Following an injury to goaltender John Gibson during Monday afternoon's 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators, the Detroit Red Wings called up 2021 first-round pick (15th overall) Sebastian Cossa from the AHL-leading Grand Rapids Griffins.
Cossa was on the ice Wednesday morning, taking shots in the backup net, and head coach Todd McLellan confirmed that he will back up Cam Talbot for Wednesday night’s matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights at Little Caesars Arena, while also noting that Gibson is considered day-to-day.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have recalled Sebastian Cossa from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 4, 2026
It's been a record-breaking season for the Griffins, who became the first AHL team in multiple decades to clinch a postseason berth in February.
Cossa's numbers are nothing short of impressive, having gone 24-4-3 while posting a 1.99 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. He also has five shutouts.
Following Wednesday morning's skate, Cossa fielded questions from reporters and explained that despite his stellar numbers with the Griffins, there's always room for improvement.
"So far, it's been good, but it could be better for sure," Cossa said of his performance in Grand Rapids. "I think still, you could always be better somehow, some way. We've got a key stretch coming up here, and we want to have a really deep playoff run. That's going to be the key thing for me."
Multiple Red Wings players who have spent time in the NHL this season are now back with the Griffins, including first-round draft picks Nate Danielson (ninth overall in 2023) and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (15th overall in 2024).
Cossa, who has one game of NHL experience from December of last season, has spoken with both of them about their time with the Red Wings and said they’re “chomping at the bit” to return to Detroit.
"We're chatting all the time, they've both had positive experiences up here, and kind of told the same thing going back down there," Cossa said of Danielson and Brandsegg-Nygård. "Just working at getting better, they've been great for us down there. They're chomping at the bit to get back here as well."
During Training Camp in September, Cossa acknowledged how important the upcoming season would be as he looks to earn a new contract as a pending restricted free agent.
It shouldn’t be difficult for the Red Wings to sign Cossa, whom they view as a potential goaltender of the future alongside 2023 second-round pick Trey Augustine, to a new deal.
His numbers this season show he has taken his development seriously, and fans should be eager to see what he may soon accomplish at the NHL level.
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The Carolina Hurricanes travel west to take on the Vancouver Canucks tonight.
Kevin Lankinen will see plenty of action inside Rogers Arena, and my Hurricanes vs. Canucks predictions are counting on the Vancouver netminder staying busy between the pipes.
Find out more in my NHL picks for Wednesday, March 4.
Hurricanes vs Canucks prediction
Hurricanes vs Canucks best bet: Kevin Lankinen Over 27.5 saves (-120)
Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen has been lit up to the tune of an .800 save percentage and 5.20 GAA across his past seven appearances, so we’re landing a fair total for his saves total tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes are second in the league in shots per game (32.1) and pace the NHL in Corsi For percentage at five-on-five, so Carolina is positioned to pepper Lankinen with rubber.
Additionally, Vancouver has allowed an average of 30.9 shots over its past eight games and just traded away top-four defenseman Tyler Myers.
Hurricanes vs Canucks same-game parlay
In addition to the Hurricanes dominating possession at the 5-on-5, they’ve also allowed the seventh-fewest goals per game (2.8).
Turning to the final leg of this same-game parlay, Canucks winger Connor Garland has recorded 2+ shots in six of his past nine games, including racking up a team-high 40 attempts.
Carolina has hit the Under in seven of its last nine road games (+4.95 Units / 50% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Hurricanes vs. Canucks.
How to watch Hurricanes vs Canucks
Location
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
Date
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-SO, SNP
Hurricanes vs Canucks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Florida Panthers have placed defenseman Tobias Bjornfot and goaltender Louis Domingue on NHL waivers.
Bjornfot has been up with the Panthers since Jan. 4, skating in 11 games, recording two goals and three points, while averaging 11:33 of ice time. Bjornfot has performed well in the NHL this season, but with the return of Dmitry Kulikov and the expected return of Seth Jones in the short term, roster and salary cap space will need to open up.
If Bjornfot clears waivers, he’ll return to the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL, where he was named an All-Star, although he did not attend the All-Star event as he was with the Panthers in the NHL at the time.
As for Domingue, he’s been signed to an AHL deal since November, but after the Panthers inked him to a two-way deal, he’ll need to clear waivers to be able to rejoin the Checkers.
He’s only played seven games with the Checkers, recording an .831 save percentage and a 3.20 goals-against average.
Domingue is less of a threat to be claimed off waivers than Bjornfot is. At 24 years old, Bjornfot has 145 games of NHL experience, which could entice teams to add him as potential depth as we near the post-season.
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Ahead of Friday's NHL trade deadline, the market is flush with right-shot defenseman, which works for and against the Philadelphia Flyers. If they want to add, though, now might be a good time.
With Western Conference contenders like Edmonton and Dallas adding the likes of Tyler Myers and Connor Murphy, respectively, the Flyers are rapidly losing trade destinations for veteran Rasmus Ristolainen.
Still, Buffalo, Detroit, and Boston remain as legitimate, but overall less likely, trade partners for Ristolainen and the Flyers.
And should the Flyers end up dealing Ristolainen like everyone expects them to, they can quickly pivot up the turnpike and replace him with a younger, exciting, and more talented option.
On Wednesday, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun reported that the New Jersey Devils are fielding calls on 2022 No. 2 overall pick Simon Nemec as they work through their defensive logjam and attempt to find some long-term roster clarity.
"New Jersey happy to keep him, but if there's a deal that upgrades their forwards in a real way, they're going to listen," LeBrun said of Nemec.
The Flyers, of course, are flush with middle-six options that would help their Metropolitan Division rivals out at the cost of a future top-four defenseman.
Names like Bobby Brink, and Owen Tippett, especially, make the most sense for the Devils, as do Tyson Foerster and Noah Cates.
The Devils badly need center depth and complementary pieces for Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, and Tippett, Cates, and Foerster should all be enough to begin moving the needle for Nemec.
As we know, the Flyers are eventually going to need to move out bodies on their flanks to make room for their youngsters.
Porter Martone is virtually earmarked for an NHL role next season, and Denver Barkey has been earning his keep as an injury replacement for Foerster. Nikita Grebenkin could always take on a larger role, and players like Alex Bump and Shane Vansaghi will eventually make their ways into the lineup, too.
We'd also be unwise to rule out forwards Jack Berglund and Jett Luchanko for NHL roster spots next season.
It's not overly common for two rivals to make a deal of this magnitude, but this would work out very well for both sides.
Tippett should be the Devils' first choice, even if there is some extra work to be done in regards to the salary cap afterwards. Then, a top-six role immediately opens up for Martone out of college.
The Flyers' defense would then boast both Nemec and Jamie Drysdale with Oliver Bonk, Spencer Gill, and Carter Amico still on the way. Presumably, one of those players would be swapped with a left-shot option to balance things out.
Nemec, 22, has 21 points in 47 games this season and has taken a real step forward at both ends of the ice.
Provided Travis Sanheim moves back to the left side for the Flyers, Nemec immediately becomes their No. 1 right-shot defenseman.
If the two sides can get a beneficial deal done, the opportunities to get the rebuild going again would be nearly endless for the Flyers.
Bjornfot, 24, is available to be taken if any team puts in a claim within the next 24 hours. If not, he'll be assigned to the AHL's Charlotte Checkers, Florida's American League affiliate.
Therefore, the Kings could potentially bring back the blueliner, after losing him on waivers in 2023-24 to the Vegas Golden Knights. He was claimed again off waivers later that 2023-24 season by the Panthers.
After being selected 22nd overall in the first round of the 2019 draft, Bjornfot played parts of five seasons with the Kings. Across those years, he featured in 117 games for Los Angeles, scoring one goal and 15 points from the back end.
The best year of his NHL career was with the Kings in 2021-22. Bjornfot made 70 appearances and put up eight assists for eight points, all of which are career-highs.
In that very campaign, he averaged 16:46 of ice time per game and had a minus-12 plus-minus rating.
Tobias Bjornfot (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Since that 2021-22 season, he hasn't featured in more than 14 regular-season affairs. This year, Bjornfot has played 11 games for the Panthers, registering two goals and three points while averaging 11:33 of ice time, and has a plus-four rating.
For most of the past two years, Bjornfot has spent most of the time in the minors. In the past two seasons, the six-foot defenseman has played 72 games for the Checkers. That includes 22 appearances this season and putting up one goal and seven points, along with a plus-six rating.
He also had an exceptional Calder Cup playoff campaign last season for Charlotte. Bjornfot scored two goals and seven points in 14 post-season appearances, helping his team advance to the final. The Abbotsford Canucks got in their way and were Calder Cup champions.
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The Florida Panthers have signed goaltender Louis Domingue to a one-year, two-way contract.
The 33-year-old has been with the Charlotte Checkers, the Panthers’ AHL affiliate, since November on an AHL contract. Upon signing a two-way deal, he can now be recalled to the NHL if the Panthers require his services.
Domingue started the season in the KHL with Sibir Novosibirsk, where he posted a 0-9-0 record in 11 games, recording an .892 save percentage and a 3.83 goals-against average.
Since signing with the Checkers, Domingue has posted an .831 SP and a 3.20 GAA in seven games.
Additionally, he’s featured in 233 AHL games, recording a .905 SP and a 2.82 GAA.
Sergei Bobrovsky’s name has appeared in trade rumors, and the signing of Domingue has only amplified the uncertainty. Bobrovsky has expressed a desire to re-sign with the Panthers in the off-season, but as their playoff hopes dwindle, GM Bill Zito must decide what is best for the future of his club.
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The Vancouver Canucks play their final game before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline as they take on the Carolina Hurricanes. Wednesday's game will not be easy as Carolina sits at the top of the Metro Division. Here are the lineup notes for March 4, 2026.
The only lineup change expected for Vancouver is Victor Mancini coming in for Pierre-Olivier Joseph. According to Adam Foote, Joseph will miss the next two to three weeks with an upper-body injury. This season, Mancini has played in 10 NHL games but has not recorded a point.
As for the starting goaltender, that will be Kevin Lankinen. Wednesday will be his 31st start of the season. In 33 games, Lankinen has a record of 7-20-4 with a save percentage of .875.
Nov 14, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Vancouver Canucks center Max Sasson (63) and Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) watch the puck during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
E. Pettersson-Hronek M. Pettersso-Willander Buium-Mancini
Lankinen Tolopilo
Game Information:
Start time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
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After being held out of the Vancouver Canucks' lineup for three games due to roster management reasons, Tyler Myers has officially been traded to the Dallas Stars. As per Pierre LeBrun of TSN, heading back Vancouver's way are a second-round pick in 2027 and a fourth-round pick in 2029. As part of the deal, the Canucks will retain 50% of Myers' remaining contract.
Myers' trade saga first started when he was held out of Vancouver's lineup on Wednesday against the Winnipeg Jets due to roster management reasons. While he continued practicing with the team at times and skating during warm-ups, he did not play. His last game as a Canuck was played on February 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights, while his last home game was on January 31 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
With Myers now a member of the Stars, the defenceman finishes his current season with a goal and seven assists in 57 games for the Canucks in 2025-26. He spent the better-half of seven seasons with Vancouver after signing with the team in free agency in 2019 and signing an extension in 2024. His current contract includes a full no-movement clause, which factored into the process of the deal being completed.
Vancouver plays again tonight when they take on the Carolina Hurricanes on home-ice in their final game before the trade deadline. With Myers now dealt, the Canucks will likely turn their attention to other deals. Puck drop for tonight's game is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Feb 2, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers (57) looks for a play against the Utah Mammoth during the third period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
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There appears to be a few teams in the mix for the Massachusetts native who is on an expiring deal with a $4.95 million AAV. He does have an extension in place, a six-year deal worth $6 million annually.
Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche wants to add a big fish, a top-six forward, but he isn't going to jeopardize his future unless he feels that player is the right fit for now and going forward.
The Islanders are still in talks with the St. Louis Blues regarding Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou.
Sebastian Cossa, the top goaltending prospect in the organization, has been called up by the Detroit Red Wings on an emergency basis.
The move was made in the morning of Wednesday, March 4, two days after the team's starting goaltender, John Gibson, left Monday's game at the Nashville Predators with an upper-body injury after getting hit in the shoulder area with a puck. Gibson was to be looked at when he returned home. The Red Wings were off on Tuesday.
Gibson is feeling "much better" and took the ice Wednesday morning, coach Todd McLellan said. But he is out for Wednesday's game against the Vegas Golden Knights (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Detroit). Cam Talbot finished the Nashville game and is the Red Wings' top backup.
Cossa has appeared in one NHL game, coming in in relief on Dec. 9, 2024, in a game at the Buffalo Sabres, which he won in a shootout.
Selected at No. 15 in 2021 draft, Cossa has compiled a 68-29-17 record with a 2.38 goals-against average, a 0.914 save percentage and eight shutouts in 115 AHL games with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
The NHL trade deadline is just a couple of days away, and the understanding is that the Los Angeles Kings' GM Ken Holland won't be a busy customer by the time the week's over.
He had his say, explaining that trading for Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers on Feb. 4 was his "big deadline deal." Holland also said that he anticipates the team's first-round pick not being in play this week.
Nonetheless, here is a roundup of the players that have been linked to the Kings in some way, leading up to Friday's deadline.
Elias Pettersson, C, Vancouver Canucks
Throughout the season, there have been rumblings regarding Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson and Los Angeles.
It seemed to be an obvious fit, looking on the outside. Captain Anze Kopitar, who has been the Kings' first-line center for practically the length of his 20-year career, will be retiring at the end of this season.
Therefore, Los Angeles is going to have to replace the veteran in some way, shape or form.
Pettersson could fit the bill of what the Kings will be missing as he is a top-six center and was once a superstar, recording a 103-point campaign back in 2022-23. The Swede is also 27 years old, meaning the Kings would get some prime years from Pettersson.
The trickiest part of that potential marriage is Pettersson's contract. The Canucks center carries an $11.6 million salary cap hit for the next six years. He also has a full no-move clause activated throughout the entire deal that expires following the 2031-32 campaign.
To this point, it doesn't seem like Pettersson is in play - for any team - ahead of the trade deadline. If Vancouver ever decides to trade him away, it'll likely be an off-season move when teams have a little more flexibility with the cap and their rosters.
Robert Thomas, C, St. Louis Blues
Robert Thomas has been one of the hottest topics in the NHL in terms of candidates to be moved before Friday's deadline. At his age, cap hit, and several years under term, what team wouldn't be interested in kicking tires at Thomas?
TSN's Darren Dreger said on the Barn Burner podcast that he could see Thomas being a fit for L.A. The fit here is built on the same philosophy as the Pettersson addition.
However, Thomas is younger than Pettersson at 26 years old and has a cheaper salary cap hit of $8.125 million until 2030-31.
The problem with this potential move is that the St. Louis Blues have a high asking price for Thomas, and given the position the Kings are in, Holland shouldn't unload his prospects and future assets. Making the playoffs isn't a certainty for Los Angeles this year.
Vincent Trocheck, C, New York Rangers
While Vincent Trocheck has three more years on his contract, he wouldn't be the type of fit for the Kings that Pettersson or Thomas would bring. Trocheck is a 32-year-old veteran center that contending teams will be looking to add.
Not only would the Rangers center only bring the Kings a few years of great penalty killing and second-line contributions, but Trocheck is reportedly uninterested in moving to the Western Conference.
Trocheck's 12-team no-trade list allows him to exercise that request. Along with that clause in his contract, he earns $5.625 million until the end of the 2028-29 season
Even though the Olympic gold medallist would be a great help for Los Angeles in their quest to get into the playoffs, it doesn't seem like a likely transaction.
Steven Stamkos, C/LW, Nashville Predators
The Kings were linked to Nashville Predators center and left winger Steven Stamkos for a brief period of time. Those rumors came to fruition before the Panarin acquisition and, since then, have gone silent.
In addition, there's no guarantee that Stamkos gets moved anywhere, as he has a full no-move clause for the remainder of his contract. The deal that sees him earn $8 million per season expires following the 2027-28 campaign.
Furthermore, Stamkos has hinted at not being interested in waiving his clause, keeping him in Nashville.
Nonetheless, the 36-year-old veteran has had an excellent campaign to this point, scoring 30 goals and 47 points in 61 contests.
Patrik Laine, RW, Montreal Canadiens
There are two parts of the story when it comes to Los Angeles pursuing Montreal Canadiens right winger Patrik Laine.
Initially, Holland contacted the Habs to check in on the status of Laine, but quickly began looking elsewhere as there didn't seem to be a fit.
However, the latest reports from David Pagnotta say that the Kings are circling back on the Finnish sniper. This likely has to do with the injury to Andrei Kuzmenko, who received surgery and is out for the long term.
At any rate, Laine also hasn't been healthy. He's only featured in five games this season, with his last appearance coming on Oct. 16. The 27-year-old has been sidelined for several months following a core muscle surgery.
Last season, the second-overall pick of the 2016 draft featured in 52 contests, scoring 30 goals and 33 points. The pending UFA carries an $8.7 million cap hit and has a 10-team no-trade list.
Evander Kane, LW, Vancouver Canucks
The rumor linking Canucks left winger Evander Kane to the Kings hasn't been a hot headline for some time. However, the reality of a deal happening is very much alive.
One thing to consider is how Los Angeles' GM feels about the player. Holland has brought in Kane before, when he was with the Edmonton Oilers, and could easily do it again if he wished.
Elias Pettersson and Evander Kane (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)
Kane, 34, was acquired by Vancouver in the off-season for a fourth-round pick. If Holland wants to add experience, sandpaper, and depth to the bottom half of his forward group, trading for Kane may be the easiest transaction the GM has ever made in his career.
This season, Kane has played 59 games and has registered 11 goals and 27 points while averaging 16:48 of ice time for the Canucks.
Blake Coleman is very likely to be moved by the Calgary Flames ahead of this deadline. But Coleman's connection to Los Angeles has been a relatively new development.
Dreger reported on Barn Burner that among the laundry list of forwards that the Holland and the Kings are keeping an eye on, Coleman appears to be one of them.
The 34-year-old is a very versatile player who can do a job in all forward positions. He's in his fifth season with the Flames, but played a key role as a checking forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning in their back-to-back Stanley Cup runs.
Coleman is in the fifth year of a six-year contract that pays him $4.9 million per season and has a 10-team trade list. He has 13 goals and 22 points in 48 games for Calgary.
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The Detroit Red Wings return home with momentum after a statement 4–2 road win over the Nashville Predators, bouncing back from a tough trip that also included a stop against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Awaiting them are the Vegas Golden Knights, who enter Wednesday’s matchup struggling at 4-8-2 over their last 14 games and riding a three-game losing streak. While Detroit has dropped three of the last four meetings overall, Vegas has lost four of its last five games in the Motor City.
Vegas could again be without captain Mark Stone, paving the way for Pavel Dorofeyev to continue his hot stretch alongside Mitch Marner, with 15 points in his last 16 games. Detroit will counter with Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin, who have combined for eight goals over the past 10 games.
The biggest question surrounds Detroit’s crease after John Gibson exited Monday’s game, prompting the recall of top prospect Sebastian Cossa. Cam Talbot is expected to start against Adin Hill, as both teams look for stability in net in what shapes up to be a pivotal matchup.
Detroit Red Wings’ Expected Line Combinations vs Vegas (Wednesday)
Rasmussen – Larkin – Kane
DeBrincat – Copp – Raymond
van Riemsdyk – Compher – Shine
Finnie – Kasper – Appleton
Edvinsson – Seider
Johansson - Sandin-Pellikka
Chiarot – Benard-Docker
Talbot
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Things aren’t looking particularly good for the Florida Panthers and their hopes of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season.
Following Florida’s 5-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, the third straight for the Panthers, they fell 10 points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
It wasn’t that long ago that Florida was in a much better position with solid prospects of making the playoffs.
After winning a third straight game on Jan. 25, the Panthers were just three points out of a playoff spot with 31 games remaining on their schedule.
They have played 10 games since then, losing eight of them and leaving any hopes at reaching the postseason into extremely critical condition.
With the NHL’s annual Trade Deadline looming on Friday, it seems the Panthers may have played themselves out of being buyers and instead may be looking toward the future.
According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, Florida may be taking a selling position at the deadline.
The Panthers lost again last night and my understanding is they've made the decision to be sellers as far as listening on pending UFAs, which most notably include the likes of AJ. Greer and Sergei Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky has a 16-team no-trade list. Doesn't mean he will be dealt…
That means pending unrestricted free agents Sergei Bobrovsky and A.J. Greer could be prime targets for teams looking to bolster their rosters ahead of the playoffs.
Greer, 29, is having the best season of his nine spent in the NHL, racking up career highs in goals (11) and points (22), and he’ll likely set a new mark for shots on goal in a season as well (he needs nine shots to break last season’s total of 86).
Bobrovsky, on the other hand, is having a regular season to forget.
Following Tuesday’s defeat to the Devils, Bobrovsky’s record dropped to 22-19-1. Through 43 appearance, Bob has skated to a career-worst .873 save percentage, and the only season he had with a higher GAA (goals against average) than his current 3.13 was during his first year with the Panthers, when it was 3.23.
Not since his second season in the NHL has Bobrovsky, who is 37 years old, had a save percentage lower than .900.
But Bobrovsky’s recent play during the postseason, where he’s been excellent, will keep him in high regard among potential playoff teams looking for help in the goaltending department.
While helping lead the Panthers to three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances, Bobrovsky has been lights out between the pipes, cementing his place as one of the NHL’s all time great goaltenders and playoff performers.
He struggles this season could also be attributed to Florida playing with a roster missing several of their key pieces, as Sasha Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Dmitry Kulikov and Tomas Nosek all missed months upon months, with Tkahcuk only returning in January and Kulikov and Nosek in the past week, while Barkov remains on LTIR.
The thing about Bobrovsky is that he has a 16-team no-trade list attached to his contract, and he and his family are very happy in South Florida.
It’s where he and his wife Olya have started their family, with two daughters joining the Bobrovsky clan in recent years, and where Bobrovsky has reportedly said he wants to continue his career beyond his current contract.
How all of this plays out in the coming 48 hours will be very interesting to watch unfold.
Photo caption: Jan 8, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Florida Panthers Sergei Sergei Bobrovsky (72) sprays his face with water against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)
For a team that values combativity, seeing Montreal Canadiens’ Kirby Dach’s nonchalant play in his own zone against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night should have set off a couple of alarms. In a recent interview on the Basu and Godin Notebook, Habs GM Kent Hughes explained that Montreal is after competitiveness from its players. He cited Brendan Gallagher, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hutson as examples of players who have what he’s looking for.
Seeing Dach be so easily dispossessed by Kiefer Sherwood last night was yet another example of a play where the 6-foot-4 and 221-pound winger didn’t look like he wanted the puck and was willing to do whatever it took to get it. Unfortunately, that wasn’t a one-off. The Albertan might have been a third-overall pick for the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2019 draft, but he doesn’t always play like it.
Pretty inexcusable effort by Kirby Dach on this goal by the Sharks
There are nights when he looks really committed and plays well. In the 11 games he has played since his return from yet another injury, he has racked up six points, but he lacks consistency, and it’s hard to tell which version of Dach will turn up on any given night.
Given the key role Nick Suzuki’s line plays for the Canadiens, it needs to be firing on all cylinders for the Canadiens to be successful. Granted, Montreal has more secondary scoring than it once did, but the fact remains that life is much easier for the Habs when their top line is performing. On Tuesday night, Montreal scored five goals, but with Suzuki and Caufield finishing the night on a minus-three and Dach with a minus-two, the Canadiens still lost the game.
At 25 years old, and after 295 NHL games, Dach should know what it takes to play in the NHL, and he should be aware of the standard Martin St-Louis wants his men to meet. If it were up to me, Dach wouldn’t start the next game on Suzuki’s wing. I think it’s time to give Alex Newhook a look there. Granted, he doesn’t have the big frame that Dach or Juraj Slafkovsky have, he’s 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, but most of the time, he plays bigger than Dach and with a higher compete level.
Before returning from his fractured ankle, Newhook said he had trained to be able to hit the ground running on his return, and he wasn’t kidding. In three games, he has recorded four points, and his speed is right where it was before he was sidelined. When you watch him, you never ask yourself if he really wants that puck; it’s evident that he does.
If Martin St-Louis absolutely wants a big body on his first line, he could also put Slafkovsky back up there and have Newhook skate alongside Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov; that combination worked very well before the St. John’s native was injured. Newhook had 12 points in 16 games when he fractured his ankle. Furthermore, Slafkovsky has struggled since returning from the Olympics, and that move might help him as well.
Whichever way you look at it, Dach’s level of implication isn’t high enough to warrant playing on the first line with Suzuki and Caufield. The door might not be shut on that possibility forever, but as things stand, Newhook has put his foot right in there, and he deserves a look, much more than Dach.
Sebastian Cossa Called Up To Red Wings Under Emergency Conditions The Detroit Red Wings have announced that goaltender Sebastian Cossa has been called up under emergency conditions. 
