Category: NHL

Vancouver’s Chaos Giraffe era ended when the Vancouver Canucks traded Tyler Myers to the Dallas Stars last week. But, according to reports, the moniker for the Canucks’ former veteran defenceman will stay in Vancouver. Myers does not wish to keep it going as he starts a new journey in Dallas. 

“Let’s not bring that to Texas. That’s my worst nickname. It doesn’t even flow,” he said on 96.7 The Ticket after Dallas took a 2–1 win against the Vegas Golden Knights last night. 

Myers first appeared to have gotten the nickname from Wyatt Arndt of CanucksArmy, though it has stuck with the fanbase since then, developing into a term of endearment rather than critique after a few strong seasons. 

Now that Myers has found himself on the path to a Stanley Cup with the Stars, he’s hoping that he’ll be able to find another nickname. So far, it appears Dallas captain Jamie Benn, who played junior hockey with Myers as part of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, is pulling out some old tricks in order to do so.   

“We had a weird thing in Kelowna — what is that, 17 years ago now — everybody called each other by their dads name. So he’s bringing that back a little bit.” 

The Myers era in Vancouver appears to have ended. With his departure comes the end of the ‘Chaos Giraffe’ nickname. 

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When captain Anze Kopitar retires at the end of this season, the Los Angeles Kings will have a hole down the middle of their lineup. Kopitar has been the team's top-line center for well over a decade, and the organization will have to pivot to another middleman to fill the gap.

One of those candidates for the upcoming off-season has been crossed off Los Angeles' list of potential targets on Wednesday. That's because Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz signed a contract extension with the club, removing his UFA status for this summer.

Schmaltz inked an eight-year, $64-million deal with the Mammoth. He will be the third-highest-paid player on the roster next season, earning $8 million per season through the 2033-34 campaign. The 30-year-old will be 38 when this contract expires.

This year, Schmaltz has scored 24 goals and 59 points in 65 appearances for Utah. Last season, he recorded a career-high 63 points, but is on track to blow that personal best out of the water by the end of this regular season.

For Los Angeles, that's another UFA off the free-agent market for this summer. The options for the Kings to find an outside candidate to help with their lack of depth down the middle next season are dying out.

Four Centers The Los Angeles Kings Can Pivot To In The Off-SeasonAfter avoiding making any big, risky splashes at the NHL's trade deadline, here are four centers that Los Angeles Kings Gm Ken Holland can look to this off-season, in a trade or UFA signing.

Potential targets remain, but only on the trade market. In terms of centers who are pending UFAs, none would be suitable candidates to play in the Kings' top six for many years.

On the trade market, there are a handful of players that could work and are available to pursue.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson could be a potential player to chase. Not long ago, he was a 89- and 103-point scorer for the Canucks. What's tricky there is that Pettersson earns $11.6 million for the next six years, and hasn't been playing up to that standard lately. Not to mention, it sounds like Vancouver won't retain some of his contract.

Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues was dangled heavily to teams at the passing NHL trade deadline. With five years remaining on his $8.125-million AAV contract, there were reports that Thomas' asking price was extremely high. 

The New York Rangers' Vincent Trocheck was another option that was thrown around the NHL at the deadline. Reports stated that he preferred to stay in the Eastern Conference, ruling out Los Angeles. However, that doesn't mean Kings GM Ken Holland can't make another push for him in the summer.

Nonetheless, barriers are blocking each of those potential marriages. If Holland can't make a notable addition at the center position this summer, Quinton Byfield will need to step up in a big way if the Kings want to remain in playoff contention.

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Not only did the Detroit Red Wings suffer a frustrating defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers on Tuesday evening for the second time within a week, but they also lost another key forward to injury. 

Andrew Copp, who had taken the injured Dylan Larkin's place on the top line, was hurt after getting tangled up with Panthers forward Tomas Nosek after a face-off; Nosek fell onto his left leg, and Copp wasn't able to put any weight on it as he was assisted off the ice. 

Following the game, McLellan announced that Copp was "doubtful" to play on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning and that Larkin is also doubtful for the remainder of the trip. 

Now, the Red Wings are calling up multiple reinforcements from the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins. 

Detroit announced that John Leonard, Sheldon Dries, and Eduards Tralmaks have all been recalled under emergency conditions. 

UPDATE: The #RedWings have recalled Sheldon Dries, John Leonard and Eduards Tralmaks from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions. pic.twitter.com/SFLihKjvVr

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 11, 2026

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Leonard is playing in his first season with the Red Wings organization after signing as a free agent during the offseason. He's already played in nine games with Detroit in the NHL, scoring twice while adding two assists. 

Shorthanded Red Wings Lose Andrew Copp Vs. Panthers The Detroit Red Wings, who are already playing without top center and team captain Dylan Larkin, have lost Andrew Copp to an injury against the Panthers.

He's tallied 27 goals in 34 games for the Griffins, who clinched a postseason spot last month. 

Dries, a Metro-Detroit native, has yet to appear in a game with the Red Wings but has scored 20 goals with 17 assists in 48 games in Grand Rapids this season. 

Tralmaks, who signed a one-year contract with the Red Wings last March, has scored 18 goals with 10 assists in 48 games in Grand Rapids. 

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The St. Louis Blues have been playing much better hockey as of late, posting a 4-1-1 record in their last six games.

While most of their success can be attributed to Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway’s return to both the lineup and their form, rookie Jimmy Snuggerud deserves his flowers for his play as of late.

Since returning from wrist surgery on Dec. 27, Snuggerud ranks third in points by a rookie with 21, trailing just New York Islanders’ Matthew Scahefer (27) and Anaheim Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke (23).

On the season, Snuggerud has scored 13 goals and 32 points in 52 games. His 82-game pace would see him score 21 goals and 51 points. The 21-year-old is back to playing his game, firing pucks on goal at will and getting to high-danger areas of the ice. 

Following the trades of Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk, the Blues are entering a new era, led by their youth. Currently, the Blues’ roster features eight players under 25. Those players are Snuggerud, Holloway, Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, Jake Neighbours, Philip Broberg, Logan Mailloux, and Theo Lindstein. At this point next season, the Blues’ lineup could also feature first-round picks Adam Jiricek and Justin Carbonneau.

While the positional value of Broberg and Dvorsky may make them more valuable, there may not be a more important piece to their young core than Snuggerud. 

Snuggerud possesses a shot rivalled by few players around the NHL, and at 21, he’s already piecing together how to utilize it to the best of his abilities. 

With 18 games remaining, coach Jim Montgomery will keep Snuggerud on the top line with Holloway and Thomas, and Snuggerud will continue to improve. 

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As the Winnipeg Jets push to keep their playoff hopes alive, the organization may already have another reason for optimism brewing in the pipeline.

Winnipeg sits just five points behind the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, leaving the door open for what could become one of the NHL’s more surprising late-season turnarounds. But even if the club ultimately falls short of a postseason berth, Jets fans have a promising prospect to watch in the coming years with 19-year-old forward Kevin He.

The young winger has enjoyed a breakout season in the Ontario Hockey League, emerging as one of junior hockey’s most productive players. He began the campaign with the Niagara IceDogs before being traded to the Flint Firebirds, continuing his offensive surge after the move.

Through 55 games this season, He has recorded 35 goals and 35 assists for 70 points, firmly establishing himself among the OHL’s elite scorers. The Chinese-Canadian forward has been particularly dominant down the stretch. Over his last 24 games, He has tallied 20 goals and 16 assists for 36 points, putting him on pace for what could become a career-best season with a projected 76 points.

Two primary assists for Jets prospect Kevin He (2024 4th) who was named 1st Star of the Game in Flint’s win.

He’s up to 69 points (34G 35A) in 54 games. pic.twitter.com/CNeQ8XAsCd

— Dave Minuk (@ICdave) March 7, 2026

Beyond his scoring totals, he’s also making history in the sport. Born in Beijing, He first discovered hockey by skating and rollerblading with his father before eventually relocating to North America. He developed his game in minor hockey programs in North York, where his skill set steadily evolved into that of a top junior prospect.

When the Jets selected He in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, he became just the second Chinese-born player ever drafted into the NHL, following Andong Song, who was selected by the New York Islanders in 2015. He later made history again by becoming the first Chinese-born player to sign an NHL contract.

The list of Chinese-born NHL draftees has since grown. Defenseman Haoxi Wang became the third when he was selected 33rd overall by the San Jose Sharks at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

While Winnipeg’s immediate focus remains on chasing a playoff spot, the organization’s future appears bright as well. If the Jets’ postseason push falls short, the emergence of a rising prospect like He could still give the fanbase plenty of reason for excitement in the years ahead.

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Buffalo Sabres goalie prospect Devon Levi is currently blocked from the NHL roster. This is because the Sabres have Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis all ahead of him on their depth chart. 

Now, there is a chance that Levi could be made expendable because of it.

According to The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta, the Sabres shopped Levi ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline and are expected to again during the off-season.

"The Buffalo Sabres were shopping goalie Devon Levi and are expected to keep those talks going this summer," Pagnotta wrote.

With the Sabres having multiple goalies ahead of Levi on their depth chart, he could be a good trade chip for Buffalo to dangle this off-season to try to upgrade their roster elsewhere. It is likely that teams out there would be interested in adding Levi to their system, as he has the potential to become a good NHL goalie in the future. 

Levi has spent all of this season in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, where he has a 17-14-8 record, a .905 save percentage, and a 2.75 goals-against average. In 39 career NHL games with the Sabres, he has a 17-17-2 record and a .894 save percentage. 

It was a mostly forgettable week for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, going 0-1-1 in a pair of games where they mostly trailed. From WBSPenguins.com:

Wednesday, Mar. 4 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Springfield 5
A spirited third-period comeback fell short in a razor-thin, month-opening loss for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Aidan McDonough scored twice on the power play and set up Tanner Howe for a four-on-four goal in between. McDonough’s three points helped tie the game, 3-3, but a man-advantage marker and subsequent empty netter gave Springfield enough insurance to survive another late surge by Rafaël Harvey-Pinard.

Friday, Mar. 6 – PENGUINS 2 at Syracuse 3 (OT)
The Penguins came back from down 2-0 to force overtime, but lost on a power-play goal in extra time. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s rally started with Rutger McGroarty tallying 90 seconds into the second period. Melvin Fernström notched the tying goal with 23.6 seconds left in regulation.

Slow starts and playing from behind was the theme of the week, Springfield was up 3-1 on WBS after two periods and Syracuse was up 2-0 after the first period. That put WBS on the chase for much of those games and while they made some spirited comebacks within, they weren’t able to dig all the way out of the early holes that were dug in either contest.

That didn’t make much of a dent in the standings, the Penguins remain solidly in second place in the Atlantic Division. They figure to formally clinch a playoff spot (top six teams in each division qualify) as soon as this week. As always, the more important race will be to secure second place and receive a bye from the first round of the playoffs. The AHL season is only 72 games long, Charlotte is running out of time to catch WBS, though a 3-0-1 record in their last four has them back in the picture, overall Charlotte has only gained one point in the standings over the last 10 games each team has played.

Here was the lineup used in the last game. WBS is in a tough spot lately with Ville Koivunen and Avery Hayes up in the NHL and Tristan Broz is back on the shelf with an undisclosed week-to-week injury, with Matt Dumba also in and out of the lineup recently. Broz’s injury at center might be the biggest hole of all considering it leaves just one forward under NHL contract (Joona Koppanen) in the lineup. They’ll get some temporary help on the blueline now that Jack St. Ivany has been assigned to the AHL on a conditioning loan.

How we’re rolling in Syracuse ⬇️

Catch the action on AHLTV on FloHockey: https://t.co/CrNDVVHuPjpic.twitter.com/OnEHJgusuP

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) March 6, 2026

The lineup has become a strange brew of NHL developmental prospects, AHL veteran hands and other younger players on AHL contracts chasing the dream of getting on the radar. Overall the first group has performed well, Tanner Howe has eight points (3G+5A) in 12 games to start his pro career coming off an AHL rehab. Rutger McGroarty has produced three points (1G+2A) in his last two games, Melvin Fernstrom has made the most of a mid-season move to the AHL with six points (2G+4A) in eight games when he’s been in the lineup.

The third group is perhaps becoming the backbone of the team with players like 23-year old Atley Calvert, 26-year old Aiden McDonaugh (4G+2A in the last five games) and 22-year old Gabe Klassen (10G+7A in his last 23 games) all showcasing well in increasing roles as the season has gone along.

It’s a big weekend ahead for the AHL Pens, who play all weekend on Friday (Hershey), Saturday (Lehigh Valley and Sunday (@Lehigh Valley).

The weather may be nasty in the nation’s capital, but the mood on the ice figures to be just as foul on Wednesday night when the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens renew hostilities at Canadian Tire Centre with a crucial two points on the line.

Weathering the Weather

After a day that was expected to be filled with freezing rain with significant ice buildup in Ottawa, it's possible it may affect Wednesday's game being played at all, but as of mid-afternoon, it looks like business as usual. 

Due to weather conditions, they will be opening the doors at 4 p.m. to fans with tickets.

The State of Things

With a win, the Senators would move to within three points of Boston for the final wild-card spot and they'd also move five points behind the Canadiens, who currently occupy third place in the Atlantic Division.

By contrast, a Montreal victory would not only strengthen the Canadiens’ playoff chances, but it would also open up a nine-point advantage on the Sens, which would all but eliminate Ottawa’s hopes of catching them.

When the Senators began their just-completed five-game road trip, they were seven points out of a playoff spot. They went 4-0-1, but that impressive run only moved them two points closer to Boston. The Bruins, Canadiens and Blue Jackets all won Tuesday night. Detroit did not, so they stay just six points up on Ottawa. The Sens need one of the Eastern playoff teams to falter. Perhaps it will be the Red Wings.

Season Series

Montreal leads Ottawa in the season series, winning two of the three matchups, though that doesn’t mean much in Gary Bettman’s three-point world. The Canadiens won both of their games in overtime, while Ottawa’s lone victory came in regulation. As a result, the two teams have each collected four points from their first three meetings.

Probable Line Combos: Senators

Batherson – Stützle – Giroux
Tkachuk – Cozens – Greig
Cousins – Pinto – Amadio
Foegele – Eller – Zetterlund

MacDermid – Halliday

Chabot – Zub
Kleven – Spence
Matinpalo – Jensen

Ullmark
Reimer

Gardien de but

In a surprising twist, in part two of a back to back, the Canadiens recalled goaltender Jacob Fowler from AHL Laval Rocket and named him the starter for Wednesday. Before his recall, it was assumed that Sam Montembeault would start, but he has struggled of late.

After James Reimer pitched a shutout in Vancouver on Monday night, Linus Ullmark will start for the Senators. While he still runs hot and cold, Ullmark hasn’t lost in regulation (5-0-2) since December 27. That was the night he was pulled from a game in Toronto and ultimately stepped away from the team for about a month to focus on his mental health.

We're Going Streaking

Tim Stützle enters the night riding a 13-game point streak. Most players will never have a streak that long. Stützle had one just back in January. It’s the fourth-longest streak in Senators history, a mark he also shares with Drake Batherson and Marian Hossa. With a point tonight, he would reach 14 games, matching the 14-gamer he produced last season.

No MacDermid Versus Habs

It’s interesting to see Kurtis MacDermid back in healthy-scratch mode. He was acquired in October shortly after the Canadiens beat Ottawa 5-0 in a preseason game in which the Senators were literally beaten up as badly as they were on the scoreboard.

Last Thursday, on the eve of the NHL trade deadline, in a crucial game against Calgary, MacDermid suddenly made his first start of 2026. That led to speculation that Stephen Halliday was sitting out because he might be part of a trade the team was working on. Halliday didn’t go anywhere, as it turned out, and the Senators said they simply wanted MacDermid in the lineup as a deterrent because Calgary is a tough team.

Now, facing an even more important game against their heated rival, the same brawl-ready Canadiens who prompted MacDermid’s acquisition in the first place, the big guy is going to sit.

Arber Xhekaj doesn’t mind that. With Brady Tkachuk unable to fight because of his thumb brace, only the referees can hold Xhekaj accountable.

If MacDermid isn’t suited for a game like this, then why was he acquired? And why did he suddenly show up in the lineup against Calgary?

It strongly suggests Halliday may indeed have been part of trade discussions that ultimately fell through. In fairness, there’s little upside to the Senators publicly acknowledging that. A young player doesn’t need to hear that his team considered moving him, and broadcasting that you’re willing to part with someone rarely helps the value of the asset.

The Canadiens, meanwhile, are punching well above the weight class that most of the league assigned them before the season began. Like the Senators, they’re a fast, skilled team that can roll four lines and generally plays the right way. Montreal has 10 players in double digits in goals, while the Senators have 11.

Former Kings Anchor Fourth Lines

Both teams have some expensive fourth lines. Except for Lars Eller, everyone makes north of $3.5 million. The Sens round out their bottom line with newcomer Warren Foegele ($3.5 million) and Fabian Zetterlund ($4.27 million), which is a little pricey for a fourth line. But it's nothing compared to Montreal’s, with Josh Anderson ($5.5 million), Phillip Danault ($5.5 million) and Brendan Gallagher ($6.5 million). 

Last season, Danault and Foegele finished fifth and sixth in scoring for the Los Angeles Kings, both topping 40 points. This year, both have really struggled offensively, and it was hoped that their shift to the East might help. Danault has been somewhat better, with 11 points in 27 games, a 33-point pace.

After scoring in his debut in Seattle, Foegele will play his third game as a Senator and make his home debut in Ottawa on Wednesday night.

With a virus making its way through the Canadiens' locker room, the Habs might have some last minute changes before game time. Cole Caufield, for one, is a game time decision.

Probable Line Combos: Canadiens

Caufield – Suzuki – Slafkovsky
Newhook – Kapanen – Demidov
Bolduc – Evans – Dach
Anderson – Danault – Gallagher

Guhle – Hutson
Matheson – Dobson
Xhekaj – Carrier

Fowler
Dobes

Note the 7:30 pm start time (Sportsnet, RDS).

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published at The Hockey News. Read more great Senators coverage and bookmark TheHockeyNews.com/Ottawa-Senators

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Take another potential free agent off this summer's list.

Utah Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz signed an eight-year contract extension on Wednesday, March 11 with a cap hit of $8 million. That will make him the team's third-highest player behind Logan Cooley ($10 million cap hit next season) and Mikhail Sergachev ($8.5 million).

Schmaltz, 30, ranks second on the team in goals (24), assists (35), and points (59) in 62 games. He already has passed his career best in goals and is on pace to shatter his top season in points (63 last season).

He had been No. 2 on USA TODAY Sports' most recent list of top potential free agents and is the latest player to come off what had been an impressive class. 

Kirill Kaprizov signed a record extension and has been joined by Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Kyle Connor, Martin Necas, Artemi Panarin, Adrian Kempe, Kiefer Sherwood and Schmaltz.

Here are some of the top remaining pending unrestricted free agents:

Top remaining free agents

10. Anthony Mantha, Pittsburgh Penguins

He has rebounded in his first year in Pittsburgh with 24 goals and 48 points. Current cap hit: $2.5 million.

9. Charlie Coyle, Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets held onto their free agents at the deadline because the team has turned things around since Rick Bowness was named coach. With 51 points, he's on pace to set a personal best. Current cap hit: $5.25 million.

8. Anders Lee, New York Islanders

He has been the Islanders' captain since 2018 and is good for 20-plus goals. He had 29 last season. Current cap hit: $7 million.

7. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

The NHL's all-time leading goal scorer is 40. He'll either re-sign with Washington or retire. He hasn't indicated his plans. Current cap hit: $9 million.

6. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers

The goalie has won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles and two Vezina Trophies. He'll be 38 next season. Current cap hit: $10 million.

5. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins

The 39-year-old has expressed an interest in playing more and he recently said the Penguins would wait until after the season to negotiate. He's averaging a point a game but has dealt with an injury and had an ill-timed five-game suspension. Current cap hit: $6.1 million.

4. John Carlson, Anaheim Ducks

Carlson, the Capitals' all-time leader in scoring among defensemen, was traded to the Ducks in a shocker. He ha 46 points in 55 games. Current cap hit: $8 million.

3. Rasmus Andersson, Vegas Golden Knights

The defenseman was traded to the Golden Knights this season by the Flames. He can provide offense with a 50- and a 49-point season. He's at 36 points this season. Current cap hit: $4.55 million.

2. Darren Raddysh, Tampa Bay Lightning

The defenseman is having a breakout season with 17 goals and 58 points and filled in well while Victor Hedman was out twice with injuries. Current cap hit: $975,000.

1. Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabres

The forward can score (two 36-goal seasons) and also kills penalties. He's at 28 goals this season for the surging Sabres. He wants to stay in Buffalo and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen wants to keep him. Current cap hit: $4.75 million.

Which 2026 free agents have signed extensions recently?

• Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov, eight years, $136 million, a record for its total amount and $17 million cap hit
• Edmonton's Connor McDavid, two years, $25 million. The $12.5 million cap hit equals his current one and places him second on the team behind Leon Draisaitl.
• Edmonton's Jake Walman, seven years, $49 million
• Winnipeg's Kyle Connor, eight years, $96 million, richest contract in team history
• Edmonton's Mattias Ekholm, three years, $12 million
• Vegas' Jack Eichel, eight years, $108 million
• Colorado's Martin Necas, eight years, $92 million
• New Jersey's Jacob Markstrom, two years, $12 million
• Colorado's Scott Wedgewood, one year, $2.5 million
• Los Angeles' Adrian Kempe, eight years, $85 million
• Montreal's Mike Matheson, five years, $30 million
• Tampa Bay's Ryan McDonagh, three years, $12.1 million
• Los Angeles' Artemi Panarin, two years, $22 million
• San Jose's Kiefer Sherwood, five years, $28.75 million
• Seattle's Jordan Eberle, two years, $11 million
• Utah's Nick Schmaltz, eight years, $64 million

What is the NHL salary cap for 2025-26 and beyond?

The 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons could have minor adjustments up or down based on revenues:

2025-26

• Upper limit: $95.5 million
• Lower limit: $70.6 million

2026-27

• Upper limit: $104 million
• Lower limit: $76.9 million

2027-28

• Upper limit: $113.5 million
• Lower limit: $83.9 million

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Top NHL free agents after Nick Schmaltz signs extension with Mammoth

The Buffalo Sabres have become the story of the NHL season, as the club that was in last place in the Eastern Conference in early December is currently atop the Atlantic Division by four points after their 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. Jack Quinn notched his first career hat trick for the Sabres, who registered their eighth win in a row coming out of the Olympic break. 

Everything seems to be going right with the Sabres, who have an incredible 29-5-2 (.833 winning percentage) record since December 9, and have revitalized a long dormant fanbase, as the club had their sixth straight sellout against the Sharks in a non-conference matchup on a weekday, something that was unheard of the last 14 years unless the club was playing arch-rivals Toronto or Montreal.

The club and their fans are content to ride the wave of positivity and victories at this point, but the news of another pending free agent falling off the board continues to make the chances of winger Alex Tuch re-signing to Buffalo longer.  

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Tuch scored his 28th goal of the season in the win over the Sharks and is on pace to reach the 30-goal mark for the third time in four years. After the signings of Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin before the trade deadline, the 29–year-old is projected to be the most-sought-after forward on July 1. On Wednesday, the Utah Mammoth signed another pending free agent, Nick Schmaltz, to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension. Schmaltz, 30, stepped into the #1 center role with the Mammoth after the injury to young star Logan Cooley and is on pace to set a career-high in points. 

With Schmaltz joining Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Kyle Connor, Jack Eichel, Martin Necas, Kempe and Panarin as potential free agents coming off the board, Tuch’s impetus to head to the open market has only increased, especially since there has been no indication that the Sabres have come off their stance of not exceeding $10 million on a new deal. 

"We've had some productive talks with (Alex), and we've expressed our desire to sign him, and we'll continue doing that." Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen said after the deadline. "I told his agent that we're not going to make our team weaker if we don't get a deal done by trade deadline. We're not trading him, and we didn't, because we want to strengthen our team and not make it weaker, and Alex is obviously a huge part of it. So now we're going to continue those talks and hopefully get a deal done before July 1."

Unless there is a change in the stance by either side, the only leverage that the Sabres have is their ability to offer an eight-year deal to Tuch, whether it be to spread the AAV out over a longer term or to enable the club to get something back for the winger, similar to what the Toronto Maple Leafs did with Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights. Otherwise, Tuch will only be able to sign a six-year deal with another club after July 1, when the new collective bargaining agreement goes into effect. 

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The Canadiens picked up a 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson played a role in the victory, as he recorded an assist on Phillip Danault's eventual game-winning goal.

With this assist, Hutson has now made NHL history.

Hutson now has the most assists ever by an NHL defenseman within their first 150 games with 116. Sergei Zubov previously held the record, as the Hockey Hall of Famer recorded 115 assists in his first 150 career NHL games. 

Setting this NHL record just shows how special of a talent Hutson is. He has been simply incredible for the Canadiens since his arrival, and he is only getting better as he continues to gain more experience. 

In 63 games this season with the Canadiens, Hutson has 11 goals, 54 assists, 65 points, and a plus-28 rating. The 5-foot-9 blueliner is having a fantastic campaign with the Habs, and it will be fascinating to see how he builds on it from here after setting this new record. 

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

Every year, The Hockey News releases an edition called "Future Watch". This year's "Future Watch" includes interviews with rising stars like Tij Iginla and Anton Frondell, as well as rankings of all 32 NHL prospect pools. The Vancouver Canucks received a B rating and were ranked 15th in the NHL. 

Vancouver also had a few prospects ranked in the Top 100 list. They were Braeden Cootes (32nd) and Jonathan Lekkerimäki (39th). Below is how the Canucks top 10 prospects were ranked in this year's edition. 

1) Braeden Cootes- WHL

2) Jonathan Lekkerimäki- AHL

3) Alexei Medvedev- OHL

4) Kirill Kudryavtsev- AHL

5) Victor Mancini- AHL

6) Sawyer Mynio- AHL

7) Riley Patterson- OHL

8) Kieren Dervin- OHL

9) Ty Mueller- AHL

10) Nikita Tolopilo- NHL

Excerpt From The Edition:

"The Canucks could be sure of three things when they finally committed to rebuilding. Firstly, they shouldn’t expect to win. But they can lose while maintaining a team-wide compete level and growing from the experience. And Vancouver can rest assured that change is good – especially for the NHL’s last-place team and its apathetic fan base. Look no further than San Jose, Anaheim and Utah. The Western rivals bottomed out before building competent teams through rebuilds and are now in playoff contention. "We have a lot of good young pieces pushing now or coming soon," said Canucks assistant GM Ryan Johnson."

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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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
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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 tonight's 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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