If the Detroit Red Wings are to break their lengthy postseason drought, they're going to have to do it without the help of their top two centers for an extended period of time.
Before their evening matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan announced on Thursday afternoon that both Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp were at least two weeks away from further evaluation.
Additionally, veteran David Perron, who was acquired one week ago from the Ottawa Senators but hasn't played since Jan. 20, is still at least a week away.
"Both Andrew and Dylan are going to be two weeks, and we'll reassess them then," McLellan said. "David Perron, we're shooting for a week."
Per @DetroitRedWings head coach Todd McLellan following Thursday’s morning skate in Tampa Bay, both captain Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp are “gonna be two weeks..will reassess them then.” #LGRW
This means both players will, at minimum, miss Detroit's next six games.
Larkin was injured last Friday against the Florida Panthers at home when he fell to the ice, his knee bending awkwardly. While he traveled with the Red Wings on their subsequent road trip, he hasn't been able to play.
Copp, who was also hurt against the Panthers, albeit on Tuesday in Florida, when former Red Wings forward Tomas Nosek fell onto his left leg during a face-off.
The Red Wings suffered damaging regulation losses to the Panthers in both games.
On Wednesday, the Red Wings announced that John Leonard, Sheldon Dries, and Eduards Tralmaks have all been recalled from the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions.
They now sit in the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Boston Bruins and the Columbus Blue Jackets hot on their trails. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres have taken over the first-place position in the Atlantic, while the Montreal Canadiens have moved three points ahead of Detroit.
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The Ottawa Senators are getting back their forfeited 2026 first-round pick, though it is being moved to a later position.
The NHL restored the pick on Thursday, March 12, but moved it to the end of the first round at No. 32 overall. The league said the Senators could not trade or transfer the pick. The team will also be fined $1 million Canadian.
The original forfeiture stemmed from a 2021 trade of Evgenii Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Golden Knights traded Dadonov to Anaheim in 2022 but hadn't been informed that the Ducks were on the player's no-trade list. That trade was invalidated and the Senators were later told that they would have to forfeit their first-round pick in 2024, 2025 or 2026.
Here's what to know about Thursday's decision, including how it affects the draft and the draft lottery:
Why was the pick restored?
The punishment was handed down after Michael Andlauer purchased the Senators in September 2023. General manager Pierre Dorion stepped down after the penalty. The NHL said Andlauer had filed for relief based on the move being done under previous ownership, and the league agreed to modify the punishment.
"We fully accept the modified sanctions the league has imposed today. We are grateful for the league and commissioner keeping an open mind on this issue and modifying the penalty," Andlauer said in a statement. "The Senators organization is appreciative the fine money will be directed to the NHL Foundation Canada, to help grow the sport in our country. We consider this matter closed and will have no further comments on the situation."
How does this affect the draft?
Normally, the Stanley Cup champion (or the team that acquired that pick) would draft 32nd overall. They will draft 31st instead, and all other teams that finish ahead of the Senators in the standings will move up one pick.
How does this affect the draft lottery?
If the Senators miss the playoffs, they will be assigned the usual lottery odds based on where they finish. But they won't be allowed to win the lottery. If the drawing picks the Senators' combination of numbers for the No. 1 or No. 2 overall pick, there will be a redraw.
Where do the Senators currently stand?
The Senators are five points out of an Eastern Conference playoff spot and are ranked 17th in the league. They have 18 games left.
The Toronto Maple Leafs welcome the Anaheim Ducks to Scotiabank Arena on Thursday, March 12, and the two teams couldn’t be heading in more opposite directions.
Anaheim is scorching hot and pushing for a postseason berth, while Toronto is punching the clock to end a lost season.
My top Ducks vs. Maple Leafs predictions and NHL picks call for a low-scoring bout tonight.
Ducks vs Maple Leafs prediction
Ducks vs Maple Leafs best bet: Under 6.5 (+105)
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been under attack for poor defensive play and have surrendered a league-high 4.2 goals per game during their active 4-12-4 stretch.
As a result, we’re landing a fair price for this Under because Toronto has also onlyscored 2.5 goals per game during the slump, and the Maple Leafs are running into the sneaky Anaheim Ducks and red-hot starter Lukas Dostal.
Dostal has posted a solid .904 save percentage with a league-high 16.23 goals saved above expected across his past 15 starts, which includes a .939 SV% on the highway.
Ducks vs Maple Leafs same-game parlay
The Maple Leafs have also allowed the most shots per game (33.8) during the highlighted slump, while the Ducks have averaged a healthy 29.3 during the same stretch, so I’m anticipating Joseph Woll to be busy.
In addition to making 28 or more saves in six of his past nine starts, Woll was particularly sharp Tuesday against the Canadiens with 30 stops and 1.79 goals saved above expected.
The final leg of this same-game parlay turns to Toronto winger William Nylander, who has recorded three or more shots in seven of his past 11 games while logging a healthy 19:26 of ice time per night.
Ducks vs Maple Leafs SGP
Under 6.5
Joseph Woll Over 27.5 saves
William Nylander Over 2.5 shots
Ducks vs Maple Leafs odds
Moneyline: Ducks -105 | Maple Leafs -115
Puck Line: Ducks +1.5 (-245) | Maple Leafs -1.5 (+200)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-125) | Under 6.5 (+105)
Ducks vs Maple Leafs trend
The Anaheim Ducks have hit the Under in five of their last six games (+4.10 Units / 63% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Ducks vs. Maple Leafs.
How to watch Ducks vs Maple Leafs
Location
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
Date
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
TSN4
Ducks vs Maple Leafs latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was one of the league's most-talked-about trade candidates. However, in the end, the Flyers elected to hold on to the 6-foot-4 defenseman for the remainder of the season.
While Ristolainen is sticking with the Flyers for now, questions about his future in Philadelphia are continuing to come up.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson discussed multiple trade candidates for the 2026 NHL off-season, and Ristolainen was given the No. 5 spot.
Seeing Ristolainen make this off-season trade board is not surprising in the slightest. It is clear that the Flyers have been open to moving him, and he should generate interest from teams looking to boost their right side.
Ristolainen will also be entering the final year of his contract in 2026-27, so the summer could be a good time for the Flyers to move him. This is especially so when noting that this year's free agency class is not the strongest when it comes to defensemen.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Flyers end up moving Ristolainen during the off-season from here.
After a difficult loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night, the Ottawa Senators got some good news from the NHL on Thursday morning.
The Senators will be able to make a selection in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft after all.
The league has modified the penalty originally handed down to Ottawa for its role in the 2021 trade that sent Evgenii Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Senators failed to properly communicate the details of Dadonov's contract, which later contributed to the botched 2022 deal when Vegas tried to flip Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks, a team that was on his no-trade list.
Initially, as punishment, the NHL ordered the Senators to forfeit their first-round pick in one of the 2024, 2025, or 2026 drafts. They kept their picks in 2024 (Carter Yakemchuk) and 2025 (Logan Hensler), hanging on to the notion that maybe the league would soften someday and approve their application for reconsideration and relief.
It's a good thing they did.
Instead of completely forfeiting the pick, the Senators will now be allowed to make the final selection of the first round, 32nd overall, in the 2026 draft. Ottawa will not be permitted to trade the pick, and the organization must also pay a $1 million fine. The Senators will still participate in the draft lottery, but they will not be eligible to win it. If they win the right to move up, a re-draw will occur.
The decision is very similar to one the NHL made 12 years ago involving the New Jersey Devils. In that case, the league effectively returned the Devils’ forfeited first-round pick as part of a reduced penalty stemming from the 2010 Ilya Kovalchuk contract circumvention case. New Jersey was allowed to select last in the first round and was also barred from winning the draft lottery.
While Ottawa’s 32nd overall pick is essentially a glorified second-rounder, it still represents a meaningful win for the organization. The Senators are somewhat thin in the prospect department, and after dealing away a second-round pick to the Los Angeles Kings for Warren Foegele last week, Ottawa’s best selection in the 2026 draft was tracking to be a third-rounder.
Sens owner Michael Andlauer was more than happy to accept Thursday's ruling.
When the penalty originally came down, Andlauer wondered, since it happened under previous ownership, why the Dadonov screwup was his problem. He also wondered why the league and the Melnyk estate didn't reveal the seriousness of the problem during the franchise sales negotiation. It's a little like someone selling a home and not letting the buyer know there's a leak in the home's foundation that they'll have to deal with.
After getting the news of the penalty from the league, Andlauer relieved GM Pierre Dorion of his duties and replaced him with Steve Staios.
In its Thursday morning press release, the NHL made it clear it will have no further comment on the matter.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was originally published at The Hockey News. For more Senators news, analysis, and features, visit the Ottawa Senators site at The Hockey News.
While Wednesday must have been a fantastic day for Montreal Canadiens rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler, it must not have been an easy one for Samuel Montembeault and Martin St-Louis. The coach has said it a few times lately, his job entails making tough decisions that negatively impact players he loves. During his morning media scrum, the coach lost his temper when he was essentially asked about the problem with Montembeault. He replied that he wasn’t going to answer 40 questions about his goaltending decision, with a tone that said, " Cut it out!".
After the game, when he was asked if it was satisfying for him to see Fowler have such a good game after making that tough decision, he explained:
Well, of course, it’s an opportunity for him, and as I’ve said before, when you’re in a leadership position, you’re going to make decisions that will impact people you like, people you love negatively, for the good of the team. It comes with the job; it’s the price you have to pay. It’s not easy to make those calls, but the fact that it’s a tough call doesn’t make you unable to make it.
Clearly, giving the nod to Fowler when Montembeault had said himself the day before that he expected to play in Ottawa, even though it hadn’t been confirmed yet, wasn’t easy. St-Louis knew the former number one netminder was expecting to play; instead, he ended up in the press gallery while Jakub Dobes served as auxiliary.
The fact that the Habs weren’t even comfortable enough to have him on the bench and risk having to put him in if there was a problem with Fowler spoke volumes. This feels different from December when the youngster was first called up, because the stakes are higher. Each point could end up being a crucial one for playoff qualification, and the Canadiens cannot afford to gamble on him finding his form right now.
Looking at Wednesday night’s numbers, however, St-Louis might have another gut-wrenching decision to make sooner rather than later. In the tilt against the Ottawa Senators, veteran winger and alternate captain Brendan Gallagher saw only 8:48 of action; no one else spent less time on the ice. Even Jayden Struble was used more with 9:12. And no, it’s not that he was ill; St. Louis confirmed after the game that Cole Caufield was the only one fighting a bug right now.
The Habs’ brass and coaching staff have a lot of respect and admiration for the 14-season veteran who has always given his all for the Sainte-Flanelle. Gallagher has now played 898 games, all wearing the Canadiens’ crest, but his performance of late has not been great. Last night, he only took one shot and committed two turnovers. When it’s time to backcheck, it sometimes looks like he cannot do it anymore. He’s not gliding out there; it’s not that he doesn’t want to. His determination is still there, but his physical capabilities aren’t. Still, he’s used on the second power play unit, where he got five of his 20 points this season, but it feels like a younger option should be considered.
In Ottawa, since Caufield couldn’t play, Alexandre Texier was able to reintegrate the lineup, and he did well to fill in for the sniper on the top line. In 18 shifts, he saw 14:49 of action, took two shots, blocked one, and landed four hits in what was a rather physical affair, on top of scoring the all-important game-tying goal. How do you take that player out of the lineup when Caufield is ready to return?
Since he joined the team, Texier has shown himself to be a bit of a Swiss Army knife; he can play many roles up and down the lineup, which Gallagher cannot do anymore. Scratching him would no doubt be a tough decision, since he could reach the 1,000-game milestone if he were to play every game until the end of his contract at the end of the 2026-27 season, and given all the respect everyone has for him. Still, St-Louis said that the fact that a decision is hard won’t mean he won’t make it, and for the good of the team, it may be time to give the veteran a rest. Whichever way you look at it, it’s time for the coach to put his money where his mouth is.
Due to a flurry of injuries, Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice has announced several lineup changes, highlighted by the debut of a young defenseman.
Earlier this morning, 24-year-old defenseman Mike Benning was recalled from the Charlotte Checkers. The 5-foot-9 defender has scored eight goals and 31 points in 56 AHL games this season, and will make his NHL debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets with Uvis Balinskis out of the lineup.
Balinskis was absent from practice yesterday after reaggravating a lingering issue. Balinskis is now confirmed to be out, and Benning will make his NHL debut skating alongside Niko Mikkola.
Additionally, Carter Verhaeghe and Anton Lundell are unable to play tonight, and they’ll watch the game from the press box. Verhaeghe’s status was in question for tonight’s game after something tightened up on the forward following his two-goal effort on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings.
Sam Reinhart, who missed Tuesday’s game against the Red Wings, will re-enter the lineup. He’ll be with new linemates, as he’ll skate on the right wing alongside left winger Eetu Luostarinen and center Evan Rodrigues.
With Lundell out as well, Cole Reinhardt will make his Panthers debut. The 26-year-old was claimed off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights just five days ago. In 44 games this season, Reinhardt has scored three goals and seven points. He’ll skate on the right wing as well, next to Mackie Samoskevich and Tomas Nosek on the third line.
The Panthers’ current long injury list includes Balinskis, Lundell, Verhaeghe, Brad Marchand, Cole Schwindt, Seth Jones, Jonah Gadjovich, and Aleksander Barkov.
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The Nashville Predators travel to Rogers Arena to face the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, March 12. This marks the third meeting between these two teams this season after splitting the first two.
My Predators vs. Canucks predictions and NHL picks suggest a low-scoring affair between two goal-starving teams, while Vancouver will look to turn the tide on an ugly stretch in which they've won just once in their last 10 games.
Predators vs Canucks prediction
Predators vs Canucks best bet: Marcus Pettersson o1.5 blocked shots (-140)
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Marcus Pettersson has been a stalwart on a rough blue line. He's blocked 10 shots in his last five games, hitting the Over in four of them.
The Nashville Predators average a respectable 28.4 shots per game despite their lackluster goal-scoring, and Pettersson has logged over 20 minutes of ice time in eight consecutive games.
His 108 blocks this season lead Vancouver, and he's poised to wear some rubber tonight.
Penguins vs Golden Knights same-game parlay
On the topic of Canucks players named Pettersson, I can smell an enticing opportunity regarding their leading scorer, Elias Pettersson. Although a far cry from what he once was, he remains their best offensive weapon and their most-deployed forward, ranking third on the team in ice time.
He's hit the Over for shots on goal in three of his last four games as Jake DeBrusk, their typical volume shooter, battles inconsistency.
Meanwhile, three of the last four and seven of 10 meetings between these teams have hit the Under. Both struggle mightily to score, and Vancouver's 5-4 overtime win on November 3 is an outlier.
Vancouver has won just one of their last 10 games, but two of the last three against Nashville. Find more NHL betting trends for Predators vs. Canucks.
How to watch Predators vs Canucks
Location
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
Date
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet Pacific
Predators vs Canucks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
With the Western Conference a tight race yet again this season, we will take a look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Kings look to secure a playoff spot and move up in the standings.
LA is now sitting at No. 5, tied with Seattle for fourth place with 67 points after beating the Columbus Jackets and earning a point in their overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.
The Kings also got help on Tuesday, with Seattle falling to Nashville and San Jose losing to Buffalo, which kept the standings in the Pacific Division tight despite the Kings losing.
This is the most important several weeks of the stretch this season, and if the Kings beat the Islanders again as they did last week and the New Jersey Devils in their back-to-back games coming up, they'll be in a prime position to continue climbing up the rankings.
Here's a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the Pacific and Central Division:
Pacific Division:
2. Oilers - 37-25-8, 72 points
3. Golden Knights - 29-22-14, 72 points
4. Kraken - 29-25-9, 67 points
5. Kings - 26-23-15, 67 points
6. Sharks - 30-26-6, 66 points
Central Division:
4. Mammoth - 34-26-5, 73 points
5. Predators - 29-27-8, 66 points
All seven of these teams are bunched up together in the Pacific and Central divisions, respectively, and only four teams will likely qualify for the postseason. So, let's take a look at the big games to watch around the league for the next couple of days and who you should be rooting for.
Thursday
Sharks at Bruins - The San Jose Sharks are just one point behind the Kings and Kraken, so a loss against the Bruins will take the pressure off Los Angeles for that final postseason spot. San Jose has also been in a slump recently, posting a 3-5-3 record in their last eight games and currently on a three-game losing streak, while the Bruins have been one of the hottest teams, especially at home, winning 13 consecutive games at TD Garden. The last time San Jose won on the road was on Jan. 27 when they defeated the Vancouver Canucks.
Avalanche at Kraken - This is another big game that will help the Kings if Seattle loses, because both teams are currently tied at that fourth spot in the division, so a Seattle loss and a Kings win will put Los Angeles in sole possession of the fourth seed. Colorado has arguably been the best team in the league this season and is 8-2 in its last 10 games, continuing its dominance on both sides of the ice, while Seattle is on a three-game losing streak.
The Kraken are also not a good team at home, with a 16-12-5 record this season at the Climate Pledge Arena; meanwhile, Colorado is one of the best road teams, posting a 20-6-5 record away from home.
Oilers at Stars - Once again, Kings fans are gonna root for their heated rival team to lose. Dallas has been playing excellent hockey in their last 13 games, 12-1, going undefeated in the month of February, and before losing in that heavyweight matchup against the Avalanche in a shootout, they had won 10 straight, so the Oilers hands are gonna be full here, especially with this game being in Dallas.
Friday
Oilers at Blues - The Oilers have to play Dallas, then end their four-game road trip against an easier opponent in the Blues. Depending on how the game against the Stars goes, this could be a trap game for the Oilers, especially if they get tired against Dallas. Despite the Blues being 4-1 in their last five games, this will still be a tough one for them to beat Edmonton.
Saturday
Sharks at Canadiens - The Canadiens have been on the road in 8 of their last 11 games, and they will finally head home to take on the Sharks, where they're 18-11-2. Montreal will also have three days off before this game, while San Jose will be playing their third game in five nights, so Montreal will have a very good chance of winning.
Penguins at Mammoth - Utah currently has 73 points and is sitting in fourth place, a seven-point lead over the Predators in the Central Division. This will be a tough one for the Penguins to win. Despite sitting at No. 2 in the Metropolitan Division, they're currently 32-17-15, right at .500, and have a tough road schedule coming up, playing the Golden Knights on Thursday before taking on the Mammoth on Saturday. Pittsburgh is an average team on the road this season, with a 16-8-7 record away from home, so it will most likely be a loss.
There are still a lot of games that the Kings will be monitoring over the next few days and weeks that aren't mentioned here, but these are the biggest games to have your eyes on. It will certainly be a very exciting end to the regular season, from tomorrow through April 16, for fans waiting to see who gets in and who is out. Stay tuned for more updates.
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.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL has decided not to make the Ottawa Senators forfeit a first-round draft pick for their role in a 2021 trade that was later nullified.
The Senators instead will get the 32nd and final pick in the first round after the league decided their change of ownership affected what the appropriate punishment should be. The team will also pay a fine of 1 million Canadian dollars, roughly $735,000, to NHL Foundation Canada.
If Ottawa misses the playoffs and happens to win the draft lottery for one of the first two picks, it will result in a re-draw. After announcing the alteration Thursday, the NHL said it will have no further comment on the matter.
The decision was initially levied on Nov. 1, 2023, that the Senators would forfeit a first-rounder in 2024, ‘25 or ’26. New owner Michael Andlauer fired then-general manager Pierre Dorion that day and named Steve Staois as the replacement for that role.
The Senators traded forward Evgenii Dadonov to Vegas in July 2021 and failed to supply the Golden Knights with the player’s 10-team no-trade list. Vegas attempted to send Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks in March 2022 before the move was nixed by NHL Central Registry because he had not waived his no-trade clause.
There is precedent to the NHL reducing punishment after the fact. The New Jersey Devils in 2010 were docked a first- and a third-round pick and fined $3 million for a contract with Ilya Kovalchuk that was rejected. They instead were, like Ottawa, forced to the end of the first round in 2014.
The Florida Panthers will aim for their third straight victory when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.
Florida has won back-to-back games, both against the Detroit Red Wings, outscoring their divisional rival 7-4 between victories during a home and home series that occurred on Friday in Motown and Tuesday in Sunrise.
Now the Cats will shift their attention to another team trying to cement their position in the race to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Entering play Thursday, the Blue Jackets are the first team out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Columbus trails the Boston Bruins by two points for the final Wild Card spot, each team still with 18 games remaining on their respective schedules.
As for Florida, their consecutive wins did little to help them make up ground in the playoff race.
The Panthers are currently 11 points behind Boston, with four teams between them. If the Cats keep winning and turn their modest two-game streak into one that’s double-digits, they can find their way back into the case for a playoff spot. But that’s a big if.
Ahead of Thursday’s game, Florida called up defenseman Mike Benning from AHL Charlotte.
A day earlier, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said that the playing status for defenseman Uvis Balinskis was up in the air due to the aggravation of an injury he sustained a couple weeks ago against Buffalo.
Balinskis won't play, meaning Benning will step in and make his NHL debut. He'll be on a pairing with Niko Mikkola.
Florida selected Benning in the fourth-round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He’s played each of the past three seasons with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, racking up 26 goals and 89 points in 182 games, to go with 124 penalty minutes and a plus-16 on-ice rating.
He was on the ice for Florida's optional morning skate Thursday at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale.
Maurice also said that Carter Verhaeghe may or may not play Thursday after something tightened up on the forward following his two-goal effort on Tuesday against Detroit.
Verhaeghe was also on the ice for Florida's morning skate, but he and Anton Lundell will both be held out of the lineup, Maurice said.
Between the pipes, the Cats will turn to Sergei Bobrovsky.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Thursday’s battle with the Blue Jackets:
A.J. Greer – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Evan Rodrigues – Sam Reinhart
Cole Reinhardt – Tomas Nosek – Jesper Boqvist
Mackie Samoskevich – Luke Kunin – Vinnie Hinostroza
Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Mike Benning
Donovan Sebrango – Dmitry Kulikov
Extras: Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, Uvis Balinskis
Mitch Marner is one of the most dynamic and productive playmakers in the NHL.
His production is especially impressive on home soil, and my Penguins vs. Golden Knights predictions and NHL picks expect him to build on his totals tonight.
Penguins vs Golden Knights prediction
Penguins vs Golden Knights best bet: Mitch Marner Over 0.5 assists (-115)
Mitch Marner has 47 assists through 64 games, tying him with Cale Makar for 16th among all players in helpers.
He’s done his best work in Vegas. Marner has recorded an assist in 65% of his home games and 69% following one day of rest.
Marner has been skating with Pavel Dorofeyev, who leads the team in goals. Bruce Cassidy gave him further weaponry to work with last time out, shifting Tomas Hertl to join that unit as well.
With such strong finishers by his side, Marner is poised to produce against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that has allowed 16 goals over the last four games.
Penguins vs Golden Knights same-game parlay
The Vegas Golden Knights deploy Pavel Dorofeyev in favorable matchups at home, helping him make more happen offensively. He's averaged 2.9 shots on goal and managed a 61% Over rate in Vegas. He should get plenty of looks playing on a line with Marner.
Without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins are likely to be overmatched against a very talented Golden Knights team desperate to get a win.
Penguins vs Golden Knights SGP
Mitch Marner Over 0.5 assists
Pavel Dorofeyev Over 2.5 shots
Golden Knights moneyline
Penguins vs Golden Knights odds
Moneyline: Penguins +130 | Golden Knights -150
Puck Line: Penguins +1.5 (-180) | Golden Knights -1.5 (+155)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-130)
Penguins vs Golden Knights trend
Mitch Marner has assists in seven of his last 10 home games after one day off. Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Golden Knights.
How to watch Penguins vs Golden Knights
Location
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Date
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
SportsNet Pittsburgh, Vegas 34
Penguins vs Golden Knights latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
It’s often said in the NHL that one of the toughest games to play is the first one back home after a long road trip. But the Ottawa Senators can’t really use that as an excuse in this case, because the Montreal Canadiens had their own challenges to deal with.
Most notably, Montreal was playing the second game of a back-to-back. Top goal scorer Cole Caufield missed the game due to illness, and the Canadiens started a rookie goaltender who hadn’t played an NHL game in almost two months and had only 10 games of NHL experience.
That rookie, Jacob Fowler, called up earlier in the day from Laval, made 32 saves to lead the Canadiens past the Senators 3–2 at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday night.
Ivan Demidov’s goal at 12:40 of the third period held up as the game-winner, snapping a 2–2 tie. It was one of the easier goals he’ll ever score. After a shot from Alex Newhook, Ottawa goaltender Linus Ullmark coughed up a perfect rebound. Demidov barged to the net and jammed the puck home.
The game got off to a controversial start in the opening minute. Dylan Cozens drove the puck to the net and bumped into Fowler, drawing a goaltender-interference penalty. Senators head coach Travis Green was livid about the call, and the Canadiens capitalized by scoring on the ensuing power play to take a 1–0 lead.
Ottawa responded with a pair of goals from Drake Batherson, though neither came in convincing fashion.
The first came during a goalmouth scramble. Batherson appeared to fan on his attempt to jam the puck into the net. As he recoiled, he accidentally pulled the puck back out, but not before it had barely crossed the goal line.
His second goal came after Claude Giroux made a great effort to keep a clearing attempt in at the blue line. Giroux fed the puck to Batherson, who cut to the net and tried to stuff it in. Tim Stützle arrived late and appeared to score, but replays showed Batherson’s stick blade was the last to touch the puck, giving him credit for the goal.
Montreal tied the game in the second period on a wraparound by Alex Texier. As Texier and Nik Matinpalo went behind Ottawa's net, Ullmark got his stick tangled up in Matinpalo's legs as the two skaters went behind the goal, which served two purposes: it gave Texier the separation he needed for the wraparound and pinned Ullmark’s stick against the post, preventing him from pushing across to pinch off the post. Ullmark attempted to do the splits instead, leaving plenty of room for the puck to sneak under his pads.
For the third time in four games, Ullmark posted a save percentage well below .900, stopping 20 shots (.870) on the night. Meanwhile, the rookie Fowler made 32 saves for a .941 and was there when the Canadiens needed him at the end.
With the goalie pulled, the Senators did everything they could except score. Fowler stopped at least three great chances in the dying seconds, including an unreal save on Claude Giroux, who had a ton of open net to shoot at.
The loss represents a huge four-point swing in the standings. A win would have brought Ottawa within five points of Montreal. Instead, the Canadiens are now all but out of reach, nine points ahead of the Sens with just 18 games remaining.
So the Senators' only real playoff hope now lies with the Wild Card. With 74 points, they must find a way to leapfrog two of the following teams to get back into the playoff picture: the Columbus Blue Jackets (76 points), the (WC2) Boston Bruins (78 points), or the (WC1) Detroit Red Wings (79 points).
Ottawa will try to regroup on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. when they host the Anaheim Ducks.
Interestingly, the Ducks currently lead the Pacific Division despite having only two more points than the Senators, a reminder of just how tough the Atlantic Division has been this season.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was originally published at The Hockey News. For more Senators news, analysis, and features, visit the Ottawa Senators site at The Hockey News.
The Colorado Avalanche are looking to make a crack at their next line of opposition.
The Avs open a two-game road trip Thursday against the Seattle Kraken looking to rebound after a narrow 4–3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers earlier this week. It will be the second of three meetings between the teams this season. Colorado won the first matchup 5–3 in Seattle on December 16, and the series will conclude April 16 at Ball Arena.
Colorado’s loss Tuesday at Ball Arena came in a game that featured momentum swings and several special-teams moments. Ross Colton opened the scoring just 32 seconds into the first period, wiring a shot from the point through traffic for his eighth goal of the season. The assist on the play gave Brock Nelson the 500th even-strength point of his NHL career.
Edmonton answered midway through the period when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins converted a power-play opportunity from the crease. Colorado regained the lead later in the opening frame when Martin Necas scored on the power play from the left circle, setting a single-season career high with his 29th goal of the year.
The lead was short-lived. Jack Roslovic tied the game late in the first before Nugent-Hopkins added his second of the night early in the second period to give Edmonton its first lead.
Colorado pulled even early in the third when Valeri Nichushkin redirected a right-point shot from Sam Malinski for his 14th goal of the season. But Edmonton’s star power ultimately decided the game. Connor McDavid buried a power-play one-timer from the doorstep at 9:03 of the third period, providing the eventual game-winner.
Despite the loss, Colorado continues to be powered offensively by Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the NHL with 43 goals and ranks among the league leaders with 104 points and 61 assists. MacKinnon’s impact has been even more pronounced at even strength; since the start of the 2023–24 season, he has recorded an NHL-best 250 points in five-on-five situations.
The Avalanche blue line has been equally productive thanks to Cale Makar, who remains one of the league’s most dynamic defensemen. Makar sits among the top scoring defensemen in the NHL with 66 points while adding 19 goals and 47 assists.
Necas has also been a key contributor during Colorado’s recent stretch. His seven goals since February 25 are tied for the most in the league over that span, helping propel him into the NHL’s top ten in scoring with 77 points.
Seattle enters Thursday’s matchup after a 4–2 loss to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday at Climate Pledge Arena. The Kraken jumped out to a 2–0 first-period lead on goals from Kaapo Kakko and Matty Beniers, but Nashville responded with three unanswered goals in the second period before Steven Stamkos sealed the game with an empty-net tally late in the third.
Offensively, Seattle is led by veteran forward Jordan Eberle, whose 22 goals and 44 points pace the club. Defenseman Vince Dunn leads the team with 29 assists, while Beniers ranks second in scoring with 40 points.
Historically, Colorado has enjoyed success in the matchup. The Avalanche hold a 9-3-1 record in 13 regular-season meetings against the Kraken and have also faced Seattle once in the postseason.
The matchup has also been productive for several of Colorado’s stars. MacKinnon has recorded 19 points in 12 regular-season games against Seattle and added seven more in the playoffs, while Makar has contributed 19 regular-season points against the Kraken along with five in six postseason contests. Necas has chipped in 11 points in nine career games against Seattle.
Defensively, Colorado has been particularly strong away from home this season. The Avalanche are allowing just 2.55 goals per game on the road, tied for the lowest mark in the NHL.
Even in Tuesday’s loss, the Avalanche believed their process was largely sound.
“I thought everybody had good legs tonight,” Makar said afterward. “I thought we had overall good forechecks. We struggled on the breakout a little bit early, but we were able to figure it out. I felt like we had some good chances but just didn’t finish sometimes.”
Colorado will look to convert more of those chances Thursday night as it continues its push through the final stretch of the regular season.
Florida Panthers - 32-29-3 - 63 Points - 2-8-0 in the last 10 - Won 2 - 7th in the Atlantic
Columbus Blue Jackets - 33-21-10 - 76 Points - 6-1-3 in the last 10 - Won 1 - 4th in the Metro
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
Columbus stretched its points streak to seven games (4-0-3) with a 4-2 win at Tampa Bay on Tuesday to tie a season long streak (7-0-0 from Jan. 22-Feb. 4). The club has earned points in 18 of its last 20 contests since Jan. 11 (15-2-3).
The Blue Jackets, who are 7-1-0 in their last eight road contests, began a stretch of 6-of-9 games played away from home through Mar. 26 on Tuesday.
Columbus finished 2-of-4 on the power play at Tampa Bay and rank seventh-T in the NHL in power play pct. on the road this season (25.0; 20-of-80).
Since Dec. 22, CBJ have gone 19-6-4 (42 pts, .724 points pct.) and rank second in the NHL in points, third in points percentage, fourth in penalty kill pct. (84.0), sixth-T in save pct. (.901) and goals-against/game (2.79) as well as eighth in goals for/game (3.55).
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Charlie Coyle collected an assist on Tuesday to stretch his assists streak to four games (0-5-5) and points streak to seven consecutive (1-8-9). He has posted 6-15-21 and six multi-point efforts in the last 14 contests since Jan. 24.
Adam Fantilli has 6-9-15 in the past 14 GP and LW Mason Marchment has 11-8-19 in 22 GP with the Blue Jackets.
Conor Garland, who has multiple goals in each of the past two contests, is the first player with four goals in his first three games with the Blue Jackets.
Kirill Marchenko has notched a power play goal in back-to-back games and has collected points in six consecutive games (4-5-9) and in 11 of his past 12 contests since Jan. 24 (6-9-15).
Sean Monahan collected two assists against the Lightning and has points in five of the last six contests (2-4-6).
Zach Werenski registered two assists on Tuesday and has collected points in 24 of his past 27 games played since Dec. 11 (11-27-38, 12 multi-point efforts). He sits two points shy of his second-straight 70-point campaign (20-48-68, 57 GP).
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 20.5% - 17th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 78.0% - 23rd in the NHL
Goals For - 204 - 15th in the NHL
Goals Against - 204 - 23rd in the NHL
PanthersStats
Power Play - 19.4% - 19th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 82.2% - 6th in the NHL
Goals For - 191 - 18th in the NHL
Goals Against - 212 - 25th in the NHL
Series History vs. ThePanthers
Columbus is 27-21-0-7 all-time, and 10-14-0-3 on the road vs. Florida
Columbus has collected points in the past three meetings since Mar. 20, 2025 (1-0-2).
The teams have combined for seven-plus goals in nine of the last 14 meetings since Jan. 15, 2022.
The winning team has scored four or more goals in 17 of the past 20 games of the series going back to Mar. 9th, 2021 and in eight of the last nine at Florida since Apr. 19, 2021.
The winning team has won by multiple goals in 14 of the last 18 meetings of the series, including 11 instances by three-plus goals.
Columbus has scored a power play goal in both games of the 2025-26 series (2-of-7; 28.6 pct.).
The teams have combined for 60 shots or less in five of the past seven meetings of the series (59.7 avg.).
CBJ has recorded three shutouts in the all-time series (MR: Merzlikins, 1-0 OT win at CBJ on Feb. 4, 2020) and two hat tricks (MR: Werenski, 4-1 W at CBJ on Dec. 31, 2019).
Who To Watch For ThePanthers
Sam Reinhart leads the Panthers with 28 goals, 31 assists, and 59 points.
Brad Marchand 27 goals and 54 points.
Sergei Bobrovsky is 23-19-1 with a SV% of .876.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Panthers
Charlie Coyle has 17 points in 32 games vs. the Panthers.
Zach Werenski has 16 career points against Florida.
Mason Marchment has 4 points in 7 games against Florida.
Injured Reserve
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 26 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 170
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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