DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday signed veteran defenseman Ben Chiarot to a three-year contract extension worth $11.55 million.
Chiarot will count $3.85 million against the salary cap from when his new deal kicks in next season through 2028-29.
Chiarot, who turns 35 in May, is past the midway point of his fourth season with the Red Wings after time with Winnipeg, Montreal and Florida. He has played in all 54 of their games, averaging 21 minutes of ice time, and ranks ninth in the NHL with 113 blocked shots.
Detroit is in second place in the Atlantic Division and on pace to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
The Detroit Red Wings are bringing back veteran defenseman Ben Chiarot with a new three-year contract extension carrying an cap hit of $3.85 million per season, keeping him with the organization well into his late 30s. While the deal stretches beyond the typical comfort zone for players his age, the team is clearly betting on more than just what Chiarot brings on the ice.
At 34, Chiarot has been a steady presence in the top four this season, logging heavy minutes and continuing to handle some of the toughest matchups night after night. He’s averaging over 21 minutes of ice time per game and has quietly put together a productive campaign, recording four goals and seven assists for 11 points in 54 games, along with a plus-one rating.
Beyond the numbers, Chiarot’s value has shown up in his partnership with rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka. The veteran has taken on a mentoring role, helping guide the young blueliner through the daily grind of being a regular NHL defenseman. Whether it’s positioning, decision-making under pressure, or simply knowing when to simplify the game, Chiarot has been there to steady things and, at times, clean up the inevitable rookie mistakes.
That leadership component appears to be a major factor behind the extension. With a wave of young defensemen pushing their way into the lineup, having a seasoned voice who can still play meaningful minutes is a luxury Detroit may not be taking lightly.
Chiarot’s play suggests he still has plenty left to give after finishing last season with 13 points, he is on pace to surpass that total this year. He has remained a reliable contributor at both ends of the ice despite his veteran age and has helped the Red Wings maintain a 2.96 goals against per game average as a team, which is tied for 12th-best in the NHL. His physicality, reach, and willingness to block shots continue to anchor the defensive group.
The extension also puts a notable milestone within reach as Chiarot has appeared in 777 NHL games over his career, and if he can stay healthy through the duration of the new deal, the prestigious 1,000-game mark is firmly in sight and is a real possibility.
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Much has been made of Ottawa Senators’ defenseman Jake Sanderson telling the media after their 6-5 defeat at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens that “Leevi made some good saves, but at the end of the day, you need more than 10 saves to win a game.” On Tuesday, after practice, Martin St-Louis was essentially asked if his job would be easier if the Habs had stability in net, and needless to say, the coach is not a Sanderson kind of guy:
If those things happened, it would be band aids. You know what I mean? And maybe we wouldn’t be paying attention to that, because if you’re focused on results, your process isn't always in the right place. And I’d say that in anything we do, we’re guided by a process rather than the result. So, if goalies are making big saves, it can sometimes hide things. So, when focusing on process, of course, you need saves, but we’re actually looking at what happens before the save is made or not. It doesn’t change what we coach in front of that. So, even if we had stability, as you say, it wouldn’t change the way we’re coaching.
- St-Louis on goaltending stability
That answer shouldn’t have surprised anybody. Just like St-Louis won’t throw his forwards or his defensemen under the bus, he won’t throw his goaltenders either. Any coach would like their goaltenders to make more saves; that goes without saying, but no goaltender would like their coach to say it out loud.
Furthermore, St-Louis once again gave a well-thought-out answer, and he has a point. When coaching his players, a coach will speak to them about the mistakes made, whether or not the puck ended up in the back of their own net; if they don’t, they’re not doing a very thorough job. Whether the puck crosses the goal line or not, a mistake was made before the goaltender was tested, and if the netminder made the save that one time, it doesn’t mean he’ll do it the next time, so it’s the coach’s job to address the issue.
What’s much more worrying, however, is that Samuel Montembeault had to say after the defeat against the Boston Bruins. While he did admit that he could have made the save on Fraser Minten’s backhand, he added that on the goals against the Buffalo Sabres and the other ones against the Bruins, there wasn’t much he could do. That’s not the right attitude to have.
Back in October 2017, when the Canadiens had a bad start to the season, Carey Price had a 2-6-1 record, a 3.60 GAA, and a save percentage of .886, and after a 4-0 loss against the Los Angeles Kings, he said:
I just got to find ways to stop the puck and keep our guys in it until we bury the puck. It just seems that I’m not doing that right now. So, I just got to find a way to do it.
- Carey Price on his struggles in 2017
That’s the right attitude for a goalie to have. Whatever comes your way, you have to find a way to stop it. That’s why there’s a stat called goals saved above expected: a good goaltender will stop shots he’s not expected to save. A goalie who’s doing his job will be able to stop high-danger chances that should have been goals.
In Tuesday night’s 3-2 OT win over the Vegas Golden Knights, Jakub Dobes stopped 32 of the 34 shots he faced, and quite a few of those saves should have been goals. On the penalty kill, the Czech netminder frustrated Vegas with a few saves on one of their set play on the man advantage, the cross-crease pass to a player who’s alone on the doorstep. After the game, he explained:
I was kind of in my flow tracking, and I was feeling good.[…] Mark Stone is really good, around the net, and we had a pre-scout, we knew that they like to make those plays. So, it’s just something that you keep in mind, they probably won’t shoot it from that side of the net, and they’ll probably go back door. So, just a good pre-scout, and I was patient.
- Jakub Dobes on his game-saving stops against Vegas
He could have taken more of the merit, but he didn’t. Knowing a team favours a play is one thing; executing to stop it is quite another. The penalty killers also knew about that play, but Dobes was the only one who was able to neutralize it. None of the skaters was able to cut a pass they knew could be coming.
After the game, St-Louis agreed that Dobes had a great game, but it felt like he didn’t want to praise him too much. He didn’t want to say the Canadiens owed him one because he had made so many saves, it almost felt like he didn’t want to praise one goalie when the other is struggling.
The fact is, however, that Dobes is winning games. He hasn’t lost in regulation in his last seven games. Earlier in the season, when he was hot, the Canadiens kept going back to Montembeault instead of riding the hot hand, and that was a mistake, and one that led to Dobes starting to struggle as well. It’s time to face the elephant in the room; he’s playing better, and he should play more, period. The net should be his to lose by now; the Habs have been patient enough with Montmebeault, and it’s time to respect Dobes’ body of work.
Josh Semanski is in an interesting spot right now. He made his NHL debut against the Ducks earlier this week, already has a roster spot locked in for Team Germany at the Olympics, and for the next few weeks, he's playing for the Edmonton Oilers alongside Leon Draisaitl, who happens to be the best player Germany's ever produced.
The timing works out pretty well.
Semanski's not fighting for an Olympic spot. He's already on the roster. But what he's getting right now is something most international players don't: daily exposure to one of the best players in the world, who'll also be his teammate in Italy. He's seeing how Draisaitl prepares, how he operates, what his expectations are. That's useful information heading into a tournament where chemistry and trust matter.
Most guys heading to the Olympics come from at least different teams, but even different leagues. They show up at camp with a week or two to figure things out. Semanski's already spending time around Draisaitl, which means when they get to Italy, he'll have a better sense of what to expect from Germany's best player.
"Very, very happy for him. (He's) such a great kid. He's got a great energy about him," Draisaitl said. "I think he's a great hockey player. He understands the game. And the way he plays the game is the right way. If he can continue to chip away at the little things, I think he's got a chance at becoming an NHL player."
That's solid praise from someone who doesn't hand out compliments casually. More importantly, it means Draisaitl's paying attention and recognizes Semanski as someone who can contribute. When they're on the ice together in Italy, that familiarity will help.
The other benefit? Semanski's getting NHL game experience right before the Olympics. He's playing against some of the same players he'll see in Italy. He's adjusting to NHL speed and physicality in real time. Seven minutes of ice time against the Ducks isn't a ton, but it's more recent NHL experience than most of his German teammates will have heading into the tournament.
Now, let's be clear: Germany's not winning gold. They're not even favorites to medal. The Olympic field is loaded. Canada, the U.S., Sweden, Finland—these teams are stacked. Germany will compete, but expectations should be realistic.
What this is, though, is a useful opportunity for Semanski. He's getting a taste of the best hockey the world has to offer, sharing a locker room with some of the best players out there, and preparing for the biggest tournament of his life in about as ideal a setup as you could ask for. Most depth players heading to the Olympics don't get this kind of preparation.
Semanski's been productive in Bakersfield—7 goals, 21 assists, 28 points, mostly 5-on-5. He's earned the call-up. But it's the timing that makes it so unique. It's the exact kind of preparation German fans love to see.
That's not going to win Germany a medal, but it's a better situation than showing up cold. When Semanski steps on the ice in Italy, he'll have recent NHL experience, he'll have spent weeks around Draisaitl, and he'll be more prepared than he would've been otherwise.
For a 24-year-old rookie, that's a pretty solid setup.
According to a release from the team, the surgery was performed by Dr. John Fowler alongside Penguins team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas.
St. Ivany’s recovery time is expected to be eight weeks.
So far this season, St. Ivany has recorded a career-best 7 assists in 17 games for the Penguins.
The Penguins are back in action tomorrow night at PPG Paints Arena after sweeping a western Canadian road trip last week with wins against Seattle, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.
Pittsburgh has won four straight games, have not lost in regulation in over two weeks, and currently sit six points behind Carolina for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
The Penguins have five games remaining before the NHL’s Olympic break for the Milano Cortina Winter games.
For all of us wondering if Islanders GM Mathieu Darche was going to invest in his currently-playoff-position team or commence with a selloff, the last two days gave us a clear answer. The first-year GM is not going big-game hunting, but he is managing assets (and spending a little cap space) to bring in veteran reinforcements to fill holes that lingered at forward and defense.
The Islanders enter a very interesting home-and-home with the Rangers having completed two trades in two days, one with each of their immediate neighbors. After acquiring short-time Ranger Carson Soucy for the blueline on Monday, they followed that up with a deal for Ondrej Palat from the Devils on Tuesday, sending Max Tsyplakov out the other way.
If Palat has anything left, it will be a bonus. If he’s as washed up as Devils watchers have described the last two seasons — and admittedly, a $6 million cap hit can color that evaluation — then we’ll find out soon enough and we’ll be annoyed throughout next season.
Anyway, the experiments with the new guys starts at home tonight vs. the Rangers, for that rare Wednesday-Thursday home-and-home. First Islanders Goal picks go here.
Islanders News
Seven facts about Palat, a Czech seventh-round pick in the same draft as Scott Mayfield who somehow has 13 NHL playoff game winners. [Isles]
The deal is one for one…plus some picks. If current standings hold, the Islanders actually upgraded their third-rounder this summer. [LHH | Isles | Newsday]
Previewing tonight, except without any updates, so check back after the morning skate. [Isles]
Gross: The post-Olympic schedule for the Isles is “severe.” [Newsday]
The Rangers would do well to just get a goal tonight. Let’s not though, okay? [Post]
After seeing this “the Isles aren’t done” clip, I didn’t figure the next move would be something like Palat. But I guess on a basic, “we’re not aiming high but we’d like to get to the postseason” level, it makes sense:
“They’re not done if they have there way. They want to make the playoffs, and the reason for that is they think it will be a great experience for a lot of the younger players. The playoffs matter.”
Isles picked a kid out of Russia at the cost of zero assets. Turned that into a third, a sixth, and 1.3 seasons of Palat, an experienced playoff pro who'll give you more than Tsyplakov in the short term. East is wide open man. Works for NJD too. Good stuff.
Lots of games last night, including Rasmus Dahlin getting a hat trick in Toronto and the loathsome Patrick Kane tying Mike Modano for American points collectors. Also the Devils lost at home to Winnipeg, and the Capitals lost in Seattle.
The Maple Leafs suck and should sell. (All I know is “it starts with me.”) [Sportsnet]
Bryan Rust’s first suspension is three games(!) and the Penguins are understandably miffed, especially when they’ve experienced Jacob Trouba, Chicken Wing Man of Innocence. [TSN]
Philadelphia Flyers - 24-18-9 - 57 Points - 2-6-2 in the last 10 - Lost 1 - 4th in the Metro.
Columbus Blue Jackets - 24-20-7 - 55 Points - 6-4-0 in the last 10 - Won 2 - 7th in the Metro.
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
CBJ set a season high in goals scored in an 8-5 win over Tampa Bay on Saturday. The club has won six of its last seven games overall since Jan. 11 (5-1-0) and collected points in six of its past seven home contests since Jan. 3 (5-1-1).
The club concludes a four-game homestand on Wednesday after Monday's contest vs. the Kings was postponed due to weather. The team also closes a stretch of six-of-seven games played at Nationwide Arena from Jan. 13-28 (4-1-0).
The Jackets scored the first two goals on Saturday and have scored the first goal in 15 of the last 20 contests, 18 of the past 25 and rank fifth-T in the NHL in games scoring first in 2025-26 (30).
Columbus leads the NHL in goals by defensemen and ranks fifth in points with 38-90-128 in 51 contests.
The Blue Jackets (10-5-1) are tied for the NHL lead in scoring first (12) and rank fifth-T in the NHL in wins, seventh in team save percentage (.907), eighth in points pct. (.656) and 10th in goals-against per game (2.81) since Dec. 22.
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Charlie Coyle, posted his fifth game of three or more points this season, including notching his 200th career goal on Saturday (1-2-3). The club will honor the forward's 1,000th game played in a pre-game ceremony on Wednesday.
Jet Greaves leads the NHL in saves and ranks fourth-T in wins and seventh in SV% since Dec. 22 (min. 8 GP) with an 8-3-1 record, 2.54 GAA, .915 SV% and 345 saves in 13 games.
Kirill Marchenko collected his eighth multi-point outing of the campaign with two assists vs. Tampa Bay and has notched points in 12 of the last 16 contests dating back to Dec. 22 (8-9-17).
Mason Marchment notched his third career hat trick vs. Tampa Bay on Jan. 24 (3-1-4) and has posted points in seven of his nine contests with CBJ (8-3-11).
Mathieu Olivier ranks second in the NHL with 71 hits since returning from injury on Dec. 28.
Zach Werenski notched two assists in the win over the Lightning and leads NHL blueliners in goals (19), multi-point efforts (18), points-per-game (1.17), and shots on goal (170) this season. He has points in 26 of his past 31 contests overall to lead league defensemen in goals, points (tied), and points-per-game since Nov. 13 (15-29-44, 1.42).
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 19.8% - 19th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 75.4% - 28th in the NHL
Goals For - 153 - 20th in the NHL
Goals Against - 168 - 23rd in the NHL
FlyersStats
Power Play - 15.6% - 30th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 78.0% - 20th in the NHL
Goals For - 149 - 21st in the NHL
Goals Against - 159 - 18th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheFlyers
Columbus is 29-19-3-4 all-time, and 17-6-2-2 at home vs. Philly.
The Blue Jackets are 4-1-1 in the last 6 against the Flyers.
Columbus has killed 14 of the last 16 Flyer power plays at NWA, and 16 of the 17 overall.
Who To Watch For TheFlyers
Trevor Zegras leads the Flyers with 19 goals and 46 points.
Travis Konecny leads the team with 28 assists.
Goalie Samuel Ersson is 8-9-5 with a SV% of .860.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Flyers
Zach Werenski has 19 points in 25 career games vs. the Flyers.
Boone Jenner has 20 points in 33 games.
Charlie Coyle has 20 points in 33 games against Philadelphia.
Injured Reserve
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 13 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 145
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on TNT, truTV, and HBO MAX. 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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After losing their last two games to divisional rivals, the Montreal Canadiens desperately needed a win on Tuesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights to stay ahead in the playoff race. However, the Knights are a tough opponent at the best of times, but coming off a 7-1 blowout loss to the Ottawa Senators, they went out of the gate even stronger.
Since Adin Hill was in the net for the seven-goal debacle, Vegas opted to give the game to Akira Schmid meanwhile, after two subpar performances from Samuel Montembeault, Jakub Dobes got the start for the home team and put on quite a show in the 3-2 win.
Martin St-Louis has been talking a lot about the small details of the game of late, things his men need to stop doing to give themselves a better chance of winning. One such details is to be defensively responsible. If one of the defensemen is pinching to support the attack, a forward must come back to cover his spot. More often than not, it doesn’t happen, and that’s what led to the first goal of the game.
Alex Carrier pinched to help keep the pressure in the offensive zone, and Oliver Kapanen just stayed there in the high slot, watching the play. When Pavel Doroyev came out of the corner with the puck, Lane Hutson moved towards the middle of the ice and tried to take away the passing lane, leaving Dobes to face a shot with no screen. The Russian’s shot was precise and beat the Czech netminder high on his glove side.
Given how many offensive defensemen are on the Canadiens’ roster, it’s high time the forwards realize that they have a role to play when a blueliner pinches.
Time For a Statute Of Limitations
I believe there is room in the game for the offside challenge, but the rule needs to be amended. In law, certain offences cannot be prosecuted after a specified period, as provided by the Statute of Limitations. It should be the same for the offside challenge.
In the second frame, Cole Caufield scored on a slap shot with 17:56 left in the period, but the goal was eventually waived off because a coach’s challenge showed the Canadiens were offside on their zone entry at 18:47, nearly a minute earlier. The illegal entry didn't affect the play, and the Canadiens didn’t gain any unfair advantage from it.
Amending the rule would lead to fewer contestations, speed up the game, and ultimately provide fairer results. The wording should be crystal clear, however, and the application shouldn’t be left to the referee’s discretion, as that would lead to more chaos.
In his post-game presser, Martin St-Louis was asked if perhaps it would make sense to have a time limit on the contestation, and he replied:
I think we have the technology now to put things where they should be; it was offside. I’m curious to know how many goals we are losing on offside compared to other teams. Perhaps someone can get back to me on that at the following presser to see if I’m right or not. It’s a shame; it would have been good to be able to separate ourselves and get another goal, but you know.
- St-Louis on the goal they had disallowed
While it’s a fair point that there is the technology now to make those calls, one fact remains: if the play had gone the other way and the Knights had gone on to score, the Habs couldn’t have challenged the goal because of the offside they had committed over a minute earlier. As the coach pointed out, once the puck comes out of the zone, you can’t contest that offside anymore. He did concede that it would have been annoying if that scenario had come to be. My point remains, however, it would be fairer to put a time limit on the contestation.
Dobes’ Top Form
The 24-year-old Czech goaltender was in top form tonight. While he has won most of his games this season, at times, it’s been an adventure to watch him play. His technique on most nights can be hit or miss, and he ends up making saves more spectacular than they should be, but on Tuesday night, he was in complete control. He wasn’t overcommitting when moving from side to side; he had great rebound control and puck tracking, and he played a very complete game.
Furthermore, with 32 saves on 34 shots, he ended his night with a .941 save percentage. Of those 32 saves, many should have been goals, and no one can argue that Dobes wasn’t his team’s best penalty killer tonight. On two occasions, the Knights managed to slice the Canadiens’ defence wide open with cross-zone passes to an open man on the doorstep, and Dobes stood tall on both opportunities. In the first instance, he actually made three stops, the initial save and two rebounds, bailing out his defence.
Asked if his men owed that win to their goalie, who was very combative in net, the coach said:
I don’t think you owe a performance like that to one player. We owe it to the team, and each player has a role and actions on the ice that influence the result. Dobes influenced the result tonight.
-
Dobes has not lost in regulation in his last seven starts. When asked if such a hot streak was something that could help him make decisions, the coach replied that it’s always part of the equation. When asked to elaborate, he said:
We make our decisions for the good of the team and the player, and everything is taken into account.
-
It will be interesting to see if Dobes gets a second start in a row on Thursday night; his performance against the Knights certainly warrants it. In the end, the Canadiens fully deserved to skate away with the two points tonight, and the coach must have let out a sigh of relief when Jake Evans scored the game-winning goal in overtime after the Habs were unable to take advantage of the power play they were given. Cole Caufield and Phillip Danault were the other two scorers for the Canadiens, meaning that the sniper has now scored in his last six games.
The Habs will be back at work in Brossard tomorrow morning at 11:30 as they’ll aim to get ready for their next big task: a rematch with the Colorado Avalanche, who beat them 7-2 at the end of November.
The Florida Panthers haven’t played many games on home ice lately.
Tuesday’s frustrating 4-3 loss to the Utah Mammoth was just the second game the Panthers have played in Sunrise over the past three weeks.
Florida never led against the Mammoth, battling back to tie the game on three separate occasions before ultimately falling thanks to a goal about midway through the third period and some questionable penalties that hindered the Cats’ ability to mount a comeback late in the game.
It was a night where the Panthers probably deserved a better fate, logging only 28 shots while managing 61 shot attempts and holding the Mammoth to just 20 shots on 38 attempts.
Let’s get to Tuesday’s takeaways:
LUNDELL AND EKBLAD OKAY
If there is one thing that has been consistent for the Panthers this season it has been the injuries.
That’s why the fear was even more heightened on Tuesday when a pair of Cats appeared to go down with injuries.
Late in the second period, Anton Lundell took a high, hard hit from Utah’s Jack McBain, one that Lundell responded to with a hit, and then a punch, of his own.
When the third period began about 20 minutes later, Lundell was nowhere to be found.
Then later in the game, Aaron Ekblad blocked a shot with his left leg and appeared unable to put much weight on it as he struggled to get to the bench.
After the game, Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards reported that he spoke to Ekblad and that the defenseman said he was okay, explaining that the shot had broken his shin pad.
Aaron Ekblad is fine after blocking shot in third - said it broke his shin pad
As for Lundell, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice didn’t seem overly concerned when asked for a postgame update on his young Finnish center.
“I think he’s going to be fine,” said Maurice. “It’s upper-body, we’ll know more tomorrow.”
VILMANIS LIGHTS LAMP
Rookie Sandis Vilmanis has been looking like he belongs during his first stint in the NHL.
He’s now played nine National League games and has seen time on several line combinations.
On Tuesday, Vilmanis was moved to a line with Cole Schwindt and A.J. Greer during the second period, and there appeared to be some chemistry among the trio.
Vilmanis and Schwindt scored goals just over seven minutes apart, each one caused by gritty shifts and solid play in the offensive zone.
“There's a freedom that (comes when he) plays with Schwindt and Greer,” Maurice said. “Greer is a real positive for those guys, those young guys he plays with, and they were good. Basically that line has got four goals in two games, so good for them and good for us.”
EMBELLISHMENT CALLS
The final six minutes and 12 seconds of Tuesday’s game saw five minor penalties called.
Moments after Matthew Tkahcuk was called for a questionable roughing penalty, right off the ensuing draw in Florida’s zone, Evan Rodrigues was taken down Barrett Hayton while trying to get across the zone and cover the PK.
For his extra effort, Rodrigues apparently make it look like he was trying to sell the penalty, not get away from Hayton, so both players went to the box; Hayton for interference, Rodrigues for embellishment.
Almost exactly four minutes later, this time with Florida’s net empty as the Panthers were attempting to tie the game in its final moments, Tkachuk was tripped in the neutral zone by Nick Schmaltz.
Once again, Tkachuk, like Rodrigues, was moving quickly during a high-intensity sequence and wanted to get to where he was going as soon as possible with the game potentially on the line.
Well, Tkachuk’s extra effort apparently masqueraded as him trying to sell another penalty, so once again it was both players who went to the box; Schmaltz for the trip, Tkachuk for embellishing it.
You can be the judge, but when Maurice was asked the officials gave any kind of rationalization for either the calls, it wasn’t surprising to hear the fiery coach bite his tongue, which is how he’s generally handled these situations in the media since joining the Panthers.
“We’re not going to get an explanation on that,” he said, and when pressed for his thoughts on the calls, Maurice responded, “I’m not giving you anything on that.”
Photo caption: Jan 27, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) moves the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman John Marino (6) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
#NEWS: We've acquired forward Maxim Tsyplakov from the New York Islanders for forward Ondrej Palat, a 2026 third-round draft pick, and a 2027 sixth-round draft pick.
The Jets scored three second-period goals, and the Devils made a push to get things tied but couldn’t find the equalizer and dropped Tuesday’s game, 4-3. [Devils NHL]
A look at how the addition of Leeni Hameenaho to the lineup has given the Devils a much-needed boost: [Infernal Access ($)]
Hockey Links
Carson Soucy heads to the Islanders:
The #NYR have received a 2026 3rd-Round Draft pick from the New York Islanders in exchange for defenseman Carson Soucy.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that goaltender Thatcher Demko will undergo hip surgery and will not play for the remainder of the 2025.26 season.
With Thatcher Demko out for the rest of the season, here is a harrowing stat:
He will have played just 95 of 258 possible games over the past three seasons. Just 36.8% of Vancouver's games over that span. pic.twitter.com/HxA9MteLUj
“The NHL Department of Player Safety will now determine supplemental discipline for players who violate all league rules rather than just those who commit physical infractions, the league told ESPN on Tuesday. It’s a significant change in protocol for the NHL on fines and suspensions. Since the Department of Player Safety was formed prior to the 2011-12 season, it had been responsible for supplemental discipline for in-game physical fouls that violated NHL rules and/or caused injuries.” [ESPN]
“It’s not a career-ending experience when you go to the program. It’s actually a life-changing experience. We’ve got to do a better job of getting the word out. As a whole society, we’ve got to work on the stigma.” A look at how the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program works: [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
It’s a two-fer with two weeks since our last check in on the AHL affiliate out in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Nick Hart’s recap of the early games from WBSPenguins.com and most recent. WBS posted a 4-2-1 record over the past two weeks worth of games.
Wednesday, Jan. 14 – PENGUINS 4 at Providence 1 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton usurped first place from Providence with a clinical performance and an AHL career-high 36 saves from Sergei Murashov. Tristan Broz scored twice, and other tallies came courtesy of Joona Koppanen and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard.
Friday, Jan. 16 – PENGUINS 3 vs. Hartford 4 Time ran out on a fiery comeback attempt, as the Penguins fell in their first of back-to-back games against the Wolf Pack. Gabe Klassen scored twice, but a three-goal second period by Hartford spelled doom for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Saturday, Jan. 17 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Hartford 1 The Penguins bounced back in a big way, scoring thrice in the first period and never looking back. Harvey-Pinard notched three points (1G-2A) in that explosive opening frame. As insurance, Finn Harding scored his first AHL goal in the second period.
Monday, Jan. 19 – PENGUINS 3 at Springfield 2 Rutger McGroarty returned from the NHL and Avery Hayes returned from injury as offense from Valtteri Puustinen, Chase Pietila and Klassen led the Pens to their second-straight victory.
Wednesday, Jan. 21 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Belleville 3 (OT) A goalie duel between two old friends took place, as Joel Blomqvist and Leevi Meriläinen went save-for-save in a starry display. However, Meriläinen’s 25 saves in the first two periods kept his team in it, leading to an OT win for the B-Sens. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Atley Calvert both scored for WBS.
Friday, Jan. 23 – PENGUINS 4 at Hershey 3 (SO) A back-and-forth thriller at Giant Center ended with the Penguins surviving in a shootout. Owen Pickering and Ville Koivunen lit the lamp in the first period, and Avery Hayes forced OT with his late, tying goal. Rutger McGroarty posted an assist on all three goals. Koivunen scored again in the shootout, while Sergei Murashov thwarted all three of Hershey’s attempts.
Saturday, Jan. 24 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Charlotte 5 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton wrapped its eight-game season series with Charlotte with a loss. Gabe Klassen and Aidan McDonough found twine for the Penguins, but Blomqvist’s season-high 35 saves weren’t enough. Charlotte won each of its for visits to Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza this season.
It’s been a test lately for WBS, seeing prior stalwarts like Sam Poulin and Valtteri Puustinen leave the organization via trade, and some bonus AHL participants in Danton Heinen and Philip Tomasino moving on to their next teams as well. That’s opened the doors for players on AHL contracts like Gabe Klassen, Aaron Huglen, Aidan McDonough and Atley Calvert to step into bigger roles. Those aren’t the sexiest names when it comes to surefire NHL prospects or big picture items for the organization at a whole but will be critical to the WBS season.
Klassen is especially standing out with his 10 points (8G+2A) in the last 11 games. The 22-year old is in his second season with the Pens organization, having spent most of 2024-25 in Wheeling. Klassen is a guy who has popped a little in events like the September prospect challenge, it’s been nice to see him go from a bit player at the AHL level and turn into a key contributor for WBS over the last month, often playing these days centering a line with the NHL top prospects.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 24, 2026
AHL games are lower scoring, the Pens benefit from having a strong defense corps and two of the finest goalies currently in the league these days. That can go a long way, and has been so far.
Another boost has been the return from the AHL for Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen. McGroarty has compiled five assists in the four games he has been back. That’s very encouraging considering he’s returning from a concussion suffered in a NHL practice a few weeks ago. Koivunen has recorded six points (1G+5A) in the nine games since his re-assignment to the AHL in early January.
Missing from the above lines, one might note, is WBS’s leading scorer Tristan Broz. It looks like Broz will be out for at least a few weeks with an undisclosed injury. Joona Koppanen has also missed time after blocking a shot.
ICYMI: I had a pretty in-depth 1-on-1 with #WBSPens HC Kirk MacDonald following last night's OT loss to Belleville.
Talked on a variety of topics, and players – including an unfortunate update on Tristan Broz's injury timeline.
The difference one defenseman can make for an NHL team is often quite large.
If a squad has a weak link, it can be exposed because even the bottom pair generally plays around 15 minutes a night.
In the NHL draft, defensemen are often the most interesting case studies. Since 2003, a defenseman has been drafted in the top five every year.
What teams value on the blueline is always quite interesting, as they traditionally lean into drafting big, defensively focused defensemen. That said, the best blueliners in the world right now are all mobile puck-movers, and their physical stature is often not a major part of their game.
Let's see which blueliners are the cream of the crop ahead of this year's NHL draft.
Top 10 defensemen in the 2026 NHL Draft
North Dakota (NCAA) defenseman Keaton Verhoeff
The most well-rounded defender in the class, Verhoeff's improvement this season makes him an easy choice as the top blueliner. He has good size, excellent fluidity on his feet and some of the best passing skills of any blueliner in the class. Verhoeff understands how to make smart plays at both ends of the ice, which allows him to win most of his shifts. He looks like a top-five pick.
Jukurit (Finland) defenseman Alberts Smits
Smits is the ultimate ball of clay that NHL teams can mold into an effective defenseman. His baseline is quite high as a big, mobile, defensive-minded player who can shut opponents down. His upside is incredible with the kind of run-and-gun offensive skill and fluidity that makes the best defenders in the world what they are. If he can continue to refine his offensive game, he could be a top-pair stud.
HV71 (Sweden) defenseman Malte Gustafsson
Malte Gustafsson has impressed in the Swedish League, and his overall control of the game makes him one of the most interesting defenders in the draft. There isn't an area of the game you can point to as a weakness. Gustafsson has become more physical at the men's level while continuing to showcase his mobility and puck-moving on the breakout. He's become a true two-way presence and should be taken inside the top 10.
Villeneuve is one of the most dynamic puck-moving blueliners in the class. He is a true difference-maker on offense, with incredible shiftiness and passing. His defensive game is better than he gets credit for, using his feet to defend and turn the play around. He's a wild card, however, because he's 5-foot-11 and 162 pounds. Villeneuve could be taken in the top half of the first round, or he could fall because of his size.
Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) defenseman Chase Reid
Reid is possibly the most divisive defenseman at the top of the class. He can carry the puck through the neutral zone and create off the rush. His passing is inconsistent, but when it's on, it's quite dangerous in the attacking end. Reid shows the tools needed to be effective defensively, but that's a work in progress. He's being discussed as a top-10 pick, but he could fall outside that range.
Lulea (Sweden) defenseman William Hakansson
One of the premier defensive blueliners, Hakansson is a stopper in the simplest terms. He has excellent size, uses his length well to defend in transition and gets into the corners to recover pucks effectively. Hakansson has a physical edge to his game as well. If a team wants a defender who can put up a wall in their own zone, you could see Hakansson go around the mid-first round.
Tappara (Finland) defenseman Juho Piiparinen
Piiparinen is a steady, do-it-all defenseman who limits mistakes and knows when to make the right play. He won't blow your mind when you watch him, but he can do just about everything asked of him. He can shut down plays, recover dump-ins and move the puck up ice reliably. A mid-to-late first-round pick seems appropriate for a player you don't have to worry about too often.
Prince George (WHL) defenseman Carson Carels
After getting some hype at the World Junior Championship, Carels has shot up many draft boards. His playmaking and steady all-around game have made him a very solid prospect. Carels can play just about any role adequately, but he just needs to find his specialty and really lean into it. He really could go anywhere in the first round since draft experts have him ranked all over the place.
Vancouver (WHL) defenseman Ryan Lin
Although he's injured, Lin builds off his mobility in all areas of the game. His game is a bit inconsistent overall, but when he is on his A-game, he could be one of the top five defenders in the draft class. His ability to handle the puck, work along the blueline and set up teammates is impressive. He skates forward to defend, attempting to cut off play in the neutral zone. He could go anywhere in the mid-to-late first round.
Dukla Trencin (Slovakia) defenseman Adam Goljer
A shutdown defender who is on the younger side of the draft class, Goljer is still a bit raw, but his potential as a top-four play-killer could be quite intriguing. The Slovak blueliner doesn't dangle his opponents on the breakout or at the offensive blueline – he punishes them. Goljer isn't quite as refined as some of the guys ahead of him, but he's got the upside you want to see from a no-nonsense defenseman.
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust has been suspended for three games after the NHL Department of Player Safety deemed he performed an illegal check to the head of Vancouver forward Brock Boeser. Boeser has since entered concussion protocol. PensBurgh]
It appears forward Evgeni Malkin is no worse for wear after he was seen in discomfort on Pittsburgh’s bench after the final horn in Sunday’s game against the Canucks. [PensBurgh]
Penguins prospect Emil Pieniniemi was promoted to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins from the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers on Tuesday, a positive next step in his development after the organization lifted his suspension because Pieniniemi failed to report to Wheeling at the start of the season. [Trib Live]
Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany will miss approximately the next two months after undergoing hand surgery, the team announced on Tuesday afternoon. [Trib Live]
Updates from around the NHL…
When it rains, it pours in Vancouver: Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is set to undergo hip surgery that will end his season, general manager Patrik Allvin said Tuesday. [Associated Press]
Sunday’s Stadium Series game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins will pay homage to Tampa’s pirate history. The rink will sit atop a treasure map design covering Raymond James Stadium’s field. [Sportsnet]
Which of the 10 teams that have yet to hoist the Stanley Cup has the best chance of doing so? Who is set up for the best chance at long-term success? [USA Today]
Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane reached another milestone on Tuesday. Kane tied Mike Modano’s record for the most points by an American-born player in NHL history, posting the 1,374th point of his career late in the third period of the Red Wings’ game against the Los Angeles Kings. [Daily Faceoff]
