Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. 

The Canucks outplayed the Sabres by a wide margin on Tuesday. Vancouver held a 27-18 even-strength scoring chances advantage while winning the even-strength high-danger scoring chances battle 12-7. In the end, though, Buffalo was able to capitalize on their opportunities while the Canucks could not find a way to beat Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen until the third period. 

As for the heatmap, it shows just how strong Luukkonen was all night. The Sabres goaltender stopped 13 of the 14 high-danger shots he faced, with seven of those stops coming while shorthanded. Ultimately, Vancouver got goalied in this game as they threw everything they could at Buffalo's net. 

To wrap things up, the duo of Filip Hronek and Zeev Buium had a strong showing in this game. During their 17:10 of even-strength ice time, the Canucks held a 12-7 shots advantage while winning the high-danger scoring chances battle 6-2. If these two can continue to develop chemistry, Vancouver may have found their next dynamic first pair duo. 

The Canucks continue their road trip on Thursday when they take on the Detroit Red Wings. Vancouver and Detroit have already met this season, with the Red Wings skating away with a 4-0 victory at Rogers Arena. Game time is scheduled for 4:00 pm PT.

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Olympic hockey venues might not be fully finished, but tournament will go on originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The head of the International Ice Hockey Federation said parts of the main hockey rink for the Milan Cortina Olympics might not be fully finished on time, but the playing surface, practice facilities and dressing rooms will be ready when the puck drops for the men’s event Feb. 11.

“We can be confident on that,” IIHF President Luc Tardif told reporters Monday at the world junior championship. “You’re not going to go to Milano for nothing.”

Tardif added that the main arena will not be “exactly” what he expected in terms of capacity, with the number of seats set at 11,800.

“That’s a little bit short,” he said, according to The Canadian Press. “But it will be a nice setup for the Olympic Games.”

Construction delays and other concerns about the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and secondary Rho facility have drawn headlines for weeks with the NHL returning to the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 and the women’s tournament opening Feb. 5.

The NHL has expressed concern about the construction and also the quality of the ice surface. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said last month in Winnipeg that the league will not send its players if there are any safety concerns with the ice.

The league is sending its own experts to Italy to ensure the ice is safe. The facility features rinks smaller than NHL standards but still within IIHF standards.

Tardif noted the IIHF isn’t overseeing construction — that’s up to the International Olympic Committee and local organizing officials — and can do only so much in terms of the timeline.

Tardif said he will be traveling to Italy with officials from the league and the NHL Players’ Association later this week for a test event at the venue.

“I’m confident about the quality of the infrastructure,” he said. “We would have liked to sleep much better … I think we will have a good competition, but maybe you can ask me the question after (this week).”

The NHL was caught off guard when it became apparent the two rinks’ dimensions will be slightly wider and 3 feet shorter than what the league and International Ice Hockey Federation agreed upon. Daly said the league and NHLPA have reminded the IIHF that they expect the ice surface to be standard NHL size at the 2030 Olympics in France.

Olympic hockey venues might not be fully finished, but tournament will go on originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The head of the International Ice Hockey Federation said parts of the main hockey rink for the Milan Cortina Olympics might not be fully finished on time, but the playing surface, practice facilities and dressing rooms will be ready when the puck drops for the men’s event Feb. 11.

“We can be confident on that,” IIHF President Luc Tardif told reporters Monday at the world junior championship. “You’re not going to go to Milano for nothing.”

Tardif added that the main arena will not be “exactly” what he expected in terms of capacity, with the number of seats set at 11,800.

“That’s a little bit short,” he said, according to The Canadian Press. “But it will be a nice setup for the Olympic Games.”

Construction delays and other concerns about the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and secondary Rho facility have drawn headlines for weeks with the NHL returning to the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 and the women’s tournament opening Feb. 5.

The NHL has expressed concern about the construction and also the quality of the ice surface. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said last month in Winnipeg that the league will not send its players if there are any safety concerns with the ice.

The league is sending its own experts to Italy to ensure the ice is safe. The facility features rinks smaller than NHL standards but still within IIHF standards.

Tardif noted the IIHF isn’t overseeing construction — that’s up to the International Olympic Committee and local organizing officials — and can do only so much in terms of the timeline.

Tardif said he will be traveling to Italy with officials from the league and the NHL Players’ Association later this week for a test event at the venue.

“I’m confident about the quality of the infrastructure,” he said. “We would have liked to sleep much better … I think we will have a good competition, but maybe you can ask me the question after (this week).”

The NHL was caught off guard when it became apparent the two rinks’ dimensions will be slightly wider and 3 feet shorter than what the league and International Ice Hockey Federation agreed upon. Daly said the league and NHLPA have reminded the IIHF that they expect the ice surface to be standard NHL size at the 2030 Olympics in France.

Olympic hockey venues might not be fully finished, but tournament will go on originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The head of the International Ice Hockey Federation said parts of the main hockey rink for the Milan Cortina Olympics might not be fully finished on time, but the playing surface, practice facilities and dressing rooms will be ready when the puck drops for the men’s event Feb. 11.

“We can be confident on that,” IIHF President Luc Tardif told reporters Monday at the world junior championship. “You’re not going to go to Milano for nothing.”

Tardif added that the main arena will not be “exactly” what he expected in terms of capacity, with the number of seats set at 11,800.

“That’s a little bit short,” he said, according to The Canadian Press. “But it will be a nice setup for the Olympic Games.”

Construction delays and other concerns about the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and secondary Rho facility have drawn headlines for weeks with the NHL returning to the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 and the women’s tournament opening Feb. 5.

The NHL has expressed concern about the construction and also the quality of the ice surface. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said last month in Winnipeg that the league will not send its players if there are any safety concerns with the ice.

The league is sending its own experts to Italy to ensure the ice is safe. The facility features rinks smaller than NHL standards but still within IIHF standards.

Tardif noted the IIHF isn’t overseeing construction — that’s up to the International Olympic Committee and local organizing officials — and can do only so much in terms of the timeline.

Tardif said he will be traveling to Italy with officials from the league and the NHL Players’ Association later this week for a test event at the venue.

“I’m confident about the quality of the infrastructure,” he said. “We would have liked to sleep much better … I think we will have a good competition, but maybe you can ask me the question after (this week).”

The NHL was caught off guard when it became apparent the two rinks’ dimensions will be slightly wider and 3 feet shorter than what the league and International Ice Hockey Federation agreed upon. Daly said the league and NHLPA have reminded the IIHF that they expect the ice surface to be standard NHL size at the 2030 Olympics in France.

After a long month, it appears the Pittsburgh Penguins are close to welcoming one of their best players back to the lineup. 

For the first time since going on injured reserve Dec. 9, center Evgeni Malkin skated in a full capacity with the team on Tuesday. Malkin, 39, has missed the last 15 games with an upper-body injury, which he clarified was a shoulder injury following practice.

His last game came Dec. 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, when he recorded two goals and three points. Malkin has eight goals and 29 points in 26 games on the season. 

"It's, like, crazy, because I'm not feeling any pain after game, but next morning, I wake up, and, like, my upper body, it's like I can't move my shoulder," Malkin said. "It's crazy."

Adding Malkin back to the lineup should bolster an already-buzzing group that has won five consecutive games since the holiday break. Prior to some bad injury luck for the Penguins, Malkin was skating on a line with Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha, and they saw a lot of success as a line. 

Tommy Novak has been centering that second line, where Malkin figures to slot back in. His return might make for some tough lineup decisions, but it's a good problem for the Penguins to have. 

"I think it was a good step in the right direction having him out there," head coach Dan Muse said. "Full-blown practice, looked good, got another practice day tomorrow... So, we'll continue to have conversations, but it was a good day for him."

Malkin said he hopes to play this week, but Muse didn't offer a specific timeline for his return to the lineup. The Penguins next play the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.

Takeaways: Penguins Roar Back From Three-Goal Deficit, Beat Blue Jackets In OTThe Pittsburgh Penguins extended their winning streak to five games in dramatic fashion against the Columbus Blue Jackets, which is just another indication that this team may be better than anyone thought.

---

- Unfortunately, another player may have sustained an injury during practice. 

After a collision with a teammate, forward Rutger McGroarty left the ice and was attended to by the trainers, and he did not return to practice. Muse could not offer an update on McGroarty after practice. 

McGroarty has two goals and three points in 16 games this season. 

'You Can Never Be Satisfied In This League': McGroarty Taking Strides At NHL Level With PenguinsPittsburgh Penguins' forward Rutger McGroarty is learning every day at the NHL level - and he only figures to get even better with more experience at the highest level of hockey.

- Tuesday's practice was optional, as Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Yegor Chinakhov, Erik Karlsson, and Kris Letang were absent. 

- A decision looms on rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke, who is headed back to Pittsburgh after helping Canada earn a bronze medal at the World Junior Championship. 

Brunicke, 19, cannot play in the AHL this season and has played in nine games at the NHL level, which means his entry-level contract has not been activated. However, another deadline looms, as Jan. 31 would mark 40 games that Brunicke will have been on the active NHL roster. 

Should Brunicke remain on the roster beyond that game, the Penguins lose a year of restricted free agency, and, therefore, team control. The Penguins are expected to come to a decision in the coming days on whether or not he will spend the rest of the season in the WHL.

NHL Rumors: Penguins Big Winger Makes New Trade BoardThis Penguins forward has been featured on a new trade board.

---

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

Connor McDavid torched the Nashville Predators Tuesday night in Edmonton, recording his 14th career hat trick as the Oilers blew out the Nashville Predators, 6-2. 

McDavid is now up to 28 goals on the season. He kicked off the scoring for the Oilers in the first period, finding the back of the net on the power play. It marked the seventh straight game that Nashville has given up the first goal of the night. 

Edmonton poured it on in the second period, scoring three unanswered goals, to bump its lead to 3-0. McDavid netted his second goal of the night in the second frame on a penalty shot when Adam Wilsby held him on a breakaway. 

The Predators showed a little bit of life in the third period as Ryan O'Reilly scored his 12th of the season to snap Connor Ingram's shutout bid.

Ryan on the rebound 💥 pic.twitter.com/9pyKlME9Jp

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) January 7, 2026

Nic Hague let a shot go that rebounded off of Ingram's right pad and onto O'Reilly's stick for the easy put-back goal. Luke Evangelista was credited with a secondary assist. 

15 seconds later, Nick Blankenburg ripped a long shot from the left point that found the back of the net to cut Edmonton's lead to. 4-2. Reid Schaefer and Michael Bunting were awarded the assists.

Leon Drisaitl restored the Oilers ' three-goal lead, and McDavid added insurance in the final minute of the game, netting his third goal of the night. 

Nashville was dominated by the Oilers, getting outshot 43-26 and winning just 43.3% of the total face-offs. Juuse Saros made 37 saves on 43 shots, which is the most shots he's faced in a single game this season.

The Predators fall to 19-19-4 on the season and are three points outside of a Wild Card spot with 42 points. They wrap up their seven-game road trip going 4-3-0. 

Nashville returns to Bridgestone Arena on Thursday against the New York Islanders at 7 p.m. CST. 

 

The Winnipeg Jets' losing streak has hit 10 games. 

On Tuesday, in front of home fans for the first time in four games, the Jets gave up 2-0 and 3-2 leads, ultimately falling 4-3 in overtime to the visiting Vegas Golden Knights for their tenth-straight loss. 

Luke Schenn scored his first goal as a Jet, Cole Perfetti got his first goal in 16 games, while Kyle Connor found his 20th goal of the season, but it wasn't enough to beat the visitors on Tuesday.

“I’ve gone through stretches like this in my career, just not with a group that’s this talented," the veteran blueliner said following the game.

"With a world-class MVP goalie, top-line talent and great defencemen, veterans and guys who have been around for a long time and have won. It’s not bringing in a bunch of young guys and seeing what sticks. It’s a great group of guys, we’re just not getting across the finish line at the end of the day. That’s what it is," Schenn added.

The Jets got on the board just 5:16 into the game, with Perfetti snapping an ugly goal scoring streak with his third of the season and just first goal in 16 games. He had just only points in the month and change since scoring his second of the year back on November 29. 

The youngest player on the Jets' roster was the beneficiary of a nice spinning pass from veteran Jonathan Toews. He got Perfetti the puck on the doorstep, who only needs to tap it past Carter Hart in goal off his backhand for the 1-0 marker.

Things took a scary turn as local product Keegan Kolesar sent Haydn Fleury hard into the end boards, which required a lengthy delay, EMS and a stretcher to get the defenceman off the ice. 

The Jets later reported that Fluery was transported to hospital via ambulance but had movement in all extremities before leaving the downtown venue. 

“He’s at the hospital, he’ll be staying overnight," head coach Scott Arniel said after the game. "Obviously he’s got a lot of tests to go through. He does have a broken nose. There’s a few different things that happened off it. A little bit of everything. He obviously slammed his back, his neck, hit his head, and then obviously his nose.”

Winnipeg led narrowly on the scoreboard and shot chart (5-4) through 20 minutes of play.

The middle stanza belonged to Luke Schenn.

He finally scored his first goal as a member of the Jets (42 total games played over the past two seasons) on a sneaky wrist shot from the point. His long-range floater beat Hart cleanly and bounced directly down off the crossbar and into the net, giving Winnipeg a 2-0 lead 12:04 into the frame. 

“Usually when they go in from the blueline I think that they’re probably not going straight in," Schenn laughed. "And it usually hits something, a skate or shin pad or something like that. Nice to see it go in, obviously, they don’t happen too often. I was pretty pumped at the time. The last one I got was last year right around the 1,000th game mark. It doesn’t come too often. It would have been a lot sweeter to get it in the win.”

Skating in career game No. 1,100, Schenn later flattened Kolesar at centre ice, drawing quite a rouse form fans at Canada Life Centre.

But then, following the script, the Golden Knights' lone goal of the stanza was a pass that deflected off Schenn before landing on the stick of Winnipeg's own Mark Stone, who batted it into the net past Connor Hellebuyck on a late period Vegas power play. 

Haydn Fleury is wheeled off the ice on a stretcher by EMS after taking a hard fall into the end boards.

Keegan Kolesar, a Winnipegger, was the offender on the play.

He made sure to give Fleury a pat as he was pushed by the Golden Knights’ bench as a sign of sportsmanship. pic.twitter.com/7gkDczJHYn

— Carter Brooks (@CBrooksie84) January 7, 2026

The Golden Knights took over the shot lead in the second, pulling ahead 14-9 after 40 minutes of play. 

Eventually the dam broke, as another Manitoban, Brett Howden, tied things up for the visitors, pounding home his eighth of the season from the high slot midway through the third period. 

But not to be outdone, Connor pounded home the go-ahead marker with 5:04 to play in the frame.

Moments after being denied on the doorstep from point-blank range, Connor got a second chance at it and beat Hart five-hole for his 20th of the year. 

However, Reilly Smith had other plans, needing just 59 seconds to tie the game once again, sending it to overtime with the visitors outshooting Winnipeg 27-15.

An eventful extra frame saw both teams trade chances on the fly, as well as a penalty to Dylan Samberg leading to a Vegas power play with 50 seconds to play. Tomas Hertl deflected a Mitch Marner point shot past Hellebuyck with just 13 seconds remaining, sealing the deal on the Jets' 10th-straight loss.

Hellebuyck made 27 stops on the 31 pucks sent his way, while Hart turned aside 17 of the 20 shots he faced on the night. 

Next up for Winnipeg is the continuation of the five-game homestand, as the Edmonton Oilers roll into Manitoba for a Thursday night, all-Canadian matchup. That game can be viewed live on TSN at 7:00 PM central. 

The Colorado Avalanche have suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time this season. 

Brandon Hagel broke a third-period deadlock with his 20th goal of the season, lifting the Tampa Bay Lightning to their eighth straight win in a 4–2 triumph over the Avalanche on Tuesday night at Benchmark International Arena.

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves.

Parker Kelly and Brock Nelson scored for Colorado. The Avalanche had just three regulation losses on the season entering Tuesday. Scott Wedgewood stopped 24 shots.

First Period

Tampa Bay’s Darren Raddysh was sent off just under four minutes in for holding Nathan MacKinnon at the top of the crease, giving Colorado an early power-play opportunity. The Avalanche generated quality looks, highlighted by a heavy one-timer from Cale Makar, but Andrei Vasilevskiy stood firm, turning aside every chance to keep the game scoreless.

Late in the period, Colorado gave up a goal with 12 seconds remaining on a penalty kill. Off the ensuing faceoff, a quick exchange pulled Sam Malinski toward Nikita Kucherov, opening space on the weak side. Jake Guentzel slipped into the void, gathered the puck below the dots, and walked it above the goal line before finishing with just 12 seconds remaining to give Tampa Bay a 1–0 lead.

Second Period

The second period finally revealed a spark from the Avalanche. Zakhar Bardakov jump-started the response with a poised centering feed into the crease that Parker Kelly finished cleanly to level the score early in the frame.

The momentum carried later in the period, immediately after Colorado’s penalty kill—necessitated by a Bardakov slashing minor—expired. Cale Makar burst up ice in transition and spotted Brock Nelson joining the rush, threading a pass that Nelson nudged past Andrei Vasilevskiy to give Colorado a one-goal lead.

It would prove to be the Avalanche’s final goal of the night.

Puck management unraveled throughout the night, and even Colorado’s most reliable defenders weren’t immune. An uncharacteristic breakdown from Cale Makar opened the door for Zemgus Girgensons at the top of the crease, where he made no mistake, knotting the game as it headed into the final period

Third Period

Brandon Hagel put Tampa Bay back in front early in the third period, converting on a quick release that flat out beat Scott Wedgewood clean to give the Lightning the lead. Anthony Cirelli later sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal, cementing a 4–2 Tampa Bay victory.

Takeaways

The Avalanche have been careless with the puck in previous affairs this season, but tonight was one of those rare games where they’ve been forced to pay the price. This road trip was not so much fun. It’ll be nice to come home for a bit. Hopefully we see more from our top guys. The depth made their contribution, but we need the first line to contribute some more. It’s been a tough few games.

Next Game

The Avalanche (31-4-7) take on Brady Tkachuk and the Ottawa Senators (20-16-5) at Ball Arena on Thursday. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time. 

NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Duclair recorded a hat trick for the first time in more than six years, Ilya Sorokin stopped all 45 shots he faced in his return from injury and the New York Islanders handed the New Jersey Devils a second consecutive defeat, routing them 9-0 on Tuesday night.

Back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch the past two games, Duclair scored three goals in a row during a stretch from 4:01 into the first period to 3:29 into the second and also had two assists for a five-point game. His fourth hat trick in the NHL was his first since Dec. 14, 2019, four teams ago when he was with the Ottawa Senators.

Sorokin was exceptional, showing no rust in his first game action since Dec. 19 as he became the franchise’s career shutout leader with his 26th. He had been out with what the Islanders called a nagging lower-body injury.

At the other end of the rink, Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom allowed goals on the first two shots he faced — from Mat Barzal and Duclair — and three on five, finishing with nine on 24. His teammates had little bounce back after losing at home to Carolina on Sunday in a game in which young defenseman Luke Hughes twice put the puck into his own net.

New Jersey has lost six of its past eight games. The Islanders have won two in a row and five of seven to keep pace with the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes.

No. 1 pick and rookie of the year frontrunner Matthew Schaefer has points in four consecutive games. Schaefer, still playing sick after scoring the overtime winner Saturday night while battling the flu, had an assist on Barzal’s goal 62 seconds in.

Simon Holmstrom, Casey Cizikas, Tony DeAngelo and Cal Ritchie also scored for New York.

Up next

Devils: Visit Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

Islanders: Begin a seven-game road trip Thursday night at Nashville.

The Florida Panthers began a season-long six-game road trip on Tuesday night in Toronto.

Florida fell behind and never recovered, losing to the Leafs 3-1 at Scotiabank Arena.

A tightly contested first period nearly ended without a goal, until a broken Panthers stick was the catalyst on a play that led to Toronto opening the scoring.

After A.J. Greer’s stick busted on a one-time attempt, the puck found its way down the ice and into Florida’s zone, where a pretty passing play was punctuated by Easton Cowan’s fifth goal of the season that came with just 24 seconds left in the opening period.

Toronto quickly made it 2-0 during the first minute of period two thanks to a nice deflection by Matthew Knies at the 42-second mark.

Just over four minutes later, Knies made a great play again, this time driving to Florida’s net with the puck before spinning around and firing a blind pass to the slot.

That’s where Auston Matthews was waiting, and his quick one-timer past an out of position Sergei Bobrovsky made it 3-0 Leafs early in the middle frame.

When Florida took the ice for the third period, they were without Brad Marchand, who did not finish the game.

With 8:22 to go, Carter Verhaeghe scored a goal from below the goal line to get the Cats on the board.

It was his 150th goal as a member of the Panthers in his 400th game with the team.

That would be as close as Florida would get, and a Bobby McMann empty-net goal in the final seconds made it that much more fun of a night for the home fans in Toronto.

On to Montreal.

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Photo caption: Jan 6, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) celebrates scoring a goal against the Florida Panthers during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)

The Montreal Canadiens will face the Calgary Flames in their next game on Jan. 7. The Canadiens will be looking to stay hot after defeating the Dallas Stars in their last matchup on Jan. 4.

This contest will also give the Canadiens an opportunity to take a look at some of the Flames' trade candidates.

When looking at Calgary's roster, there are two specific Flames trade candidates who the Canadiens should consider making a push for. Let's discuss each of them now. 

Nazem Kadri

If the Canadiens want to add another top-six center, Kadri stands out as an intriguing option. The 35-year-old forward has been the subject of trade rumors throughout this season and would have the potential to be a great addition to Montreal's roster. He would not only provide them with more offense but also give them another veteran forward who could help mentor their young players. 

In 42 games this season, Kadri has recorded 32 points and 28 hits. However, he also has a $7 million cap hit until the end of the 2028-29 season, so the Canadiens would need to move out salary the other way in a potential move.

Blake Coleman 

Coleman is another notable Flames trade candidate who could make sense for the Canadiens to pursue. The 34-year-old forward could fit nicely in the Canadiens' top nine because he chips in offensively and also plays a very heavy game. With this, he would be a good player for the Canadiens to have around for the post-season. 

In 42 games so far this season with the Flames, Coleman has posted 13 goals, 21 points, 105 hits, and a plus-13 rating. 

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Hadyn Fleury was forced from Tuesday night’s contest against the Vegas Golden Knights after a frightening collision late in the first period.

With just over six minutes remaining, Fleury took a hit in open ice from Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar, sending him awkwardly into the boards.

Fleury fell backward, head-first, prompting an immediate stoppage in play. Medical personnel arrived on the ice, and a stretcher was required to safely remove him from the arena as the game was paused for several minutes.

Winnipeg captain Adam Lowry dropped gloves with Kolesar on the very next shift as a point of paying back the Vegas forward for his hit.

The Jets announced that Fleury had been transported to a local hospital via ambulance and that he was fully alert and moving his extremities when arriving.

Haydn Fleury had to be stretchered off the ice after crashing into the boards from a shove from Keegan Kolesar.

Hoping Fleury is alright 🙏 pic.twitter.com/rkWyZwxBiQ

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) January 7, 2026

Fleury, 29, has battled injuries throughout the season as he previously missed 17 games due to a concussion and also spent time sidelined with a knee injury. This season, he has appeared in 16 games in a depth role, recording no points and holding a minus-seven rating.

The Saskatchewan native has carved out a role as a defensive defenseman for the Jets while dealing with injury setbacks. A former first-round pick (seventh overall) by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2014 NHL Draft, Fleury has played 323 NHL games over nine seasons for the Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Jets. Across his career, he has recorded 44 points (10 goals, 34 assists). 

#NHLJets captain Adam Lowry drops Keegan Kolesar in a pre-meditated fight, taking exception to the hit that sent Haydn Feury off the ice in a stretcher. https://t.co/nXYeD7i862pic.twitter.com/NRtwoiJjMg

— Carter Brooks (@CBrooksie84) January 7, 2026

Fleury recently signed a two‑year, $1.9 million contract extension with the Jets in June 2025, keeping him under contract through the 2026‑27 season.

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NHL insiders Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston have been running a series at The Athletic where they play matchmaker. LeBrun and Johnston pair prime trade candidates with teams they think would be a good fit.

In the third edition of this series, LeBrun matched Buffalo Sabres right winger Alex Tuch with the Los Angeles Kings.

Tuch is in the final year of his seven-year, $33.25-million contract. Furthermore, the 29-year-old earns $4.75 million against the salary cap and holds a five-team no-trade clause in his contract for this season.

With that, he's a pending UFA and will require a new contract by the end of the campaign.

The Kings' latest pair of victories over the Minnesota Wild puts them back into a playoff spot. They hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference, tied on points with the Anaheim Ducks and the Seattle Kraken.

Wins are critical as the standings are ever so tight, and now Los Angeles will be without captain Anze Kopitar and right winger Joel Armia at least for a short while.

"Los Angeles is hanging on in the playoff race in the West despite struggling offensively," LeBrun wrote. "Tuch would be an ideal boost on the right side behind first-liner Adrian Kempe. And the Kings have ample cap room."

NHL Rumors: Insider Calls Kings A 'Sensible Destination' For Flames' Rasmus AnderssonNHL Insider Chris Johnston linked the Los Angeles Kings to Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson. Will Kings GM Ken Holland go after Calgary's No. 1 defenseman?

Adding Tuch to the lineup would be a big boost for Jim Hiller's team, especially when the Kings' lack of scoring is taken into consideration.

Los Angeles is bottom three in the NHL when it comes to scoring goals. In 41 games, they've scored 109 goals. Only the St. Louis Blues and the Kraken have fewer, with 107 each.

Tuch has 12 goals and 32 points this season for Buffalo. With those numbers plugged into the Kings' roster, he'd instantly have the third-most goals on the team, and second on the team in points.

However, Tuch's availability to be dealt all lies on the shoulders of Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen. Since Tuch is a pending UFA, Kekalainen may feel like he should trade him away for assets ahead of the trade deadline.

Sabres Hire Kings Senior Advisor Marc Bergevin For Associate GM RoleAfter the Buffalo Sabres let go of associate GM Jason Karmanos, new GM Jarmo Kekalainen has hired Los Angeles Kings' senior advisor to fill the role.

But there is the alternate situation in which the Sabres elect to keep Tuch on the roster. After all, Buffalo ended 2025 with a 10-game winning streak and has climbed the Eastern Conference standings. 

With that run, they're just three points outside a playoff spot. Buffalo's brass won't see much sense in dealing Tuch if the team is in a playoff race, especially since they've been searching for a post-season appearance since 2011.

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Now that the Detroit Red Wings are officially in the second half of their centennial campaign, the biggest question remains whether this will finally be the season Stanley Cup Playoff hockey returns to the Motor City.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Detroit is in about as ideal a position as it could hope for, leading both the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference standings.

In fact, with their 5–3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Monday night, the Red Wings reached a milestone they had not achieved since the final season of Hall of Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidström’s career.

Monday’s win was Detroit’s 25th in its first 44 games, marking the team’s fastest pace to that total since the 2011–12 season.

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Their hot performance in December helped fuel their strong place in the standings, as their 11 victories during the month were the most since December 2010 and also just one shy of the franchise record of 12. 

In fact, the last time the Red Wings were in first place in their division at this point in a season was 11 years ago, in January 2015. The 2014–15 campaign also marked the second-most recent time they advanced beyond the 82-game regular season.

The 2011-12 campaign was the last in the legendary career of Lidstrom, who decided to retire following Detroit's disappointing first-round postseason exit at the hands of the Nashville Predators. 

Without Lidstrom, the Red Wings had to scratch and claw their way into the postseason during the lockout-shortened 2012–13 campaign. They not only upset the Anaheim Ducks in seven games but also came one goal away from defeating the eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in a seven-game Western Conference Semifinal.

What followed were consecutive first-round exits against the Tampa Bay Lightning, first in seven games in 2015, then a quicker five-game loss in 2016, which marked the final NHL season of Pavel Datsyuk’s career.

The Red Wings, who played one final season at historic Joe Louis Arena, would move to the brand new Little Caesars Arena in the fall of 2017, but have yet to host a Stanley Cup Playoff game. 

Thanks to their current trajectory, there is renewed hope in Hockeytown that playoff hockey could be returning soon. 

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