The Vancouver Canucks (19-36-8) kick off their eight-game homestand on Monday when they battle the Ottawa Senators (31-22-9). While Vancouver did fall in their last outing, the Canucks do have points in back-to-back games and will be looking to extend that streak to three. As for Ottawa, Monday is a must-win as the Senators head into the game just outside the playoffs.
Based on Adam Foote's comments over the weekend, there is a good chance Monday will feature the Canucks debut for Curtis Douglas. The 26-year-old forward was claimed off waivers on Friday, but did not play in either game over the weekend. Douglas is a known as a physical force, as he has already racked up 92 penalty minutes in 29 games this season.
As for the game itself, Vancouver will need to play a full-60 if they want to keep Monday's score close. Ottawa is currently five points back of the final playoff spot in the East and are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games. If the Canucks can win the even-strength battle and get strong performances from their special teams, they could be skating away with their first home since January 29.
Jan 13, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson (19) checks Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (24) in the third period at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images
Players To Watch:
Linus Karlsson:
Linus Karlsson has been a bright spot for Vancouver all season. He enters Monday on a three-game point streak and sits just three goals off the team lead. It took some time but Karlsson has finally developed into a strong bottom-six forward who has shown he can produce in limited minutes.
Dylan Cozens:
Dylan Cozens has stepped up in a big way for the Senators this year. In 62 games, he has scored 23 goals and ranks third on the team with 49 points. Cozens is also heating up at the right time as he enters Monday having scored in four-straight games.
Vancouver Canucks (19–36–8):
Points:
Elias Pettersson: 13–25–38
Filip Hronek: 6–30–36
Jake DeBrusk: 14–18–32
Brock Boeser: 15–14–29
Linus Karlsson: 12-16-28
Goaltenders:
Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1
Kevin Lankinen: 7–20–5
Nikita Tolopilo: 4–5–2
Jiří Patera: 0–1–0
Ottawa Senators (31-22-9)
Points:
Tim Stützle: 30-37-67
Drake Batherson: 23-32-55
Dylan Cozens: 23-26-49
Jake Sanderson: 11-37-48
Brady Tkachuk: 16-26-42
Goaltenders:
Linus Ullmark: 19-8-7
Leevi Meriläinen: 8-10-1
James Reimer: 3-3-1
Mads Søgaard: 1-0-0
Hunter Shepard: 0-1-0
Game Information:
Start time: 6:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
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.
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.
DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 08: Nazem Kadri #91 of the Colorado Avalanche is introduced prior to the game against the Minnesota Wild at Ball Arena on March 08, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
Colorado Avalanche will go without their Captain for a bit again, Gabe Landeskog is out week-to-week after taking a puck to the groin. [TSN]
Avalanche fans welcome Nazem Kadri back to Colorado with standing ovation. [Sportsnet]
The Maple Leafs are going to need some help to keep their first-round pick. And if they do get some help finishing in the bottom five and retaining their 2026 selection, they’ll lose their picks the next two years. Yes, it’s complicated. [Toronto Star]
Fans of the Ottawa Senators are waiting with bated breath for Jake Sanderson injury update. [Toronto Sun]
Edmonton Oilers face make or break road trip for playoff hopes. [USA Today]
2026 NHL trade deadline report cards: Grading every team’s moves (or lack thereof). [NY Times]
Here’s a list of which players were dealt — and which ones weren’t — on NHL Trade Deadline day. [CP 24]
Two sentences on every deal made during 2026 NHL trade deadline. [Sportsnet]
NHL GMs frustrated by new salary cap rules at trade deadline. [ESPN]
Los Angeles Kings - 25-23-14 - 64 Points - 3-6-1 in the last 10 - Lost 1 - 6th in the Pacific
Columbus Blue Jackets - 32-21-9 - 73 Points - 7-1-2 in the last 10 - OTL 1 - 4th in the Metro
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
Columbus stretched its points streak to five consecutive games (3-0-2) after earning a point in a 5-4 OT loss to Utah on Saturday. The club has earned points in 16 of its last 18 contests since Jan. 11 (14-2-2).
CBJ (6-0-2) have tied a season-high with their second eight-game home points streak (5-0-3 from Oct. 29-Dec. 4). The team has earned points in 12-of-13 games played at Nationwide Arena in 2026 (9-1-3).
Since Dec. 22, the Blue Jackets have gone 18-6-3 (39 pts, .722 points pct.) and rank third in the NHL in points (tied) and points percentage, fourth in save pct. (tied, .904) and penalty kill pct. (82.7), sixth in goals-against/game (2.74) as well as 12th in goals for/game (3.48).
The Jackets play their 13th of 16 back-to-back sets of the season vs. Los Angeles (Monday) and at Tampa Bay (Tuesday). The club leads the league in wins and point pct. in back-to-back sets in 2025-26 (16-5-3, .729).
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Charlie Coyle, who notched his 11th multi-point effort of the season on Saturday (0-2-2), has points in five-straight games (1-6-7) and has posted 6-13-19 and six multi-point efforts in the last 12 contests since Jan. 24.
Adam Fantilli tallied his 10th multi-point outing of 2025-26 vs. Utah (1-1-2) and has 6-8-14 in the past 12 contests.
Kirill Marchenko has collected assists in four consecutive games (2-5-7) after notching his 10th multi-point contest of the campaign with two assists on Saturday. He has posted points in nine of his past 10 contests since Jan. 24 (4-9-13).
Mason Marchment notched 1-1-2 against the Mammoth and has 11-8-19 in 20 contests with the Blue Jackets.
Mathieu Olivier notched his second consecutive multi-point outing (3-1-4) with 1-1-2 against Utah. He has totaled 8-3-11 and 32 hits in the last 11 contests.
Damon Severson collected 1-1-2 on Saturday and has picked up assists in three of the past four games (1-4-5).
Zach Werenski returned to action on Saturday after missing three games due to illness. He has collected points in 22 of his past 25 games played since Dec. 11 (11-24-35, 11 multi-point efforts).
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 19.6% - 18th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 77.2% - 25th in the NHL
Goals For - 195 - 17th in the NHL
Goals Against - 197 - 21st in the NHL
Kings Stats
Power Play - 16.8% - 27th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 75.3% - 28th in the NHL
Goals For - 159 - 31st in the NHL
Goals Against - 180 - 8th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheKings
Columbus is 29-33-1-7 all-time, and 18-11-0-5 at home vs. LA.
The Blue Jackets are 4-0-2 in the last 6 at home and have earned points in 8 of 9 home games against the Kings.
The last 5 home games against the Kings have gone to OT, and the CBJ are 3-2 in those games.
Columbus has killed off 25 of 28 Kings' man advantages.
Who To Watch For TheKings
Adrian Kempe leads the Kings with 23 goals, 30 assists and 53 points.
Newly acquired Artemi Panarin has 6 points in 6 games since joining the Kings.
Darcy Kuemper is 15-13-9 with a SV% of .896 His last start was on March 7th.
Former Blue Jackets Goalie Anton Forsberg is 10-9-5 with a SV% of .904. His last start was on March 2nd.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Kings
Zach Werenski has 7 points in 13 career games vs. the Kings.
Boone Jenner has 7 points in his last 18 games against LA.
Charlie Coyle has 16 points in 32 games.
Injured Reserve
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 24 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 167
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. The radio broadcast will be on 93.3 The Bus, 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.
Drouin, who was in the first season of a two-year deal worth $4 million annually, had been struggling mightily to produce. He found himself in St. Louis with no goals over his last 38 games.
His last goal came on Nov. 14 against the Utah Mammoth, a play where the puck bounced off his skate before banking in off a Mammoth defenseman.
The last time he scored a goal using his stick was back on No. 8 against the New York Rangers.
There's no question that the 30-year-old can produce in this league. It just wasn't working out on Long Island.
So, it shouldn't be a shock to anyone that in Drouin's first game with the Blues, rocking No. 92, he found the back of the net to end a 38-game goal drought:
That was Drouin's fourth goal and first power-play point of the season, which is a bit ironic given that the Islanders currently sit with the worst power play in the league at 15.5%.
While the spotlights haven’t been all on Lane Hutson with the arrival of Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky’s awakening, the sophomore defenseman is having quite the season. Despite a slow start, more than likely due to his contractual situation, the youngster now has 11 goals and 53 assists for 64 points. That’s an 85-point pace over 82 games, which, on top of making him more than a point-per-game player, would also see him tie a record that was set nearly 50 years ago by Larry Robinson.
No Montreal Canadiens’ blueliner has ever recorded more than 85 since Robinson did it in 1976-77 with 19 goals and 66 assists in 77 games. In that Stanley Cup-winning season, Big Bird was just 25 years old. Hutson is just 22 years old, and last year, in his rookie campaign, he set a new record for most points and assists by a rookie defenseman, surpassing Chris Chelios’ mark of 64 points and 55 assists set in the 1984-85 season. He even tied the NHL record set by Larry Murphy back in 1980-81 for most assists by a rookie defenseman with his 60 helpers.
After having such a great rookie season, it’s remarkable that he’s on pace for such a jump in point-production and an improvement in goal scoring as well. Last season, the shifty blueliner managed to find the back of the net only six times, but he already has 11 goals this season. It’s worth saying that the improvement didn’t happen overnight. Hutson is always the first to hit the ice ahead of the Canadiens’ practice, and along with Ivan Demidov, he quite often works on his shot, whether director of hockey development Adam Nicholas is on the ice or not.
Some believed that the sophomore jinx would hit Hutson quite hard, that the rest of the league, having seen him play for a year and having had plenty of opportunity to study his play on video, would have come up with a more efficient way to defend him, but that hasn’t been the case. The undersized defenseman is always ahead of the game and manages to elude hits more often than not. After all, you cannot hit what you cannot catch.
Lane Hutson est actuellement en voie d’égaler le record de concession de Larry Robinson avec 85 points en une saison pour un défenseur. Réussira-t-il à maintenir cette cadence jusqu’à la fin de la campagne? 👀#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/YmSTloBOR1
What’s even more impressive, though, is the fact that nothing seems to indicate that he’s anywhere near his ceiling, which does make you wonder what that ceiling will be. With the Canadiens set to welcome more highly talented offensive players in the years to come, like Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovski, it’s easy to imagine that his production will keep on improving.
Mar 7, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) celebrates his goal against the New York Rangers during the third period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Salus-Imagn Images | Thomas Salus-Imagn Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Jack Hughes tallied a hat trick, the power play went three for three, and a strong third period pushed the Devils to a 6-3 win over the Rangers on Saturday. [Devils NHL]
Jack Hughes has the Devils first hat trick against the Rangers since John Madden in the 2006 playoffs at the Meadowlands. The previous regular season hat trick was Scott Gomez as a rookie at MSG in 1999.
“We’ve gotten so used to images having such a short shelf life. To see this one have a little bit more staying power has been really cool.” [The Athletic ($)]
“Which teams surged after the NHL’s trade deadline on Friday? Here are our choices for the NHL’s top five Stanley Cup contenders after the deadline.” [The Hockey News]
“Trade activity this season, leading up to the NHL’s 2026 deadline, featured everything from major moves that saw the rich get richer to reunions to big names in new uniforms. Which teams accomplished their goals, and which left their fan bases fuming?” [The Athletic ($)]
“Overall, NHL teams made 20 trades involving 33 players on Friday. Some teams and players did quite well for themselves. Others did not. Here are some winners and losers of a peculiar NHL trade deadline, from ESPN reporters Ryan C. Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski.” [ESPN]
“That was…interesting. Trade Deadline Day 2026 played quite the game of chicken. It yielded 19 total deals, fewer than we saw last year, and the number was looking even smaller before a bunch of GMs slipped their trade calls in under the wire. What happened? The trading was likely hindered by a concoction of (a) the looming playoff salary cap, (b) the block on double salary retention within a 75-day period and (c) the fact so many of the best available players had term left on their contracts and thus weren’t must-trade players Friday if their GMs’ asking prices weren’t met.” [Daily Faceoff]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 30: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
As Jimmy Dugan once said in A League Of Their Own: “It is supposed to be hard. If it was not hard, everybody would do it. The hard is what makes it great.“ The Pittsburgh Penguins are about to get a lesson in that over the next few games.
After an incredible come-from-behind win against the Boston Bruins on Sunday, the Penguins managed to take three out of a possible four points this weekend even though they played without captain Sidney Crosby (injury) and Evgeni Malkin (suspension). While you would have liked to have seen them get the win on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers, you would have absolutely signed up for three out of four points going into this weekend given the circumstances.
They got them.
It does not matter how. They do not ask you how when the playoffs begin. They just ask if you got them.
That win gives the Penguins a five-point cushion over the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are the first team on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and a one-point cushion over the New York Islanders for the second in the Metropolitan Division while still having a game in hand on them.
Now they have to get into the truly difficult part of this March schedule, beginning a five-game road trip this week against five likely playoff teams and several Stanley Cup contenders. It is going to be a challenge.
If there is a positive to take from this: The Penguins have been able to rise to the challenge repeatedly this season. There is also a very good chance that Crosby returns to the lineup, and perhaps even as soon as Tuesday night. He is skating. He is practicing. He is close.
Overall, it is hard to ask for more than what the Penguins have been able to do without him since returning from the Olympic break. With this weekend’s games in the book, the Penguins are 3-2-2 without Crosby, earning eight out of a possible 14 points in the standings. That is .571 hockey. Considering that they played two games (and realistically, two and two-third games) without Malkin as well, that is more than acceptable. They were always going to lose some of these games. They just needed to find a way to get some points to keep their pace going and maintain their lead in the playoff race. They have done that. Now they have to find a way to keep scratching out a few points when they can.
The week and the road trip begins on Tuesday night with a Metropolitan Division game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, and always seems to give the Penguins problems, especially in recent years. But the Penguins have not only played exceptionally well within the division this season, they also won the first meeting with Carolina by a 5-1 margin at the end of December. It was one of the Penguins best and most complete games of the season, and also one of the games that really started their post-holiday break surge.
Carolina is also going to be playing the vaunted “first home game back after a long road trip,” which always seems to give teams fits for some reason.
After playing in Carolina, the Penguins travel out west to play the Vegas Golden Knights to complete their season series with them. Vegas should be a Stanley Cup contender on paper, but it has not quite played like it so far this season, and especially not recently. Goaltending is their big issue right now, and they are still playing without veteran winger Mark Stone who was injured in the first game with the Penguins a week ago. That is a big absence for their lineup.
The road trip then continues on Saturday in Salt Lake City where the Penguins will play the Utah Mammoth. Utah won the first meeting of the season, 5-4 in overtime, as part of that stretch in early December where the Penguins could not hold on to a third period lead at all. Utah is a really tough defensive team, but does not have great goaltending or an elite offense.
Overall these next three opponents rank third (Carolina), 15th (Vegas) and 16th (Utah) in the NHL in points percentage for the season, and fifth (Utah), sixth (Carolina) and 19th (Vegas) in the NHL in expected goals share during 5-on-5 play.
These are good teams. There are also some winnable games in there. Specifically the Utah and Vegas games.
Crosby’s potential availability will determine a lot for what the expectations should be, but if he returns at some point this week I would really like to see them find a way to get four points out of this. That will be challenging, but it is doable. The Penguins have repeatedly proven this season that they can compete in these games and win them. They showed this weekend they have depth. They are going to have a chance to really prove it.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 08: Arturs Silovs #37 of the Pittsburgh Penguins protects the net against the Boston Bruins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 8, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It was an evening of blown leads for the Bruins on Sunday, as they let a 3-0 second period lead and a 4-3 third period lead slip away before losing to Pittsburgh in OT, 5-4.
Tommy Novak scored the game-winning goal 17 seconds into overtime, taking advantage of a Bruins turnover and a bit of interference from Erik Karlsson.
The Bruins wasted a great game from Pavel Zacha, who recorded his second hat trick of the season. David Pastrnak also broke his goal-scoring drought with a second period goal.
Joonas Korpisalo made 34 saves in the loss.
Zacha got the scoring started midway through the first period, finishing off a nice passing play with a PPG to make it 1-0 Bruins.
While it won’t be the prettiest goal Pastrnak ever scores, he got back in the goal column with a nice effort to take advantage of a Silovs mistake. 3-0 Bruins.
If you were told on Friday afternoon that the Bruins would take 3-of-4 points in back-to-back games against Washington and Pittsburgh, you probably would have taken it. However, the way the B’s let this game get away from them (and the speed with which the wheels fell off) makes this feel more like a point that the Bruins gave away and less like a point earned.
The Penguins deserve credit for hanging in the game, particularly without their two best players and in the midst of a losing run. However, the Bruins repeatedly shot themselves in the foot with mistakes or by losing puck battles, particularly in the latter half of the game. You have plenty of examples to choose from: Dewar winning a foot race on his goal, Charlie McAvoy giving the puck away in OT, Mantha being given a breakaway, etc.
It sure looked like some “accidentally on purpose” contact from Karlsson on Pastrnak immediately before Novak’s goal. From a Pittsburgh perspective, you’ll probably claim that was just Karlsson standing his ground, but…yeah. I’ve seen some complaining that Pastrnak didn’t do enough to get up and get back in the play, but I’m not sure it would have mattered. The entire sequence really turned into a calamity, with Zacha and McAvoy both going after the same guy, leaving Novak by himself.
Regardless of your take on the penalty (or lack thereof), you can’t pin this result solely on a missed call in an overtime that never should have happened in the first place. Even in OT, the Bruins had possession of the puck and their best players on the ice, only to give the puck away under little pressure. They paid for it just seconds later. Hopefully, that dropped point doesn’t come back to haunt them.
While he didn’t end up with a goal, I thought Viktor Arvidsson had a good game against Pittsburgh, building on Saturday’s effort against Washington. Arvidsson was credited with two assists and seemed to create a positive kind of chaos in the offensive zone.
The two teams combined for 25 shots and four goals in that wild third period.
Regarding the highlights above, the NHL website just randomly doesn’t have clips of both Mantha goals and the OT goal. I’ve never really seen that in a recap before. WHAT IS THE NHL HIDING? Discuss.
This game had a wild ending, but paled in comparison to Sunday night’s Sabres-Lightning game. That one saw the teams combine for 15 (yes, 15) goals, including seven in the third period of what would end as an 8-7 Buffalo win.
The Bruins will be back in action on Tuesday night, as they host the Los Angeles Kings at TD Garden.
Those same Kings could do the Bruins a favor on Monday, as they play the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Monday evening.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 8: The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate following a 5-4 overtime win over the Boston Bruins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 8, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…
The Pittsburgh Penguins closed out the weekend on Sunday afternoon with another matchup against the Boston Bruins. The Penguins found themselves down 3-0 by the time the second period rolled around, but these Penguins dug down deep, led by Anthony Mantha and Egor Chinakhov, and rallied back, forcing overtime, and earned two massive points in a win. [Recap]
Sunday’s game also saw the debut of the Penguins’ newest acquisition, Elmer Soderblom, after trading for him from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline. The 6-foot-8 winger logged just over 10 minutes of ice time, three shots, and two hits. Coaches say they’re excited about his long-term potential as he adjusts to a new system and opportunity in Pittsburgh. [Penguins]
News and updates from around the NHL…
Sunday’s game between the surging Buffalo Sabres and longtime contenders Tampa Bay Lightning may have been the game of the season. The game saw a combined 100 penalty minutes, five fights, 15 combined goals, and a postgame scrum for good measure. Hopefully, we get a seven-game series of this come next month. [TSN]
It appears Connor Bedard is taking the next step in his ascension to the top of the Chicago Blackhawks franchise after being drafted first overall in the 2023 draft. Bedard is stepping into a larger leadership role for the team, formally being named an alternate captain for the rest of the season, and is expected to help guide the team’s young roster both on and off the ice as the franchise continues its rebuild. [NHL]
Longtime Chicago Blackhawks forward-turned-broadcaster Troy Murray has died. He was 63. [Associated Press via ESPN]
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. [TSN]
Maybe more of a Merrick or Henning than a Cole or Lindgren, as far as #10s go. | NHLI via Getty Images
The Islanders finish their four-game road trip with a stop to help Brayden Schenn pack up in St. Louis, where the Blues are returning from a lottery-spoiling perfect four-game western road trip of their own. In full selloff mode, the Blues somehow took out the Kraken, Sharks, Kings and finally the Ducks, with a 4-0 win last night.
Jonatha Drouin even scored for them, naturally.
Islanders News
J-G Pageau was relieved to stay where he has called home since joining the Isles on the eve of the pandemic. [Isles | Post]
Schenn, asked about waiving his limited no-trade clause to come to the Island, hinted at how Matthew Schaefer is going to bring more interested players into the fold: “When superstars in this league are good guys that take care of his teammates, guys are gonna want to be around him. And guys are only gonna want to come to the New York Islanders in the future just because of his talent and character.” (It’s widely believed that Schenn used his NTC to veto a trade to the Leafs last year, by the way.) [Post]
Schenn and new teammates shared their excitement. (Bonus footage: sewing the new jerseys on the road.) [Isles]
The Skinny: “The Isles improve to 16-2-3 when tied after two periods.” [Isles]
Gross: Bold moves by the Isles to double down on some mid-30s guys. [Newsday]
Last night’s NHL scores included the Penguins mounting a big comeback to beat the Bruins (in OT though, so Boston also gets a point) and pass the Isles in the standings, plus an insane, brawl-filled 8-7 Sabres win over the Lightning, pushing Buffalo above them and into first place.
The Leafs should do a full-blown rebuild. [Sportsnet]
And here’s a really, really long explanation that Oliver Ekman-Larsson has kids so the Leafs shouldn’t have put him on the trade block. [Sportsnet]
Gabriel Landeskog is week to week with a lower body injury. [NHL]
Vegas Golden Knights (29-21-14, in the Pacific Division) vs. Dallas Stars (39-14-10, in the Central Division)
Dallas; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Dallas Stars host the Vegas Golden Knights after the Stars knocked off the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime.
Dallas has a 39-14-10 record overall and a 19-7-4 record on its home ice. The Stars have a +47 scoring differential, with 216 total goals scored and 169 allowed.
Vegas has a 15-11-7 record in road games and a 29-21-14 record overall. The Golden Knights have given up 199 goals while scoring 208 for a +9 scoring differential.
The matchup Tuesday is the second time these teams meet this season. The Stars won 5-4 in a shootout in the last matchup. Mavrik Bourque led the Stars with two goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jason Robertson has scored 34 goals with 40 assists for the Stars. Matt Duchene has five goals and 10 assists over the last 10 games.
Pavel Dorofeyev has 30 goals and 21 assists for the Golden Knights. Ivan Barbashev has scored five goals with two assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Stars: 9-0-1, averaging 4.3 goals, 7.6 assists, 3.4 penalties and 7.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 4-6-0, averaging three goals, 5.4 assists, 3.4 penalties and 8.3 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Stars: None listed.
Golden Knights: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Fantasy hockey managers looking to tinker with their rosters will benefit from zeroing in on specific categories. Whether you are looking for long-term fits or short-term options, there should be a plethora of potential pickups to help your squads.
Let's get into this week's suggestions for your consideration.
Chris Kreider, LW, Ducks (31% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots
Kreider has compiled six goals, 14 points and 26 shots on net in his last 13 appearances. He serves as the veteran presence on Anaheim's top line with Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier, who have been co-leading the team's charge offensively. The 34-year-old Kreider has four multipoint efforts in his past nine outings. He has a great deal of upside with Anaheim poised to play four times on the road this week.
Mats Zuccarello, RW, Wild (26% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/PP
Zuccarello continues to be a consistent offensive threat this season. He has formed a productive partnership with Kirill Kaprizov on Minnesota's top line at even strength and on the power play. The 38-year-old Zuccarello has 12 goals, 26 assists, 87 shots on net and 15 points with the man-advantage through 44 appearances. In his last nine outings, he's notched four tallies, eight points and 21 shots. Zuccarello has four power-play points (one goal, three assists) over that stretch. He should be a productive pickup during a four-game week for the Wild.
Joel Hofer, G, Blues (23% rostered) for Starts/Saves/Wins
Hofer has allowed two goals or fewer in each outing during his four-game winning streak, and he earned a 22-save shutout victory over Anaheim on Sunday. St. Louis plays four times in six days this week, which sets up Hofer and Jordan Binnington to rotate two starts apiece. It would make sense for Hofer to face Carolina on Thursday and Winnipeg on Sunday. Hofer blanked the Hurricanes on Jan. 13 with 33 saves, and he has gone 1-1-0 with a 1.02 goals-against average and .949 save percentage in two contests against the Jets this season.
Jamie Benn, C/LW/RW, Stars (15% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Hits/PP
Since late January, Benn has rediscovered his scoring touch. He has accounted for four goals, 12 points, 12 shots on net and 15 hits in his past 10 outings. While occupying a role on Dallas' top power-play combination during that stretch, he has three helpers. The veteran power forward is clicking with Matt Duchene on the second line, and Dallas has three home games scheduled for this week. As a result, Benn is an intriguing fantasy pickup, especially for managers in banger leagues.
Viktor Arvidsson, LW/RW, Bruins (15% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots
Arvidsson has heated up in the second half of the 2025-26 campaign. He has amassed 11 goals and 18 points in 22 games since the calendar flipped to 2026. He is known as a high-volume shooter, and he is credited with 64 shots on target during that period. Arvidsson has two goals on seven shots and three helpers over his current three-game point streak. He is playing superbly on Boston's second line this season. The Bruins play three times this week, including twice at home, giving Arvidsson solid value.
Sean Walker, D, Hurricanes (13% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Hits/Blocks
Walker has been an excellent source of hits (100) and blocks (96) this campaign. Since the end of February, he has built up some offensive momentum as well. He has two goals and four assists across his five-game point streak. He has nine shots, seven blocks and four hits during that stretch. His point production upswing is unlikely to last, but it gives him outstanding category coverage if it lasts into a three-game week for Carolina.
Tony DeAngelo, D, Islanders (13% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Blocks
DeAngelo has pick up at least one point in five of his last six appearances. He has one goal, five assists, 13 shots on net and nine blocked shots during that span. While he doesn't get much power-play time, he has been steady offensively recently. He has some all-around upside going into a three-game week for New York.
Yegor Chinakhov, LW/RW, Penguins (8% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots
Chinakhov has been a great addition for Pittsburgh since being acquired from Columbus in late December. As a member of the Penguins, he has 11 goals, 17 points and 58 shots on net across 25 contests. He's had success alongside Evgeni Malkin, but Malkin still has three more games left to serve on his five-game suspension for slashing Buffalo's Rasmus Dahlin on Thursday. In the meantime, Chinakhov remains an offensive factor since joining a combination with Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. The 25-year-old Chinakhov has one goal and two helpers in the last two contests. He makes for a solid addition heading into a three-game week for Pittsburgh.
Collin Graf, LW/RW, Sharks (4% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Hits
Graf's three-game point streak ended in Saturday's 2-1 overtime loss to the Islanders, but he has collected one goal and three helpers in his last four outings. He added 11 shots on net and seven hits during that span. Offensively, he's been hot and cold during the 2025-26 campaign. However, a top-line role alongside Macklin Celebrini gives Graf considerable upside ahead of a four-game week for San Jose.
Matias Maccelli, LW/RW, Maple Leafs (3% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots
Maccelli has lit the lamp in three straight games while adding two assists during his five-game point streak. He has found the scoresheet in seven of his past nine outings, collecting six goals on 20 shots and two helpers during that span. The 25-year-old forward is clicking on the top line alongside Auston Matthews and William Nylander at even strength. Maccelli possesses plenty of under-the-radar value going into a four-game week for Toronto.
It's happening again. The St. Louis Blues -- finally -- are heating up. Unfortunately, it's at the wrong time, and their fan base doesn't know how to feel about it.
There's those that are die-hard fans that want to see them win no matter their standing in the league, and then there are those that don't want them to ruin a potential high draft status.
The way the Blues are playing once the calendar turned to March indicates that dreams of perhaps drafting the likes of Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg are becoming a pipe dream.
That's because they put together another solid road outing. Yes, road outing, with Joel Hofer gaining his fifth shutout of the season, and newcomers Jonathan Drouin (goal) and Justin Holl (assist) each picking up a point in his Blues debut, a 4-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. on Sunday.
Jimmy Snuggerud picked up a goal and an assist, Jordan Kyrou and Pius Suter each scored, and Robert Thomas extended his point streak to six games (five goals, five assists) with an assist as the Blues (25-29-9) swept a road trip of four or more games for just the third time in their history:
For the third time in their history, the #stlblues have swept a road trip of four or more games:
It's crazy to think where this team has been for much of the season, and after jettisoning off their captain (Brayden Schenn) to the New York Islanders and defenseman Justin Faulk to the Detroit Red Wings on Friday at the NHL Trade Deadline.
But here they are, and have climbed ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames in the overall standings, with the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers also behind them, climbing to 28th overall in points with 59 and officially eight points behind the Seattle Kraken for -- dare I say it -- the second wild card in the Western Conference.
How about tonight's game observations?:
* Blues were the better team, period -- Even though the first period was 0-0, it was evident which team was better.
The Blues were skating harder, they were skating quicker, they were winning more puck battles, getting to areas of the ice necessary to have success, and the Ducks, who started the night in first place in the Pacific Division, relied heavily on former Blues goalie Ville Husso, who was sharp in the opening 20 minutes to keep the game scoreless.
The Blues actually hit consecutive posts (Jake Neighbours on a redirection, then Kyrou on a follow-up chance from that redirection), Dylan Holloway was robbed on a one-time doorstep save by Husso, and Pavel Buchnevich also hit the bar on a power move to the net late in the period while shorthanded.
That's about the only negative from a very sound first period for the Blues, who put themselves in danger with three penalties (although the interference call on Matthew Kessel was pretty weak at 13:08), but even the Blues' PK unit was winning to loose pucks and getting clears, and it was winning face-offs and getting clears.
It set up for a strong push moving forward, which the Blues most certainly did.
* The dam broke in the second -- We all know the Blues' woes in the second period, one of the league's worst at minus-28, and the Ducks came in with a plus-4.
You had to think they missed the mark by not grabbing the lead in a very solid opening period.
That certainly wasn't the case when the Blues took control outscoring the Ducks 3-0 and really put the game on ice.
It was a continuation of the first period and the Blues were not letting up in any shape or form, and Kyrou finally broke through on Husso to make it 1-0 at 4:22, getting out in transition and heading up the right side using his speed after getting a pass from Neighbours and whipping a wrister off the fat post and past Husso above the right pad and under the arm:
And then we get to Drouin, who also scored a beauty to make it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 10:07 rifling a one-timer from the right circle top shelf off a point feed from Philip Broberg, who followed up his career-high 32:51 ice time on Friday with another 27:17 in this game:
It did come with some resentment by the Ducks and rightfully so when Ross Johnston was called for high-sticking Tyler Tucker, but the replay showed Johnston, who would later fight Tucker (more on that), lifted Tucker's own stick into his face, but remember last Sunday against the Minnesota Wild when Jack Finley was called for a high sticking penalty and it was friendly fire by the Wild? I guess what comes around goes around.
The goal was Drouin's first since Nov. 14, 2025 with the Islanders against the Utah Mammoth and first in 39 games, which sounds crazy to think he was that snake bit in New York, or the puck just simply wasn't going in, or the opportunities just weren't there.
And an emphatic period came to a conclusion when Snuggerud laced a one-timer of his own from the right circle at 12:11 to make it 3-0, and as you can see, the Ducks were just too nonchalant moving the puck and getting to areas needed, and Thomas wins it in the corner and finds Snuggerud, who let it go so quick, Husso had no time to react:
* Tucker gets the spotlight now -- With Schenn off to the Islanders, the Blues are down one of their more emotional, and physical leaders on the ice. So when Holl, who assisted on Pius Suter's empty-net goal at 15:58 of the third period to make it 4-0 and put the game to bed, was boarded from behind by Johnston at 16:55 of the second period, Tucker will have to take more opportunities to be that guy to stick up for his teammates, and I'm sure that one will resonate well with a new teammate playing his first game, no matter the outcome:
* Hofer is in a zone -- This wasn't one of those games where coach Jim Montgomery came out in his postgame press conference to say the goalie had to steal them a game.
The team in front of the netminder was outstanding, but there were a handful of stops, including one on Leo Carlsson in tight in the second period of Hofer's 22 saves on the night that showed how locked in he's been since the break and is now one behind Ilya Sorokin (six) for the league lead in shutouts.
Hofer's numbers since the Olympic break look rather pristine at the moment:
* Drouin, Holl make solid contributions -- They're the new guys coming in for veterans who were a staple with the Blues, but Drouin and Holl each came in and were part of the team concept.
Drouin finished with 13:15 of ice time skating with Suter and Buchnevich with a pair of shots on goal and one hit, while Holl, who played with Tucker in his first NHL game this season after spending the bulk of it with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League, was a plus-2 with an assist on Suter's goal and played 15:44 (three shot attempts).
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.
The Golden Knights missed an opportunity to take over the top spot in the Pacific Division as they dropped a 3-1 decision to the third-place Edmonton Oilers on Sunday in front of a nationally televised audience.
The division-leading Anaheim Ducks lost at home to the St. Louis Blues 4-0 earlier in the night, and remain one point in front of Vegas, 73-72, while the Oilers inched closer with 70.
The Golden Knights still have just six wins against teams that would be in the playoffs right now, the fewest in the league.
The Golden Knights have now lost 15 out of the last 16 games against teams in the playoff position.
US Olympic gold medalists Noah Hanifin and Jack Eichel scored for the Knights, while goaltender Adin Hill made 15 saves.
Trent Frederic, Vasily Podkolzin, Leon Draisaitl and Kasperi Kapanen scored for Edmonton.
After Frederic gave Edmonton an early second-period goal, Hanifin tied the game later in the stanza as he traced the blue line looking for clearance and blasted a shot through traffic to make it 1-1.
Podkolzin and Draisaitl scored in the third period to push Edmonton's lead to 3-1 before Eichel's short-handed strike brought the deficit back to one.
Kapanen's empty net goal with 1:57 left provided the final margin.
Edmonton netminder Connor Ingram made 24 stops.
KEY MOMENT
While Hanifin eventually tied the game in the second period, the Golden Knights had a goal taken away a little more than six minutes earlier. Keegan Kolesar's snipe from the right circle snuck by Ingram, but a coach's challenge for an offside call overturned the goal. It seemed to deflate the Knights momentarily, rather than building momentum sooner in the period.
KEY STAT
37 ... Frederic's goal marked the 37th time in 63 games a Vegas foe scored first. The Golden Knights are now 11-18-8 when their opponents scored first.
WHAT A KNIGHT
Aside from his goal, Hanifin played an exceptional game for the Knights with two additional shots, four more blocked and a fifth off target. He also registered four blocked shots and finished +1.
"It's all about just being assertive and moving my feet," said Hanifin, who was plus for just the second time in six games. "I think that's just what I got to do if I'm going to help this team. Tonight, I was getting up in the play a little bit. I think offensively, we're using the points a lot tonight, getting a lot of motion going, and I think that helps our D-corps in general."
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) March 9, 2026
UP NEXT: The Golden Knights play a one-off road game in Dallas on Tuesday.
PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period at T-Mobile Arena.
