Up to this point in the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been one of the most active teams in the league on the trade market.

On Tuesday, they made yet another move to help shore up some depth for a playoff run. And it's a move that has some upside potential.

The Penguins sent forward Valtteri Puustinen and a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for left defenseman Ilya Solovyov. The 25-year-old blueliner was selected in the seventh round (201st overall) by the Calgary Flames in the 2020 NHL Draft, and he was claimed off waivers by the Avs on Oct. 3.

In 16 games with the Avalanche this season, the 6-foot-3, 208-pound defenseman registerd a goal and three points to go along with a minus-1. In 31 career NHL games, he has a goal and seven points. 

On the surface, nothing jumps out about Solovyov, who didn't really have the chance to crack the lineup much on a dominant Colorado team. But, given the Penguins' lack of depth on the left side of their blue line - and their lack of NHL-ready organizational depth at defense in general - it made sense for GM/POHO Kyle Dubas to target depth defensemen, especially as the Penguins push for the playoffs. 

But there may be a bit of untapped potential in Solovyov. He has a booming shot, and he isn't afraid to use his size to his advantage. In 59 games with the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL last season, he had six goals and 28 points and was a plus-8. He also has the ability to box out players at the net-front with his frame, and he is pretty decent in transition. 

SOLOVYOV FIRST NHL GOAL 🚨 pic.twitter.com/XQGgDNlB8h

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 10, 2026

Solovyov will join the NHL club on its Western road trip, and their next game is in his old stomping grounds in Calgary on Wednesday, when they take on the Flames. With Kris Letang day-to-day with an upper-body injury and Erik Karlsson stating he wouldn't be in the lineup Wednesday despite making the trip with the team, there's a chance Solovyov might be in the lineup as soon as then.

All in all, this was a low-risk move for the Penguins, and it never hurts to have more depth on the blue line - especially on a left side that has yet to have a bottom-pairing blueliner stick in the lineup on a permanent basis.

Penguins Acquire Big Defender From Avalanche The Penguins have made another trade.

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Ever since the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Stuart Skinner in the Tristan Jarry trade in December, head coach Dan Muse has opted to go with a goalie rotation between him and Arturs Silovs.

Muse was doing the same thing with Silovs and Jarry at the beginning of the season, until Jarry started stealing some starts due to his strong play.

Now that Skinner is playing really well over the last few weeks, I think it's time for Muse to start giving him two out of every three starts and move away from the rotation a bit. This isn't a knock on Silovs, who has been playing better as of late (outside of shootouts). It's way more about Skinner, who has really found his form. 

Skinner's hot stretch began on Dec. 30 against the Carolina Hurricanes, a game the Penguins won 5-1. Skinner finished that game with 27 saves on 28 shots and a .964 save percentage. It was one of the Penguins' best efforts of the season, but there were still instances when Skinner had to come up with some big saves. 

He only allowed two goals over his next two starts against the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils on Jan. 3 and Jan. 8. Every Penguin player owed him a gourmet steak dinner for the way he played in the first period against the Devils. The Penguins were lethargic in their own zone, but Skinner was there to save them, making some big saves to preserve a 1-0 lead going into the second period. The Penguins eventually found their footing in the final 40 minutes and won 4-1. 

Skinner has won five of his last starts and has a .923 save percentage for the month of January, which is good for his best month of the 2025-26 season to date.

Newly Acquired Defenseman Could Be Sneaky Good Pickup For PenguinsUp to this point in the season, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> have been one of the most active teams in the league on the trade market.

In the Penguins' 6-3 win over the Seattle Kraken on Monday, he was especially sharp in the first period, making a big save on a breakaway from Eeli Tolvanen less than three minutes into the game. He finished the game with an .870 save percentage, but don't let that fool you. He was good when he needed to be. 

Even in the Penguins' 1-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Jan. 11, he gave his team every opportunity to tie the game. The only goal he gave up went off the post, his skate, and into the net. 

He has such a calming presence around him and continues to look really poised in the crease. His teammates are feeding off his confidence each time he plays. 

All of this can certainly change, since Skinner has been an inconsistent goaltender throughout his career, but right now, he's giving the Penguins the best chance to win and should see a slight increase in his workload. 

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Hagel scored two goals to reach 25 for the season and surpass Nikita Kucherov for the team lead as the Tampa Bay Lightning continued their surge with a 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

Anthony Cirelli and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist, and Kucherov had two assists to reach 48. Kucherov has 72 points, tied for third in the league with San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini, who was held scoreless.

Tampa Bay has a 14-game point streak and has won two straight since its one loss in that span, a 3-2 shootout defeat at St. Louis last Friday. The Lightning (31-13-4), who haven’t lost in regulation since Dec. 18, matched Carolina atop the Eastern Conference with 66 points.

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves for Tampa Bay.

Tyler Toffoli scored for the Sharks, who concluded their East Coast trip at 2-2. San Jose returns home for one game on Friday before a five-game trip with the first three in Western Canada.

Toffoli scored with 5:23 left in the first period, but Hagel tied it 37 seconds later with his 24th goal. He converted a precise feed from Cirelli to beat Yaroslav Askarov.

Cirelli scored early in the second period and Guentzel’s goal 1:28 later made it 3-1. After a long scoreless stretch, Hagel converted an empty-netter.

Askarov stopped 16 shots.

SENATORS 4, BLUE JACKETS 1

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Tyler Kleven and Tim Stutzle both scored in the first period, and Ottawa beat Columbus, snapping its four-game winning streak.

Ridly Greig had a goal and assist, Thomas Chabot added two assists, and Stutzle also had an assist. James Reimer made 21 saves in his first win for the Senators, who had lost two straight. He signed with the team as a free agent on Jan. 12.

Sean Monahan scored for the Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins stopped five shots for Columbus in 20 minutes before leaving the game with an illness. He was replaced in the second period by Jet Greaves, who stopped 12 shots.

Kleven put Ottawa ahead 1-0 at 3:34 of the first period, beating Merzlikins from the left circle on the Senators’ second shot of the game.

Monahan pulled Columbus even at 7:46 with his first goal in seven games, but Stutzle put Ottawa back in front 2:29 later.

After a scoreless second period, Greig gave Ottawa an insurance goal off the rush at 6:49 of the third. Brady Tkachuk added an empty-netter with 3:06 remaining.

CANADIENS 4, WILD 3

MONTREAL (AP) — Cole Caufield scored the winner with 15 seconds remaining to lift Montreal to a win over Minnesota.

Caufield took a pass from Nick Suzuki and fired a shot from the top of the right circle for his 25th of the season.

Phillip Danault — with his first of the season — Alexandre Carrier and Lane Hutson also scored for Montreal.

Rookie winger Ivan Demidov provided two assists and Jakub Dobes made 16 saves.

Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice and Brock Faber also scored for Minnesota, which beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Monday. Jesper Wallstedt stopped 29 shots.

STARS 6, BRUINS 2

DALLAS (AP) — Jason Robertson scored two goals, Justin Hryckowian had a goal and two assists, and Dallas ended a three-game skid while snapping Boston's six-game winning streak.

Wyatt Johnston, Mavrik Bourque and Esa Lindell also scored for the Stars, who had just three goals in their previous three games. Miro Heiskanen had three assists and Jake Oettinger had 16 saves.

The Bruins trailed 6-0 when Morgan Geekie scored on the power play to end Oettinger’s shutout bid with 7:49 to play. Geekie ended a personal 12-game goal-scoring drought when he tipped in David Pastrnak’s shot.

Fraser Minten also scored for Boston while Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves before he was lifted in favor of Joonas Korpisalo, who had three stops.

The Stars played without leading scorer Mikko Rantanen (19 goals, 44 assists), who was out with an illness.

Johnston’s goal with 3:52 left in the first was his NHL-leading 16th power-play goal this season. Bourque’s first-period goal also came on the power play.

Johnston has six goals and six assists over the past 12 games.

Robertson scored his 28th and 29th goals of the season early in the third period.

SABRES 5, PREDATORS 3

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Konsta Helenius scored his first NHL goal, assisted on two others, and Buffalo beat Nashville.

Noah Ostlund scored twice, Tage Thompson and Peyton Krebs also scored and Alex Lyon made 32 saves for the Sabres, 3-1-1 in their last five games.

Ryan O’Reilly scored twice and added an assist, Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists, and Juuse Saros and Justus Annunen combined to make 27 saves for the Predators, losers of two straight. Nashville had not lost consecutive games since a three-game skid in late November.

Ostlund scored the first goal of the game at 8:11 of the opening period.

Saros stopped Helenius’ shot from the left side and Ostlund crept in from the right and poked in the rebound from just outside the crease.

Ostlund struck again at 11:45 of the first with Helenius assisting on that goal as well.

Helenius scored at 17:24 of the first, skating through the slot and snapping a wrist shot high to Saros’ glove side. The 19-year-old Finn made his NHL debut in Monday night’s loss at Carolina.

JETS 3, BLUES 1

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Mark Scheifele had two goals and an assist to lead Winnipeg to a victory over St. Louis.

Josh Morrissey added a goal and two assists as Winnipeg scored three goals on 16 shots. Eric Comrie made 22 saves for Winnipeg (20-23-6), which won for the fifth time in seven games.

Jordan Kyrou scored for St. Louis. Joel Hofer stopped 13 of 15 shots for St. Louis (19-23-8), which lost its second straight and for the fifth time in seven games.

The Jets took advantage of a four-minute high-sticking penalty to the Blues’ Nathan Walker, who clipped Winnipeg defenseman Isaak Phillips, scoring twice in a 1:33 span midway through the first period.

First, Morrissey beat Hofer on a slap shot from the blue line with Scheifele and Kyle Connor assisting at 9:52. Then, Scheifele lifted the puck over Hofer from close range, with Morrissey getting the assist, at 11:25.

The Blues had pulled to within 2-1 late in the second. With Vladislav Namestnikov serving a four-minute minor for high-sticking Jonathan Berggren, Kyrou scored past Comrie.

Scheifele put the game away with an empty-net goal with 2:23 left.

KINGS 4, RANGERS 3

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist, and Anton Forsberg made 28 saves after taking over for the injured Darcy Kuemper in Los Angeles's victory over slumping New York.

Adrian Kempe, Taylor Ward and Andrei Kuzmenko also scored for the Kings, who snapped a four-game skid with only their second regulation victory in January.

Kuemper allowed two goals on eight shots before abruptly leaving with 38 seconds left in the first period following a collision in the crease with a charging Jonny Brodzinski.

Forsberg played superbly after taking over for Kuemper, a member of Canada’s Olympic roster. Kuemper also missed 2 1/2 weeks last month after taking a hit to the head during a loss at Dallas.

J.T. Miller scored two goals for the Rangers, who are last in the Eastern Conference after losing seven of eight.

Jonathan Quick made 23 saves in his third start and fourth appearance against the Kings, who drafted him in 2005. Quick, who turns 40 years old on Wednesday, won 370 games — 199 more than any other Kings goalie — while backstopping the club to two Stanley Cup championships during his 16 seasons in LA.

Kempe scored 18 seconds after the opening faceoff.

DEVILS 2, OILERS 1

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Arseny Gritsyuk and Cody Glass each had a goal and an assist and New Jersey held on to beat Edmonton.

The Devils, who improved to 17-0-0 when leading after two periods, have won four of their last five outings, including a 2-1 overtime victory on Monday against the host Calgary Flames.

Matthew Savoie scored for the Oilers, who had a two-game winning streak halted — the ninth time this season they have failed to extend a winning streak to three games.

Jake Allen survived a barrage in the third and recorded 21 saves to earn the win in net for New Jersey, while Tristan Jarry made 15 stops in his Oilers’ home debut.

Defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who was a healthy scratch against the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 10, picked up an assist to extend his points streak to six games, during which he has collected seven points.

The Oilers’ Curtis Lazar skated in his 600th career NHL game against his former team, where he spent portions of three seasons from 2022-25. He has played for seven NHL squads and has 50 goals and 80 assists.

The Nashville Predators' comeback effort came a little too late in Tuesday's game, falling in a 4-0 hole early and unable to fully recover in their 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres at home. 

It's the Predators' second straight loss, the first time they've lost back-to-back games since Nov. 24. 

The Sabres scored four unanswered goals, three of which came in the first 20 minutes of the game. Ryan O'Reilly scored twice and Filip Forsberg once to cut the Buffalo lead down to a goal. 

Peyton Krebs added an empty net goal in the third period to ice the game. 

Juuse Saros was pulled in the second period for Justus Annunen after allowing four goals on 18 shots. Annunen made 13 saves on 13 shots. 

Here are three takeaways from the Predators' loss to the Sabres. 

"We didn't want to work." 

In the previous three games, the Predators have been the first to strike. Even in the loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, Nashville had a 1-0 lead to open up the game. 

In Tuesday's matchup, the Sabres poured it on, seeing Noah Ostlund score twice and rookie Konsta Helenius score his first NHL goal and log two assists. By the end of 20 minutes, Buffalo had a 3-0 lead. 

"We just didn't want to work. It's pretty simple," Filip Forsberg said. "They're a skilled team, they're a fast team. 
We gave them exactly that, and they hurt us. Sometimes it's just as simple as that."

Predators head coach Andrew Brunette wasn't taking any moral victories, specifically in Nashville's comeback effort, saying the game was "lost in the first period." 

 "I thought they out-worked us and out-competed us," Brunette said. "They wanted it more than we did in the first period, and it was pretty evident for everybody who was watching the game. We were lucky it was only 3-0...

"At this time of year, when we know these points are so valuable, you can't take any solace in saying you played a good second half of the game. The game was lost in the first period." 

"It's not fair for Little Juice." 

Brunette said he wanted his team to get mad after Saros was pulled at the beginning of the second period after letting in the Sabres' fourth goal of the night.

Even if it "wasn't fair" for Saros to see his night end early, Brunette needed a response from his team. 

"I hope they get mad," Brunette said. "They should be upset that they let their goalies for two games in a row, kind of get barraged when they've (the goalies) kind of hung in there with us in a lot of these different games through this stretch. 

"It's over. 
You're disappointed, you're upset. Hopefully we learn a lesson."

Nashville did respond in the second period, seeing O'Reilly and Forsberg score to cut Buffalo's lead in half. After the game, Forsberg expressed that Saros should've been pulled "a little bit before" when he was originally called off. 

"It's certainly not Juice's (Saros') fault, but we've definitely got to be better," Forsberg said. 

Forcing a comeback 

The one positive to take away from the night was that the Predators gave themselves a chance late. 

O'Reilly's second goal of the night in the third period cut Buffalo's lead down to one and suddenly swung the momentum in favor of the Predators. He had three points on the night and now has nine points in five games.

It mirrored what the Predators had been doing from late November to early January: going down early and clawing their way back. 

"We had the momentum and control of the game, but just the whole we dug was too deep," O'Reilly said. "We're gonna have times where we lose momentum, and things don't go our way, but to do it for a full period that's not us. 
You can't be doing that. It's too tough." 

This is a different Predators team compared to the one a month ago, as they want to be in the driver's seat and not have to come back to win. Especially now when Nashville is battling for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

The loss puts Nashville three points outside the Wild Card spot in an extremely tight race. 

"You learn from it, move on," Brunette said. "Obviously, we're disappointed. There's no consolation, but you saw the team we can be when we get going."

Up next: Ottawa Senators (23-19-7, 8th Atlantic) at Nashville Predators (23-22-4, 5th Central) on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. CST at Bridgestone Arena. 

SEATTLE — Max Tsyplakov’s return to the lineup for the Islanders’ 4-3 win over the Canucks on Monday marked a nadir in what’s been a messy sophomore season in the NHL for the Russian winger.

After being on for two goals against in the first period, and plainly looking like he lacked confidence, Tsyplakov played just two shifts in the second and zero in the third.

“It’s on me,” coach Patrick Roy said afterward, falling on his sword to avoid criticizing the player. “He didn’t play a bad game. Just, he hasn’t played a lot and sometimes when that happens, you just want to go with the guys that you think you’ve got the best chance to win [with].

“He’s probably gonna be back in against Seattle. Hopefully I can use him more.”

Keeping Tsyplakov in the lineup against the Kraken on Wednesday, assuming that is the route Roy goes, would be a highly interesting move.

On one hand, it’s obvious that Tsyplakov needs a confidence boost, and that he’s not going to recover his game without some time to work through it.

On the other, it doesn’t help Tsyplakov — let alone the Islanders — if he’s nailed to the bench and the team is effectively down to 11 forwards.

Tsyplakov put together a strong first half last season, and finished the year with 35 points despite fading late.

The 27-year-old who scored 30 goals with Spartak Moscow in the KHL probably won’t ever do the same thing in the NHL, but there’s no reason he shouldn’t be an effective middle-six player.

Right now, though, his lack of confidence and Roy’s lack of trust in him appear to be working hand in hand to sabotage the situation.

Roy, when announcing that Tsyplakov would come back in the lineup against Vancouver after sitting three straight games, also took a hard left turn when he brought up Tsyplakov’s last KHL season, saying he wanted the winger to be a power forward and get pucks to the net.

That may not have directly contradicted his prior messaging to the player. But for most of the last calendar year, Roy has preached responsibility with the puck and playing north as keys for Tsyplakov to stay in the lineup.

For a player whose confidence was already low, the sudden change there may not have helped matters.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND ISLANDERS STATS

Roy, who hasn’t hesitated to criticize his players in the past, steadfastly refused to do so postgame.

“I’m not saying he was struggling. Sometimes [it’s] just coaching,” he said. “You just go with your feeling and it’s nothing personal on this one.”

The Islanders did not practice Tuesday in Seattle.

It was the kind of smothering road victory (and stable goaltending) that makes an NHL coach smile.

Tim Stutzle and Ridly Greig each had a goal and an assist as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4–1 on Tuesday night.

James Reimer wasn’t overly busy, stopping 21 shots, but he came up with several huge saves in the win. None was bigger than his second-period stop on Cole Sillinger’s shorthanded breakaway, one of the few loose moments for Ottawa on the night.

The game featured two underachieving Eastern Conference teams trying to claw their way back into playoff relevance, and it showed. Checking was tight throughout, and scoring chances were at a premium. Despite recent off-ice drama, the Senators have quietly collected eight of a possible 10 points over their last five games.

The Senators opened the scoring just 3:30 into the first period. Tyler Kleven took a slick pass from Claude Giroux, dragged the puck into the slot, and ripped a shot over the glove of starting goaltender Elvis Merzļikins.

Former Ottawa 67 Sean Monahan responded just over four minutes later with a shot from a similar angle at Ottawa's end, marking Reimer’s lone blemish of the night. The goal stemmed from a less-than-robust rim attempt by the veteran netminder.

Two-and-a-half minutes later, Tim Stützle took over a shift, circling the entire offensive zone with the puck. He grabbed it behind the Columbus net, circled high in the zone, and then sprinted in to beat Merzļikins five-hole to restore Ottawa’s lead. Merzļikins left the game late in the first period due to illness and was replaced by backup Jet Greaves.

The low-scoring, low-shot affair carried into the third period, when Ridly Greig gave the Senators some breathing room with his seventh goal of the season. Zach Werenski attempted to hold the puck in at the Ottawa blue line, but it bounced past him, leading to a 3-on-2 rush. Greig carried the puck over the line, dropped it to Dylan Cozens, who fed it back Greig, and he beat Greaves with backhander between the legs.

Ottawa sealed the game with just over three minutes remaining. After Columbus pulled its goaltender, Greig made a diving play along the boards to chip the puck out, springing Tim Stützle and Brady Tkachuk on a 2-on-0. Stützle passed up the empty net, handing it off to Tkachuk to finish the play.

The win marked Reimer’s first NHL victory in 279 days. For the second straight game, he delivered the timely saves that the Senators and their fan base had been pining for, giving the club a chance to win.

As the horn went, the win temporarily moved Ottawa within four points of the Buffalo Sabres for the second wild-card spot, pending out-of-town results.

The Senators continue their road trip Thursday night in Nashville against the Predators.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Hagel scored two goals to reach 25 for the season and surpass Nikita Kucherov for the team lead as the Tampa Bay Lightning continued their surge with a 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

Anthony Cirelli and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist, and Kucherov had two assists to reach 48. Kucherov has 72 points, tied for third in the league with San Jose's Macklin Celebrini, who was held scoreless.

Tampa Bay has a 14-game point streak and has won two straight since its one loss in that span, a 3-2 shootout defeat at St. Louis last Friday. The Lightning (31-13-4), who haven't lost in regulation since Dec. 18, matched Carolina atop the Eastern Conference with 66 points.

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves for Tampa Bay.

Tyler Toffoli scored for the Sharks, who concluded their East Coast trip at 2-2. San Jose returns home for one game on Friday before a five-game trip with the first three in Western Canada.

Toffoli scored with 5:23 left in the first period, but Hagel tied it 37 seconds later with his 24th goal. He converted a precise feed from Cirelli to beat Yaroslav Askarov.

Cirelli scored early in the second period and Guentzel's goal 1:28 later made it 3-1. After a long scoreless stretch, Hagel converted an empty-netter.

Askarov stopped 16 shots.

Sharks: Host the New York Rangers on Friday night.

Lightning: At Chicago on Friday night.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

SEATTLE — Since junior hockey, Anthony Duclair had never changed anything about his stick. That flex, that curvature — it worked for him, so why touch it?

Except, when the calendar turned to the new year, it was no longer working the same way. Duclair had scored only once in his past 26 games, just four times in the season’s first 39 games and was made a healthy scratch in the Islanders’ first two games of 2026.

This season wasn’t as overtly miserable as last year’s for Duclair — he was healthy, and his relationship with Patrick Roy appeared fine — but he was languishing in the bottom six, showing little sign of recovering his scoring touch.

“At some point, I was tired. I was like, ‘I need to change something,’ ” Duclair said after the Islanders beat the Canucks 4-3 on Monday night. “I just grabbed [Casey Cizikas’] stick after practice.”

And?

“My shot was just unbelievable.

“I was like, ‘Screw it. I’m gonna use it.”

The next game, Duclair scored on his first shot of the night. Then he scored two more times, and assisted two more goals for a five-point performance against the Devils. It was the first five-point hat trick for an Islander in five years, and the best scoring output in a game of Duclair’s career.

So, yeah. He told equipment manager Jason Berger to order him a shipment of sticks to Cizikas’ specifications.

“Totally different model, curve, everything,” Duclair said. “I put my stick in the garbage. I’m using Cizikas’ now.”

Call it a coincidence, call it a placebo, call it whatever you want. But it is working.

In seven games with the new twig, Duclair has seven goals, including two Monday night in Vancouver that served to wake up the Islanders amid a woeful start to the game.

“I feel like he’s shooting with a lot of confidence,” coach Patrick Roy said. “For some reason, he’s positioning [himself] well. He scored two on this trip in the power play in the pocket. I thought that was a really nice shot from the side. Great feed by our guys, he took advantage of it. He deserves credit for that.”

Seven goals, by the way, is as many as he had all of last season.

The Islanders have been challenged for scoring throughout this seven-game trip which ends Wednesday night against the Kraken.

They’re missing Bo Horvat, their leading scorer, and Kyle Palmieri, who potted 24 goals a year ago, and the cracks have started to show.

Even with Horvat set to return from a lower-body injury before the Olympic break (Palmieri is done for the season with an ACL tear), scoring is a need Mathieu Darche may need to address before the trade deadline.

If Duclair can keep up this output and be the top-line player the Islanders thought they were getting a year ago, though, it might change that equation, or at least lessen the urgency a smidge. 

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND ISLANDERS STATS

His chemistry with Mat Barzal, long dormant since the Islanders spent the 2024 preseason with the two of them together on the top line, has reignited. He’s clicked with Cal Ritchie too, with the pair combining for two power-play goals on this trip, both in similar fashion (and, yes, if Duclair can help spark the power play, that too would be a game-changer for the Islanders).

For now, it’s still too small a sample size to avoid some caution, though Duclair has certainly earned a lasting stay in the top six even when Horvat comes back and pushes someone out.

If it really was as easy as changing up his stick, though, then maybe the Islanders have just solved one of their problems.

The Kings are currently on a 3-game point streak after being defeated by Vegas in overtime and by the Ducks in both games, which went to a shootout and overtime. The Kings have not won a game since January 10th, and if they want to stay in the playoff race, they will need a big win tonight against a struggling New York Rangers team. The Rangers are coming into this game after losing to the Ducks 5-3 last night. The Kings need to take full advantage tonight and walk away with a win so they can still be in the playoff race. 

Kings Projected Lines

Here are the projected lines for the Kings tonight: 

Corey Perry - Alex Laferriere - Adrian Kempe

Warren Foegele - Quinton Byfield - Joel Armia

Kevin Fiala - Alex Turcotte - Andrei Kuzmenko

Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward

Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty

Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke

Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci

Darcy Kuemper

Anton Forsberg

Projected Rangers Lines

Here are the projected lines for the Rangers tonight: 

J.T. Miller - Mika Zibanejad - Gabe Perreault

Artemi Panarin - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafreniere

Brennan Othmann - Noah Laba - Will Cuylle

Taylor Raddysh - Sam Carrick - Jonny Brodzinski

Vladislav Gavrikov - Braden Schneider

Matthew Robertson - Will Borgen

Carson Soucy - Scott Morrow

Jonathan Quick

Spencer Martin

Line Changes and Injuries 

The Kings get Corey Perry back after he missed 3 games to attend to a family matter. The Kings also sent Andre Lee to the Ontario Reign on Monday. The Rangers are getting back Carson Soucy after he missed the last 2 games due to the birth of his child. The Kings will be starting Darcy Kuemper tonight after Anton Forsberg started in the 2-1 overtime loss against the Ducks. The Rangers are starting former King Johnathan Quick, and this game could be his last game in Los Angeles. 

Key Factors

The last 2 games the Kings have played have shown some issues that have cost them games this season. In the first game against the Ducks, the Kings led 2-0 but lost 3-2. So if they find themselves with a lead tonight, they have to do a better job of protecting it while also maintaining their momentum throughout the game. 

In the 2nd game against the Ducks, the Kings scored 1 goal, all on the power play, which has not been very successful, ranking 29th in the NHL. While that power-play goal was good for the Kings, they went 1/6 on the power play throughout the game, which was more than enough chances to win. 

The Rangers' penalty kill ranks 15th in the NHL, and if the Kings get a power play, they need to score more often to not only win games but also get into the playoffs. The Kings are currently on a 3-game losing skid, during which all 3 games went into overtime. 

The Rangers have been struggling as of late, and Johnathan Quick is on a 4-game losing skid, where his best save percentage in those 4 games was .893. The Kings are desperate for a win, and tonight is the perfect opportunity for them to do so. If they can capitalize on the man advantage and protect a lead, they will walk away with a win tonight. 

My prediction for tonight's game is a 3-1 Kings victory. 

LOS ANGELES — The Rangers’ announcement of their plans to retool naturally coincided with Gabe Perreault’s return to the top line. 

Now that the Blueshirts have decided to take a step back, recalibrate and make some personnel changes, Perreault, who did not record a point in 16:24 of action in the Rangers’ 4-3 loss to the Kings on Tuesday night, is at the top of the list of players who can be managed more strategically going forward this season. Development has long been a critique of this organization, but circumstances are looking different than previously. 

Skating on the first unit with Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller for a third straight game Tuesday against the Kings, Perreault is starting to find his footing at the NHL level. 

“It’s obviously nice playing with guys like that,” Perreault told The Post before the Rangers set out on the current road trip. “They’ve been here for a long time and kind of make it easy on me. Sometimes, it’s not always easy playing top line, top D-pair. It makes it harder in that sense. But I think since my first time in the top six, now I’m definitely more comfortable and more used to it, in a way. I hope to just keep getting better and more comfortable.”

The 20-year-old sure looked confident in the final minutes of regulation Monday night, when he was streaking toward the Ducks net and flipped to his backhand before Jackson LaCombe got his stick in the way at the last second. 

It was a one-goal game at the time, and Perreault attacked the net like it was. 

He’s had the puck on his stick a lot more. And after failing to record a single shot in half of his first six games, Perreault has only had two such performances over his 11 games since. 

“Gabe had a hell of a game [against the Ducks],” Rangers captain J.T. Miller said Monday night. “I think maybe [he] did a lot of things that people watching don’t see. Obviously, he’s a really gifted player with the puck. It’s how he’s made a name for himself at this point. That being said, he was in such good spots all over the rink today. You can tell he’s learning a lot as he goes. He’s trying to be a sponge and it’s fun to play with. 

“He’s just going to get better as he gets going, but I think today, his play without the puck was better. He was good with the puck, but I’m saying his play without the puck really stood out to me.”

In an otherwise disappointing effort against the Senators last week, Perreault recorded the first multigoal effort of his young NHL career. His three goals and four assists through 17 games indicate his game could be coming. 

The more he plays with top six caliber talent the more opportunities he has to cement himself there. 

In 58:13 of 5-on-5 ice time with Zibanejad and Miller, the trio has been on the ice for seven Rangers goals and three against, per Natural Stat Trick. The two veterans have said they enjoy skating alongside one another for the versatility at center. 

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND RANGERS STATS

If Perreault can seize the top-line wing role early, it would be one less thing for the Rangers to address in the retool. 

“I think he’s getting quicker with his decision-making,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of the rookie. “I think his foot speed picking up and the game is probably slowing down in his brain, also. I think that’s all happening at the same time. That’s just the process so. He makes a handful of plays every night. He almost scores in the third period there to tie it up [Monday night]. He plays the game with a lot of courage. I give him credit. He takes that puck to the far post. When you take it to the far post like that, usually you’re going to pay a price when that happens. 

“I think he plays the game with a lot of courage, his willingness to do those types of things. I think it just speaks to his competitiveness.”

Jonathan Quick is set to start against his former team as the New York Rangers take on the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night. 

It will be just the third game he’ll play against the Kings and the second time starting in the confines of Crypto.com Arena. 

In 16 seasons with the Kings, Quick won two Stanley Cups and established himself as one of the great goaltenders of this generation. 

It’s been a long time since those days, but the memories of Quick’s dominance in Los Angeles are certainly still remembered.

“Elite, just an elite goaltender and a fierce competitor,” Mike Sullivan says of what he remembers of Quick during his tenure with the Kings. “I think he commands so much respect because he's earned it through his body of work. I've said this so many times, I think he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer. 

“I mean, with what he did in his years here in LA to help those teams win Stanley Cups the way they did, he was such a huge part of it, he was a cornerstone of those teams… He’s an inspiration to me.”

Quick recently made his 800th career start, and on Wednesday, he’ll turn 40 years old, joining Brent Burns, Alex Ovechkin, and Corey Perry as the only players who are in their 40s. 

Mika Zibanejad Emphasizes That His First Olympic Nod Is A ‘Huge Honor’When it comes to the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> and their link to the 2026 Winter Olympics, there’s a lot of attention on Team USA, given that Mike Sullivan will serve as the head coach, while both J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck will also represent their country on the world stage.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It’s an impressive milestone, but it’s no surprise to Sullivan that Quick is still in the NHL approaching his 40th birthday. 

“It's not by chance he's continuing to play at the level he's playing at the age he's at,” Sullivan said. “You have to love what you do to continue to keep your game at the level that he keeps it at his age. I just think he's a great example for all of us, just the passion that he brings to his job every day and how hard he works at it, to try to keep his game at the most elite level and the most competitive level that he can. I have so much respect for his overall body of work in this league, and now having the opportunity to work with him and watch what he does on a daily basis, it's not by accident.”

The first and only time Vancouver Canucks fans saw playoff-Kiefer Sherwood was when he was still playing for the Nashville Predators in 2024. While he only scored once, Sherwood was a force for Nashville in what became a hard-fought series. The forward left such a positive impression that, when he ultimately signed a two-year, $1.5M AAV contract that off-season, then-Canucks captain Quinn Hughes became one of his biggest advocates. 

“Just playing him in the playoffs against Nashville and seeing his competitiveness and what he brings, you need guys like that on a championship team,” Hughes had told Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet at the time. 

In Sherwood’s time with the Canucks, Vancouver wasn’t quite able to reach that playoff threshold, but there were definitely times in which the forward’s clutch ability made Rogers Arena feel as though it was smack-dab in the middle of a series. From puck drop on Sherwood’s first game with Vancouver, to his first-career NHL hat trick against the Colorado Avalanche, to scoring the game-winning goal against the Dallas Stars after clawing back from a 5–2 deficit, Sherwood’s tenure with the Canucks had no shortage of clutch moments. 

There’s something about four-syllable names that calls to Canucks fans and their chants. J.T. Miller, Thatcher Demko, and Conor Garland are three players who have had their name echo through the walls of Rogers Arena. Sherwood is no different — especially when it came to the sheer amount of times he did something worth chanting for. 

“Looking back, I couldn’t have asked for anything more from my experience in Vancouver,” Sherwood said in a final media availability only a couple of hours after being traded. “To have the fans be as appreciative as they are, and even chant my name is crazy… it’s something I still sometimes process and look back on.”

While to him it may have felt like the fans gave Sherwood their all, the effort was reciprocated tenfold. Sherwood finishes his tenure with the Canucks with 36 goals, 27 assists, and 670 hits. His 460 hits with the Canucks in 2024–25 mark a new single-season record for the NHL, while his two 12-hit games (October 22 vs. the Chicago Blackhawks and March 22 vs. the New York Rangers) are tied with Luke Schenn for the franchise-high in one game. In total, he has made 10+ hits in a single game 13 different times as a Canuck. 

Ultimately, Vancouver and Sherwood were kind to one-another when it comes to the dynamic between player and fan. Sherwood found career-high after career-high while wearing Vancouver’s orca, and Canucks fans found a no-quit player they could support throughout even the roughest of games — one more than deserving of the Fred J. Hume “Unsung Hero” Award given to him at the end of last season. Even though Sherwood’s next stint in playoffs won’t be for the Canucks, he’ll undoubtedly have many people cheering him on from all across BC. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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The Los Angeles Kings are hosting the New York Rangers in a Tuesday night clash at Crypto.com Arena.

The Rangers are coming into Los Angeles following a 5-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday, meaning this is the second half of a back-to-back.

New York's head coach, Mike Sullivan, confirmed that former Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick will be getting the start in L.A.

It was made clear that Quick was scheduled to get the start in Los Angeles. Sullivan was asked by reporters if Quick's relationship with the Kings has anything to do with his start.

“It does,” he told reporters. “Without a doubt, it for sure does. I think Quickie deserves that.”

Given Quick's age and contract status - he was signed to a one-year deal in the off-season - this could be the very last appearance he makes in Los Angeles before he retires.

The netminder is 39 years old and in his 19th NHL season. Going into Tuesday's game, Quick has made 800 starts and 819 appearances.

Everyone knows about Quick's history in Los Angeles. The veteran goaltender played parts of 16 seasons with the Kings and 370 victories with the franchise.

Golden Knights And Sharks Put Pressure On Kings GM With Latest TradesWith Pacific Division counterparts Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks making big trades, the Los Angeles Kings are falling behind. What direction should GM Ken Holland take the Kings as the trade deadline gets closer?

With his long tenure, he holds nearly every goaltending franchise record, including most wins and most appearances in a season and in an entire career. The same records apply to the playoffs.

In addition to the records, he has several awards to his name, including three Stanley Cups, two with Los Angeles, two William M. Jennings Trophies and a Conn Smythe in 2011-12.

This season, Quick has made 15 appearances for the Rangers, posting a 3.13 goals-against average and a .887 save percentage, hoping to make one last memory in Los Angeles.

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.

The Buffalo Sabres continue to struggle without center Josh Norris in the lineup, as the club lost their second game in a row in Raleigh, NC on Monday, as Seth Jarvis’s third-period power-play goal held up for a 2-1 Carolina Hurricanes victory. Rasmus Dahlin scored the Sabres lone goal, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves in the loss. 

Buffalo will continue their five-game road swing on Tuesday in Nashville against the Predators, but it is unknown whether Colten Ellis or Alex Lyon will get the start in the second of back-to-back games. Lyon has been out of action since December 29th and was activated to back up Luukkonen against the Canes.   

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Defenseman Michael Kesselring was not in the lineup on Monday. According to head coach Lindy Ruff, the big righty is questionable to play against Nashville.  Kesselring was part of the deal, along with Josh Doan, for winger JJ Peterka last June. The 26-year-old missed the start of the season before returning in late October. In mid-November, he suffered a high-ankle sprain and returned to the lineup after a month, but has reaggravated the lower-body injury twice since. 

In other news, Sabres center Tage Thompson was named the NHL First Star of the Week on Monday. Thompson led the NHL with nine points (3 goals, 6 assists) in four games last week, including a hat trick against the Montreal Canadiens on January 15th, and leads Buffalo with 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists) in 48 games. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

The Colorado Avalanche completed a depth swap with the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier Tuesday, acquiring forward Valtteri Puustinen and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft in exchange for defenseman Ilya Solovyov.

The 23-year-old Solovyov was claimed off waivers from the Calgary Flames in October and went on to carve out a modest but dependable role along Colorado’s blue line.

The 6-foot-3, 209-pound left-shot defenseman appeared in 16 games, scoring his first career NHL goal on January 10 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, while adding two assists.

Primarily deployed in a bottom-pairing role, Solovyov provided physicality, steady positioning, and a willingness to block shots and play tough in his own end.

Although he was never projected to be an everyday fixture, he proved to be a reliable depth option when injuries tested the Avalanche’s defensive lineup.

With star defenseman Devon Toews expected to return in the near future and Jack Ahcan poised for a call-up as Toews continues his rehabilitation, the Avalanche found themselves with increased flexibility on the back end—prompting the organization to address a more pressing need elsewhere in the lineup.

Puustinen arrives as a versatile winger capable of playing both the left and right sides. The 5-foot-9, 183-pound forward has spent the entirety of the 2025–26 season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, recording seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 35 games. He also brings NHL experience, having appeared in 52 games with Pittsburgh during the 2023–24 season, where he totaled 20 points. The 26-year-old will report directly to Loveland and join the Colorado Eagles, the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate.

On the surface, the transaction appears to be a simple exchange of surplus for need. However, a closer look reveals a calculated move that aligns with the short-and long-term objectives of both organizations. Here’s why this trade makes sense for the Avalanche—and the Penguins.

Solovyov Will Get to Play More in Pittsburgh

The Penguins are navigating a multi-year rebuild under general manager Kyle Dubas, with an emphasis on stockpiling draft picks, developing prospects, and gradually infusing the roster with younger talent. That environment should allow a player like Solovyov to see more consistent ice time, giving him a valuable opportunity to continue sharpening his game at the NHL level.

It’s not that Solovyov failed to perform in Colorado—on the contrary, his play steadily improved. He became more composed with the puck, showed better decision-making under pressure, and flashed an underrated shot from the blue line. Unfortunately for him, the Avalanche are simply loaded with defensive talent, limiting his path to a regular role.

Solovyov had the chance to share the ice with one generational star in Nathan MacKinnon. Now, he’ll have the opportunity to learn from another—MacKinnon’s childhood hero and one of the game’s all-time greats, “The Kid” himself, Sidney Crosby.

Puustinen Fits the Avalanche Identity

Puustinen is a fast, efficient skater with strong short-area acceleration. His first few strides are particularly effective, allowing him to create just enough separation to open passing lanes or slip into soft ice, especially during controlled zone entries and in transition.

That speed is backed by data. According to NHL EDGE statistics, Puustinen has been clocked at a top speed of 23.02 miles per hour—just a fraction behind Nathan MacKinnon’s recorded top speed of 23.06 mph. While straight-line speed isn’t the defining element of his game, it underscores his ability to keep pace.

Look at this backcheck from Valtteri Puustinen on the powerplay. He's just faster than everyone else and stops a 2 on 1. He's been a breath of fresh air. pic.twitter.com/qvY4MxjEPX

— nhlpens (@nhlpens) December 22, 2023

Beyond his skating, Puustinen is well regarded for his work on special teams, particularly on the power play. He may not possess an elite shot, but he compensates with excellent puck awareness and a strong understanding of spacing and rotations. He processes plays quickly, keeps the puck moving, and consistently makes smart, connective decisions that help power-play units stay organized and dangerous.

With that said, Puustinen profiles as a legitimate call-up option heading into the postseason. If head coach Jared Bednar chooses to get creative, deploying him on the second power-play unit would be a low-risk move—one that could quietly pay dividends for a unit that has struggled for much of the season.