After defeating Edmonton 6-3 last night, the Carolina Hurricanes travel three hours south to take on Calgary tonight at 10:00 PM ET.

Saturday night’s matchup is a tale of two opposites. The Flames are the second-worst team in the league, while the Hurricanes are tied for the second-best record in the NHL.

Calgary General Manager Craig Conroy has fully committed to a rebuild, offloading veterans and big contracts to stockpile draft capital and prospects.

In January, the Flames sent defenseman Rasmus Andersson to Vegas for a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and two defensemen.

Defenseman Mackenzie Weegar was sent to Utah earlier this week for three second-round picks, Olli Maatta, and Jonathan Castagna.

The big trade on Friday was center and leading scorer Nazem Kadri, who rejoined Colorado in exchange for a conditional first-round pick, a conditional second-round pick, Victor Olofsson, and Max Curran.

The two youngsters to keep an eye on are Castagna and Curran. Both are big, left-shot centers who will be critical in Calgary’s rebuild.

Castagna is a two-way center at Cornell and is expected to sign an entry-level contract once the NCAA season is over. This 200-foot player could make his NHL debut near the end of the season and will certainly compete for a roster spot next year.

Curran is a playmaker in the WHL, tallying 14 goals and 27 assists in 31 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings. The young Czech will likely be in juniors for another season.

The Flames have added a stockpile of solid draft picks, which will help build the prospect pool and enable trades for players who can help in the near term.

With these departures, Mikael Backlund is now the Flames’ leading scorer with 13 goals and 22 assists. Matt Coronato leads the team with 14 goals.

Another sore spot for Calgary fans is the injury to Jonathan Huberdeau. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve in late February and is undergoing hip resurfacing surgery to alleviate lingering issues.

In net, 24-year-old Dustin Wolf is taking the bulk of the starter’s workload. Wolf has played 44 games and has a 17-23-3 record. He is backed up by Devin Cooley, who has played 22 games and has a solid 2.27 goals against average and .923 save percentage.

Third-year coach Ryan Huska must completely shift his focus to developing players and executing his system. Huska’s philosophy relies heavily on structural defensive play, aggressive penalty killing, and quick transitions.

But the execution has not completely matched the blueprint.

Despite having the seventh-best penalty kill in the league, the Flames have a -35 goal differential, tied for 30th in the NHL.

The power play is abysmal, ranking second-to-last in the league. The units have been completely revamped, so expect some young forwards to get a shot on the man advantage.

Since the NHL returned from the 2026 Winter Olympics break in late February, the Flames have posted a 1-3-1 record. In these five games, the Flames have managed only eight goals while allowing 16. The lack of an offensive finish over the last four games is part of a larger problem for this team.

Calgary is the lowest-scoring team in the league, tallying 150 goals this season. The team has scored just 98 goals during five-on-five while allowing 125 goals.

When you look at the advanced statistics, the Flames’ season becomes both a little more encouraging and a lot more frustrating.

The Flames had 127 expected goals during five-on-five. That massive gap between their expected and actual goals shows that, while the Flames are generating some decent offensive chances, they severely lack the finishing touch needed to actually put the puck in the net.

The team has a Corsi percentage just over 50 percent, meaning they control the puck a bit more than the opponent during five-on-five.

Looking at expected goals against, it is 132 during five-on-five. Calgary has allowed 125 goals, and when looking at the number of high-danger chances, credit is due to Wolf.

The Flames are a young, retooled team. There is not much for them to gain this season, but putting up a solid effort against one of the best squads in the NHL can help them look to the future with confidence.

---

There are no nights off in the NHL, and the Hurricanes need to finish off this Canadian tour strong.

Brandon Bussi earned his first career shutout against the Flames back in November. With Frederik Andersen earning the win last night, and getting an assist on Jordan Staal’s goal, Bussi is expected to make the start.

Nikolaj Ehlers is the hot Hurricane right now. After his hat trick against Vancouver, Ehlers netted his 20th goal of the season last night.

Jackson Blake netted two third period goals to set a new career high in his sophomore season, and put him one marker away from the 20-goal threshold.

K’Andre Miller had three assists last night, his first three-assist night since February 8, 2023.

Sebastian Aho assisted on Shayne Gostisbehere’s first-period goal last night, putting him one away from 40 assists on the season. With his next apple, Aho will reach the 40-assist plateau for the fourth time in his 10 NHL seasons.

The most concerning news from last night was a lower-body injury to Gostisbehere. He left the game and did not return. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour did not have an update after the game.

Stay tuned for lineup changes, notably Gostisbehere and the fourth-line center.

---

Here’s how to check out the action:

• Time: 10:00 PM ET
• Location: Scotiabank Saddledome – Calgary, AB
• TV: FanDuel Sports Network with Mike Maniscalco, play-by-play; Tripp Tracy, color analyst; Shane Willis, analyst; Hannah Yates, rinkside.
• Radio: 99.9 The Fan FM
• Line: ML: CAR -192; PL: CAR -1.5 +136

Just hours after the NHL’s annual trade deadline, the Anaheim Ducks had a game to play, once again, with first place in the Pacific Division standings on the line, as they hosted the Montreal Canadiens on Friday evening.

Anaheim had just split back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday, and they entered play having won six of their last seven games.

Ducks GM Pat Verbeek on 2026 Trade Deadline Moves

Ducks Trade Ryan Strome to Flames

The Habs entered play in the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, and were coming off an entertaining 7-5 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

The Ducks added defenseman John Carlson from the Washington Capitals on Thursday night, but he was unavailable for Friday’s game. The Ducks also traded forward Ryan Strome to the Calgary Flames, rendering him unavailable for the Ducks as well. Troy Terry and Mikael Granlund remained out of the lineup with upper-body injuries, so the Ducks lined up like this to start the game:

Kreider-Carlsson-Gauthier

Killorn-McTavish-Sennecke

Vatrano-Poehling-Harkins

Johnston-Washe-Viel

LaCombe-Trouba

Zellweger-Gudas

Mintyukov-Moore

Lukas Dostal got the start in net for the Ducks after watching backup Ville Husso face 43 shots on Wednesday. Dostal saved 23 of the 28 shots he faced in this one. He was opposed by Samuel Montembeault in Montreal’s crease, who stopped 28 of 33.

“We find a way to compete, right to the end, and we have some guys that could put the puck in the net, and we have some goalies that make big saves at big times,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said of his team’s chaotic performance in this game.

Game Notes

Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba called this game “high event,” and he’d be accurate with his assessment. This is the kind of style that the Ducks seem to be embracing, and they know they have the firepower to compete offensively in a track meet, and when games go past regulation, they can win the “skills competitions” in overtime and in the shootout.

The Ducks haven’t been making as many “shoot themselves in the foot” gargantuan mistakes in open ice that lead to endless chances heading Dostal’s way as they had at the early points in the season. The defensive mistakes they’re making now are coming in the smaller areas of the ice and in the minutiae. Mistakes are coming from recovering from failed breakouts, switching assignments when pucks move across the top of the defensive zone, and eliminating potentially dangerous lanes.

Puck Retrievals: Jackson LaCombe was the only Ducks defenseman who was able to consistently absorb the aggressive Montreal forecheck and leverage it against them to manufacture clean exits. Radko Gudas played firmly within his skillset, making simple, safe rims and chips to safety.

The remaining four blueliners had a difficult time spinning off or moving pucks around the Habs’ F1s. When they were able to advance pucks, Montreal’s F2 eliminated D-to-D lanes, and pinching defensemen, more often than not, sealed off winger outlets before pucks arrived, elongating time spent in the Ducks’ defensive zone.

Mason McTavish: Breakouts weren’t just an issue for defensemen in this game. McTavish was often late to read progressions and late to arrive for support in his end. Pucks were jumping off his stick, and he was rarely able to pick pucks up at full speed in the defensive or neutral zones.

Chris Kreider: Kreider seems to have found a home on his line alongside Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson. Never a puck transporter, he’s always scanning for his linemates before pucks arrive at his stick as an outlet in transition, throwing little slip passes to Carlsson, longer area passes to Gauthier, hitting both in speed, then properly filling lanes in support to make himself an option after entry.

Gauthier and Carlsson have utilized their speed well to forecheck and pounce on loose pucks, again, with Kreider reading their cuts and putting himself in optimal positions for connecting give-and-go sequences.

Olen Zellweger: Zellweger has been forced to evolve his game and is anything but an offensive specialist at this point in his career. However, he’s finding ways to remain impactful in the o-zone without dictating play with the puck on his stick. He acts as a fourth forward on the forecheck, timing pressures on outlets perfectly, and he’s selectively choosing optimal opportunities to activate from the blueline without the puck, often driving through the middle of the zone when forwards move up the wall to disrupt the opponent’s defensive zone coverage.

The Ducks will wrap up their run of nine consecutive home games on Sunday with a matchup against the St. Louis Blues. Thereafter, they’ll head out on a four-game road trip to face the four eastern-most Canadian teams.

Game #62: Ducks vs. Canadiens Gameday Preview (03/06/26)

Ducks Acquire John Carlson from Capitals

Ducks Sign Ryan Poehling to Four-Year Extension

There is a lot to scrutinize with the Toronto Maple Leafs given the situation they currently find themselves in. While the team once expected to be contending for a Stanley Cup in 2026, that clearly doesn’t appear to be on their radar; instead, the focus has quickly shifted to the club's future regarding the NHL Draft.

This year, the Leafs only get to keep their first-round draft pick if they manage to fall into one of the top-five selections. This follows a trade where the Leafs sent prospect Fraser Minten and their 2026 first-round pick to the Boston Bruins in exchange for defenseman Brandon Carlo, with only top-five protection included in the deal.

The Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are in a similar situation, but they took a different approach to risk management. When they dealt their first-round pick to acquire defenseman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks, they ensured the pick was top-10 protected, making it increasingly likely they would retain it.

When Leafs GM Brad Treliving was pressed on why he didn’t ensure his pick had top-10 protection like Florida’s, he was blunt.

“Because that’s what we had to do to get the deal done last year,” Treliving said. When further asked if the Leafs GM pushed for better terms, he responded, “We pushed”.

Currently, the best chance for Toronto to keep the pick is to slide further down the standings. They could also hope to win the lottery to move up 10 spots from their current position.

Interestingly, Treliving did manage to pick up a first-round pick for 2027 in a separate deal that sent Nicolas Roy to the Colorado Avalanche. Ironically, that deal with Colorado is top-10 protected; otherwise, it pushes into an unconditional 2028 first-rounder.

It’s hard to know exactly what forced Treliving to make the 2026 pick so easy to attain. When it was all said and done, he likely assumed the Leafs would be back in the playoffs, meaning the difference between top-5 and top-10 protection wouldn’t have been enough to stall the trade he wanted to make. However, that assumption could prove to be very costly now.

The Leafs are 27-25-11 this season and enter Saturday's action with the seventh-worst record as far as points percentage goes.

The Philadelphia Flyers were fairly active ahead of the 3 p.m. NHL trade deadline Friday, but many of their old friends, too, ended up being attractive trade pieces for contending teams.

To round up the Flyers' business on the day, they made a few moves that shook up the roster, but nothing too major.

Notably, Rasmus Ristolainen stayed put, while Bobby Brink and Nick Deslauriers made way for David Jiricek and a 2027 seventh-round pick,

Other Flyers, who have long been away from the organization, made waves around the NHL.

One of the biggest deals involving a former Flyers forward came from the West, where the St. Louis Blues shipped captain Brayden Schenn off to the New York Islanders for a whopping package of Jonathan Drouin, goalie prospect Marcus Gidlof, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2026 third-round pick.

Why Flyers Assigned David Jiricek to AHLThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> made one of the bigger splashes of the 2026 NHL trade deadline by swapping Bobby Brink for David Jiricek, but Jiricek was instead assigned to the AHL right away. Why?

Schenn's older brother, former Flyers defenseman Luke Schenn, was dealt to Buffalo by Winnipeg, alongside Logan Stanley, in exchange for former first-round pick Isak Rosen (drafted using the Flyers' first-round pick in the original Ristolainen trade), defenseman Jacob Bryson, a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick.

Those two are a pretty valuable pair of brothers!

Then, to round out the trade deadline, ex-Flyers forward Scott Laughton, who was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs this time last year for Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick, moved to the Los Angeles Kings for a measly conditional 2026 third-round pick.

Overall, that's a tidy piece of business for the Flyers, and an absolutely astonishing management of assets by the Maple Leafs.

Flyers Make Random Roster Move, Claim Forward from WaiversThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> have made a surprise roster move, claiming a new forward off waivers to address their vacant fourth-line center role.

And there you have all the former Flyers who found new homes at the NHL trade deadline this year.

Of course, Ryan Poehling was moved in the summer, but it's worth noting that he extended with Anaheim, too.

Perhaps the Flyers are saving their best business for last for the 2026 offseason.

Flyers call up Bump after trade deadline moves originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

With the trades of Bobby Brink and Nicolas Deslauriers, the Flyers called up one of their top prospects on AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.

Alex Bump joined the Flyers for the team’s game Saturday against the Penguins in Pittsburgh (5:30 p.m. ET/NBCSP). The 22-year-old winger is expected to make his NHL debut.

He’ll wear No. 20, the same number president of hockey operations Keith Jones wore as a Flyer. Both are Western Michigan products as Bump won a national title with the Broncos last season.

Bump has put up 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 36 games with the Phantoms. An injury had him miss extended time, including almost all of January, as outlined here by Madeline Campbell of Broad Street Hockey.

But over his last six games, Bump has recorded four goals, two assists and 21 shots. The 2022 fifth-round pick was a high-end scorer at the collegiate and high school levels.

Ahead of Friday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline, the Flyers moved two wingers, sending Brink to the Wild and Deslauriers to the Hurricanes.

They’ve also been without Travis Konecny, who has missed the last two games because of an upper-body injury. Konecny practiced Friday in a non-contact jersey and his status is uncertain for Pittsburgh.

Needing some help down the middle, the Flyers claimed Luke Glendening off waivers Friday. The 36-year-old veteran has played 916 career NHL games and the Flyers are hoping he can give them a lift in the faceoff circle.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

David Pastrnak is one of the best shot-generators in the NHL. He’s performed most efficiently at home soil following a day off, which is the situation he finds himself in this afternoon.

My Capitals vs. Bruins predictions expect Pastrnak to pile up the shots in an advantageous matchup against Washington.

Let’s break down my NHL picks for Saturday, March 7.

Capitals vs Bruins prediction

Capitals vs Bruins best bet: David Pastrnak Over 3.5 shots on goal (-105)

Death, taxes, and David Pastrnak at home after a day of rest. He has thrived under these circumstances, averaging 3.9 shots on 7.8 attempts over 14 games. Pastrnak went Over 3.5 shots in 10 of them (71%).

Eight of the 14 games were played against Bottom-16 shot suppression teams. The Boston Bruins star averaged 4.4 shots while clearing his 3.5 total in seven.

The Washington Capitals rank 17th in shot suppression and allow well over 29 shots per game on the road. Plenty of shooting opportunities should be coming Pastrnak’s way.

Capitals vs Bruins same-game parlay

Pastrnak hasn’t scored in seven consecutive games, tying his longest drought over the last two seasons. He had three prior seven-game droughts and scored in the eighth game each time. That trend should continue against a Capitals squad that has averaged 3.8 goals allowed over their last 10 on the road.

Alex Ovechkin has played four games against Bottom-20 shot suppression teams without John Carlson in the lineup. He recorded 4+ shots in each, averaging a whopping 8.8 attempts per game. That’s well above his season average of 6.5.

Capitals vs Bruins SGP

• David Pastrnak Over 3.5 shots on goal
• David Pastrnak anytime goal
• Alex Ovechkin Over 3.5 shots on goal

Capitals vs Bruins odds

• Moneyline: Washington +105 | Boston -125
• Puck line: Washington +1.5 (-230) | Boston -1.5 (+190)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (+115)

Capitals vs Bruins trend

David Pastrnak has recorded 4+ shots in seven of his last 10 home games after one day of rest. Find more NHL betting trends for Capitals vs. Bruins.

How to watch Capitals vs Bruins

Capitals vs Bruins latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Toronto Maple Leafs won't admit to using every avenue to fall further down the standings, but that's what's going to happen in their final 19 games of the season.

There's nothing left for Toronto and general manager Brad Treliving to learn about the players who've been around all season. It's time to see what their players with the AHL's Toronto Marlies have.

"I would anticipate that, yeah," Treliving said on Friday about using Marlies later in the year to see what they could do.

Jacob Quillan and Easton Cowan (even though he's been a Maple Leaf for the entire year, he deserves to be in this conversation) will get more looks in unique situations in the final stretch of the season — that's already been confirmed by Berube.

Do the Maple Leafs, though, stick their hand further down the prospect pot and bring other players up?

Luke Haymes, who Toronto signed to an NHL contract out of Dartmouth College last spring, might deserve a look. He's up to 14 goals and 24 points in 52 games — plus nine goals and 10 points in his last 12 games — at the time of writing on Friday night.

Maybe with Quillan up with the Maple Leafs, they move Haymes into a larger role with the Marlies as they battle for playoff seeding in the AHL's North Division, and call up someone like Bo Groulx?

He leads the Marlies with 50 points (27 goals and 23 assists) in 53 games this season. Groulx isn't a prospect per se, but he's deserving of a look at the NHL with his play in the AHL this year.

Because Haymes won't be as far along as someone like Quillan, it might just make sense to keep him with the Marlies.

It feels like most Maple Leafs fans want to see what the organization has in William Villeneuve, and maybe now is the right time. Drafted by Toronto in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, the 23-year-old has spent all of his pro career in the AHL.

Maple Leafs Move Out Scott Laughton, Trade Him To KingsIn 43 games this season, Laughton scored eight goals and 12 assists while averaging 13:40 of ice time.

He's gotten just about every opportunity with the Marlies, whether it's playing in the dying minutes of a close game or consistently being the quarterback of the team's number-one power play unit.

Villeneuve has tallied 12 goals and 110 points over four seasons (212 AHL games) at the time of writing. And while offense has never been the problem with Villeneuve, his defensive game has been a different story.

He's struggled with defensive reads at times. He could be more physical in front of his net. He could also be making better decisions under pressure.

"I think it's the thing we've been talking about for a couple of years now," said Villeneuve in December, about how he can improve. "I think there's a lot of ups and downs, and I just want to find a way to have a game, like a stable game, where I can be relied on every single night and ride with the good (games) and not let the bad ones get too bad."

Maple Leafs Move On From Bobby McMann, Trade Him To KrakenIt's unknown yet whether the Maple Leafs are finished for the day.

There's a reason he hasn't been called up to the Maple Leafs yet, especially earlier this season when Toronto was dealing with several injuries to its defense.

Sometimes, though, players come up to the NHL and play better than they did in the AHL. The Maple Leafs need to see if they have that with Villeneuve, or if he's better off being in the AHL with the Marlies for the remainder of the year.

And being 22 points off last place (held by the Vancouver Canucks), it's the right thing to do, not only with Villeneuve, but several other players in the AHL.

Welcome to Saturday, folks!

After a relatively quiet trade deadline, the Bruins are back in action today — and it’s a pretty important game in the playoff race.

• When: Today, 12:30 PM
• Where: TD Garden – Boston, MA
• How to follow: ABC, 98.5 The Sports Hub
• Opposing perspective:Japers’ Rink

As always, treat that 12:30 start time with an asterisk, as this is an ABC game.

We could place bets on what time puck drop actually happens. I’m going with 12:39 PM.

Anyways, the Capitals come into today’s game four points behind the Bruins in the race for the second wild card spot, though the Bruins do have two games in hand.

The Caps made one of the deadline’s bigger moves earlier this week, dealing longtime defenseman (and Massachusetts native) John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks.

They also sent forward Nic Dowd out to Vegas.

The Caps also made a couple of acquisitions, bringing in David Kampf and Timothy Liljegren.

These moves aren’t necessarily a waving of the white flag, but they certainly weren’t a team loading up for a playoff run (though to be fair, the Caps weren’t really positioning themselves as contenders anyways).

The Caps are led by familiar faces: Alex Ovechkin (50PTS), Tom Wilson (49PTS), and Jakob Chychrun (49PTS).

They’ve also gotten good production out of Aliaksei Protas (20 goals) and Dylan Strome (49PTS).

On the Bruins side of things, I wouldn’t expect anything majorly different today.

David Pastrnak needs to get going, as his goal drought extends toward the “is there a bigger problem here?” territory.

Columbus is now just a point behind the Bruins, and the Blue Jackets play later on tonight, so there’s a little extra pressure in the standings now as well.

Hey, that’s what makes this a fun time of year, right?

Bruins! Capitals! On NATIONAL TELEVISION!

Discuss.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at home to play the Utah Mammoth tonight at 7 PM.  

Utah Mammoth - 33-25-4 - 70 Points - 6-4-0 in the last 10 - Won 2 - 4th in the Central. 

Columbus Blue Jackets - 32-21-8 - 72 Points - 8-1-1 in the last 10 - Won 3 - 4th in the Metro.

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

• Columbus has won three-straight and earned points in four consecutive games (3-0-1) after earning a 4-2 victory over Florida on Thursday. The club has earned points in 15 of its last 17 contests (14-2-1) since a Jan. 11 win at Utah.

• CBJ, who are in the middle of a four-game homestand, have recorded points in seven-straight home contests (6-0-1) and 11-of-12 games played at Nationwide Arena in 2026 (9-1-2).

• Since Dec. 22, the Blue Jackets have gone 18-6-2 (386 pts, .731 points pct.) and rank third in the NHL in points and points percentage, fourth in save pct. (.908), fifth in goals-against/game (2.65), sixth-T in penalty kill pct. (82.4), as well as 11th in goals for/game (3.46).

• The club has scored the opening goal in 15 of the past 17 games and leads the league in scoring first in 2025-26 (39, 27-7-5).

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

• Charlie Coyle has points in four-straight games (1-4-5) and has posted 6-11-17 and five multi-point efforts in the last 11 contests since Jan. 24.

• Adam Fantilli, who had his four-game goal streak (4-2-6) and five-game points streak (4-3-7) snapped on Thursday, has totaled 5-7-12 in the past 11 contests.

• Conor Garland was acquired in a trade from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. In five seasons in which he has played 68 or more games, he has averaged 19 goals and 47 points with Arizona and Vancouver.

• Kirill Marchenko has collected assists in three consecutive games (2-3-5) and has registered points in eight of his past nine contests since Jan. 24 (4-7-11).

• Mathieu Olivier notched his third multi-goal game effort of the season in the win over Florida and has totaled 7-2-9 and 30 hits in the last 10 contests.

• Zach Werenski, who has missed the past three games due to illness, has collected points in 22 of his past 24 games played since Dec. 11 (11-24-35, 11 multi-point efforts).

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 19.9% - 16th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 77.1% - 25th in the NHL
• Goals For - 191- 17th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 192 - 22nd in the NHL 

Mammoth Stats

• Power Play - 117.2% - 25th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 78.0% - 21st in the NHL
• Goals For - 196 - 16th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 169 - 4th in the NHL

Series History vs. TheMammoth

• Columbus is 2-0-1 all-time, and 2-0-0 at home vs. Utah.
• Columbus has lost 7 straight games to the Panthers overall, and three straight at home.
• The visiting team has come back to earn 3-2 overtime victories in all three games of the series.

• CBJ scored two power play goals, including the overtime winner, in the first meeting of the season series on Jan. 11.

• The Jackets have killed off all five Utah power play attempts over the past two contests.

• The teams have combined to average 58 shots on goal in the first three matchups.

• Both teams are looking for their first shutout, hat trick and penalty shot attempt in the all-time series.

• Charlie Coyle, LW Mikael Pyyhtia and LW Dmitri Voronkov (GWG) all scored goals in the win at Utah on Jan. 11.

• Zach Werenski has collected assists in all three games of the series against Utah (1-3-4), including setting up the winner in the most recent meeting and notching the OT winner in the very first game on Jan. 31, 2025.

Who To Watch For TheMammoth

• Dylan Guenther leads the Mammoth with 28 goals.
• Clayton Keller leads Utah with 42 assists and 61 points.
• Goalie Karel Vejmelka is 29-16-2 with a SV% of .901 and a shutout.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Mammoth

• Charlie Coyle has 1 point in 3 career games against Utah.
• Boone Jenner has yet to register a point against the Mammoth.
• Mason Marchment has 2 goals in 3 games vs. Utah.

Injured Reserve

• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 23 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.

• Zach Werenski missed the last 3 games due to illness. 
• Dante Fabbro missed the last game due to a lower-body injury.

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 165

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.  

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.

Let us know what you think below.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

After weeks of speculation, and despite Montreal Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes’ best efforts, the Sainte-Flanelle was unable to make any trades in the run-up to the trade deadline, which means that the Habs were attacking the final stretch of the regular season with the same issues that have plagued them all season: shaky goaltending, a very young second line pivot and a coach who doesn’t trust his sixth defenseman, whoever is filling the role on any given night.

After the 7-5 loss to the San Jose Sharks with Jakub Dobes on Tuesday night, Samuel Montembeault was back in net for the Canadiens against the Anaheim Ducks, while Arber Xhekaj was brought back in to replace Jayden Struble. Martin St-Louis also decided to make some changes up front by remixing his lines, which made his first line happy.

Canadiens Reported To Be In Talks With Flames
Ex-Canadiens Corey Perry Traded To Big Rival
Report: Canadiens Goalie Available For Trade

A Second Opportunity To Make A First Impression

Canadiens’ fans counted their blessings after the Ducks’ first goal, which came 20 seconds in on their first shot, was waived off for offside. It gave Montembeault a chance to start over, which he missed as he was once again beaten on the next shot. However, it’s hard to blame the goaltender when the goal is scored on a three-on-one. Still, it’s the fifth time in 23 starts that he has scored a goal in the first two minutes.

The netminder made a spectacular save on the penalty kill with his paddle to prevent Anaheim from getting a second goal. But not long afterwards, he let in yet another goal on a shot from far out that wasn’t deflected. It’s a headscratcher to see him post Jekyll and Hyde performances time after time. The Bécancour native is capable of the best and the worst at times in the same minute, which unfortunately makes every game an adventure.

Samuel Montembeault has the third-worst save percentage in the league when it comes to unblocked low-danger shots (.948%)

Only Carter Hart (.935%) and Samuel Ersson (.939%) have worse results.

(via https://t.co/KrAsQgJEar) pic.twitter.com/bgF0uhbHTq

— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) March 7, 2026

In the second frame, with the score tied at 2-2, Jackson Lacombe took a slapshot from the blueline, and it found the back of the net without a screen or a deflection. Whichever way you look at it, Montembeault really struggles against shots from far out, while he can make big saves on shots from the real danger zones. This is puzzling to say the least, and it’s a trend that started at the end of the last season as well. It’s almost as if he couldn’t see the puck from far out.

Samuel Montembeault a déjà mieux paru 😕 pic.twitter.com/gOMzw8xbyA

— TVA Sports (@TVASports) March 7, 2026

Had it not been for the fact that the Canadiens are playing on Saturday night, Montembeault would have deserved to be pulled after that third goal.

Ready For A Leading Role

Since coming back from the Olympics, the line formed by Juraj Slafkovsky, Oliver Kapanen, and Ivan Demidov had struggled, prompting the Slovak’s return to the top line, and it didn’t take long for the move to pay off.

Just a minute in, Slafkovsky went hard on the forecheck and retrieved the puck to pass it to Cole Caufield, who fed Nick Suzuki in front of the net, and just like that, the score was tied. Then, about two and a half minutes later, Slafkovsky was able to complete a pass to Lane Hutson while absorbing some contact, and the blueliner went on to score the Habs’ second goal. Two assists in 3:30 for Slafkovsky, who was ready to play.

One slight criticism, though, is that he needs to make better decisions on the power play. At times, he seems to want to rush the play, and that often translates into a giveaway caused by a predictable pass.

Mr. Saturday Night Worked Overtime

The Ducks took a 4-2 lead 35 seconds into the third frame, and while some believed the Canadiens were toast at that point, the Habs didn’t. Mr. Saturday night, Cole Caufield, took charge, scoring twice in less than five minutes with Alexandre Carrier squeezing a lamplighter in between Caufield’s and just like that, the Canadiens took a 5-4 lead.

The diminutive sniper now has 16 goals in his last 14 games, and with 37 goals, he has tied his career high set last season. With 37 goals in 61 games, Caufield is now on pace for a 50-goal season.

Unfortunately for Caufield, the Canadiens were unable to hold on to the lead, and with less than a minute to go, Chris Kreider deflected a shot from the point to tie the game and send it to overtime with the Ducks playing six-on-five. The Habs failed to score the game-winning goal despite getting a power play in the extra frame, and a shootout was necessary. It took six rounds, but in the end, Alex Killorn gave the Ducks the win.

The Canadiens will be back in action on Saturday night, taking on the Los Angeles Kings at 7 PM ET. 

---

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

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. 

The Philadelphia Flyers were reportedly actually close to trading Rasmus Ristolainen ahead of Friday's NHL trade deadline, but the deal never got over the line.

In his post-trade deadline press conference, Flyers GM Danny Briere insisted that other teams did simply not meet his asking price for Ristolainen, and he's right; it takes two to tango.

After several teams acquired right-shot defensemen, Ristolainen's suitors rapidly dwindled, and the Detroit Red Wings and Steve Yzerman eventually ended up as the last, most logical fit with minutes to go before the deadline hit.

Instead, the Red Wings, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, opted for St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk over Ristolainen.

"I heard Yzerman had a lot of balls in the air. A lot going on. Not that he'll ever tell us what they were. I think he had a lot of things in the air. The one thing I am pretty sure about is, at the end, he had a choice: Ristolainen, or Faulk. And he took Faulk," Friedman said in his trade deadline episode of "32 Thoughts".

Why Flyers Assigned David Jiricek to AHLThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> made one of the bigger splashes of the 2026 NHL trade deadline by swapping Bobby Brink for David Jiricek, but Jiricek was instead assigned to the AHL right away. Why?

"We knew he was trying on Myers, we talked about Ekman-Larsson. But I think it came down to Ristolainen and Faulk. He took Faulk."

As a consequence of their desperation, Yzerman and the Red Wings ultimately paid St. Louis a pretty penny for Faulk's services, parting ways with talented Russian forward prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov, a 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 third-round pick, and veteran defenseman Justin Holl.

Faulk is much different from Ristolainen, too, in that he's only 6-foot, older at age 33, and more expensive with his $6.5 million cap hit for two more seasons, including this one.

He's also a more adept puck mover, having reached the 30-point threshold in each of the last five seasons.

Ristolainen is more of a destroyer at this stage of his career, trading his Buffalo offense for a more consistent use of his 6-foor-4 frame and strength to kill plays and retain possession.

Flyers Make Random Roster Move, Claim Forward from WaiversThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> have made a surprise roster move, claiming a new forward off waivers to address their vacant fourth-line center role.

Holl, too, fit that bill, and while Ristolainen is very clearly the better defenseman, it is now obvious that Yzerman and the Red Wings preferred a player with Faulk's profile instead.

If Friedman is right, as he usually is, that has to sting a bit for the Flyers, who failed to move their top trade chip in a market that was white-hot for defensemen this year.

Should the Flyers want to revisit moving on from Ristolainen for picks and prospects, they'll have to wait until June.

The Florida Panthers picked up a much-needed win on Friday night in Detroit.

Florida’s players also breathed a big sigh of relief, apparently, after the NHL Trade Deadline passed at 3 p.m. without a certain somebody being included in any deals.

That somebody is Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

In the days leading up to Friday’s Trade Deadline, rumors were swirling about interest in Bobrovsky, a pending unrestricted free agent, from potential playoff teams looking for help in the goaltending department.

The interest is not surprising in the least.

While yeah, Bobrovsky is 37 years old, he’s also backstopped the Panthers to three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances and back-to-back championships with a trio of spectacular postseasons, cementing his spot among the best netminders of all time.

It’s also reasonable to say that his sub-par 2025-26 season can be attributed, at least in part, to the struggles and injury woes of the team playing in front of him.

Both Bobrovsky and the Panthers as a whole will be looking forward to bouncing back in a big way, and it’s already been reported that the two sides are discussing a contract extension.

That would come as music to the ears of his teammates, as was evidenced by the words of Matthew Tkachuk, who sung Bob’s praises to Scripps Sports’ Katie Engleson after Florida’s 3-1 win over the Red Wings.

"There is no guy that I want to play in front of (more),” Tkachuk said. “We’re so happy he’s still here. All 20 of us are going to be begging him to stay, and begging whoever to have him stay. He’s the reason why we have two Stanley Cup rings."

Tkachuk is one of several Panthers players – a list that includes Sasha Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Gus Forsling, Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, Seth Jones, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell and Niko Mikkola – who are all signed through at least the end of the decade.

Not only that, but with so many players signed to team-friendly deals and a salary cap expected to rise by $18 million between the next two offseasons, Florida’s rock-solid roster will receive more reinforcements that Panthers GM Bill Zito and hist staff can target.

The bottom line is that Florida believes they are far from finished when it comes to competing for and winning Stanley Cups, and as far as Tkachuk is concerned, Bobrovsky is a big part of those future plans.

“He is one of the biggest reasons this organization is where its at,” Tkachuk went on to say of Bob after the game. “We need him, we want him, and not only for his play on the ice, but he’s literally one of the best guys in the world.”

We’ll see how things play out in the coming weeks and months.

As of now, Bobrovsky is set to hit the open market on July 1.

Stay tuned.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA 

Matthew Tkachuk Hat Trick Helps Panthers Earn Gritty 3-1 Win In Detroit

NHL Trade Deadline: Panthers Hang On To Greer, Discussing Extension With Bobrovsky

Panthers Claim Cole Reinhardt Off Waivers From Golden Knights

NHL Trade Deadline: Panthers Acquire Forward Vinnie Hinostroza From Minnesota

Report: Kraken Interested In Mackie Samoskevich; Panthers Placing High Price Tag

Photo caption: Apr 24, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) congratulates goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) after beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in game two of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Who: Philadelphia Flyers (28-22-11, 7867points, 6th place Metropolitan Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (31-17-13, 75 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division)

When: 5:30 p.m. ET

How to Watch: Local broadcasts on SportsNet Pittsburgh and NBC Sports, streaming on ESPN+

Pens’ Path Ahead: The Pens have less than 24 hours between puck drops this weekend. They’re back in action Sunday afternoon against the Boston Bruins, before their busy March continues with a five-game road swing that involves a trip out West bookended by road games against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Opponent Track: The Flyers had won three straight, including two overtime victories, before dropping a 3-0 shutout loss to the Utah Mammoth on Thursday. Philadelphia then made a few moves ahead of Friday’s trade deadline, most notably sending out Bobby Brink and Nicolas Deslauriers.

Season Series: The Pens are leading this series despite dropping the Oct. 28 opener in a 3-2 shootout loss, thanks to blowout wins in Philadelphia on Dec. 1 and at home on Jan. 15.

Getting to know the Flyers

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Trevor Zegras – Christian Dvorak – Owen Tippett

Matvei Michkov – Noah Cates – Travis Konecny (?)

Denver Barkey – Sean Couturier – Nikita Grebenkin

Luke Glendening – Carl Grunstrom – Garnet Hathaway

DEFENSEMEN

Travis Sanheim / Rasmus Ristolainen

Cam York / Jamie Drysdale

Emil Andrae / Noah Juulsen

Goalies: Dan Vladar, Samuel Ersson

Potential scratches: Travis Konecny, Nick Seeler, Adam Ginning

Injured Reserve: Tyson Foerster, Rodrigo Abols

• Second-line winger Travis Konecny, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, skated in a no-contact jersey during the Flyers’ Friday practice.

The Flyers made a few moves at the deadline. Here’s a run-down of the notable ones:

• The Flyers traded winger Nick Deslauriers to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a conditional 2027 seventh-rounder. General manager Danny Briere said the trade was made in the hopes of giving Deslauriers, 35, a shot at a playoff run.
• Philadelphia traded winger Bobby Brink to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman David Jiricek, who will report to the AHL.

• They also claimed Luke Glendening (formerly a New Jersey Devils center) off waivers Friday. The Flyers have been in search of a fourth-line center since losing Rodrigo Abols to an ankle injury in January. Glendening will be available to play against the Pens.
• Rasmus Ristolainen, subject to trade rumors ahead of the deadline, stayed put in Philadelphia. Briere said the Flyers “went through all the teams that were serious” but couldn’t find the value they wanted.
• Holding onto Ristolainen could indicate the Flyers are hoping to take a step forward next season with players like Bump and Jiricek making the jump to the NHL in the near future. Philadelphia is currently in danger of landing in a middle ground the Penguins know well by finishing outside of both the playoffs and the draft lottery.

Season stats
via hockeydb

The Flyers could be adding a few names to this list after the trade deadline.

• The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reported Friday that AHL winger Alex Bump could make his NHL debut on Friday as a replacement for Brink. Bump has 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 36 games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season.
• The Flyers also signed former Wilkes/Barre and Pittsburgh Penguins forward Garrett Wilson to a two-way contract on Thursday, so he could potentially get a call-up down the stretch.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin

Rickard Rakell – Ben Kindel – Bryan Rust

Anthony Mantha – Kevin Hayes – Justin Brazeau

Avery Hayes – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Sam Girard / Kris Letang

Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Arturs Silovs (Stuart Skinner played last game)

Potential Scratches: Blake Lizotte (day-to-day injury), Ryan Graves, Ilya Solovyov

IR: Sidney Crosby, Filip Hallander, Jack St. Ivany

• Evgeni Malkin met virtually with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Friday and was suspended for five games, the maximum allowed in a virtual hearing, for slashing Rasmus Dahlin in Thursday’s loss to the Buffalo Sabres. That means the Pens could be without both Sidney Crosby and Malkin for this weekend’s back-to-back as well as three straight West Coast road games.
• The Penguins recalled Ville Koivunen from the AHL. Koivunen was recently named the AHL’s Player of the month after scoring 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 11 games during an 8-1-2 stretch for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Pens will need a breakout NHL stretch from him in order to help make up for the absence of their two top players.
• Sidney Crosby rejoined practice Friday. He was non-contact, and Muse told reporters nothing has in his return timeline. (The Pens said on Feb. 25 their captain would be out at least four weeks. If dating back to his injury, which he suffered on Feb. 18, that would put his reevaluation date around the back end of the team’s upcoming road trip).

It appears that Sidney Crosby is practicing with the team. ⁦@SNPittsburgh⁩ pic.twitter.com/WWNHGmlpQn

— Dan Potash (@DanPotashTV) March 6, 2026

Sidney Crosby is moving OK.

He's also making kids happy. pic.twitter.com/WD8LN7AkvX

— Wes Crosby (@OtherNHLCrosby) March 6, 2026

• The Penguins made a deadline-day move of their own by sending out a 2026 third-rounder in exchange for 6-foot-8 forward Elmer Soderblom.

The Penguins have acquired forward Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round draft pick (originally belonging to San Jose).

Details: https://t.co/cPMi67CpvCpic.twitter.com/IAiqKPOwLi

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 6, 2026

• MoneyPuck projects a major swing in the Penguins’ playoff odds based on the outcome of today’s home game.

Montreal Canadiens (33-18-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Los Angeles Kings (25-22-14, in the Pacific Division)

Los Angeles; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Kings -130, Canadiens +110; over/under is 5.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens visit the Los Angeles Kings after Cole Caufield's two-goal game against the Anaheim Ducks in the Canadiens' 6-5 shootout loss.

Los Angeles has a 10-14-7 record in home games and a 25-22-14 record overall. The Kings have gone 19-2-7 in games they score at least three goals.

Montreal has a 33-18-10 record overall and a 16-7-8 record on the road. The Canadiens have committed 261 total penalties (4.3 per game) to rank fourth in NHL play.

The teams match up Saturday for the second time this season. The Kings won 5-1 in the previous meeting.

TOP PERFORMERS: Quinton Byfield has 13 goals and 20 assists for the Kings. Adrian Kempe has six goals and six assists over the past 10 games.

Caufield has 37 goals and 26 assists for the Canadiens. Nicholas Suzuki has four goals and 10 assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 3-6-1, averaging 2.3 goals, four assists, 3.8 penalties and 10.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game.

Canadiens: 5-2-3, averaging 4.4 goals, 7.6 assists, 3.7 penalties and 7.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.

INJURIES: Kings: None listed.

Canadiens: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Edmonton Oilers (30-25-8, in the Pacific Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (29-20-14, in the Pacific Division)

Paradise, Nevada; Sunday, 9:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Edmonton Oilers visit the Vegas Golden Knights after Zach Hyman scored two goals in the Oilers' 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Vegas is 29-20-14 overall with a 10-4-4 record in Pacific Division play. The Golden Knights have a 28-6-8 record in games they score three or more goals.

Edmonton has gone 30-25-8 overall with a 9-5-3 record in Pacific Division play. The Oilers have scored 57 power-play goals, which ranks first in the Western Conference.

Sunday's game is the second time these teams match up this season. The Oilers won the last matchup 4-3. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored two goals in the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Pavel Dorofeyev has 30 goals and 21 assists for the Golden Knights. Ivan Barbashev has six goals and two assists over the last 10 games.

Connor McDavid has 35 goals and 71 assists for the Oilers. Leon Draisaitl has scored eight goals with 13 assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 4-6-0, averaging three goals, 5.6 assists, 3.3 penalties and 8.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.

Oilers: 4-6-0, averaging 4.4 goals, 7.4 assists, 3.5 penalties and 8.9 penalty minutes while giving up 4.3 goals per game.

INJURIES: Golden Knights: None listed.

Oilers: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.