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The Detroit Red Wings owed the New York Islanders for their previous two losses in which they were outscored 12-2. 

Forward Alex DeBrincat, one of the hottest goal scorers in the NHL right now, made sure that New York wouldn't enjoy a third straight win over Detroit. 

He scored his 19th and 20th goals of the season, both on the power-play, in the third period of what would ultimately be a 3-2 Red Wings victory at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday evening. 

Not only did DeBrincat reach the 20-goal mark for the sixth consecutive season, but he also became the fastest Red Wings player to reach the plateau since Henrik Zetterberg in 2007-08, the most recent season in which they won the Stanley Cup. 

What's been going right for him? As the old adage goes, just get pucks on net. 

"Just shooting the puck a lot, I think," DeBrincat said. "Obviously playing with great players who get me the puck in good situations, and I'm just trying to pull the trigger as much as I can. Luckily, two went in today and hopefully it keeps going." 

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The Red Wings have not had a 40-goal scorer since Marian Hossa reached that mark during his first and only season in Detroit in 2008–09.

Following their devastating Game 7 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2009 Stanley Cup Final, Hossa signed with the Chicago Blackhawks and went on to win the Stanley Cup three times alongside current Red Wings forward Patrick Kane from 2010 to 2015.

Kane later developed an instant chemistry with DeBrincat during their time in Chicago, a special bond that they now share as members of the Red Wings. 

Head coach Todd McLellan made no secret about the fact that he appreciates the competitive nature of DeBrincat, and that it rubs off on the rest of his teammates. 

“His competitiveness rubs off on everybody else and his ability to shoot it into the net is second to none, so that combination is great," McLellan said. "He does so many other things that he almost drags the rest of the group into the game. That’s a good thing for us.”

Currently, DeBrincat is on pace to reach 48 goals, which would be the highest number by a Red Wings player since Brendan Shanahan scored 46 goals following his trade to Detroit in October 1996. 

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The biggest story going into the Tuesday matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers was the goaltending battle, which featured two netminders in Tristan Jarry and Stuart Skinner who were swapped in a trade between the teams on Friday. 

And, unfortunately for the Penguins, Jarry and the Oilers got the better of them.

The Penguins fell to the Oilers, 6-4, on Tuesday to bank their sixth consecutive loss and bring their record to 14-9-9. Edmonton scored three times on the power play, Connor McDavid registered four points, and Jarry stopped 26 of 30 Penguins' shots to propel the team to the win. 

Skinner allowed five goals on 22 shots, and he admitted the first part of the first period was a little weird for him. 

"It was definitely different. Super weird, like, taking a nap and thinking that I'm playing the old team," Skinner said. "So, the first period, I feel like for the first five minutes I kind of had to settle my game in and calm my mind down. And as the game went on, I think I did a better and better job at that. Obviously not the way that I wanted to start. I think I definitely could have helped these guys out on a few goals."

Skinner may have had the opportunity to settle in a bit more naturally. But an early disallowed goal may have changed the entire complexion of the game.

A little more than six minutes into the game, Rickard Rakell drew a tripping penalty on Mattias Ekholm. The Penguins had a generally lackluster power play after that, but Ben Kindel came in on the rush within the last 20 seconds of the man advantage and found Justin Brazeau in the slot, who sniped it past Jarry for what would have been his ninth goal of the season. 

What Brett Kulak Brings To The Penguins After Trade From EdmontonThe Pittsburgh Penguins got Brett Kulak back in the Tristan Jarry deal, and he has the tools to help this team.

However, the Penguins were offside on the play, and the goal was called back. From there, they took a disastrous string of penalties that, ultimately, doomed them early on in the game. 

About a minute after the expiration of Ekholm's penalty, Danton Heinen took an interference penalty, followed by a Bryan Rust hooking penalty then a Brett Kulak - playing in his first game with the Penguins as well - delay of game penalty that came just 18 seconds after the Rust penalty to give the Oilers an extended five-on-three. 

Zach Hyman scored on the two-man advantage with assists from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who recorded his 1,000th career NHL point on the play. He became the first German-born player to ever reach the 1,000-point mark. 

Draisaitl hits 1,000 @NHL points on Hyman's opening PPG 🙌 #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/2Jto5GsASM

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 17, 2025

Then - still on the power play - McDavid skated through the neutral zone and through the entire Penguins' penalty-killing unit for a breakaway, and he buried it just 16 seconds after the first power play goal. Even though Tommy Novak responded with a late first-period goal - and the rest of the game was back-and-forth - the Penguins could never quite recover after those initial power play goals. 

Skinner let in a leaky goal to Matt Savoie early in the second period, and the Penguins - once again - responded via a booming one-timer on the power play by Erik Karlsson to make it 3-2. Sidney Crosby registered the primary assist on the play, putting him just one point shy of tying Mario Lemieux for the Penguins' all-time lead in points. But Brazeau took another Penguins' penalty a few minutes later, and Evan Bouchard had a power play goal of his own from the slot to put Edmonton back up by two. 

Vasily Podkolzin added a goal in the third period to make it 5-2, then Bryan Rust scored with the net empty with less than four minutes to go in regulation to make it 5-3. But McDavid got his second of the night on the empty net after that, and Heinen's goal with 14 seconds left on the clock was too little, too late.

"The season's always going to be a bit of a roller coaster, and obviously, right now, we're in a downswing," Rust said. "And I think we can't just go around here moping around and coming in every day with long faces. I think each day is a new day. We'll think about this one for the rest of the night, to learn our lessons, to move on.

"Obviously, we've had a few too many lessons to learn here recently, but we can't sit and sulk and dwell on it."

'We're Ripping Off The Band-Aid Right Away': Skinner, Jarry To Square Off Against Former TeamsThe Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers completed a trade Friday that involved a goaltender swap - and they will face off against each other in their new uniforms Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

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Here are some takeaways from this one:

- The story of this game was special teams from start to finish. And, unfortunately, the Penguins just didn't have an answer for Edmonton's lethal power play unit. 

But they didn't do themselves any favors in the first period. 

First, there was the inteference call on Heinen near the midway point of the first. The Penguins did a pretty good job killing off the first half of that penalty until Rust was called for hooking a minute and eight seconds later. Edmonton went to the five-on-three. 

And - once again - the Penguins did pretty well for themselves. That is, until Kulak airmailed a clearing attempt into the stands, extending the Oilers' five-on-three.

That's when Hyman scored and gave Draisaitl point No. 1,000. Then, just 14 seconds later, McDavid walked the entire Penguins' penalty kill and went right in on Skinner, who never had a chance. 

When things aren't going well for your team, you have to find a way to stay disciplined and stay out of the box, especially against a power play as lethal as Edmonton's. The call on Brazeau ahead of Bouchard's goal was a bit weak, but it was still costly. 

The Penguins were a pretty decent five-on-five team in this game, but - in a rare instance - their special teams let them down big-time.

- I think it might be time to break up that top line.

They're getting caved in defensively on most nights and aren't generating enough on offense to make up for it. They look slow. Crosby is turning the puck over with high frequency, Rust is hard to watch in his own zone, and Rakell looks like the only player on the line interested in playing a full 200-foot game, even if he's still shaking off some rust. 

Most first lines are outmatching them at five-on-five. They really need a new look, and - although I don't expect it to happen - I do think Crosby and Rust need to be split up. They're becoming a liability defensively together. 

I don't love the idea of breaking up the second line - as I think that has, generally, been the Penguins' best line - but I'd give Brazeau some runway with Crosby and Rakell and let Rust slide down to the second line with Kindel and McGroarty. Just swap those guys for a few games and see if it works. Maybe McGroarty can see some minutes on the top line in place of Brazeau instead. 

I really do think that Rakell and Crosby should be kept together regardless. Rakell not only has chemistry with Crosby, he also has a defensive conscience. I think either McGroarty or Brazeau could be a good complement there. 

But, regardless, something needs to change at the top of the lineup. The Penguins are limited on center depth right now, so honestly, it wouldn't surprise me to see Rakell get some reps at center on the second line - even if I'm not sure that's the best way for the Penguins to go right now. 

Opinion: The Penguins Need To Right The Ship - And It Starts With Their LeadersThe Pittsburgh Penguins are mired in their worst stretch of the season, and it's up to Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson, and Kris Letang to pull them out of it.

- Aside from the Savoie goal, not much of this can be pinned on Skinner tonight. 

It's not ideal to greet your newly acquired goaltender - in his first game in your uniform which happens to be against his former team - by giving him an endless three-on-five to defend against in his first period as part of the team. The unfortunate thing is that Skinner made some saves in this game, but his start was tainted from the beginning because of that five-on-three. 

It will be interesting to see who gets the net Thursday between Skinner and Arturs Silovs. I thought, for the most part, Skinner was fine on Tuesday, all things considered. 

- This was a really, really rough night for Karlsson and, especially, Parker Wotherspoon.

Wotherspoon was on for all five of the Oilers' goals against aside from the empty-net goal, and Karlsson was on for five as well (including the empty-net goal). Wotherspoon was credited with two giveaways, and he also got undressed on McDavid's breakaway goal and didn't look particularly good on Podkolzin's goal. 

Podzilla attack 🦖 #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/uCiH7hqNQS

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 17, 2025

Karlsson was one for five against - including the empty-net goal - and he looked lost in his own zone and in the neutral zone all night. 

Look, every player is entitled to a bad game or two. Wotherspoon and Karlsson have been so, so good for the Penguins for most of the season, but like everyone else lately, their play has fallen off in a big way in recent games. 

With Kulak in the mix, it will be interesting to see how Muse shuffles the defensive pairings. I'd keep Wotherspoon and Karlsson together for now, but things are starting to fall apart a bit.

- Speaking of Kulak, I thought he was - for the most part - fine in his Penguins' debut. Obviously, the delay of game penalty was very costly, but aside from that one huge blip on the radar, he was fine next to partner Jack St. Ivany, who was also playing in his first NHL game this season. 

'It Just Made Sense For Us To Do It At This Time': Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas Gives Insight On Jarry TradeIt's safe to say that <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/breaking-penguins-deal-tristan-jarry-to-edmonton-oilers">the trade sending Pittsburgh Penguins' goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday</a> - which returned goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick - surprised a whole lot of people, fans and players alike.

I thought St. Ivany looked a bit rusty, which is to be expected in a player's first game of the season in mid-December. One thing I did like from him, though, is that he was engaged physically, and he was tied for the team lead in hits with four. 

I'd give that pairing a few games runway. But I also think it wouldn't be the worst thing to try Kulak with Kris Letang, who has struggled this season. Ryan Shea's play has fallen off lately, and he's still, ideally, a third-pairing or seventh defenseman on a playoff team. 

- This is six straight losses for the Penguins. They went 0-2-3 on their five-game homestand, and they are 0-2-4 without Evgeni Malkin in the lineup. 

As I've said for much of the past week, the Penguins' leadership group just needs to find a way to lead this team out of the rut it's in. There's no other choice, no other way. Crosby needs to be better. Rust needs to be better. Karlsson needs to be better, and so does Letang. Most teams are only as good as their best players will take them, and right now, the Penguins aren't getting enough from their top players.

If they hope to salvage their season, it needs to start with them and with a reset on the road, beginning in Ottawa against the Senators on Thursday.

Oilers Look Like Way Too Early Trade Winners After 6-4 Win Over PittsburghFive days.

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When the Pittsburgh Penguins returned home to face the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 9 to start five-straight games inside PPG Paints Arena, they were coming off a really successful three-game roadtrip. 

They blew out the Philadelphia Flyers 5-1 on Dec. 1, held on for dear life to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on Dec. 4, and earned a point against the Dallas Stars on Dec. 7. They would've swept the trip if they had survived a 6-on-5 at the end of the third period against the Stars. In the end, they lost that game in a shootout. 

Still, they earned five out of six points on that trip and were 14-7-6 going into this five-game homestand with a legit opportunity to make more progress in the standings. Instead, they lost all five games, allowed 25 goals, and earned only three out of 10 points, dropping them to 14-9-9 overall. They're still very much alive in the playoff race, but they picked a brutal time to have their worst stretch of the season to date. 

It looked like it was going to get off to a great start last Tuesday. They had a power play and an offensive zone faceoff with 17 seconds left against the Ducks in the third period. All they had to do was keep the puck away from the Ducks to secure two points. Instead, they let Beckett Sennecke go through the offensive zone unimpeded to tie the game with .1 seconds left before losing in a shootout. 

It felt like that tying goal, which was a bad bounce off Erik Karlsson's glove (even though it never should've gotten to that point), cursed the rest of the homestand because the Penguins never recovered. They blew a 5-1 lead to the San Jose Sharks and a 3-0 lead to the Utah Mammoth over the weekend before losing 6-4 to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. They also lost to the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 last Thursday. 

Even when the Penguins would play well in these games, something bad would happen and then snowball into something worse, especially in the games against the Sharks and Mammoth. They had multi-goal leads against both teams in the third period and looked scared. They were sitting back and letting the opposing players do whatever they want instead of taking the fight to them. It's what happens when a team has no confidence. 

Now that this has occurred, it's on everyone to correct it. It's on the players to commit to playing a full 60 minutes instead of cowering in the face of adversity. 

The top line of Rakell-Crosby-Rust, in particular, needs to be a lot better than it has been. Despite producing six points in his last six games, Crosby has been looking a step behind and hasn't been playing well in his own zone. For as productive as Rust has been (four goals and seven points in his last four games), he also hasn't been playing well in his own zone, ditto for Rakell. 

Takeaways: Penguins Drop Sixth Straight On Milestone Night For Oilers' DraisaitlThe biggest story going into the Tuesday matchup between the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> and <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/">Edmonton Oilers</a> was the goaltending battle, which featured two netminders in Tristan Jarry and Stuart Skinner who were <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/we-re-ripping-off-the-band-aid-right-away-skinner-jarry-to-square-off-against-former-teams">swapped in a trade between the teams on Friday</a>.&nbsp;

Defensively, Kris Letang needs to be a lot better on the second pair. He's been really fighting it this season and has been caught out of position too many times. He's been playing with Ryan Shea for the bulk of this season, but as I wrote last week, it might be time to see if a new partner (like Brett Kulak) can help get more out of him, otherwise the coaching staff might have to start cutting his minutes. He's still averaging 21:33 per game, which is almost two full minutes less than his 23:31 per game last year. Still, he's not affecting the game as much as he once did. 

We've seen what the Penguins can look like when they're firing on all cylinders. If you go back to October, when they'd take a lead into the third period, they'd shut things down. Heck, even against the Flyers earlier this month, they took a 3-1 lead into the third period and locked everything down. They even added two more insurance goals to win 5-1. The blueprint is there, but it's on everyone to find it on a more consistent basis. 

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San Jose Sharks forward Jeff Skinner has hit a new career milestone.

During the Sharks' Dec. 16 contest against the Calgary Flames, Skinner officially played in the 1,100th game of his NHL career. 

It is undoubtedly a big accomplishment for an NHL player to reach 1,100 career games, and Skinner is now the latest player to do so. This new milestone shows just how strong of a career the Sharks sniper has had. What also makes it even more impressive is that he is still just 33 years old. 

Skinner became an NHL regular immediately after being selected by the Carolina Hurricanes with the seventh-overall pick of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, as he put up a 63-point season as a rookie in 2010-11. Now, Skinner is in his 16th NHL season.

Skinner joined the Sharks this off-season when he signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the club in free agency. In 21 games so far this season with the Sharks, he has recorded four goals and seven points. 

In 1,100 career NHL games split between the Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, and Sharks, Skinner has posted 377 goals, 329 assists, and 706 points.

Adam Fantilli scored with 1:28 left in overtime to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4–3 win over the Ducks on Tuesday night, breaking a five-game losing streak.

Zach Werenski scored twice and added an assist in his 600th NHL game, Boone Jenner had a goal and an assist, and Kent Johnson added two assists. Jet Greaves stopped 24 shots for his first win since Nov. 20.

Mikael Granlund had a goal and an assist, Ryan Strome and Jackson LaCombe also scored goals, and Ryan Poehling recorded two assists for the Ducks. Ville Husso made 24 saves as the Ducks dropped three games on their five-city trip.

Werenski gave Columbus an early lead at 8:21 of the first period, burying a feed from Jenner to extend his home point streak to 11 games.

Strome pulled the Ducks even with a wrister from the crease at 3:35 of the second period, but Columbus responded with two goals in a 43-second span. Werenski put the Blue Jackets back on top before Jenner backhanded in the rebound of an Ivan Provorov shot just 19 seconds later to make it 3–1.

After Granlund pulled the Ducks within a goal at 5:29, LaCombe tied the score with 3:16 left in the third. Fantilli then ended it in overtime with a wrister from the right circle.

The win was Columbus' first over the Ducks in Nationwide Arena since Dec. 1, 2017.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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There aren't many players in the National Hockey League hotter than Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat right now, who has points in seven of his last eight games and came through once again in the clutch on Tuesday evening against the New York Islanders. 

With newborn son Leighton in attendance, DeBrincat scored a pair of power-play goals in the third period, including the game-winner with 2:17 left in regulation, as part of Detroit's 3-2 win.

THAT'S A #REDWINGS WIN!!!! pic.twitter.com/dMEzKFWCVP

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 17, 2025

DeBrincat gathered the rebound of his initial shot that deflected off Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock and fired a shot past goaltender Ilya Sorokin for the winning tally: 

GOTTA LOVE THE CAT!!! pic.twitter.com/7e3Lqaev7m

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 17, 2025

Playing the role of hero, DeBrincat would become the first Red Wings player this season to reach the 20-goal mark with his winner late in regulation. He's also on pace to become the first Red Wings player since Marian Hossa in 2008-09 to reach 40 goals scored. 

It was Detroit's first victory in three tries over the Islanders this season, who had taken both previous contests from the Red Wings by a combined 12-2 score. 

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With the victory, the Red Wings have now won five of their last seven and improved their record to 19-12-3 through the first 34 games of their centennial campaign.

The Islanders struck first when Emil Heineman one-timed a shot past goaltender John Gibson at the 4:27 mark of the opening period, and it remained the game’s only goal until early in the third.

The Red Wings generated multiple chances against Ilya Sorokin through the first 40 minutes, including a breakaway by John Leonard, who was making his Detroit debut after being called up from the Grand Rapids Griffins to replace the injured Patrick Kane.

Rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka ended Sorokin’s bid for a second straight shutout in Detroit by roofing a shot over his shoulder early in the third period to tie the game at 1-1. DeBrincat then scored on Detroit’s first power-play opportunity of the night not even two minutes later to give the Red Wings a 2-1 lead.

However, the Islanders quickly answered when defenseman Scott Mayfield snuck in from the point, took a pass, and beat Gibson from the slot for his first goal of the season.

That set the stage for DeBrincat, who collected his team-leading ninth power-play tally of the season that ultimately stood up as the game-winner. 

Gibson won his fifth straight game for the Red Wings, making 16 saves on the 18 shots he faced, while Sorokin countered with 18 saves of his own on 21 shots against. 

The Red Wings won't have much time to celebrate their win, as they're back at it on Wednesday evening against the visiting Utah Mammoth. 

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The Chicago Blackhawks played a poised, fast, and strong game for the first 55 minutes of their Tuesday night matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Then, the Blackhawks lost everything they worked incredibly hard for in the final few minutes of the game. 

Entering the 3rd period, the Blackhawks were feeling great with their 2-0 lead that they had built up in the first period. Wyatt Kaiser and Jason Dickinson had the two goals for Chicago. 

At 9:59 of the final period, however, Oliver Ekman-Larsson threw a puck on net after the Leafs won a face-off back to him, and it found its way in. This seeing-eye shot was the beginning of the disaster coming. 

With under five minutes remaining in the period, the Leafs snatched victory from the hands of defeat by scoring two goals in eight seconds. Auston Matthews scored to tie the game on the power play. Then, Spencer Knight allowed a rare rebound that Dakota Joshua beat Louis Crevier to and made it 3-2. 

When trying to tie it back up themselves, the Blackhawks were unable to set up in the offensive zone with the goalie pulled, allowing the Leafs to make the 3-2 score final. This is going to be a tough loss for the players and coaches to swallow. They played so well for 95 percent of the game, only to blow it in the final five minutes. 

It happened so fast. Two quick and somewhat random plays put the Blackhawks down after they were just a couple of minutes away from winning a solid road game. 

There have been a handful of blowout losses, and those are tough. However, they knew early that they were going to lose those games. This is a game that they played well and have no standings points to show for it. That can be more deflating than a blowout. 

One player who deserves some credit is Spencer Knight. He allowed that bad rebound on the Dakota Joshua goal, but he had a shutout going through the first 50 minutes of the game. Bad penalties, a few defensive mistakes, and a couple of nice plays by Toronto's top players handed Knight a tough loss. 

After the game, Jeff Blashill was not as hard on the team in his media availability as expected. He knows that they played well and things didn't go their way late. It happens sometimes, but this is a learning lesson for a young team. 

Watch Every Blackhawks Goal

admin stands corrected, this is a Wyatt Kaiser goal‼️ https://t.co/F9isOrGdnQpic.twitter.com/XFu8qGI3BY

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 17, 2025

#⃣1⃣6⃣ with a beautiful shorthanded goal🤩 pic.twitter.com/NGOJ1Z49AK

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 17, 2025

Next Up For Chicago

Next Up For Chicago is the Montreal Canadiens as their eastern Canada road trip continues. This will be their chance to forget about what happened on Tuesday night in Toronto. 

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 Winnipeg Jets suffered a 3-2 loss at the hands of the Ottawa Senators Monday that saw the team's depth scoring issues continue to persist as the team saw none of their forwards find the back of the net with defensemen Logan Stanley and Neal Pionk scoring the Jets two goals. 

It's been a concern for the Jets for a large portion of this season with the team seeing a massive boost with star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck coming back as the Jets rallied around the moment and secured a shocking 5-1 win Saturday but Monday's loss again saw the problems return. Winnipeg will need to find solutions sooner than later before the season starts to slip away and with the team's tight cap situation, it creates a tricky spot for Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. 

That is exactly why we've done the work for him and have up with three potential trade offers the Jets could make that should work with their current cap situation at $6.4 million as well as strengthen the team's offense. 

Big Swing: Penguins Winger Rickard Rakell For Prospect Brad Lambert

Rakell is an impact player coming off a career-best 70-point season with the Penguins and has either recorded or been on pace for 55 or more points in three of the past four seasons. The 32-year-old Swedish winger has three years remaining on his contract with a $5 million cap hit, a figure that fits within the Penguins’ current cap structure. He has been frequently mentioned in recent trade rumors, though a combination of Pittsburgh’s recent success and his eight-team no-trade list has complicated any potential move.

From the Jets’ perspective, the first concern would be ensuring they are not included on Rakell’s no-trade list. The next question is whether Pittsburgh would be willing to move the veteran winger while locked in a tight playoff race. If a deal were possible, it would benefit Winnipeg by adding a long-term piece capable of replacing much of the scoring lost with Nikolaj Ehlers’ departure. Rakell’s cap hit would also become more manageable over time as the league’s salary cap continues to rise.

The trade could also provide Lambert with the fresh start he has been seeking, allowing him to step into an immediate impact role with a Penguins team that is transitioning toward a rebuild. Ultimately, the feasibility of this deal depends on how Pittsburgh’s season unfolds, specifically whether they remain in the playoff hunt or decide to pivot and offload assets ahead of the trade deadline. If the latter occurs, the Jets should strongly pursue this deal or a similar move centered around acquiring a player like Rakell.

Realistic Move: Flames Veteran Winger Blake Coleman For Future Middle Round Pick

The Calgary Flames are looking to offload some of their assets in troubling season with their veterans being listed as the first to go. One of the names involved in several trade rumors is two-time Stanley Cup champion Blake Coleman, who has a ton of playoff experience with 65 games played and has produced some clutch moments with 31 points. Coleman has two years left on his current deal with a similar cap hit to Rakell at $4.9 million per season and could work in as a middle-six winger. 

The 34-year-old Texas native is a bit older and has a significant cap hit that would weigh down the asking price for him but he's still producing fairly decent numbers as he's still on pace for 35 points this season on a Calgary team that is one of the worst in the league. In a good spot of the Jets lineup, Coleman could tap into that 50-point upside we saw just two seasons ago when he recorded 54 points during the 2023-24 season. 

Big Swing: Leafs Winger Nick Robertson For Logan Stanley, 2028 Second-Round Pick

The Toronto Maple Leafs are experiencing one of their worst seasons in recent memory and are likely looking to reset their roster through several structural lineup changes. One player who has surfaced repeatedly in trade discussions is Robertson. The 24-year-old California native is having a solid season with 12 points in 29 games, putting him on pace for a career-high 34 points.

Toronto has struggled with injuries throughout the season and has reportedly been searching for defensive help. The Jets could provide that in Stanley, who is enjoying a career-best year and is on pace for 30 points, more than double his previous career high of 14 set last season. Still just 27 years old, Stanley has shown steady improvement year over year. His six-foot-seven frame also fits the physical style favored by Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, who prefers a hard-nosed brand of hockey similar to the one that led the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup in 2019.

This potential deal would address key needs for both teams. The Maple Leafs have indicated they are willing to move depth forwards like Robertson to create room for others to receive consistent ice time. In return, they would acquire an impactful defenseman in Stanley along with future draft capital. Meanwhile, the Jets would add a young winger they could pair with Cole Perfetti, allowing the two to develop together for years to come.

Realistic Move: Canucks Winger Kiefer Sherwood For 2027 Third-Round Pick

The Canucks may not be finished making moves after trading captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in a blockbuster deal. Vancouver is reportedly still active on the market and could look to move high-impact winger Kiefer Sherwood. The 30-year-old is coming off a 40-point season in which he led the league with 462 hits. 

He is currently on pace for 43 points this year while playing a depth role with the Canucks and could provide similar production for the Jets. Sherwood brings underrated physicality, high energy, and valuable secondary scoring, all areas where Winnipeg could use reinforcement. His skill set makes him a natural fit in a middle-six role.

If Vancouver commits to a youth movement, Winnipeg could take advantage by acquiring Sherwood and his very affordable $1.5 million cap hit in exchange for a future draft pick. Since this is the final year of his current contract, the Jets would also have the option to bring Sherwood back on a long-term deal if the fit proves successful.

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DETROIT (AP) — Alex DeBrincat scored two power-play goals in the third period as the Detroit Red Wings beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Tuesday night.

DeBrincat has eight goals and 13 points in his last eight games for the Red Wings, who have won five of six. John Gibson made 16 saves to win his sixth straight start.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 18 shots for the Islanders, who had won three in a row and seven of eight. New York was going for a season sweep, having outscored Detroit 12-2 in the first two meetings.

New York took an early lead on Emil Heineman’s 11th goal at 4:27 of the first, as he put in Mathew Barzal’s pass across the slot. Barzal missed the morning skate and wasn’t penciled into the lineup until pregame warmups, but extended his point streak to five games with the assist.

Detroit dominated offensive-zone time in the first two periods, but struggled to turn it into scoring chances. When the Red Wings did, Sorokin came up with key saves.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka, though, tied the game at 2:03 of the third period, cutting along the goal line and putting a wrist shot over Sorokin’s shoulder.

DeBrincat gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead at 3:55, ripping a wrist shot over Sorokin’s glove hand. Scott Mayfield made it 2-all at 11:26.

Sorokin stopped Dylan Larkin at point-blank range with 4:35 to play, but DeBrincat put Detroit back in front at 17:43 with his 20th goal of the season.

Red Wings rookie Nate Danielson escaped injury when he was hit in the head by DeBrincat’s shot in the second. He went back to the locker room with athletic trainers, but returned within five minutes. Linesman Shandor Alphonso also needed attention from trainers after being hit by a deflected shot late in the game.

Up next

Islanders: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

Red Wings: Host the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday.

KNEW YORK (AP) — Evander Kane and Liam Ohgren scored and Thatcher Demko made 23 saves as the league-worst Vancouver Canucks defeated the New York Rangers 3-0 on Tuesday night.

Conor Garland added an empty-net goal as Vancouver, which had won only three of its previous 12 games, smothered the Rangers from start to finish. New York is 4-10-3 at home.

Kane scored his sixth goal 1:46 into the contest, when he beat Rangers netminder Jonathan Quick after defenseman Matthew Robertson’s path was briefly blocked by a linesman.

Ohgren, acquired Friday from Minnesota in the Quinn Hughes trade, made it 2-0 at 3:24 of the second. It was Ohgren’s first goal with Vancouver. The 21-year-old Swedish forward also played 18 games without a point for the Wild this season.

Demko stopped Artemi Panarin with 4:16 left in the second to preserve the shutout, his first this season and the 10th of his career.

Garland scored shorthanded into an empty net with the Rangers with 3:08 remaining in the third.

Vancouver has only 29 points in 33 games.

The Rangers’ power play, which has struggled since defenseman Adam Fox was injured against Tampa Bay on Nov. 29, failed to convert on four chances.

The Rangers have been blanked six times and scored one goal four times in their 10 regulations loses at the Garden.

Quick made 14 saves.

New York will play seven of their next eight games on the road, including the Jan. 2 Winter Classic against the Florida Panthers in Miami.

The Rangers were coming off a 4-1 home loss to Anaheim on Monday in the return game for former Rangers Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba.

Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad returned after he was scratched against Anaheim for missing a team meeting.

The Canucks were without leading scorer Elias Pettersson (upper body) for the fifth-straight game. He was placed on injured reserve Sunday.

Up next

Canucks: Visiting New York Islanders on Friday.

Rangers: Visiting St. Louis Blues on Thursday.

The New York Islanders saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday night, falling 3-2 to the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. 

The offense wasn't there and the penalty kill struggled, going 0-for-2 on the night.

Goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 18 saves.

Here's how the game unfolded:

The Islanders got off to an early start. 

Emil Heineman, who was skating in his 100th career NHL game, sent a one-timer over John Gibson's glove at 4:27 of the first period to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead

Emil Heineman in his 100th NHL game🚨#Islespic.twitter.com/N2MOTtZff0

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) December 17, 2025

His 11th goal of a season set a new career-high. On the goal, Mathew Barzal earned the primary assist, extending his point streak to five games (four goals, one assist).

The Islanders did allow one dominant shift to the Alex DeBrincat line with the Ritchie line and the Travis Mitchell-Scott Mayfield pairing on the ice. But they survived, in large part due to Sorokin's positioning and anticipation. 

The second period was one where the Islanders dominanted most of the posession but the Red Wings got their looks. But, when the team was in need of a big save, Sorokin came up large.

The stat sheet said he made five saves in that period, but it seemed like much more. 

The Islanders are back in action on Friday night against the Vancouver Canucks at UBS Arena  before they travel to Western New York to battle the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

The Red Wings tied the game at 1-1 just 2:03 into the third after Axel Sandin-Pelikka beat Sorokin short side off a defensive-zone breakdown:

Axel beauty. 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/DDJrJqsYV6

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 17, 2025

Then, just 1:52 later, Alex DeBrincat sniped on the power play to give the Red Wings a 2-1 lead at 3:55 of the third:

The Cat nets his 19th. #LGRWpic.twitter.com/YQXf0mwXVV

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 17, 2025

With the Islanders in need of a goal, Scott Mayfield delivered. He joined the rush and beat Gibson stick side off a Jean-Gabriel Pageau feed at 11:26 of the third period:

Mayfield ties it at 2. The seas parted! #Islespic.twitter.com/vUuzlRSdE2

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) December 17, 2025

That was his first goal in 37 games dating back to last season. 

Unfortunately for the Islanders, they allowed the go-ahead goal with just 2:17 to play in the third, with DeBrincat scoring his second power-play goal of the game. 

After a failed clear, Pulock blocked a DeBrincat one-timer, but the puck went right back to the cat, who beat Sorokin for the game-winner. 

GOTTA LOVE THE CAT!!! pic.twitter.com/7e3Lqaev7m

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 17, 2025

The Islanders host the Vancouver Canucks on Friday at 7 PM ET before a quick turnaround agains the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

During a challenge on the Chicago Blackhawks' second goal of the game (which was called back for goaltender interference), Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube pretty much begged for his team to get going.

Three minutes later, the Maple Leafs give up a shorthanded goal, allowing the Blackhawks to take a 2-0 lead.

It was a difficult couple of games for Toronto. First, they fell in overtime to the San Jose Sharks after having a 2-1 lead entering the third period. Then on Saturday, after allowing a late second-period goal to go down 3-2 to the Edmonton Oilers, Berube hoped there'd be a third-period comeback.

There wasn't.

Berube went as far as calling out his leaders following that game in hopes that it'd spark something in this struggling Maple Leafs team.

After two-and-a-half periods of wondering when a spark would come, Auston Matthews won a face-off back to Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and his shot beat Spencer Knight to cut Chicago's lead in half.

That was the spark which lit a fire.

Late in the game, Toronto drew a penalty, and the Maple Leafs headed to the power play.

William Nylander won the puck from behind the net and fed Matthews. He turned, fired, and beat Knight for his 14th goal of the season. As he skated towards the boards, he motioned the crowd for more noise, minutes after they were booing their team.

AUSTON MATTHEWS🚨

HOLY MACKINAW! THE POWERPLAY TIES IT! pic.twitter.com/kafSPEmqWq

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 17, 2025

Ten seconds after a much-needed power play goal, Troy Stecher throws the puck into Chicago's zone and Dakota Joshua puts the puck past Knight, sealing a 3-2 comeback win on Joe Bowen night.

DAKOTA JOSHUA 🚨

WHAT A GOAL! pic.twitter.com/88UFhJR1zD

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 17, 2025

Power play comes up big, maybe a shift coming?

Well, this was another tough one. Until it wasn't.

Entering Tuesday's game, the Maple Leafs were second-last in the NHL in terms of power play success. They're passing has been fairly strong as of late, though the players have struggled to gain any "Grade A" opportunities.

It was going to be a challenge against the Blackhawks either way, given they're fourth in the league on the penalty kill.

On their first power play, the Maple Leafs gave up a shorthanded goal. On their second power play (which was split between the second and third periods), Toronto only mustered one shot on goal.

Their third power play late in the game was different.

It was a frustrating start to the final man advantage. Chicago cleared the puck early, and it didn't feel like they'd be able to get anything going. But after Nylander found Matthews to beat Knight with a nice shot, maybe this can spark something?

Sometimes all it takes is one goal to light a fire. Could this be it? We'll see.

Joseph Woll's return

The 27-year-old got his first start for Toronto since going down with a lower-body injury on Dec. 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes, and it was what you'd expect.

Woll's movement, puck tracking, and positioning were strong all night against the Blackhawks. He gave Toronto a chance to remain in the game, however, and his teammates answered late in the game.

If there's a goal he'd like to have back, it'd probably be the first one from Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser. Woll has a clear sight of the shot from Wyatt, but cannot get his glove on it before it beats him.

On the other goal, there was no chance for Woll to get over, since it was a two-on-one.

Woll finished the game stopping 23 of 25 shots against the Blackhawks.

The Senators are feeling good about themselves after a 3–2 victory in Winnipeg. They were able to win two of the three games on their latest road trip, and now they can start looking up in the hilariously tight Eastern standings again.

The Senators now stand just two games over .500, four points out of a playoff spot, but if their goaltending over the final 50 games looks anything like it did over the first 32, the playoffs won't be in the cards.

There’s no question that Linus Ullmark and Leevi Merilainen have had some fine games and some big moments. For example, it was nice to see Ullmark win twice on the just-completed road trip. But in a conference this tight, filled with close games and three points being doled out so frequently, the overall, below-average goaltending will sink the Senators’ playoff chances.

And looking at the first two months as a body of work, below average is probably a kind description

Both Ullmark and Merilainen have goals-against averages north of three goals per game and save percentages south of .880. Ullmark has played roughly three-quarters of the games so far, makes $8.25 million per season, and currently ranks 40th in the NHL in goals-against average and 48th in save percentage.

Yes, team performance will always influence goaltender numbers, but even Ullmark’s biggest fans would have to admit that his seasonal performance so far hasn't been good enough.

It was around this time last December that Ullmark shook off a sketchy start with a personal seven-game winning streak, and the Senators and their fans would love some of that right about now.

In a low-scoring game in Winnipeg on Monday, Ullmark gave up a shaky goal on a long shot by Logan Stanley that looked like it was going to stand up as the difference in another loss. Yes, that Logan Stanley, who has scored exactly one goal in each of his last five NHL seasons.

But after Jake Sanderson forced overtime on a lucky deflection off Mark Scheifele, Tuesday morning's headlines, social media, and talk radio were a lot kinder to Ullmark than they would have been. The bounce gave Ullmark a chance to atone, and did he ever.  The big Swede made a couple of massive OT saves to keep the game alive, setting the table for Brady Tkachuk’s game-winner.

That was welcome news for Sens fans, who continue to hope they get more of that, and that the Vezina Trophy–winning version of Ullmark soon shows up in Ottawa for an extended run.

Let's be honest, a goalie making $8.25 million shouldn't be the topic of a conversation that includes concerns about sketchy goals, which should only happen once in a blue moon. The dialogue should be about his top 10 numbers and how he's so steady and reliable that if he does let in the odd softy, his teammates rally to try and pick him up.

At two games above 500, the reality is the Senators have already burned through most of their margin for error. So, with 50 games to play, here's what they face.

Over the past two seasons, the eighth-place team in the Eastern Conference got in with 91 points. Right now, the Senators have 34 points with 50 games to play. Of the 100 points still available, they’ll need 57 of them to reach that 91-point mark. That means they'll require something like a 25-18-7 record the rest of the way.

But in 2022, it took 100 points to earn eighth place. If that’s the case again, and I doubt it will be, the Senators would need 66 points in their final 50 games, or something like a 29-13-8 finish. That would be a tall order

That’s not to say everything this season falls entirely on the goaltending. The Senators have a good roster, but not good depth, so they need to get and stay healthy. Or make a trade. Shane Pinto and Thomas Chabot need to return and thrive, ensuring proper slotting throughout the lineup; they need their five-on-five scoring to improve; and they need better results on the penalty kill.

If the playoff cut line stays at 91 points, the Senators might still squeak in with the status quo in goal, but it's not likely. And if that line climbs any higher, they can forget it. Regardless, if you do show up in mid-April with leaky goaltending, you won't get to May.

But on the other hand, if Ullmark or Merilainen can rediscover their mojo, as they've done before, then maybe something special will begin to simmer in Ottawa. 

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

This article was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Read more:

30 Games Into The Season, What Is The Ottawa Senators' Identity?
Senators Comeback Effort Wasted In 3-2 Regulation Loss In Minnesota
After A Hot Start, Senators' Veteran Goes Ice Cold And Now Joins Injury List
Popular Former Ottawa Senator Forward Attempting Comeback At Age 38
Four Ottawa Senators Make Annual List Of Most Punchable NHL Players

The Philadelphia Flyers are about to get a huge boost at time when they may have needed it the absolute most.

Losers of three straight, all in overtime and the shootout, the Flyers announced Tuesday that veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, at long last, has been activated from injured reserve, ending a nine-month absence due to a ruptured triceps.

Ristolainen, 31, has not played an NHL game for the Flyers since a 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators back on March 11, but his return against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night will put an end to his 280 days between games.

In a corresponding transaction to make the necessary roster spot, the Flyers assigned defenseman Ty Murchison, who played very well in a brief two-game cameo at the NHL level, to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Did Quinn Hughes Diss Flyers for Big Trade Dud?Quinn Hughes has been connected to the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> ever since Rick Tocchet took over as head coach, and there's a chance the superstar defenseman is miffed a reunion didn't take place.

The burly 6-foot-4 Ristolainen was playing some of the best overall hockey of his career for the Flyers under John Tortorella last season, scoring four goals, 15 assists, and 19 points in 63 games to the tune of a +3 rating and an average ice time of 20:31 - his most under Tortorella in his three seasons as head coach.

How Ristolainen fares transitioning to his third full-time head coach in five seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers remains to be seen, but if the Finn can return to the form Tortorella and Brad Shaw coached him to in the previous two seasons, the Flyers will be in for a real treat as they continue their playoff push into the winter.