The Montreal Canadiens forwards Kirby Dach, Jake Evans, and Patrik Laine all participated in regular jerseys during the club's Jan. 16 practice.
Dach, Evans, and Laine have all been sidelined for the Canadiens due to injury. However, with all three of them returning to practice in regular jerseys, it appears that they are each getting closer to returning to game action.
The Canadiens are set to face off against the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 17. At this time, it has not been announced that any of these three players will play. Even if they end up each being ruled out, it is still very encouraging that they were all present at the Canadiens' latest practice in regular jerseys.
Dach has not played for the Canadiens since their Nov. 15 matchup against the Boston Bruins. In 15 games this season with Montreal, the 6-foot-4 forward has recorded five goals and seven points.
Evans' most recent appearance was on Dec. 20 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. In 34 games this season with the Original Six club, he has posted five goals, five assists, and 10 points.
As for Laine, he has not been in the Canadiens' lineup since their Oct. 16 game against the Nashville Predators. He has played in just five games this season for Montreal because of it, where he has one assist.
The first of two consecutive games against the Los Angeles Kings will be played on Friday, following the Ducks' sharp performance against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. The Kings are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.
Both Friday's (in Los Angeles) and Saturday's (in Anaheim) games could have major implications for the playoff picture, with the Kings and Ducks separated by just two points. Both teams are currently just outside of the second Wild Card spot, with the Kings' 49 points being two behind the fellow Pacific Division San Jose Sharks at 51.
"(These games against the Kings are) very tight checking, very detailed," Ducks winger Chris Kreider said after Thursday’s practice. "It's a divisional matchup. You can tell that it means more. It's a fun rivalry, looking forward to getting down to LA and playing."
Dec 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling (25), left wing Ross Johnston (44) and Los Angeles Kings right wing Joel Armia (40) battle for the puck in the third period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
For Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville, the kind of game that his team played on Tuesday against Dallas is what the Kings do consistently. In a matchup like this, it will come down to which team can execute that kind of game better.
“It’s kind of what we're talking about going into the game,” Quenneville said. “We want to have the same mindset, like we're playing Dallas. It's simple, and it's going to be straight ahead and check and check. This team probably is the stingiest at playing a patient team game and trying to create, gonna get you in trouble. We’ve seen last time in here, we got a little bit of an education. “Let’s be ready to go, playing the same way as we played the last game, and know that's something to build off of.”
"Offense isn't going to be a problem with this team, you've got to play good defense," Kreider said. "We've learned that we can generate offense off of playing good defense. Ultimately, winning hockey games is fun. That's how you win hockey games."
“They’re a good team,” Gauthier said of the Kings. “We've played them a couple times now and they play a really tight checking, solid defensive game. They don't give you a lot of opportunities, so got to bear down when you get the chances tonight.”
Dec 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (61) is defended by Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele (37) as he handles the puck in the first period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Gauthier and Troy Terry will both return to the lineup after missing Tuesday's game with an illness and upper-body injury, respectively. Terry has missed three consecutive games due to his injury and was expected to be a game-time decision on Tuesday, but did not participate in warmups. Gauthier was a full participant at Tuesday's morning skate but was ruled out with an illness prior to puck drop. He also did not participate in warmups.
UPDATE: Troy Terry has been placed on injured reserve. Sam Colangelo has been recalled from AHL San Diego.
“Feeling good, ready to go,” Gauthier said. “We have to play a solid defensive game and play super physical. In the Dallas game, watching the game, guys just played a really physical role and allowed everyone to know who their checks were and clarified up things in the D-zone, especially in the O-zone. Moving forward, I think that's the standard, just got to build off of it.”
Anaheim will be without forward Leo Carlsson for the second consecutive game due to a lower-body injury. Carlsson missed Tuesday's game with the injury after being a full participant at morning skate. Carlsson missed one game in late December due to a lower-body injury. Whether these two injuries are the same injury or two separate injuries is unknown.
Apr 10, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (91) moves the puck against Los Angeles Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson (44) during the third period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Nikita Nesterenko was assigned to AHL San Diego on Thursday, which leaves the Ducks with zero extra forwards due to Carlsson's injury. Kreider did not participate in Friday’s morning skate and will be a game-time decision, according to Quenneville. The Ducks acquired forward Jeffrey Viel from the Boston Bruins on Friday morning, but he will not be available to play as he travels across the coast from Boston.
Long-time King and team captain Anže Kopitar will not play in either game this weekend after being placed on injured reserve on Jan. 10 with a lower-body injury. This means that Kopitar likely already played the final game of his career against the Ducks on Dec. 27, 2025.
Ducks Projected Lines
Cutter Gauthier - Mason McTavish - Ryan Strome Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke Jansen Harkins - Ryan Poehling - Sam Colangelo Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Ian Moore
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba Olen Zellweger - Radko Gudas Pavel Mintyukov - Drew Helleson
Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)
Kings Projected Lines
Jeff Malott - Alex Laferriere - Adrian Kempe Warren Foegele - Quinton Byfield - Joel Armia Kevin Fiala - Alex Turcotte - Andrei Kuzmenko Andre Lee - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward
Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci
As the trade deadline approaches, trade rumours will continue to follow the Vancouver Canucks. The latest involves the L.A. Kings, who are rumoured to be interested in Evander Kane. This report came from MayorsManor.com and was released on Thursday.
As per the report, "While it’s still a rumor — something we don’t normally spend too much time on, but this was just too intriguing to not stop and give it pause for a few minutes — two separate sources over the past week have said they believe Holland is kicking the tires on a potential Kane trade."
Kane does have some connections to the Kings organization. Most notable is L.A.'s GM Ken Holland, who signed the now 34-year-old back in 2022 while with the Edmonton Oilers. Kane also played with Corey Perry and Warren Foegele during his time with the Oilers.
Kane was initially acquired by Vancouver during the off-season for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. In 46 games this season, he has scored seven goals while recording 21 points. Kane leads the Canucks in penalty minutes with 55, while his 76 hits rank third on the team.
Jan 2, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Evander Kane (91) gets up after a check against the Seattle Kraken in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline is scheduled for March 6 at noon PT. Vancouver is expected to be busy leading up to the deadline as they enter into rebuild mode. Based on Jim Rutherford's recent comments, it appears that the Canucks are open for business, which means plenty of rumours will circulate over the next few weeks.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane has already taken care of a historic matter of business, having become just the 50th player in NHL history to reach 500 goals scored.
Now, he's got his sights trained on a new historic milestone that he's on the precipice of.
With 1,371 career points, Kane is only three points away from tying Mike Modano for most by a U.S.-born player in NHL history, and four away from taking sole ownership of the mark.
Kane, who grew up watching Modano's career and even played against him several times while a member of the Chicago Blackhawks, would welcome his presence in the venue whenever it is that he's on the verge of surpassing his points total.
"I haven't talked to him recently, maybe as it gets closer, we'll see what happens as we get closer to the number," Kane said. "But I read that he'd like to be in attendance for it, which would be pretty cool."
Modano, a one-time former Red Wings forward who won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Dallas Stars with future Red Wings players like Brett Hull and Derian Hatcher, said in late November that he'd love to witness Kane break his record in person.
"I knew years ago that he might be one that if he stayed healthy, that he would be the guy that kind of goes after it," Modano said. "I'd love to be there and definitely would make the effort to be there for that one."
Like Kane in 2007, Modano was a former first-overall draft pick whose NHL career began with the Minnesota North Stars before the franchise relocated to Texas in 1993.
For Kane, having Modano on hand for such a historic milestone would make the moment even more special.
"It would be special, he was a player I really enjoyed watching when I was younger, the face of USA hockey for a long time," Kane said of Modano. "A lot of flair to his game with skill, speed, explosiveness, a fun player to watch, and one of the best American players of all time."
"Obviously, his numbers speak for themselves, but it would be a cool number to get to, and to have him here to be part of it would be pretty special."
That sentiment isn't lost on Kane's longtime teammate Alex DeBrincat, who, like Kane, grew up watching Modano.
"It would be really cool," DeBrincat said. "It would be a passing of the torch moment and definitely cool for all parties involved for him to be in the building. I'm sure Kaner looks up to him,
Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan, who coached against Modano both as an assistant with the Red Wings and early in his tenure as head coach of the San Jose Sharks, said it would be an honor to have Modano in Detroit to witness Kane breaking his points record.
"I think it would be great," McLellan said. "Hockey has a way of bringing legends out to big moments. Mike is recognized as one of the best American players of all time, and a former Red Wing, so to have him around if he's able, I'm sure he has a busy schedule, but if he's able and willing, it would certainly be an honor to host him."
"Hopefully Kaner can get the job done on those nights."
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Colton, who was listed as day-to-day yesterday (Jan 15) with an upper-body injury, was a game-time decision per head coach Jared Bednar during their morning skate, as he was the only player absent.
Though his availability was put into question, no one from the Colorado Eagles was initially called up, suggesting his status for tonight's game was super serious or that they really wanted to see if Colton could play and make a last-minute decision to call someone up.
The Avalanche had already had to call up a number of players from the Eagles, with numerous forwards currently injured. Ivan Ivan and Zahkar Bardakov, in place of Joel Kiviranta and Gabriel Landeskog, who are presently out week-to-week.
Most importantly, Blackwood is being activated from Injury Reserve and starting tonight, marking his first game since New Year's Eve against the St. Louis Blues, when he stopped 12 of 13 shots faced, helping them to a 6-1 victory. This is another boost for the Avalanche as they will now have their full goaltending tandem available, also known as the "Lumberyard."
Though Trent Miner, who was called up to help relieve Scott Wedgewood during his absence, showed an outstanding performance that should not only show confidence in the organziation but with the fans that if there would happen to be another injury to one of the goalies, Miner showed that despite the level of this team playing infront of him, he made some big plays either keeping the Avalanche in the lead to helping them stay within distance to tie the game and earn a point.
Mackenzie Blackwood morning skate practice
In the two games he played, he helped earn his first career win and shutout against the Columbus Blue Jackets (Jan 10) and helped earn a point against the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime (Jan 12). The Avalanche play 10 more games before the Olympic break, six at home and four on the road.
The New York Rangers, less than two years removed from being the league's best regular-season team, are calling for a "retool."
General manager Chris Drury sent out a message to fans on Jan. 16 with the struggling Rangers sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference.
"With our position in the standings and injuries to key players this season, we must be honest and realistic about our situation," he wrote. "We are not going to stand pat - a shift will give us the ability to be smart and opportunistic as we retool the team. This will not be a rebuild. This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects.
"We will target players that bring tenacity, skill, speed and a winning pedigree with a focus on obtaining young players, draft picks and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward. That may mean saying goodbye to players that have brought us and our fans great moments over the years. These players represented the Rangers with pride and class and will always be a part of our family."
The Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy and reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2023-24. They missed the playoffs last season, leading to a coaching change to Mike Sullivan.
But fortunes haven't changed. They have lost five in a row, starting in a game in which star goaltender Igor Shesterkin was hurt. In the four games since, they have given up 27 goals. Defenseman Adam Fox is also out with an injury.
According to puckpedia.com, the Rangers have a little more than $3,000 in cap space available.
Artemi Panarin is in the final year of his contract and would fetch prospects and picks if dealt. He has an $11.6 million cap hit and a full no-movement clause that the Rangers would need to get him to waive. The Athletic reported that Panarin was told his contract wouldn't be extended.
Many of their other veterans are locked in long-term, including Fox and Vincent Trocheck (2029), J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad (2030) and Shesterkin (2033).
"You will begin to see some of our plans come to light in the coming weeks and months," Drury wrote.
The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on March 6.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes acquired minor league defenseman Kyle Masters and a fourth-round pick this year from the San Jose Sharks for a fifth-round selection in 2027.
The teams made the move on Friday.
San Jose dealt Masters to clear a contract, allowing rookie Michael Misa to continue playing for the Sharks. Misa needed to be added to the roster to play in a 10th game and the Sharks had been at the limit of 50 contracts before the trade.
The 22-year-old Masters, who has not played in the NHL, was drafted in the fourth round by the Minnesota Wild in 2021. He has 35 career points in 69 games in the East Coast Hockey League and six points in 35 American Hockey League Games.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Anaheim Ducks have acquired forward Jeffrey Viel from the Boston Bruins in a trade for a fourth-round draft pick.
The Bruins will get either Detroit's pick or Philadelphia's pick — whichever is better — in the fourth round of the upcoming draft in the deal announced Friday.
Viel is scoreless with 30 penalty minutes in 10 games this season for Boston, and he hasn't scored an NHL point since the 2021-22 season with San Jose.
The physical forward has spent most of his professional career in the AHL, but has five points and 183 penalty minutes in 64 career NHL games with the Bruins and Sharks. He scored 40 points for the Winnipeg Jets' AHL affiliate in the 2023-24 season.
The Ducks already have physical forward Ross Johnson on their roster. The veteran leads Anaheim with 83 penalty minutes while also scoring a career-high 12 points in 44 games.
The Buffalo Sabres are continuing to impress as the season rolls on and are setting themselves up to be buyers in the process.
With the Sabres looking to break their 14-year post-season drought, they should not be afraid to make some additions near the deadline if they remain in the playoff race. One specific need they should address is the right side of their defense.
When looking at potential trade candidates around the NHL, one player who could be a nice addition to a Sabres club on the rise is Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas.
After starting the season on fire, the Anaheim Ducks have fallen back down to Earth. The Ducks have won only one out of their last 10 games and are now sixth in the Pacific Division standings. If they continue to struggle as the season rolls on and are out of a playoff spot closer to the deadline, Gudas could be a trade candidate to watch.
Gudas is currently in the final year of his contract and is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA). Thus, if the Ducks find themselves out of the playoff race near the deadline, Gudas would be a prime rental candidate. With the Sabres needing another right-shot defenseman and veteran, he could be a great fit on Buffalo's roster.
If the Sabres brought in Gudas, he would give them a hard-nosed defenseman who is known for his leadership and has a good amount of playoff experience. With this, he could be a nice depth pickup for a Sabres club looking to take that next step.
In 33 games this season with the Ducks, Gudas has recorded one goal, nine points, 22 penalty minutes, 58 blocks, and 116 hits.
Florida Panthers center Cole Schwindt will return to the lineup tonight after missing 26 games with a broken arm.
Prior to sustaining the injury, Schwindt had played 10 games in a Panthers uniform, scoring twice. The Panthers claimed Schwindt off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights, about a year after the Golden Knights claimed Schwindt from the Calgary Flames.
The Panthers had initially drafted the 6-foot-3 right-handed center, but traded him to the Flames as part of the package that landed Matthew Tkachuk. The 24-year-old Schwindt has played 59 games in his NHL career, scoring three goals and 10 points.
Schwindt was seen skating on the fourth line, centering Jesper Boqvist on his left and Luke Kunin on his right. Exiting the lineup is Jack Studnicka, as Sandis Vilmanis will once again skate as the third line left winger next to Evan Rodrigues and Mackie Samoskevich.
As the Panthers welcome back Schwindt, they’ll remain without Tkachuk and Brad Marchand. Tkachuk did skate today but did not partake in line rushes. His return seems imminent, but the Panthers have preached patience, and they won’t dress Tkachuk until he is 100 percent healthy.
Marchand, whose injury is considered day-to-day, remains out of the lineup and did not skate today at practice. He wore a non-contact jersey the last time the Panthers skated, but he was absent this time. His injury seems to be trending in the wrong direction at the moment.
The Panthers take on the Carolina Hurricanes tonight in Raleigh, NC, at 7:00 p.m. EST at the Lenovo Center.
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Following the announcement that Adam Wilsby is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, the Nashville Predators have recalled Andreas Englund from the Milwaukee Admirals.
Englund played 24 games up in Nashville last season, recording two points (two assists) and logging 36 penalty minutes. This season in Milwaukee, he has 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 30 games and 44 penalty minutes.
The 6-feet-3-inch, 201-pound defenseman was drafted by the Ottawa Senators 40th overall in the 2014 draft.
He was placed on waivers by the Los Angeles Kings after playing just 11 games during the 2024-25 season, producing just one goal. On Feb. 10, 2025, Englund was claimed by the Predators.
Englund will either take Wilsby's spot on the second pairing with Brady Skjei or move down to the third pairing with Justin Barron and Nick Blankenburg would move up.
The Predators kick off a quick two-game road trip on Friday, facing the Colorado Avalanche at 8 p.m. CST before traveling to Las Vegas to play the Golden Knights on Saturday at 9 p.m. CST.
The Ducks made a trade on Friday morning, acquiring forward Jeffrey Viel from the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick. The Bruins will receive the better pick between the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers.
Viel, 28, has appeared in 10 NHL games this season for the Bruins. He spent most of last season in the AHL with the Providence Bruins.
Undrafted out of the QMJHL, Viel signed a two-year entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks in 2019. Playing the role of an agitating grinder, Viel spent two seasons in the AHL before getting NHL experience during the shortened 2020-21 season. He continued to split time between the NHL and AHL before spending the entire 2023-24 season in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose, the Winnipeg Jets’ AHL affiliate.
Viel’s sandpaper play style matches what head coach Joel Quenneville is looking for from his bottom-6 and also mirrors the style of play that general manager Pat Verbeek displayed during his playing days. A fourth line consisting of Viel, Ross Johnston and Ryan Poehling could prove to be an irritating combination for opponents.
With Nikita Nesterenko being assigned to AHL San Diego on Thursday, the Ducks had an open roster spot to accommodate Viel. Because the Bruins are at home on the East Coast, Viel is unlikely to play in either Friday or Saturday’s games against the Los Angeles Kings.
There are two kinds of losses in the NHL: losses that feel like one-off nights and losses that start to resemble patterns. The Philadelphia Flyers’ 6–3 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday leaned toward the latter.
Philadelphia showed stretches of the assertive, organized hockey that has carried it through much of the season, particularly in a dominant second period, but those moments were swallowed by recurring issues: slow starts, untimely penalties, and an inability to convert territorial control into scoreboard pressure.
The result was a fifth straight loss, and one that stings a little more coming against a bitter division rival that now leads the season series 2–1.
1. The Opening Act Sets the Tone—And the Tone Is Wrong.
Before most of the crowd had settled, the Flyers were already playing from behind. Pittsburgh scored twice in the first period with a directness that contrasted sharply with Philadelphia’s tentative puck play. The Penguins didn’t need elaborate sequences—just quick exits, clean entries, and a willingness to attack seams the Flyers left open through the middle.
This has, unfortunately, become a pattern in recent games. The Flyers' starts have grown cautious, almost procedural, as if the group is waiting for the game to reveal itself instead of seizing it. Defensemen retreated a half-beat too far, forwards arrived late on first touches, and breakouts lacked the crisp support options that contributed so crucially to the team's success earlier in the season. By the time the Flyers began to find their legs, they were already chasing a two-goal deficit against an opponent content to counterpunch.
The psychological tax of that dynamic is evident. Every shift becomes heavier when the margin for error has vanished before the game has truly begun.
2. Discipline as a Recurring Self-Inflicted Wound.
If the slow starts are the disease, penalties have been the accelerant. Philadelphia took a series of minors that felt avoidable and, worse, ill-timed. Each trip to the box functioned as a reset button for Pittsburgh, erasing the Flyers’ best sequences before they could mature into sustained pressure.
Against Tampa Bay earlier in the week, the Flyers were penalized 12 times. Thursday wasn’t quite that extreme, but the theme persisted: discipline eroding just as momentum appeared within reach.
It doesn't help that the Flyers' special teams are still leaving something to be desired. Their power play is currently sitting last in the NHL at just 15% effectiveness, and while their penalty kill is in a better position in 21st place at 77.8%, it hasn't shown the dominance it once did not all that long ago.
3. A Second Half That Promised Everything—and Delivered Too Little.
In the middle frame of this game, the Flyers started to look like themselves again.
Rodrigo Abols scored his third goal of the season—he’s now tied for second on the team with eight points since Dec. 20—and Matvei Michkov snapped his drought in the third period with his tenth, continuing his uncanny knack for producing against the Penguins (six points in seven career games).
Nick Seeler added his second of the year in the final frame, and Denver Barkey orchestrated sequences with the poise of a veteran, finishing with two assists.
But the Flyers kept conceding. One loose puck management decision became a rush against, one missed layer became a goal, and the air left the bench. It has happened too often in this skid: Philadelphia plays well enough to deserve a different scoreline, but not well enough to protect itself from a single lapse.
4. Goaltending Caught in the Crossfire.
Sam Ersson was pulled early in the second period, replaced by Aleksei Kolosov, who was called up in the absence of Dan Vladar, who left early in the game against Buffalo and is getting evaluated for an unspecified injury.
The move was not an indictment of Ersson alone; too many chances arrived uncontested, and too many cross-seam passes reached their target without resistance. Still, the change spoke to a growing unease.
Over the last five games, Flyers goaltenders have been asked to be crisis managers rather than backstops. Defensive layers that once arrived automatically are now inconsistent. When that happens repeatedly, even average chances begin to feel dangerous.
Kolosov provided some relief, but no matter who has been in net across these five games, Philadelphia has been leaking goals in bunches, and no goalie thrives in that climate.
Aleksei Kolosov (35). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
5. Barkey Shines, Which Is Both Hopeful and Telling.
Denver Barkey was the Flyers’ most compelling player, driving transition with speed and courage, picking up two assists and repeatedly arriving at the interior ahead of Pittsburgh defensemen.
It was also revealing. When a player fresh out of junior hockey is the engine in a rivalry game, it highlights how quiet some established voices have become. Michkov’s goal (assisted by Barkey), and his spirited response of dropping the gloves after Barkey absorbed a heavy hit, showed pride, but the broader attack remains disjointed—which is even more disappointing considering how much scoring they've enjoyed this season across all four lines.
Thursday night was not a blowout in spirit until the scoreboard made it one. Almost more frustratingly, it was a series of small failures stacked on top of one another.
Those habits have turned a manageable rough patch into a five-game slide in which opponents have piled on goals and forced Philadelphia into impossible scripts. The group that once prided itself on structure and steadiness now looks hurried and, at times, unsure of where the next answer will come from.
Losing to Pittsburgh always amplifies the sting, but the real concern is not the opponent—it is the repetition. Until the Flyers repair their starts, rediscover discipline, and convert their good minutes into safe leads, nights like this will continue to feel less like aberrations and more like warnings.
It's still January, so it would be unfair to say that the season is entirely lost, but what has been lost—at least for right now—is the advantageous position they held in the Metropolitan Division (they've slid from third to fifth), and what is in danger of slipping through their fingers is a comfortable shot at the postseason.
Catastrophizing and placing the brunt of the blame on any single player is unproductive in times like these. This is their first major losing streak, and their first significant test of self-evaluation and resiliency, under Rick Tocchet. Time will tell how they handle bouncing back from this rough patch because while the tide may be receding, the tsunami has not hit the Flyers' shores just yet.
For a while, no one was taking the opportunity and running with it as head coach Patrick Roy cycled his lines, hoping that someone would get in an offensive groove and take some pressure off Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat, the latter of whom has missed six straight games and 11 of the last 14.
As of late, two players have risen to the occasion.
Forward Simon Holmstrom is playing the most confident brand of hockey we've seen from him at the NHL level, even more so than what we saw in his breakout campaign last season, where he scored 20 goals with 25 assists for 45 points.
While his slow start to the season might disallow him from reaching last season's point totals, his confidence with the puck on his stick has been impressive and, more importantly, consistent. He's driving plays. He's using that long reach and his 6'1, 208-pound frame to protect pucks, win battles, and find teammates.
Although he's been held pointless in the last two games, with no shots in their 1-0 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, he had four goals and one assist in the three games prior.
He scored the overtime winner against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night for the 4-3 dub:
The penalty kill, in which he plays a leading role, has killed off 8-of-10 on this road trip.
The other player who has really stepped up has been forward Anthony Duclair.
After what happened at the tail-end of last season and his struggles to start this season, you have to credit Duclair for buying in and doing the little things that help win hockey games. He found himself in a bottom-six role where he committed to the defensive side of the puck and even sat in the press box at times.
But a breakout game against the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 6, a 9-0 win which saw him score a hat-trick, adding two assists for a five-point night, has him humming along, and Roy rewarded him with an opportunity to play on the top line with Barzal.
After going pointless in their 2-1 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators and in their 4-3 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild, Duclair has found the back of the net in each of the last two games.
He scored the lone goal in the Islanders' 1-0 shutout win against Edmonton, a power-play goal playing in the Horvat bumper spot:
This summer, when you looked at this team on paper, you thought that this was going to be the deepest offensive team Long Island has seen in quite a while.
However, we were just not seeing the depth scoring come through consistently. With injuries to Horvat and Palmieri, the Islanders had to rely heavily on defense, goaltending, and the penalty kill.
While those things have remained tremendously strong, backstopping the team in every win, the Islanders are starting to get some scoring from "the other guys," and that's beyond critical, especially once Horvat returns.
The Detroit Red Wings are becoming a regular mainstay when it comes to the NHL rumor mill with the team being involved in several trade rumors as well as being regularly named as a likely fit for certain players due to how advantageous a spot like the Red Wings is these days.
A renewed winning culture, a strong young core blending seamlessly with a solid group of veterans, and a pipeline of blue chip prospects that can either accelerate the rebuild or be used as valuable trade assets have positioned the Red Wings as a major topic of conversation around the league.
They have surfaced in even more trade discussions toward the end of the week, centering on a player recently made available by the Vancouver Canucks. Around the league, teams are closely monitoring whether the Canucks will move star center Elias Pettersson, as the former 102-point scorer has experienced a significant drop-off since his career-best season.
Pettersson was reportedly involved in a rumored conflict with former teammate J.T. Miller during their time in Vancouver, with the two said to have clashed frequently. Many believe it was Miller's unsatisfaction with Pettersson's play and his work ethic following signing his current large contract with a heavy $11.6 million cap hit for six more seasons after this one.
The team tried to resolve the issue by dealing Miller to the New York Rangers but still no resolution has been found in Pettersson's game as he's sitting with 29 points in 39 games this season with the Canucks sitting in last place in the NHL.
TSN's Chris Johnston spoke to the rumors of the Canucks open to trading Pettersson saying that many teams believe he just needs a fresh start elsewhere to find that 100-point player once again.
Everything started up with Pettersson trade rumors once again when The Province's Patrick Johnston spoke with Vancouver GM Jim Rutherford, who told the reporter “It’s our duty to take calls on everyone,” in a statement that echoed throughout the entire hockey media landscape.
This quote also builds off a report made by TSN’s Darren Dreger who said that the Canucks management team has been starting to look more into the idea of a complete rebuild and that they are "open for just about anything, and that might include finally trading Elias Pettersson."
Johnston finished off his talk on Pettersson by naming some teams that could be a fit for the Swedish center with the final team mentioned being the Red Wings.
There is a potential spot for Pettersson in the Motor City considering they could immediately put him in a favorable spot on the team's second line and have him play with star talents like Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, who could hopefully get a quick turnaround out of Pettersson. His contract would be a heavy one but the Red Wings would be able to work around it quite well compared to other teams.
Detroit’s most significant upcoming contract decision involves Simon Edvinsson, who is expected to land a deal comparable to St. Louis defenseman Philip Broberg. Broberg recently signed a six-year extension carrying an $8 million annual cap hit. Given their similar playing styles, it is reasonable to project a comparable contract for Edvinsson, though he is two years younger and could potentially command a seven-year term.
The Red Wings currently have more than $27.4 million in available cap space and could see even more flexibility next season, with several contracts set to expire. Patrick Kane and James van Riemsdyk may come off the books if they choose not to re-sign, while defensemen Travis Hamonic, Ben Chiarot, and Erik Gustafsson, along with goaltender Cam Talbot, are also scheduled to become free agents.
With so much available space, adding a second center with a heavy cap hit like Pettersson isn't the worst idea plus as the cap continues to grow the $11.6 million will take up less of the overall cap and will start to look like a bargain if they can turn Pettersson's game around.
It's a gamble for the Red Wings as they will likely need to sacrifice some meaningful assets, most likely Nate Danielson among others but if they want to possibly acclurate their chances at contending for a Stanley Cup, getting a stable second line center could be a great move.
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