For all of us wondering if Islanders GM Mathieu Darche was going to invest in his currently-playoff-position team or commence with a selloff, the last two days gave us a clear answer. The first-year GM is not going big-game hunting, but he is managing assets (and spending a little cap space) to bring in veteran reinforcements to fill holes that lingered at forward and defense.
The Islanders enter a very interesting home-and-home with the Rangers having completed two trades in two days, one with each of their immediate neighbors. After acquiring short-time Ranger Carson Soucy for the blueline on Monday, they followed that up with a deal for Ondrej Palat from the Devils on Tuesday, sending Max Tsyplakov out the other way.
If Palat has anything left, it will be a bonus. If he’s as washed up as Devils watchers have described the last two seasons — and admittedly, a $6 million cap hit can color that evaluation — then we’ll find out soon enough and we’ll be annoyed throughout next season.
Anyway, the experiments with the new guys starts at home tonight vs. the Rangers, for that rare Wednesday-Thursday home-and-home. First Islanders Goal picks go here.
Islanders News
Seven facts about Palat, a Czech seventh-round pick in the same draft as Scott Mayfield who somehow has 13 NHL playoff game winners. [Isles]
The deal is one for one…plus some picks. If current standings hold, the Islanders actually upgraded their third-rounder this summer. [LHH | Isles | Newsday]
Previewing tonight, except without any updates, so check back after the morning skate. [Isles]
Gross: The post-Olympic schedule for the Isles is “severe.” [Newsday]
The Rangers would do well to just get a goal tonight. Let’s not though, okay? [Post]
After seeing this “the Isles aren’t done” clip, I didn’t figure the next move would be something like Palat. But I guess on a basic, “we’re not aiming high but we’d like to get to the postseason” level, it makes sense:
“They’re not done if they have there way. They want to make the playoffs, and the reason for that is they think it will be a great experience for a lot of the younger players. The playoffs matter.”
Isles picked a kid out of Russia at the cost of zero assets. Turned that into a third, a sixth, and 1.3 seasons of Palat, an experienced playoff pro who'll give you more than Tsyplakov in the short term. East is wide open man. Works for NJD too. Good stuff.
Lots of games last night, including Rasmus Dahlin getting a hat trick in Toronto and the loathsome Patrick Kane tying Mike Modano for American points collectors. Also the Devils lost at home to Winnipeg, and the Capitals lost in Seattle.
The Maple Leafs suck and should sell. (All I know is “it starts with me.”) [Sportsnet]
Bryan Rust’s first suspension is three games(!) and the Penguins are understandably miffed, especially when they’ve experienced Jacob Trouba, Chicken Wing Man of Innocence. [TSN]
Philadelphia Flyers - 24-18-9 - 57 Points - 2-6-2 in the last 10 - Lost 1 - 4th in the Metro.
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 concludes a four-game homestand on Wednesday after Monday's contest vs. the Kings was postponed due to weather. The team also closes a stretch of six-of-seven 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 fifth-T in the NHL in games scoring first in 2025-26 (30).
Columbus leads the NHL in goals by defensemen and ranks fifth in points with 38-90-128 in 51 contests.
The Blue Jackets (10-5-1) are tied for the NHL lead in scoring first (12) and rank fifth-T 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). The club will honor the forward's 1,000th game played in a pre-game ceremony on Wednesday.
Jet Greaves leads the NHL in saves and ranks fourth-T in wins and seventh in SV% since Dec. 22 (min. 8 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 outing 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 vs. Tampa Bay on Jan. 24 (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), multi-point efforts (18), points-per-game (1.17), and shots on goal (170) this season. He has points in 26 of his past 31 contests overall to lead league defensemen in goals, points (tied), and points-per-game since Nov. 13 (15-29-44, 1.42).
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 19.8% - 19th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 75.4% - 28th in the NHL
Goals For - 153 - 20th in the NHL
Goals Against - 168 - 23rd in the NHL
FlyersStats
Power Play - 15.6% - 30th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 78.0% - 20th in the NHL
Goals For - 149 - 21st in the NHL
Goals Against - 159 - 18th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheFlyers
Columbus is 29-19-3-4 all-time, and 17-6-2-2 at home vs. Philly.
The Blue Jackets are 4-1-1 in the last 6 against the Flyers.
Columbus has killed 14 of the last 16 Flyer power plays at NWA, and 16 of the 17 overall.
Who To Watch For TheFlyers
Trevor Zegras leads the Flyers with 19 goals and 46 points.
Travis Konecny leads the team with 28 assists.
Goalie Samuel Ersson is 8-9-5 with a SV% of .860.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Flyers
Zach Werenski has 19 points in 25 career games vs. the Flyers.
Boone Jenner has 20 points in 33 games.
Charlie Coyle has 20 points in 33 games against Philadelphia.
Injured Reserve
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 13 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 145
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on TNT, truTV, and HBO MAX. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.
Let us know what you think below.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
After losing their last two games to divisional rivals, the Montreal Canadiens desperately needed a win on Tuesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights to stay ahead in the playoff race. However, the Knights are a tough opponent at the best of times, but coming off a 7-1 blowout loss to the Ottawa Senators, they went out of the gate even stronger.
Since Adin Hill was in the net for the seven-goal debacle, Vegas opted to give the game to Akira Schmid meanwhile, after two subpar performances from Samuel Montembeault, Jakub Dobes got the start for the home team and put on quite a show in the 3-2 win.
Martin St-Louis has been talking a lot about the small details of the game of late, things his men need to stop doing to give themselves a better chance of winning. One such details is to be defensively responsible. If one of the defensemen is pinching to support the attack, a forward must come back to cover his spot. More often than not, it doesn’t happen, and that’s what led to the first goal of the game.
Alex Carrier pinched to help keep the pressure in the offensive zone, and Oliver Kapanen just stayed there in the high slot, watching the play. When Pavel Doroyev came out of the corner with the puck, Lane Hutson moved towards the middle of the ice and tried to take away the passing lane, leaving Dobes to face a shot with no screen. The Russian’s shot was precise and beat the Czech netminder high on his glove side.
Given how many offensive defensemen are on the Canadiens’ roster, it’s high time the forwards realize that they have a role to play when a blueliner pinches.
Time For a Statute Of Limitations
I believe there is room in the game for the offside challenge, but the rule needs to be amended. In law, certain offences cannot be prosecuted after a specified period, as provided by the Statute of Limitations. It should be the same for the offside challenge.
In the second frame, Cole Caufield scored on a slap shot with 17:56 left in the period, but the goal was eventually waived off because a coach’s challenge showed the Canadiens were offside on their zone entry at 18:47, nearly a minute earlier. The illegal entry didn't affect the play, and the Canadiens didn’t gain any unfair advantage from it.
Amending the rule would lead to fewer contestations, speed up the game, and ultimately provide fairer results. The wording should be crystal clear, however, and the application shouldn’t be left to the referee’s discretion, as that would lead to more chaos.
In his post-game presser, Martin St-Louis was asked if perhaps it would make sense to have a time limit on the contestation, and he replied:
I think we have the technology now to put things where they should be; it was offside. I’m curious to know how many goals we are losing on offside compared to other teams. Perhaps someone can get back to me on that at the following presser to see if I’m right or not. It’s a shame; it would have been good to be able to separate ourselves and get another goal, but you know.
- St-Louis on the goal they had disallowed
While it’s a fair point that there is the technology now to make those calls, one fact remains: if the play had gone the other way and the Knights had gone on to score, the Habs couldn’t have challenged the goal because of the offside they had committed over a minute earlier. As the coach pointed out, once the puck comes out of the zone, you can’t contest that offside anymore. He did concede that it would have been annoying if that scenario had come to be. My point remains, however, it would be fairer to put a time limit on the contestation.
Dobes’ Top Form
The 24-year-old Czech goaltender was in top form tonight. While he has won most of his games this season, at times, it’s been an adventure to watch him play. His technique on most nights can be hit or miss, and he ends up making saves more spectacular than they should be, but on Tuesday night, he was in complete control. He wasn’t overcommitting when moving from side to side; he had great rebound control and puck tracking, and he played a very complete game.
Furthermore, with 32 saves on 34 shots, he ended his night with a .941 save percentage. Of those 32 saves, many should have been goals, and no one can argue that Dobes wasn’t his team’s best penalty killer tonight. On two occasions, the Knights managed to slice the Canadiens’ defence wide open with cross-zone passes to an open man on the doorstep, and Dobes stood tall on both opportunities. In the first instance, he actually made three stops, the initial save and two rebounds, bailing out his defence.
Asked if his men owed that win to their goalie, who was very combative in net, the coach said:
I don’t think you owe a performance like that to one player. We owe it to the team, and each player has a role and actions on the ice that influence the result. Dobes influenced the result tonight.
-
Dobes has not lost in regulation in his last seven starts. When asked if such a hot streak was something that could help him make decisions, the coach replied that it’s always part of the equation. When asked to elaborate, he said:
We make our decisions for the good of the team and the player, and everything is taken into account.
-
It will be interesting to see if Dobes gets a second start in a row on Thursday night; his performance against the Knights certainly warrants it. In the end, the Canadiens fully deserved to skate away with the two points tonight, and the coach must have let out a sigh of relief when Jake Evans scored the game-winning goal in overtime after the Habs were unable to take advantage of the power play they were given. Cole Caufield and Phillip Danault were the other two scorers for the Canadiens, meaning that the sniper has now scored in his last six games.
The Habs will be back at work in Brossard tomorrow morning at 11:30 as they’ll aim to get ready for their next big task: a rematch with the Colorado Avalanche, who beat them 7-2 at the end of November.
The Florida Panthers haven’t played many games on home ice lately.
Tuesday’s frustrating 4-3 loss to the Utah Mammoth was just the second game the Panthers have played in Sunrise over the past three weeks.
Florida never led against the Mammoth, battling back to tie the game on three separate occasions before ultimately falling thanks to a goal about midway through the third period and some questionable penalties that hindered the Cats’ ability to mount a comeback late in the game.
It was a night where the Panthers probably deserved a better fate, logging only 28 shots while managing 61 shot attempts and holding the Mammoth to just 20 shots on 38 attempts.
Let’s get to Tuesday’s takeaways:
LUNDELL AND EKBLAD OKAY
If there is one thing that has been consistent for the Panthers this season it has been the injuries.
That’s why the fear was even more heightened on Tuesday when a pair of Cats appeared to go down with injuries.
Late in the second period, Anton Lundell took a high, hard hit from Utah’s Jack McBain, one that Lundell responded to with a hit, and then a punch, of his own.
When the third period began about 20 minutes later, Lundell was nowhere to be found.
Then later in the game, Aaron Ekblad blocked a shot with his left leg and appeared unable to put much weight on it as he struggled to get to the bench.
After the game, Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards reported that he spoke to Ekblad and that the defenseman said he was okay, explaining that the shot had broken his shin pad.
Aaron Ekblad is fine after blocking shot in third - said it broke his shin pad
As for Lundell, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice didn’t seem overly concerned when asked for a postgame update on his young Finnish center.
“I think he’s going to be fine,” said Maurice. “It’s upper-body, we’ll know more tomorrow.”
VILMANIS LIGHTS LAMP
Rookie Sandis Vilmanis has been looking like he belongs during his first stint in the NHL.
He’s now played nine National League games and has seen time on several line combinations.
On Tuesday, Vilmanis was moved to a line with Cole Schwindt and A.J. Greer during the second period, and there appeared to be some chemistry among the trio.
Vilmanis and Schwindt scored goals just over seven minutes apart, each one caused by gritty shifts and solid play in the offensive zone.
“There's a freedom that (comes when he) plays with Schwindt and Greer,” Maurice said. “Greer is a real positive for those guys, those young guys he plays with, and they were good. Basically that line has got four goals in two games, so good for them and good for us.”
EMBELLISHMENT CALLS
The final six minutes and 12 seconds of Tuesday’s game saw five minor penalties called.
Moments after Matthew Tkahcuk was called for a questionable roughing penalty, right off the ensuing draw in Florida’s zone, Evan Rodrigues was taken down Barrett Hayton while trying to get across the zone and cover the PK.
For his extra effort, Rodrigues apparently make it look like he was trying to sell the penalty, not get away from Hayton, so both players went to the box; Hayton for interference, Rodrigues for embellishment.
Almost exactly four minutes later, this time with Florida’s net empty as the Panthers were attempting to tie the game in its final moments, Tkachuk was tripped in the neutral zone by Nick Schmaltz.
Once again, Tkachuk, like Rodrigues, was moving quickly during a high-intensity sequence and wanted to get to where he was going as soon as possible with the game potentially on the line.
Well, Tkachuk’s extra effort apparently masqueraded as him trying to sell another penalty, so once again it was both players who went to the box; Schmaltz for the trip, Tkachuk for embellishing it.
You can be the judge, but when Maurice was asked the officials gave any kind of rationalization for either the calls, it wasn’t surprising to hear the fiery coach bite his tongue, which is how he’s generally handled these situations in the media since joining the Panthers.
“We’re not going to get an explanation on that,” he said, and when pressed for his thoughts on the calls, Maurice responded, “I’m not giving you anything on that.”
Photo caption: Jan 27, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) moves the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman John Marino (6) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
#NEWS: We've acquired forward Maxim Tsyplakov from the New York Islanders for forward Ondrej Palat, a 2026 third-round draft pick, and a 2027 sixth-round draft pick.
The Jets scored three second-period goals, and the Devils made a push to get things tied but couldn’t find the equalizer and dropped Tuesday’s game, 4-3. [Devils NHL]
A look at how the addition of Leeni Hameenaho to the lineup has given the Devils a much-needed boost: [Infernal Access ($)]
Hockey Links
Carson Soucy heads to the Islanders:
The #NYR have received a 2026 3rd-Round Draft pick from the New York Islanders in exchange for defenseman Carson Soucy.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that goaltender Thatcher Demko will undergo hip surgery and will not play for the remainder of the 2025.26 season.
With Thatcher Demko out for the rest of the season, here is a harrowing stat:
He will have played just 95 of 258 possible games over the past three seasons. Just 36.8% of Vancouver's games over that span. pic.twitter.com/HxA9MteLUj
“The NHL Department of Player Safety will now determine supplemental discipline for players who violate all league rules rather than just those who commit physical infractions, the league told ESPN on Tuesday. It’s a significant change in protocol for the NHL on fines and suspensions. Since the Department of Player Safety was formed prior to the 2011-12 season, it had been responsible for supplemental discipline for in-game physical fouls that violated NHL rules and/or caused injuries.” [ESPN]
“It’s not a career-ending experience when you go to the program. It’s actually a life-changing experience. We’ve got to do a better job of getting the word out. As a whole society, we’ve got to work on the stigma.” A look at how the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program works: [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
It’s a two-fer with two weeks since our last check in on the AHL affiliate out in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Nick Hart’s recap of the early games from WBSPenguins.com and most recent. WBS posted a 4-2-1 record over the past two weeks worth of games.
Wednesday, Jan. 14 – PENGUINS 4 at Providence 1 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton usurped first place from Providence with a clinical performance and an AHL career-high 36 saves from Sergei Murashov. Tristan Broz scored twice, and other tallies came courtesy of Joona Koppanen and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard.
Friday, Jan. 16 – PENGUINS 3 vs. Hartford 4 Time ran out on a fiery comeback attempt, as the Penguins fell in their first of back-to-back games against the Wolf Pack. Gabe Klassen scored twice, but a three-goal second period by Hartford spelled doom for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Saturday, Jan. 17 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Hartford 1 The Penguins bounced back in a big way, scoring thrice in the first period and never looking back. Harvey-Pinard notched three points (1G-2A) in that explosive opening frame. As insurance, Finn Harding scored his first AHL goal in the second period.
Monday, Jan. 19 – PENGUINS 3 at Springfield 2 Rutger McGroarty returned from the NHL and Avery Hayes returned from injury as offense from Valtteri Puustinen, Chase Pietila and Klassen led the Pens to their second-straight victory.
Wednesday, Jan. 21 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Belleville 3 (OT) A goalie duel between two old friends took place, as Joel Blomqvist and Leevi Meriläinen went save-for-save in a starry display. However, Meriläinen’s 25 saves in the first two periods kept his team in it, leading to an OT win for the B-Sens. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Atley Calvert both scored for WBS.
Friday, Jan. 23 – PENGUINS 4 at Hershey 3 (SO) A back-and-forth thriller at Giant Center ended with the Penguins surviving in a shootout. Owen Pickering and Ville Koivunen lit the lamp in the first period, and Avery Hayes forced OT with his late, tying goal. Rutger McGroarty posted an assist on all three goals. Koivunen scored again in the shootout, while Sergei Murashov thwarted all three of Hershey’s attempts.
Saturday, Jan. 24 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Charlotte 5 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton wrapped its eight-game season series with Charlotte with a loss. Gabe Klassen and Aidan McDonough found twine for the Penguins, but Blomqvist’s season-high 35 saves weren’t enough. Charlotte won each of its for visits to Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza this season.
It’s been a test lately for WBS, seeing prior stalwarts like Sam Poulin and Valtteri Puustinen leave the organization via trade, and some bonus AHL participants in Danton Heinen and Philip Tomasino moving on to their next teams as well. That’s opened the doors for players on AHL contracts like Gabe Klassen, Aaron Huglen, Aidan McDonough and Atley Calvert to step into bigger roles. Those aren’t the sexiest names when it comes to surefire NHL prospects or big picture items for the organization at a whole but will be critical to the WBS season.
Klassen is especially standing out with his 10 points (8G+2A) in the last 11 games. The 22-year old is in his second season with the Pens organization, having spent most of 2024-25 in Wheeling. Klassen is a guy who has popped a little in events like the September prospect challenge, it’s been nice to see him go from a bit player at the AHL level and turn into a key contributor for WBS over the last month, often playing these days centering a line with the NHL top prospects.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 24, 2026
AHL games are lower scoring, the Pens benefit from having a strong defense corps and two of the finest goalies currently in the league these days. That can go a long way, and has been so far.
Another boost has been the return from the AHL for Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen. McGroarty has compiled five assists in the four games he has been back. That’s very encouraging considering he’s returning from a concussion suffered in a NHL practice a few weeks ago. Koivunen has recorded six points (1G+5A) in the nine games since his re-assignment to the AHL in early January.
Missing from the above lines, one might note, is WBS’s leading scorer Tristan Broz. It looks like Broz will be out for at least a few weeks with an undisclosed injury. Joona Koppanen has also missed time after blocking a shot.
ICYMI: I had a pretty in-depth 1-on-1 with #WBSPens HC Kirk MacDonald following last night's OT loss to Belleville.
Talked on a variety of topics, and players – including an unfortunate update on Tristan Broz's injury timeline.
The difference one defenseman can make for an NHL team is often quite large.
If a squad has a weak link, it can be exposed because even the bottom pair generally plays around 15 minutes a night.
In the NHL draft, defensemen are often the most interesting case studies. Since 2003, a defenseman has been drafted in the top five every year.
What teams value on the blueline is always quite interesting, as they traditionally lean into drafting big, defensively focused defensemen. That said, the best blueliners in the world right now are all mobile puck-movers, and their physical stature is often not a major part of their game.
Let's see which blueliners are the cream of the crop ahead of this year's NHL draft.
Top 10 defensemen in the 2026 NHL Draft
North Dakota (NCAA) defenseman Keaton Verhoeff
The most well-rounded defender in the class, Verhoeff's improvement this season makes him an easy choice as the top blueliner. He has good size, excellent fluidity on his feet and some of the best passing skills of any blueliner in the class. Verhoeff understands how to make smart plays at both ends of the ice, which allows him to win most of his shifts. He looks like a top-five pick.
Jukurit (Finland) defenseman Alberts Smits
Smits is the ultimate ball of clay that NHL teams can mold into an effective defenseman. His baseline is quite high as a big, mobile, defensive-minded player who can shut opponents down. His upside is incredible with the kind of run-and-gun offensive skill and fluidity that makes the best defenders in the world what they are. If he can continue to refine his offensive game, he could be a top-pair stud.
HV71 (Sweden) defenseman Malte Gustafsson
Malte Gustafsson has impressed in the Swedish League, and his overall control of the game makes him one of the most interesting defenders in the draft. There isn't an area of the game you can point to as a weakness. Gustafsson has become more physical at the men's level while continuing to showcase his mobility and puck-moving on the breakout. He's become a true two-way presence and should be taken inside the top 10.
Villeneuve is one of the most dynamic puck-moving blueliners in the class. He is a true difference-maker on offense, with incredible shiftiness and passing. His defensive game is better than he gets credit for, using his feet to defend and turn the play around. He's a wild card, however, because he's 5-foot-11 and 162 pounds. Villeneuve could be taken in the top half of the first round, or he could fall because of his size.
Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) defenseman Chase Reid
Reid is possibly the most divisive defenseman at the top of the class. He can carry the puck through the neutral zone and create off the rush. His passing is inconsistent, but when it's on, it's quite dangerous in the attacking end. Reid shows the tools needed to be effective defensively, but that's a work in progress. He's being discussed as a top-10 pick, but he could fall outside that range.
Lulea (Sweden) defenseman William Hakansson
One of the premier defensive blueliners, Hakansson is a stopper in the simplest terms. He has excellent size, uses his length well to defend in transition and gets into the corners to recover pucks effectively. Hakansson has a physical edge to his game as well. If a team wants a defender who can put up a wall in their own zone, you could see Hakansson go around the mid-first round.
Tappara (Finland) defenseman Juho Piiparinen
Piiparinen is a steady, do-it-all defenseman who limits mistakes and knows when to make the right play. He won't blow your mind when you watch him, but he can do just about everything asked of him. He can shut down plays, recover dump-ins and move the puck up ice reliably. A mid-to-late first-round pick seems appropriate for a player you don't have to worry about too often.
Prince George (WHL) defenseman Carson Carels
After getting some hype at the World Junior Championship, Carels has shot up many draft boards. His playmaking and steady all-around game have made him a very solid prospect. Carels can play just about any role adequately, but he just needs to find his specialty and really lean into it. He really could go anywhere in the first round since draft experts have him ranked all over the place.
Vancouver (WHL) defenseman Ryan Lin
Although he's injured, Lin builds off his mobility in all areas of the game. His game is a bit inconsistent overall, but when he is on his A-game, he could be one of the top five defenders in the draft class. His ability to handle the puck, work along the blueline and set up teammates is impressive. He skates forward to defend, attempting to cut off play in the neutral zone. He could go anywhere in the mid-to-late first round.
Dukla Trencin (Slovakia) defenseman Adam Goljer
A shutdown defender who is on the younger side of the draft class, Goljer is still a bit raw, but his potential as a top-four play-killer could be quite intriguing. The Slovak blueliner doesn't dangle his opponents on the breakout or at the offensive blueline – he punishes them. Goljer isn't quite as refined as some of the guys ahead of him, but he's got the upside you want to see from a no-nonsense defenseman.
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust has been suspended for three games after the NHL Department of Player Safety deemed he performed an illegal check to the head of Vancouver forward Brock Boeser. Boeser has since entered concussion protocol. PensBurgh]
It appears forward Evgeni Malkin is no worse for wear after he was seen in discomfort on Pittsburgh’s bench after the final horn in Sunday’s game against the Canucks. [PensBurgh]
Penguins prospect Emil Pieniniemi was promoted to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins from the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers on Tuesday, a positive next step in his development after the organization lifted his suspension because Pieniniemi failed to report to Wheeling at the start of the season. [Trib Live]
Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany will miss approximately the next two months after undergoing hand surgery, the team announced on Tuesday afternoon. [Trib Live]
Updates from around the NHL…
When it rains, it pours in Vancouver: Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is set to undergo hip surgery that will end his season, general manager Patrik Allvin said Tuesday. [Associated Press]
Sunday’s Stadium Series game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins will pay homage to Tampa’s pirate history. The rink will sit atop a treasure map design covering Raymond James Stadium’s field. [Sportsnet]
Which of the 10 teams that have yet to hoist the Stanley Cup has the best chance of doing so? Who is set up for the best chance at long-term success? [USA Today]
Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane reached another milestone on Tuesday. Kane tied Mike Modano’s record for the most points by an American-born player in NHL history, posting the 1,374th point of his career late in the third period of the Red Wings’ game against the Los Angeles Kings. [Daily Faceoff]
There are only nine days left of action after Tuesday's games, prior to the NHL taking a three-week break for the Olympics. If you are thinking of consummating a fantasy hockey trade in the interim, it's likely best to wait if you are the team going for it (if you are giving up, then make a trade as soon as possible; taking any injury-risk out of play), as you will be able to reassess during the break and possibly avoid a player injured during the Olympics whom you were thinking of obtaining.
Best of luck with your trades this week.
TRADE FOR
Stuart Skinner, G, Penguins (61% rostered)
Skinner has been outstanding since his trade from Edmonton. He was 11-8-4 with a 2.82 GAA and an .891 save percentage over 23 games for the Oilers prior to his mid-December trade to Pittsburgh. He is 7-4-0 in 11 games with the Penguins with outstanding peripherals of a 2.31 GAA and a .906 save percentage. Skinner has won four games in a row, and perhaps the lack of pressure in not playing in his hometown of Edmonton has finally relaxed him enough to be a worthy fantasy asset.
Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Skinner for Daniil Tarasov and Mattias Samuelsson. (Tarasov is a backup goaltender at best, and while Samuelsson is a serviceable defenseman, I'd rather have the starting netminder.)
Dylan Larkin, C, Red Wings (97% rostered)
Larkin is a solid veteran with 25 goals and 47 points in 54 games this season. The Red Wings are challenging for first place in the Atlantic Division, and Larkin is in line to see his first playoff action since his rookie season in 2015-16 when he was just 19. That's an awfully long time to not have played in the postseason, and Larkin should have a big final third of the season to lead Detroit into the playoffs.
Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Larkin for Elias Lindholm and Matvei Michkov. (Lindholm is an average center – and there are plenty of them in the NHL – while Michkov has been disappointing this season for the Flyers with 12 goals and 27 points in 50 games, after a 63-point rookie season in 2024-25.)
Vince Dunn, D, Kraken (78% rostered)
Dunn has two goals and nine assists in his last 12 games, including six assists on the power play. He has missed 46 games in his previous two seasons but has remained relatively healthy this season, missing only one game. Dunn has seven goals and 24 assists with 17 points coming via the man-advantage, in 51 games.
Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Dunn for Jesper Wallstedt. (Wallstedt is a nice player, but he has been relegated to a backup spot in Minnesota, starting only twice in the Wild's last six games.)
TRADE AWAY
Lukas Dostal, G, Ducks (73% rostered)
Dostal has been red-hot of late, winning his last six games in a row, allowing only 12 goals on 173 shots (.931 save percentage). The Ducks have been a streaky team all season and saw their seven-game winning streak end in Edmonton on Monday. If they go on a losing streak, having Dostal on your team isn't going to help, as his peripherals are so-so this season. He has a 3.00 GAA and an .895 save percentage across 35 games and he got those numbers down during his current six-game streak. Dostal had been horrible in his previous six starts, allowing 27 goals on 171 shots, and those stats could repeat themselves if the Ducks go north in the immediate future.
Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Dostal for Matthew Tkachuk. (Tkachuk is getting himself into playing shape since returning to action Jan. 19. He is a star when healthy, and I expect him to be the remainder of the season. If so, Dostal is a small price to pay at this time.)
Anthony Cirelli, C, Lightning (41% rostered)
Cirelli has been on fire since taking over for the injured Brayden Point (lower body), centering the top line between Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel. Cirelli has three goals and seven points in his last four games, giving the 28-year-old 15 goals and 35 points in 47 games. Point should be back after the Olympic break, and since the Lightning have only four games left until the break, it's best if you can trade him now.
Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Cirelli and an eighth-round pick for Rickard Rakell and a fifth-round pick. (While Cirelli will move down the depth chart when Point returns, Rakell is seeing first-line minutes with Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust – when Rust isn't being suspended.)
Steven Stamkos, C, Predators (79% rostered)
Stamkos is one of the hottest goal scorers of late, managing 21 goals and 33 points in 30 games since Nov. 26. He started the season off slow with four goals and an assist in 22 games, and there was plenty of scuttlebutt about Stamkos headed elsewhere. I would deal him now while he remains hot, as Stamkos is 35 and it's a longshot that his 26.6 shooting percentage will continue for much longer.)
Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Stamkos and Evgeni Malkin for Anthony Stolarz. (Stolarz was a stud last season, as he had the best save percentage in the NHL at .926. He has struggled with injuries this season and finally returned to action last week after missing more than two months. I expect Stolarz to be very good the rest of the way, and I'm not anticipating much from Stamkos and Malkin.)
If you ask the Vancouver Canucks how they felt about tonight’s 5–2 loss to the San Jose Sharks, the reception won't be positive. Not only did both of their goals come from blueliners Tom Willander and Filip Hronek, but Kevin Lankinen was also pulled within the first half of the first period after allowing three goals on six shots faced. Nikita Tolopilo joined the game in relief, stopping 25 of 27 shots faced.
“I don't think we played good anywhere today. I think pretty much every detail was bad. Can't name anything good today,” Willander, who scored the game’s opening goal, said post-game. “Ultimately, I think at least the last few times we had results like this, I think we did a decent job in many parts of our game. But today, I thought it was awful.”
Willander isn’t wrong. Despite scoring first, Vancouver quickly surrendered three goals within the span of five minutes, erasing their lead within a matter of seconds. The very thing Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote had called the team out on a week ago had returned — their penchant for getting down on themselves after things don’t go their way.
“We tried to do too much in the neutral zone [...] kind of got off what we’re all about — getting in deep, fore-checking — and looked like we were just out of sorts for a while there, just chasing.”
As opposed to previous games, Vancouver’s effort just didn’t seem to be there tonight. They spent a good chunk of the third period hemmed in their own zone, unable to generate even a shot on net until finally being able to fully break the puck out.
With trade rumours circulating throughout the past few days, all eyes seemed to be on Evander Kane. While not necessarily just there for Kane, there were 17 scouts in Vancouver’s press box tonight, including two from the Anaheim Ducks and two from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kane did end up on the scoresheet tonight, dropping the gloves with Timothy Liljegren and taking an extra roughing penalty in this sequence.
Tonight marks the third time in four games that Vancouver’s penalty kill has surrendered two power play goals against, as they also allowed two against the New Jersey Devils and the Washington Capitals. In a 10-game span, they have surrendered two or more goals while on the penalty kill five times. One of these goals-against came while Vancouver was down two players.
Vancouver’s power play also capitalized tonight, scoring their second goal of the game a little more than halfway through the third period. However, the man-advantage also got a near-full two-minute 5-on-3 opportunity and was unable to score while on that. This was their first power play goal in six games.
A shout-out needs to be given to Vancouver-based superstar Macklin Celebrini, who recorded his third multi-point game against the Canucks this season. His quick shot tied the game at one goal apiece for the Sharks, with Vancouver’s lapse in defensive-zone coverage leaving Celebrini all alone at the top of the faceoff dot. On San Jose’s second goal, it was Celebrini who took the puck away, keeping it in at the line and allowing former Canuck Adam Gaudette to score. The forward finished the game with four points against his hometown team.
Jan 27, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Drew O'Connor (18) stick checks San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini (71) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Stats and Facts:
Evander Kane becomes the first Canuck to hit 60 penalty minutes on the season
Elias Pettersson claims sole possession of ninth all-time in assists by a Canucks with 291
Macklin Celebrini registers 2+ points against the Canucks in each of three games against Vancouver this season
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
1:15 - VAN: Tom Willander (3) from Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk
1:51 - SJS: Macklin Celebrini (27) from Will Smith and Sam Dickinson
4:43 - SJS: Adam Gaudette (11) from William Eklund and Macklin Celebrini
5:55 - SJS: Tyler Toffoli (15) from Alexander Wennberg and Sam Dickinson
2nd Period:
9:07 - SJS: Will Smith (15) from John Klingberg and Macklin Celebrini (PPG)
3rd Period:
0:28 - SJS: John Klingberg (10) from Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini (PPG)
9:15 - VAN: Filip Hronek (5) from Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk (PPG)
Up Next:
The Canucks continue their home stand with a matchup against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. Vancouver won their last game against the Ducks by a score of 5–4 in what was a very entertaining offensive battle. Thursday’s puck drop 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.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Unfortunately
for the St. Louis Blues, it came to fruition and not in a good way.
For
the second straight meeting with the Dallas Stars, they fall in a
one-goal game, this time 4-3, due to icing the puck, losing a
defensive zone face-off and seeing a goal scored late in the third
period.
Thomas
Harley scored with 1:07 left and spoiled the Blues’ valiant third
period comeback while playing shorthanded due to injury in another
one-goal loss on Tuesday at Enterprise Center, dropping the home side to 19-25-9.
Down
three goals in the third period and playing without Jake Neighbours
(lower-body injury) and Jordan Kyrou (upper-body injury), Brayden
Schenn scored twice and Robby Fabbri scored his first Blues goal over
six years to erase a three-goal third-period deficit but to no
avail. Jordan Binnington made 20 saves to
fall to 2-10-1 in his past 13 starts.
Let’s
dissect Tuesday’s game observations:
*
Another icing leads to another goal-against for a loss – With the
naked eye, it looked worse than originally thought, but on the play
that led to the Harley goal, Tyler Tucker had full control of the
puck moving up the lefthand side. He goes for a pass off the boards
trying to hit Alexey Toropchenko near the Dallas bench, but on
replay, the puck caromed off the boards, bounded up where Toropchenko
couldn’t corral the puck for an icing.
This
just happened four days ago in Dallas when both Philip Broberg and
Colton Parayko each iced the puck, and ultimately, the Stars won the
draw and Jason Robertson scored with 1:00 remaining in a 3-2 win
denying the Blues of at least a point.
Same
thing here.
Personally,
if Tucker is making that play, I’d like to see a direct pass, and
if Toropchenko doesn’t handle it, then it’s on him. It’s just
dangerous in that situation.
So
it turns into an icing, Dallas can get its top players on the ice,
while the Blues have their fourth line out there with Tucker and
Logan Mailloux.
Nick
Bjugstad loses the draw, and I understand when in each instance along
with Friday, someone can say, ‘Win the face-off.’ Yes, this is
true, but the draw was lost back to the point, and Harley’s shot
caromed off Mathieu Joseph and change direction past Binnington.
Blues
coach Jim Montgomery was not critical of this one as he was of the
plays on Friday.
“We
have complete momentum in the game and that icing actually, I believe
it was Tucker, uses an indirect for us to gain lines like we had been
doing all period,” Montgomery said, “and it hits the boards and
it jumps up five feet. I think [Toropchenko] couldn’t get a stick
on it. That’s a physical thing with the boards. It’s not a mental
mistake. It’s not like we panicked. We actually made a real sound
play. The puck hit the boards toward the end of the period, the
boards are snowy, it hits snow and it’s going to pop like that, and
then you need an Albert Pujols to knock it out of the air there.
“(This
was) very
different. That one was in control of ours; we made a mistake, we
didn’t support the puck. We had support on the puck (Tuesday),
we knew the guy was open. That was a good hockey play.”
Schenn,
who has three goals the past two games, said, “Late
in the game, yeah, poise, if that’s what you’re taking (about).
The Dallas game before and this one, you have to have poise with the
puck, but the forwards or players out there have to support each
other and able to get the red line to not put yourself in those
positions. We did it twice against them and they made us pay for them
both times.”
A
fifth consecutive loss (0-4-1) and a fourth straight game in which
the Blues were in and found a way to lose.
“It
sucks
losing,”
Schenn
said.
“When you battle back like that, play hard for one another and get
rewarded with some goals. Again, same team, same result, losing in
the last minute. It’s
not fun losing, but got to keep on pushing our foot down and trying
to get better. We’re finding ways to lose hockey games and we have
to learn how to win them.”
*
Down
two more players, a third period for the ages comeback was for naught
– When Neighbours left after the first period and Kyrou after the
second, they were not only down to 10 forwards but down three goals.
What’s
the point, right? Wrong.
The
Blues showed some valiant fight, and it started with Fabbri, who
continues to show why the Blues brought him back, scratching and
clawing for
every inch when he’s given the opportunity.
It
looked inconsequential at the time and only drew browning points for
Fabbri scoring his first Blues goal in his second stint since his
last goal on Oct. 17, 2019 before being traded to the Detroit Red
Wings. He made it 3-1 at 3:15 on a play in which he started it with a
strong hit and ensuing shot from the slot off Justin Faulk’s feed:
The
Stats challenged the play for offside and Joseph was in question on
the far side, but the league came back that the play was onside with
the following ruling: It
was determined that Joseph legally tagged up at the blue line before
Faulk entered the offensive zone with
the puck on his stick prior
to Fabbri’s
goal.
“It
definitely feels good to get the first one, but it’s a lot more fun
around
the rink when you’re winning,” Fabbri
said.
“I’ll definitely take more wins after this one.
“Once
you get one on the board, everyone starts to put the foot on the gas
there and we did that. When you start rolling shift after shift and
you kind of get some momentum and the crowd gets into it, the bench
gets into it and it’s just one of those things where we were kind
rolling there and it was a good period, so we’ve just got to build
off that.”
There
had to be some juice on the bench, because as Schenn said in his
remarks postgame, “I
was dishing up pregame today and ‘Binner’ said ‘Fabs’ is
going to score tonight, so I guess ‘Binner’ had the read on that
one.”
Fabbri
replied, “He
actually chose the stick for me to use. Maybe we’ve got something
going there.”
But
for there being not much life in the building, there was a glimpse of
it now, and when Schenn made it 3-2 at 6:22 off a really nice pass by
Jimmy Snuggerud, the place started to get some jump in it:
“I
think Robby Fabbri got us going,” Montgomery
said.
‘He had a big hit right before his goal and then we get the quick
counter, 72 hitting nine, nine has some good poise. And then I think
we got rolling. I really liked the line of [Dalibor]
Dvorsky
between Snuggerud and Schenn. Obviously they got the goals, but they
just seemed to be going and making plays, 10-15 foot passes.”
The
Stars seemed to have a hammerlock on the game late, but a fortuitous
bounce finally went the Blues’ way when Harley’s clearing pass
around the boards off
referee Stephen Hiff right to Snuggerud, who found Schenn in the left
circle and the captain roofed his shot at 15:50 to make it 3-3:
“Just
attitude we’re going to come out in the third period and put a
solid effort together for our fans,” Schenn
said of the comeback.
“At the end of the day, our special teams aren’t helping us right
now and it’s tough falling behind 3-0 in this league against a good
team, but I thought we came out in the third period and played hard
for one another, inspired each other and like I said, close but not
good enough.”
The
couple of older vets (Schenn and Fabbri) and a couple of young pups
(Snuggerud and Dvorsky) fueled a comeback that nobody saw.
“Our
effort, falling behind 3-0 and not quitting, having the perseverance
to keep going,” Montgomery
said.
‘We had lost two forwards; we were down to 10 forwards. It was nice
to see that scrappy,
never-say-die attitude that we had.”
*
Special teams continue to be a problem – As Schenn mentioned above,
the Blues’ special teams are anything but special this season.
They
give up two more power-play goals, the third time in the past four
games and fifth time in 10 games they’ve allowed multiple
power-play markers.
The
first put Dallas up 1-0 when Matt Duchene scored the first of two
goals in 40 seconds at 3:20 of the second period when Mikko Rantanen
found a seam to deliver a dime of a pass to Duchene on the backdoor
through Tucker and past Faulk:
And
although the slashing penalty call by Hiff on Dvorsky was not a good
one at 17:58 of the second, the Blues needed a kill to keep it a
two-goal game and Roope Hintz scored eight seconds later for a 3-0
lead off a face-off win and one-timer from the interior of the right
circle:
So
for the night, the PK was 1-for-3 and the power play went 0-for-3
with one shot on goal. It simply isn’t good enough and it’s cost
this group plenty this season.
The
PK is 29th at 73.9 percent, and the PP is 25th at 16.9 percent.
Again, not nearly good enough.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Jan 27, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (88) handles the puck during the second period against the Los Angeles Kings at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images
Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images
DETROIT — Patrick Kane of the Detroit Red Wings has tied Dallas’ Mike Modano as the highest-scoring U.S.-born players in NHL history.
Kane matched Mike Modano by recording his 1,374th point on an assist on a goal by Alex DeBrincat late in Detroit’s 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night. He got there a couple of months after turning 37, while Modano was 40 when he scored a goal to register point No. 1,374.
“Nothing really went right for us tonight, so it’s tough to really think about (the record) right now, but hopefully next game’s a better result and (I) can move past Mike next game,” Kane said after the game. “That’d be nice, to do that and do it with a win.”
He will have a chance to move ahead of Modano when the Red Wings host the Washington Capitals on Thursday.
Kane has been one of the faces of American hockey since getting taken with the first pick in the 2007 draft by Chicago. He helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup three times from 2010-15 as a co-headliner of one of the most successful runs since the league’s salary cap era began in ’05.
Earlier this month, Kane became the 50th player and fifth American to score 500 goals, following Keith Tkachuk, Jeremy Roenick and Joe Mullen. Brett Hull, a dual citizen who was born in Canada and played internationally for the U.S., had 741 goals and 1,391 points.
Kane won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in ’07-08, the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2013 and the Hart Trophy as regular-season MVP in 2015-16, when he also led the league in scoring.
Kane has 1,374 points on 500 goals and 874 assists in 1,341 career NHL regular-season games.
Modano retired in 2011 with 561 goals and 813 assists in 1,499 games.
The Chicago Blackhawks needed a big road effort on Tuesday night if they were going to get back on track against a team as good as the Minnesota Wild.
This was a much better game for the Hawks, especially being on the road, and they had a 1-0 lead 1:19 into the game thanks to a goal scored by Teuvo Teravainen. In his return to the lineup, skating on a line with Frank Nazar and Connor Bedard, Teravainen made his presence felt right away.
"I thought that it was a good line," head coach Jeff Blashill said after the game. "[Bedard] and [Nazar], I haven't seen them play a lot together. I thought they were really good. They showed a lot of skill, they fed each other in good spots, had a lot of chances, and scored with [Teravainen]. I thought that was a real dynamic line."
Ryan Donato and Ilya Mikheyev helped build on the lead with goals of their own to make it 3-0 by the time the game was half over.
The Blackhawks didn't totally collapse, but they allowed the Wild to crawl back. It started with Yakov Trenin scoring his fourth of the season to get them on the board. That 3-1 score held through two periods.
Joel Eriksson Ek scored at 3:57 of the third period on a rebound created by Quinn Hughes. This gave the Wild the confidence they needed to begin their quest for a comeback.
With the goalie pulled, Jared Spurgeon tied it up at 17:58. Spurgeon now has five goals in his last six games against the Blackhawks, and this one was as big as any of them.
No scoring took place in overtime, and Kirill Kaprizov was the only scorer in the shootout, giving the Wild the comeback 4-3 victory.
This was a mostly well-played game by the Blackhawks, but the Wild came back and found a way to win after going down 3-0.
Mistakes and tough puck management in the late stages of the game allowed the Wild to slowly but surely get back in the game, but Minnesota had to work for this win.
The penalty kill stayed hot, but they hardly had any work to do with just one kill. The power play, which is an entirely different story, continued its struggles with no goals on five tries. Jeff Blashill said after the game that he thought it did better at generating quality chances, but there were still no goals to show for it.
"I thought it was better," Blashill said. "We've walked away from other days where I just didn't feel it was dangerous at all. I thought we had a good number of chances [in this game]."
The power play needs a goal badly. If they keep drawing penalties and moving the puck the way they did against the Wild, eventually they will score. Once they get one, the unit as a whole may get back on track. A power play goal on one of their five tries would have likely won this game.
The Blackhawks are back in action on Thursday night. They have a road date with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Steel City.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
