Category: NHL

The Ottawa Senators have entered the Olympic break on a winning note, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 2–1 in overtime on Thursday night in a fine defensive road performance.  Tim Stutzle scored the OT winner for the Senators on a gorgeous deke past Flyers goalie Dan Vladar.

As if playing on the eve of a three-week holiday weren’t enough of a distraction, the Sens’ scheduled starting goalie, Linus Ullmark, fell ill during the day and couldn’t play. He's played two games, winning both, since returning from a month-long leave of absence. That called James Reimer into late action as the starter, with Hunter Shepard recalled from Belleville.

After a scoreless first period, Nick Cousins broke the deadlock midway through the second, cramming home a rebound off a Shane Pinto shot, and that looked for a long time like it might stand up as the game-winner.

Pinto showed some excellent patience at the side of the Flyers' net before ripping a wrist shot off Vladar's pads, and looked like it was probably designed to create the rebound.

Reimer’s save of the night came midway through the third. With the Sens still clinging to a 1–0 lead, Sean Couturier broke hard to the front of the net. Reimer made a strong pad save and may have gotten a piece of the rebound as well.

But the Flyers pressed late and the Sens got caught with tired defenders out there. Jamie Drysdale's wrist shot got through a sea of players and found its way under Reimer's blocker. 

That assured the rival Flyers at least a point and forced overtime where it was defense be damned.

Both Brady Tkachuk and Stutzle got caught up ice, leading to a 2 on 1 for the Flyers. Stutzle hustled back to try and help, but Tkachuk was out of gas. Former 67 Travis Konecny missed the right post with his shot, and the puck rimmed all the way out to Tkachuk who was still slowly coming back at centre ice.

The captain left the puck for Stutzle, who blew past him, past Travis Sanheim and then past Vladar for the game winner.

The Senators outshot the Flyers on the night, 27-16, and they also got a little luck from the out of town scoreboard. The Buffalo Sabres, who hold one of the wild cards in the East, lost 5-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, the Washington Capitals, the best of the conference's non-playoff teams, won 4-2 over Nashville to stay two points up on Ottawa.

With 25 games to play, the Senators are now seven points back of Buffalo (WC1) and six behind idle Boston (WC2).

Ottawa now enters the break with five wins in their last six games. Their next game won't be until Feb. 26 when they host the Detroit Red Wings.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

In his introductory news conference with the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday after getting traded from the Rangers on Wednesday, Artemi Panarin spoke about his time in New York, which spanned nearly seven seasons before ultimately coming to an unfortunate ending as the Blueshirts look to shake things up in the midst of a disappointing season.

To his credit, Panarin spoke well about his former organization despite the rocky breakup.

"It’s a lot of good memories," he said. "Obviously, a couple of conference finals, always had a great group of guys there too. It’s a pretty good atmosphere and obviously, when you’re winning, it’s pretty helpful and you’re in a good mood every day."

Signed to a seven-year, $81.5 million deal in 2019 after some excellent stints with the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets in his first four seasons in the NHL, Panarin had an illustrious career for the Rangers. The left winger compiled 205 goals and 402 assists in 482 games played and helped New York get into the playoffs four times, including a span of three straight postseason appearances from 2022-2024.

During that three-year stint, the Rangers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals twice but were unable to break through to the Stanley Cup either time and are still looking for their first championship since the 1993-94 season.

"Obviously, that’s a great organization," Panarin said. "The New York Rangers, an original six team, huge history. I was pretty proud for playing for those guys."

The veteran also made sure to thank the fans and pledged to make a video for everyone after things settled down for him and his family, who are clearly still trying to process the entire situation after such a long tenure in New York. Panarin even said that he doesn't like switching back and forth with teams and that he didn't want to go anywhere just as a rental. 

Ultimately, the 34-year-old signed a two-year contract extension with Los Angeles following the trade, which almost certainly helped him with his decision as other playoff contenders were vying for him as well.

Panarin also discussed contract extension talks that he and the Rangers had (and didn't have), saying they talked about an extension before the season and that was basically it. Nevertheless, he also acknowledged GM Chris Drury's hands being tied with how bad the season started for the team and at some point realized his future with the team was in jeopardy.

"I feel like maybe 15 games ago when we started losing everything [I realized] it was possible [to get traded]," Panarin said. "And then when we lost to Boston like 10-1 or something like that, I would say that I already understood that even if Chris wanted to give me a deal, he probably can’t now because we’re kind of struggling here the whole team and we probably need some changes."

Now with the Kings, Panarin is ready for a new chapter in his career and is eager to get going in Los Angeles, even if he doesn't know what his role will be yet or where he will play. With the NHL Olympic break running from Feb. 6 to Feb. 24, Panarin will have to wait quite a while before he suits up for his new team, but he sees the pause as a good thing.

"It’s probably perfect timing because the Olympic break is pretty long this year and it gives me some time to get used to my new team," he said.

And regardless of where he's at now or how things ended in New York, Panarin will always have a connection with the Rangers and what they accomplished together.

"I feel like when you play for one team a long time, it will always be in your heart," he said.

Artemi Panarin admits he had his sights set on Hollywood, insisting Thursday that he “didn’t want to go anywhere else” after it was clear he would not be re-signed by the Rangers.

One day after agreeing to waive his no-movement clause with the Blueshirts to facilitate a trade to Los Angeles, Panarin said he “tried to find a team for myself that was where I wanted to be.”

That new team is the Kings, who signed the potential free agent to a two-year contract extension worth $22 million after sending forward prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional draft pick to the Rangers.

“Six-and-a-half seasons is a pretty long time [to be in New York]. … A lot of good memories, a couple [Eastern] Conference finals. It was a great group of guys,” Panarin told reporters Thursday on a Zoom call. “I was pretty proud to wear [the Rangers’] jersey. And thank you to the fans. I have to make a video, actually.”

The 34-year-old Panarin stressed that due to his wife and two children, he “didn’t want to be rented for a couple months, then go somewhere else” in free agency.

“I don’t know if I should say [this], but I feel like the [Rangers’] contract offer said, like, ‘We’re not sure if we want you or not,’ ” Panarin said.

Panarin, the Rangers’ leading scorer in each of his seven seasons with the team, said he sought and received an endorsement of the Kings from Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, who played in Los Angeles for parts of the previous three seasons.

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While the Detroit Red Wings were reportedly interested in acquiring skilled winger Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers, it was former Red Wings general manager Ken Holland who ultimately landed one of the biggest prizes on the open trade market.

Holland, who is in his first season as general manager of the Los Angeles Kings, acquired Panarin from the New York Rangers on Wednesday afternoon, and sent forward prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to the Rangers in return. 

ARTEMI PANARIN IS AN LA KING. 🍞

Full release 📰📲 https://t.co/2pUOAa8SPkpic.twitter.com/u5NwmyQ7m5

— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 4, 2026

What's more, Panarin won't just be a rental for the Kings. Holland acted quickly, signing their new prize forward to a two-year, $22 million extension. 

“Obviously, we made the deal today to make our team better," Holland said. "We signed him to a two-year extension. We weren’t going to do it as a rental. He didn’t want to go anywhere as a rental. He wanted to find a home, so we’re thrilled that he wanted to waive the no-trade (clause) to come to LA. We’re happy that we were able to get him to a two-year extension, and after two years, I’m hoping that we’re working on another extension, but (I’ll) worry about that down the road." 
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Holland is no stranger to pulling off major blockbuster acquisitions via free agency or trade, dating back to his time with the Red Wings, when he brought in players such as Dominik Hasek, Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille, Marian Hossa, and Brian Rafalski.

"I think it was just a matter of these types of players with this resume are very, very difficult to find, and we had an opportunity to add one today," Holland said of Panarin. 

The Kings, who have not won a postseason series since their 2014 Stanley Cup win, just bolstered their lineup with one of the top forwards in the game without having to give up much to acquire him. 

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The NHL roster freeze is underway, meaning the St. Louis Blues won’t trade anyone until it ends on Feb. 22.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t any trade speculation, or that general managers aren’t discussing moves they could make before the March 6 trade deadline.

A new report from Ansar Khan of MLive suggests that Blues defenseman Justin Faulk could be the defenseman the Detroit Red Wings need to solidify their blueline. 

The Red Wings have no shortage of stout right-handed defenders. Moritz Seider is enjoying a phenomenal season and is considered by many to be a Norris Trophy finalist when the season ends. The 24-year-old has scored seven goals and 38 points this season while averaging 25:40 of ice time. He’s a two-way defender who brings a physical element.

The other young right-handed defender on the Red Wings roster is Axel Sandin-Pellikka. The 20-year-old has notched six goals and 18 points, showing signs that he can be a good offensive defenseman in the NHL. But he has struggled defensively and requires more sheltered minutes, and that’s where Faulk comes into play.

Faulk would slide nicely on the Red Wings’ second pair alongside either Simon Edvinsson or Ben Chiarot. Faulk’s defensive capabilities, and his ability to add offense from the blueline are the exact skillset the Red Wings are looking for. 

Faulk wouldn’t be required to play big minutes, as Seider and Edvinsson are their minute-munchers. But Faulk would allow Sandin-Pellikka to play sheltered minutes in more offensive situations, which would benefit his game. 

The Red Wings have a boatload of prospects and draft picks that they could use to acquire Faulk. They also have plenty of cap space to acquire Faulk’s full $6.5 million cap hit. 

The Red Wings are in the midst of a spirited battle in the Atlantic Division, as they are just four points back of the division lead, but are also just three points ahead of the second wild card spot.

Detroit needs as many experienced players as they can get their hands on, and Faulk would provide them with a much-needed upgrade. 

Markets For Three Blues Trade Candidates Beginning To MaterializeThe trade market is beginning to materialize, and The Fourth Period recently reported which teams may be interested in acquiring St. Louis Blues' Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk, and Jordan Kyrou.

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Flyers fall in OT, go into break with 12th loss over last 15 games originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers were quiet offensively Thursday night, giving Dan Vladar little support in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Senators.

Jamie Drysdale scored with just 1:14 minutes left in regulation to force OT.

Tim Stutzle scored the winner for Ottawa just 47 seconds into the bonus session. Eight seconds before that, Travis Konecny was denied on a 2-on-1 rush with Christian Dvorak.

The Flyers fell to 2-8 in overtime (they’re 5-3 in the shootout). They also dropped to 8-4-11 in games decided by one goal.

The Flyers (25-20-11) head into the Olympic break having lost 12 of their last 15 games (3-8-4). They’ve been outscored 62-38 in that stretch.

Rick Tocchet’s club failed to build off its 4-2 win Tuesday night over the Capitals. The Flyers haven’t won consecutive games in a month. The last time they did was Jan. 3-6.

“Earlier in the season, when we were fighting for one of the top positions in the division, we realized that was probably a little ahead of schedule, probably getting better results that were warranted at the time,” general manager Danny Briere said Tuesday night. “What has happened now, the way we’ve been playing lately and what’s happening, I also know that it’s not as bad as the way we’ve been playing. So we’re somewhere in between all of that.”

The Flyers went 0-1-2 against the Senators (28-22-7) in their regular-season series.

• Vladar once again performed like the Flyers’ best player.

The 28-year-old carried his team with 25 saves on 27 shots.

Ottawa cracked him midway through the game when Nick Cousins scored on a rebound.

Senators netminder James Reimer stopped 15 of the Flyers’ 16 shots.

“It was a tight match out there — both sides, I didn’t think there was much going on,” Sean Couturier said. “I think as the year goes on, these are the type of games that we’re going to have to get used to playing. I thought we did a good job just sticking in there, getting a big goal at the end.

“It’s obviously tough losing, not getting the extra point, but I think this could be a huge point here down the road.”

• A month ago, the Flyers were in playoff position as they beat the Ducks, 5-2, to take over third place.

But the Flyers are now in sixth place. They’re eight points back of the third-place Islanders in a crowded Metropolitan Division. They’ve played two fewer games than New York.

“We’ll need to get red-hot,” Drysdale said. “I think we’re capable of it. Everyone take this break, reset. … We’ve got to come out swinging right away.”

• The Flyers had just eight shots at second intermission.

They had little going offensively. They finally started to generate some looks after Ottawa took its lead, but they couldn’t scratch one across.

Drysdale saved them late in the third period with a great shot to earn the Flyers a point.

• Couturier nearly snapped his goal-scoring drought with a drive to the net in the third period. But the Flyers’ captain was denied and his rebound attempt went wide. He has gone 29 straight games without a goal.

• The Flyers at least prevented Claude Giroux from hurting them.

The team’s former captain has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 12 career games against the Flyers after going scoreless Thursday night.

• Emil Andrae was a healthy scratch for a fifth straight game.

Tocchet and assistant coach Todd Reirden wanted to keep Noah Juulsen in the lineup because of the penalty kill’s recent run of success. But Juulsen ended up not playing at shorthanded (the Flyers committed just one penalty).

The Flyers need to find a way to get Andrae back in the lineup after the break.

• The Flyers now go 19 days without a game because of the NHL’s participation in the Olympics.

The club has three players heading to Italy as Vladar will play for Team Czechia, Travis Sanheim for Team Canada and Rasmus Ristolainen for Team Finland.

Rodrigo Abols won’t suit up for Team Latvia after suffering a lower-body injury last month.

Tocchet will represent the Flyers as an assistant coach on Team Canada’s staff.

While the Olympics are in action, the Flyers are scheduled to resume practice Feb. 17. Their first game back from the break is Feb. 25 when they visit the Capitals (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

Flyers fall in OT, go into break with 12th loss over last 15 games after originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers were quiet offensively Thursday night, giving Dan Vladar little support in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Senators.

Jamie Drysdale scored with just 1:14 minutes left in regulation to force OT.

Tim Stutzle scored the winner for Ottawa just 47 seconds into the bonus session.

The Flyers fell to 2-8 in overtime (they’re 5-3 in the shootout).

The Flyers (25-20-11) head into the Olympic break having lost 12 of their last 15 games (3-8-4). They’ve been outscored 62-38 in that stretch.

Rick Tocchet’s club failed to build off its 4-2 win Tuesday night over the Capitals. The Flyers haven’t won consecutive games in a month. The last time they did was Jan. 3-6.

“Earlier in the season, when we were fighting for one of the top positions in the division, we realized that was probably a little ahead of schedule, probably getting better results that were warranted at the time,” general manager Danny Briere said Tuesday night. “What has happened now, the way we’ve been playing lately and what’s happening, I also know that it’s not as bad as the way we’ve been playing. So we’re somewhere in between all of that.”

The Flyers went 0-1-2 against the Senators (28-22-7) in their regular-season series.

• Vladar once again performed like the Flyers’ best player.

The 28-year-old carried his team with 25 saves on 27 shots.

Ottawa cracked him midway through the game when Nick Cousins scored on a rebound.

Senators netminder James Reimer stopped 14 of the Flyers’ 15 shots.

• A month ago, the Flyers were in playoff position as they beat the Ducks, 5-2, to take over third place.

But the Flyers are now in sixth place. They entered Tuesday seven points back of the third-place Islanders in a crowded Metropolitan Division.

• The Flyers had just eight shots at second intermission.

They had little going offensively. They finally started to generate some looks after Ottawa took its lead, but they couldn’t scratch one across.

Drysdale saved them late in the third period with a great shot to earn the Flyers a point.

• Sean Couturier nearly snapped his goal-scoring drought with a drive to the net in the third period. But the Flyers’ captain was denied and his rebound attempt went wide. He has gone 29 straight games without a goal.

• The Flyers at least prevented Claude Giroux from hurting them.

The team’s former captain has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 12 career games against the Flyers.

• Emil Andrae was a healthy scratch for a fifth straight game.

Tocchet and assistant coach Todd Reirden wanted to keep Noah Juulsen in the lineup because of the penalty kill’s recent run of success. But Juulsen ended up not playing at shorthanded (the Flyers committed just one penalty).

The Flyers need to find a way to get Andrae back in the lineup after the break.

• The Flyers now go 19 days without a game because of the NHL’s participation in the Olympics.

The club has three players heading to Italy as Vladar will play for Team Czechia, Travis Sanheim for Team Canada and Rasmus Ristolainen for Team Finland.

Rodrigo Abols won’t suit up for Team Latvia after suffering a lower-body injury last month.

Tocchet will represent the Flyers as an assistant coach on Team Canada’s staff.

While the Olympics are in action, the Flyers are scheduled to resume practice Feb. 17. Their first game back from the break is Feb. 25 when they visit the Capitals (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

When Samuel Montembeault took to the ice with the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night, fans noticed something different about the Bécancour native: he was sporting a brand new mask. For once, the netminder went away from the classic look of a Canadiens’ bucket, which more often than not simply focuses on the logo.

His new mask was designed by Jordon Bourgeault, the artist behind Carey Price’s cyborg mask. On his Instagram page, Bourgeault explained that the concept was to make the entire mask a giant twisting knot of snakes. Even the Habs logo on the mask is made of snake scales. On the front of the mask, right above the cage, there are snake eyes, as if Montembeault himself were a snake.

The mask was made in partnership with Apple as part of the Made on iPad project and is available on the new EA Sports NHL game. That’s an interesting development, as fans of the gaming franchise had long wished the goaltenders in the game could wear their authentic masks, making the experience more realistic.

Yes, Samuel Montembeault is rocking a new mask #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/TX28FOIVuq

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) February 5, 2026

The design is an interesting change of pace for a Canadiens’ netminder, as more often than not, the Habs masked men err on the side of caution and stick to a more traditional concept. The backplate is painted to resemble bones, which complements the snake skeletons on the mask, and it features a large "M" for his family name and an image of his French Bulldog, Gucci. Overall, this really is a fantastic mask. 

Given how the season started for the netminder, one might wonder whether he intended to shake off his old skin, much like a snake does multiple times a year. It worked well for him, though, as he had a fantastic game, only conceding one goal to the Jets on the power play and finishing the game with a .973 save percentage. A performance that will no doubt allow him to have a much better Olympic break and that will have reassured the Habs’ brass, especially if he can build on it after the break. Chances are, he’ll still be wearing this mask when he returns from the break; you don’t change a winning formula.

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

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Capitals activated forward Pierre-Luc Dubois and goalie Logan Thompson from the injured list prior to Thursday night's matchup with Nashville, their final game before the Olympic break.

Dubois hasn't played since Oct. 31 because of surgery for injuries to his abdominal and adductor muscles. Thompson, who is part of Canada's roster for the Olympics, hasn't played since Jan. 27.

The Capitals are four points behind the New York Islanders for the last playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division.

The 27-year-old Dubois went without a point in the six games he's played this season. He had 20 goals and 46 assists last season, his first with Washington.

Thompson is 18-16-4 with a 2.46 goals-against average and a save percentage of .912 in 2025-26.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Ahead of the 2025-26 training camp, the Chicago Blackhawks signed veteran defenseman Matt Grzelcyk to a PTO. He took that opportunity and ran with it. 

Grzelcyk earned a spot on the roster and has played in every Blackhawks game so far. Through 57 games with Chicago, Grzelcyk has 12 assists. Whether it's playing a depth defensive role or quarterbacking one of the power play units, he gives great effort in whatever role Jeff Blashill asks of him. 

Before coming to Chicago, Grzelcyk had a nice career playing on some great teams. The truth is, though, that he needed a PTO to stay in the league this year. To say he's grateful for his current organization would be an understatement.              

"I'm lucky to still be in the league and lucky that Chicago gave me a chance. I love it here so far," Matt Grzelcyk said of playing for the Blackhawks. It isn't likely that they are going to be a postseason team, but Grzelcyk confirmed that it is still his mindset to make it with Chicago and hasn't considered being traded to a contender. 

"I honestly haven't really thought about [being moved] at all," Grzelcyk said when asked about welcoming an opportunity to move on and try to compete for the Stanley Cup. 

When Grzelcyk arrived at camp on a PTO, nobody had any idea what the year could turn into for him. He was desperate to stay in the league, and now he's an important piece on Chicago's blue line. 

"I just wanted to come to camp and see what happens over two weeks," Grzelcyk said. "I chose [Chicago] because I wanted to be here, and I'm glad it's worked out. I've had a lot of fun this year getting to meet everyone on the team and in the organization. They treated me extremely well, so it's been a great experience so far." 

From a Blackhawks standpoint, Grzelcyk brings a lot of wisdom to this young group. He has played with some of the game's all-time great leaders like Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and Sidney Crosby. This history has allowed him to come in and bring some of that knowledge to players looking to learn. 

"A lot of the young guys have questions about those guys. You learn through experience, getting to see them, how they operate, their day-to-day, how they approach every single day [trying] to get better at some aspect of their game, and the way they take care of their bodies. That was a very eye-opening experience, so I try to pay that forward. You want to lead by example as much as you can." 

Matt Grzelcyk is very into Boston University as an alumnus. With Ryan Greene, a fellow alumnus, on the team and Sacha Boisvert on the way, this program means a lot to the modern-day Blackhawks.

"I train there in the summer, so I'm really tight with some of the coaches there," Grzelcyk said. "I had them all with the Bruins. Their trainer was my assistant with the Bruins, as well. He trains me in the summer, and before I went on PTO here, I skated with them for two weeks, so I got to know some of the guys on the team. It's been fun to keep up with them and just wish them luck." 

There is a squat rack in BU's gym named after Matt Grzelcyk. Alongside some of his fellow alumni, they had equipment named after them as a thank you for donating money to help make upgrades to the gym. 

"It was mostly guys who train there in the summer. We get to use the equipment in the summer. They didn't really ask us; it was something we wanted to do. You see the benefits of it, so it's been great."

Grzelcyk confirmed that he keeps in touch with a lot of his old teammates from BU, the Bruins, and the Penguins, which shows how liked he was as a teammate everywhere he goes. There is value to having a guy of his charachter around. 

There are a lot of ways that the rest of the season can go for Grzelcyk, but his impact on the young players in Chicago's locker room will be felt for a long time. He is one of the good guys in the NHL, and the Blackhawks are better for having him around. 

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

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are set to be pretty shorthanded on the forward front for their final regular season game before the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina begin.

But they will be getting some reinforcements - including one forward getting his first recall to the NHL level.

On Thursday, the Penguins announced that forwards Blake Lizotte and Rickard Rakell will be unavailable for Thursday's game against the Buffalo Sabres, as Lizotte and his wife are expecting the birth of their first child and Rakell is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. In addition, Noel Acciari missed practice with an illness, and he will be a game-time decision.

In a correpsonding move, the Penguins recalled forward prospect Avery Hayes from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), their AHL affiliate. Hayes, 23, has 13 goals and 23 points in 31 AHL games on the season, including four goals and six points in his last six games. 

Pittsburgh Penguins At Buffalo Sabres Preview: Lineup Changes, Where To WatchThe Pittsburgh Penguins will try to go into the Olympic break on a high note.

Undrafted, Hayes signed a two-year entry level contract with the Penguins last spring, which kicked in for the 2025-26 season. As one of the final NHL roster cuts during Penguins' training camp, Hayes is a feisty, versatile forward that can be plugged anywhere in a lineup and play on both special teams units. 

Should Hayes make his NHL debut against the Sabres, he will be the 11th rookie to appear in a game for the Penguins this season, which is the top mark in the NHL.

Penguins' Top Forward Prospect Scores First AHL Goal In 4-1 WinIt certainly hasn't taken long for <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' top forward prospect Tanner Howe to adjust to professional hockey.

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

The Chicago Blackhawks have made a roster move, as they have assigned defenseman Sam Rinzel to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. 

With the Blackhawks now on their Olympic break, it makes sense that Rinzel is heading back to the IceHogs' roster. With this, the young blueliner will get to continue to get into game action while the Blackhawks are not playing. 

Rinzel has appeared in 31 games this season with the Blackhawks, where he has recorded two goals, seven assists, nine points, 30 penalty minutes, and an even plus/minus rating. This is after he recorded five assists in his first nine NHL games with the Blackhawks this past season. 

Down in the AHL with the IceHogs this campaign, Rinzel has recorded two goals, eight assists, and 10 points in 19 games. 

Rinzel is considered to be one of the Blackhawks' top prospects, as the 2022 first-round pick has plenty of upside. It will be interesting to see how much of an impact he can make with Rockford after being sent back down from here. 

we have assigned Sam Rinzel to @goicehogs

📰 ➡︎ https://t.co/UpmLkM9fAspic.twitter.com/3qb0Sq8OZG

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) February 5, 2026

The Pittsburgh Penguins only have one game left before their Olympic break but are experiencing a bumpy road to get to that finish line. It was already announced that Blake Lizotte will be out for tonight’s game against Buffalo due to the birth of his child and that Noel Acciari is a game-time decision while dealing with an illness that kept his off the ice for the morning skate.

To make matters worse, Rickard Rakell was unable to get through the skate and won’t be able to play tonight either.

As a result, the team has recalled Avery Hayes from the AHL.

Hayes would surely be in the lineup tonight should Acciari not be able to play now that Rakell is unable to play. If Acciari can go, the team would have an extra forward available.

The bigger question for Rakell as a member of Team Sweden is how big of an injury that he has and what that could mean for his participation in the upcoming Olympic games. The tournament begins on February 11th.

For the Pens, the Rakell injury will mean a new forward playing with Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust tonight, and possibly the NHL debut of another player in Avery Hayes depending on how the health status of Acciari looks by game time.

When the time came for “The Great One” to hang up his skates in 1999, he was well-aware of the value of his jerseys.

That’s why Wayne Gretzky wore four jerseys for his final game for the Rangers — one in warm-ups and one for each period.

The jersey Gretzky wore pre-game and for the first period is now on the auction block at Classic Auctions, with bidding currently sitting just below $100,000.

Another jersey from the game sold for $715,120 in 2023. His final jersey from the third period of the game now sits in the Hall of Fame.

Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.