After his club missed three straight playoffs starting with the 1958-59 debacle, Rangers GM Muzz Patrick needed a trade to save his job. He got it from the most unlikely source – the Montreal Canadiens. Here's how:
Habs' boss Frank Selke had been furious over the fact that his star defenseman. Doug Harvey was one of a few key NHL aces who were trying to form the NHL's first players' union. Selke, like Conn Smythe in Toronto, wanted none of this union stuff.
"Harvey still was regarded as one of the best defenseman in the NHL," said Associated Press hockey writer Ben Olan, "but Selke said he wanted him out of Montreal. He also – as it happened, mistakenly – believed that Harvey was over the hill.".
While many Montrealers gaped in amazement, Selke dealt Harvey to the Rangers along with Al (Junior) Langlois, another defenseman.
Then, another astonishing event took place – Patrick signed Harvey to both play defense and coach the team – a move that was practically unheard of in the NHL at the time.
While Selke may have felt that Harvey was in the twilight of his career, Doug not only steered the Rangers into a rare playoff berth but also won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. The man hardly was over any hill.
P.S. The players' union that Harvey was kept from organizing finally became reality a few years after Doug became a Ranger.
P.S.S. Along with Glenn Hall – another union organizer – Harvey went on to star for the expansion St.Louis Blues – but only as a player. By this time the NHL Players' Association had been officially recognized by the league!
Jan 21, 2026; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) skates during the warmup period against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Sergei Belski/Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
NEW YORK — Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust has been suspended three games for an illegal check to the head of Vancouver’s Brock Boeser.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the ban following a disciplinary hearing with Rust, who will be out against Chicago, the New York Rangers and Ottawa. He’s eligible to return at the Islanders.
Rust lifted his right shoulder into Boeser’s head in the final seconds of the Penguins’ game at the Canucks, which they won 3-2. Boeser is out at least a week after going on injured reserve.
Rust will forfeit $80,078 in salary with that money going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Dec 9, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski (70) passes the puck against the Nashville Predators during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Steve Roberts/Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
DENVER — Sam Malinski’s breakout season was rewarded when the Colorado Avalanche signed the defenseman to a four-year extension.
The deal is reported to be worth $19 million, with an annual cap hit of $4.75 million.
The 27-year-old Malinski already has set career-highs with 21 assists and 24 points in logging 16 minutes, 43 seconds of ice time per game. He’s second among defensemen on the team in assists behind reigning Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar.
“Sam is a hard-working defenseman who has great skating and puck-moving ability,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said in a statement. “His commitment to the defensive side of the game has turned him into a reliable defenseman for us.”
It’s another instance where the Avalanche have rewarded an up-and-coming player this season. In November, Gavin Brindley signed a two-year contract extension less than 48 hours after scoring his first NHL overtime winner. The 5-foot-8, 173-pound Brindley was acquired by Colorado on June 27 as part of a deal that sent Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to Columbus.
Three months ago, the Avalanche signed Martin Necas to an eight-year, $92 million contract extension through 2034.
The Avalanche brought in Malinski as a college free agent in March 2023. He made the opening roster in 2024-25 and has been a fixture on the blueline since. He has 11 goals and 38 assists over 149 career regular-season appearances. Malinski also played in five games, with one assist, in the playoffs for Colorado last season against Dallas.
Malinski, who is 5-foot-11, 190-pounds, suited up for Cornell University from 2019-23. The Lakeville, Minnesota, native was a team captain in 2022-23.
The New York Rangers completed their first trade of this suppressive retool on Monday night, sending Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders in exchange for a third-round pick.
With Soucy set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Rangers’ playoff hopes dwindling by each passing game, it was only inevitable that the team would eventually trade the veteran defenseman.
Mike Sullivan opened up about the trade for the first time after Tuesday’s practice.
“Souce is a great person. He was a good Ranger,” Sullivan said. “He competed hard. Him and I had a conversation, that's what we talked about. I really enjoyed working with him. He's a good pro. This is just part of the game and the reality of where we’re at.”
When the Blueshirts acquired Soucy from the Vancouver Canucks during the 2024-25 season, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury had a different vision for Soucy, believing he could be a long-term piece for the franchise.
“He's not a rental,” Drury said of Soucy last season. “He’s someone we could have in for the rest of the year and next year. I just like the overall game – the size, the skating, the sense, how he defends. We were able to do some homework on him the last couple weeks and we’re excited to get him.”
That mindset shifted after Drury issued a letter on Jan. 16 outlining the team’s plan to retool the roster and essentially punting on the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign in order to focus on the future.
It looks like the Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their top forwards for an upcoming crucial stretch of games.
On Tuesday, the Department of Player Safety suspended top-line winger Bryan Rust for three games following a hit to the head of Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser on Sunday. Boeser was concussed on the play and was placed on injured reserve by the Canucks.
Rust, 33, has no prior history of suspension, and the hit happened around the net-front in the waning seconds of the game with the Penguins protecting the lead. These factors, along with others, are why head coach Dan Muse did not agree with the league's ruling.
"I think three games is a lot," Muse said. "I don't agree with it. The organization [doesn't] agree with it. They have a tough job in the league in terms of looking at these things.
"Bryan Rust is a guy who you know what you're going to get from him every night. He's a guy that works his a-- off every day. He's a guy that's heart and soul. One thing he's not is a dirty player."
"He's going to do everything he can to help the team win, and he's done it in a way..." Muse began. "I mean, I've coached against this guy. He's been in the league, for what, 12 years? [650]-plus games? You see his track record. He's a guy who works, but he also plays the game the right way, and he plays it clean. So, based on that track record, based on the player, who he is, what he's shown for a very long time in this league... yeah, I disagree with it.
"Again, I understand the league's got a tough job, but in terms of the play, like, it's the end of the game. He's doing everything he can to just get back to the net front, not allow another shot on net in the closing seconds. And, so, the way he comes in there, he kind of tries to come in on the defensive side. And when you look at the video, too, there's a lot of things happening there. There's the visual that you see, but I also think there's the intent and how all those things unfolded."
Barring an appeal, Rust's suspension will be in effect until the Penguins' game against the Ottawa Senators on Monday, and the team will face the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday and the New York Rangers on Saturday. He has 18 goals and 39 points in 47 games for the Penguins this season, and the team has five games remaining before the three-week Olympic hiatus.
During net-front scramble at the Penguins’ goal, Boeser looks to collect the puck as Rust skates in from the slot. As Boeser finds the puck and attempts to play it towards the net, Rust loads up and delivers a high, hard check that misses Boeser’s core, picking his head and making it the main point of contact on a check where such head contact was avoidable. This is an illegal check to the head.
It is important to note that both elements of the illegal check to the head rule are satisfied on this play.
First, the head is the main point of contact as Rust’s shoulder and arm make direct contact with Boeser’s head and it is the head that absorbs the majority of the force. Second, the head contact on this play is avoidable. Rust takes a poor angle of approach, choosing an angle that causes him to cut across the front of Boeser’s body, missing his core. Rust then raises his arm and leans into contact, causing direct contact with Boeser’s head with requisite force for supplemental discipline.
If Rust wants to deliver this check, he must stay low and take an angle that hits through the shoulder and core =, rather than one that makes the head the main point of contact.
The incriminating angle comes from one not too often seen from the top down, compared to the standard replay. Boeser ended up in concussion protocol, per Canucks head coach Adam Foote and has been placed on injured reserve and will be out for a minimum of a week.
The Penguins were not pleased with the league’s decision, calling it “a lot”. Coach Dan Muse talked about it after practice on Tuesday.
Here's what Dan Muse had to say about Bryan Rust getting suspended three games for an illegal check to the head at the end of Sunday's game in Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/cB0NewQrLK
Rust had yet to be suspended in his 685 game NHL career. Despite the heavy punishment, it’s not unprecedented to for a first-time offender to be leveled with a three-game suspension.
There are numerous examples of players given 3 GP in their first suspension. Just involving Pens:
Pacioretty on Letang, illegal check to head, 11/26/11 Ristolainen on Guentzel, interference, 3/21/17 Asham on B. Schenn, 4/15/12 Engelland on Kruger, illegal check to head, 12/20/11
Last year Trevor Zegras, another first time offender, was suspended for three games for a hit to the head of Michael Rasmussen.
It’ll be a tough loss for the Pens, who have five games remaining until the Olympic break. Rust worked with his usual first line today in practice with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell, which means the teams will have to shuffle some lines around at a time they would prefer not to given how well everything has been rolling in their current four-game winning streak.
Barring an appeal and reduction of the suspension, Rust is eligible to play next on Tuesday, February 3rd when the Penguins play on the road against the New York Islanders. He will miss the team’s upcoming games against Chicago, the NY Rangers and Ottawa.
NEW YORK (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust has been suspended three games for an illegal check to the head of Vancouver’s Brock Boeser.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the ban Tuesday following a disciplinary hearing with Rust, who will be out Thursday against Chicago, Saturday against the New York Rangers and Monday against Ottawa. He's eligible to return next Tuesday at the Islanders.
Rust lifted his right shoulder into Boeser’s head in the final seconds of the Penguins’ game at the Canucks on Sunday, which they won 3-2. Boeser is out at least a week after going on injured reserve.
Rust will forfeit $80,078 in salary with that money going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
The Detroit Red Wings return home Tuesday riding a surge of momentum after a strong three-game road trip, having won eight of their last ten games and four straight at home. They’ll host the Los Angeles Kings in a rematch of an earlier 4–3 shootout win in California.
While Detroit has been heating up, the Kings arrive looking for consistency, posting a 7-8-6 record over their last 21 games. Still firmly in the playoff hunt and tied for the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, Los Angeles will be motivated by both revenge and the need to build momentum in a tightly packed race.
Detroit’s recent success has been fueled by balanced scoring throughout the lineup, with several players breaking out of slumps, including J.T. Compher, Marco Kasper, and Emmitt Finnie. That depth has eased pressure on stars like Patrick Kane, who remains on the verge of a historic milestone, while Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin, and Lucas Raymond continue to drive offense.
The Kings, meanwhile, have struggled to score consistently and may again lean on strong goaltending from Darcy Kuemper and a defense-first approach, with young blueliner Brandt Clarke and winger Adrian Kempe providing key offensive sparks. With John Gibson expected to start for Detroit, the matchup sets up as a tightly contested game between two teams relying on structure, depth, and timely goaltending.
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On the surface, the Rangers were able to break even on a player whom they acquired for a third-round pick from the Vancouver Canucks, when Soucy had a season and a half left on his contract.
Call that a win for the Rangers, as Soucy, outside of Artemi Panarin, was their most valuable pending unrestricted free agent.
For the Islanders, they are hoping that Soucy stabalizes their backend. Since Alexander Romanov went down with a regular-season-ending right shoulder injury on Nov. 18, his spot in the lineup has been a revolving door of Bridgeport Islanders' blue-line depth, along with seventh defenseman Adam Boqvist, who had been playing on his off-side.
Was it a bit of an overpay by the Islanders? Sure. Is it a problem? Absolutely not.
The morning after just the fourth-ever trade between the #Isles & #NYR…
The reality of the situation right now is that the Islanders are not only without their 2026 third-round pick, but they are also without their 2026 second-round pick, which was attached to Josh Bailey, who had one season left at $5 million annually, in the deal that sent him to the Chicago Blackhawks on Day 2 of the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville.
However, the Islanders do have two first-round picks this draft year: their own and the Colorado Avalanche's first-round pick from the Brock Nelson deal. That first is essentially a second-round pick, with Colorado currently leading the NHL in points with 79 -- the second closest is the Tampa Bay Lightning with 70.
Had the Islanders not bolstered their prospect pool last summer, adding forward Victor Eklund, Daniil Prokhorov, Luca Romano, and Tomas Poletin, along with defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson through the first four rounds, then, sure, complain away about sending picks for rentals.
No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer is no longer considered a prospect.
However, the Islanders added those guys to a prospect pool that already has a strong foundation, with forwards Cole Eiserman, Quinn Finley, Danny Nelson & Kamil Bednarik, along with defenseman Jesse Pulkkinen and Isaiah George on the blue line.
They'll be okay, especially if Soucy's able to help enough to keep the Islanders in a playoff spot.
If the Islanders remain in a playoff spot by the trade deadline, they aren't likely to sell.
But, if first-year general manager Mathieu Darche did sell off players, getting back that third-round pick won't be a challenge -- he can probably do much better.
ST.
LOUIS – The
St. Louis Blues (19-24-9) and Dallas Stars (29-14-9) will meet for
the second time in what will be three matchups in a 13-day span on
Tuesday in the second game of a four-game homestand at Enterprise
Center (7 p.m.; ESPN+, HULU, ESPN 101.1-FM).
The
Blues, who played arguably one of their best games this season when
they topped the Stars 3-1 in October here, fell 3-2 at Dallas on
Friday on a goal by Jason Robertson in the final minute of
regulation.
“Just
how smart and how they understand to win hockey games,” Blues
coach Jim Montgomery said of the Stars.
‘That was a very even game, but at the end, their players went out
and they were hunting to win the game and it’s a mindset that we
want to develop.”
The
Blues, who have lost four straight (0-3-1), have been right there in
the last three games but are a season-high five games under .500 yet
somehow continue to tumble in the Western Conference standings.
The
mood remains upbeat despite the dire situation, and it’s something
that captain Brayden Schenn said is a must.
“You
can’t walk around … 82 games of being miserable and unhappy,”
Schenn
said.
“You have to find ways to keep yourself upbeat and ultimately when
you’re upbeat and you have a good attitude, guys play better and
that’s just the reality of it. You want to win hockey games, we all
know that, but you can’t show up to the rink every day and be
miserable because at the end of the day, you’ve got to be lucky and
grateful for the job that we get to do and it doesn’t last forever
and you have to enjoy the people around you and come to the rink with
a good attitude, be ready to work and ultimately strive to get wins.
“We look one at a time. We’ve had
spurts where we’ve played better. We kind of gave Dallas that last
game. We’re in games now; obviously that Edmonton one, but we’re
playing better, we’re playing harder together, but at the end of
the day, we have to find better ways to win in this league and learn
how to win and we just haven’t been able to do that.”
- - -
Pavel Buchnevich, who’s been at the
center position the past three games, has seen an uptick in his game,
and it’s not a coincidence that linemates Jordan Kyrou and Jake
Neighbours have played effectively as well.
“I think ‘Buchy’s been incredible at
center,” Montgomery said. “I think his draws have been fantastic.
He’s been able to use his vision a lot more to create time and
space. Good entries and good forechecks and I think ‘Rouzy’s been
really skating. This has been the longest stretch of ‘Rouzy’
here, I think it’s seven or eight games here, I would say he’s
had one average game and the other ones are him skating, putting
people on their heels, stripping people from behind. That goal where
he fakes and he does the wraparound, that’s the ‘Rouzy’ that
St. Louis Blues fans and us coaches and teammates love to see.”
- - -
Jonatan Berggren, who played a Blues-high
18:59 on Saturday, continues to get looks in the Blues’ top six
despite a point drought of eight games. But don’t let those numbers
fool you.
The Blues keep Berggren there because he
continues to make high-end plays that are not being rewarded, hence
why the Blues are last in the league in goal scoring at 2.42 per
game.
“(Berggren’s game is) in a place where
I think he’s getting comfortable within our structure,”
Montgomery said. ‘I think that he has games where he’s very
evident of how he’s making plays and winning 1-on-1 battles. When
he’s winning 1-on-1 battles, that’s when he’s at his best
because he has time and space. He is one of our best play makers.
He’s one of our best players at seeing the ice and making plays
through people and over people, and that’s something that we want
to give him the opportunity here like he has been consistently here
lately in a top six role to see how much be can produce.”
- - -
With Otto Stenberg being sent down to
Springfield on Monday, Montgomery’s message was simple.
“He’s had a real good stint with us,”
the coach said. “Consistently reliable, someone that is very smart
offensively and defensively, and then offensively, he needs to expand
his game. Right now, he gets a lot of opportunities. I think working
on his shot and mindset of being more aggressive getting to the blue
paint offensively is something that’s going to let him when he
comes back to be an even better Blue for us. But he’s had a really,
really good tenure with us in his first go-around in the NHL.”
-
- -
Blues
Projected Lineup:
Jonatan
Berggren-Brayden Schenn-Jimmy Snuggerud
Jake
Neighbours-Pavel Buchnevich-Jordan Kyrou
Robby
Fabbri-Dalibor Dvorsky-Mathieu Joseph
Alexey
Toropchenko-Nick Bjugstad-Nathan Walker
Philip
Broberg-Colton Parayko
Tyler
Tucker-Justin Faulk
Cam
Fowler-Logan Mailloux
Jordan
Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.
The
healthy scratch includes Matthew Kessel. Pius Suter (high ankle
sprain), Robert Thomas (lower body), Oskar Sundqvist (skate
laceration) and Dylan Holloway (high ankle sprain) are out.
-
- -
Stars
Projected Lineup:
Jason
Robertson-Roope Hintz-Mavrik Bourque
Justin
Hryckowian-Wyatt Johnston-Mikko Rantanen
Sam
Steel-Matt Duchene-Jamie Benn
Oskar
Back-Radek Faksa-Colin Blackwell
Esa
Lindell-Miro Heiskanen
Thomas
Harley-Nils Lundkvist
Kyle
Capobianco-Alexander
Petrovic
Jake
Oettinger will
start in goal; Casey
DeSmith will
be the backup.
Healthy
scratches
include Nathan
Bastian and
Adam
Erne. Tyler Seguin (ACL), Lian Bichsel (lower body), and
Ilya
Lyubushkin (lower
body) are
out.
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The Vancouver Canucks are taking a notable step ahead of the trade deadline by allowing former Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane to actively explore trade options with other teams.
Don't expect that to mean the Oilers will be anywhere near this.
According to reports, Kane’s agent, Dan Milstein, has been granted permission to help facilitate discussions around a potential deal. While no trade is imminent, it speaks to how badly the Canucks are trying to move this along. Both sides appear open to a change, and there was speculation the other day that Kane might be headed to the Dallas Stars, with a strange report that he followed a Dallas, Texas house and renovation company on social media.
Kane, 34, is still a recognizable name around the NHL. The ex-Oiler brings a heavy, north-south style, a willingness to play physically, and a history of contributing in high-pressure playoff situations. However, his fit in Vancouver has been inconsistent, and with the Canucks essentially falling apart this season, the pending UFA was unlikely to be retained.
Allowing Milstein to work the phones is a calculated move by Vancouver. Rather than waiting for teams to call, the Canucks can proactively gauge interest and better understand Kane’s value across the league — all while maintaining control over the process.
It is not known if Milstein has called the Oilers, but the response is likely to be a definitive no thank you. Multiple reports suggest that ship has passed and the Oilers don't have the cap space or the desire to bring him back under his current contract.
Expect The Stars, Avalanche, and Kings To Be Interested
What might be unfortunate for Edmonton is the speculation that several Western Conference contenders have already been loosely linked to Kane, including the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and Los Angeles Kings. These are teams the Oilers could meet and would have to beat in the playoffs to get to another Stanley Cup Final.
Dallas could use Kane’s physical edge without sacrificing offense, Colorado has a history of adding veteran support around its stars, and Los Angeles feels like a team that is full of former Oilers, and one led by ex-Oilers GM Ken Holland.
Granting permission to seek a trade doesn’t guarantee a deal will happen. Salary cap logistics, Vancouver’s asking price, and fit will all factor into the final outcome. Still, the Canucks are no longer brushing aside speculation — they’re leaning into it.
Whether Kane is moved or not, or whether he'll indirectly impact the Oilers season remains to be seen.
The Montreal Canadiens host the Vegas Golden Knights in a tape-measuring matchup at the Bell Centre on Tuesday, January 27.
Vegas is coming off a 7-1 shallacking last time out, so my top NHL picks and Golden Knights vs. Canadiens predictions expect Montreal starter Jakub Dobes to be busy between the pipes tonight.
Golden Knights vs Canadiens prediction
Golden Knights vs Canadiens best bet: Jakub Dobes Over 23.5 saves (-110)
The Vegas Golden Knights were steamrolled 7-1 by the Ottawa Senators last time out, and Vegas only put 20 shots on net. After recording north of 30 shots in four of the previous five, look for the Golden Knights to approach that number again at the Bell Centre.
Montreal has allowed the ninth-fewest shots per game (26.8) while ranking 12th in Corsi For percentage at five-on-five through 13 January games, so there have been recent improvements, but the Habs will still have their hands full with the Golden Knights looking to cap off a four-game road trip with a win.
Returning to Dobes, he’s 4-0 with a .907 save percentage across his past four home starts, and I’m anticipating enough push from Vegas for him to clear this saves total tonight.
Golden Knights vs Canadiens same-game parlay
The Golden Knights have played to the Over in five of their past six, and No. 1 goalie Adin Hill sports an abysmal .827 save percentage and 4.26 GAA across his past four starts.
And, while I expect Dobes to pick up 24 or more saves, the Canadiens have also hit the Over in five of their past seven.
Montreal rookie Ivan Demidov has missed the scoresheet in consecutive games despite being on the ice for a pair of tallies and 2.09 expected goals.
He marked the scoresheet in four straight before the mini skid and ranks 23rd in points per 60 minutes (3.22) this season, so I like him to pick up a point tonight.
Golden Knights vs Canadiens SGP
Over 6.5
Jakub Dobes Over 23.5 saves
Ivan Demidov Over 0.5 points
Golden Knights vs Canadiens odds
Moneyline: Vegas -110 | Montreal -110
Puck Line: Vegas -1.5 (+200) | Montreal +1.5 (-250)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-110) | Under 6.5 (-110)
Golden Knights vs Canadiens trend
The Montreal Canadiens have covered the puck line in 14 of their last 20 games (+10.30 Units / 33% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Canadiens.
How to watch Golden Knights vs Canadiens
Location
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
Date
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
SCRIPPS, TSN2
Golden Knights vs Canadiens latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
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On the eve of what they hope will be a better performance against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday, the Senators did a little roster shuffling.
The club has recalled forward Xavier Bourgault from AHL Belleville and returned goalie Mads Sogaard to Belleville. Sogaard backstopped the Senators to a shocking victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. For his efforts, he was named the game's first star and now he's back in the minors.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss David Perron's injury and the upcoming trade deadline on March 6th.
It's a tough game, this NHL business.
Sogaard's demotion means that 37-year-old James Reimer will draw back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch in that game. Reimer had played four games in seven days, and the Sens preferred not to use him in the second game of a back to back on Sunday.
They also preferred not to use Linus Ullmark who was also ready to play. Ullmark returned to the lineup to dress as the backup, and after a month on the sideline to deal with mental health issues, there's a chance he may start on Wednesday. But facing the most dominant team in hockey in his first game back would certainly be an ambitious choice for his return.
As for Bourgault's arrival, he's the plan B if Stephen Halliday can't play on Wednesday. Halliday hit his head on a stanchion near the Vegas bench in the game on Sunday. The good news is that Halliday felt well enough to attend Tuesday's practice as a spectator, watching from the Senators bench.
Bourgault is having an excellent second season in Belleville, far better than last year. He has 37 points in 43 games in the AHL, which is second best on the team, and already his career-best in four AHL seasons. He finally made his NHL debut with the Sens getting into one game earlier this season.
Meanwhile, Arthur Kaliyev has 46 points, and as Belleville's all-star selection, he must be wondering what he has to do to get another NHL look in Ottawa.
The Senators are coming off a 7-1 blowout victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, and an 8-2 blowout loss to the Avalanche earlier this month.
The Chicago Blackhawks have a surplus of young talent in their organization. They have it at the NHL and AHL levels, in pro leagues around the globe, and in developmental programs all across the hockey world. Kyle Davidson has been building the organization back up in true rebuild fashion.
One prospect that they are excited about is Nick Lardis. Of course, Lardis was just sent back down to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs on Monday. This was a move to get him more top-line minutes, allow him to play during the Olympic break, and enable him to participate in the AHL’s All-Star festivities.
While in the NHL, Lardis recorded five goals and two assists for seven points in 21 games. It’s good rookie production, but he was a noticeable player when it comes to the little things, especially being in the right spot for good chances on net.
There is a path for Lardis to return to the NHL this season. Obviously, he will need to stay productive in the AHL upon his return. His call-up to the NHL in the first place was earned by having 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in 24 games played. Building on that shouldn’t be too difficult for him now.
The NHL trade deadline is Lardis’s next path back, unless there are a ton of injuries in between now and then. Right now, every forward on the roster is healthy enough to play, which played a role in Lardis being sent down.
The Blackhawks may shop their handful of pending unrestricted free agents around ahead of the deadline. Whether they trade Connor Murphy or Matt Grzelcyk is irrelevant to Lardis’ status, but what they do with Nick Foligno, Ilya Mikheyev, Jason Dickinson, or Sam Lafferty could make room for him.
Lardis is one of the 12 best forwards in the organization right now, but he is waiver-exempt, won’t play over some of the highly paid veterans on the team, and Kyle Davidson knows where his team is in the standings when he makes these decisions.
It might not be only Lardis that gets added to the roster after the deadline. Other young players may get some games alongside him. Prospects like Anton Frondell and Sacha Boisvert are at the top of the list.
Oliver Moore, who has played with Nick Lardis at both North American pro levels this season, is likely done in the AHL. He has proven that his speed, skill, and tenacity are ready for the NHL full-time. He is also incredibly versatile.
Moore can play wing or center, on the power play, on the penalty kill, and even strength at a high level. This being his rookie season speaks volumes about what his play might look like in his prime.
Plenty of contending teams would consider trading for the UFA Blackhawks forwards if they are available. Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson are both veterans who would have a strong leadership role on any team.
Ilya Mikheyev is one of the best penalty killers in the NHL, and he provides enough offense to make him a good bottom-six option at even strength. Sam Lafferty is more of a 13th forward, but lots of teams need bodies who are willing to be ready at a moment's notice.
There is no telling who will be moved, but it would be surprising if Kyle Davidson doesn’t move off at least one of them, if not more. Lardis will be back as a result.
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After sitting through the two days of the 2024 draft without being drafted, Pickford said that he knew what he had to do: he had to get back to playing the game that had always worked for him and get his confidence back. Which is what he set out to do. After going from Seattle to Medicine Hat, he felt like he had the freedom to play his offensive game; he took more shots, he gained confidence, and his impact on games grew so much that he caught the eye of the Canadiens’ scouting staff.
At the 2025 draft, the Habs opted for the 6-foot-1 right-shot defenseman in the third round, which gave him yet another dose of motivation. Seeing the Bell Center filled to the brim for the rookie games, even if he couldn’t play because of an injury, made him want to achieve his NHL dream even more, and it’s that mindset that put him on course for a record-setting season in the WHL.
His work with Medicine Hat has not gone unnoticed in Montreal, and his agent contacted him just before Christmas to say that the Canadiens wanted to sign him. He knew that the Habs were keeping an eye on him because they had been constantly communicating and supporting him since he was drafted. The fact that fellow Albertan Kirby Dach reached out to congratulate him on being drafted stuck with the youngster; it was an example of the organization's culture.
Even though he has set a franchise record in the OHL this season, that’s not the only thing that should be taken away from his season. The way he stepped up as a leader for a team that lost multiple players to the NCAA is a true testament to who he is, to the kind of player he is.
Whatever happens until the end of the season, one thing’s for sure: Pickford will be one of the players to watch when rookie camp comes around next fall.
