The Montreal Canadiens will face the Calgary Flames in their next game on Jan. 7. The Canadiens will be looking to stay hot after defeating the Dallas Stars in their last matchup on Jan. 4.
This contest will also give the Canadiens an opportunity to take a look at some of the Flames' trade candidates.
When looking at Calgary's roster, there are two specific Flames trade candidates who the Canadiens should consider making a push for. Let's discuss each of them now.
Nazem Kadri
If the Canadiens want to add another top-six center, Kadri stands out as an intriguing option. The 35-year-old forward has been the subject of trade rumors throughout this season and would have the potential to be a great addition to Montreal's roster. He would not only provide them with more offense but also give them another veteran forward who could help mentor their young players.
In 42 games this season, Kadri has recorded 32 points and 28 hits. However, he also has a $7 million cap hit until the end of the 2028-29 season, so the Canadiens would need to move out salary the other way in a potential move.
Blake Coleman
Coleman is another notable Flames trade candidate who could make sense for the Canadiens to pursue. The 34-year-old forward could fit nicely in the Canadiens' top nine because he chips in offensively and also plays a very heavy game. With this, he would be a good player for the Canadiens to have around for the post-season.
In 42 games so far this season with the Flames, Coleman has posted 13 goals, 21 points, 105 hits, and a plus-13 rating.
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Hadyn Fleury was forced from Tuesday night’s contest against the Vegas Golden Knights after a frightening collision late in the first period.
With just over six minutes remaining, Fleury took a hit in open ice from Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar, sending him awkwardly into the boards.
Fleury fell backward, head-first, prompting an immediate stoppage in play. Medical personnel arrived on the ice, and a stretcher was required to safely remove him from the arena as the game was paused for several minutes.
Winnipeg captain Adam Lowry dropped gloves with Kolesar on the very next shift as a point of paying back the Vegas forward for his hit.
The Jets announced that Fleury had been transported to a local hospital via ambulance and that he was fully alert and moving his extremities when arriving.
Haydn Fleury had to be stretchered off the ice after crashing into the boards from a shove from Keegan Kolesar.
Fleury, 29, has battled injuries throughout the season as he previously missed 17 games due to a concussion and also spent time sidelined with a knee injury. This season, he has appeared in 16 games in a depth role, recording no points and holding a minus-seven rating.
The Saskatchewan native has carved out a role as a defensive defenseman for the Jets while dealing with injury setbacks. A former first-round pick (seventh overall) by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2014 NHL Draft, Fleury has played 323 NHL games over nine seasons for the Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Jets. Across his career, he has recorded 44 points (10 goals, 34 assists).
Fleury recently signed a two‑year, $1.9 million contract extension with the Jets in June 2025, keeping him under contract through the 2026‑27 season.
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NHL insiders Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston have been running a series at The Athletic where they play matchmaker. LeBrun and Johnston pair prime trade candidates with teams they think would be a good fit.
Tuch is in the final year of his seven-year, $33.25-million contract. Furthermore, the 29-year-old earns $4.75 million against the salary cap and holds a five-team no-trade clause in his contract for this season.
With that, he's a pending UFA and will require a new contract by the end of the campaign.
The Kings' latest pair of victories over the Minnesota Wild puts them back into a playoff spot. They hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference, tied on points with the Anaheim Ducks and the Seattle Kraken.
Wins are critical as the standings are ever so tight, and now Los Angeles will be without captain Anze Kopitar and right winger Joel Armia at least for a short while.
"Los Angeles is hanging on in the playoff race in the West despite struggling offensively," LeBrun wrote. "Tuch would be an ideal boost on the right side behind first-liner Adrian Kempe. And the Kings have ample cap room."
Adding Tuch to the lineup would be a big boost for Jim Hiller's team, especially when the Kings' lack of scoring is taken into consideration.
Los Angeles is bottom three in the NHL when it comes to scoring goals. In 41 games, they've scored 109 goals. Only the St. Louis Blues and the Kraken have fewer, with 107 each.
Tuch has 12 goals and 32 points this season for Buffalo. With those numbers plugged into the Kings' roster, he'd instantly have the third-most goals on the team, and second on the team in points.
However, Tuch's availability to be dealt all lies on the shoulders of Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen. Since Tuch is a pending UFA, Kekalainen may feel like he should trade him away for assets ahead of the trade deadline.
But there is the alternate situation in which the Sabres elect to keep Tuch on the roster. After all, Buffalo ended 2025 with a 10-game winning streak and has climbed the Eastern Conference standings.
With that run, they're just three points outside a playoff spot. Buffalo's brass won't see much sense in dealing Tuch if the team is in a playoff race, especially since they've been searching for a post-season appearance since 2011.
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Now that the Detroit Red Wings are officially in the second half of their centennial campaign, the biggest question remains whether this will finally be the season Stanley Cup Playoff hockey returns to the Motor City.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Detroit is in about as ideal a position as it could hope for, leading both the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference standings.
In fact, with their 5–3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Monday night, the Red Wings reached a milestone they had not achieved since the final season of Hall of Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidström’s career.
Monday’s win was Detroit’s 25th in its first 44 games, marking the team’s fastest pace to that total since the 2011–12 season.
Their hot performance in December helped fuel their strong place in the standings, as their 11 victories during the month were the most since December 2010 and also just one shy of the franchise record of 12.
In fact, the last time the Red Wings were in first place in their division at this point in a season was 11 years ago, in January 2015. The 2014–15 campaign also marked the second-most recent time they advanced beyond the 82-game regular season.
The 2011-12 campaign was the last in the legendary career of Lidstrom, who decided to retire following Detroit's disappointing first-round postseason exit at the hands of the Nashville Predators.
Without Lidstrom, the Red Wings had to scratch and claw their way into the postseason during the lockout-shortened 2012–13 campaign. They not only upset the Anaheim Ducks in seven games but also came one goal away from defeating the eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in a seven-game Western Conference Semifinal.
What followed were consecutive first-round exits against the Tampa Bay Lightning, first in seven games in 2015, then a quicker five-game loss in 2016, which marked the final NHL season of Pavel Datsyuk’s career.
The Red Wings, who played one final season at historic Joe Louis Arena, would move to the brand new Little Caesars Arena in the fall of 2017, but have yet to host a Stanley Cup Playoff game.
Thanks to their current trajectory, there is renewed hope in Hockeytown that playoff hockey could be returning soon.
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The Winnipeg Jets return home Tuesday, concluding a three-game road trip with a chance to rebound against one of the Western Conference’s toughest opponents, the Vegas Golden Knights. Both teams enter the matchup facing more adversity than expected this season as Winnipeg seeks to end a nine-game losing streak, while Vegas looks to snap a five-game skid of its own.
For the Jets, the stakes are especially high, as they sit at the bottom of the NHL standings and need a win to regain momentum. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights remain firmly in playoff contention with a 17-11-12 record, making this game pivotal as they aim to restore confidence and get back on track in the Pacific Division. With both teams desperate for a reset and returning to home ice, the matchup promises another tight, hard-fought contest between two consistently competitive franchises.
Winnipeg is shaking up its lineup in an effort to jumpstart its season. Head coach Scott Arniel has reunited Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Alex Iafallo on the top line, hoping their previous chemistry will translate into both offensive output and stronger defensive play. The second line now features breakout winger Gabe Vilardi alongside Cole Perfetti and Jonathan Toews, adding a more reliable two-way presence to balance scoring and defense.
The bottom six also features new combinations, including Morgan Barron skating with Adam Lowry and Nino Niederreiter, and a veteran trio of Tanner Pearson, Gustav Nyquist, and Vladislav Namestnikov aiming to provide secondary scoring. Defensively, the lineup remains mostly intact, with Haydn Fleury a potential return on the bottom pairing.
Vegas will be missing several key players, including Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, William Karlsson, and starting goalie Adin Hill, though Jack Eichel is back to anchor a potent top six. Goaltending will be critical, with Connor Hellebuyck starting for Winnipeg against Carter Hart, who has been flawless against the Jets in five career starts. Limiting Vegas’s top forwards while generating early pressure on Hart could be the key for Winnipeg to secure a much-needed victory.
The Jets will battle the Golden Knights at 7:00 PM central time from Canada Life Centre on Tuesday.
Winnipeg Jets Expected Line Combinations for Tuesday, January 6th vs. Vegas:
Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo
Perfetti-Toews-Vilardi
Barron-Lowry-Niederreiter
Pearson-Namestnikov-Nyquist
Morrissey-DeMelo
Samberg-Pionk
Fleury-Schenn
Hellebuyck
Healthy scratches, Koepke, Miller
Suspended: Stanley
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Trevor Zegras had himself a fun night against his old team.
Facing the Ducks for the first time since being traded by them last summer, Zegras buried two goals and led the Flyers to a 5-2 win Tuesday night at an energetic Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“It was a tough ending with my time there,” Zegras said. “I had been thinking about this game for a long time, it was one that meant a lot to me. It was definitely cool to get one and then two, so it was special.”
Zegras was all kinds of fired up after his second goal — this one on the power play — gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead in the first period.
Fans were fired up, too, as they watched the game turn into a pretty dominant win for the Flyers over Cutter Gauthier and Anaheim. The Flyers have outscored the Ducks 11-2 in Gauthier’s two career trips to Philadelphia.
Cam York, Travis Sanheim and Nikita Grebenkin also found the back of the net Tuesday night. Grebenkin’s marker was a game-sealing empty-netter.
The Flyers (22-12-7) opened a four-game homestand in entertaining fashion. Rick Tocchet’s club moved into third place of the Metropolitan Division at the season’s halfway point.
The Ducks (21-19-3) were coming off a loss Monday night and have now dropped seven straight (0-6-1).
“It’s funny how these two teams have turned into such big games,” Zegras said. “It’s a tough back-to-back for them, but they’ve got a lot of great players. Hopefully many more good games to come.”
The Flyers face Anaheim again March 18 when they visit Honda Center.
• Zegras definitely had some extra giddyap to him.
His goals came on excellent shots. He’s now at 41 points through 41 games with the Flyers.
“That’s what Trev does, man, those are two good one-timers,” Tocchet said. “[Leon] Draisaitl’s the best in the business [at those], it looked a little Draisaitl-ish there, a couple of them.”
“I have no hard feelings with any of the guys on the team,” Zegras said Tuesday morning. “I got to know them and play with them for a big part of my life, so it’ll be cool to play against them.”
The Flyers tried to set up Zegras for a hat trick when Anaheim emptied its net.
“Playing against your old team that kind of shoved you out the door, that third one would have been pretty cool,” the 24-year-old said, “but we got the win, so that’s what matters.”
It wasn’t quite as raucous as his first visit last season, but the building was juiced and the former Flyers prospect still heard it from Flyers fans. He elicited more boos after he opened the scoring with a first-period power play goal.
But then Zegras got going.
“The crowd was outstanding,” Tocchet said. “I just remembered the days when I played, that’s a loud building tonight, they were awesome.”
Some boos and chants for Cutter Gauthier’s first shift as Flyers and Ducks are underway. This is the former Flyers prospect’s second time back here. pic.twitter.com/CaheGjlMdz
• Bobby Brink and Jamie Drysdale exited with injuries and did not return to the game.
Just 2:38 minutes into the action, Brink was hit hard and somewhat high by Jansen Harkins. The Flyers’ winger had the puck when Harkins connected with him.
Noah Cates ate up some penalty minutes by defending his teammate and dropping the gloves with Harkins.
“Give Catesy a lot of credit,” Tocchet said. “Sticking up for his teammates.”
In the second period, Drysdale was nailed by Ross Johnston. The Flyers’ defenseman was nowhere near the puck. He stayed down before eventually skating off with assistance from head athletic trainer Tommy Alva.
Johnston was assessed a game misconduct.
Garnet Hathaway did a good job countering Anaheim’s play with some physicality of his own.
“Garny laying two huge hits,” York said. “That’s playoff hockey and we feel like we’re a playoff team.”
• Dan Vladar did his job again, making 16 saves on 18 shots.
Both of the Ducks’ goals came on the power play. Anaheim trimmed the Flyers’ lead to 4-2 during the third period, but Tocchet’s club was never really in danger.
Ducks netminder Lukas Dostal stopped 34 of the Flyers’ 38 shots.
“The fans were just electric all night,” Dvorak said. “It was a lot of fun.”
The Flyers have loved the 29-year-old’s smarts and scoring down the middle. He signed a one-year, $5.4 million contract last summer. Given how badly the Flyers have needed center depth, they had no desire to move on from him come the March trade deadline and didn’t want to lose him for nothing in free agency this offseason.
“He’s a good hockey player that makes us a better team,” general manager Danny Briere said before the game. … “You guys know that there are not a lot of unrestricted free agents available this summer, almost no centermen.
“The options are to let him walk, to trade him or to re-sign him. If you let him walk, you’ve got to find something else. There are almost no centers available, you have to look at a trade and it’s going to cost you assets to do that.”
• The Flyers are back in action Thursday when they host Scott Laughton and the Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
On Jan. 5, the Pittsburgh Penguins placed defenseman Egor Zamula on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination. This was after Zamula was suspended by the team for not reporting to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins' roster.
Now, after clearing unconditional waivers and becoming an unrestricted free agent (UFA), Zamula has already found his new team.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that they have signed Zamula to a one-year contract for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign.
Zamula was acquired by the Penguins from the Philadelphia Flyers last week in exchange for forward Philip Tomasino. However, Zamula's time with the Penguins ended before it truly started, and he is now a Blue Jacket with today's news.
Zamula has the potential to be a nice pickup for the Blue Jackets, as it is clear that they need more experienced defensive depth. Zamula will now give them just that.
In 168 career NHL games over six seasons, Zamula has posted eight goals, 33 assists, and 41 points. It will now be interesting to see how he builds on these career stats after signing this new one-year deal with the Blue Jackets from here.
Former Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula had his contract terminated by the Pittsburgh Penguins this week. Now, he has already found his new home.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that they have signed Zamula to a one-year contract for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
Seeing Zamula quickly find a new home after having his contract terminated by the Penguins is not too surprising. It was reported that the former Flyers blueliner was generating interest, and he has now gotten a fresh start with the Blue Jackets after landing this new contract.
Zamula will now provide the Blue Jackets with another left-shot defenseman to work with as they look to climb up the Eastern Conference standings. Columbus should also offer Zamula the opportunity to get more consistent playing time at the NHL level.
In 13 games this season with the Flyers before being traded to the Penguins, Zamula had one assist. He never played in a game for the Penguins before having his contract terminated by Pittsburgh.
The undrafted Zamula has played 168 NHL games and has 41 points for the Philadelphia Flyers.
“Egor is a mobile defenseman with good size who sees the ice well and can move the puck very efficiently. We are excited to have him join our hockey club,” said Don Waddell in a press release.
He will sign a one-year deal, per his Agent, Dan Milstein. It will be a prorated 1-million-dollar deal.
Milstein released the following statement just a few minutes ago, prior to the news of his signing.
Official statement Regarding Egor Zamula:
On December 20, 2025, Egor Zamula approached our agency (Gold Star Hockey) with a clear and principled objective: to find an opportunity, as quickly as possible, to return to the NHL and continue his career at the highest level. We are…
Up Next: The Blue Jackets travel to San Jose to take on the upstart Sharks on Tuesday.
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Stop me if you've heard this one before… the Ottawa Senators need a goalie.
This is a conversation that nobody expected to have at the beginning of the season. Just last year, the Senators ended an 8-year playoff drought on the back of some of the best goaltending in the NHL.
Linus Ullmark, Anton Forsberg and Leevi Meriläinen combined for 10 shutouts, tying the Winnipeg Jets and Hart trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck for the most in the league.
The Senators were also tied for the 7th-best team save percentage (.902) last season.
Leading up to 2025-26, goaltending was last on the list of concerns, despite a shaky performance from Ullmark in the playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs (which probably deserved a bit more attention, in hindsight).
But those days feel like ancient history, because there is, once again, a massive question mark in Ottawa’s crease.
After game number 41, the exact halfway point of the NHL season, the Senators are dead last in the league in team save percentage with a .871. After 41 games in 2024-25, they were 14th.
The issue has been amplified since Ullmark took personal leave on December 29th, leaving Meriläinen with the starter’s job in the middle of an underwhelming second NHL season.
But the Senators’ star netminder is having a terrible year.
According to NHL.com, 32 goalies have started more than 20 games, and Ullmark’s .881 save percentage (28GP) ranks 31st. Meriläinen has been worse, if you can imagine. He has 44 goals against and a .869 save percentage in 14 GP.
Last season, Ullmark had a .910 save percentage, and Meriläinen had a .925. They were excellent.
Not only have they taken a step back from last year, but they have each been borderline unplayable.
Their play is costing the Senators too many points in the standings for management to be complacent and preach patience. Team President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Steve Staios recently held a mid-season media availability and backed the team’s goaltending depth.
But behind the scenes, panic has to be setting in. The Senators are a pretty good team, even elite in several crucial categories, yet their goaltending is making them mediocre, at best.
Ullmark is now away from the team indefinitely on personal leave in the middle of a career-worst season, and Meriläinen is so far removed from the rookie who burst onto the scene last season that the Senators must find a solution in the crease to salvage their playoff hopes.
30-year-old Hunter Shepard did not inspire confidence during his relief appearance for Meriläinen in Monday night’s loss to Detroit.
Maybe it is Mads Søgaard, who was called up on Tuesday for the short road trip to Utah and Colorado. He appeared in just 2 NHL games last season - allowing 8 goals on 40 shots.
Injury troubles derailed his season last year, and this year’s 2-8-3 record for the Belleville Senators is unflattering (despite a .887 save percentage). Still, the Dane is an intriguing prospect. In 2023-24, he went 18-9-3 with a .916 save percentage for Belleville.
But if the 25-year-old is just more of the same at the NHL level, Staios needs to do something before the Senators waste a magnificent season from some of their top players.
Here are some meat and potatoes team statistics during Tim Stützle’s active 13-game point streak:
Last 13 Games Played (league rank)
7-5-1 (16th)
25.4 shots against per game (5th)
31.5 shots per game (4th)
Team save percentage .873 (27th)
On the back of remarkable play from Stützle and Jake Sanderson, the Senators have been able to stay afloat in the extremely competitive Eastern Conference. They are within striking distance of a wildcard spot, just four points back, but so are six other teams in front of them (including the Leafs and Florida Panthers, two teams that finished above the Senators last season).
To separate themselves from the logjam, the goalies simply have to be better. All they need to do is be a bit closer to league average, and the Senators should have no problem making the playoffs again.
Whether it’s Ullmark, Meriläinen, Søgaard or a new acquisition, the Senators desperately need someone to take the bull by the horns in the second half.
They need a goalie.
Jack Richardson is a writer for The Hockey News covering the Ottawa Senators. He has a background in local news, working as a video journalist for CTV. He also co-hosts the Locked on Senators postgame show. Follow Jack on Twitter and Instagram @jackrichrdson.
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The Winnipeg Jets return home Tuesday for a much-needed bounce-back opportunity as they wrap up a three-game road trip and host one of the Western Conference’s toughest opponents in the Vegas Golden Knights. Both teams enter the matchup facing more adversity than expected this season.
Winnipeg is looking to snap a nine-game losing streak, while Vegas is hoping to end a five-game skid of its own. A win would provide a critical reset for either side, though the situation is especially urgent for the Jets, who currently sit in last place in the NHL and are searching for a way to get back on track for the remainder of the season.
The Golden Knights, despite their recent struggles, remain firmly in the playoff picture. Their 17-11-12 record keeps them in the hunt for the Pacific Division lead, making this a pivotal game as they look to regain momentum.
With a return to home ice and two desperate teams searching for answers, the matchup sets the stage for another tight, hard-fought contest between Winnipeg and Vegas, a pairing that has consistently delivered competitive games.
Lineup Storylines
The Jets are once again looking to shake things up, with head coach Scott Arniel returning to line combinations that showed promise earlier this season.
Arniel is splitting up his top unit, reuniting Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele with winger Alex Iafallo. The trio had success in a brief stint together earlier in the year, as Iafallo recorded two goals and an assist in two games alongside the Jets’ two stars.
As a group, they have been even at five-on-five, scoring four goals while allowing four against. The hope is that this reunion brings stronger defensive structure without sacrificing offensive production.
On the second line, breakout winger Gabe Vilardi will look to continue his career year while helping jumpstart his linemates. Vilardi previously skated with Cole Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov, a trio that managed to score once but struggled defensively, giving up two goals.
To better balance the unit, the Jets are expected to insert a more reliable two-way presence in Jonathan Toews in place of Namestnikov, with the goal of keeping the offense intact while tightening things up defensively.
The bottom six features several new looks as well. Morgan Barron, who is enjoying a career year despite recent struggles, will skate with captain Adam Lowry and longtime Lowry linemate Nino Niederreiter.
This trio will be deployed together for the first time this season. Barron and Niederreiter have previously found the scoresheet when paired together and will look to rediscover that chemistry.
Rounding out the forward group is a veteran line of Tanner Pearson, Gustav Nyquist, and Vladislav Namestnikov. All three are searching for a much-needed bounce-back performance and will aim to provide stability and secondary scoring.
On defense, the Jets appear set to keep things largely unchanged. The only potential adjustment could see Haydn Fleury re-enter the lineup on the bottom pairing.
Winnipeg will try to capitalize on a Vegas Golden Knights lineup that is missing several key contributors, including defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore, along with forward William Karlsson and starting goaltender Adin Hill. Vegas has, however, welcomed back star center Jack Eichel, restoring one of the most dangerous top-six forward groups in the league.
Containing that firepower will be a major focus for the Jets. Vegas can score in waves, starting with a top line led by Eichel and featuring elite finishers like Ivan Barbashev and Mark Stone.
The second wave is just as threatening, with Mitch Marner driving play and setting up shooters such as Pavel Dorofeyev, while Tomas Hertl anchors the middle of the ice. If Winnipeg can limit that group to one or two goals, they should give themselves a legitimate chance to come away with a much-needed win.
It could be a very low-scoring affair with Connor Hellebuyck expected to draw in for the Jets while the Golden Knights are expected to ice Carter Hart between the pipes.
The 27-year-old Alberta native has produced lackluster numbers this season but when playing the Jets, he's been perfect with a undefeated record through five starts along with a 1.15 goals against average and a .965 save percentage. Getting to Hart early and throwing him off is a key for the Jets in this one.
Vegas: Carter Hart (Season: 4-3-3 record, 3.27 GAA, .875 SV% | VS WPG: 4-0-0 record, 1.15 GAA, .965 SV% in five games)
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IIHF president says seating at arenas may be reduced
NHL concerned about ice quality and dimensions
The head of the International Ice Hockey Federation said parts of the main hockey rink for the Milan Cortina Olympics might not be fully finished on time, but the playing surface, practice facilities and dressing rooms will be ready when the puck drops for the men’s event on 11 February.
“We can be confident on that,” IIHF President Luc Tardif told reporters Monday at the world junior championship. “You’re not going to go to Milano for nothing.”
Last summer, it didn't appear possible that Marchand, who just helped the Panthers win their second Stanley Cup in a row, would return due to how close Florida was to the salary cap. But somehow, Panthers general manager Bill Zito made it work, inking Marchand to a six-year, $31.5 million contract on July 1.
Ahead of the Panthers' matchup against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, Marchand revealed that it was between "Florida and Toronto of where I was going to go" in free agency, before adding he didn't think it'd be possible to return to the Panthers due to cap restraints.
"I never thought it was going to be possible to re-sign with Florida, I really didn't. Just with the guys we had up and stuff like that," Marchand continued, "but once the opportunity came up to sign here, it was kind of no question that's where I wanted to be. But just with where we were, I didn't think it was going to be able to happen."
According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, the Maple Leafs had an offer waiting for Marchand if he hit the open market on July 1, but ultimately, winning a Stanley Cup altered those potential plans.
Leafs had an offer coming to him had he hit July 1, to be sure. But winning the Cup changed everything. https://t.co/ePRSMzBXDw
Marchand admitted the Maple Leafs are playing better now, compared to how they've played in recent years, adding, "It's unfortunate the fans ran (Mitch) Marner out of town."
The 37-year-old continued, "I mean, that's a huge impact for their group. You know, he's a point-of-game player. Like, that hurts. But, yeah, I mean, they're a great team, great organization."
This is the second time the Panthers have faced the Maple Leafs this season. It is, though, Marchand's first game back in Toronto since he made comments about the Maple Leafs after Florida eliminated them in the playoffs last spring.
"So when you actually look at that, and then you see the pressure that Toronto faces, and everyone's talking about whatever the 20 or 30-year build up, I don't know what it is, but you see the fans and the way they're talking, like, they just beat the pressure into this team, and it's got to be tough on those guys to walk through the rink every day and not feel that," Marchand said, adding he was a Maple Leafs fan growing up.
"I mean, you see the way the fans treat them at the end, like, how do you not feel that every single day? And when you go through big games, you realize which are actually big games and which are just big moments."
The Halifax, Nova Scotia-born forward is off to a great start this season, scoring 23 goals and 23 assists through 40 games this season. Not only that, but Marchand is also headed to the Winter Olympics with Team Canada in February.
Safe to say, Father Time hasn't caught up with him yet on the ice. It might not ever catch up with him off the ice with his great quotes, either.
The new season has begun with the Rangers easily within reach of a playoff berth – if they extract the best hockey from their best players. Last night they did not – especially Breadman Panarin, the club's most important player.
Taken overall, he was the worst.
Last night's MSG challenge from the Utah Mammoth offered a good test of where the Blueshirts are going from here. They failed, losing 3-2 in overtime
On paper, a standings surge is doable since neither those immediately ahead of the New Yorkers in the Met Division – Devils, Capitals, Penguins, Flyers and Islanders – are still within easy reach.
But to do so the Rangers must do better than losing four of their last five games. What's more, the former Coyotes-turned-Mammoth entered The World's Most Famous Arena as not exactly the kind of club that puts fear in the hearts of foes – except, of course, the Rangers whose 44 games played is the most of every NHL club except Detroit.
So, what the Blueshirts did was play the kind of game that makes their outdoor win over Florida a dim, distant memory.
"The only plus last night," says The Old Scout, "is that they squeezed a point out of a game in which they were outplayed."
Of New York's two power play goals, one was with a big-deal two-man advantage. BUT,
they later got a gift power play that could have won the game with 3:14 remaining in the third period. By contrast – considering the time and score – was so futile, the Blueshirts managed only one shot on goal.
"The Rangers offense is pitiful," adds The Old Scout, "and when it comes to five on five play, they simply don't measure up."
But in this zany Met Division race, the Rangers still have 38 games left. While they are only three points out of last place, they are not that far from getting in a serious playoff place either.
However, if you use the loss to Utah as a barometer – not to mention the possible loss of Shesterkin for more than a few games – the Beloveds are going to have to shape up or ship out!
Florida Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis and winger Sandis Vilmanis have been named to Team Latvia's 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic roster.
Balinskis, 29, will take part in his second Olympic Games, having played in four games and notched three assists for Latvia at the 2022 Olympics. Balinskis has plenty of experience representing Latvia on the international stage, donning that Latvian jersey at five separate World Championships. In those five tournaments, Balinskis has scored one goal and nine points.
Due to a significant injury to Dmitry Kulikov, Balinskis has found himself back in the Panthers lineup. He's skated in 32 games this season, scoring one goal and seven points while averaging 13:58 of ice time.
Vilmanis, 21, is skating in his second season with the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL. In 31 games, he's scored eight goals and 19 points, on pace to smash his rookie season numbers. The former fifth-round pick (157th overall) in the 2022 NHL draft has flown up the ranks within the Panthers' prospect pool.
Standing 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, Vilmanis plays a strong game, looking to utilize his shot whenever possible. He has previously represented Latvia at the World Junior Championship three times, scoring three goals and seven points in 16 games.
Latvia's roster:
Forwards: Rodrigo Ābols (Philadelphia Flyers, NHL), Rūdolfs Balcers (ZSC Lions, SUI), Oskars Batņa (Lahti Pelicans, FIN), Teodors Bļugers (Vancouver Canucks, NHL), Roberts Bukarts (HC Pioneers Vorarlberg, AUT), Kaspars Daugaviņš (Selber Wölfe Huskies, GER-2), Mārtiņš Dzierkals (HC Sparta Prague, CZE), Haralds Egle (HC Energie Karlovy Vary, CZE), Zemgus Girgensons (Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL), Renārs Krastenbergs (HC Olomouc, CZE), Ēriks Mateiko (Hershey Bears, AHL), Dans Ločmelis (Providence Bruins, AHL), Eduards Tralmaks (Grand Rapids Griffins, AHL), Sandis Vilmanis (Charlotte Checkers, AHL).
Defenseman: Uvis Balinskis (Florida Panthers, NHL), Oskars Cibuļskis (Herning Blue Fox, DEN), Ralfs Freibergs (HC Vítkovice, CZE), Jānis Jaks (HC Energie Karlovy Vary, CZE), Roberts Mamčics (HC Energie Karlovy Vary, CZE), Kristiāns Rubīns (HC Škoda Plzeň, CZE), Alberts Šmits (Jukurit Mikkeli, FIN), Kristaps Zīle (Bílí Tygři Liberec, CZE).
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