SEATTLE -- The New York Islanders were unable to end their seven-game road trip on a positive note, falling 4-1 to the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday night.
They return home with a 3-3-1 record.
Ilya Sorokin made 22 saves. Philipp Grubauer made 23 saves.
The Islanders went 1-for-7 on the power play, with just seven shots. One of the power plays lasted eight seconds, but they did play 10:22 with the man advantage, including a 5-on-3 power play for six seconds.
Here's how the game unfolded.
The Islanders scored first in this one, courtesy of Anthony Duclair on the power play from the bumper spot off a feed from Calum Ritchie at 2:38 of the first period:
A Ritchie pass and Duclair finishes. The #Isles take a 1-0 lead. Sounds familiar - if you are an Isles fan.
That was Duclair's fifth goal in four games, scoring eight in his last game. Ritchie extended his point streak to four games (4A) -- a career high -- while Mathew Barzal recorded his third point in two games (3A).
The Islanders found themselves on a 5-on-3 power play, but weren't able to execute.
Unfortunately for the Islanders, Seattle got their chance at a 5-on-3 and made Patrick Roy's squad pay when Matty Beniers deflected a Vince Dunn shot blocker side at 10:40 of the first.
There were 9:02 minutes of collective power play time in the opening period, with the Islanders going 1-for-4 and Seattle going 1-for-2.
The ice tilted right then and there, as Seattle went on to score another two to head into the third period up 3-1.
Dunn scored on a 2-on-1 rush at 13:37. Then it was Jaden Schwartz who Scott Mayfield to a loose puck behind the Islanders' net before he found former New York Rangers forward Kappo Kaako in the low slot at 16:28 of the second.
The Islanders had another two power-play opportunities in the middle frame, but one only lasted eight seconds after Duclair negated it.
Jared McCann added an empty-netter at 16:32 of the third for a 4-1 final.
With the loss and the Pittsburgh Penguins' win, the Islanders end the night sitting in third place in the Metropolitan Division.
UP NEXT: The Islanders host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday at 1 PM ET.
Pittsburgh gets the first power play, Ryan Shea is out there with all the big guns. He looks nervous and loses the puck over his stick twice for no reason. They do get a few chances down to the net a little after that.
Shea looks a lot more comfortable at 5v5, feathering a shot in that Evgeni Malkin can deflect. Dustin Wolf overplayed the angle and gets caught leaning a little while the puck trickles on in to the far side. 1-0 Pens thanks to Malkin’s 11th goal of the season, 7:49 in.
Rest of the period scoots on along. Calgary is a nothin’ happenin’ team to start things off, generating only five shots on goal. Pittsburgh gets 11 and carries a 1-0 lead
Second period
Connor Dewar comes close to scoring a couple of times but can’t keep his hot hand going.
The second line comes through again, Malkin enters the zone and passes across the middle for Tommy Novak. Novak touches a pass over for Egor Chinakhov who pulls the puck back to change the angle catches Wolf with a hard shot, even though his body momentum is falling back from the net he still gets a lot of velocity on his seventh goal of the season. Pittsburgh pushes their lead to 2-0.
The Flames find a way to get a goal back juuust before the final buzzer. Zach Whitecloud takes a point shot that doesn’t look like much trouble until Yegor Sharangovich makes his way to the middle of the ice and puts a deflection on it. Ends up in the net with 2.7 seconds on the clock.
It was almost all systems under control, right up until the very last bit. Calgary gives themselves more of a chance and something to believe in heading into the third. Shots in the second were 9-8 in favor of CGY but Skinner was making it looks easy right up until a shock out of no where beat the buzzer.
Third period
Pittsburgh comes out the gates strong and responds to Calgary’s late-period goal. Bryan Rust gets down low and throws the puck to the net. Sidney Crosby is right out in front and hacks at a puck that leaks through Wolf and to the back of the net. 3-1 game 50 seconds into the third.
Our captain 💪
Sidney Crosby has surpassed Mario Lemieux for the eighth-most road points in @NHL history (785). pic.twitter.com/duCIEKdUbR
Dewar trips a Flame on the following shift to allow the first Calgary power play of the night, his teammates take care of business and keep the PK going strong.
Calgary has a great chance a little later when Pittsburgh’s defensive structure breaks down a little and an unmarked player in the middle of the ice takes a big shot. Skinner makes a great save with the glove that he can’t control but that ends up working out just as well. Jack St. Ivany plays the puck up for Novak and the Pens have a 2-on-1. The defender completely ignores Novak to take away the pass, so Novak skates the puck all the way in makes a slick backhand deke and casually flips the puck top shelf on Wolf. Pretty stuff for Novak’s ninth goal of the season and extend the lead to 4-1.
That capped off most of the notable moments. Calgary beat Skinner but glanced a shot off the post and from there it was just about riding the game out until the clock reached 0:00.
Some thoughts
The Malkin line with Chinakhov and Novak are a super-fun watch. There’s obviously the production element on a night like tonight where each member of the line scored a goal. Even beyond those contributions they are playing exciting hockey, working off one another very well and growing in chemistry in the offensive zone as they get more time together. All have some speed on the puck all can handle the puck and are unafraid to carry it in and through opponents when they drive up the ice.
Sidney Crosby took a Bryan Rust centering pass to what looked like the side of the leg above the knee on the first shift of the game. Looks like the worst was avoided save for a moment of pain that had the captain instantly doubled over and smarting for a bit. That’s all the Pens needed at this point when key players have been dropping like flies lately.
Our key to the game for the Pens from the preview was out-scoring the expectations to improve over where they stumbled against Calgary two weeks ago in a 2-1 loss. Chinakhov’s second period goal (to make the score 2-0) on 1.04 total expected goals from Moneypuck. It was looking good at that point and continued from there. Crosby’s early third period goal extended that race to 3 actual goals vs 1.52 expected. In the end it shook out to be four goals on just over two expected, which is precisely what was needed. In the last Pens/Flames matchup the Pens weren’t getting the finishes. They had it tonight, leading to a fairly drama-free game of being out in front for most of the contest. That’s a good way to live.
The developing story of the day for the Pens was breaking the goalie rotation to play Skinner again. Turned out to work very well, Skinner only saw 19 shots but did more than his part in allowing only one goal on 1.77 expected from the Flames.
Another angle was that bare bones blueline for the evening. Gotta factor in quality of opponent (low!), also gotta tip a cap to those guys for a great effort. It was shades of the 2017 playoff run with an undermanned crew stepping up and doing what it takes to get the job done. Wotherspoon was breaking up plays all over the ice. Connor Clifton, as always, made his presence known with some big hits. Shea pitched in as he could on the one power play of the night. Even Ryan Graves blocked three shots. Forwards, especially centers like Ben Kindel and Blake Lizotte, were drifting way back defensively and appearing mindful to make themselves available as options for quick bail outs.
One of the few times the Pens got trapped in their defensive zone for a long shift happened during the second period. Wotherspoon was almost 2:30 into his shift and still had enough vinegar in the tank to put Morgan Frost on his wallet twice. I don’t know if you want to call Wotherspoon the most improved player or maybe just the one who has had the opportunity to emerge this season and show his stuff, but my goodness he’s impressed at every turn. What a solid player he is.
Speaking of that blueline, Kris Letang was only briefly on the ice for the morning skate, taking basically a quick lap around the rink and then leaving. That doesn’t sound like it bodes well for his chances to play tomorrow night against Edmonton. Erik Karlsson has been on the ice much more in recent days, though he couldn’t go today he did make a comment yesterday about not being a “mascot” for this road trip. Wouldn’t expect him to rush into a return three weeks prior to the start Olympics yet it would be a massive benefit if Karlsson can answer the bell tomorrow or at least on Sunday in Vancouver.
So that’s that, another impressive win in the books. Now the Pens move on quickly to Edmonton and get ready to take on an Oiler team that has been quite the boogeymen for them in recent years.
It's safe to say that the Pittsburgh Penguins are exceeding expectations so far this season, as they are squarely in the playoff race and thwarting any talk of the draft lottery entirely.
As it stands now, they are second in the Metropolitan Division with 59 points, and they are on pace for 99 points this season. There is a pretty good chance that - if this pace holds - the Penguins will be soft buyers at the deadline, adding to fill some holes on their roster but doing so without mortgaging the future.
But there is also another option for the Penguins, and it's something that is picking up more and more steam: What if the Penguins go big?
And one of the biggest names out there is Dallas Stars superstar Jason Robertson.
Robertson, 26, continues to put together impressive campaigns for the Stars, as he has 29 goals and 58 points in 50 games. That puts him on pace for 48 goals and 95 points, which is right on par with career numbers.
Of course, it's worth noting that if Robertson - a pending restricted free agent (RFA) - is dealt from Dallas, it likely will not occur until the offseason. The Stars are in the midst of a playoff race and currently sit 12 points behind the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche at second in the Central Division, so trading the 6-foot-3, 204-pound left winger prior to the deadline would certainly hurt their playoff goals.
But that doesn't mean it won't happen. Yes, the Stars are projected to have over $16 million in cap space this summer, so, hypothetically, they should be able to pay Robertson - who just switched agents - without issue. But the Stars also have seven other pending-UFAs and RFAs, and if Robertson is paid north of $12 million - as is rumored that he wants - it may be a bit tough for the Stars to fill out their rest of their roster and account for extensions like Thomas Harley's without shedding cap elsewhere.
If Dallas and GM Jim Nill are serious about contending long-term, Robertson will be in a Stars' uniform next season. But if they feel they can't make it work, they should expect a pretty hefty return on the market.
For one, the Penguins have boatloads of cap space to spare. According to PuckPedia, they are projected to have $52.9 million next season, and even if they have a lot of decisions to make on pending-UFAs and RFAs - they have 12 - none of them project to command a very high cap hit. So, financial flexibility is not an issue, and the Penguins can basically afford to pay Robertson whatever he wants.
In addition, and contrary to popular belief, the Penguins do have assets. Yes, the Stars, allegedly, aren't very interested in draft picks and prospects, but those assets are likely to be part of any package regardless because of the caliber of player they'd be trading. Pretty much any Penguins' prospect - aside from Ben Kindel and Sergei Murashov - should be fair game, and the Penguins have all three of their first-round picks for the next three seasons in addition to six second-round picks and six third-round picks.
A scoring winger who is cost-controlled would make sense as part of a return, and the Penguins have that in Rickard Rakell or Bryan Rust. As would an NHL-ready prospect such as Rutger McGroarty. There is even talk of the Stars coveting a defenseman, too, and this could be a situation where a third team can get involved and take on Pittsburgh's draft capital as part of the deal to send the Stars a blueliner, assuming the Stars wouldn't be interested in prospect-level defensemen.
In some scenarios, the Penguins might have to get a little bit creative. But if the Penguins wanted to, they could make this work, even if they were forced to part with an additional asset in order to outbid other teams and get the deal across the finish line.
It would almost certainly cost more than this, but as a starting point, the Penguins are probably looking at something along the lines of Rakell, McGroarty, and a 2026 first-round pick. And if the Penguins do indeed make the playoffs, losing that first-rounder is going to sting a whole lot less, especially since they may have a high second-rounder in this year's draft if the Winnipeg Jets continue to lose hockey games.
Pittsburgh Penguins' scoring winger Rickard Rakell is one of the players who could make sense in a potential trade with the Dallas Stars for Jason Robertson. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
There are a few other teams that could probably make a compelling offer, too. The Washington Capitals are projected to have $36.5 million in cap space next season and - like the Penguins - seem to be back on the upswing and have some compelling prospects. But they also have a bit more cap obligation than the Penguins, especially if Alex Ovechkin returns for another NHL season next year, and their NHL roster isn't chock-full of players Dallas would want or that Washington would part ways with.
The Anaheim Ducks - another team on the upswing - could be players because of their cap situation and capital/prospect pool as well. But, like the Capitals, they have some existing cap obligations, primarily to young RFAs like Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Olen Zellweger, all of whom will be due for a substantial raise. And they're unlikely to part with any of their younger cost-controlled NHL assets, even if they have a few enticing veterans they could bargain with.
There's also the Detroit Red Wings, who have both the cap space ($42.7 million) and the prospect pool to make it work but don't necessarily have the available or cost-controlled, coveted NHL assets to pull it off. Perhaps teams like the Los Angeles Kings, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils make some degree of sense, as they have a few good but expendable NHL assets that they could leverage in a trade.
All in all, if Robertson is available, there are going to be a ton of teams vying for his services, and whoever comes out on top will likely end up paying a steep price. He's the exact kind of player a team on the verge of coming out of a rebuild should be vying for, as he provides the superstar talent for the better part of the next decade that such a team might otherwise be lacking.
So, the Penguins may have to give up quite a lot, but that's the price you pay for a premier NHL player in his prime who still has at least an entire contract extension's worth of elite years left in the NHL.
Los Angeles Kings prospect goaltender Carter George made history in the OHL on Wednesday in the OHL.
The 19-year-old netminder scored a goal from behind his own goal line, giving his Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds a 4-2 lead, late in the third period against the London Knights.
The puck was dumped in by a Knights defenseman, ringing the puck along the boards on the left side of George's crease. Once the puck approached him, he fired it down the ice without hesitation, and it was a perfect shot.
Sault Ste. Marie went on to win the contest 5-2 at home. This was George's fourth-straight victory since being traded to the Greyhounds on Jan. 7.
Remarkably, this isn't George's first goalie goal of his young career. Last season with the Owen Sound Attack, he scored his first goal on Nov. 14, 2024. This tally was against the Peterborough Petes to give his team a 4-1 lead.
The Kings drafted George in the second round of the 2024 draft. He was the 57th overall pick, and has been a solid prospect for Los Angeles since.
Carter George (Nick Wosika-Imagn Images)
He's been sensational since joining the Greyhounds with the four-straight wins as mentioned. With that, he's posted a .947 save percentage and 1.25 goals-against average in those four contests.
This is his third full season in the OHL, but his fourth year of appearances.
Along with his OHL career, he's represented Team Canada twice at the World Junior Championship.
In the past competition in early January, George featured in four games for the Canadians, winning in all of his matchups. In 2025, he played another four games at the world juniors, registering an impressive 1.76 GAA and a .936 SP.
The young goaltender will be able to transfer his talents to the pro level as early as next season when he becomes eligible to join the Ontario Reign, the Kings' AHL affiliation.
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All season long, the Detroit Red Wings have preached the importance of winning games against divisional opponents.
On Wednesday evening, they made good on their goal.
Dylan Larkin scored the overtime game-winning tally over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena, giving Detroit a clean four-game season series sweep over their longtime Original Six rival.
Goaltender John Gibson continued his run of spectacular play since the beginning of December, making 30 saves for his 20th win of the campaign.
It was the Maple Leafs who got on the scoresheet first, thanks to Scott Laughton, who was left alone at the side of the net following a missed clearing attempt from defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka.
Detroit earned multiple high-percentage scoring opportunities, but wasn't able to penetrate goaltender Joseph Woll until late in the first period when Simon Edvinsson knotted the score at 1-1.
The Maple Leafs had a golden opportunity to seize the lead in the game's middle frame when Laughton was awarded a penalty shot after being hooked on a partial shorthanded breakaway.
However, he fumbled the puck as he attempted to deke Gibson, never getting a clean shot off.
Neither team found the back of the net in the third period, setting up overtime.
In the extra session, it was defenseman Moritz Seider forcing a turnover at the Toronto blue line and feeding Larkin, who took the puck on his backhand and then roofed a forehand shot past the blocker of Woll, ensuring the extra point for the Red Wings.
With the victory, the Red Wings improved to 31-16-4 and were put back into a first-place tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the top spot in the Atlantic Division.
Their road trip will continue on Thursday evening with a matchup against the Minnesota Wild.
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With the final days of January here, the Philadelphia Flyers remain in the Eastern Conference playoff race. At the time of this writing, they have a 23-17-8 record and are fourth in the Metropolitan Division standings.
With the Flyers still being in the playoff race, it is fair to wonder if they could look to add to their roster ahead of the trade deadline. One specific need they have is a bottom-six center, and this is especially so with Rodrigo Abols being sidelined with a fractured ankle.
Due to this, one player who the Flyers should consider making a push for is Vancouver Canucks center David Kampf.
While Kampf is not the flashiest of trade candidates in the NHL, he would have the potential to be a good addition to the Flyers' bottom six if acquired. This is because he is a solid defensive forward who also performs well at the dot, as evidenced by his 53.4 faceoff winning percentage this season with Vancouver. He would also give the Flyers another clear option for their penalty kill if acquired.
It's unlikely that Kampf would cost the Flyers much in a potential swap. He also has a low $1.1 million cap hit for the season, which adds to his appeal.
In 28 games so far this season with the Canucks, Kampf has posted two goals, four points, 16 blocks, and 34 hits.
The Buffalo Sabres made a major move on Wednesday, as they signed forward Josh Doan to a seven-year, $48.65 million contract extension. With this, the Sabres' breakout young star will be staying in Buffalo for a very long time.
Now, with the Sabres signing Doan to this new deal, let's take a look at two more players that the Sabres could look to extend next.
Alex Tuch, RW
Tuch is undoubtedly the Sabres' biggest contract extension candidate. It is no secret that the Sabres want to keep the pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) around, and it is very understandable when noting that he is one of their best forwards. With this, he is a contract extension candidate to keep an incredibly close eye on. If he still does not have a contract extension closer to the deadline, that is where things could get very interesting.
Zach Benson, LW/RW
Benson is a pending restricted free agent (RFA) who the Sabres certainly could look to extend soon. The young forward has a ton of potential and has shown signs of improvement so far this season. In 36 games so far this campaign, the 2023 first-round pick has recorded 22 points. This is after he had just 28 points in 75 games this past season.
The 2026 NHL trade deadline is starting to get closer, and we are already seeing players around the league being dealt to new teams. This is only going to continue until we get to deadline day.
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy is among the top trade candidates in the NHL. Because of this, let's take a look at three potential landing spots for the right-shot defenseman.
Boston Bruins
The Bruins are looking to boost the right side of their blueline and recently missed out on Rasmus Andersson. While Murphy is not at the same level as Andersson, he would still give the Bruins' right side a nice upgrade if they landed him. Thus, Boston could be a team to watch in the sweepstakes.
Dallas Stars
It would not be surprising in the slightest if the Stars had Murphy on their radar. They would benefit by adding another veteran right-shot defenseman who can handle a good amount of minutes on their roster, and Murphy would provide them with just that if acquired.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs could be a team to watch when it comes to Murphy as well. With Chris Tanev being out due to injury, Murphy could be a solid defensive defenseman for the Maple Leafs to bring in for more insurance.
Dec 11, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Buffalo Sabres goalie Alex Lyon (34) and forward Josh Doan (91) celebrate their victory against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Bob Frid-Imagn Images
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres signed Josh Doan to a seven-year, $48.65 million contract extension in a deal announced Wednesday that secures the third-year forward as a key fixture of the team’s core group.
The 23-year-old is from Scottsdale, Arizona, and the son of former Coyotes captain Shane Doan. In showing signs of following in his father’s offensive and physical style, Doan has already set career-bests with 15 goals and 35 points in 49 games this season, and leads the NHL with 35 takeaways.
Doan was in the final year of his rookie contract, and is now signed through 2032-33.
“Josh is a player that impacts the team both on and off the ice,” Kekalainen said. “He works hard, is competitive and skilled, and his game is going to continue to develop.”
Doan was acquired along with defenseman Michael Kesselring in a trade that sent high-scoring forward JJ Peterka to Utah in late June. The deal was completed by Kekalainen’s predecessor Kevyn Adams, who was fired last month.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Doan played mostly a checking role with the Mammoth, but was eager to develop his offensive touch in an expanded role in Buffalo. Selected by Arizona in the second-round of the 2021 draft, he’s already surpassed the combined production of 12 goals and 28 points in 62 games over his first two NHL seasons.
Doan’s two-way presence has helped the Sabres climb into playoff contention in a bid to end an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought. Buffalo (27-17-5), coming off a 5-3 win at Nashville on Tuesday night, is 16-3-1 in its past 20 and entered Wednesday in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Flyers coughed up a game they absolutely should have won Wednesday night as they suffered a brutal 5-4 overtime loss to the Mammoth at Delta Center.
Rick Tocchet’s club had leads of 3-0 and 4-2. With 35 seconds left in regulation, Clayton Keller tied it for Utah. The Mammoth’s captain went around Travis Sanheim and beat Samuel Ersson to force the bonus session.
A little under a minute before that, Garnet Hathaway had a chance to seal the game with a clear path for an empty-net goal. But the veteran winger tried skating with it and was stripped as he went to shoot.
Keller won the game 2:01 minutes into OT.
Christian Dvorak had a pair of goals and an assist for the Flyers, while Cam York and Bobby Brink also found the back of the net. Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale each collected two assists.
The Flyers (23-17-9) dropped to 1-0-1 on this three-game road trip against teams all in Western Conference playoff position.
The Mammoth (26-20-4) extended their point streak to eight games (7-0-1). The Flyers face Utah again March 5 when the clubs meet in Philadelphia.
• Ersson made 22 saves on 27 shots.
The Mammoth cut the Flyers’ 3-0 lead to 3-2 with goals in a span of 36 seconds during the second period. That prompted Tocchet to call a timeout, which seemed to settle things down for the Flyers.
Dvorak responded with his second goal, this one on the power play, to restore some order.
Utah’s third goal came in the final stanza against the Flyers’ penalty kill. Noah Juulsen was whistled for roughing when he fought Jack McBain in defense of Jamie Drysdale.
Dan Vladar missed a fourth straight game. We’ll see if he’s an option to play the final game of the trip, a possibility Tocchet mentioned four days ago. Vladar has been considered day to day with a lower-body injury.
Mammoth netminder Karel Vejmelka stopped 25 of the Flyers’ 29 shots.
• For a third straight game, the Flyers grabbed a 1-0 lead. They’ve had issues with falling behind, but they’ve addressed them recently.
York jumped on a juicy rebound to start the scoring just 30 seconds into the action. A little over four minutes later, Dvorak deposited his first of the game to extend the Flyers’ lead.
Brink made it 3-0 with a power play goal in the opening minute of the second period.
At that point, it sure looked like the Flyers were headed to a win. Instead, they’ve now lost seven of their last eight games (1-5-2).
• Owen Tippett had to leave the game early in the middle stanza after taking an open-ice hit from Liam O’Brien.
The Flyers’ winger was able to return later in the period and finished with 13:46 minutes.
• The Flyers wrap up their trip Friday when they visit the 34-5-9 Avalanche (9 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
The Buffalo Sabres trade of winger JJ Peterka last June was made for a number of reasons, but the likely cause was the club not wanting to pay the young forward on a longer-term extension, which is what he got when he was traded to Utah.
The Sabres target in the deal was defenseman Michael Kesselring, a big right-handed blueliner that they projected would be a partner for Bowen Byram or Owen Power, the other part of the trade was 23-year-old Josh Doan, the promising son of Coyotes/Utah legend Shane Doan, who had slumped in his second NHL season after moving to Salt Lake City.
Kesselring has been injured on four separate occasions, and is pointless in 17 games, but Doan has taken advantage of a top-six opportunity with the Sabres, with 35 points (15 goals, 20 assists) in 49 games. On Wednesday, the club announced that they have signed Doan to a seven-year, $48.65 million contract. The winger was in the final year of his entry-level contract and was due to be a restricted free agent at the end of this season.
“Josh is a player that impacts the team both on and off the ice,” Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen said in a press release. “He works hard, is competitive and skilled, and his game is going to continue to develop. We believe he will be a core piece of this team moving forward, and I am excited to have him as a Buffalo Sabre long term.”
The Buffalo Sabres are currently fourth in the Atlantic Division standings with a 27-17-5 record. With this, they certainly have a chance of snapping their 14-year playoff drought this year.
With this, it would not be surprising in the slightest if the Sabres looked to add to their roster ahead of the trade deadline. When looking at this year's potential sellers, the struggling St. Louis Blues stand out as a possible trading partner for Buffalo.
Because of this, let's go over two Blues forwards who the Sabres should strongly consider making a push for.
Robert Thomas, C
The Sabres could use a true No. 1 star center, and Robert Thomas would certainly give them just that if acquired. With the Blues struggling, the 26-year-old has been creating a lot of buzz in the rumor mill as a trade candidate.
If Thomas would be willing to waive his no-trade clause to join the Sabres, he would be far more than just a rental for Buffalo. This is because he is signed until the end of the 2030-31 season, where he has a $8.125 million cap hit. This adds to his appeal.
In 42 games this season with St. Louis, Thomas has posted 11 goals and 33 points.
Jordan Kyrou, RW
Kyrou is another notable Blues forward who St. Louis is willing to listen to offers about. With Kyrou being a proven top-six winger who has recorded at least 70 points in three out of his last four seasons, he would be a big-time addition to Buffalo's roster.
Kyrou has had a bit of a down year on an all-around ice-cold Blues team this season, though. In 40 games this season, he has recorded nine goals and 21 points. Yet, when noting that he has scored at least 31 goals in each of his last three seasons, he is a prime candidate to bounce back.
Kyrou also has an $8.125 million cap hit until the end of the 2030-31 season and a no-trade clause, so he would need to okay a move to Buffalo or any other club.
He ranked all 32 NHL teams based on how much each franchise is worth. With his own projections, he compared them to the valuations from Sprotico and Forbes.
In this list, the Los Angeles Kings ranked fairly high. Roustan has the Kings fifth in these valuations, tied in approximate value with four other organizations.
Roustan has projected the value of every NHL franchise to continue to rise. For the Kings, in comparison to the 2025 report from Sportico, Roustan has increased the team's value from $2.96 billion to $3.5 billion. That's just over $500 million in increase from Sportico's report.
Along with being the second-highest team that isn't an Original Six team in Roustan's rankings, the Kings are the second-highest team based in the United States.
Los Angeles also would've been the most valuable team in the Western Conference, as it was in Sportico's ranking. However, Roustan pushed the Oilers just above the Kings in this list, making them second-best in another category.
One title they hold in these valuations is the most valuable franchise in the state of California. In fact, Los Angeles is quite a distance away from the Anaheim Ducks and the San Jose Sharks.
The Ducks rank the lowest of the Californian teams, sitting in 28th with a net worth of $1.75 billion.
Two spots ahead of Anaheim is San Jose, which is also valued at $1.75 billion. The Sharks were ranked higher than the Ducks under Sportico, but the opposite by Forbes.
Nonetheless, Roustan has the Kings worth double than what their state counterparts. In other words, Anaheim and San Jose's franchises together add up to what Los Angeles is.
The Kings prove to be one of the biggest NHL franchises in the United States.
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The Winnipeg Jets are expected to be active ahead of the NHL trade deadline, according to insider reports, with at least one move potentially coming sooner than expected.
Much of the speculation has centered on defenseman Luke Schenn, who is playing on an expiring contract and could be moved as the deadline approaches. The 36 year old has reportedly attracted interest from teams such as the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers as contenders look to add experience and depth on the blue line.
Schenn has not played a major role for Winnipeg this season, averaging 13:54 of ice time per game. With the Jets carrying a deep group of defensemen, several reports have suggested a change of scenery could be imminent for the Saskatoon native.
The market for depth defensemen has become more competitive following the trade of Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights. As teams continue searching for reliable options, Schenn is expected to draw attention despite not being considered a headline name. His experience and physical style remain appealing to teams preparing for a playoff run.
TSN insider Chris Johnston confirmed that interest in Schenn is real and indicated that a deal could happen in the near future.
"They have a lot of defensemen and it's pretty clear that Luke Schenn is one of the pieces they're dangling, he's another player I could see dealt relatively near term," Johnston said.
Schenn has adjusted his game in recent seasons to remain effective as a veteran depth option. Last season, he played for the Nashville Predators before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins along with forward Tommy Novak in a deal that brought Michael Bunting and a fourth round pick to Nashville. Schenn was later flipped to the Jets last March in exchange for a second and fourth round pick.
With that transaction occurring less than a year ago, there is believed to still be a market for Schenn. Winnipeg could look to recoup a mid round draft pick, potentially a fourth round selection, from a team such as Toronto, which has been dealing with injuries on defense.
For the Jets, moving an expiring asset for future value would be preferable to losing Schenn for nothing. The decision now falls to general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff as Winnipeg weighs its options and determines whether the team remains in a position to contend for a playoff spot while navigating the trade deadline.
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The Philadelphia Flyers left Las Vegas on Monday night with more than just two points. What they carried was something just as useful at this point in the season: evidence.
Evidence that the slide they’d been stuck in was not structural. Evidence that their habits, when honored, still hold up against good teams. Evidence that belief, once cracked, can be repaired faster than it was broken.
As Philadelphia heads to Utah to face the Mammoth, there are plenty of things to consider. The Olympic break is inching closer. The standings are tight. And momentum, fragile as it can be, is once again available to be claimed.
1. Sam Ersson and the Value of Continuity.
Rick Tocchet’s decision to give Sam Ersson back-to-back starts is not just a reward for his performance in Vegas, but a vote for stability.
After a stretch in which goaltending became entangled with the Flyers’ broader struggles, Ersson’s commendable outing against the Golden Knights felt like a reset of sorts. He simplified his game, trusted his positioning, and resisted the urge to overmanage moments of chaos. The Flyers, in turn, played like a team that trusted what was happening behind them.
Going right back to Ersson signals a desire to let that rhythm breathe. There’s a psychological component here, too: when a goaltender finds clarity, changing the equation too quickly can reintroduce noise. Tocchet appears content to let Ersson sit in the crease with that confidence intact, particularly against a Utah team that thrives on quick strikes and opportunistic offense.
If the Flyers are serious about turning one good night into a stretch of good hockey, continuity in net is a logical place to start.
Sam Ersson (33). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
2. Proving Vegas Was Not a Fluke.
The Flyers were careful not to oversell their win in Vegas, but internally, it mattered. Not because it snapped a losing streak—those end eventually—but because it validated their process.
Against Utah, the test becomes replication. Can they manage the puck with the same discipline? Can they defend without overextending? Can they avoid the temptation to cheat offensively when the game tightens?
Vegas forced Philadelphia to play honest hockey. Utah will challenge them differently. The Flyers’ recent funk was fueled in part by mental lapses and impatience. The way out of it is consistency, because that is where good teams separate themselves
3. Rolling Confidence Into Structure.
One of the more subtle takeaways from the Golden Knights game was how the Flyers’ confidence manifested.
Breakouts were cleaner. Defense was tighter. Risk was taken selectively rather than compulsively. That kind of confidence is harder to maintain than the adrenaline-fueled variety, and it’s exactly what Utah will test.
The Mammoth are dangerous when opponents lose their shape, when defenders get caught puck-watching or forwards start pressing for offense that isn’t there. Philadelphia’s challenge is to keep its identity intact even if the scoreboard doesn’t immediately cooperate.
The Flyers don’t need to play faster; they need to play calmer. That’s the version of their game that resurfaced in Vegas, and it’s the one that gives them the best chance to build real momentum heading into the break.
4. The Clock Is Starting to Matter.
The Olympic break looms as January begins to close out, and with it comes a natural psychological checkpoint. Teams want to arrive there feeling secure, not scrambling.
For the Flyers, this stretch is about more than individual games—it’s about trajectory. The standings remain crowded, and recent history has made them acutely aware of how quickly a season can tilt if a slump lingers too long. The Vegas win stopped the bleeding. Utah offers a chance to heal further.
There’s also a subtle urgency in the room now. Not panic—the Flyers have done well to avoid overreacting—but awareness. Awareness that they’ve seen what happens when habits slip, and what it feels like when they’re restored. Few teams have done better than the Flyers this season to avoid prolonged downturns. This is the moment to prove that trend holds.
Projected Lines
Philadelphia Flyers
Forwards:
Trevor Zegras - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey - Sean Couturier - Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov - Noah Cates - Bobby Brink
Nikita Grebenkin - Lane Pederson - Garnet Hathaway
