft late in the first round and have two second-round picks.
But even if they were willing to give up their first-rounder and more to acquire an impact player, is this year's trade deadline the time to do it?
It's absolutely reasonable to think that Dubas will wait until the summer to go big, given the direction he is taking the team in the foreseeable future as well as the fact that he has already made a pretty big move with the Chinakhov acquisition.
But, never say never. Dubas keeps his cards close to the vest, and given how good this Penguins' team is, he might just shoot higher than everyone expects.
NEW YORK (AP) — Kirill Marchenko scored his second goal of the game 1:04 into overtime and the Columbus Blue Jackets edged the New York Rangers 5-4 Monday night after squandering a four-goal lead.
Columbus built a 4-0 advantage through the first two periods before the Rangers staged a furious comeback by scoring four unanswered goals, including Gabe Perreault's tying goal with 4:46 left in the third, to force OT.
Marchenko also added an assist for Columbus, which snapped a two-game skid . Adam Fantilli, Sean Monahan and Mathiew Olivier also scored for the Blue Jackets, and Charlie Coyle had two assists. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 27 of the 31 shots he faced.
After falling behind four goals after two periods, the Rangers rallied in the third, scoring twice in a 24-second span in the first minute. New York, which had a 16-7 edge in shots in the period, scored two more goals in just over a two-minute span later in the third and managed to force overtime before falling short.
Perreault finished with two goals, and Vladislav Gavrikov and Will Borgen also scored for New York, which dropped to 7-16-5 at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers were coming off a 3-2, shootout win over Pittsburgh on Saturday that snapped a five-game skid. Igor Shesterkin made 23 saves.
Fantilli opened the scoring with a goal in his third straight game, netting his 16th on a tip-in shot at 5:50 of the first. Marchenko, who assisted on Fantilli's score, made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 15:32.
The Rangers had an apparent power-play goal by J.T. Miller disallowed early in the second when the officials ruled there was goaltender interference. Moments later, the Blue Jackets got a short-handed goal by Monahan. Olivier added a score at 11:54 of the middle period.
New York stormed back in the third on goals by Gavrikov 30 seconds into the period, and Perreault 24 seconds later. Borgen scored at 12:52, and Perreault added his second at 15:14.
And after climbing out of a two-goal hole against the Penguins, the Blueshirts proved they haven’t totally lost their inspiration and overcame a four-goal margin in a single period Monday night to force overtime before Kirill Marchenko won it 5-4 for Columbus.
“It’s easy for us to pack it in and feel sorry for ourselves,” Adam Fox said. “But, on the flip side, you have the ability to play free and I think just play proud. We’re getting booed off the ice after the second. No one feels good about that. We’ve been saying it all year, we’re a prideful group. Things haven’t gone as smooth as anyone has liked, but definitely proud of the group for that third period and, honestly, just giving the fans something to cheer for, something to get excited for. We want to be able to deliver that for a full 60 minutes, not just one period at a time.”
Igor Shesterkin reacts after allowing a goal during the Rangers’ loss to the Blue Jackets. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
Despite securing at least one point for a second game in a row, the Rangers have not won in regulation on home ice since before Thanksgiving.
That’s an 18-game streak at MSG without a regulation win.
The Rangers now have just three regulation wins over their last 25 contests.
Gabe Perreault had a hand in three of their four goals in the third period, scoring two of them — including the game-tying score — and assisting on one to help his team pick up at least one point.
It marked the 20-year-old’s second multigoal game through his first 32 career NHL games.
“I feel like every game I’m more and more comfortable,” said Perreault, who has five goals through 27 games this season. “J.T. [Miller] and Mika [Zibanejad] have done a great job helping me and mentoring me and making me feel confident. I think we’ve been starting to build some chemistry. It’s been really good playing with those guys.”
Gabe Perreault is positioned by the net during the Rangers’ March 2 loss to the Blue Jackets. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
The Rangers didn’t get on the scoreboard until early in the third period, when the home team scored twice in the span of 24 seconds to make it a two-goal game with the bulk of the final frame remaining.
Vladislav Gavrikov scored his 10th goal of the season before Perreault took advantage of Denton Mateychuk’s whiffed pass.
The 20-year-old collected the puck and whipped it past Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins.
With the extra skater on the ice amid a delayed penalty later in the period, Will Borgen stuffed in a loose puck.
The Rangers defenseman then dished to Perreault in transition for the 4-4 score with just under five minutes remaining in regulation.
“The fight we had in the third period, the energy,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “We almost won in regulation. We had a couple of looks right at the end of the game to break it open. Their goalie made a couple pretty big saves to take it to overtime.”
The Chicago Blackhawks officially made their first notable move of trade deadline week, as they dealt defenseman Connor Murphy to the Edmonton Oilers. This was after the right-shot defenseman was the subject of trade rumors for quite some time.
Yet, there is certainly a chance that the Blackhawks might not be done yet, as they have multiple other trade candidates to watch. Due to this, let's look at four Blackhawks who could be on the move next.
Jason Dickinson
Jason Dickinson is another veteran pending UFA who has a chance of being dealt by the deadline. With the Blackhawks having several promising young forwards in their system, it would make sense if they at least listened to offers on Dickinson. He could get them a decent return when noting that he is a solid veteran two-way center.
Ilya Mikheyev
Ilya Mikheyev is the pending UFA that the Blackhawks should be working hardest to sign to a contract extension. He has been a great addition to their roster since his arrival, as he has been a fantastic penalty-killer and has chipped in offensively. Yet, if the Blackhawks can't come to terms with him on an extension by the deadline, he could be a valuable trade chip for them to move.
Nick Foligno
If Nick Foligno lets the Blackhawks know that he wants to play for a contender, the veteran forward could end up being moved. At 38 years old, he likely will not have too many more chances to try to win the Stanley Cup, so it would be understandable if he wanted to play for a top team. However, if he wants to finish the year in Chicago, the Blackhawks won't be moving him.
Matt Grzelcyk
Grzelcyk is another pending UFA who could generate some interest from contenders. The Massachusetts native could be a nice addition to a playoff team's bottom pairing. He also has a lot of playoff experience due to his time with the Boston Bruins, so that adds to his appeal.
This wasn’t real life — just a simulation — but if you’re a Colorado Avalanche fan, maybe don't watch this.
In a virtual showdown against the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado hung around early thanks to stellar goaltending from Mackenzie Blackwood, but a third-period surge from L.A. proved too much as the Kings skated away with a 4-1 win on NHL 26.
First Period
The Kings dictated the pace for much of the opening frame, hemming Colorado in its own zone and firing pucks from all angles. Blackwood stood tall, turning aside quality chance after quality chance to keep things scoreless.
But with 2:41 remaining in the period, Los Angeles finally broke through. Trevor Moore capitalized on a rebound in the slot, batting the puck past Blackwood to give the Kings a 1-0 lead.
Things didn’t get much smoother for Colorado late in the period. Josh Manson was whistled for interference — a call that may or may not have been influenced by some classic EA Sports Frostbite chaos — sending the Avs into the intermission shorthanded.
Second Period
The shot clock told the story early. Nearly a minute into the second period, the Kings held an 18-6 advantage in shots on goal.
After successfully killing off the penalty, Colorado began to find its footing. Gabe Landeskog tried to generate momentum on the right wing but was forced to dish the puck off under pressure rather than absorb a heavy hit from the Kings’ defense.
Midway through the period, Ross Colton ripped a wrister labeled for the top corner, but Filip Forsberg came up with the save.
Colorado finally broke through with 9:08 remaining in the period. Cale Makar accepted a pass from Devon Toews, walked into space, and unleashed a 100.6 mph slap shot that beat Forsberg cleanly for his 18th goal of the season — and his third in the past two games. Just like that, it was 1-1 and a brand-new game.
The Avalanche kept pushing. Martin Nečas weaved through the neutral zone with a dazzling rush before stopping up and firing a slap shot, but Forsberg flashed the glove to keep the game tied heading into the third.
Third Period
Colorado’s momentum didn’t carry over.
The Avalanche opened the third looking disjointed, and the Kings took advantage. With Blackwood under siege yet again, Warren Foegele eventually broke through, giving Los Angeles a 2-1 lead.
The turning point came with 9:36 remaining. Makar rang a slap shot off the post, and the puck caromed all the way to center ice. Taylor Ward collected it in stride, raced in on a breakaway, and beat Blackwood to extend the Kings’ lead to 3-1.
Frustration began to mount for Colorado. Nathan MacKinnon was sent to the box for interference, and moments later Corey Perry was penalized for cross-checking Brent Burns, leading to a stretch of four-on-four play.
The Avalanche briefly had a five-second power play but couldn’t convert — yes, even in simulation form, the power play struggles followed them.
Artemi Panarin added an empty-net goal with seven seconds remaining to seal the 4-1 final in this digital edition of Avs vs. Kings.
