Rutger McGroarty is a prospect who the Pittsburgh Penguins are hoping will be a big part of their future. The 2022 first-round pick has yet to blossom into a full-time NHL player, but he has been showing promise during his second professional season at the AHL level.
In fact, as the season rolls on, McGroarty is only continuing to stay hot with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
McGroarty has been making a real impact offensively with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, as he has two goals and five points over his last five games with the AHL squad. He also has 16 points over his last 15 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, so he has done a good job staying consistent.
Due to his hot streak, McGroarty has seven goals, 17 assists, 24 points, and a plus-7 rating in 22 games this season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. With numbers like these, it is clear that he is taking his game to a new level this season at the AHL level. He is producing at over a point-per-game pace in the AHL this season after he had 39 points in 60 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this past campaign.
It will now be interesting to see how McGroarty continues to perform from here. In 20 NHL games this season with Pittsburgh, the 6-foot-1 winger has two goals, five points, and 21 hits.
The Edmonton Oilers will be without one of their most important players down the final stretch of their playoff push.
Star forward Leon Draisaitl is expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a lower body injury, the team announced Tuesday. Draisaitl, whose 97 points in 65 games are second-most on the Oilers this season, took a hard hit from Nashville Predators Ozzy Wiesblatt in the first period of Sunday's 3-1 win. Although he returned to the ice for a few more shifts in the first, Draisaitl did not re-enter the game once the second period began.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters Sunday that "it shouldn't be a really long injury" judging by information given to him by the team's medical staff.
"No immediate red flags," Knoblauch said. "... There might be some time off, but we'll find out later."
Draisaitl's absence comes at a pivotal point in the Oilers' (33-26-9) heated playoff race. With 14 games left in the season, they enter Tuesday at third place in the Pacific Division trailing the first-place Anaheim Ducks by two points and second-place Vegas Golden Knights by one point. They currently hold a four-point advantage over the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings for the final Western Conference wildcard spot, with the San Jose Sharks sitting one point behind them.
If the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the seventh consecutive year, it'll have to be without the player who has been responsible for 41% of their goals this season.
Draisaitl was the runner-up for the Hart Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player last season as the Oilers made it to the Stanley Cup Final; he won the award in 2020.
The standings in the division remain very close, and the Kings are in the middle of it. LA now has a clear opportunity to climb the standings at a critical moment in the season.
Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the conference:
Despite the Kings being in the mix of the postseason, a bad week would be all it would take for them to drop out of playoff position. So, they are far from out of the woods just yet.
Kings In Striking Distance
Now, when you look at the current standings as of Tuesday, the second seed only has a six-point lead over the sixth seed, and now, with the news of Draisaitl out for the rest of the year, Los Angeles needs to take advantage of that.
The Kings and Kraken are both tied for the fourth seed in the division, sitting just four points back of the Oilers, and are better equipped now to surpass a wounded Oilers squad.
Edmonton has a brutal seven-game stretch starting today against San Jose, Florida, Tampa Bay, Utah, Vegas, Anaheim, and Seattle; all of these teams are fighting for playoff positions.
Without their star forward, the Oilers can very well drop to the bottom of the playoff picture by next week, and that can benefit the Kings to rise if they take care of business.
Under D.J. Smith, the Kings have built their identity under defensive discipline and balanced scoring from their depth. While they might not have the same offensive power as the Oilers, they still have a good chance with Edmonton not fully healthy.
Now, with the Oilers suddenly looking vulnerable, even before the injury to Draisaitl, they were playing average hockey coming out of the break, going 5-5 in their last 10 games.
Los Angeles will be doing a lot of scoreboard watching over the next few weeks to help position them for a playoff spot.
Opportunity Knocks for Los Angeles
All season, Los Angeles has struggled, consistently losing games they're supposed to win and failing to establish itself as a playoff contender.
Now, they may control their own destiny, with this opportunity of a key injury to a division rival opening the door, and it's up to them to walk through it and do their job.
Los Angeles has the easiest schedule remaining in the entire league, so there's no excuse for them not to make the playoffs or climb past an injured Oilers team, which faces a much stiffer schedule.
If they can maintain their recent level of play and capitalize on Edmonton’s setback, they could not only climb the standings but also potentially secure home-ice advantage in the first round, something that was out of the question a few weeks ago.
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MONTREAL, CANADA - NOVEMBER 15: Viktor Arvidsson #71 of the Boston Bruins celebrates with teammate Pavel Zacha #18 after scoring a goal during the second period of the NHL regular season game at the Bell Centre on November 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Vitor Munhoz/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It’s a little premature to call this the biggest game of the season for the Bruins, but I can’t remember the last time a regular season Bruins-Canadiens game had this much on the line.
While these teams have played some entertaining games in recent years, most of them have come when one team was down and the other was up.
This time, both the B’s and Canadiens have eyes on the playoffs, but both are pretty close to being left at home as well.
The B’s start the night in the second wild card spot, two points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
However, the B’s are also just a point behind Montreal for third in the Atlantic (with Detroit in between), so…everything is happening, I guess.
If nothing else, it’s nice to see these teams play a meaningful game in March, right?
Defenseman Seth Jones will return to Florida’s lineup after missing about 10 weeks with a broken collarbone.
He suffered the injury during the NHL Winter Classic back on Jan. 2.
"We thought it was going to be about a 3-4 week injury, and it's been a couple months," said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. "He's excited to get back in. He's 100% healthy."
Also sliding into the Cats’ lineup are forwards Sam Bennett and Nolan Foote.
Bennett was hurt during Florida’s win over the Columbus Blue Jackets last week and sat out Sunday’s 6-2 defeat in Seattle.
Foote was called up by Florida from AHL Charlotte earlier this week and will make his Panthers debut against the Canucks, who are coached by his father, Adam Foote.
Florida signed Foote to a one-year, two-way deal back in July. He’s spent the season with Charlotte, accumulating 14 goals and 32 points in 54 games with the Checkers.
"He's a big man, he can get on the body and he's got some hands, so that's all we want to see," Maurice said of Foote. "Keep his game as simple as he possibly can so he can go as fast as he possibly can and his linemates can read off him, and then make a difference on the forecheck."
Coming out of the lineup are forwards Evan Rodrigues and Eetu Luostarinen, and defenseman Niko Mikkola.
According to Jameson Olive, who was at Florida’s morning skate, this is how their lines and pairings could look:
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Jesper Boqvist – Anton Lundell – Mackie Samoskevich
A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Cole Reinhardt
Nolan Foote – Luke Kunin – Vinnie Hinostroza
Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Dmitry Kulikov – Seth Jones
Donovan Sebrango – Mike Benning
Puck drop from Rogers Arena in Vancouver is set for 10 p.m. ET.
Photo caption: Dec 7, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (3) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the New York Islanders during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
After playing five games without their two best players, the Pittsburgh Penguins were finally set to have one of them back in the lineup when they took on the league's best team in the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.
Evgeni Malkin made his return to the lineup after serving a five-game suspension. And he made an impression early and often in this one.
The Penguins stomped the Avalanche, 7-2, to hand Colorado only its sixth regulation loss on home ice this season, and Malkin was a huge reason why. The 39-year-old forward registered the first goal of the game a tick more than three minutes into the contest, added another tally 10 minutes later, and notched a helper to give him three points on the night.
The Penguins are now 34-18-15 with 83 points, which puts them two ahead of the New York Islanders and just seven points behind the Carolina Hurricanes, who have a game in hand. Pittsburgh plays Carolina two more times this month.
Suffice to say, this was a big win. The Penguins have been holding their own without Malkin and Sidney Crosby, but having 71 back in the fold made things a whole lot easier on the rest of the group.
And a dominant effort against the league's best team is certainly something that will boost morale even more.
"It's a good confidence booster for our team," Anthony Mantha said. "Obviously, we know we're able to play with every team, and the way we played [Monday], it just shows how resilient our team is and how special we are in here."
Pittsburgh wasted no time setting the tone in this one - and neither did Malkin. On his first shift back from suspension, Malkin took a tripping penalty and went to the box. The Penguins' penalty kill - ranked second in the NHL - managed to kill off the two-minute penalty, and Malkin and Rust found themselves in a give-and-go entering the offensive zone.
Rust got it to Malkin in the low slot area, and he performed a no-look spin-o-rama move and buried the puck behind Avs goaltender Scott Wedgewood on the backhand to give Pittsburgh the early 1-0 lead. However, just over a minute later, star forward Nathan MacKinnon registered his 45th goal of the season with a snipe from the slot to tie the game.
But- as they've done all year - the Penguins responded so quickly it's as if the tying goal never happened. Mantha was sprung on a breakaway on a gorgeous stretch pass from Erik Karlsson, and he slid a backhand through the five-hole to score his career-best 26th goal of the season in what has become a deja vu kind of thing for him to restore the one-goal lead.
Then, with seven minutes remaining in the first, Malkin and Egor Chinakhov - playing on the wing opposite Malkin with Tommy Novak sandwiched in between - gained the zone. Breaking down the right wing, Chinakhov threaded a nice seam pass to Malkin breaking down the left, and he put it home to register his second of the game and 15th of the season to make it 3-1 and prompt a goaltending change by the Avs.
And again, less than than a minute later - Karlsson got the puck to the net, where newest Penguin Elmer Soderblom was waiting at the net front. He tapped the puck in behind new Colorado goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to earn his first with his new team and make it 4-1.
The Penguins did give up a goal less than a minute later to veteran blueliner Brent Burns, which cut their lead to 4-2. After a somewhat sloppy first period, however, the Penguins had goaltender Arturs Silovs to thank for carrying the 4-2 lead into the second, as he stopped 16 of 18 first-period shots by the Avalanche to preserve his team's lead despite Pittsburgh only amassing nine shots on goal.
From there, however, the Penguins went on cruise control.
Pittsburgh put on a clinic in the final 40, limiting Colorado to just a few high-danger chances and outscoring them the rest of the way, 3-0. It started with a floating wrister by Karlsson from the right point that found its way home midway through the second to make it 5-2, and the Penguins just kept coming.
After a nice play by Rickard Rakell in the defensive zone to pick a pass on a Penguins' power play, he got it to Malkin, who sprung Bryan Rust for a breakaway with about three and a half minutes to go in the middle frame. Rust beat Blackwood to make it 6-2, and the score remained that way until Noel Acciari potted his ninth of the season approaching the midway point of the third period to seal the 7-2 victory.
Here are a few quick thoughts and takeaways:
- This was a brilliant all-around effort from the Penguins. It was much different than the brand of hockey they have played over the last handful of games where they've come back in them and earned at least a point.
No, not this time. This time, they ragdolled the best team in the NHL on home ice, and they're still without the services of their best player. Getting Malkin back was only part of the puzzle, but he made a significant impact on the Penguins' ability to comfortably roll four lines again like they have been for much of the season.
This one was a statement, and boy, the Penguins delivered. This is a very good hockey team, folks.
- Speaking of "very good," I can't say enough about how otherwordly Erik Karlsson has been playing for the Penguins since the Olympic break.
He notched another three points in this one, giving him 14 points in his last 10 games. He has stepped up in a massive way this entire season, but his play down the stretch without Crosby and, for five games, Malkin has been nothing short of phenomenal.
This is the Erik Karlsson Kyle Dubas and the Penguins were hoping to acquire back in the summer of 2023. This is the Erik Karlsson that was, bar-none, the best NHL player in the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs for the Ottawa Senators. This is the Erik Karlsson that the Penguins desperately needed to see, and as an added bonus, he has pretty drastically improved his defense and is a mainstay on a successful PK unit this season.
It has been all-hands-on-deck for the Penguins all season long. But, if I'm picking a team MVP at the end of the season - and Pittsburgh ends up making the playoffs - Karlsson is that guy for me.
He's not just been their best player lately. He's been their best player for a good chunk of the 2025-26 season. And Penguins' fans are certainly in for a treat if we get to see the playoff version of Karlsson unlocked this time around.
- Silovs was magnificent in this game, especially early on. There was nothing he could do on either goal by the Avs, and he quite literally was responsible for the Penguins carrying the two-goal lead into the second period.
Something both Silovs and Stuart Skinner have been doing for the Penguins is coming up with big saves in big moments. One of those moments occurred in the third period of Monday's game, when Silovs made a nice glove save to rob Nazem Kadri of a goal that would have made it 6-3 early in the third period.
Silovs is a gamer, and he shows up in big moments. That has always been his track record. If the Penguins can continue to get this kind of goaltending from both guys, they shouldn't have much issue making the playoffs.
- One of the highlight moments of this game actually came courtesy of defenseman Connor Clifton.
During the third period, Colorado's Jack Drury has repeatedly cross-checking Malkin on the back, and Malkin began to retliate a bit. But before things could escalate, Clifton stepped in and challenged Drury to a fight, sticking up for his star teammate.
This is something we just haven't seen much of from the Penguins over the last several seasons, and it was kind of nice to see. It speaks to not only the kind of teammate Clifton is, but also to the chemistry of this particular locker room that guys are stepping up in this way.
Good stuff. Oh, and he won the fight pretty decisively, if you ask me.
- This was, by far, Soderblom's best game as a Penguin up to this point. He was bumped down to fourth-line duties in the absence of Blake Lizotte, who will miss four weeks with an upper-body injury. He earned two points and used his size well in this one at the net front, creating space and opportunity for himself and his linemates in Acciari and Connor Dewar.
The more I see from this guy, the more I like him. And the more I think he'll be a nice guy to have going into a potential playoff run.
- Mantha set a new career-high in goals with his 26th in there in the first period.
Won't spend time on this because I've already written about him at length. But what a remarkable season he's having. It's truly a marvel to watch.
- I mentioned this before, but this next game against the Canes on Wednesday looms large.
Some say the division is probably out of reach. I disagree. Carolina will lose its game in hand on Pittsburgh with a Tuesday night matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are currently four points behind the Penguins in the standings.
It's easy to root for Carolina in this one, but if they lose - and the Penguins manage to win Wednesday - that will put them just five points behind them with another head-to-head set for Sunday in Pittsburgh.
Either way, this win set the Penguins up pretty nicely. It's probably best to keep some separation from Columbus. However, if the Canes do lose, it will present the Penguins with a massive opportunity to chase their first division title since 2014.
Buckle up, folks. This is going to be a fun final 15 games of the regular season. And this sure is a fun hockey team to watch.
TORONTO -- A pair of New York Islanders rookies are back where it all began. No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer and 2025 Trade Deadline acquisition Calum Ritchie will face off against their hometown Toronto Maple Leafs in front of family and friends for the first time in their NHL careers.
Schaefer is from Hamilton, Ontario, while Ritchie hails from Oakville, Ontario.
"It's awesome," Schaefer told local reporters following Tuesday's morning skate. "You are coming back to the roots a little bit. I came to games growing up with my dad and friends and things like that. So just be good to be here, have family be in the building, and things like that."
Schaefer said following Monday's practice that there would be close to 1,000 people in attendance.
One of those guests is his grandmother, Marianne, who is currently in a wheelchair.
"In Ottawa, my grandparents on my mom's side got to come watch me play. And then now my nana on my dad's side will be able to come watch me play," Schaefer said. "I think this actually could be her first NHL game ever. I think it is, and it'll be her first time watching me in the NHL. So I mean, she's come to a couple of minor hockey games going up and things like that, but that'll be pretty, pretty special for me and her for tonight."
While it will be an exciting night for Schaefer, the result matters immensely for the Islanders' playoff race. They begin the night holding down the third seed in the Metropolitan Division, two points back of the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins and one point up on the Columbus Blue Jackets.
"Any game from here on out is just a battle, because everyone's in the race for playoffs and things like that," Schaefer said. "So it just makes it that much more fun when it's close to your hometown, with lots of family in the building. But it's just like every other game. We want to get to two points. I mean, we believe in what we've got going on in this room, and we've got something really good. So we're going to keep focusing on what we've got going on and keep trying to get as many wins as we can."
While Ritchie isn't expecting close to 1,000 people, he's amped up to have his people in the stands.
"I'm just glad to have all my family here, my friends," Ritchie said. "It's gonna be a blast. Growing up here, I came to a lot of games growing up, so it's going to be a special night."
How special will it be for Ritchie to skate on Scotiabank ice?
"Yeah, it's crazy. I was at dinner with my parents yesterday. My sister was talking about how crazy it is that I'm playing in this building and in the NHL," Ritchie said. "Growing up as a kid, you come to so many games. It'll be pretty cool to play on the ice tonight."
The Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild are set to square off for the third time this season. Each of the first two went beyond regulation, but the Wild won both 4-3.
The Blackhawks were beaten soundly by the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night, and this is their opportunity to bounce back against another good team. Although the Wild have had a magical season so far, they are currently in a slump, going just 4-4-2 in their last 10.
As an angry team also looking to get back on track, the Wild presents a great challenge to a young Blackhawks team trying to have a strong finish to another developmental year.
Scouting Minnesota
The Minnesota Wild are making their first visit to the United Center with Quinn Hughes. Hughes was on the team when the two met up in St. Paul in January, but this will be his first trip to Chicago since the trade.
Kaprizov - Yurov - Boldy
Zuccarello - Hartman - Tarasenko
Johansson - McCarron - N Foligno
Trenin - Sturm - Fabbri
Hughes-Faber
Brodin-Spurgeon
Middleton-Petry
Gustavsson
The Minnesota Wild are going to start Filip Gustavsson in net against the Blackhawks. They run an elite duo in goal, and Gustavsson will get the nod in this one.
Their top center, Joel Eriksson Ek, is out with a lower-body injury. This gives the Blackhawks an edge down the middle of the ice.
The problem for the Blackhawks will be the stars, including Hughes, that the Wild have elsewhere. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy drive the bus offensively, and Vladimir Tarasenko, Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman, and Marcus Johansson provide depth.
Nick Foligno, projected to play on the fourth line, will make his first return to Chicago since being traded to Minnesota. As a guy who played with the Hawks for just a few years, he will get a warm welcome for the impact he had.
Paired with Hughes will be Brock Faber, also a US Olympian who won gold in Milan. He can shut people down, create offense, and impact the game up and down the ice. Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin are the veterans on the blue line to support them, so creating a strong forecheck will be a key to victory.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks had an optional morning skate on Tuesday, so we will see if they go with 11/7 or a traditional lineup during warmups.
Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky
Bertuzzi-Nazar-Teravainen
Mangiapane-Donato-Mikheyev
Lardis-Lafferty-Slaggert
Vlasic-Levshunov
Kaiser-Rinzel
Del Mastro-Crevier
Grzelcyk
Knight
Soderblom
Based on the way practice was conducted, Matt Grzelcyk may be the healthy scratch if they dress 12 forwards. If they go with 11 forwards, Sam Lafferty is the best bet for the scratch.
Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom are each rested enough to start, so we will also see what they decide there during warmups.
Sacha Boisvert is not ready to make his NHL debut yet due to visa issues. If he is able to clear that before their next game, also against the Wild, he should be ready to play if he gets a practice in.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found on TNT and HBO MAX. The puck will drop shortly after 6:30 PM CT.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Vancouver Canucks continue their homestand on Tuesday against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. Like the Canucks, the Panthers are set to miss the playoffs this year as the organization has dealt with injuries all season. Here are the lineup notes for March 17, 2026.
Kevin Lankinen is the projected starter against Florida. If he does play, Tuesday will be the 200th appearance of his NHL career. This year, Lankinen has a record of 7-21-5 with a save percentage of .877.
As for the rest of the lineup, Vancouver will be changing up their forward group on Tuesday. That includes Nils Höglander coming in for Curtis Douglas. Jake DeBrusk is also projected to jump up to the first line while Evander Kane drops to the fourth line.
Dec 12, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Max Sasson (63) checks Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist (70) during the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
E. Pettersson-Hronek M. Pettersson-Willander Buium-Mancini
Lankinen Tolopilo
Game Information:
Start time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
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The Montreal Canadiens will face the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, March 17, in a game with massive playoff implications as both teams attempt to hold on in a competitive Atlantic Division.
My Bruins vs. Canadiens predictions and NHL picks suggest Cole Caufield will continue his torrid pace this calendar year as the league's hottest goal scorer.
Bruins vs Canadiens prediction
Bruins vs Canadiens best bet: Cole Caufield anytime goal scorer (+125)
No one has scored more goals in 2026 than Cole Caufield.
His 18 goals in 24 games this calendar year lead all skaters, and he's scored in all three games against the Boston Bruins this season, culminating in a hat trick on January 24.
He enters tonight on a two-game goal streak and faces a penalty-prone Boston team with a moderately weak defense (18th in goals allowed) and a poor penalty kill (T-23rd).
Bruins vs Canadiens same-game parlay
Unsurprisingly, Caufield isn't the only Montreal Canadiens winger who has seen an uptick in production.
Rookie phenom Ivan Demidov, typically a pass-first player, has 16 shots on goal in seven games since March 1. He's hit the Over in three straight and in four of the last six. Additionally, Boston ranks 29th in shots allowed.
Two of three meetings between these teams this season have hit the Over, as these teams rank second and T-10th in goals scored. Both teams are coming off 4-3 losses and will look to turn it around at the Bell Centre.
Two consecutive meetings and four of the last six have hit the Over. Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Canadiens.
How to watch Bruins vs Canadiens
Location
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
Date
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
NESN, TSN2
Bruins vs Canadiens latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
On the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman spoke about the Montreal Canadiens’ tough weekend and about the way forward for Jacob Fowler. The insider believes that while the masked men will have been disappointed with the loss, he still played pretty well and that the door is wide open for him to remain with the team until the end of the season.
Friedman considers that the acquisition of Hunter Shepard from the Ottawa Senators is a clear sign that Montreal is preparing for the rookie netminder to stay in the NHL. Friedman adds that as of the weekend, they hadn’t told Fowler that he would remain in the NHL, but given the fact that you only have five callups after the deadline and they’ve used one for him, it wouldn’t make sense to play yoyo with the organization’s prized prospect.
Despite being in the net for Sunday’s loss against the Anaheim Ducks and the fact that there will be a tough battle in the Eastern Conference to get into the playoffs, he believes Fowler will be given every opportunity to show he deserves to be there. Given how many opportunities Samuel Montembeault has had to bounce back and the precarious position the Canadiens find themselves in the standings, that would be the most logical course of action.
At this stage of the season, with every point meaning so much, you can’t go back to a goaltender whose confidence is shot and is trying to find his game. It’s not that the Canadiens ran out of patience with Montembeault, but they ran out of runway. It’s a shame for the Becancour native, but hockey is a game of results, and you’re only as good as your latest performance.
Regardless of whether Fowler sticks with the Canadiens until the end of the season, he’s already shown that he’s ready for the NHL, and that means Kent Hughes will have interesting decisions to make in the offseason. Both Montembeault and Jakub Dobes are signed for another season, after which the Quebecois will be a UFA and the Czech a RFA with arbitration rights.
Of the two, Dobes has had the better results this season. He leads all rookie netminders with 21, is fourth in goals-against average amongst rookie goalies with at least 15 starts at 2.97 GAA, and fifth in save percentage in the same pool of goalies with .891 SV. Will the Habs be willing to go forward with so much youth in net? That remains to be seen.
Back in 2009-10, the Canadiens had two youngsters in net in Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak, but by the start of the next season, Halak had been traded, and veteran Alex Auld was brought in. The situation this time around is different, though. Back then, it was felt that Halak had to be moved out so Price could have room to grow into his starter role, but I don’t see that happening for Fowler.
Toronto Maple Leafs games have featured significantly less offense without Auston Matthews in the lineup.
With an excellent goaltending matchup between Ilya Sorokin and Joseph Woll, my Islanders vs. Maple Leafs predictions expect goals will once again be hard to come by.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Tuesday, March 17.
Islanders vs Maple Leafs prediction
Islanders vs Maple Leafs best bet: Under 5.5 (+115)
The Toronto Maple Leafs have played in much lower scoring games with Auston Matthews sidelined. Those contests have averaged 5.37 goals, well below the 6.78 when Matthews is in the lineup.
That trend should continue against the New York Islanders, who slot 4th in goals allowed and will be starting Vezina candidate Ilya Sorokin.
He sits atop the league in Goals Saved Above Expected (+26.2) and allows just 2.5 goals per game.
Joseph Woll is also in good form. He has posted a .900+ save percentage in six of eight, setting him up nicely heading into a matchup with the 22nd ranked offense.
Islanders vs Maple Leafs same-game parlay
John Tavares has averaged 3.8 shots on 7.4 attempts through four home games without Auston Matthews this season. Those are Matthews-like outputs. Playing the 1C role against his former team, Tavares is a strong candidate to lead the Leafs in shots.
Brandon Carlo blocked multiple shots only once over his first six games. Since that point, he has averaged 2.1 and managed a 62% hit rate. The Islanders rank Top-10 in 5-on-5 shot generation over their past 10, giving Carlo plenty of pucks to jump in front of.
Islanders vs Maple Leafs SGP
Under 6
John Tavares Over 2.5 shots
Brandon Carlo Over 1.5 blocks
Islanders vs Maple Leafs odds
Moneyline: New York -135 | Toronto +115
Puck Line: New York -1.5 (+175) | Toronto +1.5 (-215)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+115) | Under 6.5 (-135)
Islanders vs Maple Leafs trend
The New York Islanders have hit the Game Total Under in 16 of their last 25 away games (+8.45 Units / 30% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs. Maple Leafs.
How to watch Islanders vs Maple Leafs
Location
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
Date
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
MSGSN, TSN4
Islanders vs Maple Leafs latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Montreal Canadiens announced on Tuesday morning that forward Kirby Dach would be out for two to four weeks because of an upper-body injury. The Albertan sustained the injury early in Sunday night’s game against the Anaheim Ducks when he was blindsided by forward Jeffrey Viel.
This is just the latest in a long series of setbacks for the 25-year-old, who recently played in his 300th NHL game during his seven seasons in the league. The team’s announcement doesn’t delve into details of the injury. Given the nature of the hit, it was thought to perhaps be a concussion, but players who deal with concussions are often listed as day-to-day.
If Dach ends up missing four weeks, he will miss the rest of the regular season, which is a huge blow to a player trying to earn a contract for next season. The 6-foot-4 forward has already missed 34 games in this campaign, resuming play on January 20 after being injured on November 15.
While some may say this is just bad luck striking once again, there has to be a concern for the Canadiens about his body’s ability to sustain the grind of the NHL’s physical play. The injury will take some of the heat off Martin St-Louis’ lineup decisions since he now finds himself with an extra chair on the third line, which will be occupied tonight by Zachary Bolduc.
Darren Raddysh is an elite shot-generator from the back end, ranking ninth among defensemen in shots on goal.
My Lightning vs. Kraken predictions and NHL picks expect Raddysh to be front and center in an advantageous matchup against a team that gives up a ton of point shots.
Lightning vs Kraken prediction
Lightning vs Kraken best bet: Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots (+100)
The Seattle Kraken are a dream opponent for volume shooting blueliners. They’ve allowed the fifth-most shots to defensemen over the past 10 games and have played at a Top-10 pace at 5-on-5 during that span, creating high-event environments.
They also sit dead last in shots allowed to the right point this year, which is Darren Raddysh’s primary shooting zone.
Raddysh has seen massive upticks in shot volume against teams that bleed shots to defensemen. He's averaged 3.7 shots on 7.5 attempts, clearing 2.5 shots in 12 of his 16 games.
Lightning vs Kraken same-game parlay
Raddysh hasn’t scored in 10 games, his longest drought of the season. The Kraken not only rank near the basement in shots allowed to defensemen, but also in scoring chances allowed to the position. We should see plenty of volume from Raddysh, making him a strong candidate to find the net.
The Kraken have only won seven of 22 games against teams that rank Top 10 in preventing goals on a per-game basis. They lack the high-end talent to score consistently, and that should be problematic in this matchup.
The Lightning are tied for second in the NHL with 20 road wins. Find more NHL betting trends for Lightning vs. Kraken.
How to watch Lightning vs Kraken
Location
Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
Date
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
TNT, HBO Max
Lightning vs Kraken latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Winnipeg Jets enter Tuesday night in a do-or-die situation, sitting at 28-28-10 and clinging to fading playoff hopes as they prepare to face the Nashville Predators in a pivotal showdown.
Separated by just a single point in the standings, the stakes could not be higher. Nashville holds 67 points, narrowly ahead of Winnipeg’s 66, making this head-to-head clash a critical swing game in the wild-card race. For the Jets, even a single dropped point could prove costly with time running out.
The playoff picture remains tightly packed with the Seattle Kraken currently hold a slim edge with 71 points, tied with the Los Angeles Kings. Just behind them sit the San Jose Sharks at 70 points, while Nashville and Winnipeg round out the chase pack.
Winnipeg faces the steepest climb of the contenders, with the 12th-hardest remaining schedule in the league. Their path includes two daunting matchups against the Colorado Avalanche, along with games versus the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets.
By comparison, Seattle’s remaining slate ranks 18th in difficulty, featuring two contests against the Tampa Bay Lightning and additional tests against Colorado, the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild and Columbus.
The other contenders appear far better positioned as Nashville benefits from the 11th-easiest remaining schedule, while San Jose has the fourth-easiest. The Kings may hold the inside track, boasting the NHL’s easiest closing schedule with only a handful of challenging matchups remaining against Buffalo and Seattle before facing more manageable opponents like the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues.
The Jets’ playoff push has long been considered a long shot and the margin for error continues to be razor thin. A winning streak is no longer a luxury but a necessity. And it must begin Tuesday night against a direct rival with identical aspirations. Puck drop could mark the turning point of their season or the beginning of the end.
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