The Florida Panthers are looking to pick up points as they try to make a late-season push toward a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Time is running short for Florida, with only 22 games remaining in the regular season and an eight-point deficit to try and overcome.

The Cats have a great opportunity to quickly make up some ground in the coming days, but it won’t be easy as they’ll play three road games in the next four days, starting Tuesday in New Jersey.

Over the past month, the Devils have not had an easy stretch, winning just two of their past nine outings.

The Devils’ recent struggles have dropped them to next-to-last in the Eastern Conference, with 60 points through 60 games despite being a divisional playoff team last season.

Florida arrives in Newark coming off consecutive crushing defeats, one on home ice to the Buffalo Sabres in which a controversial goal was allowed and one on Long Island where the Panthers tied the game late only to give up a backbreaking goal in the final seconds.

One big positive for the Panthers was that they welcomed defenseman Dmitry Kulikov back into the lineup against the Islanders. Kulikov was hurt during the second game of the season and had been working his way back for several months.

Several other injured players, to include Tomas Nosek, Seth Jones and Jonah Gadjovich, are all on the road trip with the Panthers and could crack the lineup at any time.

Whether there is enough time for the Cats to make a final run at a playoff spot remains to be seen, but if they’re going to give it the old college try, they have to start making progress as soon as possible.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Tuesday’s joust in New Jersey:

Carter Verhaeghe – Evan Rodrigues – Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

A.J. Greer – Jesper Boqvist – Sandis Vilmanis

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Dmitry Kulikov

Donovan Sebrango – Jeff Petry

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA 

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Panthers Activate Dmitry Kulikov Off The Injured Reserve; Listed As A Game-Time Decision

Panthers Begin Crucial 4-Game Road Trip With Visit To Long Island

Photo caption: Nov 20, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola (77) moves the puck behind the net of New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen (34) during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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We have 11 games on the NHL schedule this evening, and I’ve done my research to find the best NHL player props. I’ll include Martin Necas, Matt Boldy, and Matt Duchene. 

Read more in my NHL picks for Tuesday, March 3. 

Best NHL player prop bets today

img alt="Get a first bet encore up to $800 with the BET99 promo code COVERSNHL" width="100%" loading="lazy" src="https://img.covers.com/promo-articles/bet99nhlcreative2526.jpeg"Get a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL.
(not available in Ontario)

Our best NHL player props for Tuesday, March 3

Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.

Prop #1: Martin Necas Over 0.5 assists

-130 at BET99

Martin Necas has been a stud for the Colorado Avalanche this season. He’s supplied 45 assists, which ranks Top 15 in the league.

Necas has compiled five helpers across his last four games, cashing the Over in assists in all but one contest since the break. The 27-year-old had two helpers on Monday evening in a victory over the Kings. 

He has 20 assists in 28 road games, and the Avs visit the Ducks tonight. 

• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ALT, Victory+

Prop #2: Matt Boldy anytime goal

+125 at BET99

Matt Boldy scored Team USA’s opening goal in the gold medal game against Canada, and that was only fitting considering the type of campaign he’s having. The Minnesota Wild star is sitting second in the NHL in goals with 35. 

The 24-year-old has found the back of the net in two of his last three appearances, and he’s already scored three goals since the Olympic break, building on his huge goal in the final. 

The Wild welcome the Lightning to town this evening, and Boldy has netted 15 goals in 30 home games. 

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: TNT

Prop #3: Matt Duchene Over 0.5 assists

+135 at BET99

Matt Duchene hasn’t put up huge numbers this season, but in fairness, he’s only suited up 35 times.

Regardless, Duchene has 12 goals and 12 assists. He’s cashed the Over in helpers in four of his last five outings dating back to the start of February. 

The veteran had a goal and an assist in a huge win over the Canucks on Monday night. The Stars are in Calgary this evening to face the Flames. 

Last season, Duchene had three assists in three meetings with Calgary. 

• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Victory+, SN1

These props are available now at BET99, one of our best betting sites.

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Since the Olympics ended, the Blackhawks are 1-2-0. A lot has been made of the Chicago Blackhawks' scoring depth during this stretch.

In the two losses, they scored a combined 3 goals, two of which came off the stick of Connor Bedard. In the one win, they scored four, and Bedard had none of them.

In all of the games, win or lose, the goaltending has been excellent. In the first game against the Nashville Predators, Spencer Knight allowed 3 goals on 25 shots.

Against Colorado on Saturday, he allowed 2 goals on 34 shots. One day later, Arvid Soderblom blanked the Utah Mammoth, the first shutout of his NHL career. In the victory, Soderblom made 22 saves. 

Nashville and Colorado each had an empty-net goal, which is obviously not placed on the goaltenders. Knight and Soderblom combined to allow just 5 goals on 81 shots.

That type of goaltending performance between two guys will cut it in the NHL. Lack of scoring is the reason the Blackhawks went 1-2-0 with this level of goalie play. 

Moving forward, the Blackhawks need this to continue from their goalies. That much pressure shouldn’t be put on them, but it’s the reality of the situation. This young team relies on the netminders more than a veteran team that is seasoned to winning. 

Spencer Knight, whom the Blackhawks acquired in the Seth Jones trade, has emerged as a number-one goalie in the NHL. He still has some things to improve in his game, but the tools are there for him to be a star. The team in front of him getting better certainly won’t hurt either. 

As for Soderblom, he has had an up-and-down season. The low points were not great, but there have been some really good outings as well, including his first career shutout over the weekend. For the rest of the year, you can expect him to play one of every three games or one half of any back-to-back situation. 

Drew Commesso is doing well in the AHL, but he is unlikely to carve out a role in the NHL full-time this season. He should be allowed to compete for Knight’s backup job next year.

They could also use him as trade bait at some point as well. Either way, the Blackhawks haven’t had super-elite goaltending all year, but it is far from the problem, especially when Knight is on top of his game. 

If this post-Olympic run continues, the Blackhawks will have a strong record-wise finish, which will spark expectations coming into next year. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at home to play the Nashville Predators tonight at 7 PM.   

Nashville Predators - 27-25-8 - 62 Points - 3-3-4 in the last 10 - Lost 1 - 5th in the Central.

Columbus Blue Jackets - 30-21-8 - 68 Points - 8-1-1 in the last 10 - Won 1 - 5th in the Metro.

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

• Columbus began its 12th back-to-back set of the season with a 5-4 OT win at the NY Rangers on Monday. The club is 15-5-3 (.717 pts. pct.) in back-to-backs this season.

• CBJ, who play four-straight at home, have recorded points in nine of 10 games played at Nationwide Arena in 2026 (7-1-2).

• Last night's contest at New York began a stretch of eight games in 13 days, including two back-to-back sets, through Mar. 14.

• Since Dec. 22, the Blue Jackets have gone 16-6-2 (34 pts, .708 points pct.) and rank fourth in the NHL in points percentage (.708) and penalty kill pct. (84.1), sixth in points (34), seventh in save percentage (.906) and goals-against/game (2.71) as well as 10th-T in goals for/game (3.46).

• The club has scored the opening goal in 13 of the past 15 games and has scored first 37 times in 2025-26 (25-7-5).

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

• Charlie Coyle posted two assists at New York and has tallied 5-10-15 and five multi-point efforts in the last nine games.

• Adam Fantilli, who registered 1-1-2 at the Rangers, has recorded goals in three consecutive games (3-2-5), points in four-straight (3-3-6), and has totaled 4-7-11 in the past nine contests.

• Kirill Marchenko notched his team-leading fourth multi-goal outing of the season with 2-1-3, including the OT winner, at the Rangers. He has collected points in six of his past seven contests since Jan. 24 (4-5-9).

• Mason Marchment scored his 10th goal as a Blue Jacket on Saturday vs. the Islanders and required the fewest games by any player to reach the mark with the franchise (10-6-16, 16 GP).

• Mathieu Olivier has totaled 5-2-7 in the last eight contests.

• Zach Werenski, who missed last night's game due to illness, set a franchise record for defensemen with points in nine- straight games (2-11-13). He also has points in 22 of his past 24 games played since Dec. 11 (11-24-35, 11 multi-point efforts).

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 20.1% - 16th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 77.6% - 22nd in the NHL
• Goals For - 184 - 17th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 188 - 22nd in the NHL 

Predators Stats

• Power Play - 22.6% - 10th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 80.0% - 13th in the NHL
• Goals For - 172 - 22nd in the NHL
• Goals Against - 207 - 30th in the NHL

Series History vs. ThePredators     

• Columbus is 32-58-1-13 all-time, and 23-21-0-6 at home vs. Nashville.
• CBJ have also won four of the last five games played at Nationwide Arena and picked up points in seven of the past nine at home since Jan. 10, 2019 (6-2-1).

• The home team in the series has won four consecutive meetings and gone 17-3-1 in the last 21 matchups since Apr. 7, 2018.

• Four of the past six meetings have been decided by a single goal.

• The winning team in the series has scored four goals or more in three of the last four meetings and eight of the previous 11 matchups (including SO goals).

• Columbus has killed off 21-of-24 Nashville power play attempts over the last seven contests (87.5 pct.) and gone 27-of-32 on the penalty kill in the last 10 matchups overall (84.4 pct.).

Who To Watch For ThePredators

• Steven Stamkos leads the Preds with 30 goals
• Ryan O'Reilly leads the team with 37 assists and 58 points.
• Juuse Saros is 21-18-6 with a SV% of .892.
• Back-up Justus Annunen is 6-7-2 with a SV% of .893. His last start was on February 26th.

CBJ Player Notes vs.Predators

• Jet Greaves is 0-2-0 with a GAA of 4.04 vs. the Predators.
• Boone Jenner has 14 points in 25 games.
• Mason Marchment has 12 points in 17 games against Nashville.

Injured Reserve

• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 21 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.

***Zach Werenski missed the last game due to illness. 

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 159

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

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

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ST. PAUL, Minn. — The NHL announced on Monday the three stars of the week. New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs and Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” presented by GEICO for the week ending March 1.

Boldy, 24, fresh off winning a gold medal with the United States at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, led the NHL with three goals, four assists and seven points in three games for the Wild.

Boldy has points in nine consecutive games dating to Jan. 24 (8-10—18). He is second in the NHL with 35 goals and sits ninth with 69 points through 57 games this season (35-34—69).

Right before the Olympic break, Boldy was named the NHL's first star of the week when he had three goals and three assists in just two games.

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

Recent Wild Stories

'Nothing's Going To Ruin This': USA General Manager Bill Guerin Speaks On Olympic Celebration ControversyUSA Hockey GM Bill Guerin deflects criticism of Olympic celebration, prioritizing the gold medal victory over public opinion.

- Wild's Kirill Kaprizov Ties Marian Gaborik's All-Time Goals Record.

- 'I'm Usually Seeing Ghosts': Wild's Quinn Hughes Embraces Viral Stare Reputation.

- Wild Goalie Prospect Steals The Show In Slovakia's Upset Win In Olympic Opener.

- From The Crease: Gustavsson On The 'Swagger' Quinn Hughes Has Brought.

- 'We Want To Compete For The Stanley Cup': Why Bill Guerin Went All In.

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With the NHL fully back in action, the next milestone ahead of us is the NHL Trade Deadline, set for this Friday (March 6).

There have been several big names moved already, but there are still plenty of big fish available to land for Stanley Cup odds favorites — and I'll help you stay on top of everything you need for effective NHL Trade Deadline betting.

Read on for my 2026 NHL Trade Deadline tracker, with real-time trade analysis, a look at the top deadline targets remaining, and how NHL betting odds are affected by each deal. 

Trade deadline at a glance

Notable completed trades in 2026

*3rd-round pick becomes a 2nd-round pick if Kings win a playoff round.

Stanley Cup odds favorites

Latest 2026 NHL Trade Deadline tracker

Trade: acquire Connor Murphy from for a 2028 second-round pick and 50% salary retention 

The betting shift: The Edmonton Oilers' outright price moved from +1200 to +1100 following the trade, but their divisional outright stayed put at +700

Trade analysis: Everyone knew the Oilers needed goaltending, but bolstering the blue line at a reasonable cost with a right-shot, stay-at-home defenseman to pair with Darnell Nurse is a strong move. It addresses a key structural need and should pay dividends once they solidify the crease.

With one or two more additions, this roster is capable of getting back to the Finals. If Edmonton continues to improve, I’ll be looking to add more Connor McDavid MVP exposure and take a position on them to win the Pacific at +700.

---

Top NHL Trade Deadline targets remaining + betting outlook

• Robert Thomas (STL): Young, legitimate top-two center signed long term with a no-trade clause. If moved, he would significantly impact line combinations and market prices.
  
  
• Vincent Trochek (NYR): Adds strong depth down the middle. Excellent in the faceoff circle and reliable on the penalty kill. Projects as a high-end No. 2 center who would improve both playoff outlook and outright odds.
  
  
• Nazem Kadri (CGY): If slotted as a No. 2 center, his impact would be similar to Trocheck’s. If acquired as a No. 3 center, that team is extremely well-positioned down the middle.
  
  
• Jordan Binnington (STL): A move to Montreal could shift numbers, but he doesn’t move the needle much for me. His club numbers this season have been underwhelming, and I wouldn’t price him purely off his Team Canada performance. That said, Montreal’s outright odds would shorten if he lands there.
  
  
• Steven Stamkos (NAS): Trending upward in 2026, but it’s hard to see him landing in a situation where he runs a PP1 unit for a true contender. Even if he goes to Detroit, I wouldn’t view their scoring group as strong enough to change their ceiling.

---

Popular NHL futures markets

• Stanley Cup odds
• Rocket Richard odds
• Hart Trophy odds
• Calder Trophy odds
• Vezina Trophy odds

---

How to bet the NHL Trade Deadline

• Fading the "New Arrival" Bump
  Don't be surprised if a brand-name player doesn't stuff the statsheet on his first day with a new club. There is an adjustment period, and waiting a couple of games might bring the best value before backing them.
  
  
• Player Prop Hunting
  Players moving to better teams might not have the same role they had previously. If a player goes from a top-line role and PP1 to line two and PP2, his prop projections should drop. Usage is everything.
  
  
• The "Addition by Subtraction" Angle
  Winning for bad teams is not rewarded at this time of the year. If a team is in the market to move a key player, beating the books to some point totals and/or other future markets can be profitable. Everyone wants to bet the Over on teams making additions, but don't forget about the subtractions.
  
  
• Open opportunities: There will always be more eyes (and bets) on the big-name player moving to another team in the prop market, but, like above, don't forget what the subtraction will do to the lesser team, which will likely have to fill key roles with new names. Find those names. 

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

Adam Fantilli(16), Kirill Marchenko(21-PPG,22-GWG), Sean Monahan(11-SHG), and Mathieu Olivier(9) scored the goals for Columbus in a wild game at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 27 of 31 Rangers shots to help the Jackets pick up a much-needed two points. 

This could've been disaster!

First Period - SOG 10-4 Columbus - CBJ Goals Fantilli, Marchenko

Adam Fantilli got the party started at MSG when he tipped a puck by Igor Shesterkin to collect his 16th goal of the season. The goal came with 14:10 left in the first period. Kirill Marchenko sent a beautiful pass to Fantilli, who was in on Shesterkin's left and had no chance at saving it. 

Mo never misses in Manhattan 💥

CBJ x @FanaticsBookpic.twitter.com/OWcy7OyQTM

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) March 3, 2026

The rest of the first period was fairly ho-hum with a lot of back and forth between the two teams. Each team had a few chances, but nothing significant. 

The Rangers were called for Unsportsmanlike conduct with 5:25 left in the first period. The power play represents their first power play since last Thursday against the Boston Bruins. For the last couple of days, Rick Bowness has mentioned to the media that he's shocked the Jackets haven't earned a power play.

Kirill Marchenko wasted no time putting the Jackets up 2-0 when he launched a rocket from Shesterkin's right side. The puck was tipped by a Ranger defenseman on its way in, but no one will argue about how they go in. 

The Jackets would take a two-goal lead into the first intermission. Kirill Marchenko mentioned how nice it was to actually have a power play. 

The Rangers were held without a shot for over 13 minutes of the first period. 

Second Period - SOG 11-9 Rangers - CBJ Goals Monahan, Olivier

Boone Jenner gave NYR a power play when he was called for tripping Matthew Robertson at 2:14 of the first. J.T. Miller scored a goal, but it was looked at for goalie interference. After a quick review, it was determined that there was goalie interference, and the goal would be disallowed.

Just seconds after the Ranger goal was called back, Sean Monahan would rip a shot through Shesterkin's five hole to push the score to 3-0 in favor of Columbus. It was the 4th shorthanded goal for Columbus this season.  

Mathieu Olivier ripped a one-time off the right post and passed Igor Shesterkin to make it 4-0 with 11:54 left in the second period.  At this point, the Blue Jackets are scoring at will and in all situations. 

The Rangers were pushing hard to this point, but just couldn't get anything by Elvis. 

Third Period - SOG 16-7 Rangers - No CBJ Goals

Vladislav Gavrikov scored just 30 seconds into the third period to spoil Elvis's shutout bid.  Gabe Perreault scored just 24 seconds later after Denton Mateychuk coughed up a puck in the defensive zone, giving Perreault a prime opportunity. 

The Blue Jackets, to this point in the third period, were under siege by New York. After the second NYR goal, Rick Bowness called his time out to settle everything down. You could see him telling his team to "calm down" and to "breathe." 

The next 8 minutes still made everyone watching nervous, but they withstood the Ranger onslaught and had their own chances on Shesterkin. 

Will Borgen scored on a delayed penalty to cut the lead to 4-3. They're absolutely falling apart at this point, and there's nothing the Jackets can really do about it, as the Rangers are pummeling them in possession and physically. 

Gabe Perreault scored his 2nd goal of the game at 15:14 of the third to complete the Blue Jackets' collapse. 

After being outshot 16-7 in the third period and outscored 4-0, the two teams would go into overtime. 

In overtime, Kirill Marchenko scored his second goal of the game to avoid a loss that would've been absolutely devastating to this team. A loss after leading 4-0 in the third period is unacceptable. 

Final Stats

Player Stats

• Adam Fantilli scored his 16th goal of the season. He now has 4 goals in 5 games at MSG.
• Kirill Marchenko scored his 21st and 22nd goals and picked up his 28th assist.
• Sean Monahan scored his 11th goal of the season while shorthanded.
• Mathieu Olivier scored his 9th goal.
• Denton Mateychuk recorded his 14th assist of the season.
• Ivan Provorov picked up his 15th assist.
• Charlie Coyle got his 29th and 30th assists.
• Damon Severson recorded his 18th and 19th assists.
• Isac Lundeström won 50% of his faceoffs.

Team Stats

• The Jackets went 1-for-1 on the power play.
• The Columbus PK stopped both of the Ranger man advantages.
• Columbus won 50% of the faceoffs - 33/66
• The Blue Jackets had 15 hits and 19 blocks.

Next Up For Columbus: The Blue Jackets are back at home on Tuesday to face the Nashville Predators. 

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Unless something drastic changes, it appears unlikely that Scott Laughton will be a Toronto Maple Leafs player once the NHL trade deadline comes to a close on Friday.

According to TSN's Chris Johnston on Monday morning, Laughton's days in Toronto could be numbered as the Maple Leafs fall further and further out of the playoff picture.

"It feels that way," Johnston said. "And look, I think some of this will depend on where the offers end up, but look at what Scott Laughton is. When he was traded, ironically, by the Philadelphia Flyers to Toronto, they kept half of his salary at that point in time.

"So the Leafs are in a situation now where they're able to retain further salary potential in a trade, and so you'd be getting a fourth line centerman — who could maybe play a little bit up the lineup, we haven't seen that a lot in Toronto — and at a bargain basement price.

"I think that's really important for teams ahead of this deadline."

Johnston did say, however, that Laughton, a pending unrestricted free agent like Bobby McMann, could still re-sign with Toronto if both sides can come to a resolution.

"At this point, it does seem as though his desires, in terms of the next contract, exceed what Toronto's willing to pay," Johnston continued. "But we're still in that point where one phone call, one conversation, one change of stance can change the direction of things."

The Maple Leafs acquired Laughton from the Flyers at last season's trade deadline in exchange for Nikita Grebenkin and a conditional 2027 first-round pick. Since joining his hometown team, the 31-year-old has scored 10 goals and 16 points in 63 games.

Report: Maple Leafs Have Kicked Tires On Blues' Robert Thomas Ahead Of NHL Trade DeadlineThomas primarily centers St. Louis' top line and has tallied 35 points in 43 games this season.

One year later, he finds himself in the same predicament.

"It's hard. We have a veteran team, though. I think you show up to work every day and you put your best foot forward," said Laughton about the trade deadline, before Toronto's game against the Flyers.

"We're all still here, right? It's not up to us. It's out of our control. Everyone's in their own situation, has to deal with their own things. But you have to come on the ice and be a unit together.

"It's hard sometimes, but at the end of the day, you're in the NHL and one of the best franchises. It's a very humbling opportunity to play here and it's a special place."

Who's Most Likely To Be Traded Away From Maple Leafs At 2026 NHL Trade Deadline?While McMann and Laughton are at the top of the list, there still seems to be the possibility that both get re-signed.

Laughton is one of several Maple Leafs in trade rumors. Other players include McMann as well as defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who, on Monday, also expressed his desire to remain in Toronto.

The Oakville, Ontario-born forward centered the Maple Leafs' fourth line on Monday night, with Easton Cowan and Steven Lorentz on his wings. He had two shots and registered 11:51 of ice time in the shootout loss.

Laughton's current cap hit is $1.5 million, and that can be lowered further if the Maple Leafs retain salary in a trade.

"I've loved it here and I've loved my time (as a Maple Leaf). That's all I really can control," Laughton said. "I don't get into conversations too much. I'm a Leaf and that's where I want to be. We'll see where it goes."

If the Philadelphia Flyers were hoping to come away from Friday's NHL trade deadline with a haul, the latest Edmonton Oilers trade poured some cold water on that.

On Monday, the Oilers swung an important trade for their Stanley Cup contention hopes, sending a 2028 second-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for defenseman Connor Murphy at 50% salary retention.

Murphy, 32, has one year remaining on his contract at a $4.4 million cap hit, so he's a pure rental for the Oilers for the cost of just $2.2 million after Chicago's retention.

For the Flyers, that doesn't bode well for Rasmus Ristolainen's trade value coming into Friday.

Ristolainen, 31, has two years remaining, including this one, on his contract at a $5.5 million cap hit, so his extra year of term won't offer contending teams the flexibility they might need, like Edmonton did.

Flyers Big Defenseman Linked To CanadiensThe Canadiens are one of the teams reportedly interested in Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.

And, while both Murphy and Ristolainen are 6-foot-4 right-handers, Murphy has not suffered a season-ending injury two years in a row.

Despite not having those question marks, carrying a cheaper salary, and coming with no strings attached, Murphy's value was still just a second-round pick two drafts away.

It's been long said that the Flyers desire a first-round pick or player/prospect equivalent in exchange for their defenseman, but the current market now indicates this won't be the case.

And, it was only last week that Brett Kulak fetched Sam Girard and a second-round pick.

Flyers Flip Recent Trade Acquisition for New ForwardAhead of Friday's March 6 NHL trade deadline, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> have officially made their first move.

Based on Edmonton's trade for Murphy, Colorado sending Girard to Pittsburgh for Kulak was more or less a throw-in to make the deal work.

The Flyers, winners of three straight at the time of this writing, may just opt to keep Ristolainen if this is the market for him and re-assess once again in the offseason, much to the chagrin of fans eagerly awaiting a true rebuild.

Aside from Owen Tippett, who has historically generated a good amount of trade buzz himself, the Flyers don't have much to sell ahead of the trade deadline this year.

Christian Dvorak was tied down and rewarded with a five-year contract, and depth forwards like Nick Deslauriers, Garnet Hathaway, and Carl Grundstrom more than likely won't be worth the squeeze for contenders.

That could leave the Flyers in a bind over the course of the next three days.

The Chicago Blackhawks made their first trade of the deadline season. They sent Connor Murphy to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a second-round pick in 2028. Chicago also retained 50% of Murphy’s cap hit, which likely played a key role in getting a good draft pick out of the Oilers. 

Now, the Hawks have an extra asset to use in the future, however they choose, and the Oilers landed a solid penalty-killing defensive defenseman. Now that General Manager Kyle Davidson made one move, more are expected in the coming days. 

There are five more Blackhawks players who are considered to be candidates as Friday’s trade deadline approaches. These players could follow Nick Foligno out the door: 

Jason Dickinson

Jason Dickinson is the forward most likely to move. He is a veteran center who wins face-offs, defends well, and scores timely goals. Although nobody would ever mistake Dickinson for an offensive player over being a defensive-minded guy, he has shown the ability to chip in at a high-end third-line level. 

Dickinson also brings a fair amount of leadership qualities to a locker room. He is not afraid to stick up for teammates, play tough, and speak to the media when the time calls. 

There are plenty of playoff teams with a two-headed monster down the middle that would love to fill in the third-line center spot. If he needed to play on the fourth line, a team would really be flexing its muscles. 

Nick Foligno

Over the weekend, Nick Foligno said that the Blackhawks needed depth scoring to help out Connor Bedard. He came out in the next game and scored a goal, which played a big role in the Hawks getting the win. 

That is the act of a good hockey captain. Although he is a bottom-six forward at this stage of his career, Foligno has qualities that make him a valuable teammate both on and off the ice. 

Foligno has been a captain in two NHL markets. Although he won’t be a captain wherever he goes, he will join the leadership group right away because he’s that type of person. Contenders need guys like that beyond the guys wearing letters on their sweaters. 

Matt Grzelcyk

Matt Grzelcyk could be traded because he’s a pending unrestricted free agent. He could also not be because of the fact that teams might not give up much to get him. A third-pair offensive defenseman isn’t going to be worth high-end draft capital when better players are out there. 

There are always guys like Grzelcyk, however, who move for little to nothing at the deadline. A playoff-bound team may see Grzelcyk as someone worth having around in case their number one offensive guy gets hurt. 

If Grzelcyk does stay in Chicago beyond the deadline, he will be the oldest of the defensemen by far. With Connor Murphy gone, it’s an even younger bunch based on average age. 

Ilya Mikheyev

Ilya Mikheyev is the player on the Blackhawks who is in trade rumors, but should probably just be extended. Having one solid veteran forward who can kill penalties, be hard to play against, and make smart hockey decisions can be hard to find. 

In addition to being one of the best penalty killers in the league, Mikheyev is good for 15-20 goals a season. All of them will be at even strength, too, because he barely gets power-play ice time. He knows his role, and he executes it flawlessly. 

Kevin Korchinski 

Kevin Korchinski wasn’t truly on anyone’s radar until Elliotte Friedman mentioned his name on his podcast. Elliotte doesn’t mention names for no reason. You can assume that Korchinski is at least on the block. 

Unlike the other players on this list, Korchinski is not a pending free agent. He is a younger player who is still considered a prospect to some. His problem is that he’s been incredible in the AHL but lackluster in all of his NHL stints. 

The things that Korchinski does well, Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov also do well, if not better. Rinzel and Levshunov are also better defensively, which sets Korchinski behind. 

Another team may take a chance on a former 7th overall pick with all of the talent in the world, especially a defenseman. It is unclear what a trade involving Korchinski may look like, but his name is among the few who could be on the move from this team. A change of scenery could be good for all involved parties. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (31-15-13, 75 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division) @ Boston Bruins (33-21-5, 71 points, 5th place Atlantic Division)

When: 7:00 p.m. ET

How to Watch: Streaming on ESPN+, local broadcasts on SN-PT and NESN

Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins are back home later this week for a three-game homestand, which starts Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres, continues Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers and wraps up with a Sunday rematch against the Bruins.

Opponent Track: After heading into the Olympic break with back-to-back shootout losses, the Bruins have split their schedule since between a 4-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets and a 3-1 loss in Philadelphia.

Season Series: Joonas Korpisalo earned a 27-save, 1-0 shutout win against the Penguins the last time these two teams met on Jan. 11 at TD Garden.

Hidden Stat: The Bruins have claimed 10 straight wins at TD Garden, marking the franchise’s longest home win streak since the 2022-23 season.

Getting to know the Bruins

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Marat Khusnutdinov – Elias Lindholm – David Pastrnak

Casey Mittelstadt – Pavel Zacha – Viktor Arvidsson

Michael Eyssimont – Fraser Minten – Morgan Geekie

Tanner Jeannot – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic

DEFENSEMEN

Jonathan Aspirot / Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm / Mason Lohrei

Nikita Zadorov / Henri Jokirharju

Goalies: Jeremy Swayman, Joonas Korpisalo

Potential scratches: Alex Steeves, Andrew Peeke, Jordan Harris

Injured Reserve: Dans Locmelis

• The Bruins were riding an eight-game point streak, dating back to before the Olympic break, before dropping a 3-1 decision to the Flyers on Saturday in Philadelphia.
• Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha, both sidelined ahead of the Olympic break with upper-body injuries, are back to anchor the Bruins’ top two lines.

Season stats
via hockeydb

• Morgan Geekie just tied a career high with 33 goals, and he’s done it in just 58 games this season.
• The Bruins’ top defenseman, Charlie McAvoy, is riding a nine-game point streak dating all the way back to Jan. 22.
• The penalty kill has been a weakness this season for the Bruins, who are heading into this matchup ranked 27th in the NHL with a 76.7 percent PK rate. The team reportedly made some significant changes to the unit after the Olympic break, per The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa. Since then— albeit in a small sample size— the Bruins PK has been perfect, going 1-for-1 against the Blue Jackets and 3-for-3 against the Flyers last week.
• The Bruins are in the market for a “top-six forward and a right-shot defenseman” at the trade deadline, according to a recent report from The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta. They’re reportedly dangling AHL forward Matthew Poitras as a potential trade piece, per Pagnotta.
• Here’s a look at the Eastern Conference playoff race as of Monday night, per NHL.com. The Bruins are just two points up on the race for the final Wild Card spot in the East, although they have three games in hand on the Washington Capitals for the spot.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin

Avery Hayes – Rickard Rakell – Bryan Rust

Anthony Mantha – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau

Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Sam Girard / Kris Letang

Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Arturs Silovs, Stuart Skinner played yesterday

Potential Scratches: Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Ilya Solovyov

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

• Not much news from Monday. As of Monday, Evgeni Malkin was set to have a talk with Penguins management about a potential extension “in the next day or two,” per The Athletic’s Josh Yohe.
• A few milestones potentially on the table tonight: Rickard Rakell is three assists short of 300, Sam Girard is two assists shy of 200 and Kris Letang is one point back from No. 800.
• Per Pens PR: Only the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights have more 20-goal scorers than in Pittsburgh, where Sidney Crosby, Anthony Mantha and Bryan Rust have each reached the threshold this season.
• Another fun fact from Pens PR: the Pens’ fourth line of Noel Acciari, Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte has been on the ice for seven 5v5 goals against, the fewest of any forward line that has been together for at least 250 minutes at even strength this season.
• The Pens’ Sunday win over the Vegas Golden Knights boosted their MoneyPuck playoff odds to 89.4 percent heading into Tuesday.

Playoff chances as of Sunday https://t.co/RbnckCLHNPpic.twitter.com/Rg4HBNSeew

— MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) March 1, 2026

Here are your Pens Points for this Tuesday morning….

The NHL trade deadline is this Friday, March 6. While general manager Kyle Dubas and the Penguins could hedge their bets on the current roster to withstand Sidney Crosby’s absence or answer any lingering defensive questions, Dubas may yet have a trick or two up his sleeve, given the bevy of draft capital and cap space at his disposal. [PensBurgh]

Veteran forward Bryan Rust remains a proud player, growing his game from a “non-offensive threat” to his seventh straight 20-goal season, and says he’s fully committed to the Penguins, calling Pittsburgh “home” as the trade deadline approaches. [Trib Live]

Silovs shines again: Goaltender Arturs Silovs has been named the NHL’s second star for the week ending March 1, the team announced on Monday. [Penguins]

News and updates from around the NHL…

If Dubas and Co. go bargain hunting to look for a new center or defenseman, here are some potential options he could entertain. [Sportsnet]

One potential defensive trade target is off the board for the Penguins. Connor Murphy was traded to the Edmonton Oilers by the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday for a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. [NHL]

If New York Rangers forward and Pittsburgh native Vincent Trocheck is traded before Friday’s deadline, he has made it abundantly clear that he will not accept a deal that sends him to the West Coast. [NHL]

The Ottawa Senators made a bid to be a host for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, but according to a new report, Canada’s capital city did not make the shortlist of options. [TSN]

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It was a long time coming for Detroit Red Wings forward Emmitt Finnie, but the giant piano finally fell off his back, fittingly, in the place known as Music City.

Finnie scored his first goal in 23 games, his first since Dec. 23 against the Dallas Stars, as part of Detroit's 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville on Monday afternoon.

The victory helped the Red Wings leapfrog the Montreal Canadiens for third place in the Atlantic Division; they have the same number of points as the Buffalo Sabres, who own the tiebreaker and also have a game in hand. 

For Finnie, one of three rookies who initially made the club out of Training Camp, it was a naturally good feeling - but he also gave credit to teammates Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton. 

Finnie finishes for the first one in Nashville. pic.twitter.com/wKJDvii1Wb

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 2, 2026

“Yeah, it felt good, good play by Marco getting it to Apps, then Apps with a great play to Marco in front," he said. "I was just fortunate to be there in the right spot to put it in.”

"Obviously, you think about it in the back of your mind," he continued about his goalless drought. "I wasn't trying to focus on it too much, I want to score and produce. It was good to get that one in, but I'm going to try and keep playing my game." 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

The Red Wings dropped a disappointing 5-2 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes earlier in the week, which put them back into a Wild Card position in the tightly-packed Atlantic Division standings. 

The need for two points on Monday afternoon was discussed beforehand by the club, and they responded well. 

"I thought we played well right from the start," Finnie said. "You know, coming into this, we knew it was like a must-win for us, so I thought we responded pretty well."

Finnie is one of just two rookies on the Detroit Red Wings roster who have stayed with the club all season, the other being defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka.

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The Colorado Avalanche secured a milestone victory on Monday night, defeating the Los Angeles Kings 4–2 at Crypto.com Arena to capture the franchise’s 1,750th regular-season win.

A late third-period goal from defenseman Devon Toews proved to be the difference, while Martin Nečas delivered a dominant three-point performance (one goal, two assists). Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog each contributed a goal and an assist as Colorado improved to 40-10-9 on the season. In net, Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 19 of 21 shots to anchor the win.

What Happened

Colorado established control early.

MacKinnon opened the scoring just 4:27 into the first period, wiring a one-timer from the slot off a rush chance created by Nečas. The goal — his 41st of the season — extended his torrid offensive pace and immediately quieted the home crowd.

The Avalanche doubled their advantage at 10:13 of the opening frame. Landeskog buried a one-timer from the high slot for his eighth of the year after a crisp setup from defenseman Brent Burns, showcasing Colorado’s sharp puck movement through the neutral zone.

It looked like the visitors were going to cruise to an easy win but Los Angeles responded late in the period. Brandt Clarke cut the deficit to 2–1 with a power-play blast from the point at 17:20, beating Blackwood through traffic.

To begin the second period Martin Nečas had a goal wiped off the board due to a quick whistle. Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg didn’t have the puck secured and dropped it in the crease. But the officials deemed it no goal and play moved on.

The Kings carried that momentum of good fortune and evened the game at 8:32 when Angus Booth redirected a feed at the left doorstep, tying the contest at 2–2.

The game remained tightly contested until the closing minutes of regulation.

With 4:55 remaining in the third period, Toews broke the deadlock on his second goal of the season. MacKinnon controlled the puck high in the zone, skating from the point toward the right circle before threading a cross-ice pass into the slot. Toews stepped into the feed and snapped home his second goal of the season, restoring Colorado’s lead at 3–2.

Nečas sealed the victory in dramatic fashion at 19:59, scoring into an empty net on the power play for his 26th goal of the year to secure the 4–2 final.

Colorado now turns its focus toward sustaining momentum as the regular season enters its decisive stretch. Unfortunately they lost the services of Artturi Lehkonen early in the first period to an upper-body injury and Jared Bednar stated postgame that the Finnish winger will miss some time.

Upcoming

It’s a quick turn around as the Avalanche continue their road trip Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks, with puck drop scheduled for 8 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast on Altitude, Altitude+, and Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM.

The Vancouver Canucks lost for the 35th time this season as they fell 6-1 on Monday to the Dallas Stars. Evander Kane scored the only goal while Nikita Tolopilo stopped 31 of the 37 shots he faced. With the defeat, Vancouver has now lost six games in a row and have just two win in their last 22 games. 

After a balanced first period, the Stars took over and completely controlled play through the final 40 minutes. The Canucks registred just seven shots in the second, finishing with 14 on the net. For comparisson, Dallas recorded more shots in both the second and the third periods, as they finished with 15 and 16 in those periods. 

Vancouver's lack of really anything in the final 40 minutes was concerning, especially considering that the Stars were missing both Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen. While the Canucks were not favoured in this game, some form of effort was at least expected, especially in front of the home crowd. Unfortunatly, it was another in a long line of nights this season where Vancouver just could not find any form of momentum. 

The only positive to come out of this game was the play of Tolopilo. While the rookie goaltender did allow six goals, he came up with some massive saves in this one. In the end, if not for the play of Tolopilo, this game could have turned into an even bigger blowout. 

"Ultimately, I mean, I thought we had a decent start, said Marcus Pettersson post-game. "Power play was clicking in the first and gave us some life. And then, you know, they started coming after us in the second. I thought we started, stolen pucks a little bit everywhere, and not helping each other get get out of our zone, and that allowed them to kind of get back at us. And then, I mean, we left Tolo out to dry today."

While tanking is the goal at this point of the season, the fans at Rogers Arena deserve to at least see a better effort on a nightly basis. The Canucks esentially gave up after te first period, which once again led to fans exiting early and empty seats scatter around the arena when the final horn blew. Something needs to change in Vancouver, and quickly as the effort this team has put forth, especially since returning from the Olympic break has made games virtually unwatchable. 

Stats and Facts:

- Canucks record a season-low with 14 shots on net

- Marcus Pettersson led all players in ice time at 23:43

- Defenceman Elias Pettersson led the team with three hits

- Vancouver has just two wins in 21 games since the calander flipped to 2026

Scoring Summary:

1st Period:

7:57- VAN: Evander Kane (11) from Jake DeBrusk and Marcus Pettersson
17:40- DAL: Adam Erne (4) from Colin Blackwell and Lian Bichsel

2nd Period:

8:31- DAL: Lian Bichsel (2) from Ilya Lyubushkin and Sam Steel
9:41- DAL: Jason Robertson (34) from Matt Duchene and Miro Heiskanen (PPG)

3rd Period:

1:32- DAL: Matt Duchene (12) from Sam Steel and Miro Heiskanen
5:40- DAL: Colin Blackwell (3)
15:39- DAL: Lian Bichsel (3) from Mavrik Bourque (13), Jason Robertson

Up Next:

The Canucks wrap up their mini two-game homestand on Wednesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Wednesday will also be the final game before the 2026 trade deadline. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT from Rogers Arena. 

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