The New York Islanders have been generous to Under backers this season, particularly when facing sturdy defensive teams.
My Islanders vs. Flyers predictions and NHL picks expect that to hold true in an important divisional battle between two teams neck-and-neck in the standings.
Islanders vs Flyers prediction
Islanders vs Flyers best bet: Under 5.5 (+105)
Ilya Sorokin has performed as well as anybody this season, leading the NHL in goals saved above expected with a mark of +23.8 through 30 appearances. He's a huge reason why the New York Islanders rank fifth in goals against per game and sit in a playoff spot.
The Islanders have played in a lot of low-scoring games (they possess an O/U record of 22-27-2), especially against other stingy sides.
The Philadelphia Flyers meet the criteria. They're one of the best shot suppression teams in the NHL and also prevent goals very effectively — at least with Dan Vladar, tonight’s projected starter, between the pipes.
Isolating games against Top-10 teams in terms of limiting shots, eight of New York’s past 12 have featured five goals or fewer. That includes five straight on the road.
The Islanders don’t have enough firepower to score consistently against good defensive teams, while almost every opponent struggles to beat Sorokin. Neither of these teams has scored more than three goals over the past five head-to-head matchups.
With Sorokin and Vladar expected between the pipes, there’s no reason to expect either team to hit its offensive ceiling in this one.
Islanders vs Flyers same-game parlay
Owen Tippett has shot the lights out of late, averaging 3.2 SOG over the past 10 while clearing this line in eight. Coming off a hat trick against the No. 1-ranked Avalanche, Tippett should have all the confidence to keep shooting in this one.
Philadelphia is great at taking away the middle of the ice and forcing teams to shoot from the perimeter. That bodes well for Tony DeAngelo, a former Flyer who's recorded multiple shots in four straight returns to Philadelphia.
The Islanders have cashed the Under in 14 of their last 20 road games for +9.75 units and a 45% ROI. Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs. Flyers.
How to watch Islanders vs Flyers
Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Friday, January 26, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
MSGSN, NBCS-Philadelphia
Islanders vs Flyers 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.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
From the moment he arrived in town last April, Ivan Demidov has been a Montreal Canadiens fan’s favourite, and his performance this season has not disappointed. He started the year on a line with fellow rookie Oliver Kapanen and Alex Newhook, which proved to be a very good line until Newhook was injured, forcing Martin St-Louis to find another combination. The rookies got a turn with Kirby Dach, but he was injured in their very first game as linemates. They then had a seven-game stint with Juraj Slafkovsky before spending a few games with Alexandre Texier. Still, ultimately, the coach reverted to the Slovak power forward, and the league has really come into its own.
After 52 games, the Russian rookie leads all NHL rookies with 43 points, 24 penalty minutes, and a plus-eight rating, and until Sunday night, his linemate Kapanen was leading all rookies in goals scored, with 16, but that changed with the Anaheim Ducks’ 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames. Ducks’ rookie Beckett Sennecke scored his first hat trick in the comeback overtime win, leapfrogging Kapanen in the rookie goal-scoring race. He now has 18 lamplighters.
That performance also allowed Sennecke to get closer to Demidov and the rookie-scoring lead, as he now has 41 points, just two behind the Canadiens’ Russian wonder. Both players have skated in 52 games and should be Matthew Schaefer’s main competition in the race for the Calder Trophy.
The fact that Demidov has the lead right now is impressive considering he only plays an average of 18.1 shifts per game compared to Sennecke’s 21.7 shifts and Schaefer’s 26.9. Of course, it means the Russian gets less ice time, skating for an average of 15 minutes and 24 seconds, while Sennecke spends an average of 17:09 on the ice, and the defenseman, 24:04. Demidov is undoubtedly making the most of the time he is given.
In the last 10 years, seven forwards have won the Calder Trophy while only three defensemen have been able to grab it. Last year, Lane Hutson won it with 66 points, while Moritz Seider claimed it in 2021-22, and Cale Makar landed it in 2019-20, both with 50 points, but Covid shortened Makar’s rookie season. Over those 10 years, the forwards who won the Trophy averaged 67 points.
As things stand, Demidov is on pace for 68 points while Sennecke is on pace for 65. Meanwhile, Schaefer is on pace for 55 points, in Calder Trophy territory for a blueliner, and his role goes beyond just putting up points for the New York Islanders. It feels like Demidov will need to really separate himself with his production if he’s to win the rookie of the year trophy for a second year running for the Canadiens.
Boston Bruins superstar David Pastrnak has recorded four or more shots in six of his past eight games, totaling 32 on 64 attempts. His 12.0 shots and 24.01 attempts per 60 minutes during the stretch rank eighth and fifth in the league, respectively.
With the New York Rangers ranking 28th in Corsi For percentage at 5-on-5 while allowing a healthy 29.2 shots per game out of the holiday break, this checks out as a soft matchup.
Viktor Arvidsson ranks second in shots while pacing the NHL in attempts per 60 minutes across his past 10 games, recording three or more in eight of those contests.
He’s piled up a monster 39 shots and 72 attempts during the stretch, and as noted, this is a great matchup for the B's snipers.
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 New Jersey Devils are returning home this week from a successful west coast road trip. The final game of that swing, a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken, left a bitter taste in everyone’s mouths, but aside from that, three wins against the western Canada teams went a long way toward getting the Devils right back into the thick of the playoff picture. The loss to Seattle was a real missed opportunity to put them right on the edge of a playoff spot again, but as we enter the final week of this month, New Jersey has done well to right their season after a horrific month-and-a-half stretch from the beginning of December to the middle of January.
The NHL is set to pause their season for the Winter Olympics in Italy in a couple weeks, with NHL players returning to the games for the first time in over a decade (if they can finish the rinks in time, that is). For the Devils, their last game before the break is scheduled for February 5. With that being the case, I figured now is a good time to take stock of where the Devils stand in the Metropolitan Division after their long road trip, what’s left for them until the break, and what the other teams around them in the standings have coming up until the Olympics as well. The only two teams I won’t be covering will be the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers, because the Hurricanes are too far ahead of the Devils for New Jersey to have the luxury of worrying about them, and the Rangers have completely fallen apart and are essentially out of the playoff picture.
Let’s dive in:
Pittsburgh Penguins
2nd in Metropolitan, 63 points in 51 games
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
1/29
Chicago Blackhawks
Home
1/31
New York Rangers
Home
2/2
Ottawa Senators
Home
2/3
New York Islanders
Away
2/5
Buffalo Sabres
Away
Entering the season, the Penguins were expected by most to be a bottom-feeder. Instead, they are number two in the Metropolitan Division coming into the week. An Eastern Conference-leading 11 loser points makes their record look a lot better than it actually is, but in Gary Bettman’s NHL, racking up points by any means necessary is the name of the game. We all keep waiting for Pittsburgh to fade, but maybe they just won’t. This stretch before the break will be huge for them, as they not only play two in-division games, they also play a pair of Atlantic teams right in the Wild Card mix as well. For the Devils, you need to hope for the Penguins to actually finish games in regulation for a change.
New York Islanders
3rd in Metropolitan, 59 points in 51 games
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
1/26
Philadelphia Flyers
Away
1/28
New York Rangers
Home
1/29
New York Rangers
Away
1/31
Nashville Predators
Home
2/2
Washington Capitals
Away
2/3
Pittsburgh Penguins
Home
2/5
New Jersey Devils
Away
The Islanders are going to be very busy until the Olympics. Whereas most teams have five or six games until the break, New York will fit seven into their schedule before the pause. This could be a season-defining stretch, with six of these seven contests being Metropolitan Division showdowns. This is another team that was expected to have a down year, but thanks in large part to falling backwards into Matthew Schaefer, they just refuse to fade. The ask from a Devils standpoint will be simple: For the love of god, keep the three-point games to a minimum.
Philadelphia Flyers
4th in Metropolitan, 57 points in 50 games
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
1/26
New York Islanders
Home
1/28
Columbus Blue Jackets
Away
1/29
Boston Bruins
Away
1/31
Los Angeles Kings
Home
2/3
Washington Capitals
Home
2/5
Ottawa Senators
Home
Yet another team that wasn’t expected to be great this season that just keeps finding ways to stick around. Are you seeing a theme here? The Flyers’ secret weapon is the fact that they’ve played the fewest amount of games of anyone we’ll be discussing today, which is always an advantage in a points-accumulation system. Philadelphia has three in-division games, one other Eastern Conference game, and then two games against Western Conference foes, so it’s a pretty even mix.
Washington Capitals
5th in Metropolitan, 57 points in 53 games
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
1/27
Seattle Kraken
Away
1/29
Detroit Red Wings
Away
1/31
Carolina Hurricanes
Home
2/2
New York Islanders
Home
2/3
Philadelphia Flyers
Away
2/5
Nashville Predators
Home
The Capitals have the same amount of points as the Flyers, but in three more games played, which makes a huge difference. Washington was looking pretty good for the first couple months of the season, but they’ve been sliding in a big way since mid-December, hence their precarious spot in the standings. Three in-division games for them until the break, including a date with the top dog Carolina Hurricanes.
New Jersey Devils
6th in Metropolitan, 56 points in 52 games
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
1/27
Winnipeg Jets
Home
1/29
Nashville Predators
Home
1/31
Ottawa Senators
Away
2/3
Columbus Blue Jackets
Home
2/5
New York Islanders
Home
The Devils get four home games until the break, with the final two contests sticking out as extra important. Two division games, one against a team behind the Devils and one against a team ahead of them, will go a long way toward New Jersey either being in good position entering the pause, or terrible shape. New Jersey really, really, REALLY needs to figure out how to get results against Metro teams, as they will enter those games with a dismal 4-9-2 record against in-division foes thus far. To make matters worse, only two of those wins have come in regulation (both against Columbus). That means that in 15 total games, New Jersey has held Metropolitan opponents without a point in two of them. Two of 15. Unacceptable. If the Devils want to make a true push for the playoffs, they absolutely NEED two wins against the Blue Jackets and Islanders, with at least one of them coming in regulation.
Columbus Blue Jackets
7th in Metropolitan, 55 points in 51 games
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
1/26
Los Angeles Kings
Home
1/28
Philadelphia Flyers
Home
1/30
Chicago Blackhawks
Away
1/31
St. Louis Blues
Away
2/3
New Jersey Devils
Away
2/4
Chicago Blackhawks
Home
The only Metropolitan team (aside from the Rangers) that New Jersey has more points than, and the only Metro squad that the Devils have a regulation win against. Unlike a lot of these teams that are outperforming mediocre to bad preseason projections, the Blue Jackets are the opposite. They made a shocking playoff push last season only to fall just short, which raised expectations. They’ve disappointed relative to those expectations, to the point where they fired their head coach a couple weeks ago. As far as their schedule until the break goes, It’s an even mix of Western Conference teams and Metropolitan opponents. The Devils are in there, and maybe New Jersey can keep their success against Columbus going on February 3 with another regulation win.
New Jersey has 10 points up for grabs between now and when they break for the Olympics. In my opinion, they need seven of those 10 points at a bare minimum, with at least three of them coming against the Islanders and Blue Jackets. Considering how beatable every one of the teams on their schedule is, I really don’t think this is too much to ask.
As stated up top, after a nightmare stretch from December to January, the Devils have resurrected their season a bit. They’re only three points out of a playoff spot entering the week, though the third-place Islanders have a game in hand. Then again, the tables will turn and New Jersey will be the one with a game in hand by the time we reach the break. But of course, there are the Flyers and Capitals in between New Jersey and the third-place Isles, and you can’t count on all of those teams losing every night. The fact of the matter is, the Devils need to take care of their own business, and they need some help on the out of town scoreboard. That is the position their play up to this point has put them in.
What do you think of the Devils’ schedule until the Olympics? What amount of points do you consider to be the bare minimum that they need between now and then? Which Metropolitan Division team are you most worried about? What about the Metro team that you think is most likely to fade? As always, thanks for reading!
Elias Lindholm is enjoying a big bounce-back campaign, producing at his highest per game pace since the 2021-22 campaign with Calgary.
My Bruins vs. Rangers predictions expect Lindholm to make some hay offensively in a very advantageous matchup.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Monday, January 26.
Bruins vs Rangers prediction
Bruins vs Rangers best bet: Elias Lindholm Over 0.5 points (-135)
The New York Rangers are playing without Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin, who have both won awards for being the best at their respective positions. It shows.
The Rangers have allowed a league-leading 46 goals over their past 10 games. It’s not just a matter of a couple blowup spots, either. New York has conceded at least three times in nine of those games, and four or more on seven different occasions.
It’s difficult to envision the bleeding stopping against the Boston Bruins, who rank third in goals spanning the last 10 games.
Elias Lindholm has been one of the guys at the forefront of that success, producing nine points and putting up three multi-point performances.
He has been consistent for the Bruins, especially against weaker defensive sides.
Excluding Top-16 teams in limiting goals, which the Rangers are not, Lindholm has averaged 1.1 points per game and hit the scoresheet in 70% of his appearances.
Riding shotgun with David Pastrnak, who has averaged 1.7 points per game against Bottom-16 teams in goals against, Lindholm has a strong chance of making his mark in this one.
Bruins vs Rangers same-game parlay
Pastrnak has scored in 34% of his games this season. That number jumps to 46% against Bottom-16 defensive teams.
He has found the back of the net in only two of his last nine, and this is the perfect matchup to get going again.
Alexis Lafreniere continues to skate on a line with Artemi Panarin, which is a good place to be. Lafreniere has averaged 2.4 shots per game on Panarin’s line this season and recorded multiple shots in seven of the past nine.
Bruins vs Rangers SGP
Elias Lindholm Over 0.5 points
David Pastrnak anytime goal
Alexis Lafreniere Over 1.5 shots on goal
Bruins vs Rangers odds
Moneyline: Boston -110 | New York -110
Puck line: Boston -1.5 (+210) | New York +1.5 (-260)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-105) | Under 6.5 (-115)
Bruins vs Rangers trend
Elias Lindholm has points in five straight games against New York, including two multi-point efforts this season. Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Rangers.
How to watch Bruins vs Rangers
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Friday, January 26, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
NESN, MSG
Bruins vs Rangers 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.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Of course, the four players were asked how it would feel to compete against each other at the Olympics, and they gave the standard answer through Suzuki: they’re already used to playing against friends and former teammates in the NHL, which isn’t any different. When the group was asked what they would choose between winning the Stanley Cup and an Olympic Gold medal, Texier made the crowd chuckle when he said the Cup would be more realistic for him, since he plays for France, but ultimately, all four players opted for the Cup. Kapanen added that it’s what he grew up dreaming about.
The Finn was also asked if he thinks about winning the Calder Trophy since he leads all rookies in goal scoring, and if there’s some teasing between him and Ivan Demidov. He replied that no, it’s not something he thinks about, while also praising his teammate as a special player. I thought that was a bit of an awkward question to ask. Anyone who follows the NHL closely knows that Kapanen is not in the Calder conversation.
That was just one of a few awkward moments, however. Another one came when Suzuki was asked which words he knew in French, and he replied that he knew how to say his name and ask someone how they are doing. While I do not believe it’s essential for the Canadiens’ captain to learn to speak French, it’s a bit weird to get that answer after much was made of Suzuki doing his first interview in French earlier this season with TVA Sports. While we know that the interview was rehearsed, you’d still expect Suzuki to see a bit more than those two basic phrases by now.
Lepage also asked the players if any of them had watched Crave’s hit show Heated Rivalry, and there was a long pause while they looked at one another to decide who would answer. Suzuki replied that they had all heard about the series and that it was great that it brought new fans to the game. Texier was then asked why homosexuality was still a taboo in hockey, and he replied that it wasn’t and that the team would be fine with one of its members coming out, that they’d be welcomed with open arms.
Those were the expected answers, really, but the embarrassed silence when the players were asked whether they had watched the show is evidence that there’s still a lot of work to be done in the NHL. If players are shy about being asked if they watched a show about two hockey players secretly having a relationship, it’s hard to imagine that a coming-out would go down well.
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 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Sunday's loss by the Canuck was close both on the scoresheet and from an analytics perspective. The even-strength scoring chances were tied at 25 while Vancouver held a slight edge in even-strength high-danger scoring chances by a count of 13-11. In the end, though, the Penguins were able to capitalize on their chances, leading to the victory.
Both teams did a good job of crashing the net in this game. Kevin Lankinen faced nine high-danger shots while Stuart Skinner faced seven. Once again, though, the Canucks collapsed in the third period, which is when Pittsburgh scored all three of its goals.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, January 25, 2026, Natural Stat Trick
To wrap up this game, Filip Hroenk was one of Vancouver's top skaters from an analytics perspective. During his 26:55 of even-strength ice time, the Canucks held a 14-9 shots advantage while outscoring the opposition 2-0. Hronek also recorded an assist, which was the 98th of his career with Vancouver.
Jan 25, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins forward Egor Chinakhov (59) pursues Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek (17) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The Canucks continue their homestand on Tuesday when they face the San Jose Sharks. While Kiefer Sherwood is injured, there is a chance he will make his Sharks debut on Tuesday. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Stars, Avalanche reportedly among teams after Canucks’ Evander Kane. [The Province]
Penguins acquire Solovyov from Avalanche for Puustinen. [Sportsnet]
Avalanche honor members of 2001 Stanley Cup champions. [NHL]
Nelson, Blackwood pace Avalanche to 4-1 victory over struggling Maple Leafs. [Toronto Star]
Avs’ Bednar on Landeskog’s recovery ahead of Olympics: ‘It’s going to be tight’. [TSN]
Avalanche’s Nelson nets fifth-career hat trick vs. Maple Leafs. [Sportsnet]
News Around the League
Linus Ullmark discusses his absence for the Senators and the social media rumours that plagued him during said absence. [TSN]
Artemi Panarin’s trade cost from Rangers revealed by NHL insider. [Sporting News]
Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard joins elite company with a 6-point game. [CBC]
Goyette remembered for clean living on and off ice. Late center who played 16 NHL seasons won Cup four times with Canadiens, Lady Byng with Blues. [NHL]
Seth Jones injury update: USA defenseman out of 2026 Olympics. [USA Today]
Los Angeles Kings - 21-16-13 - 55 Points - 4-2-4 in the last 10 - Won 2 - 5th in the Pacific
Columbus Blue Jackets - 24-20-7 - 55 Points - 6-4-0 in the last 10 - Won 2 - 7th in the Metro
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
CBJ set a season-high in goals scored in an 8-5 win over Tampa Bay on Saturday. The club has won six of its last seven games overall since Jan. 11 (5-1-0) and collected points in six of its past seven home contests since Jan. 3 (5-1-1).
The club continues a season-long five-game homestand on Monday and is in a stretch of seven-of-eight games played at Nationwide Arena from Jan. 13-28 (4-1-0).
The Jackets scored the first two goals on Saturday and have scored the first goal in 15 of the last 20 contests, 18 of the past 25, and rank T-third in the NHL in games scoring first in 2025-26 (30).
Columbus leads the NHL in goals by defensemen and ranks fourth in points with 38-90-128 in 51 contests.
Entering Sunday, the Blue Jackets (10-5-1) ranked T-fourth in the NHL in wins, seventh in team save percentage (.907), eighth in points pct. (.656) and 10th in goals-against per game (2.81) since Dec. 22.
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Charlie Coyle, posted his fifth game of three or more points this season, including notching his 200th career goal on Saturday (1-2-3).
Entering Sunday's games, G Jet Greaves leads the NHL in saves and ranks fourth-T in wins and eighth in SV% since Dec. 22 (min. 7 GP) with an 8-3-1 record, 2.54 GAA, .915 SV% and 345 saves in 13 games.
Kirill Marchenko collected his eighth multi-point outings of the campaign with two assists vs. Tampa Bay and has notched points in 12 of the last 16 contests dating back to Dec. 22 (8-9-17).
Mason Marchment notched his third career hat trick on Saturday (3-1-4) and has posted points in seven of his nine contests with CBJ (8-3-11).
Mathieu Olivier ranks second in the NHL with 71 hits since returning from injury on Dec. 28.
Zach Werenski notched two assists in the win over the Lightning and leads NHL blueliners in goals (19), points (tied, 55) and multi-point efforts (18) this season entering play on Sunday. He has points in 26 of his past 31 contests overall to lead league defensemen in goals, points and points-per-game since Nov. 13 (15-27-42, 1.42).
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 19.8% - 19th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 75.4% - 28th in the NHL
Goals For - 153 - 19th in the NHL
Goals Against - 168 - 24th in the NHL
Kings Stats
Power Play - 15.2% - 32nd in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 77.3% - 25th in the NHL
Goals For - 130 - 30th in the NHL
Goals Against - 137 - 3rd in the NHL
Series History vs. TheKings
Columbus is 29-33-1-7 all-time, and 18-11-0-5 at home vs. LA.
The Blue Jackets are 4-0-2 in the last 6 at home and have earned points in 8 of 9 home games against the Kings.
The last 5 home games against the Kings have gone to OT, and the CBJ are 3-2 in those games.
Columbus has killed off 25 of 28 Kings' man advantages.
Who To Watch For TheKings
Adrian Kempe leads the Kings with 22 assists and 39 points.
Kevin Fiala leads LA with 18 goals.
Darcy Kuemper is 13-9-9 with a SV% of .902. His last start was on January 24th.
Former Blue Jackets Goalie Anton Forsberg is 58-6-4 with a SV% of .907. His last start was on January 20th.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Kings
Zach Werenski has 7 points in 13 career games vs. the Kings.
Boone Jenner has 7 points in his last 18 games against LA.
Charlie Coyle has 16 points in 32 games.
Injured Reserve
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 13 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
Miles Wood - Lower Body - Missed 12 Games - Week to week.
Denton Mateychuk - Lower Body - Missed 6 Games - Day to day and skating with the team.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 145
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 93.3 The Bus, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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The Montreal Canadiens hoped that bringing Jacob Fowler up and sending Samuel Montembeault down to the AHL for a conditioning stint would sort out their goaltending issues, and for a time, it looked like it might have worked. Still, the wheels are starting to come off the wagon again.
After the Habs’ heartbreaking loss to the Boston Bruins, Martin St-Louis was asked whether he felt Montembeault was again fragile, and he replied:
No, no, I don’t think so. Listen, the last goal, the puck’s direction changes…No, I don’t think so.
- St-Louis on whether Montembeault seemed fragile lately
While the puck might have changed direction, the cold, hard facts remain: the coach decided to use Montembeault for two crucial divisional matchups in a row, and in both games, his save percentage was below .815. Whatever the context, that number is just not good enough. On the season, the Becancour native has a 9-8-2 record with a 3.46 GAA and a .869 save percentage.
While Jakub Dobes’ numbers aren’t exactly brilliant either ( 3.01 GAA and a .887 SV), the Czech netminder at least has a winning record, and it’s not even close. He’s 15-5-3 on the season. Whatever the reason is, the Habs seem to give Dobes more offensive support than Montembeault, and that plays into it as well.
When Kent Hughes met the media for his mid-season review, he said he didn’t like to put labels on people and that the goaltender playing the best would play the most, but that’s not what’s happening right now. Dobes has a 5-0-1 record in his last six games, while Montembeault is now 1-2-1 in his previous four starts.
The Canadiens have three games this week, they’ll take on the Vegas Golden Knights, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Buffalo Sabres. To win, they will need someone to stand up and make the saves, and right now, it doesn’t look like that someone can be Montembeault.
Cody Glass had three points, Lenni Hämeenaho tallied his first two NHL points and the Devils held on for a 5-4 win over the Canucks on Friday. [Devils NHL]
Then on Sunday, the Devils rounded out the road trip with a 4-2 loss to the Kraken. [Devils NHL]
“Almost any way you spin it, Glass has been one of the best third-line centers in the league — arguably the best. His goal-scoring production is league-best in that regard, and his underlying statistical profile is similarly high-end. Of all 32 third-line centers in the NHL, there is one (1) who has been above-average in every single metric listed above, from offensive impact to defensive impact to sG to RAPM to point production: Cody Glass.” [Devils’ Advocates]
“It’s no secret that the 2025-26 New Jersey Devils have struggled to score goals consistently. Per Natural Stat Trick, their 1.94 goals per 60 minutes (GF/60) at 5v5 ranks dead last in the league…and it’s not even really that close. Every other NHL team scores goals at least 6.2% more often.” [The Hockey Writers]
“After being scratched on Jan. 11 in a move that appeared to put his future with the New Jersey Devils in doubt, Dougie Hamilton might be set to stay put in the wake of Luke Hughes’ shoulder injury.” [Sportsnet]
Hockey Links
“Hours before his first game as a visiting player at Scotiabank Arena, Mitch Marner said he didn’t want to look back on the nine years he spent playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.” [The Athletic ($)]
A look back at six ugly returns for NHL stars: [The Athletic ($)]
“In what was expected to be a retooling year, (Penguins GM) Kyle Dubas is in an interesting spot leading up to the trade deadline. Does he stay the course and continue to accumulate prospects and picks? Or will he consider adding to try to help the Pens secure a playoff spot? The second option has to be tempting. Any time you have Crosby on the roster playing at a high level, you don’t want to waste it, and if the Penguins get in, nobody would envy a first-round matchup against one of the game’s all-time greatest players.” [Sportsnet]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
As the Winter Olympics come screaming into focus, the league has experienced a bit of a frenzy of moves to get assets before the great unknown of playing in Milan and/or Cortina potentially leaves them without stars for the last few months of the NHL season. Thanks to the truncated schedule, a bunch of teams are already beginning to make moves after looking at their upcoming schedules, their current records, and their current trends, and making painful decisions on whether or not they’ve got any real shot in the NHL Playoffs.
One such team is the Vancouver Canucks, who have been a never ending cavalcade of Drama, Woe, and Disaster for the better part of half a decade, and at the center of it all is their # 1 Center, who they are finally willing to listen to other teams about offers for.
According to Frank Seravalli, the Bruins have checked in on this player.
On the Surface
Oh boy this is a doozy.
Elias Pettersson is generally supposed to be Sweden’s big wunderkind player right now. Should be, anyway. He should’ve shown up with an “A” at minimum for Tre Kronor at the Olympics and we should all be looking at Sweden with him at the top of his game and going “oh they’re gonna medal and it’s gonna be a short game.” Still might be, too.
And yet!
Pettersson is by all accounts an extremely high skill forward, able to do a little bit of everything; he’s got incredible hands, he’s a damn strong skater, he’s willing to get into the dirty areas of the ice and cause a little havoc that way, his shot can feel like a game-warping moment, and when he is on his horse, he never, ever, ever gives up on a play. Even when he should, but he doesn’t need to; he can make something happen.
All of this can be yours…assuming the team around him isn’t actively self-injecting poison into itself in a desperate attempt to make their insane owner or alternate captain or general manager or fanbase happy.
Which unfortunately for Mr. Pettersson, is where the problem starts, and why he is reportedly available.
Pettersson is like Quinn Hughes, in that he has been part of propping up a Canucks team that was much farther back on their development curve than they believed, and struggled to really find a place for himself in multiple systems, and watched as his impressive point totals slowly fell into hell, and while he is rebounding this year and looks to be on pace for a 60ish point season, which has been around where his floor is, and what’s hoping to be a reasonably deep run in the Olympics, its a far cry from his 100 point ‘22-‘23 season and his 89 point ‘23-‘24, and trying to replicate those two seasons has been an active nightmare for the Canucks. They know he’s good!…they just gotta make JT Miller happy, or change coaches, or keep swapping deck chairs on the Titanic, or go through like six goalies in a month leading into the playoffs.
Elias Pettersson’s career has been a lot of really cool skill plays and solid work as an NHL center buried under a mountain of bulls#!t; some of it from his own team, some of it from slumps he made himself, some of it the natural consequence of a team riding the PDO wagon until it fell out from under them, all of it too much for both parties at this point. Vancouver needs to make major changes and make them fast, and they are reportedly okay with asking about just about anyone, and that does include Pettersson, who would likely fetch another big return after the Quinn Hughes trade.
Under the Hood
Look.
The big issue that Pettersson has faced throughout his career is that there’s been some horses#!t going on around him pretty much at all times. Anyone’s game would suffer because of that. Great players have had miserable years thanks to their organization making life difficult. Pettersson’s game has had a lot of that, and as a result he’s had a ton of linemates and a ton of revolving wingers and he’s never really been able to get a good bead on who he should be with coach after coach either loving or despising him. That’s forced him to play very into his game, very out of it, and it has messed with his analytics. I cannot definitively prove this, but I believe it contributes to the issues he faces.
The other big issue is that the Canucks committed a ton of money to him…and he’s struggled quite a bit to justify that since putting pen to ink, especially recently.
Pettersson has not been playing like a 1C for a very long time, and the Canucks have attached a nice big dead sea bird (of which it is bad luck to kill, Willem Dafoe said so.) to his neck, ensuring that every game where he doesn’t have a point feels worse and worse and piles doubt after doubt after doubt on this player.
And sure, that one viz is gonna maybe make people feel a little concerned, but I need to make it clear that this is a long-standing problem for him; over the last three years, he’s 12th among Canucks skaters in shot attempts and unblocked shot attempts for per 60 minutes, and 11th in expected goals-for per 60 minutes.
Hronek, Hughes, and Tyler actual Myers have better rates of unblocked shots than him. Nils Hoglander, a player the Bruins once checked in on fiercely before joining the NHL and is playing like 12 minutes a night in Vancouver, has objectively better rates of getting the puck up ice than Pettersson.
This does ignore however that, if we are being fair to him and acknowledging that he is also playing on a dogass team full of dog-ass players, he has improved. He is now 4th on the Canucks in expected goals for per 60, and 8th in shot attempts and unblocked shot attempts for. That is…maybe not worth the obscene price tag? But it is decidedly better than he’s been, and a trend in the right direction for him.
And to be mean, 51.09% on the year is a damn sight better than another center on the Boston Bruins who gets similar ice time to Pettersson. It may not be the most efficient use of money…BUT! he would be An Upgrade.
There is also the chance, especially given his skill ceiling and who his linemates would be, that the Bruins, with their world class wingers and culture of Making Players Feel Valued and Want To Give Back and the fabled “Bruins Bump” and all that…that he could in fact resurrect the player he was in his earlier years. This guy is still in here somewhere in theory; if you figure out where he is under what you will be hoping are years of mismanagement by Vancouver.
What would they need to part with?
The Canucks are in shambles. They are by far the worst team in the Pacific Division as well as the Western Conference, and that is stiff competition at the moment. You will be going for one of maybe players who’s getting anything done on the Canucks right now (and one of them is now in San Jose), and it will herald the beginning of a great big long down-to-the-studs rebuild for Vancouver.
That is a first round pick among many to begin with; especially for the Bruins, who will likely find themselves with a half-decent choice in the middle or top 10 of the draft.
That’s Alberts Smits. That’s Adam Novotny, Oscar Hemming, Caleb Malholtra, Ryan Lin that you are giving to the Canucks, which is not including the roster player and one of the vanishingly few prospects of note in the Bruins’ system.
They may not turn into anything! But they might become something, and you gave them that for an asset that they have well and truly spent a lot of time crushing the confidence of and now you gotta rehab and convince the Canucks to retain salary on, because there’s no way in hell they can fit his preposterous contract under their cap right now.
Should they do it?
The Boston Bruins under Don Sweeney are more than willing to gamble if given the opportunity. They have gambled frequently and sometimes it’s even worked.
Even then…This will be a hell of a gamble if they decide they wanna do it.
If the Bruins think they can rehab this player, and commit to making him work for the long haul, even knowing he may cost them one of their extremely first round picks, even knowing that the last guy you were hoping gets a Bruins Bump Did Not Actually Get One because the team isn’t nearly as good as it used to be, even knowing it may end up losing them one of the few in and out excellent players on the year or one of the potential future stars of the team because let me make it clear you are not sending Elias Lindholm back the other way, they need young guys and they need talented guys and the Bruins don’t really have a lot of either, if you are aware your fanbase and certain sections of this market’s media is gonna be on him from day one if he doesn’t show improvement…then I suppose my answer is go for it.
But you need to be sure. You need to be absolutely sure.
Because if you make this choice, you will be locked into it. His contract has an NMC. You may not pay all of it! But you will be paying some of it. And you will be stuck to it like glue.
The Islanders will try to rediscover their game, or at least their look, with a visit to Philadelphia tonight. The Flyers are just two points back with a game in hand, coming off a potential “statement” victory in Colorado. That third position in the Metro the Isles currently (and tenuously) hold has become more prominent lately, as the two current wild card holders are from the Atlantic, Montreal and Boston, each three or more points ahead.
Lots of season left to go, but the first-quarter narrative of the laughable Atlantic has shifted now that Boston has righted itself, Montreal has rebounded from a swoon and the Sabres continue to do whatever the hell they’ve been up to over the past 20 games ever since they started hanging around that Faust guy.
Isaiah George was thrilled to make his season debut Saturday, after missing out on previous callups due to his own injuries. [Isles | Newsday | Post | THN]
Takeaways from Saturday: the benched top line, the overturned goals (well, one was simply after the horn sounded), and “did it to themselves.” [Isles]
The Skinny: In WTF trivia, “Alex Lyon and Tristan Jarry are the only opposing goaltenders with two shutouts at UBS Arena.” [Isles]
Gross: It was the right call to sit Barzal-Duclair-Lee to uphold a standard for the team. [Newsday]
Elsewhere
Sunday scores included the Devils falling in Seattle (two goals for Jordan Eberle), the Senators blowing out Vegas and the Penguins survived a late push by the lowly Canucks.
Also, Brock Nelson completed a hat trick against the Leafs with an empty net goal. [NHL]
So do the Knights, at least for one game. Mark Stone blasted his team for playing “like a junior team” against his old squad. [Sportsnet]
Probably include the Leafs in that self-assessment, too. [Sportsnet]
Linus Ullmark didn’t start, but he was back in the lineup for the Sens after his personal leave for whatever your local tweeter rumored it was for. [TSN]
Sam Montembeault continues to…not inspire confidence in Montreal. [Sportsnet]
Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…
The Pittsburgh Penguins completed their Western Canada swing on Sunday evening, facing off against the Vancouver Canucks. It was a homecoming for rookie forward Ben Kindel, who led the way with two goals as the Penguins won 3-2. [Recap]
However, in the dying moments of the game, amid a Vancouver push for the tying goal, forward Bryan Rust hit Vancouver’s Brock Boeser on the ice as time expired Sunday. Video shows Rust appearing to hit Boeser up high with an extended elbow, an action deemed “dirty” by Vancouver players. [Sportsnet]
Big Justin Brazeau has been one of the many positive revelations this season. The winger has career highs in goals (14) and points (25) in 37 games after Sunday. He’s been able to cash in on his offensive opportunities by “playing the right way.” [Trib Live]
Every club in the league would take 13 goals and 40 points in 36 games for a 39-year-old forward who is set to be an unrestricted free agent at year’s end. However, those statistics belong to an NHL and franchise icon in Evgeni Malkin, who has now publicly said he is willing to take a discount to return to the Penguins next season. General manager Kyle Dubas, with his seemingly infinite pool of cap space, should listen and reward Malkin with the extension he has rightfully deserved. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander has apologized after he was seen on camera flipping the middle finger during Sunday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. [TSN]
The Seattle Kraken are open to hearing trade offers for 22-year-old center Shane Wright, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. [theScore]
The NHL may have gained a new fan base as viewers go crazy for the viral HBO streaming hit “Heated Rivalry.” The show, which centers around a romance between two hockey players, has driven a “noticeable spike” in demand for NHL tickets and revenue for the league, according to ticket website SeatGeek. [CBS News]
Vegas Golden Knights (25-14-12, in the Pacific Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (28-17-7, in the Atlantic Division)
Montreal, Quebec; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens host the Vegas Golden Knights after Cole Caufield recorded a hat trick in the Canadiens' 4-3 loss to the Boston Bruins.
Montreal is 28-17-7 overall and 14-11-1 at home. The Canadiens have a 25-6-6 record in games they score three or more goals.
Vegas has a 13-7-6 record in road games and a 25-14-12 record overall. The Golden Knights are 24-5-7 in games they score at least three goals.
The matchup Tuesday is the second meeting between these teams this season. The Canadiens won 4-1 in the previous meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Caufield has 29 goals and 24 assists for the Canadiens. Alexandre Texier has four goals and four assists over the past 10 games.
Pavel Dorofeyev has 22 goals and 16 assists for the Golden Knights. Jack Eichel has seven goals and 11 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 5-4-1, averaging 3.6 goals, 6.3 assists, 4.8 penalties and 11.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-3-0, averaging 4.3 goals, 7.2 assists, 2.2 penalties and 5.2 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Canadiens: None listed.
Golden Knights: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
David Pastrnak Over 3.5 shots on goal
Dylan Guenther Under 0.5 points
