The 2025–26 NHL season is officially back in session, with the Vancouver Canucks returning from the break with a home-ice matchup against the Winnipeg Jets. Vancouver started off their 2026 Winter Olympic break with a 5–2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on February 4, while the Jets lost 5–1 to the Montréal Canadiens on the same day. 

Winnipeg has two players on their roster who were part of the USA’s gold medal-winning effort — Kyle Connor and Connor Hellebuyck — though it’s still slightly unclear which of them will take part in today’s game. On the Canucks’ side, Filip Chytil remains out of the lineup due to a facial fracture sustained in practice, while previously injured players such as Brock Boeser, Nils Höglander, and Zeev Buium have all taken part in the team’s practices through the past few days. Their statuses for tonight’s game will be confirmed later on in the day. 

Through the final 25 games of their 2025–26 season, many will be watching the Canucks not for their usual end-of-season playoff push, but to get a better gauge of what the future looks like moving forward. Younger players like Tom Willander, Zeev Buium, and Liam Öhgren will be some who likely get increased minutes as a result of this. With the NHL Trade Deadline coming up, this will also probably end up occurring due to the moves many want Vancouver to make. 

Heading into the 2026 Winter Olympic break, the line of Öhgren, Conor Garland, and Teddy Blueger found success together. These three played particularly well compared to the rest of the teams’ performances in the final two games against Vegas and the Utah Mammoth, as they factored into every goal scored during this span of time. The trio were put together during Vancouver’s practices through the past couple of days and will likely skate together again tonight. 

Players To Watch: 

Conor Garland  

Alongside Blueger and Öhgren before the break, it looked as though Garland had begun to find his form. The forward had three assists in Vancouver’s games against Utah and Vegas at that time, with those being his first points since a two-assist night against the San Jose Sharks on December 27. Garland’s name has emerged in trade reports as of late, making the next couple of games leading into the March 6th Trade Deadline all the more notable.  

Kyle Connor

Fresh off winning a gold medal with Team USA, Connor will be returning to the Jets with energy that his American teammates may not have. The forward skated in only two games while at the Olympics, sitting out of his team’s final four matches. Heading into the break earlier in February, Connor had been riding a five-game point-streak that he can increase with a goal or an assist later tonight.   

Vancouver Canucks (18–33–6): 

Points: 

Elias Pettersson: 13–21–34

Filip Hronek: 5–27–32

Jake DeBrusk: 13–15–28

Brock Boeser: 12–13–25

Evander Kane: 9–16–25

Goaltenders: 

Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1

Kevin Lankinen: 7–19–4

Nikita Tolopilo: 3–3–1

Jiří Patera: 0–1–0

Winnipeg Jets (22–26–8): 

Points: 

Mark Scheifele: 27–41–68

Kyle Connor: 25–39–64

Gabriel Vilardi: 21–29–50

Josh Morrissey: 10–32–42

Alex Iafollo: 9–11–20  

Goaltenders: 

Connor Hellebuyck: 13–16–7

Eric Comrie: 9–9–1

Thomas Milic: 0–1–0

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.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

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The NHL resumes following the Olympic break, and the Winnipeg Jets head to Rogers Arena for a must-win game against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, February 25.

Winnipeg needs wins in bunches to make a playoff push, and my top Jets vs. Canucks predictions and NHL picks are calling for Winnipeg to continue its recent dominance over Vancouver tonight.

Jets vs Canucks prediction

Jets vs Canucks best bet: Jets moneyline (-125)

The Vancouver Canucks are just 6-17-4 on home ice this season, so I’m happy to lay the vig with a superior Winnipeg Jets lineup.

Both teams are dealing with injuries and Olympic returnees, so while there are questions to be answered on both benches, I also value Winnipeg beating Vancouver in eight of their past 10 matchups.

Of course, the Jets also rank higher in Corsi For percentage and expected goals percentage at five-on-five, in addition to both special teams.

Jets vs Canucks same-game parlay

Vancouver has scored the fourth-fewest goals per game (2.54), and Winnipeg has hit the Under in six of its past nine games. Additionally, the Jets haven’t hit an Over with a 6.5 total since November 29.

Turning to Winnipeg center Mark Scheifele, he recorded two or more shots in 10 of 14 games before the Olympic pause, and he also averaged a hefty 21:49 of ice time centering the top line and jumping the boards with the No. 1 power-play unit.

Vancouver has also allowed the seventh-most shots per game this season.

Jets vs Canucks SGP

• Jets moneyline
• Under 6.5
• Mark Scheifele Over 1.5 shots

Jets vs Canucks odds

• Moneyline: Jets -130 | Canucks +110
• Puck Line: Jets -1.5 (+185) | Canucks +1.5 (-225)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+105) | Under 6.5 (-125)

Jets vs Canucks trend

The Vancouver Canucks have only won five of their last 25 games at home (-15.35 Units / -57% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Jets vs. Canucks.

How to watch Jets vs Canucks

Jets vs Canucks latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Now that action is about to resume in the NHL, the conversations will go from how great Connor Hellebuyck was in the gold medal game to how things are going in front of the net for the Montreal Canadiens.

After a rough start to the season for Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes, the organization called up Jacob Fowler to shake things up and even sent the Bécancour native to the Laval Rocket for a conditioning stint. It looked like it might have done the trick for a short while, but Montembeault stumbled again, and shortly thereafter, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton elected to let goaltending coach Eric Raymond go.

A few days later, the Canadiens announced that they were promoting Marco Marciano, the Laval Rocket goalie coach. Fast forward to now, have a lengthy Olympic break, and everyone is anxious to see how things will go between the pipes. Dobes hasn’t lost in regulation since December 9, and Montembeault was solid in his last game before the break. It will be interesting to see how things go now that Mariano has had time to work with his new goalies.

Canadiens: Trading Gritty Blueliner Would Be A Mistake
Canadiens Held Annual Fan Favorite Event
Canadiens’ Slafkovsky Made Olympic All-Star Team

Yesterday, La Presse’s Simon-Olivier Lorange published an article featuring former Canadiens’ goaltender Cayden Primeau’s comments on the newly appointed goalie coach, and the 26-year-old gave him a ringing endorsement. Speaking to Lorange on the phone, he explained:

I’ve only got incredible things to say about him. That nomination was fully deserved, and it was about time that it happened to him. I’m looking forward to seeing what he does in the NHL.

-

Primeau also praised his work ethic:

I’ve never met anyone who works harder than him. He’s the first to get to the arena, and often, the last to leave. You can tell he’s enjoying it, and it makes everything more fun.

-

According to the now member of the Carolina Hurricanes organization, Marciano has a knack for working on the mental side of things:

He’s excellent on the mental side. He uses many techniques to help his goaltenders with everything they are experiencing. He tries to find solutions everywhere.

-

That’s an encouraging comment given the fact that Montembeault’s issues seemed to be more mental than anything else this season. As Martin St-Louis often said, he didn’t forget how to play goalie, and when a netminder lets the first shot in repeatedly, it’s often a sign of nerves. It looks like the Habs’ netminders will be in good hands with Marciano, who now has an opportunity to prove what he can do in the big league.

---

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It was all systems go for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this past week, victors in all three of their recent games. Even the weekend snowstorm in New York couldn’t stop WBS from getting in and out of Bridgeport with a shutout win.

A concise look of the games from WBSPenguins.com:

Wednesday, Feb. 18 – PENGUINS 7 at Springfield 2
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored a season-high seven goals in its decimation of Springfield, the team’s first win out of the All-Star break. Avery Hayes scored another hat trick, bringing him to 19 goals on the year. Ville Koivunen and Tanner Howe both had two-goal nights in front 30 saves by Sergei Murashov.

Saturday, Feb. 21 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Bridgeport 3
The Penguins scored four-straight goals to outlast the Islanders on Military Appreciation Night presented by MetLife. After Bridgeport seized a 2-0 lead, Filip Hållander and Atley Calvet lit the lamp before the first intermission. Sebastian Aho gave Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the lead in the middle frame, and video review granted Koivunen the game-winner in the third.

Sunday, Feb. 22 – PENGUINS 4 at Bridgeport 0
Murashov posted 25 saves for his third shutout of the season, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton secured is third-straight win. Howe started the scoring early in the second period, followed by Connecticut native Phil Kemp. Third-period power-play goals by Gabe Klassen and Aidan McDonough put things to bed.

Just as good as winning is a lot of the names that Pittsburgh will want to see are doing well: Avery Hayes is back up in the NHL, Murashov notched another shutout, Rutger McGroarty had three assists, rookie Tanner Howe is up to seven points in eight games on the season, Ville Koivunen has four goals and six points in the last four games. Lots of encouraging signs from the farm.

Koivunen is one of the most intriguing players in the system, he’s having all sorts of AHL success (including 31 points in 25 games, making him third in the league in points/game). Koivunen’s limitations skating were evident in his NHL games this season, yet his AHL production is showing this is a player on the verge of another chance. It’s now his draft+5 season, he turns 23 over the summer. After accumulating seven NHL points in eight games playing out the stretch in Pittsburgh last season many thought that 2025-26 might have been Koivunen’s time to take that huge step forward. It hasn’t worked out that way to this point, but he looks very close. He might be the most intriguing case of seeing where a fast forward to 10 or 12 months to see where he’s at with his career.

For now, it’s Wilkes’s gain to have such a solid point-producer in the lineup. The Penguins remain in second place in their division, and although they’ve climbed to within two points of Providence, the Bruins have a commanding four-games in hand still to play.

Up next this week will be a tough task for WBS, they’re in Cleveland for two games on Friday and Saturday night. The Monsters are in third place in the North Division and carry an impressive 7-2-1 record over their last 10 games.

• The Matchup: Buffalo Sabres (32-19-6) @ New Jersey Devils (28-27-2)
• The Time: 7:00 pm EST
• The Broadcast: MSGSN, Devils Hockey Radio

Last Devils Game

Way back on February 5th, the Devils lost at home to the New York Islanders 3-1. The game was scoreless after the 1st period before the Devils and Islanders traded goals in the 2nd period. Nico Hischier (who is the captain of the team, in case Bryce Salvador never told you before) had the lone goal for the Devils, his 19th of the year. The Islanders sealed the game with 2 late goals in the 3rd period (one of them an empty net goal). On the bright side, as Tim said in his recap of this game, at least the Devils made progress in this game, only losing 3-1, as opposed to the 9-0 nuke that the Islanders dropped on the Devils back on January 6th. Jake Allen started in net for the Devils and while he did let up 3 goals, it’s hard to win when the team in front of you only scores 1 goal.

The game was their 3rd loss in a row, and also their 5th loss in their last 6 games. During their 3 game losing streak, the Devils have only scored 2 goals, while letting up 10 goals. 10 goals against in 3 games, is actually not horrible. Scoring 2 goals in 3 games though is atrocious. The lack of offense though has been a problem for a while now with the Devils. As of this article, the Devils have scored 146 goals this season. That’s good for dead last in the entire Eastern Conference, including 5 goals behind the Rangers. Their goal output is “good” for 31st, in the league, only 4 more than the Calgary Flames. The Devils have suffered many problems this season, not just one or two specific problems. Right now though, it doesn’t matter what your goalies do, or what your defense does, if you can’t put the puck in the net.

Last Sabres Game

Like the Devils, The Sabres also played their last game on February 5th, losing 5-2 at home to the Penguins. The Sabres jumped out to an early lead, less than 2 minutes into the game, on Jason Zucker’s 15th goal of the season. The Penguins would score 2 goals before the end of the 1st, to make it 2-1 and they added another goal in the 2nd to start the 3rd period up 3-1. Tage Thompson scored less than 2 minutes into the 3rd period on the PP, his 30th of the season, to bring the Sabres within 1 goal at 3-2. However, the Penguins added 2 late goals, including an empty net goal, to put the game away 5-2.

The loss was their 2nd in a row, and 3rd in their last 4 games. However, prior to that, the Sabres had a 5 game win streak from 1/20 – 1/29. Overall the Sabres are playing pretty well this season. They currently have 32 wins, which is tied for 4th place in the Eastern Conference. Alex Lyon has been the go to man in net for the Sabres, having started 25 games already this season. He started 4 out of the last 5 games for the Sabres before the break, however, with the time off, I would expect him to get the start tonight.

Injuries, Roster for Tonight, Yada, Yada, Yada.

The Devils held a practice on Tuesday afternoon, and Amanda Stein posted the lines on X. Keep in mind that Timo Meier and Jonas Siegenthaler were traveling back to NJ on Tuesday. Per Stein, “both will be back for the morning skate ahead of facing Buffalo.” As of this article, it looks like Jack’s arrival time in New Jersey is still to be determined.

Here's how the #NJDevils are lining up today at practice… so, take this for what it is… of course, they are still missing some key components.

No Jack Hughes, Meier or Siegenthaler today. pic.twitter.com/XRHHierkVr

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) February 24, 2026

Grimace’s Prediction and 2025-2026 Record Tracker

Grimace has been feeling good so far this week from watching the Jack Hughes goal over and over on YouTube. To be frank, I had to politely ask him to turn if off after the 115th time. I think he’s just overconfident at this point, but he has predicted a Devils win for tonight.

Grimace’s 2025-2026 Season Prediction record currently stands at 12-11-0.

Your Take

I know there are a large number of Devils fans that are still riding the high of seeing Jack Hughes score the golden goal for USA in the olympics. That was awesome to see, and great for his confidence and the sport in general. With that being said, the Olympics are over and this is the NHL, not Team USA. Will the high from that game and the confidence from the win carry over to the Devils? Hopefully, the answer is yes. At the same time, nothing would surprise me with this team this year. Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below and thanks for reading!

In a shameless bit of non hockey related self promotion (approved by Chris – thanks Chris), I wanted to plug my brand new podcast on here, if any of you are interested in listening. We have a light hearted, fun discussion about any movies, music or video games mostly from the 1980s and 1990s. Please feel free to listen to us on any of the formats below and any feedback is welcome (positive and negative). Also, please follow us and subscribe, even if you think we stink. 🙂

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The 2026 Winter Olympics are over, the United States won its first gold medal since 1980 and now Olympians are rejoining their NHL teams for the stretch run.

The league is starting up again on Wednesday, Feb. 25, and NHL games will be played for the first time since Feb. 5. The Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Seattle Kraken, Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks sit in a playoff position after missing the postseason in 2024-25.

The trade deadline is around the corner and the rush to a playoff berth is on before the regular season ends on April 16.

Here's a look at key questions as the NHL regular season resumes:

Will the trade deadline be busy?

The date is March 6 this year, so teams don't have a lot of time to work something out.

There was a major trade right before the Olympic freeze when the Rangers moved Artemi Panarin to the Kings. Once the freeze lifted, the Avalanche traded defenseman Samuel Girard to the Penguins for Brett Kulak on Feb. 24.

There's an opportunity for more trades because there's a gap between the haves and the have-nots, and top teams have needs. The last-place Canucks, who already moved Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood, have Evander Kane and Teddy Blueger as pending free agents. The Rangers could move Vincent Trocheck, Flames center Nazem Kadri would be coveted and the Blues could be sellers.

Will the Panthers keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive?

They won the last two Stanley Cup titles, went to the Final the year before that and were Presidents' Trophy winners in 2021-22. But that string of success suffered a serious blow when captain and Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov needed ACL surgery after being injured on his first day of practice in September.

They're also missing defensemen Dmitry Kulikov and Seth Jones and sit in last place in the Atlantic Division with 61 points, eight points out of a playoff spot. The good news is Matthew Tkachuk returned before the break and that Jones is skating with a non-contact jersey. Bill Zito is a creative general manager and Paul Maurice a top-notch coach. They have 25 games to make up those points, which is possible if they come out strong after the break. And as they showed the last three years, if they make it into the postseason, they can go far.

Can the Sabres end their playoff drought?

Their 14 years out of the playoffs is an NHL record. It looked like it might reach 15 when they started slowly. But things turned around when they fired general manager Kevyn Adams and promoted Jarmo Kekalainen. They pushed a winning streak to 10 games and now sit in the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. But they lost three out of four heading into the break and will need to remedy that, especially when they will be facing the Lightning and Golden Knights two times each in the next 11 games.

Can the Red Wings end their playoff drought?

They haven't made the playoffs in nine years and are sitting in third place in the tough Atlantic Division. Other teams have a game or more in hand. But their goaltending is better than in the past because of John Gibson, and they have plenty of cap space to make a move at the deadline.

Can Kings overcome the loss of Kevin Fiala?

Fiala broke his leg while playing for Switzerland at the Olympics, had surgery and will miss the rest of the regular season. The Kings have Panarin now, but his acquisition was designed to boost an offense that had Fiala in the lineup. Fiala leads the Kings with 17 power-play points. Los Angeles is three points out of a playoff spot, so it might need to make another trade.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL season resumes: Here are 5 pressing questions

The NHL is back in action after its damn-near-monthlong Olympic break with eight games tonight, though the Islanders don’t resume until tomorrow night in Montreal, one of 12 games Thursday.

That didn’t keep them from kicking off the looming trade frenzy, though, with a minor league swap of Julien Gauthier to the Blues/Springfield for Matt Luff for the Isles/Bridgeport. This continues what is becoming a tradition of late-season scrapyard swaps between these two franchises.

Both guys have NHL experience and can step in when needed, but they are primarily AHL resources at this point. The Blues are terrible this season and have dealt with a cascade of forward injuries but only afforded Luff five NHL games. He’s been a scorer in the A though. Gauthier looked like he might have a chance at a regular bottom-line role a couple of seasons ago before injuries derailed both 2024-25 and 2025-26.

• Both Isles Olympians are back in town (Bo Horvat did not skate though) and expected to play Thursday. [THN | Isles]
• The official announcement of Luff for Gauthier. [Isles]
• Patrick Roy knows how both Horvat and Ondrej Palat are feeling after falling short at the Olympics. Roy was on the 1998 Canada team that fell to the Czechs. [Newsday]
• Five important games among many for the Isles down the stretch. [Newsday]
• Islanders Anxiety podcast: Dan and Mike relive the Olympics and some hilarious hot takes. [LHH]

Elsewhere

• The Penguins continue to build flexibility and get younger, flipping Brett Kulak (part of the Jarry trade) to Colorado for Samuel Girard and a second-round pick. [NHL]
• The Kyper trade board is updated for the drama to follow over the next week. [Sportsnet]
• The Canucks are one of those teams that knows they’re about to lose some guys. [Sportsnet]
• Coming off IR just in time for the trade deadline, Blake Coleman is a Flame until he’s told he’s not. [NHL]
• Out since the first day of training camp, Aleksandar Barkov says he’s on track for a playoff return following knee surgery. [NHL]

Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas made yet another intriguing trade on Tuesday, as the March 6 trading deadline draws nearer. The Penguins have traded defenseman Brett Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Samuel Girard and a second-round pick in the 2028 draft. [PensBurgh]

Ryder Fetterolf, a Sewickley, Pennsylvania, native playing goalie for the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, has been one of the league’s top netminders this season with an impressive record, strong metrics, and multiple shutouts, earning a spot in the Top Prospects Game as he prepares for the NHL Draft. [Trib Live]

Forward prospect Bill Zonnon is embracing his role as a visible Black hockey player and role model, using his platform to inspire youth and highlight the importance of representation in the sport. He credits seeing players like P.K. Subban as a child for shaping his passion and is proud to give back through community engagement and leadership. [Penguins]

Updates from around the NHL…

The International Ice Hockey Federation says it will continue using 3-on-3 overtime at international tournaments, including the Olympics, despite criticism that the format strays from traditional 5-on-5 hockey. Critics argue it isn’t true to the sport, but IIHF president Luc Tardif defended it as necessary to fit tight tournament schedules. [Sportsnet]

Winnipeg Jets forward Jonathan Toews said he will not waive his no-movement clause before the March 6 trade deadline. Toews, 37, said he wants to keep playing for his hometown club as they try to climb the standings. [Sportsnet]

Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen will miss at least the next two weeks with a lower-body injury suffered during the Winter Olympics. The team expects him to return before the end of the regular season. [TSN]

Chicago Blackhawks (22-26-9, in the Central Division) vs. Nashville Predators (26-24-7, in the Central Division)

Nashville, Tennessee; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Blackhawks travel to the Nashville Predators looking to stop a three-game road losing streak.

Nashville is 26-24-7 overall with an 8-9-3 record in Central Division games. The Predators have a 20-6-2 record in games they score at least three goals.

Chicago has gone 22-26-9 overall with a 7-4-2 record in Central Division play. The Blackhawks have committed 217 total penalties (3.8 per game) to rank 10th in league play.

The matchup Thursday is the third time these teams square off this season. The Blackhawks won 3-0 in the previous meeting.

TOP PERFORMERS: Steven Stamkos has 28 goals and 16 assists for the Predators. Filip Forsberg has seven goals and five assists over the past 10 games.

Tyler Bertuzzi has 25 goals and 17 assists for the Blackhawks. Ilya Mikheyev has three goals and six assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Predators: 3-4-3, averaging 3.3 goals, six assists, 3.3 penalties and 7.7 penalty minutes while giving up 4.2 goals per game.

Blackhawks: 3-5-2, averaging 2.2 goals, 3.7 assists, 2.7 penalties and six penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.

INJURIES: Predators: None listed.

Blackhawks: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

New York Islanders (32-21-5, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (32-17-8, in the Atlantic Division)

Montreal, Quebec; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens and the New York Islanders take the ice in Eastern Conference action.

Montreal is 16-11-1 in home games and 32-17-8 overall. The Canadiens have a 29-6-7 record when scoring at least three goals.

New York has a 32-21-5 record overall and a 16-11-3 record in road games. The Islanders have gone 23-3-3 when scoring at least three goals.

The matchup Thursday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Suzuki has scored 18 goals with 47 assists for the Canadiens. Lane Hutson has two goals and 11 assists over the last 10 games.

Mathew Barzal has 17 goals and 34 assists for the Islanders. Jean-Gabriel Pageau has scored four goals with two assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 6-3-1, averaging four goals, 7.3 assists, four penalties and 8.3 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.

Islanders: 6-4-0, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.8 assists, 3.2 penalties and 6.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.

INJURIES: Canadiens: None listed.

Islanders: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Chris MacFarland may have quietly struck again.

The Colorado Avalanche general manager has built a reputation for uncovering value on the margins, and early signs suggest his latest move could be another savvy addition. The winger acquired in the trade that sent defenseman Ilya Solovyov out of the organization is already making an impression with the Colorado Eagles — 26-year-old Valtteri Puustinen.

We have acquired Valtteri Puustinen and Pittsburgh's own 7th Round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft in exchange for Ilya Solovyov. pic.twitter.com/zegVaNPIgW

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 20, 2026

Before arriving in Loveland, Puustinen recorded seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 35 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Since joining the Eagles, he hasn’t missed a beat.

In just 11 games with Colorado, Puustinen has tallied three goals and three assists for six points, quickly establishing himself as a reliable offensive contributor. At his current scoring rate with the Eagles, he is on pace to reach seven goals by his 26th game with the club. That would put him roughly nine games ahead of the pace it took to reach seven goals in his previous 35-game stint — a clear sign that his offensive touch is translating seamlessly with his new team.

Valtteri Puustinen with the one-timer👊@ColoradoEagles | #COLvsCHIpic.twitter.com/5VIw7Bx8Ty

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) February 15, 2026

Given the Avalanche made a headline-grabbing trade on Tuesday, sending their longest-tenured defenseman, Sam Girard, and a second-round pick to Pittsburgh for defenseman Brett Kulak, it’s clear Colorado is actively managing its roster. But come playoff time, Puustinen could emerge as a valuable, underrated depth piece for the organization.

Puustinen Fits the System

Puustinen is a naturally skilled winger with excellent puck control and sharp playmaking ability. He reads the ice intelligently, finds seams in the defense on the power play, and possesses a quick, deceptive release that keeps goaltenders guessing. His consistent production at the AHL level shows he can generate offense in multiple ways.

One of his most underrated strengths is his ability to move the puck seamlessly through the neutral zone. He supports breakouts with poise, makes smart passes, and is exceptionally difficult to dislodge from the puck. Calm and composed under pressure, Puustinen’s game meshes perfectly with Colorado’s up-tempo, possession-based style.

And dare I say, his ability to carry the puck and facilitate transition play could give the Avalanche the spark their power-play unit has lacked this season — an area that arguably cost them in last year’s playoffs.

With his vision, skill, and composure, Puustinen has the tools to make an immediate impact on both the Eagles and, eventually, the Avalanche.

By Corey Abbott, RotoWire.com

The pause of the 2025-26 NHL campaign for the Winter Olympics results in a condensed schedule across the league for the final stretch of the season. Fantasy hockey managers have a great deal to consider over that time, including the potential for difficult roster decisions. Beginning preparations based on warning signs could be a wise approach, and we will cover some players whom poolies should be wary of as the regular season reaches what could be a frenetic conclusion. 

Brad Marchand, LW/RW, Panthers (89% rostered) 

Marchand has been hampered by an undisclosed injury for most of the 2025-26 campaign. He missed 10 of Florida's final 15 games before the Olympic break while logging under 12 minutes of ice time in each of his last two appearances. He also sat out two of Canada's three preliminary round contests. When he returned during the medal round, he was noticeably slower than his peers, and it appears as though he is still dealing with a nagging issue. He had 23 goals on 115 shots before he missed seven straight games in January. His 20.0 shooting percentage over that span is comfortably above his career average of 15.3. The 37-year-old could have his playing time managed for the remainder of the season, and if Florida's playoff hopes grow dimmer, he might be a candidate to shut down completely if he can't shake his injury problem. 

Karel Vejmelka, G, Mammoth (87% rostered) 

Vejmelka entered the Olympic break with a share of the league lead with 27 wins. He has faced the second-most shots (1,130) this season while posting a solid 2.58 goals-against average and a serviceable .903 save percentage. He is also tied for the most games played this campaign at 44. Utah doesn't have a daunting strength of schedule, which could work in Vejmelka's favor, or it could open the door for additional Vitek Vanecek starts. However, with the Mammoth battling for a playoff spot, Vejmelka will probably be leaned on heavily. That could be a problem if his fourth quarter of the 2024-25 season is anything to go on, as he went 10-6-4 in 20 games down the stretch with a 2.83 GAA and .890 save percentage. 

Gabriel Landeskog, LW/RW, Avalanche (32% rostered) 

Landeskog missed 14 straight games before the Olympic break because of an upper-body injury. Despite a slow start offensively to the season, he suited up in 41 consecutive contests before getting hurt three games into January. He had been alleviating some of the worry about his health being a problem following a lengthy absence due to a knee issue. However, his extended absence before playing for Sweden raises some concerns. He is already averaging a career-low 15:51 of ice time per game this season and could see his role reduced further if Colorado pads its impressive lead for the No. 1 overall seed in the NHL. 

Mark Stone, RW, Golden Knights (88% rostered) 

Aside from the 16 games he missed early in the year because of a wrist injury, Stone has been all over the scoresheet in 2025-26. However, the pace he established will be challenging to maintain, especially if wear and tear strikes again for the oft-injured forward. His point-production rates at even strength and on the power play have been the highest of his career. Stone also has a personal-best shooting percentage of 22.8%, well above his 15.7% average, and has reached the 30-goal mark only once before. His 1.48 points per game have him on pace for 97 points, and he has just one season with more than 70 points on his resume. The 33-year-old forward will be at risk of injury with the schedule set for a taxing stretch, and his pace could slow as the season progresses. 

Jared McCann, C/LW, Kraken (53% rostered)

McCann was rolling along offensively before the Olympic break, but the time off might hinder his momentum. Additionally, Seattle's scoring difficulties could lead to inconsistent performances. While he has been the team's top producer in total points since the 2023-24 campaign, the 29-year-old forward has also missed significant chunks of this season due to injuries. A busy end to the schedule could aggravate existing issues or create new ones, especially since he will probably continue to log heavy minutes. 

Anthony Mantha, LW/RW, Penguins (35% rostered) 

Mantha has been a resurgent success for Pittsburgh this season. He is on pace to surpass the 60-point plateau, even though he hasn't even reached the 50-point mark before at the NHL level. However, his reaching 60 points probably depends on his playing in all 82 games. Injuries have been a considerable stumbling block for Mantha in the past, which could become a problem again during a crowded stretch of games. Pittsburgh also has the toughest strength of schedule remaining, which may slow Mantha's scoring rates. 

Morgan Geekie, C/LW/RW, Bruins (91% rostered) 

Geekie has done an incredible job of proving his doubters wrong thus far. However, skepticism remains that he can maintain his current pace for the rest of the 2025-26 season. He has a league-best 24.8 shooting percentage, towering over his career average of 16.7%. He scored 33 times on 150 shots in 2024-25 and already has 32 goals on 129 shots this campaign. Boston has the second-toughest strength of schedule, which could make it more challenging for Geekie to continue his torrid goal-scoring success. 

Jordan Binnington, G, Blues (46% rostered) 

Binnington performed well for Canada at the Winter Olympics, but has struggled mightily this season with the Blues. He still has a long way to go to earn back the trust of fantasy managers, and isn't returning to a cozy situation. St. Louis has the second-worst record in the league, and Joel Hofer will probably continue to cut into Binnington's playing time. The 25-year-old Hofer has been the better option of the two this campaign. Binnington could get a boost with a change of scenery, but his 14-team no-trade list might be a hindrance, and his inconsistent efforts would still make him a risky bet to rebound. 

The NHL Olympic trade freeze was lifted on Monday at 12:00 a.m. ET, and - with only 10 days until the trade deadline on Mar. 6 - it was only a matter of time before NHL general managers kickstarted the activity. 

And who else to kickstart it other than the man who has been the most active GM so far this season?

On Tuesday, Pittsburgh Penguins' GM and POHO Kyle Dubas knocked down the first domino when he sent pending-unrestricted free agent defenseman Brett Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick. It was the first trade post-break, and it certainly doesn't figure to be the last.

And who knows: Dubas might not be done yet. In fact, there is a good chance he probably won't be done, as the Penguins are both in the midst of a strong playoff push and of continuing to collect as many assets as possible to help move their rebuild along. The move to get Girard also netted them a second-round pick, giving the Penguins 20 picks in the first three rounds of the next four NHL Drafts - which is the highest mark in the NHL.

It's unclear how Dubas will approach this trade deadline. It appears likely that it may have something to do with the health of captain Sidney Crosby, who sustained a lower-body injury during the Olympics and is out four weeks, but there are a lot of different ways it could go. 

But one thing is for certain: Dubas sure knows how to get maximum value out of his trades, and that's exactly what happened when he traded for Girard on Tuesday.

TRADE: Penguins & Avalanche Swap DefensemenThe Penguins have made a change to their blueline.

Looking at this trade tree, it started on Dec. 12 when Dubas sent goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick. With the Kulak trade, the Penguins essentially dealt Jarry, Poulin, and Kulak for Skinner, Girard, and two second-round picks. 

Considering that Jarry and Skinner are essentially equals, minus the fact that Skinner is on an expiring contract and Jarry has three more years at $5.125 million, and that Kulak and Girard are essentially equals - minus the fact that Girard is five years younger, has a higher offensive ceiling, and has term with one more year at $5 million - it seems as though Dubas, essentially, conjured those second-round picks out of mid-air. It's not as if you can argue that Poulin is even worth one second-round pick on his own.

This trade is just the latest example of Dubas being able to turn nothing - or, at least, much lower value - into something on the trade market combined with free agency. When he traded Marcus Pettersson and Drew O'Connor to the Vancouver Canucks last January, he netted a first-round pick that turned into two in Will Horcoff and Bill Zonnon - two higher-ceiling forward prospects - and effectively replaced Pettersson with Parker Wotherspoon and O'Connor with Justin Brazeau in free agency, both of whom have, arguably, been upgrades.

Every Trade And Signing By The Pittsburgh Penguins In 20252025 was a busy year for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and we take a look back at every move the Penguins made in the calendar year.

He also turned Michael Bunting - a product of the Jake Guentzel trade that is still playing out - and Luke Schenn plus a fourth-round pick into Tommy Novak, a second-round pick, and a fourth-round pick. And a fifth-round pick for Connor Dewar and Conor Timmins, who was flipped along with a middling defensive prospect in Isaac Belliveau for Connor Clifton and a second. 

And another one that is still playing out? Egor Chinakhov, who the Penguins got from the Columbus Blue Jackets just before the turn of the new year for a second- and third-round pick. Since then, Chinakhov has eight goals and 12 points in 18 games. 

Revisiting The Jake Guentzel Trade TreeOn Thursday, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> will take on the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> in Florida, as Pittsburgh looks to hold onto its playoff positioning and Tampa looks to extend its Atlantic Division lead.&nbsp;

Somehow, some way, Dubas always seems to maximize return, especially in his business dealings since the Guentzel trade. The full scale of that trade, as mentioned before, has yet to play out, as prospects Harrison Brunicke, Ville Koivunen, Cruz Lucius, and Vasily Ponomarev - in addition to the Bunting piece of it - are still developing and trying to push their way into the NHL.

Dubas is a smart businessman, and he's shown that he is one of the best in the business. His dealings have not only added to an already-overflowing draft cupboard, but they have also helped propel his team to second in the Metropolitan Division in a season that was - by many accounts - supposed to be another lost one. 

Things are looking up for the Pittsburgh Penguins. And it starts with the man in the big chair.

Is Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas The Clear Frontrunner For GM Of The Year?Pittsburgh Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas has had quite the year - and, if things continue to go well for them, he deserves some recognition.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins made a trade with the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, sending defenseman Brett Kulak to the Avalanche in exchange for fellow defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick.

Kulak was with the Penguins for a little over two months before being traded to the Avalanche. He was originally acquired by the Penguins in the Tristan Jarry trade back in December. 

Now that the dust has settled, this is a nice piece of business from Penguins president and general manager Kyle Dubas. He got a younger defenseman who is signed for one more year, along with a second-round pick, for a defenseman who was going to walk into free agency this summer. Dubas has been on an absolute heater for the last year and a half and is showing no signs of slowing down. 

That 2028 second-rounder is one of seven second-round picks that the Penguins have in the next three drafts. They also have three first-round picks and six third-round picks in the next three drafts. There's still plenty of time for those numbers to grow, too. 

Dubas continues to prioritize his plan to get the Penguins back to being a long-term contender as urgently as possible, while also rewarding his team for the season they're having. He knows this is a team capable of making the playoffs and potentially earning home ice in the first round. 

Girard brings a different skill set than Kulak. He may not be as steady in his own zone or in front of the net, but he's a good puck-mover, something the Penguins need more of on the backend. Outside of Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang, the Penguins don't have another true puck-mover. Girard is also someone who plays well in transition and exits his own zone cleanly.

He brings more of an offensive presence, and if the Penguins really want to, they can have an offensive-first defenseman on all three of their defensive pairs.

They're going to keep the Wotherspoon-Karlsson pairing together since it's been their best pairing all year. After that, they could look to reunite the Shea-Letang pair since it was successful at times earlier this season. That would leave Girard to play on the third pair with one of Connor Clifton or Ilya Solovyov. Either way, you'd have a pure offensive-first and a defense-first player on each defensive pair. 

However, the Penguins could also look to try Girard with Letang and at least see how it goes. It might turn into a full chaos pairing, but head coach Dan Muse hasn't been afraid to try new lines/pairs at times this year. 

Girard's underlying numbers have been really strong this year. He has played 653 minutes at 5v5 and has been on the ice for 56.4% of the shot attempts, 54.9% of the expected goals, 58.1% of the scoring chances, and 53.4% of the high-danger chances. Yes, the Avalanche are a juggernaut this season, but those numbers speak to his ability to drive possession and work the puck into the offensive zone for some good chances.

TRADE: Penguins & Avalanche Swap DefensemenThe Penguins have made a change to their blueline.

All in all, Girard is a nice fit for the blue line and will have the chance to help this team in a multitude of ways on a nightly basis. 

We'll see if he's in the lineup on Thursday when the Penguins host the New Jersey Devils. It will be their first game in three weeks since the NHL has been on its Olympic break.

(Data via Natural Stat Trick).

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