The story of the U.S. men’s hockey team winning the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics features a twist.
You know about Jack Hughes’ teeth, two of them knocked out before he scored the winning goal in a 2-1 overtime victory over Canada to secure the gold medal.
But do you know about the missing puck?
Specifically, the puck Hughes shot past Canada goalie Jordan Binnington for the game-winning goal, which gave the U.S. hockey team its first Olympic gold medal since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" team.
So where’s the “golden goal’’ puck? Did somebody get that puck? That's what former NHL player Tony Granato asked Hughes Feb. 26 during an interview on TNT.
"I honestly don't know where that puck went,’’ Hughes said. “I know who doesn't have it is me. I sure as hell don't have it.’’
Who has Jack Hughes' 'golden goal' puck?
A day after that interview, a spokesperson for the International Ice Hockey Federation told Sportico the puck was "designated for archival preservation with the (Hockey Hall of Fame) to ensure its long-term safekeeping and historical recognition."
Hughes, back in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils, is not celebrating the decision like he did the golden goal.
"I'm trying to get it,’’ Hughes said of the puck in an exclusive interview with ESPN Tuesday, March 17. “Like, that's (b.s.) that the Hockey Hall of Fame has it, in my opinion. Why would they have that puck?"
That puck, along with the puck Megan Keller shot and scored in overtime that secured a gold medal for the U.S. women’s hockey team, are part of an "Olympics '26" display at the Hockey Hall of Fame, according to ESPN.
But not permanently. If Hughes can help it.
"I don't see why Megan Keller or I shouldn't have those pucks," Hughes told ESPN, explaining that his father has collected hockey memorabilia during the careers of Jack and his two brothers. "I wouldn't even want it for myself. I'd want it for my dad. I know he'd just love, love having it."
TORONTO -- Calum Ritchie recorded a goal and an assist, while Matthew Schaefer added an assist in their hometown debuts, helping the New York Islanders to a 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.
Ilya Sorokin made 23 saves to earn the 150th win of his NHL career.
Here's how the game unfolded:
Brayden Schenn scored his first goal since joining the Islanders ahead of March 6th's NHL Trade Deadline. He received a nifty Ritchie feed on the power play at 4:15 of the first period:
Ritchie casually sets up Schenn as if they’ve been playing on the power play together, forever.🚨 #Isles 1-0 pic.twitter.com/E8P9LG8sFM
Ritchie doubled the Islanders' lead to 2-0 at 9:43 of the first period. Barzal, stationed on the left half-wall, fed Ritchie down low before the rookie cut to the top of the crease:
Steven Lorenz got the Maple Leafs on the board at 4:40 of the second, but the Islanders responded at 11:57 of the third after Emil Heineman wired a Tony DeAngelo one-time feed for his 19th of the season:
Developing prospects drafted after the first round can be complicated at times. Unlike top picks, those selected in the second or later rounds statistically have a smaller chance of becoming impactful at the NHL level. That being said, teams are able to find late-round steals almost every year, which is why the 2020 and 2021 drafts remain a dark cloud over the Vancouver Canucks organization.
During the 2020 and 2021 drafts, the Canucks had a total of 11 picks. Of those 11 picks, zero have played NHL games, with only three having some form of connection to the organization. While there is a chance that one or two of these players could still play in the NHL, overall, these two drafts could go down among the worst in franchise history.
Starting in 2020, Vancouver made five selections. Of those five, only Jackson Kunz remains with the organization as he is signed to an AHL deal. Here are the five draft picks:
82nd- Joni Jurmo 113th- Jackson Kunz 144th- Jacob Truscott 175th- Dmitri Zlodeyev 191st- Viktor Persson
As for players that Canucks could have had, here are some players who have played NHL games drafted just after these selections:
83rd- Alex Laferriere 114th- Mikael Pyyhtiä 150th- Matt Kessel 181st- Cole Reinhardt 205th- Ilya Solovyov
Moving to the 2021 draft, Vancouver made six selections. Of the six, only Danila Klimovich and Aku Koskenvuo. Here are the six draft picks:
41st- Danila Klimovich 137th- Aku Koskenvuo 140th- Jonathan Myrenberg 169th- Hugo Gabrielson 178th- Connor Lockhart 201st- Lucas Forsell
And here is a look at players who have played NHL games the Canucks could have drafted instead:
47th- Logan Stankoven 144th- Jaroslav Chmelar 150th- Joshua Roy 193rd- Tyson Kozak 203rd- Zakhar Bardakov
In the end, the inability to produce at least one NHLer from these two drafts is currently causing Vancouver issues. There is also a case to be made that Jim Benning's constant trading away of picks, even middle-round ones, has impacted the organization this season. As mentioned, while there is still a chance someone from this draft makes the NHL one day, the odds are that both classes will continue to remain bare.
Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning announces Jake Virtanen (not pictured) as the number six overall pick to the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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The Detroit Red Wings did what they had to do on Monday evening, defeating the Calgary Flames by a 5-2 final score at Little Caesars Arena.
Not only did goaltender John Gibson turn in another strong performance by making 25 saves, but the club also got a pair of second-period goals from future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane.
Kane knotted the score at 1-1 early in the second period when he sniped Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf on a breakaway attempt, and then later redirected a perfect pass from Alex DeBrincat (who also assisted on his first goal) past Wolf, giving him a total of 504 career goals.
With his first goal tonight (#503), Patrick Kane passes Joe Mullen for the fourth-most by a U.S.-born player in NHL history pic.twitter.com/zlkxdZBgiy
Kane, who has already set a pair of important milestones this season by scoring both his 500th career goal and becoming the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history, made history once again.
With his 503rd goal, he passed Joe Mullen and now sits alone in fourth place all-time in total goals by a U.S.-born player.
Kane, who moved past Mike Modano in late January in total scoring by a U.S.-born NHL player, looked back on a media tour that he took part in that included Modano, Mullen, and Hall of Fame defenseman Phil Housley early in his career.
“Coming into the NHL and being a high American pick, we did a little thing for Modano when he was about to pass the record there in New York City, kind of like a media tour with the past of Phil Housley and Joey Mullen, and present with Modano and myself, which I guess at that time was the future,” Kane said with a smile.
Kane then expressed his gratitude for the graciousness shown to him by both Housley and Mullen, who had already been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, as well as the future Hall of Famer in Modano.
“It was a long time ago, but to spend time with those guys, Mullen, Housley, and Modano, and just how gracious they were with their time with me, treating me like one of their own, was pretty cool to spend some time with them.”
Kane added, “It’s definitely a humbling milestone.”
There's no question that Kane will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility whenever his playing career comes to a close.
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The Chicago Blackhawks made multiple moves leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. This was expected, as the Blackhawks are still rebuilding and are on the wrong side of the playoff line.
Due to this, the Blackhawks traded multiple of their former pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), as Nick Foligno (Minnesota Wild), Connor Murphy (Edmonton Oilers), and Jason Dickinson (Oilers) were all moved.
However, one Blackhawks pending UFA who did not get moved ahead of the deadline is veteran defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. Now, the Blackhawks have a decision to make with the Massachusetts native because of it.
Grzelcyk has been a solid depth addition for the Blackhawks this season. Due to this, could the Blackhawks try to keep the 32-year-old defenseman beyond this season?
The Blackhawks have a young blueline with several promising defensemen. With this, it would not be the worst thing in the world if the Blackhawks extended Grzelcyk and kept him around as a veteran mentor for the club's younger defensemen. Grzelcyk could work well as the Blackhawks' seventh defenseman next season.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what the Blackhawks decide to do with Grzelcyk. In 66 games this season with the Original Six club, he has 12 assists and 30 penalty minutes.
Rutger McGroarty is a prospect who the Pittsburgh Penguins are hoping will be a big part of their future. The 2022 first-round pick has yet to blossom into a full-time NHL player, but he has been showing promise during his second professional season at the AHL level.
In fact, as the season rolls on, McGroarty is only continuing to stay hot with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
McGroarty has been making a real impact offensively with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, as he has two goals and five points over his last five games with the AHL squad. He also has 16 points over his last 15 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, so he has done a good job staying consistent.
Due to his hot streak, McGroarty has seven goals, 17 assists, 24 points, and a plus-7 rating in 22 games this season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. With numbers like these, it is clear that he is taking his game to a new level this season at the AHL level. He is producing at over a point-per-game pace in the AHL this season after he had 39 points in 60 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this past campaign.
It will now be interesting to see how McGroarty continues to perform from here. In 20 NHL games this season with Pittsburgh, the 6-foot-1 winger has two goals, five points, and 21 hits.
The Edmonton Oilers will be without one of their most important players down the final stretch of their playoff push.
Star forward Leon Draisaitl is expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a lower body injury, the team announced Tuesday. Draisaitl, whose 97 points in 65 games are second-most on the Oilers this season, took a hard hit from Nashville Predators Ozzy Wiesblatt in the first period of Sunday's 3-1 win. Although he returned to the ice for a few more shifts in the first, Draisaitl did not re-enter the game once the second period began.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters Sunday that "it shouldn't be a really long injury" judging by information given to him by the team's medical staff.
"No immediate red flags," Knoblauch said. "... There might be some time off, but we'll find out later."
Draisaitl's absence comes at a pivotal point in the Oilers' (33-26-9) heated playoff race. With 14 games left in the season, they enter Tuesday at third place in the Pacific Division trailing the first-place Anaheim Ducks by two points and second-place Vegas Golden Knights by one point. They currently hold a four-point advantage over the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings for the final Western Conference wildcard spot, with the San Jose Sharks sitting one point behind them.
If the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the seventh consecutive year, it'll have to be without the player who has been responsible for 41% of their goals this season.
Draisaitl was the runner-up for the Hart Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player last season as the Oilers made it to the Stanley Cup Final; he won the award in 2020.
The standings in the division remain very close, and the Kings are in the middle of it. LA now has a clear opportunity to climb the standings at a critical moment in the season.
Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the conference:
Despite the Kings being in the mix of the postseason, a bad week would be all it would take for them to drop out of playoff position. So, they are far from out of the woods just yet.
Kings In Striking Distance
Now, when you look at the current standings as of Tuesday, the second seed only has a six-point lead over the sixth seed, and now, with the news of Draisaitl out for the rest of the year, Los Angeles needs to take advantage of that.
The Kings and Kraken are both tied for the fourth seed in the division, sitting just four points back of the Oilers, and are better equipped now to surpass a wounded Oilers squad.
Edmonton has a brutal seven-game stretch starting today against San Jose, Florida, Tampa Bay, Utah, Vegas, Anaheim, and Seattle; all of these teams are fighting for playoff positions.
Without their star forward, the Oilers can very well drop to the bottom of the playoff picture by next week, and that can benefit the Kings to rise if they take care of business.
Under D.J. Smith, the Kings have built their identity under defensive discipline and balanced scoring from their depth. While they might not have the same offensive power as the Oilers, they still have a good chance with Edmonton not fully healthy.
Now, with the Oilers suddenly looking vulnerable, even before the injury to Draisaitl, they were playing average hockey coming out of the break, going 5-5 in their last 10 games.
Los Angeles will be doing a lot of scoreboard watching over the next few weeks to help position them for a playoff spot.
Opportunity Knocks for Los Angeles
All season, Los Angeles has struggled, consistently losing games they're supposed to win and failing to establish itself as a playoff contender.
Now, they may control their own destiny, with this opportunity of a key injury to a division rival opening the door, and it's up to them to walk through it and do their job.
Los Angeles has the easiest schedule remaining in the entire league, so there's no excuse for them not to make the playoffs or climb past an injured Oilers team, which faces a much stiffer schedule.
If they can maintain their recent level of play and capitalize on Edmonton’s setback, they could not only climb the standings but also potentially secure home-ice advantage in the first round, something that was out of the question a few weeks ago.
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MONTREAL, CANADA - NOVEMBER 15: Viktor Arvidsson #71 of the Boston Bruins celebrates with teammate Pavel Zacha #18 after scoring a goal during the second period of the NHL regular season game at the Bell Centre on November 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Vitor Munhoz/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It’s a little premature to call this the biggest game of the season for the Bruins, but I can’t remember the last time a regular season Bruins-Canadiens game had this much on the line.
While these teams have played some entertaining games in recent years, most of them have come when one team was down and the other was up.
This time, both the B’s and Canadiens have eyes on the playoffs, but both are pretty close to being left at home as well.
The B’s start the night in the second wild card spot, two points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
However, the B’s are also just a point behind Montreal for third in the Atlantic (with Detroit in between), so…everything is happening, I guess.
If nothing else, it’s nice to see these teams play a meaningful game in March, right?
Defenseman Seth Jones will return to Florida’s lineup after missing about 10 weeks with a broken collarbone.
He suffered the injury during the NHL Winter Classic back on Jan. 2.
"We thought it was going to be about a 3-4 week injury, and it's been a couple months," said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. "He's excited to get back in. He's 100% healthy."
Also sliding into the Cats’ lineup are forwards Sam Bennett and Nolan Foote.
Bennett was hurt during Florida’s win over the Columbus Blue Jackets last week and sat out Sunday’s 6-2 defeat in Seattle.
Foote was called up by Florida from AHL Charlotte earlier this week and will make his Panthers debut against the Canucks, who are coached by his father, Adam Foote.
Florida signed Foote to a one-year, two-way deal back in July. He’s spent the season with Charlotte, accumulating 14 goals and 32 points in 54 games with the Checkers.
"He's a big man, he can get on the body and he's got some hands, so that's all we want to see," Maurice said of Foote. "Keep his game as simple as he possibly can so he can go as fast as he possibly can and his linemates can read off him, and then make a difference on the forecheck."
Coming out of the lineup are forwards Evan Rodrigues and Eetu Luostarinen, and defenseman Niko Mikkola.
According to Jameson Olive, who was at Florida’s morning skate, this is how their lines and pairings could look:
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Jesper Boqvist – Anton Lundell – Mackie Samoskevich
A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Cole Reinhardt
Nolan Foote – Luke Kunin – Vinnie Hinostroza
Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Dmitry Kulikov – Seth Jones
Donovan Sebrango – Mike Benning
Puck drop from Rogers Arena in Vancouver is set for 10 p.m. ET.
Photo caption: Dec 7, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (3) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the New York Islanders during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
After playing five games without their two best players, the Pittsburgh Penguins were finally set to have one of them back in the lineup when they took on the league's best team in the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.
Evgeni Malkin made his return to the lineup after serving a five-game suspension. And he made an impression early and often in this one.
The Penguins stomped the Avalanche, 7-2, to hand Colorado only its sixth regulation loss on home ice this season, and Malkin was a huge reason why. The 39-year-old forward registered the first goal of the game a tick more than three minutes into the contest, added another tally 10 minutes later, and notched a helper to give him three points on the night.
The Penguins are now 34-18-15 with 83 points, which puts them two ahead of the New York Islanders and just seven points behind the Carolina Hurricanes, who have a game in hand. Pittsburgh plays Carolina two more times this month.
Suffice to say, this was a big win. The Penguins have been holding their own without Malkin and Sidney Crosby, but having 71 back in the fold made things a whole lot easier on the rest of the group.
And a dominant effort against the league's best team is certainly something that will boost morale even more.
"It's a good confidence booster for our team," Anthony Mantha said. "Obviously, we know we're able to play with every team, and the way we played [Monday], it just shows how resilient our team is and how special we are in here."
Pittsburgh wasted no time setting the tone in this one - and neither did Malkin. On his first shift back from suspension, Malkin took a tripping penalty and went to the box. The Penguins' penalty kill - ranked second in the NHL - managed to kill off the two-minute penalty, and Malkin and Rust found themselves in a give-and-go entering the offensive zone.
Rust got it to Malkin in the low slot area, and he performed a no-look spin-o-rama move and buried the puck behind Avs goaltender Scott Wedgewood on the backhand to give Pittsburgh the early 1-0 lead. However, just over a minute later, star forward Nathan MacKinnon registered his 45th goal of the season with a snipe from the slot to tie the game.
But- as they've done all year - the Penguins responded so quickly it's as if the tying goal never happened. Mantha was sprung on a breakaway on a gorgeous stretch pass from Erik Karlsson, and he slid a backhand through the five-hole to score his career-best 26th goal of the season in what has become a deja vu kind of thing for him to restore the one-goal lead.
Then, with seven minutes remaining in the first, Malkin and Egor Chinakhov - playing on the wing opposite Malkin with Tommy Novak sandwiched in between - gained the zone. Breaking down the right wing, Chinakhov threaded a nice seam pass to Malkin breaking down the left, and he put it home to register his second of the game and 15th of the season to make it 3-1 and prompt a goaltending change by the Avs.
And again, less than than a minute later - Karlsson got the puck to the net, where newest Penguin Elmer Soderblom was waiting at the net front. He tapped the puck in behind new Colorado goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to earn his first with his new team and make it 4-1.
The Penguins did give up a goal less than a minute later to veteran blueliner Brent Burns, which cut their lead to 4-2. After a somewhat sloppy first period, however, the Penguins had goaltender Arturs Silovs to thank for carrying the 4-2 lead into the second, as he stopped 16 of 18 first-period shots by the Avalanche to preserve his team's lead despite Pittsburgh only amassing nine shots on goal.
From there, however, the Penguins went on cruise control.
Pittsburgh put on a clinic in the final 40, limiting Colorado to just a few high-danger chances and outscoring them the rest of the way, 3-0. It started with a floating wrister by Karlsson from the right point that found its way home midway through the second to make it 5-2, and the Penguins just kept coming.
After a nice play by Rickard Rakell in the defensive zone to pick a pass on a Penguins' power play, he got it to Malkin, who sprung Bryan Rust for a breakaway with about three and a half minutes to go in the middle frame. Rust beat Blackwood to make it 6-2, and the score remained that way until Noel Acciari potted his ninth of the season approaching the midway point of the third period to seal the 7-2 victory.
Here are a few quick thoughts and takeaways:
- This was a brilliant all-around effort from the Penguins. It was much different than the brand of hockey they have played over the last handful of games where they've come back in them and earned at least a point.
No, not this time. This time, they ragdolled the best team in the NHL on home ice, and they're still without the services of their best player. Getting Malkin back was only part of the puzzle, but he made a significant impact on the Penguins' ability to comfortably roll four lines again like they have been for much of the season.
This one was a statement, and boy, the Penguins delivered. This is a very good hockey team, folks.
- Speaking of "very good," I can't say enough about how otherwordly Erik Karlsson has been playing for the Penguins since the Olympic break.
He notched another three points in this one, giving him 14 points in his last 10 games. He has stepped up in a massive way this entire season, but his play down the stretch without Crosby and, for five games, Malkin has been nothing short of phenomenal.
This is the Erik Karlsson Kyle Dubas and the Penguins were hoping to acquire back in the summer of 2023. This is the Erik Karlsson that was, bar-none, the best NHL player in the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs for the Ottawa Senators. This is the Erik Karlsson that the Penguins desperately needed to see, and as an added bonus, he has pretty drastically improved his defense and is a mainstay on a successful PK unit this season.
It has been all-hands-on-deck for the Penguins all season long. But, if I'm picking a team MVP at the end of the season - and Pittsburgh ends up making the playoffs - Karlsson is that guy for me.
He's not just been their best player lately. He's been their best player for a good chunk of the 2025-26 season. And Penguins' fans are certainly in for a treat if we get to see the playoff version of Karlsson unlocked this time around.
- Silovs was magnificent in this game, especially early on. There was nothing he could do on either goal by the Avs, and he quite literally was responsible for the Penguins carrying the two-goal lead into the second period.
Something both Silovs and Stuart Skinner have been doing for the Penguins is coming up with big saves in big moments. One of those moments occurred in the third period of Monday's game, when Silovs made a nice glove save to rob Nazem Kadri of a goal that would have made it 6-3 early in the third period.
Silovs is a gamer, and he shows up in big moments. That has always been his track record. If the Penguins can continue to get this kind of goaltending from both guys, they shouldn't have much issue making the playoffs.
- One of the highlight moments of this game actually came courtesy of defenseman Connor Clifton.
During the third period, Colorado's Jack Drury has repeatedly cross-checking Malkin on the back, and Malkin began to retliate a bit. But before things could escalate, Clifton stepped in and challenged Drury to a fight, sticking up for his star teammate.
This is something we just haven't seen much of from the Penguins over the last several seasons, and it was kind of nice to see. It speaks to not only the kind of teammate Clifton is, but also to the chemistry of this particular locker room that guys are stepping up in this way.
Good stuff. Oh, and he won the fight pretty decisively, if you ask me.
- This was, by far, Soderblom's best game as a Penguin up to this point. He was bumped down to fourth-line duties in the absence of Blake Lizotte, who will miss four weeks with an upper-body injury. He earned two points and used his size well in this one at the net front, creating space and opportunity for himself and his linemates in Acciari and Connor Dewar.
The more I see from this guy, the more I like him. And the more I think he'll be a nice guy to have going into a potential playoff run.
- Mantha set a new career-high in goals with his 26th in there in the first period.
Won't spend time on this because I've already written about him at length. But what a remarkable season he's having. It's truly a marvel to watch.
- I mentioned this before, but this next game against the Canes on Wednesday looms large.
Some say the division is probably out of reach. I disagree. Carolina will lose its game in hand on Pittsburgh with a Tuesday night matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are currently four points behind the Penguins in the standings.
It's easy to root for Carolina in this one, but if they lose - and the Penguins manage to win Wednesday - that will put them just five points behind them with another head-to-head set for Sunday in Pittsburgh.
Either way, this win set the Penguins up pretty nicely. It's probably best to keep some separation from Columbus. However, if the Canes do lose, it will present the Penguins with a massive opportunity to chase their first division title since 2014.
Buckle up, folks. This is going to be a fun final 15 games of the regular season. And this sure is a fun hockey team to watch.
TORONTO -- A pair of New York Islanders rookies are back where it all began. No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer and 2025 Trade Deadline acquisition Calum Ritchie will face off against their hometown Toronto Maple Leafs in front of family and friends for the first time in their NHL careers.
Schaefer is from Hamilton, Ontario, while Ritchie hails from Oakville, Ontario.
"It's awesome," Schaefer told local reporters following Tuesday's morning skate. "You are coming back to the roots a little bit. I came to games growing up with my dad and friends and things like that. So just be good to be here, have family be in the building, and things like that."
Schaefer said following Monday's practice that there would be close to 1,000 people in attendance.
One of those guests is his grandmother, Marianne, who is currently in a wheelchair.
"In Ottawa, my grandparents on my mom's side got to come watch me play. And then now my nana on my dad's side will be able to come watch me play," Schaefer said. "I think this actually could be her first NHL game ever. I think it is, and it'll be her first time watching me in the NHL. So I mean, she's come to a couple of minor hockey games going up and things like that, but that'll be pretty, pretty special for me and her for tonight."
While it will be an exciting night for Schaefer, the result matters immensely for the Islanders' playoff race. They begin the night holding down the third seed in the Metropolitan Division, two points back of the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins and one point up on the Columbus Blue Jackets.
"Any game from here on out is just a battle, because everyone's in the race for playoffs and things like that," Schaefer said. "So it just makes it that much more fun when it's close to your hometown, with lots of family in the building. But it's just like every other game. We want to get to two points. I mean, we believe in what we've got going on in this room, and we've got something really good. So we're going to keep focusing on what we've got going on and keep trying to get as many wins as we can."
While Ritchie isn't expecting close to 1,000 people, he's amped up to have his people in the stands.
"I'm just glad to have all my family here, my friends," Ritchie said. "It's gonna be a blast. Growing up here, I came to a lot of games growing up, so it's going to be a special night."
How special will it be for Ritchie to skate on Scotiabank ice?
"Yeah, it's crazy. I was at dinner with my parents yesterday. My sister was talking about how crazy it is that I'm playing in this building and in the NHL," Ritchie said. "Growing up as a kid, you come to so many games. It'll be pretty cool to play on the ice tonight."
The Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild are set to square off for the third time this season. Each of the first two went beyond regulation, but the Wild won both 4-3.
The Blackhawks were beaten soundly by the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night, and this is their opportunity to bounce back against another good team. Although the Wild have had a magical season so far, they are currently in a slump, going just 4-4-2 in their last 10.
As an angry team also looking to get back on track, the Wild presents a great challenge to a young Blackhawks team trying to have a strong finish to another developmental year.
Scouting Minnesota
The Minnesota Wild are making their first visit to the United Center with Quinn Hughes. Hughes was on the team when the two met up in St. Paul in January, but this will be his first trip to Chicago since the trade.
Kaprizov - Yurov - Boldy
Zuccarello - Hartman - Tarasenko
Johansson - McCarron - N Foligno
Trenin - Sturm - Fabbri
Hughes-Faber
Brodin-Spurgeon
Middleton-Petry
Gustavsson
The Minnesota Wild are going to start Filip Gustavsson in net against the Blackhawks. They run an elite duo in goal, and Gustavsson will get the nod in this one.
Their top center, Joel Eriksson Ek, is out with a lower-body injury. This gives the Blackhawks an edge down the middle of the ice.
The problem for the Blackhawks will be the stars, including Hughes, that the Wild have elsewhere. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy drive the bus offensively, and Vladimir Tarasenko, Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman, and Marcus Johansson provide depth.
Nick Foligno, projected to play on the fourth line, will make his first return to Chicago since being traded to Minnesota. As a guy who played with the Hawks for just a few years, he will get a warm welcome for the impact he had.
Paired with Hughes will be Brock Faber, also a US Olympian who won gold in Milan. He can shut people down, create offense, and impact the game up and down the ice. Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin are the veterans on the blue line to support them, so creating a strong forecheck will be a key to victory.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks had an optional morning skate on Tuesday, so we will see if they go with 11/7 or a traditional lineup during warmups.
Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky
Bertuzzi-Nazar-Teravainen
Mangiapane-Donato-Mikheyev
Lardis-Lafferty-Slaggert
Vlasic-Levshunov
Kaiser-Rinzel
Del Mastro-Crevier
Grzelcyk
Knight
Soderblom
Based on the way practice was conducted, Matt Grzelcyk may be the healthy scratch if they dress 12 forwards. If they go with 11 forwards, Sam Lafferty is the best bet for the scratch.
Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom are each rested enough to start, so we will also see what they decide there during warmups.
Sacha Boisvert is not ready to make his NHL debut yet due to visa issues. If he is able to clear that before their next game, also against the Wild, he should be ready to play if he gets a practice in.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found on TNT and HBO MAX. The puck will drop shortly after 6:30 PM CT.
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The Vancouver Canucks continue their homestand on Tuesday against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. Like the Canucks, the Panthers are set to miss the playoffs this year as the organization has dealt with injuries all season. Here are the lineup notes for March 17, 2026.
Kevin Lankinen is the projected starter against Florida. If he does play, Tuesday will be the 200th appearance of his NHL career. This year, Lankinen has a record of 7-21-5 with a save percentage of .877.
As for the rest of the lineup, Vancouver will be changing up their forward group on Tuesday. That includes Nils Höglander coming in for Curtis Douglas. Jake DeBrusk is also projected to jump up to the first line while Evander Kane drops to the fourth line.
Dec 12, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Max Sasson (63) checks Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist (70) during the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
E. Pettersson-Hronek M. Pettersson-Willander Buium-Mancini
Lankinen Tolopilo
Game Information:
Start time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
