Category: NHL

It’s no secret that the Vancouver Canucks have not had a great season — but how would they stack up against the 2026 Winter Olympic men’s hockey teams? 

That’s a question that NHL Hall-of-Famer and former first-overall pick Mike Modano answered while on TSN’s OverDrive, claiming that Team Switzerland would beat the Canucks “maybe seven” times in a 10-game series. 

“I’ve always thought the Swiss play a real good team game, but that’s the only thing that saves them and keeps these games going, but they don’t really have anybody to break open any games,” he explained on the show. “They always seem to play real tight defensively, and play good, and just kind of wear you down and hope you make a mistake. I don’t know if Vancouver has that type of patience in their game anymore.” 

Vancouver, which currently sits at 32nd in the NHL, has seven members of the organization currently at the 2026 Winter Olympics: Elias Pettersson (Sweden), Kevin Lankinen (Finland), Teddy Blueger and Anri Ravinskis (Latvia), Filip Hronek and David Kämpf (Czechia), and Lukas Reichel (Germany). Only five of these players play with their NHL club regularly. 

Switzerland’s roster, while only sporting 10 active NHL players, is still filled with high-end talent. Standout players include three New Jersey Devils — captain Nico Hischier, forward Timo Meier, and defenceman Jonas Siegenthaler; Kevin Fiala of the Los Angeles Kings (who suffered an unfortunate injury that will keep him out of the remainder of the Olympics); and former Canucks centre Pius Suter. As well, Nashville Predators star and former James Norris Memorial Trophy winner Roman Josi leads the way from their blueline. 

Switzerland, which is in Group A during the 2026 Winter Olympics, faced Hronek and Kämpf in ther matchup with Czechia earlier today, taking a surprising 4–3 win in overtime. Their only loss of the preliminary round came against Canada, which they dropped by a score of 5–1. Switzerland finishes the preliminary round in second place in Group A with a record of 1–1–0–1.  

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Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

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Pettersson’s Two Goals Make The Difference In Sweden’s Win, Reichel Scores In Loss To Latvia: Canucks At The 2026 Winter Olympics

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The San Jose Sharks will be a team to watch closely once the NHL Olympic roster freeze lifts later this month. With the Sharks being in the Western Conference playoff race, there is certainly a chance that they will continue to look to add to their roster.

One of the Sharks' biggest needs right now is to add another defenseman. Their right side, in particular, could use a boost. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Calgary Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud stands out as an interesting option for the Sharks to consider. 

While Whitecloud was recently acquired by the Flames, he is being viewed as a trade candidate on Calgary. It is understandable, as the Flames are rebuilding, and the 29-year-old defenseman has the potential to get them a nice return. 

If the Sharks landed Whitecloud, he could slot very nicely in their top four and on their penalty kill. This is because he plays a smart defensive game and is not afraid to throw the body. 

Whitecloud would also give the Sharks a player with plenty of playoff experience and a Stanley Cup on their resume. This would not be a bad thing at all for a young Sharks club on the rise. 

Whitecloud would also be more than a rental for the Sharks if they acquired him, as he has a $2.75 million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season. This certainly adds to his appeal. 

Ultimately, with the Sharks' blueline needing a boost, Whitecloud stands out as a player who could fit well on their roster. 

Two LGBTQ+ teams will be heading to Vancouver to take part in the third-annual NHL Unites Pride Cup. Taking place from February 28 to March 1 at the North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex, The Cutting Edges (Vancouver) and Seattle Pride Hockey Association will face each other in a three-game series. The winner will claim the Pride Cup trophy, while both teams will be given a $25,000 donation. 

"Since the inaugural Pride Cup, we’ve seen hockey communities across the League come together to create a welcoming, respectful experience for everyone who loves the game,” Kim Davis, NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Social Impact, Growth Initiatives, and Legislative Affairs, said in a press release. “At its best, hockey brings people together -- fostering inclusive environments for all who play and love the sport. Our Pride initiatives are one of the many ways we continue to live out that commitment.”

The Cutting Edges are a Vancouver-based LGBTQ+ hockey organization that first established themselves in 1994 as part of the Gay Games in New York. During this tournament, they even received a shout-out from Don Cherry on Coach's Corner. The Cutting Edges have competed in various tournaments around North America since then while also hosting some of their own. 

Seattle Pride Hockey Association provides a safe space for both players and fans to enjoy the sport of hockey. The organization hosts their own tournaments the Seattle Pride Classic and the Frozen Pride Classic, while also having a travelling team called the Rain City Rush. 

NHL Unites Pride Cup Schedule 

Game 1: Saturday, February 28 at 11:45 am PT

Game 2: Saturday, February 28 at 4:30 pm PT 

You Can Play Project/Coaches Training: 1:30 pm PT 

Game 3: Sunday, March 1 at 3:30 pm PT 

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.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

Canucks Prospect Ty Young Talks Process, Learning From Others In The Organization, And His Second Pro-Season 

Pettersson’s Two Goals Make The Difference In Sweden’s Win, Reichel Scores In Loss To Latvia: Canucks At The 2026 Winter Olympics

Abbotsford Canucks Stats After The AHL All-Star Break

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The NHL season has hit the Olympic break, and New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer is -1000 on the Calder Trophy odds board. 

We still have the second half of the season, but Ivan Demidov (+900) will have to do something pretty spectacular to overcome the Isles' 18-year-old sensation.

Odds to win 2026 Calder Trophy

Player
Matthew Schaefer	<<-1000>>
Ivan Demidov	<<+900>>
Beckett Sennecke	<<+975>>
Jesper Wallstedt	<<+10000>>

Odds as of 2-15.

Get a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL.
(not available in Ontario)

Understanding NHL Calder odds

Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. When the regular season is nearly finished and a consensus has emerged, you might see a player with a minus sign (-) ahead of his odds, like this:

• Ivan Demidov -400

The (-) means that Demidov is the odds-on favorite, and a bettor would need to wager $400 to win $100. Other contenders in the Calder race might have plus (+) odds to win.

• Alexander Nikishin +900

Here, a bettor stood to profit $900 for every $100 wagered. 

If American odds aren't your thing, simply use a tool like our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.

Popular NHL futures markets

• Stanley Cup odds
• NHL Rocket Richard odds
• NHL Vezina Trophy odds
• NHL MVP Trophy odds

NHL Calder Trophy trends

• Only eight No. 1 overall picks have gone on to win the Calder Trophy.
• Only 16 goaltenders have ever won the Calder Trophy, with Steve Mason being the last netminder to capture the award (2009).
• In 1990, Sergei Makarov became the oldest player to win the Calder at 31 years old.

Calder Trophy history

A quick look at recent NHL Calder Trophy winners and the teams they played for.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen could be a player to keep an eye on as we get closer to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. The right-shot defenseman has been a trade candidate for quite some time, and there could be interest in him if he can stay healthy between now and the deadline.

Due to this, let's look at three teams that could make sense as landing spots for Ristolainen if the Flyers shop him. 

Detroit Red Wings 

The Red Wings are in a position to add to their roster, as they have a ton of cap space and currently hold a playoff spot. There is no question that they could use a right-shot defenseman with size, so they could be a nice fit for a veteran blueliner for Ristolainen. 

Dallas Stars 

One of the Stars' top objectives ahead of the deadline should be to bring in another right-shot defenseman. Their right side is in clear need of a boost, so it would be understandable if they had Ristolainen on their radar. Ristolainen is also playing for Team Finland with several players on the Stars. 

Toronto Maple Leafs 

The Maple Leafs have been connected to Ristolainen in the past, so it would not too surprising if they had him on their radar. The Maple Leafs need to improve the right side of their defense, and bringing in Ristolainen would help things on that front.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a position to add to their roster ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. The Penguins are currently in second place in the Metropolitan Division, so it would be understandable if they looked to boost their group.

One of the Penguins' top needs is a right-shot defenseman, and they are now being viewed as a potential fit for a solid one because of it.

In a recent article for The Athletic, Scott Powers, Mark Lazerus, and Chris Johnston listed the Penguins among the possible suitors for Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy. 

"Dallas is a natural fit, but the Stars are hardly the only team looking for a right-shot and/or depth defenseman. Buffalo, Ottawa, San Jose, Pittsburgh, Boston and Detroit all make sense, too," Powers, Lazerus, and Johnston wrote.

Seeing the Penguins being viewed as a potential fit for Murphy is not surprising. They need to improve their right side, and Murphy is one of the top right-shot defenseman trade candidates in the NHL right now. Thus, it would be understandable if the Penguins made a push for him once the NHL Olympic roster freeze ends. 

If the Penguins landed Murphy, he could slot on either their second or third pairing. In addition, he would be an obvious choice for the Penguins' penalty kill due to his steady defensive play. 

Yet, with Murphy being a big right-shot defenseman with plenty of experience, it is very likely that several teams will pursue him. As a result, the Penguins would have competition if they look to add him. 

The Philadelphia Flyers, as an organization, appear to be finally getting healthy and kicking some injuries at the right time.

Forward Tyson Foerster appears to be on the mend, defense prospect Spencer Gill just played in his first games since October, and now another young stud is getting back on the ice, too.

On Saturday night, top forward prospect Alex Bump made his return from a lengthy injury absence that eliminated all but one game over the last two months.

Bump, 22, entered the Lehigh Valley Phantoms' lineup for the first time since Jan. 3 on Saturday night, and before that, the highly-skilled winger hadn't played since Dec. 19.

Bump, Gill, and defenseman Oliver Bonk have all missed several months due to their respective injuries this season, and all are now healthy at the same time for the first time this season.

Flyers AHL Affiliates Sign 6-foot-3 DefensemanThe Flyers have identified an injury replacement for one of their rising prospects.

In his return to the lineup, Bump recorded three shots on goal, took one penalty, and had a -2 rating. 

Former Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov (33/35, .943) and the Cleveland Monsters took a 5-2 decision, knocking off Bump and the Phantoms and making them losers of four straight.

In each of their last four losses, the Phantoms have allowed no fewer than five goals while being out-scored 22-10.

The Phantoms now sit at a mediocre 21-21-4 in fifth place in the AHL's Atlantic Division, but now that Bump is back and healthy, maybe they have a chance to turn the tides a bit.

As for Bump's NHL prospects, his injury came at an unfortunate time, and it would take something unprecedented (or another injury at the NHL level at the winger position) for the 22-year-old to get ice time in the big leagues.

Flyers Will Get Good Look at Top NHL Draft Prospect in OlympicsThe Flyers should be paying close attention to the only NHL draft prospect featuring in the Winter Olympics this year.

For now, teammate and fellow Flyers prospect Denver Barkey has leapfrogged him on the organizational depth chart, nailing down a middle-six role on the Flyers as currently constructed.

Once again this year, Quebec City will host its International Pee Wee Tournament from February 11 to 22, and as always, there will be a team representing the Montreal Canadiens. This time around, it’s the Lions du Lac St-Louis that have earned the privilege of wearing the Sainte-Flanelle for the tournament, and on Friday, they got a visitor at practice.

While plenty of NHL players have used the Olympic break as an opportunity to head to sunny destinations, Mike Matheson stayed around, spent some time in Brossard skating with his little boy, and on Friday, he surprised the Lions at practice.

Canadiens: Slafkovsky’s Irresistible Assault on Slovakia’s Olympic Goal Scoring Record
Canadiens’ Suzuki Moved Back To Center in Canada’s Win
Canadiens: Laine Trade Rumours Swirling Around As Finn Forward Looks Like Casualty Of Habs’ Improvement

Judging by the picture published by the Canadiens’ social media account, the kids were over the moon to see Matheson, who had his jersey retired by the Lions back in September, turn up. They hadn’t started their tournament yet, with their first game being scheduled on Valentine’s Day against the Long Island Stars.

Matheson, who will turn 32 toward the end of the month, signed a five-year extension with the Canadiens at the end of November and is not going anywhere anytime soon. The veteran defenseman managed to get a three-year full no-movement clause out of Kent Hughes, a rare feat. Then, in the last two years of his deal, he has a modified no-trade clause, which provides that he can submit a list of 14 teams he doesn’t want to be traded to in 2029-30 and a five-team list for the 2030-31 season.

Right now, there would be no reason for the Canadiens to want to trade the blueliner in any case; he’s an absolute workhorse on their defence corps, averaging nearly 25 minutes of ice time per game. Despite not being on the power play anymore, he’s managed to rack up 28 points in 54 games, just three points below his total from last season, which he’ll no doubt surpass.

But : Fils de Mike Matheson.

Mentions d'aide : Ivan Demidov et Kirby Dach 😂🥰 pic.twitter.com/rSNGe5ZAux

— DansLesCoulisses (@DLCoulisses) February 13, 2026

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Team USA moved closer to clinching Group C in the men’s hockey tournament at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 with a 6–3 victory over Team Denmark on Saturday afternoon.

However, the win did not come without an uneasy opening 20 minutes.

Denmark carried a 2–1 lead into the dressing room after the first period, thanks to goals from Nick Olesen and Nicholas Jensen. Jensen’s goal—a wrist shot from just inside center ice—somehow slipped past Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy scored for Team USA, who soon seized control of the game with their offensive firepower.

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Ottawa Senators team captain Brady Tkachuk knotted the score at 2-2 following an offensive zone face-off win by Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel, who then scored the go-ahead goal soon afterward. 

Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin increased the lead to 4-2 and, despite a Denmark tally from Phillip Bruggisser, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jake Guentzel restored Team USA's two-goal lead just before the midway point of the third period. 

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes capped the scoring, beating backup goaltender Frederik Dichow, who had replaced the injured Mads Sogaard. 

Detroit Red Wings team captain Dylan Larkin, playing in his second-career Olympic game, skated in 12:31 of ice time, and had four shots on goal. 

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In the summer of 1948, Rangers manager Frank Boucher pulled off one of the "steal deals" of all-time. "Boosh" obtained center Buddy O'Connor from the Montreal  Canadiens in exchange for a few minor leaguers who never amounted to much.

O'Connor went on to win the 1949 Hart Trophy as well as the Lady Byng award; quite a gem for practically nothing.

But there was more to the deal. In addition, the Blueshirts also obtained defenseman Frankie Eddolls who then was called the "best defenseman outside the NHL."

Eddolls would become a blue line star and was a key figure in the spring of 1950 when Frankie helped the Blueshirts to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Final vs. Detroit.

Unfortunately, the Red Wings won the Cup in double overtime.

Ottawa Senators minor league goalie Mads Sogaard may be about to get the toughest assignment of his young goaltending career.

Team Denmark (0-1) has announced that starter Freddy Andersen, even though he's healthy and by far the Danes' best goalie, will not play against Team USA (1-0) on Saturday (3:10 p.m. TSN).

"We have a bad schedule," Denmark head coach Mikael Gath told NHL.com. "We're playing 9 o'clock against U.S., and then we play early against Latvia the day after, and we have three good goalies."

So, faced with playing two games scheduled 22 hours apart, they're clearly giving Andersen the more winnable game, because no matter who starts, the Danes are not likely to beat the Americans.

While the Danes haven't officially announced their goalie yet, Sogaard seems to be the next man up for two reasons. He's the only other Danish goalie in history to ever play in the NHL, and he was the man on the bench as the backup for the team's 3-1 loss to Germany on Thursday.

Sogaard, 25, is 1-0 with a 4.65 GAA and .833 save percentage in two games for the Senators this season. In Belleville, he's 4-8-4 with a 3.30 GAA and .889 save percentage.

Certainly not elite numbers, but probably still the club's next-best option.

So the 6-foot-7 NHL prospect could be thrown into the fire against Sens' teammates Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson, and a high-powered American team that wants to clinch a bye to the quarterfinal and keep pace with Canada for the top seed in the tournament.

But at this point, catching Canada is as tall an order as Sogaard.

Canada is 2 and 0 with a 10:1 goal differential and should be able to improve on both counts against France (0-2) in their final preliminary game on Sunday. The Americans will get a tougher opponent in Germany on Sunday.

The Danes' third option on the roster is Frederik Dichow, Montreal's fifth-round pick from the 2019 NHL Draft. He's never played in North America, but don't sleep on him as a dark horse starting option for Saturday.

Last spring, Dichow made 39 saves in Denmark's historic elimination of Canada in the World Hockey Championship quarterfinals.

Given that Denmark needs another miracle on Saturday, maybe they'll decide to roll with a goalie who recently helped deliver one.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

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

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

While the Montreal Canadiens won’t have an official practice until Tuesday afternoon, Ivan Demidov has already been back on the ice in Brossard for a few days. Still, on Friday morning, he was joined by two other players, and a former player.

Kirby Dach and Jake Evans joined the Russian rookie as he skated at the CN Sports Complex. With Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes not being back yet, the three players took shots on a guest goalie: former blueliner David Savard.

Canadiens: Laine Trade Rumours Swirling Around As Finn Forward Looks Like Casualty Of Habs’ Improvement
Canadiens’ Slafkovsky and Slovakia Overcome Tough Italy
Canadiens’ Suzuki Had A Successful Olympics Debut

It’s great to see Dach back to work early, especially since there have been questions raised about his work ethic when he showed up to camp in disappointing shape ahead of the 2024-25 season. The 25-year-old is in the last year of the “show me” deal he signed when the Canadiens acquired him during the 2022 draft, and he’s running out of time to convince the Habs’ brass of what he can do and that he can stay healthy.

The soon-to-be RFAs’ timing couldn’t be better; however, there’s currently a spot up for grabs alongside Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki since Juraj Slafkovsky has developed good chemistry with Oliver Kapanen and Demidov. If Dach can show he deserves to have an extended look there, he may be able to surprise and be more productive than he’s ever been with the Canadiens.

After all, he played his best hockey in Montreal when he played on the wing of the Canadiens’ fantastic duo. Both Caufield and Suzuki are on pace for career years. If Caufield keeps his current rhythm, he could put up 46 goals (37 is his highest total so far) and 82 points (he set his career high last season with 70 points). As for Suzuki, his production so far tells us that he could hit 25 goals and 67 assists for 92 points, three more than he got last season.

It’s now or never for Dach, and he needs to demonstrate why he should be part of the Canadiens’ core for a long time if he doesn’t want the organization to move on. It seems that they’ve already given up on the thought that he could be one of their centers, but he could still convince them that he can be a reliable top-six option if the stars align for him.

Ivan Demidov skating in Brossard again today, joined by Kirby Dach & Jake Evans.

With David Savard in net.

pic.twitter.com/7l2rgGZ2js

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) February 13, 2026

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According to The Hockey News' Stefen Rosner, former San Jose Sharks forward Scott Reedy has signed a professional tryout with the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League (AHL). 

Reedy has yet to play a game this season at any level, but that should change with the former Sharks forward landing this PTO with Bridgeport.

Reedy spent this past season with the Nashville Predators' AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, where he had four goals, five assists, nine points, and a plus-1 rating in 25 games. This is after he had five goals and seven points in 12 games during the 2023-24 season with the Texas Stars. 

Reedy was selected by the Sharks with the 102nd overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. The 26-year-old forward played in 35 games for the Sharks during the 2021-22 season, where he recorded seven goals, two assists, nine points, 14 hits, and 26 blocks. Reedy has not played at the NHL level since. 

Reedy spent the majority of his time with the Sharks organization down in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda. In 93 games with the Barracuda over three seasons from 2020-21 to 2022-23, he recorded 28 goals, 20 assists, and 48 points. This included him setting AHL career highs with 18 goals, nine assists, and 27 points in 38 games for the Barracuda in 2021-22. 

Team Canada took on Switzerland in the second game of the preliminary round of the Olympic tournament on Friday. While Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki started the game on a line with Nathan MacKinnon and Brandon Hagel, that’s not where he finished it.

Canada took a 2-0 lead by the halfway point of the first period, with Connor McDavid finding the back of the net on the power play and defenseman Thomas Harley doubling the lead just over five minutes later. The Swiss were still putting on a fight, though, and when Bo Horvat was assessed a minor penalty for high-sticking, they pounced to cut the lead in half, though Pius Sutter. Interestingly, Suzuki was used on that penalty kill, which shows that he does have John Cooper’s confidence. Even though he was on the ice for the goal, after the game the coach called Suzuki a Swiss Army knife and even joked that he’d play goalie if the team needed him to. After 20 minutes, shots were 13-10 Canada, and Logan Thompson, who was in the net with Jordan Binnington having the night off, had to be solid.

Canadiens' Nick Suzuki Gets Big Praise From Patrice Bergeron
Former Canadiens Player Had Some Advice For Texier
Canadiens’ Slafkovsky and Slovakia Overcome Tough Italy

With a tiny one-goal lead after the first frame, Cooper decided to mix things up a bit and put MacKinnon, McDavid, and Macklin Celebrini on the same line. As a result, Suzuki was moved back to the center, between Hagel and Tom Wilson. The newly formed top line wasted no time scoring when Celebrini converted on a MacKinnon feed. They were dominant in puck possession and looked like an unstoppable force. When they had the puck, the Swiss looked almost lost, and Canada ended the frame with 14 shots while their opponent only had six.

The Canadians scored another two goals in the final frame; the first one was a great deflection by Sidney Crosby off a Mitch Marner setup, and the second came from Cooper’s super line. This time, it was MacKinnon who scored with assists from McDavid and Celebrini. This line looked like a weapon of mass destruction that the coach was able to use again, and again, and again. It will be interesting to see if he sticks with it going forward, and if he does, how stronger teams will cope with them.

Overall, it was a good game for the Canadians, who pulled off a 5-1 win and are top of their group with 6 points and one game against France remaining in the preliminary round. Suzuki spent 13:35 on the ice, and while he didn’t have as good a game as he did against Czechia, he can still hold his head up high.

As for the Swiss, they lost more than the game since Kevin Fiala sustained a gruesome injury in a collision with Wilson and will be out for the remainder of the tournament. By the looks of the injury, it's quite possible that his NHL season with the Los Angeles Kings is in jeopardy. It's worth mentioning that it wasn't a dirty hit from Wilson; it was just an unfortunate freak play.

Canada will be back in action against France on Sunday morning at 10:40 AM, and it will be interesting to see how Cooper chooses to deploy his men and if Brad Marchand, who was a healthy scratch on Friday, will be back in the lineup.

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