Category: NHL

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

The Detroit Red Wings picked up two huge points in the standings on Monday afternoon, defeating the Nashville Predators by a 4-2 final score at Bridgestone Arena. 

Albert Johansson scored the go-ahead game-winning goal while shorthanded in the second period, helping the Red Wings leapfrog the Montreal Canadiens for third place in the Atlantic Division. 

W in the Music City! #LGRWpic.twitter.com/Q6B2Kkkyh5

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 2, 2026

They have the same number of points as the Buffalo Sabres, who are in second place with a game in hand. 

However, the question on the minds of fans everywhere will be the status of starting goaltender John Gibson, who left after the opening 20 minutes of play with an upper-body injury and did not return. 

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

It was the Red Wings who opened the scoring in the first period thanks to rookie forward Emmitt Finnie, who banged home a rebound for his first goal since Detroit's 4-3 overtime win over the Dallas Stars on Dec. 23. 

A would-be goal from Simon Edvinsson, which would have increased Detroit's lead to 2-0, was overturned after Marco Kasper was ruled to have interfered with Predators goaltender Juuse Saros. 

Nashville, who had a goal of their own waived off due to goaltender interference earlier in the frame, then knotted the score at 1-1 thanks to a power-play goal from Filip Forsberg, who now has 24 points in his last 24 games against Detroit. 

A turnover from defenseman Simon Edvinsson in his own zone burned Detroit in the second period, as his pass was intercepted by Ryan O'Reilly, who fed a wide-open Jonathan Marchessault at the side of the net for a tap-in goal.

However, Lucas Raymond responded by beating Saros from a sharp angle after taking a beautiful cross-ice feed from Alex DeBrincat. 

While shorthanded, the Detroit Red Wings grabbed a lead they would not relinquish when Albert Johansson beat Juuse Saros with a one-timer on a two-on-one rush alongside Marco Kasper.

With Saros pulled and the Nashville Predators pressing for the equalizer, Detroit sealed the win when Alex DeBrincat netted his 31st goal of the season.

Talbot, who replaced Gibson after the first period, finished with 18 saves; Gibson stopped 10 of the 11 shots he faced. Meanwhile, Saros made 27 saves.

The Red Wings will return home to face the Vegas Golden Knights at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday evening. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

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

A missed tripping call leading to a short-handed goal by the Detroit Red Wings stood as the game-winning goal in a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Monday at Bridgestone Arena. 

On a Predators power play in the second period, Roman Josi was tripped along the boards by Marco Kasper, leading to a 2-on-1 the other way. Kasper made a cross-ice pass to Albert Johansson, who scored the game-winning goal.

The trip was not reviewed by the referees and the goal stood. 

"I thought it was a trip. I felt pretty hard, but that stuff happens out there," Josi said. "I certainly make a lot of mistakes out there. That's not why we lost the game. We had a lot of other things that we could do better, and we had our looks in the third." 

An Albert Johansson shorty for the people! pic.twitter.com/eU1CpiNpm5

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 2, 2026

Both Nashville and Detroit also had goals disallowed in the game due to goaltender interference. 

Emmitt Finnie opened the scoring 4:51 into the game, putting away a Kasper rebound as Juuse Saros lost his net for an early 1-0 Red Wing lead. 

Filip Forsberg responded on the power play, one-timing a pass from Luke Evangelista into the net. It was Forsberg's 26th goal of the season and Evagelista's team-leading 37th assist. 

In the second period, Jonathan Marchessault scored on a tap-in off a pass from O'Reilly to give Nashville its first and only lead of the game. 

Nearly three minutes later, Lucas Raymond tapped in a cross-ice pass from Alex DeBrincat into the net to tie things up.

While the Johansson goal ended up being the game-winner, head coach Andrew Brunette said the one play wasn't the reason the Predators lost, as they "got away from their game" in the second period, getting outscored, 2-1.

"The game was lost in the second period, losing those puck battles that ended up leading to goals," Brunette said. "We turned too many pucks over in that area, and it got us. They're a really good rush team.  It was disappointing because the effort was there." 

Statistically, Detroit gave away the puck more on the night, 16 to 11. 

DeBrincat iced the game on an empty net goal with 26 seconds left in the game. 

The Predators fall to 27-25-8 on the year and still sit three points outside of the final Wild Card spot with 62 points. Tonight, Seattle (65 points) hosts Carolina and Utah (66 points) takes on Colorado in Salt Lake City. 

The bubble between the playoffs and missing out continues to grow with the trade deadline now four days away. 

"All we can control right now is winning games," Evangelista said.  "We keep winning games, keep climbing the standings and getting points. That's what we can control, and if we do that, I think there's a good chance the team's gonna stick together." 

Nashville has a quick turnaround, facing the Columbus Blue Jackets on the road on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CST. 

The Chicago Blackhawks have traded defenseman Connor Murphy to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. 

The Chicago Blackhawks also made it happen by retaining 50% of Murphy's $4.4 million cap hit. 

This has been a long time coming. The question was always going to be which team was the one that made the best offer for Kyle Davidson to consider retaining salary. Edmonton clearly wanted to add a defenseman like Murphy for their playoff run. 

Outside of the COVID-19 bubble, Murphy has never come close to being on a playoff team. After the last nine years spent with the Blackhawks, mostly spent rebuilding, he will finally get his chance. 

Murphy will always be remembered for being a great soldier in a tough situation. He never once complained about the fact that the team wasn't making the playoffs. Instead, he was a wonderful leader in the room. A lot of their young players will benefit in the long run from having had him around. 

It was also well known that Connor Murphy was a wonderful asset to the city of Chicago. He is a community man who loves giving back. Now, he can bring some of that joy to the city of Edmonton. 

The Oilers, who have been to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, losing both, have aspirations of getting back there again with stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the way. Murphy's defensive game is sure to help their depth.

They have work to do to get there, and they likely aren't done adding, but this is a great stepping stone. 

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

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

The Florida Panthers are up against it right now.

Following Sunday’s crushing last-minute loss to the New York Islanders, Florida’s second straight defeat, the Panthers now have just 22 games to overcome an eight-point deficit in the Wild Card race while simultaneously climbing over the five teams that are currently between the Cats and that final playoff spot.

It’s surely not impossible, but considering the overwhelming feelings of frustration based off how those two losses have occurred, it’s hard to blame the Panthers, or their fans, for feeling somewhat despondent.

The focus after Friday’s loss to the Buffalo Sabres was a challenged goal that the NHL’s decision-makers deemed worthy to stand despite contact between the player’s stick and goaltender’s glove, calling the interaction between stick and glove incidental.

Then on Sunday, the Panthers began a four-game road trip by storming out to a 2-0 lead on Long Island, only to find themselves trailing by a goal during the game’s final minutes.

Just when the team’s spirits were lifted thanks to a late, game-tying tally by Sam Reinhart, Florida allowed a backbreaking goal with 32 seconds left to shatter any chances of making progress in the standings.

“We pushed pretty hard tonight, but the games are too important to be giving up games like that,” Panthers center Sam Bennett said afterwards.

Indeed, the time to make up ground is shrinking by the day.

While it surely helps that the Panthers are getting healthier, welcoming defenseman Dmitry Kulikov back into the lineup Sunday and expecting Tomas Nosek, Seth Jones and Jonah Gadjovich to all join him in the coming fortnight, the lasting dark cloud looming over the team following such demoralizing defeats can be extremely difficult to dismiss.

As Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice explained, the best thing for Florida to do is focus on the positives and fall back on the knowledge of their experiences over the past several seasons.

“Any one good feeling, right?” Maurice said. “Any one good play, anything that gives them the feeling that there’s hope. That’s really what we’re trying to drive now. They’ve got miles on them, but they’ve played a lot of big games together, and that’s the key.”

One positive for the Panthers is that they don’t have to wait long for a chance to turn things right back around.

Florida will play three games in the next four nights, and two of them are against teams that are currently not in a playoff position.

The Panthers (63 points) face the New Jersey Devils (60 points) on Tuesday and the Columbus Blue Jackets (66 points) on Thursday before ending the road trip against the Detroit Red Wings (74 points) on Friday.

Detroit currently holds the first Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference, with the Boston Bruins (71 points) clinging to the second spot.

Make no mistake, the Cats are running out of their nine lives.

At a time where the pain and anguish can feel like it cuts deeper than usual, the veteran squad will need to rally around one another and find a way to push through.

“We’re on the road and we know how important games are,” said Bennett. “We’re sticking together as a team, and we’re going to fight right to the very end.”

With a roster that continues to grow stronger, and plenty of past successes to draw from, the Panthers know they are capable of achieving their goal.

One game, one shift at a time.

“We’ll deal with the hockey, we don’t hide from it,” Maurice said. “We’ll deal with the game tomorrow, so we can move on and put our best foot forward in Jersey.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA 

Road Trip Starts With Frustrating, Heartbreaking Loss On Long Island For Panthers

Panthers Place Luke Kunin On NHL Waivers

Panthers Activate Dmitry Kulikov Off The Injured Reserve; Listed As A Game-Time Decision

Panthers Begin Crucial 4-Game Road Trip With Visit To Long Island

The Hockey Show: Panthers Have Seep Hill To Climb, Olympic Fallout, Jonathan Zaslow Discusses US Controversy

Photo caption: Mar 1, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27) scores the winning goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period at UBS Arena. (Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images)

When the Montreal Canadiens returned from the Olympic break, coach Martin St-Louis stated that both of his goaltenders would get a game in the first week to get back in the swing of things and that he would take it from there. Now that Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes have each played a game, the former against the New York Islanders and the latter against the Washington Capitals, it will be time for St-Louis to decide who will be between the pipes on Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks. The California outfit has won two of its three games since the break and is currently involved in the playoff chase, three points out of a wildcard spot in the Western Conference.

Habs fans, who's your starter on Tuesday? Vote and tell us why please! #GoHabsGohttps://t.co/0u6hrjbcxU

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) March 1, 2026

Montembeault gave up four goals on 26 shots against New York, which comes to an .846 save percentage: that’s not enough. Granted, he couldn’t do much on the game-tying goal in the third frame when the shot from the high slot was deflected right in front of his crease by Anders Lee, but the two goals from rookie wonder Matthew Schaefer came from a distance. While the blueliner has a great shot, there comes a time when a starting netminder has to come up big and make unexpected saves.

Amazing Feat Within Reach For Canadiens’ Sniper
Canadiens Have 2 Trade Targets From Jets To Consider
Canadiens: Xhekaj Or Struble Makes No Difference To St-Louis

As for Dobes, he allowed two goals against Washington, both to the league's all-time best goalscorer, Alexander Ovechkin. The Czech netminder saved 27 of the 29 shots he faced for a .931 SV. The first goal was on a rebound that fell to the Russian sniper, right under the nose of the Canadiens’ defenders, Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson. As for the second goal, Ovechkin was allowed to walk right into the slot and was all alone when he received the feed from behind the goal line. There’s not much a goaltender can do in that situation.

On top of those numbers, though, there’s also one fact: the Canadiens won with Dobes in net and lost with Montembeault. With Dobes, they were able to protect their lead and kept playing for the full 60 minutes. With Montembeault in the net, they sat back in the third frame, stopping their attack and focusing solely on defence. It’s almost as if they felt they needed to defend more. The last time Dobes lost in regulation was on December 9, whereas Montembeault lost two of his last five games in regulation.

Whichever way you look at it, Dobes should get the start on Tuesday. Of course, the Canadiens still have six back-to-backs to play until the end of the regular season, so logic dictates that those games will be split. Three of the six back-to-backs are coming up in the next two weeks, so we’re likely to see both goaltenders a lot over that span, and once those are out of the way, the Habs will need to go back to the masked man who performed the best and in front of whom the team looked most confident.

---

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

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. 

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

The last thing that the Detroit Red Wings need now that the calendar has shifted to March for their stretch drive toward the Stanley Cup Playoffs is an injury to a key player, but it looks like that's their situation. 

Goaltender John Gibson, who has posted elite numbers for the Red Wings since the beginning of December, departed this afternoon's tilt against the Nashville Predators with an upper-body injury.

His chances of returning to the game are slim, as announced by the Red Wings on X.

UPDATE: John Gibson (upper body injury) is unlikely to return to today's game.

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 2, 2026

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

Backup Cam Talbot, who started Detroit's previous game against the Hurricanes, replaced Gibson between the pipes. 

The nature and severity of Gibson's injury are unknown, and whether it forces GM Steve Yzerman to consider a goaltending acquisition before Friday afternoon's NHL Trade Deadline, or potentially even consider a call-up of Sebastian Cossa from the Grand Rapids Griffins, remains to be seen. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

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

The Kings season continues to be an emotional roller coaster from the play on the ice to the Artemi Panarin trade, and now the coaching change. Nobody wants to see someone lose their job, but after a dreadful return to action, it was clear that a change was need sooner rather than later. 

On Sunday, the Los Angeles Kings made a major move by firing Head Coach Jim Hiller after three years behind the bench. D.J. Smith will serve as Interim Head Coach, likely for the remainder of the season, while former King, Matt Greene was promoted to Assistant Coach.

Los Angeles was once thought to have a very promising young core led by the likes of Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte, and Brandt Clarke. Despite them being productive players, it's not far fetched to say they have not lived up to their draft night potential. A major coaching change could prove to be beneficial to L.A.'s young guns.

The Youth Movement 

The Kings are in an interesting position, they're not good enough to be contenders, while not bad enough to embrace the tank. Some would they're in no man's land, where no franchise wants to be.

Whether it is D.J. Smith or someone else, the next Head Coach of the Kings should try and embrace the youth on the roster and allow the young talent to play their game and develop into their once very high potential.

Quinton Byfield

Byfield is the most established of the Kings young core, but even he hasn't reached his 2nd overall pick potential. He is still just 23-years-old, which gives him plenty of time to improve but the clock is ticking. 

Anze Kopitar will be gone next season, and although it was thought to be Byfield, the Kings do not have a true replacement for their Hall of Fame center. He currently averages 19:59 of time on ice, which is the most as a forward on the Kings but the constant line juggling and perhaps Hiller's system have made it difficult for him to gain any offensive momentum. Slotting him in at center between Panarin and Adrian Kempe is more than worth a shot as it would be the first time that Byfield has played with a 100 point scorer in his career, which may lead to some momentum moving forward.

Brandt Clarke

Of the young players on the Kings, Clarke's situation has been in the headlines the most. Whether it's about ice time, production, or defensive player, there seemed to always be something going on with Brandt Clarke during Hiller's time as bench boss.

There is no reason for Clarke to be averaging under 20 minutes as a 23-year-old with a boatload of energy. Although he's not retiring like Kopitar, Drew Doughty is on the back nine of his career, and the Kings need someone to step in a be the new number one guy.

Clarke is the obvious choice and needs to start getting treated as such. Limiting his ice time and playing him on the bottom pair at times doesn't improve his growth, and likely makes the former 8th overall pick disgruntled. Clarke needs a coach that believes in him and allows him to play his game, he was drafted that high for a reason, let him show what he can do.

Breaking News: Kings Fire Head Coach Jim HillerEarlier on March 1st, the Kings announced that they had fired head coach Jim Hiller.

Alex Turcotte

As perhaps the most disappointing of the bunch, Alex Turcotte has yet to sniff his 5th overall pick potential. In 152 career games in the NHL, the now 25-year-old has scored just 13 goals and 28 assists for 41 points. 

It took Turcotte several years to fully break into the league after being drafted in 2019, but he's now in his third full season and has been basically buried in the Kings bottom six. Whether it's earned or not, sometimes it's worth it to take a flyer on a young player and see if he mesh's well in a top six role. The new regime should give Turcotte a chance and if he doesn't fit then they know exactly what they have in the player.

Alex Laferriere

Although he wasn't drafted in the top 10 like some of his fellow youthful teammates, Alex Laferriere has established himself as part of the young core the Kings have built. In 217 career games, 'Laf' has scored 45 goals and 47 assists for 92 points. Solid numbers for a third round pick who recently turned 24-years-old.

Hiller made the bold move of playing Laferriere at center with Kempe and Panarin. Although it hasn't worked out so far, it's not a bad move trying to get the young forward comfortable at center, but it might be too much for him to keep up with two offensive stars right away. Slot him in at center alongside two middle six wingers and go from there.

'Jimmy Fell On The Sword': Kings' Kopitar, Kempe, Fans React To Jim Hiller's FiringLos Angeles Kings forwards Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe react to coach Jim Hiller being fired and D.J. Smith's promotion. Kings fans also share their relief over the coaching change they've dreaded for a long time.

High draft picks always have the most pressure on them to perform, they need to supported and developed by their organization while also being held accountable for their mishaps and lack of production. 

The Kings young core has been playing for Hiller for most, if not all of their young careers. Sometimes all it takes is a change for true potential to be seen.

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

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Vancouver Canucks face the scorching-hot Dallas Stars at Rogers Arena on Monday, March 2, with the two clubs trending in complete opposite directions.

My top Stars vs. Canucks predictions and NHL picks are calling for a low-scoring result between the two tonight.

Stars vs Canucks prediction

Stars vs Canucks best bet: Under 5.5 (+110)

The Vancouver Canucks have only scored five times through three games out of the Olympic break to drop to just 2.08 goals per game during an active 3-17-4 skid. 

So, with the Dallas Stars missing star Mikko Rantanen (lower body), I think the Canucks can batten down the defensive hatches and keep this a low-scoring tilt.

Of course, Dallas is also rolling along a 9-1 stretch while allowing the third-fewest goals per game (2.4), ranking fourth in Corsi For percentage and allowing the fewest expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5.

Stars vs Canucks same-game parlay

The Canucks have been battling on home ice of late and covered the puck line in seven of their past eight games at Rogers Arena, and this could be a potential letdown spot for the Stars on the front end of a mini, two-game road trip.

Turning to Vancouver starter Nikita Tolopilo, he turned away at least 25 shots in each of his past seven starts and eight of nine for the season. The 25-year-old goaltender also sports a solid .908 save percentage for the campaign, and as noted, Dallas has been an excellent possession team during its highlighted 10-game heater.

Of course, the Canucks have also surrendered the seventh-most shots per game (29.8) this season.

Stars vs Canucks SGP

• Canucks +1.5
• Under 5.5
• Nikita Tolopilo Over 24.5 saves

Stars vs Canucks odds

• Moneyline: Stars -190 | Canucks +160
• Puck Line: Stars -1.5 (+130) | Canucks +1.5 (-150)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-130) | Under 5.5 (+110)

Stars vs Canucks trend

The Vancouver Canucks have covered the puck line in seven of their last eight home games (+4.90 Units / 32% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Stars vs. Canucks.

How to watch Stars vs Canucks

Stars vs Canucks latest injuries

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

The St. Louis Blues have had to make roster decisions in the past week with players returning from injury.

They got Mathieu Joseph through waivers last week when Dylan Holloway was activated off injured reserve; they didn't have such luck with Robby Fabbri.

The Minnesota Wild put in a waiver claim on Fabbri on Monday, and thus his second stint in St. Louis comes to an end.

The 30-year-old, who signed a one-year, two way contract ($750,000 NHL/$300,000 AHL) on Dec. 10, played in 15 games for the Blues and had a goal ad three assists.

Fabbri became a roster casualty when Robert Thomas was activated off IR and made his return back to the lineup after missing 13 games with a right leg injury and personal reasons.

Fabbri's stint with the Blues was a good one, as the 2014 first-round pick, who spent the first three-plus seasons with St. Louis, became a hard forechecker and added some grit and physicality to his game to become more well-rounded. He should add some bite to the Wild's bottom six in Minnesota's playoff push.

St. Louis Blues Weekly Prospect Report (March 1)Justin Carbonneau rips off pair of hat tricks, up to 48 goals; a goalie fight(?); Colin Ralph(?) deciding games in a shootout; Jiricek ties franchise record; Stenberg back in action; Korotky scoring like OviObservations From Blues' 3-1 Win Vs. Wild10-game road losing streak ends with strong game for the most part from start to finish; Thomas' return prime example of why you don't trade this player; Mailloux stringing together games of late of why Blues traded for young defenseman; Buchnevich producing of late; Hofer save on Tarasenko key

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

With the 2026 Trade Deadline just a week away, the rumour and insider reporting train has been full steam ahead with numerous teams linked to this year's big board of players who might be on the move, and the Colorado Avalanche are no different this year. A third-line center is all but the move at this point, but who are they eying, and most importantly, what is the package for these pieces going to look like?

Well reported by Eric Francis, senior columnist and analyst for Sportsnet, he reported that General Manager Chris MacFarland, Assistant General Manager Kevin McDonald, and assistant to the GM Andrew Cogliano were in attendance at last night's Calgary Flames game against the Anaheim Ducks, and Craig Conroy was in the building as well.

Well this is interesting. Three members of Colorado’s front office, including GM Chris MacFarland, asst GM Kevin McDonald, and assistant to the GM Andrew Cogliano, are all in attendance here in Anaheim for tonight’s Flames game. Craig Conroy here too, just 5 days ahead of the…

— Eric Francis (@EricFrancis) March 2, 2026

The clear connection is Nazem Kadri, whose name is among those of many centers linked to the Avalanche and other teams seeking depth at center. With other options like Mackenzie Weegar and Black Coleman, the main attraction is a reunion with Kadri, who helped with the 2022 Stanley Cup championship run.

Granted, the Avalanche do have a game tonight (March 3) against the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday in a back-to-back, but with the destinations so close on the west coast, there is no surprise management took a slight detour to do some early talks before the 3 pm March 6th deadline.

Nazem Kadri Reunion: Smart Move or Costly Gamble?With cap space to spend and a championship window still open, the Colorado Avalanche must decide whether bringing Nazem Kadri back is a calculated push for another Cup — or an emotional gamble that could cost them their prized depth.

Kadri still has three more seasons on his contract, worth $7 million per season with a 13-team no-trade list. Him hearing an Avalanche reunion being in the works isn’t something I can make an issue of; it's the cap hit and the three years that follow. They have the cap space right now, but at 35 years old and with his production down tremendously, it's going to be tough to swallow that high of a cap hit with Martin Necas' extension kicking in next season and the next Cale Makar contract to follow.

Which exactly brings up why, while it would be nice to have a reunion, the price to bring him in and talk to Calgary to hold at least 25-30% of the rest of his contract is going to be steep. Which is exactly why, if they are going to find a center, it needs to be within a range they will expect or come to terms with, and a team taking on some relief to sweeten the deal.

Elliotte Friedman reported on the TNT panel about a Kadri reunion and how, if it happens, everything they do this season onward will revolve around Makar’s upcoming contract.

“Everything that Colorado does is about that Makar number. Everything that they do is about that number. Whenever it comes to a player with term and whenever I’ve asked around about what they’re up to, it’s always about protecting themselves from Makar’s number.”

This is why names like the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Scott Laughton and the New York Rangers' Vincent Trocheck are also connected to the Avalanche, their lower AAVs, and, if willing, the Avalanche could sweeten the deal to lower that cap hit even further. Friedman adds on top of that.

“So, unless Colorado’s going to be able to find a way to make that work or have the number not be as high, I think it’s going to be really tough…One of the centers I heard that could end up in Colorado is Scott Laughton, and he would be more of a rental.”

The Avalanche does have the cap space to make a lot of trades work, with just over $8 million available after the Brett Kulak trade. I assume the Avalanche wants to use this cap space to its fullest, not just on one deal that fills it all up. 

REPORT: Avalanche Acquire Brett Kulak From Penguins in Exchange for Samuel Girard and Draft PickThe Colorado Avalanche have acquired Brett Kulak from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick

A lot of the roster has trade protection, but Ross Colton’s name pops up frequently when it comes to moving off a player for a pick and a player to help free up some cap space. With a cap hit of $4 million this season and next, it's not a lot of money, but given the needs the Avalanche want to address at center, it could be a move, given the amount of wing depth this team already has.

It's going to be a very interesting deadline with the number of players reportedly available this deadline, especially for the Avalanche, as both the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars are linked to multiple names the Avalanche are interested in, and how their potential trade packages could be more enticing than theirs.

Brindley and Makar Lead Avalanche Past BlackhawksCale Makar scored twice, including an empty-netter, and Gavin Brindley added a key goal as the Avalanche battled past the Blackhawks 3–1 for their second win in three games since the Olympic break.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs was spectacular over the past week. 

He won both of his starts against the New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights, allowing only one combined goal. He also finished the week with a .981 save percentage.

Those numbers earned him the NHL's Second Star of the Week on Monday.

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!

Details: https://t.co/Ncim54kgMLpic.twitter.com/GcDX64RJVL

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 2, 2026

Silovs has been on a heater as of late, winning five of his last six starts and allowing only 10 goals in those six games. Going back even further, he's 5-2-2 in his last nine games with a .936 save percentage. 

He's making a strong case to be the Game 1 starter in the playoffs, should the Penguins make it. 

He'll be needed a lot this week since the Penguins have four games, three of which are against potential playoff teams. They'll play the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, and the Bruins again on Sunday. 

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!      

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

Detroit Red Wings prospect Michael Brandsegg-Nygård got a brief taste of NHL action earlier this season, and although he was later reassigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins, he continues to offer glimpses of what fans can expect when he ultimately becomes a full-time NHL player.

He's been tearing it up with the Griffins, who have enjoyed a record-breaking season and became the first AHL team since the early 1990s to clinch a postseason spot in the month of February. 

Thanks to his recent stretch of play, Brandsegg-Nygård has been named the AHL's Player of the Week. 

MBN 🤝 POW

DETAILS | 🔗 https://t.co/dTMTc48C1Ypic.twitter.com/tb1Ft8YlTq

— x-Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) March 2, 2026

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

During his last three games, Brandsegg-Nygård has registered an impressive five goals, one assist, 17 shots on goal, and a plus-three rating. It added to his totals of 15 goals with 19 assists in 48 games so far this season with the Griffins.

Brandsegg-Nygård, whom the Red Wings selected in the first round (15th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, initially made Detroit's roster thanks to his strong showing in Training Camp, and registered an assist in the nine games he appeared in. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

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

Jordan Kyrou is and has drawn interest from several teams around the NHL. Up to this point, no trade has come to fruition due to either the St. Louis Blues’ hesitance to move him or the price being too high.

But now, it feels different, as the Blues sit in 31st place in the NHL standings and appear to be sellers at the upcoming March 6 trade deadline. 

Kyrou’s name has been littered all over trade boards. Known interest in Kyrou previously has come from the Seattle Kraken and the Montreal Canadiens, but a new team has emerged with possible interest in the three-time 30-goal scorer.

According to The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner, New York Islanders GM Mathieu Darche has checked in on both Kyrou and Robert Thomas. He also revealed what Blues GM Doug Armstrong could be looking to acquire from the Islanders in a potential deal involving Kyrou.

The first name Rosner said Armstrong is interested in is 19-year-old defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson. Aitcheson was selected with the 17th overall pick by the Islanders in the 2025 NHL draft, and the 6-foot-2 defender has lit up the OHL this season, scoring 26 goals and 63 points in 48 games.

Aitcheson is an offensive defenseman who loves to throw his weight around physically. There are some holes in his defensive game, but at 19, there is plenty of time for him to correct them.

NHL Insider Believes There Is A 'Decent Chance' Blues Robert Thomas Is Moved Before The DeadlineSportsnet's Elliotte Friedman stated that there is a "decent chance" that the St. Louis Blues move Robert Thomas prior to the March 6 NHL trade deadline.

Rosner mentioned that the Islanders aren’t necessarily looking to move Aitcheson, but he believes that Aitcheson, plus draft picks, is likely the ask for Kyrou. 

Center and Islanders prospect Danny Nelson is believed to be drawing interest from the Blues as well. The 20-year-old is skating in his third season with Notre Dame in the NCAA, posting 13 goals and 27 points in 33 games this season. 

Listed at 6-foot-3, Nelson has all the traits of a potential two-way NHL center. The level his offensive game can reach in the NHL is unknown, but the former 2023 second-round pick of the Islanders has an intriguing skill set. 

Four Blues Players Feature On The Hockey News' NHL Trade Deadline BoardFour St. Louis Blues players appeared on The Hockey News' first edition of their NHL Trade Deadline Board.

Kyrou is only in the third year of an eight-year contract, so Armstrong is in no rush to move him. There is belief that Kyrou could be moved in the off-season, rather than in-season, but if the right package comes along, a deal could be made.  

At 27 years old and an established 30-goal scoring winger, the price is deservedly high for Kyrou. 

---

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

The Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly kicked tires on St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger on TSN 1050's First Up with Aaron Korolnek and Carlo Colaiacovo, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving checked in with the Blues on Thomas last week.

"Lots of Robert Thomas speculation over the course of the weekend, and frankly — I wouldn't say over the course of the weekend, this is more last week — Treliving and the Maple Leafs kicked tires on Robert Thomas," Dreger reported. 

"And why wouldn't you, right? Again, there's a player who's got term. If you can somehow figure it out, now what's it going to cost? A significant amount. It's not Easton Cowan. Are you willing to have the Matthew Knies conversation? But that seemed to cool over the course of the weekend."

The 26-year-old has played 43 games this season with the Blues, totalling 12 goals and 35 points. Despite working through several injuries this year, Thomas has averaged 18:55 of ice time, the most among St. Louis forwards. 

He's in the third year of an eight-year contract, which pays him $8.125 million annually.

From a quick glance, Thomas joining the Maple Leafs makes sense. There's history with Craig Berube, with whom the forward won the Stanley Cup in 2019 on the Blues. Thomas would also be the perfect player to take over the second-line center position for John Tavares, who's battling Father Time.

However, the deeper you look at the trade, the less it makes sense for Toronto.

Who's Most Likely To Be Traded Away From Maple Leafs At 2026 NHL Trade Deadline?While McMann and Laughton are at the top of the list, there still seems to be the possibility that both get re-signed.

As Dreger points out, Toronto would have to give up Cowan, Knies, and likely even more to acquire Thomas from the Blues. That alone should turn the Maple Leafs away almost immediately.

Toronto needs players like them for its future.

Cowan has yet to show his true potential with the Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, Knies has demonstrated he can be one of the NHL's top power forwards when he's at the top of his game.

Trading for Thomas feels like a short-term band-aid for a team with several problems. They need to figure out what they're going to do with pending unrestricted free agents like Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton before doing any of the heavy swinging.

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer has been named the NHL's First Star of the Week for the first time in his young career. 

Matthew Schaefer, Arturs Silovs and Matt Boldy have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending March 1.

3 Stars of the Week presented by @GEICO#NHLStats: https://t.co/JtRbkgtAdLpic.twitter.com/L4z8V7i5K5

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) March 2, 2026

The 18-year-old recorded four goals, becoming the first rookie this season to score 20 after a two-goal night in the Islanders' 4-3 win against the Florida Panthers on Sunday night.

He added one assist to go along with those four goals, for five points in three games, helping his team to a 3-0-0 week. The Islanders trailed 2-0 in each of those three games. 

Against the Montreal Canadiens, Schaefer scored two goals in 55 seconds to tie the score at 2-2 in a 4-3 overtime win. 

Schaefer has 20 goals and 24 assists for 44 points in 61 games played this season, averagin 24:07 minnutes per game. x.com

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images