While the Detroit Red Wings didn’t get off to the start that they wanted on Thursday evening against the Ottawa Senators, all’s well that ends well.
Fresh off a gold medal victory with Team USA, Dylan Larkin scored both goals for the Red Wings, including the overtime game-winner, in Detroit’s 2-1 victory at Canadian Tire Place.
In doing so, they vaulted past the idle Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens (who lost in OT to the New York Islanders) and into the second overall spot in the Atlantic Division.
The Red Wings thought they’d struck first in the opening 20 minutes of play, as Michael Rasmussen broke in on a two-on-one rush with Elmer Soderblom and beat Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark under the glove with a quick wrist shot.
However, the Senators successfully challenged for the play being offside, which video replay confirmed.
The Senators then took a 1-0 lead thanks to Larkin’s Team USA teammate Brady Tkachuk, who scored on the man-advantage.
Not to be outdone, Larkin notched a power-play goal of his own early in the second period, knotting the score at 1-1.
Neither team found the back of the net from that point on through the rest of regulation, setting up overtime.
After winning a face-off in the defensive zone, Larkin maneuvered his way down the ice and took a feed from Lucas Raymond, broke in alone and beat Ullmark with a backhand shot, securing the win for Detroit.
Red Wings goaltender John Gibson was impressive, stopping 26 shots. Ullmark countered with 18 saves.
The Red Wings’ three game road swing will continue on Saturday night in North Carolina against the Hurricanes.
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BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 26: Joonas Korpisalo #70 of the Boston Bruins covers the puck on the penalty kill during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Columbus Blue Jackets on February 26, 2026, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With Jeremy Swayman given an extra night off to acclimate to post-Olympic life, Joonas Korpisalo filled in more than admirably.
The former Columbus netminder made 36 saves, including several big ones, to lead the Bruins to a 4-2 win over the Blue Jackets at TD Garden.
Viktor Arvidsson led the way on offense with two goals, one an empty-netter to seal it. Sean Kuraly (also a former Blue Jacket) and Morgan Geekie scored the other goals.
Kirill Marchenko got the scoring started in this one, making it 1-0 Columbus with a breakaway goal less than five minutes into the first period.
Arvidsson would seal it with an empty-netter with 33 seconds left in the third.
Bruins win, 4-2.
Game notes
Korpisalo left the game for a little more than six minutes in the second period after being bowled over by Miles Wood. With Swayman not dressing, Michael DiPietro, who has had a terrific season in Providence, stepped in as the back-up and made two saves on two shots. A nice 1.000 save percentage for six minutes of work. NOT BAD.
20 of Korpisalo’s 36 saves came in the first period, as Columbus fired plenty of rubber on net early.
The B’s took just a single penalty on the night, a holding call on Mikey Eyssimont late in the first period. Maybe they left their penalty woes in the pre-Olympic portion of the season?
The B’s celebrated Charlie Coyle during a break in play, as the Weymouth native made his first return to TD Garden since getting dealt to Colorado.
Charlie McAvoy showed little rust in his return from Olympic duty, leading the B’s in TOI at 23:55 and registering an assist.
Per NESN, the Bruins have won ten homes games in a row and are 12-2-3 since the calendar turned to 2026. They have points in eight straight games as well.
It’s probably too early for intense standings watching, but this was a pretty big win for the B’s based on other results: Florida and Detroit won, while both Ottawa and Montreal picked up points in losses.
That Florida win was a 5-1 decision over Toronto, which also lost on Wednesday night. Auston Matthews was a -4 in tonight’s loss, which should inspire some nuclear-level takes up in the Great White North. That game included this comedy of errors goal.
The Bruins will be back in action on Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia. That game will be a 3 PM start, broadcast nationally on ABC.
MONTREAL (AP) — Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored 3:14 into overtime, rookie Matthew Schaefer had two goals in a 55-second span in the second period and the New York Islanders rallied to beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Thursday night.
Schaefer has 18 goals to surpass Denis Potvin for the most by a rookie defenseman in team history. Schaefer, selected first overall in last year’s draft, also moved past Phil Housley for the most goals in NHL history by an 18-year-old defenseman.
Islanders captain Anders Lee, skating in his 900th game, also scored and Ilya Sorokin made 21 saves to help New York win its third straight. Sorokin improved to 7-0-2 in his career against Montreal.
The Canadiens’ Noah Dobson scored two goals in his first game against his former team. Cole Caufield scored his team-leading 33rd goal for Montreal in the third period and Samuel Montembeault made 23 saves.
Dobson, who scored at even strength and on the power play, spent his first six NHL seasons with the Islanders before being traded last June to Montreal for Emil Heineman and two 2025 first-round draft picks.
It was the first game back for both teams following the NHL’s 19-day pause for the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
Dobson took advantage of a poor line change by the Islanders to open the scoring for Montreal in the first period. The Canadiens defenseman took a stretch pass from Lane Hutson before firing a wrist shot from the left circle that beat Sorokin to the glove side.
Dobson has 12 goals, one shy of his single-season high set with the Islanders in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
Up next
Islanders: At the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Canadiens: Host the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
Without whom none of this would be possible… | NHLI via Getty Images
Noah Dobson scored two fist-pumping goals in his first meeting against his old team, but Matthew Schaefer scored two of his own to erase those, then the Islanders tied the game late with a sixth attacker, which set the table for Canadiens-killer J-G Pageau to score the OT winner in Montreal.
The 4-3 win gives the Isles a two-point boost coming out of the Olympic break, in a game that could’ve slipped away from them after an unimpressive second period (until Schaefer’s late heroics) and a power play goal gave the Habs a 3-2 lead midway through the third.
The Islanders hardly touched the puck in OT through two long but mostly unthreatening shifts, before Simon Holmstrom won a faceoff board battle with, um, Dobson, and sent Pageau off to the races to settle down a wobbly puck just in time.
The Isles had a decent start and though they opened scoring in the first period, but Marc Gatcomb’s goal was called back for offside, with Schaefer the glaringly guilty party. That seemed to stunt the Isles’ energy or give the Canadiens a boost, because play started to tilt after that.
Dobson’s opener at 12:11 wasn’t a particularly threatening play — though Schaefer screened Ilya Sorokin on the shot after stumbling from a netfront battle — but it followed a sequence of increasing, sustained Montreal control.
The Islanders made it to the first intermission only trailing one, but they didn’t rebound in the second. Cole Caulfield had a bid to make it 2-0 immediately waved off due to a kicking motion.
This play was called "no goal" due to a distinct kicking motion by Cole Caufield. pic.twitter.com/vGxWxkxBhh
Scott Mayfield took the first penalty of the game, and Dobson converted on that power play to give the Canadiens a real 2-0 lead, one that seemed imposing at the time, based on how things were going.
But, well, you know: anything Dobber can do, Schaefer can do better.
The Islanders got the break they needed with a nearly full two-minute 5-on-3. It looked like they would need every second of it before Schaefer finally broke the ice with a wicked shot through the defender’s legs and over the glove. That got the Islanders on the board, though they couldn’t do anything with the remaining half minute of 5-on-4.
MATTHEW SCHAEFER WITH TWO GOALS LESS THAN A MINUTE APART! 🤯
However, thankfully, Schaefer wasn’t done. Less than a minute later, he did one of his regroups, calling for the puck back at their blueline, flying through the neutral zone, orbiting behind the net, changing directions to shake the checkers and then whipping another shot through a screen to tie it at 2-2.
Most goals by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history.
So they were back even, a new game headed into the third period. They’d just need a solid start and a better 20 minutes and…oh. Simon Holmstrom took a penalty 18 seconds in, one of two correct-but-soft tripping calls the Isles would take.
They killed off the first one convincingly. They killed most of the second one (seven minutes later) with the same approach, but a squib through the crease left an open net for Caulfield to slam it home and give the Habs the lead with 10:49 to go in the period.
Things looked stark, but for once the Islanders pulled the goalie during a proper flow into the zone. Their top guys maintained possession despite some close calls from good defensive pressure from the Habs. Just when it seemed like that would all be for naught on that shift, Bo Horvat’s last-gasp shot from the high slot deflected in off the chest of captain Anders Lee, playing his 900th regular season NHL game.
We were mercifully spared a shootout thanks to Pageau finishing the game 1:46 into OT. The Canadiens won the faceoffs and controlled the puck up to that point, but they didn’t really threaten thanks to patient positioning from the Isles.
When Pageau won the next draw in the D-zone to the right wing, Holmstrom won his battle and chipped a puck off the boards to send his running mate in. The puck seemed to be wobbling all night, as if the [telecom or bank or whatever] Cent(e)r(e) ice care team took the entire Olympics off, and Pageau indeed had to settle this one before depositing it between Sam Monte…Monteba…Monte-not-gonna-work-here-much-longer’s legs.
Holmstrom beat Noah Dobson on the wall before making an incredible pass to Pageau for the game-winner 👀 pic.twitter.com/hX0IpZoVqd
MONTREAL — Maybe the first game back after three weeks was always going to be about which team could shake the cobwebs off quicker. Certainly, neither the Islanders nor Canadiens were anything like the best versions of themselves Thursday night.
At points, one would have been forgiven for assuming all 40 players on the ice had just gotten back from Milan, as the hockey took on a jet-lagged and disjointed quality.
Matthew Schaefer, though, woke the Islanders right up, earning himself another highlight and another pair of records, even as everyone has already lost count of both. As the night wore on, the Islanders found their urgency, they found their resiliency and they came away with a 4-3 win over the Canadiens on Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s backhand 1:46 into overtime.
“I have that feeling this year,” Pageau said. “When we get down, we always have a chance to come back.”
This was not pretty hockey. Both teams looked disconnected at points. The Islanders missed plenty of passes, they looked a step slow at times. So too did the Canadiens.
This turned into a fun one anyway, largely because of the two defensemen who are so central to the story of this Islanders’ season. Going into the third period, Noah Dobson had two goals against his old club, Schaefer had two goals for his new club and it was anyone’s game.
New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) celebrates his game winning goal against the Montreal Canadiens in during overtime at Bell Centre. David Kirouac-Imagn Images
The Canadiens, though, struck first in the third, with Cole Caufield scoring off Ivan Demidov’s cross-crease feed on the power play for a 3-2 lead at 9:11 of the third.
The Islanders spent the rest of the third pressing, but it took until there was 1:41 to go and they were skating at six-on-five for Anders Lee to finally tip Bo Horvat’s shot in and tie the game at three, sending his 900th career game into overtime.
The Islanders barely touched the puck for the first 1:23 of overtime, but Pageau was sprung by Simon Holmstrom off a defensive zone faceoff win and poked his backhand past Samuel Montembeault.
“That’s fun hockey,” said Schaefer, who wasted no time reminding the NHL of his brilliance with a pair of goals 55 seconds apart, the latter a brilliant solo effort, to erase a 2-0 deficit at the end of the second period. “I thought we fought so hard. It’s so fun playing with this group of guys. I love coming to the rink when all the boys are going to war.”
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) celebrates after his winning goal with teammates Simon Holmstrom (10), Casey Cizikas, second from left, and Matthew Schaefer (48) during overtime NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. AP
Dobson, facing the club that dealt him away over the summer, scored his pair of goals first: a left-circle blast while the Islanders were caught in the middle of a change, then a slap shot from the top of the zone on the power play. The two points mean he’s already passed his total from a year ago, a sign of how happily his marriage with the Canadiens has gone so far.
It wasn’t so long ago that Dobson was the next big thing on defense for the Islanders. Schaefer, though, has made that easy to forget.
With the Islanders skating five-on-three, he scored from the top of the slot to cut the lead in half. When the power play ended, he went and scored one of his more ridiculous goals of the season, skating behind the net, going around it, pulling up before the blue line, cutting back and lashing a shot from atop the right circle. By the end of the sequence, according to MSG, Schaefer had skated over 270 feet.
Ilya Sorokin makes a save on Nick Suzuki during second-period of the Islanders’ overtime road win over the Canadiens. AP
“I didn’t think we shot enough early in the game,” Schaefer said.
Exactly in line with what Patrick Roy was thinking.
“I never doubt his IQ,” the head coach said. “If there’s something I’ve seen pretty fast, it’s that.”
The first goal tied Schaefer for both the franchise lead in goals by a rookie defenseman and the all-time lead in goals for an 18-year-old defenseman. The second gave him both records, passing Denis Potvin and Phil Housley, respectively.
Just another Thursday for Schaefer.
And just another night to leave one wondering where the Islanders might be without him.
PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 26: Parker Wotherspoon #28 of the Pittsburgh Penguins battles against Dawson Mercer #91 of the New Jersey Devils at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 26, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Pregame
The first Crosby-less lineup of the season for the Penguins serves as the first Samuel Girard appearance in the lineup. Arturs Silovs gets the nod in net.
Both teams trade some chances early, the Penguins are the better team early with the Evgeni Malkin line generating some chances before New Jersey starts to get the better of the play, forcing Silovs to make a couple of nice blocker stops.
Pittsburgh gets the first power play and nice zone time, it takes a while for them to settle in. Malkin and Kris Letang move the puck, Letang fires. Tommy Novak gets a piece to redirect things on Jacob Markstrom. 1-0.
One goal often begats another, NJ gets a chance very late but it doesn’t go.
Shots go 9-6 PIT in the first, the power play goal being the difference.
Second period
The Devils adjust and respond in the second with a better effort and more control of the puck. They get their first power play when Malkin high sticks a guy.
The power play doesn’t score but it helps build towards a goal soon after. Paul Cotter gets a piece of a Dougie Hamilton point shot. The Penguins decide to challenge, for some unknown reason because there was hardly anything there.
Goal stands, NJ to the power play. The Pens kill it off but are right back to the penalty box soon after, Avery Hayes being the guilty party this time with a slash.
The penalty parade continues, Hayes draws one this time however the Penguins can’t score on their second power play of the evening. Soon after it’s Kris Letang’s turn to head to the box after knocking over Jesper Bratt. Another kill after some Connor Dewar hero ball to keep rushes going up the ice.
Turns out with 2:00 left that one more power play can get squeezed into a penalty-fest of a period, this time Simon Nemec of the Devils was the guilty party. No dice for the Pens on the late chance for a go-ahead goal.
Silovs and saves like this are the reason the game is tied after two periods:
Pittsburgh comes out strong to start the third, the Hayes, Rakell and Rust line builds momentum and amps up the pressure. That continues a little later, Ryan Shea hammers the post so hard the puck ricochets with force way out to Connor Clifton. Clifton can tell that Markstrom is way off his angle and quickly sends another effort in. It hits the crossbar and goes in. 2-1 Pens.
50 seconds later, the Pens double their lead. Malkin springs Egor Chinakhov, who drives to the net and makes a deft move to lift the puck back across Markstrom. 3-1 Pens, just like that.
The Devils pull Markstrom with almost four minutes left, getting aggressive while down two goals. That added pressure might have been a reason Clifton went to clear a puck on his backhand and sailed it out of play to take a penalty. They get Markstrom out for a 6v4 but their push ends when Blake Lizotte picks off a Hamilton pass, skates down and puts the puck into the empty net. 4-1.
Some thoughts
Faceoffs will be one area to monitor for the Pens without Crosby. He’s always not only near the top of the league in faceoff winning percentage, but also in pure numbers of faceoffs. This season, for instance, Crosby’s 1,171 faceoffs represent almost 39% of the total draws the team has had and was the third highest in the league. Ben Kindel (way down 402 faceoffs) was next on the list. Faceoffs were a struggle tonight, the Pens only won 40% of the draws and most of their top centers struggled (Rakell at 30%, Lizotte and Novak at a matching 33%).
Welp, Dan Muse didn’t learn what goaltender interference was during the Olympic break. Muse is now 0-6 at making coaches challenges in that area. Each one has been seemingly been a worse challenge than the next, this one was almost no amount of contact with the goalie. It’s arguably the one hole in Muse’s coaching repertoire so far. Whatever the thought process is on those challenges need to be worked out, already!
One area Muse has nailed is in the department of picking a goalie. Silovs was incredible in this game and was at his best when most of the game was tight. The Pens weren’t great over stretches for this one, thanks to their goalie they weren’t punished for that and able to punch in a few in the third period to pull away.
Connor Dewar had two shorthanded breakaways. Didn’t score on either though it’s a sign he’s definitely looking to get up the ice these days even when shorthanded. The Pens’ PK has been good this year (and very good lately) yet they haven’t really been aggressively looking to strike on it too often. That might be changing.
Samuel Girard as a Penguin was an interesting watch, as expected he’s a good skater. You can tell he’s been well-schooled and coached, had a team-high three blocks and was positioned impeccably in the defensive zone to leave a fine first impression.
Evgeni Malkin always seems to look fresh and rejuvenated when he gets a few weeks off, he doubtlessly also knows without No. 87 around it’s on him to step up as the guy. That usually works out well too given his 1.34 point/game rate in the situation. Two assists tonight, plus four shots on goal, very noticeable performance.
The defense was just as key at generating offense tonight. Letang’s shot got deflected for a goal. Shea hit two posts, the second one opening up an opportunity for his partner Clifton to score it himself. All hands are going to have to be on deck like that.
The penalty kill is going to have to be strong as well, and was up to the task by going a perfect 5/5, plus Lizotte’s EN clincher. Big effort there, particularly in the second period when New Jersey had four cracks at their power play.
Pens improve to 11-1-5 in games against division opponents this year. Massive stuff to pile up the points against the teams they’re competing with the most for a playoff berth.
That makes for a victorious first game back from the break, getting the Pens off on the right foot for what figures to be a very challenging path ahead. They handled business nicely against a team down in the standings while at home, as they should have. Up next are two afternoon games this weekend, starting in New York against the Rangers on Saturday.
The Florida Panthers resumed their NHL season following the league’s Olympic break when they hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
With only 25 games remaining and plenty of ground to make up in the playoff race, Florida jumped all over the Leafs and skated to an exhilarating 5-1 victory at Amerant Bank Arena.
It didn’t take long for the Panthers to give their home fans something to cheer about.
Just 3:18 into the game, Brad Marchand jumped on the rebound of an Anton Lundell shot from the side boards, kicking the puck to his stick and depositing it behind a sprawling Joseph Woll to give the Cats an early 1-0 lead.
Less than two minutes later, with Nicolas Roy in the penalty box for tripping Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers stuck again.
This time it was a great backhand pass by Evan Rodrigues finding Carter Verhaeghe at the side of Woll’s net, and a quick snipe over Woll’s glove to put Florida up 2-0 at the 5:13 mark.
With Toronto on the power play late in the period, Florida took the opportunity to add to their lead.
As the Leafs were attempting to exit their own zone and move toward Florida’s blue line, Rodrigues picked off a pass by William Nylander and headed in all alone on a breakaway.
A nasty backhand-forehand move in which Rodrigues completely stopped his forward motion and dangled the puck around Woll’s leg gave the Panthers a 3-0 lead to take into the first intermission.
That’s how the score would remain until early in the third period.
With Toronto on the power play, a backhand pass by John Tavares went off Gus Forsling’s skate and through the legs of Sergei Bobrovsky, cutting into Florida’s lead just 47 seconds into the final frame.
The Leafs wouldn’t get any closer, as Bobrovsky shut the door and Marchand added an empty-net goal with 3:09 to go to give the Cats a 4-1 lead.
For good measure, Matthew Tkachuk also got in on the fun, scoring his own empty-netter with 1:52 to go after Toronto pulled Woll a second time.
Photo caption: Feb 26, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) scores against Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Midway through the Feb. 26 home game against the Detroit Red Wings, Tkachuk had a bloody nose and a trip to the penalty box.
At the 7:40 mark of the second period, Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson delivered a big hit that sent Tkachuk to the ice. The puck wasn't nearby, so Edvinsson was assessed two minutes for interference, plus five minutes for fighting as Ottawa's Dylan Cozens dropped the gloves in defense of his teammate.
Tkachuk scored the game's opening goal, but Detroit captain Dylan Larkin, another Team USA standout, scored twice in the Red Wings' 2-1 overtime win.
The day was a busy one for Tkachuk, who was making his first appearance since the Olympics. He answered questions after practice about the gold medal experience plus a White House TikTok video in which his voice was dubbed over to make it sound like he was insulting Canadians.
Tkachuk called the video, which included artificial intelligence, "clearly fake because it's not my voice and not my lips moving."
He added: "It's not my voice. It's not what I was saying. I would never say that. It's not who I am. So, I guess I don't like that video."
Recently, we here at The Hockey News Buffalo Sabres looked at two trade candidates from the Calgary Flames.
Now, in this latest edition of the Sabres trade targets series, let's look at two Philadelphia Flyers who could be good fits for the Atlantic Division club.
Owen Tippett
Owen Tippett has been a popular name in the rumor mill this season, and he would have the potential to be a very nice addition to the Sabres' roster. The 27-year-old forward would give the Sabres another skilled forward to work with in their top nine and would be an obvious choice for their power play if acquired.
Tippett would be more than a rental for the Sabres if acquired, as he has a $6.2 million cap hit until the end of the 2031-32 season. In 57 games this season, he has recorded 19 goals, 16 assists, and 35 points.
Noah Juulsen
The Sabres need another depth defenseman with experience, and the Flyers have a decent option in Noah Juulsen. The 28-year-old could work well on the Sabres' bottom pairing or even as an extra defenseman.
Juulsen would not be a big addition to the Sabres' roster, but he would give them another much-needed right-shot defenseman. In 43 games this season, he has recorded one goal, nine points, 90 hits, and a plus-2 rating.
A video montage congratulating the Rangers’ five Team USA representatives from the Winter Olympics — who all were part of the run in Milan that ended with the country’s first gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980 — had just finished playing Thursday, recognizing Miller, Trocheck, head coach Mike Sullivan (USA head coach), assistant coach David Quinn (USA assistant coach) and president and general manager Chris Drury (USA assistant general manager) — with Drury, the architect of this disappointing Rangers season and retooling, getting booed loudly during the proceedings.
The ceremony, something that has been replicated throughout the NHL as players rejoined their respective teams, lasted around four minutes before the Blueshirts’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Flyers.
Sullivan’s speech from inside the American locker room pregame played on the scoreboard. Highlights from the gold-medal game, too. And then Trocheck and Miller were both shown receiving their gold medals.
Vincent Trocheck, who won a gold medal for Team USA, is greeted by the fans before the Rangers’ game against the Flyers on Feb. 26, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
MSG crowd chants ‘U-S-A’ as J. T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, Mike Sullivan, Chris Drury & David Quinn get a standing ovation after Team USA brought home gold. pic.twitter.com/3SL24ickeU
“The celebration before the game is a special moment for a lot of us,” Sullivan said. “Certainly proud of the accomplishment that the Olympic team was able to win the gold medal. We’re particularly proud of J.T. and [Trocheck] and the contribution that they had in helping us win over there. Those guys were instrumental in so many ways.”
Trocheck and Miller were key pieces of a penalty kill unit that went 18-for-18 throughout the tournament. Across the entire men’s hockey tournament, Trocheck finished with the third-highest faceoff percentage.
And Thursday, the celebration for Team USA’s medal — which stretched from Milan to Miami to the White House, morphing into a political controversy along the way — reached their home venue.
In a season where the Rangers’ focus has shifted to what’s next, Brendan Brisson became the latest to get a chance.
The 24-year-old and former first-round pick — part of the return in the March trade that sent Reilly Smith to the Golden Knights — was recalled from AHL Hartford to practice with the Blueshirts during the Olympic break and made his Rangers debut Thursday.
He skated on the third line alongside Noah Laba and Conor Sheary while also logging time with the second power-play unit. Brisson, who previously appeared in 24 NHL games across two stints while with the Golden Knights, collected 13 goals and 23 points in 46 games with the Wolf Pack.
Gold medal winners Vincent Trocheck (right) and J.T. Miller, along with head coach Mike Sullivan, are honored by the Rangers in a pregame ceremony on Feb. 26, 2026 before the Rangers faced the Flyers. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“I’m just gonna try to go out there [Thursday] and be good in the system, be good in the details of the game and if I get a chance, hopefully generate on it, produce on it,” Brisson told The Post before the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Flyers.
Forward Brett Berard was assigned to the Wolf Pack and goaltender Hugo Ollas was assigned to ECHL Bloomington Bison before the game.
Gotham Sports App, which is the direct-to-consumer streaming branch of MSG and YES Networks, can now be purchased through Prime Video, the company announced. It serves as the streaming space for Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Yankees, Knicks, Nets and Sabres coverage.
With the trade deadline looming and a championship window still wide open, the Colorado Avalanche find themselves in a familiar position: aggressive, calculated, and unafraid to swing big. Cap space is available. A former Stanley Cup hero could be within reach. The question isn’t whether the Avalanche can make a blockbuster move — it’s whether they should.
Nazem Kadri taking a hard hit from Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry earlier this season.
Cap Space Creates Opportunity
The Avalanche wasted no time getting to work once the Olympic trade freeze lifted. In a decisive move, Colorado shipped longtime defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defenseman Brett Kulak.
Kulak made his Avalanche debut in a 4–2 victory over the Utah Mammoth at Delta Center, and the early returns were solid. But the real win may not have been on the ice — it was on the balance sheet.
By moving Girard without retaining salary, Colorado cleared significant cap space. The Avalanche now sit with approximately $8.74 million in flexibility, giving general manager Chris MacFarland the financial breathing room to pursue something far more ambitious.
The Nazem Kadri Question
Reacquiring Nazem Kadri would be more than a nostalgic reunion. It would be a competitive statement.
Kadri was instrumental in Colorado’s 2022 Stanley Cup run, producing a career-best 87 points (28 goals, 59 assists) in 71 regular-season games before delivering timely playoff heroics. After the Avalanche were unable to retain him, he signed with the Calgary Flames, where his production has remained respectable — though not quite at his Colorado peak.
At 35, Kadri is no longer the dynamic force he once was. But context matters. Calgary sits near the bottom of the Pacific Division at 23-27-6, and Kadri has made little secret of his dissatisfaction with the direction of the franchise. A return to Denver could reignite both his production and his edge.
Kadri, slotted as a third-line center, could give the Avalanche enviable depth and matchup flexibility heading into the postseason.
But if Kadri demands to play the second-line role, that could become a serious issue. Brock Nelson has excelled in the role and is having a career-best season along with just capturing Olympic gold in Milan, the first gold medal for the United States since 1980. The last thing you want to do is have an angry player who's locked in on a long-term deal.
But if Kadri is willing to be the third-line center, it could be a solid fit.
The Veteran Blueprint: Brent Burns
Age alone is not a disqualifier in Colorado.
Just look at Brent Burns.
Brent Burns is having a tremendous campaign for Colorado. Credit: Ron Chenoy
At 40 years old, Burns is authoring an impressive campaign, tallying nine goals and 18 assists for 27 points in 56 games with a career-best +30 rating. While plus/minus is no longer a favored analytic darling, it remains an indicator of on-ice impact — and Burns’ number speaks volumes.
His previous high-water mark came during the 2013-14 season with the San Jose Sharks, where he became a franchise cornerstone and later captured the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2017 as the league’s top defenseman.
Burns is in Colorado for one reason: to win another Stanley Cup. If he can defy the aging curve, the Avalanche may believe Kadri can do the same.
The Real Cost of a Reunion
The complication, as always, lies in the asking price.
Colorado’s identity is built on depth — and dismantling that depth could be counterproductive. Parker Kelly is enjoying a career year and serves as a vital locker-room presence. If Calgary demands Kelly, that may be a nonstarter.
The Flames may want to steal Parker Kelly away from the Avalanche. Credit: Rob Gray
A package centered around Ross Colton and a draft pick could be palatable, but a rebuilding Flames organization will likely demand more. Top prospect Mikhail Gulyayev would certainly intrigue Calgary’s front office.
The Avalanche must determine whether sacrificing future assets — and potentially disrupting team chemistry — is worth a short-term surge.
If Not Kadri, Then Who?
If Kadri proves too costly, an alternative exists in Ryan O’Reilly.
While not the fleetest skater at this stage of his career, O’Reilly remains elite in the faceoff circle and thrives in the hard areas of the ice. His three-goal performance on January 16 at Ball Arena was a reminder that his instincts and net-front prowess remain intact.
Former Avalanche forward Ryan O'Reilly. Credit: Brad Mills
Colorado’s playoff needs are clear: win draws, grind in traffic, score the ugly goals when space evaporates.
O’Reilly fits that description.
Championship Windows Don’t Wait
What this ultimately comes down to is urgency.
The Avalanche’s championship window is not closed — but it is not infinite. With a core still in its prime and veterans pushing for one more ring, Colorado must balance boldness with prudence.
Cap space gives them options. Familiar names stir emotion. But championships are not won on sentiment.
Avs fans would love to see this again. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas
As the trade deadline accelerates toward its climax, all eyes turn to CMac — and whether the next move will be a calculated tweak or a seismic swing.
Because in Colorado, second chances can lead to parades.
The Florida Panthers resumed their NHL season on Thursday night when they hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs at Amerant Bank Arena.
It was the first game for Florida following the NHL hitting the pause button for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Prior to puck drop, Florida honored everyone on the ice who was a part of Team USA, a list that included Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, General Manager Bill Zito and Head Equipment Manager Teddy Richards, as well as Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews who also wore the “C” for the United States.
The four Americans gathered at center ice, where Zito and Richards dropped a ceremonial puck between Tkachuk and Matthews.
It was a very cool moment for the gold medal winners, putting a bow on what was surely an incredible experience.
Later, during a first period TV timeout, Florida took a moment to recognize their other Olympians.
Three Panthers – Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett – won silver medals with Team Canada, while three others – Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola – claimed bronze medals while representing Finland.
Florida’s Latvians – defenseman Uvis Balinskis and forward Sandis Vilmanis – as well as Finnish blueliner Gus Forsling, were also honored.
As for the game, the Panthers were already up 2-0 on Toronto when the game reached TV timeout number one.
The Florida Panthers resumed their NHL season on Thursday night when they hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs at Amerant Bank Arena.
It was the first game for Florida following the NHL hitting the pause button for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Prior to puck drop, Florida honored everyone on the ice who was a part of Team USA, a list that included Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, General Manager Bill Zito and Head Equipment Manager Teddy Richards, as well as Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews who also wore the “C” for the United States.
The four Americans gathered at center ice, where Zito and Richards dropped a ceremonial puck between Tkachuk and Matthews.
It was a very cool moment for the gold medal winners, putting a bow on what was surely an incredible experience.
Later, during a first period TV timeout, Florida took a moment to recognize their other Olympians.
Three Panthers – Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett – won silver medals with Team Canada, while three others – Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola – claimed bronze medals while representing Finland.
Florida’s Latvians – defenseman Uvis Balinskis and forward Sandis Vilmanis – as well as Finnish blueliner Gus Forsling, were also honored.
As for the game, the Panthers were already up 2-0 on Toronto when the game reached TV timeout number one.
For the first time in six games, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae will step back into the lineup, ending a prolonged stretch as a healthy scratch that, while difficult, may ultimately serve as one of the more important developmental checkpoints of his young NHL career.
Sam Ersson will start for the Flyers tonight vs. Rangers. Emil Andrae will draw back into the lineup.
For both Andrae and the Flyers, his return represents a recalibration of sorts—of expectations, responsibilities, and trust.
And maybe most importantly, it’s another test of whether Andrae can consistently differentiate himself from a promising call-up into a dependable, everyday NHL defenseman.
A Necessary Pause in a Promising Trajectory
When Andrae was first recalled earlier this season, he impressed straightaway.
He moved the puck decisively, drove offense, and played with the kind of assertiveness that belied his size. At 5-foot-9, Andrae will never overwhelm opponents physically, but he compensates with anticipation, mobility, and pure fearlessness. He closes gaps aggressively and can escape pressure cleanly. And when he does get the puck, he sees the ice like a player who has always been accustomed to controlling it.
That early success confirmed the already favorable opinions he had garnered from previous NHL stints—at 24 years old, he's obviously not a finished product, but he does possess a heap of desirable qualities in a blueliner, and has oodles of potential for his coaches to work with as he continues developing.
But as the season wore on, the natural inconsistencies of a young defenseman began to surface. The reads that came easily in his first stretch required quicker processing, and the risks became more costly.
Head coach Rick Tocchet was candid in his assessment of where Andrae’s game had slipped before the Flyers' game against the New York Rangers on Feb. 26.
“I think he played his best hockey when he was first called up,” Tocchet said. “I think he was obviously good on the breakouts, good on wheeling the puck… It’s just stuff he tries too much—making passes in the middle of the ice or being out of position, things like that. But that’s growing as a young defenseman.”
#Flyers coach Rick Tocchet on what Emil Andrae needs to do to get back in: "Well, I think one of the reasons why we have to do this is our PK...That's the problem, he's not a PK guy. So actually, this week, he's worked on his [PK]. That's really what it's going to come down to." https://t.co/rD63WBHETa
Andrae’s absence wasn’t solely about performance. It was also about his fit in the overall lineup.
Tocchet pointed to penalty killing responsibilities multiple times, along with the importance of balanced right-left defensive pairings, as key factors in Andrae’s temporary removal from the lineup.
Defensemen must earn that trust incrementally. It comes through consistency, through reliability, and through proving that risk-reward decisions consistently favor the team.
Now, Andrae has a prime chance to make a case for his usefulness not just in 5-on-5 play, but on special teams as well.
“He might get some PK time tonight [against the Rangers],” Tocchet said. “So hopefully if he’s out there that he can help us out on the PK, too.”
Even limited penalty-killing usage would be an important step in signaling growing confidence from the coaching staff in both Andrae’s offensive instincts and his defensive discipline.
What Andrae Brings That the Flyers Need
Despite his recent absence, Andrae offers something the Flyers’ blue line doesn’t have in abundance: natural puck-moving fluidity.
They have offensive-minded in defensemen in players like Cam York and Jamie Drysdale, but Andrae adds a layer of relentlessness to that core of smaller offensive defensemen.
His skating allows him to escape pressure without defaulting to glass-and-out clears. His vision allows him to identify transition opportunities early, and his willingness to attack open ice forces opposing forechecks to hesitate.
Those traits are especially valuable for a Flyers team that relies heavily on structure and pace to generate offense. A clean breakout is often the first offensive play, and Andrae has shown he can initiate those sequences.
What he’s learning now is when to be aggressive and when to be simple—a crucial and delicate balance that separates promising young defensemen from reliable NHL regulars.
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae (36). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
A Critical Stage in His Long-Term Development
The six games Andrae spent out of the lineup may ultimately, in a twisted sort of way, benefit him in the long run.
From the press box, the game slows down. Patterns become clearer, making mistakes easier to recognize without the immediacy of competition. As frustrating as it is not to be on the ice, for young defensemen dealing with stagnation, those observational stretches can accelerate growth, allowing Andrae to return with both perspective and motivation.
He knows what earned him his initial opportunity. He also knows what cost him his place, and no doubt he understands what’s required to keep it.
The good thing is that Andrae doesn't have to scrap his whole game and start over. As Tocchet pointed out, the expectation is not for Andrae to completely reinvent his game, but to refine it and stay consistent with it. Keep the mobility; keep the confidence; keep the creativity. But going along with that, pair those clear strengths with restraint, positional awareness, and situational judgment.
A Meaningful Opportunity for Player and Team
For the Flyers, reinserting Andrae is more than just switching up the lineup in the hopes of taking three points away from New York. The team is simultaneously evaluating his nightly performance and his trajectory.
Can Andrae become a reliable puck-moving presence in their top six?
Can he handle defensive responsibility in critical moments?
Can he grow into a player they can trust in all situations?
Those answers won’t come after one game, but they’ll begin to emerge now, as he steps back onto the ice—not as the wide-eyed up-and-down kid from his first stints with the big club, but as a more mature and experienced young defenseman who has felt both the momentum of early success and the humility of stepping back.
For the first time in six games, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae will step back into the lineup, ending a prolonged stretch as a healthy scratch that, while difficult, may ultimately serve as one of the more important developmental checkpoints of his young NHL career.
Sam Ersson will start for the Flyers tonight vs. Rangers. Emil Andrae will draw back into the lineup.
For both Andrae and the Flyers, his return represents a recalibration of sorts—of expectations, responsibilities, and trust.
And maybe most importantly, it’s another test of whether Andrae can consistently differentiate himself from a promising call-up into a dependable, everyday NHL defenseman.
A Necessary Pause in a Promising Trajectory
When Andrae was first recalled earlier this season, he impressed straightaway.
He moved the puck decisively, drove offense, and played with the kind of assertiveness that belied his size. At 5-foot-9, Andrae will never overwhelm opponents physically, but he compensates with anticipation, mobility, and pure fearlessness. He closes gaps aggressively and can escape pressure cleanly. And when he does get the puck, he sees the ice like a player who has always been accustomed to controlling it.
That early success confirmed the already favorable opinions he had garnered from previous NHL stints—at 24 years old, he's obviously not a finished product, but he does possess a heap of desirable qualities in a blueliner, and has oodles of potential for his coaches to work with as he continues developing.
But as the season wore on, the natural inconsistencies of a young defenseman began to surface. The reads that came easily in his first stretch required quicker processing, and the risks became more costly.
Head coach Rick Tocchet was candid in his assessment of where Andrae’s game had slipped before the Flyers' game against the New York Rangers on Feb. 26.
“I think he played his best hockey when he was first called up,” Tocchet said. “I think he was obviously good on the breakouts, good on wheeling the puck… It’s just stuff he tries too much—making passes in the middle of the ice or being out of position, things like that. But that’s growing as a young defenseman.”
#Flyers coach Rick Tocchet on what Emil Andrae needs to do to get back in: "Well, I think one of the reasons why we have to do this is our PK...That's the problem, he's not a PK guy. So actually, this week, he's worked on his [PK]. That's really what it's going to come down to." https://t.co/rD63WBHETa
Andrae’s absence wasn’t solely about performance. It was also about his fit in the overall lineup.
Tocchet pointed to penalty killing responsibilities multiple times, along with the importance of balanced right-left defensive pairings, as key factors in Andrae’s temporary removal from the lineup.
Defensemen must earn that trust incrementally. It comes through consistency, through reliability, and through proving that risk-reward decisions consistently favor the team.
Now, Andrae has a prime chance to make a case for his usefulness not just in 5-on-5 play, but on special teams as well.
“He might get some PK time tonight [against the Rangers],” Tocchet said. “So hopefully if he’s out there that he can help us out on the PK, too.”
Even limited penalty-killing usage would be an important step in signaling growing confidence from the coaching staff in both Andrae’s offensive instincts and his defensive discipline.
What Andrae Brings That the Flyers Need
Despite his recent absence, Andrae offers something the Flyers’ blue line doesn’t have in abundance: natural puck-moving fluidity.
They have offensive-minded in defensemen in players like Cam York and Jamie Drysdale, but Andrae adds a layer of relentlessness to that core of smaller offensive defensemen.
His skating allows him to escape pressure without defaulting to glass-and-out clears. His vision allows him to identify transition opportunities early, and his willingness to attack open ice forces opposing forechecks to hesitate.
Those traits are especially valuable for a Flyers team that relies heavily on structure and pace to generate offense. A clean breakout is often the first offensive play, and Andrae has shown he can initiate those sequences.
What he’s learning now is when to be aggressive and when to be simple—a crucial and delicate balance that separates promising young defensemen from reliable NHL regulars.
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae (36). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
A Critical Stage in His Long-Term Development
The six games Andrae spent out of the lineup may ultimately, in a twisted sort of way, benefit him in the long run.
From the press box, the game slows down. Patterns become clearer, making mistakes easier to recognize without the immediacy of competition. As frustrating as it is not to be on the ice, for young defensemen dealing with stagnation, those observational stretches can accelerate growth, allowing Andrae to return with both perspective and motivation.
He knows what earned him his initial opportunity. He also knows what cost him his place, and no doubt he understands what’s required to keep it.
The good thing is that Andrae doesn't have to scrap his whole game and start over. As Tocchet pointed out, the expectation is not for Andrae to completely reinvent his game, but to refine it and stay consistent with it. Keep the mobility; keep the confidence; keep the creativity. But going along with that, pair those clear strengths with restraint, positional awareness, and situational judgment.
A Meaningful Opportunity for Player and Team
For the Flyers, reinserting Andrae is more than just switching up the lineup in the hopes of taking three points away from New York. The team is simultaneously evaluating his nightly performance and his trajectory.
Can Andrae become a reliable puck-moving presence in their top six?
Can he handle defensive responsibility in critical moments?
Can he grow into a player they can trust in all situations?
Those answers won’t come after one game, but they’ll begin to emerge now, as he steps back onto the ice—not as the wide-eyed up-and-down kid from his first stints with the big club, but as a more mature and experienced young defenseman who has felt both the momentum of early success and the humility of stepping back.
