Aatu Räty is adjusting to life as a full-time NHLer with the Vancouver Canucks. The 23-year-old has played 48 games this season and is set to hit the 100-game mark for his career before the month is over. With just 18 games left during the 2025-26 campaign, Räty is focused on showing management and the coaching staff that he is ready for a bigger role in the future. 

This is the first season in which Räty has not played a game in the AHL. Over his career, he has played 169 games with both the Abbotsford Canucks and the Bridgeport Islanders, scoring 44 goals and recording 119 points. As Räty explained, there is an adjustment period when players go from part-time to full-time at the NHL level. 

"I mean, obviously, just getting used to the day-to-day of the NHL," said Räty. "I feel like I'm getting very comfortable here. But also, learning so much from the players and also from the coaches. My defensive games got a lot better, and yeah, just getting more and more comfortable playing the NHL game."

One of the ways Räty is carving out a role for the Canucks is by consistently winning faceoffs. Of the 118 players who have taken at least 400 faceoffs this year, he ranks tied for second in win percentage at 61.1%. Räty's ability to win key faceoffs has also led to him getting more ice time, as he will sometimes jump over the boards for a defensive-zone draw or an overtime faceoff. 

"100%, yeah. That's definitely my biggest strength right now. I'm still trying to improve, and definitely want to be one of the best in the league at that. That's a good way to get minutes and, you know, even, like, (against the Jets), get a shift in overtime and stuff like that. So definitely really proud of that. And, yeah, keep trying to work on that."

As for his overall game, Räty continues to work with the coaching staff to get better every day. Not only is there a focus on individual skill, but also on learning how to play as a five-man unit. As Räty explained, he is constantly communicating with the coaching staff in order to find ways to improve his game. 

"We're on the same page. I know what I need to work on, and they agree. They give me good pointers and stuff like that. But at the same time, most of the stuff that you're doing during the year, though, you're focused on more team-oriented stuff. Obviously, it's important to work on your own skill set and everything, but I think a lot of stuff is like inside the game. How to mark this guy and more stuff like that.

Räty will be a player to keep an eye on for the Canucks over the final month of the season. Not only has he been consistent in the faceoff dot, but he has also shown, with 114 hits, that he can play a physical brand of hockey. Ultimately, Räty is developing into a solid NHLer who should play a key role for the foreseeable future. 

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 New York Islanders found themselves in the NHL record book on Tuesday night after they defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-3 in overtime. 

Islanders Rally From Down 3-0, Beat Blues 4-3 In OT In Brayden Schenn’s Return To St. LouisTrailing by three, the Islanders stormed back. Barzal netted the overtime winner, capping a stunning comeback victory.

They improved to 10-0 in games decided in overtime this season, surpassing the 2020-2021 Vegas Golden Knights, who went nine straight games. 

Per @NHLMedia: #Isles recorded their fourth three-goal comeback win in the past decade. The others: Oct. 29, 2022 (vs. COL), Nov. 16, 2019 (at PHI) and Feb. 9, 2018 (vs. DET).

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) March 11, 2026

Mathew Barzal scored his second overtime winner of the season, matching Bo Horvat, Matthew Schaefer, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Simon Holmstrom. 

Because of their overtime success, the Islanders are tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for points (79) but sit third in the Metropolitan Division, with Pittsburgh having one game in hand. 

They remain three points up on the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have one game in hand. 

The Philadelphia Flyers have decisions to make on their wingers this summer, and while they do have a logjam, they should also be looking to make upgrades where possible.

It's well established that the Flyers have a glut of right wingers or right-shot wingers, and Matvei Michkov, Porter Martone, and Travis Konecny will be the immediate future there.

On the left, Tyson Foerster and Owen Tippett have played on their weak sides out of necessity, and Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, and Nikita Grebenkin have filled in behind nicely as middle-six options.

The Flyers have good options there, but they lack a clear top dog that they can find elsewhere. Fortunately, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who played ball in the Scott Laughton trade, might be looking to further restructure their roster.

Ahead of the NHL trade deadline, there was a lot of smoke surrounding young forward Matthew Knies, 23, and him potentially being available at the right price.

Report: Flyers Rejected Big Maple Leafs Trade for Rasmus RistolainenAccording to a new report, the Philadelphia Flyers received a massive trade offer from the Toronto Maple Leafs for veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. GM Danny Briere and Co. didn't budge.

"I heard some Matthew Knies, and that, to me, is the Maple Leafs seeing if there’s a massive offer they can’t turn down," top NHL insider Elliotte Friedman wrote in a blog post for Sportsnet. "That is the only way I see it happening."

Given how bad they've been this season, the Maple Leafs would sure love to get their 2027 first-round pick back, and they need help at nearly every position.

The 6-foot-3 Knies has 16 goals, 35 assists, and 51 points in 62 games for the Maple Leafs this season and would instantly be in a hit in Philadelphia when paired with the likes of Michkov and Trevor Zegras.

For the cap-strapped Maple Leafs, Knies's $7.75 million cap hit might prevent them from being creative and make it harder for them to divert assets elsewhere on the roster, so more cost-effective options like Foerster or Tippett would be a good starting point.

Flyers' David Jiricek Experiment Will Require PatienceJiricek scored in his Phantoms debut, but made a costly blunder that resulted in a goal against.

It helps that Knies does not have any trade protection in his contract, so the Maple Leafs can simply accept the best offer for him at any time.

A bottom-six center group of B.O. Groulx and Jacob Quillan isn't going to get them anywhere, either, and they could assuredly use an upgrade over Simon Benoit on defense as well.

Knies is a talent worth getting the Flyers to consider dangling Noah Cates and/or Cam York, so a potential deal between the two teams could go many ways.

If the Flyers can nab a top center or defenseman in the 2026 NHL draft and acquire an upper-echelon left wing, the rebuild suddenly looks a lot better.

The defense, with or without York, needs a lot of work, and the Flyers can use their horde of wingers to start making something happen this offseason.

MONTREAL — If you didn’t watch the opening 20 minutes of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 3-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, you probably would have thought the club was just a bit unlucky. But the first period was a disaster; they were fortunate to only be down 2-0 after being outshot 18-5 by a Canadiens club loaded with young talent.

In isolation, it wasn’t the worst game for the Leafs, but they lost their eighth game in a row, falling to 0-6-2 since the Olympic break. They’re out of moral victories, and the playoffs aren’t in sight.

William Nylander scored Toronto’s lone goal, a lovely give-and-go with rookie Easton Cowan, but they just couldn’t finish. The club has averaged just 1.875 goals over the eight-game span.

"I think it's a lot of losses in a row now," Nylander said after the game. "I think in parts of all the games we've been playing, we've been playing snippets of good hockey. And that's not how we want to play. We want to play a full game of good hockey. So until we trend closer to that, I think then it'll be positive".

The issues are evident, but Toronto seems to be at a loss for why they have had a lack of finish. Auston Matthews has now gone 12 consecutive games without a goal as Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube remains at a loss in terms of how to get a full 60 minutes out of his club.

"It's tough to say. I mean, it's hard to win in this league if you don't get it," Berube said. "You don't have to dominate a period, but you have to be in the game. You've got to create and you've got to defend. Throughout this stretch, there's been a lot of good hockey, but then there's that stretch, if it's a period or a 10-minute stretch, where these teams scored two or three goals on us. And, you know, right now we can't find the back of the net enough. So when this is going on, we've got to keep the puck out of our net as much as possible and hopefully find our groove with the scoring. But we need more guys to dig in and contribute than there are right now".

Toronto fell to 27-27-11 this season and is now just five points ahead of the New York Rangers for last in the Eastern Conference. As far as the playoffs go, they are 13 points back with 18 games remaining in the season, and the outlook remains bleak.

Perhaps the first sign of looking toward the future was Toronto calling up the Marlies’ leading scorer, Bo Groulx, and playing him as a prominent third-line center. All things considered, the player showed promise with 14:13 of ice time and two shots on goal. Once the club is mathematically out of contention, I suspect we will see more call-ups.

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

“The Devils rank dead last in goals scored above expectation and Timo Meier might be the poster boy for their struggles. He is scoring at a pace of 23.6 goals per 82 games. That’s not a bad total but certainly not $8.8 million worthy – and the worst of any full season in his NHL career.” [Infernal Access ($)]

On Simon Nemec: “Whether another team swoops in and tries to steal the Slovak defenseman remains to be seen. However, a source tells New Jersey Hockey Now that the Nemec camp may start negotiations with Luke Hughes‘ number on his new contract. That’s noteworthy given Nemec switched agents recently and is now represented by Craig Oster of Newport Sports Management.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]

Our guy Jack:

Some insight from #NJDevils Keefe on how Jack Hughes has evolved since the Olympics:

"There’s been a significant increase in Jack speaking up both on the bench and in the locker room (…) to me he’s come back and really taken charge of a lot of different areas for our team." pic.twitter.com/ZHpt884hnG

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) March 10, 2026

Hockey Links

Pretty good!

Lane Hutson officially has the record for most assists by an NHL defenseman through his first 150 games 🤯

With 116 assists, he passes Sergei Zubov in the history books 📖 pic.twitter.com/N4oVG5KEbP

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 11, 2026

19-year-old Macklin Celebrini joins some elite company tonight after scoring his 90th point of the season against Buffalo 🙌

(h/t @NHL) pic.twitter.com/W6QrcAMjD7

— BarDown (@BarDown) March 11, 2026

“The 2026 NHL trade deadline didn’t produce the type of fireworks hockey fans wanted to see — and maybe even some NHL front offices. It might, though, be a precursor to an offseason that delivers some rather explosive moves.” [The Athletic ($)]

“The Colorado Avalanche were not happy after superstar Nathan MacKinnon was ejected from Tuesday’s loss to the Edmonton Oilers. MacKinnon received a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct after colliding with Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram.” [Sportsnet]

“The Florida Panthers aren’t expecting to see Brad Marchand play again anytime soon, and with the team’s playoff hopes dwindling it’s possible that the two-time Stanley Cup winner and Olympic silver medalist’s season could be over.” [Associated Press]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

The Montreal Canadiens were back in action at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night, hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs for one last time this season. Jakub Dobes got the start following his outstanding outing against the Los Angeles Kings, and the talk of the town in the run-up to the game was whether he should be playing both games of this important back-to-back.

Meanwhile, the Leafs showed up riding a seven-game losing streak, with a captain who hadn’t found the back of the net in 11 games. For a player like Auston Matthews, who has won multiple Rocket Richard trophies and just captained Team USA to the gold medal in Milano-Cortina, that’s worrying. Before the game, he had just 26 goals in 58 games.

Canadiens: Can Suzuki Hit The Magic Number?
Montembeault Is Working On His Big Issue
Canadiens: Slafkovsky Wants To Be The Man

Flat As Can Be

If we’ve seen the Canadiens be dominated in the first frame at times this season, what we saw from the Leafs on Tuesday night was even worse. Toronto looked like it was simply going through the motions; they had no spring in their step and no emotion whatsoever, looking as active as a piece of agonizing roadkill on a highway.

At the end of the first frame, shots were 18-5 Montreal, and the score was 2-0. It almost felt like Toronto wanted Dobes to be fresh and ready to go for Tuesday’s game in Ottawa.

That was until Brendan Gallagher hit Easton Cowan while the youngster didn’t have the puck. Veteran blueliner Jake McCabe took exception and immediately came for Gallagher. The alternate captain had no intention of fighting, nor should he with the number of injuries he’s had on his hands, but McCabe wouldn’t let it go, so he dropped the mitts.

Toronto came out much stronger in the second period, with two power plays, which helped them gain some momentum. They managed to cut the lead in half through William Nylander, after two cross-zone passes, Dobes had no chance.

Dobes’ Confidence

Meanwhile, Dobes looked as confident as can be in the net, stopping 10 of the 11 shots he faced in the second frame. He made quite a few glove saves, adding some mustard, a bit like Patrick Roy used to in the good old days. I’m not comparing him to Roy but just saying that his demeanour in net and his attitude remind me of Roy’s. It’s a stark contrast with what Montembeault looks like when he’s in the net, and that plays on the team’s confidence as well.

The Czech netminder only surrendered a goal on 18 shots, finishing his night with a .944 save percentage. Since he wasn’t particularly busy, it will be interesting to see if Martin St-Louis will give him the nod for Wednesday’s game or if he’ll stick to his alternating policy on back-to-backs.

DOBERMANNNN pic.twitter.com/caktFrOwJa

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 10, 2026

The Kids Are Alright

The Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, and Ivan Demidov line hadn’t been impressive in its first two games back together, but tonight, they were much better. Kapanen, who scored the first goal, had seven attempts on net tonight, three of his shots made it to the goalie, and he looked like he was just everywhere.

As for Demidov, he only had one shot on net, but his combativity along the boards was the key factor in the Canadiens’ first goal. He was knocked down in a battle but managed to shake it off, jump back up, and make the play that led to Kapanen’s goal. That was his 20th goal of the season, meaning he'll be getting a $250,000 bonus. 

Oliver Kapanen. Recrue. 20 buts.

Oliver Kapanen. Rookie. 20 goals.#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/q0WyJVW3H3

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 10, 2026

Caufield Benched?

Cole Caufield started the game on the top line, as he always does, but then, in the second period, he had his last shift at 14:23 and was stapled to the bench until the Canadiens had a power play in the third.

There was much speculation about why he wasn’t playing since nobody had seen an injury, and no one could remember a bad play that could have warranted benching him.  Then, he was back on the ice for the two power plays. After the game, Martin St-Louis confirmed the winger wasn’t feeling well; that he was a bit sick, but he does believe he’ll be available for Wednesday’s game against the Ottawa Senators.

In the end, given how the Leafs looked for much of the game tonight, this game should have been easier for the Canadiens, but if you have a glass-half-full approach, the Habs managed to win a tight hockey game and protect a lead, even at five-on-six, a rare feat. The coach praised his team’s decision-making in the neutral zone tonight; they didn’t take any unnecessary risks. The coach summed it up by saying his charges took what the Leafs gave them.

Montreal kept its effort level high right up to the end. Mike Matheson made a very good play, diving to clear the puck and send it to Jake Evans, who outskated Easton Cowan to score the third goal and put the final nail in the Leafs’ coffin.

Très bien. Très très bien

Very nice, very nice#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/QiF5RgcwMg

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 11, 2026

---

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. 

Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina, on Tuesday night for a Metropolitan Division battle against the Carolina Hurricanes. Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead into the third period, then Carolina roared back to take a 4-2 lead. Pittsburgh scored two goals in a frantic, gutsy comeback to force overtime, but dropped the shootout yet again. [Recap]

The Penguins should give defensemen Samuel Girard and Ilya Solovyov an extended look to see if their styles can mesh and stabilize the team’s otherwise inconsistent blue line. [PensBurgh]

The team received a few positive and negative injury reports from Tuesday morning’s practice. Most notably, Sidney Crosby took the ice once again, although skating on a separate pairing with the currently suspended Evgeni Malkin, meaning he is close but not 100% ready to return to game action. [PensBurgh]

How inconsistent is the NHL’s Department of Player Safety after Evgeni Malkin received a five-game suspension for slashing Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, while Tampa Bay forward Brandon Hagel was only fined for also attacking the defenseman? Malkin undoubtedly deserved the suspension, but how does Hagel get off with a lesser punishment while Malkin sits for five games? [Trib Live]

News and updates from around the NHL…

Washington Capitals and NHL icon Alex Ovechkin said his decision on when to retire will depend largely on his health and how his body holds up as he continues playing at or past 40. He said he still loves the game, but wants to avoid long-term injuries that could affect life after hockey. [Sportsnet]

Former Penguins netminder and current Seattle Kraken Matt Murray, 31, has been activated from injured reserve. He had been out of action since Nov. 15. [TSN]

Pittsburgh Penguins (32-17-15, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (29-22-14, in the Pacific Division)

Paradise, Nevada; Thursday, 10 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights aim to break their three-game slide when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Vegas has a 29-22-14 record overall and a 14-10-7 record in home games. The Golden Knights have allowed 201 goals while scoring 209 for a +8 scoring differential.

Pittsburgh is 32-17-15 overall and 16-8-7 on the road. The Penguins have gone 32-4-8 in games they score three or more goals.

The matchup Thursday is the second time these teams play this season. The Penguins won 5-0 in the last meeting.

TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell Marner has 18 goals and 47 assists for the Golden Knights. Pavel Dorofeyev has six goals and four assists over the last 10 games.

Anthony Mantha has 24 goals and 24 assists for the Penguins. Bryan Rust has five goals and five assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 4-6-0, averaging 2.8 goals, 5.1 assists, 3.7 penalties and 8.9 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game.

Penguins: 4-2-4, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.3 assists, 4.1 penalties and 10.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.

INJURIES: Golden Knights: None listed.

Penguins: None listed.

___

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

Macklin Celebrini or Matthew Schaefer? Choosing who to start NHL franchise with originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

“Can I pick both?”

“Do I have to choose?”

When asked between choosing Sharks center Macklin Celebrini or New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer to start an NHL franchise, those were common refrains.

But in the end, over two dozen current and past NHL coaches, scouts and executives — none with the Sharks or Islanders right now — picked one.

“That is as hard a choice as you can have in this sport right now,” one coach said.

San Jose Hockey Now also asked if any other U23 players belonged in this conversation.

“Those are the [only] choices,” one scout said, which was the consensus.

Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson was mentioned by a couple of sources as a not-so-close third in this conversation … and that’s it.

So, what do Celebrini and Schaefer’s head coaches think?

Of course, they’re going to pick their own player, but both shared their thoughts about the other team’s teen franchise face.

“Man, he’s impressive out there. From nothing, he creates a lot of offense. He’s got a really good shot, moves the puck well,” Islanders coach and Hockey Hall of Famer Patrick Roy said about Celebrini. “What’s impressive is to see how hard he works shift after shift after shift.”

“He can move pucks. He’s creative on the offensive blueline. He can get up in the rush. He’s almost a fourth forward out there. But then, on the flip side of it, you can tell he cares about defending. He cares about getting better,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said about Schaefer. “He’s a competitor. He wants to win. He drags guys into the fight by his personality … You’ve heard some things that have come out of there, how special of a human being he is … he’s got real good attributes for leadership.”

All said, Celebrini won the poll by a landslide, 21-5. But it was as close as an essentially 4-to-1 vote can be.

“It is very close,” an executive said. “After next year, I might switch to Schaefer.”

Here’s what some of the coaches, scouts, and executives said.

Coaches

Coach No. 1: “Can I pick both? Haha. Celebrini.

“For me, an elite No. 1 center is the most valuable asset for a team and franchise. [It’s his] offensive impact — drives the play every shift. Can’t do that as a D.”

Coach No. 2: “I would take Celebrini. I love both, but I feel like you have the biggest impact as a leader in the center position. You can dictate on both sides of the puck without sacrificing playing the right way. As of now, I can’t say I’d want anyone else. [I’ve heard] that Macklin does it right off the ice, as well. Invaluable.”

Coach No. 3: “That is as hard a choice as you can have in this sport right now. But I always take the defenseman, when it’s this close, and you are choosing between a forward and a defenseman. 

“I know Macklin is as good a person and leader as he is a player, so if Schaefer is close to what Macklin is off the ice, I take Schaefer…barely!”

Coach No. 4: “Tough one…I’ll go with Celebrini, based off I’ve seen him more. I think those two have separated themselves from the pack, for young guns.”

Coach No. 5: “Celebrini in a very close decision. It seems like he already has the leadership skills.”

Scouts

Scout No. 1: “Great question! Tough to answer. I go Mack, winning intangibles, one of the two, three most competitive people in hockey.”

Scout No. 2: “Generational center. [Celebrini] looks like he’s going to be on the McDavid/MacKinnon trajectory. Schaefer is on the Makar trajectory. In that case, I’d take Celebrini. There’s no wrong choice here.”

Scout No. 3: “Generational, best since [McDavid] and [MacKinnon]. Drives the game, changes games, the most I’ve seen in a long time.”

Scout No. 4: “Maybe it’s the Mack frenzy since the Olympics, but I’ve watched a few [San Jose Sharks] games after, and he’s just so smart and controlled and everything runs through him. No holes. Elite at so many things already. He really might be the next closest thing we get to Crosby.”

Scout No. 5: “Mack would be in my [top] slot. He’s Crosby and look how he’s made everyone around him better. Durable too.”

Scout No. 6: “Both are franchise guys, so it’s would you rather have a No. 1 D or No. 1 C? Both impossible to find, but I think D are harder to find and get more ice time.”

Scout No. 7: “Those are the choices. Can’t go wrong with either. I’d lean towards the 1C. He’s so dominant. Game will be even better learning from all the Olympians. Schaefer is fantastic, but Celebrini has every tool you’d want.”

Scout No. 8: “Both players are special. Celebrini is a legit 1C, there’s so few of them in the league. Plus, he has some intangible traits, not that Schaefer doesn’t, but I’d start with the 1C.”

Scout No. 9: “Celebrini. Two-way center. 200 feet. Driven. Makes the whole team go. Phenomenal player — San Jose hit the jackpot.”

Scout No. 10: “Celebrini, I like forwards better for building a team with what they bring offensively and he makes everything better. He is my pick by a ways.”

Scout No. 11: “I’d rather have the star C over the star D. I also think Celebrini is just a touch more valuable long-term anyways. Just a bit higher sense and compete.”

Scout No. 12: Celebrini is a franchise [player right now]. Schaefer is coming on next season to become a franchise player, he’s more ‘elite’ right now. I’d pick the franchise-level center, for sure. It’s the rarer pick.”

Executives

Executive No. 1: “Celebrini — easy for me. He’s a culture-driver, unrelenting work ethic, a top-end player. Top forwards generally taken in front of a defenseman.

“I know Schaefer is a great player and kid, but he hasn’t been that top-end player with the scrutiny [for] his whole life [like] Mack.”

Executive No. 2: “Celebrini is the [only] choice. Tie goes to the forward. And it’s not a tie.

“Centers impact games more than defensemen.”

Executive No. 3: “Celebrini, because of his competitive nature and leadership at such a young age. Schaefer may be a better point-getter, relative to his position, when it’s all said and done though.”

Executive No. 4: “Start with a defenseman. Tougher to find.”

Executive No. 5: “Tough one. Celebrini. No. 1 elite centers are tough to find!”

Executive No. 6: “No wrong answer between the two, but I would probably take Celebrini. It is very close though. After next year, I might switch to Schaefer. Super close.”

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The Los Angeles Kings (26-23-15) played one of their tightest defensive games of the season on Wednesday afternoon, but it still wasn't enough to escape Boston Bruins (36-22-6) territory. 

Boston extended its home dominance, defeating the Kings 2-1 in overtime at TD Garden, securing its 13th consecutive home victory while continuing its elite defensive performance, holding the Kings to their fewest shots taken all season, 15.

Final from Overtime in Boston. #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/EIOX4r5FyP

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 11, 2026

The Bruins also improved to 3-1-0 this season in games tied 0-0 after two periods. 

For much of the night, the game resembled a playoff-style grind, with physical defense and strong goaltending. 

As for the Kings' side of things, Drew Doughty was the lone scorer in tonight's game, while Adrian Kempe finished with one assist and one point; meanwhile, Artemi Panarin had his first bad game as a King, recording zero in the statsheet. 

Darcy Kuemper had a great game, especially early on when both teams were struggling to score. Kuemper was the main catalyst at holding the Bruins to three shots in the first period and zero goals for the first 40 minutes, posting 21 saves on the night. 

Scott Laughton had another great game, despite not putting up any points; his defense, energy, and speed were all positive for Los Angeles and have been a great fit for the Kings in his short time. 

A Scoreless Defensive Battle Through 40 Minutes

The opening 40 minutes featured little offensive rhythm from either team. It was one of the fewest shot attempts we've seen in a game this season, as Los Angeles outshot the Bruins 6-3 after the first period. 

Every inch of the ice has been contested tonight and now a heavyweight scrap between Helenius and Zadorov.

Playoff feel in Boston.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) March 11, 2026

Despite the number of shots being very low, the Bruins had plenty of chances to score, especially on the power play, where they were terrible today, finishing 0/4, including a shot that struck the post, while Kuemper kept Boston off the board multiple times, making key saves. 

Meanwhile, Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman was also dominant on the other side of the crease, stopping 14 of 15 shots from Los Angeles. He was everywhere on the ice, not giving any easy goals for the Kings. 

Special teams struggled on both sides. Boston's power play was again nonexistent tonight; even with the penalties they drew, the Bruins failed to take advantage. 

Los Angeles also failed to convert on the man advantage, leaving the game scoreless entering the third period with just 20 combined shots between the teams. 

Bruins Break Through Late

After the defensive battle between the two teams lasted more than 48 minutes, Boston finally cracked the scoreboard. 

Defenseman Mason Lohrei jumped into the offensive zone and beat Kuemper, breaking the tie at the 8:22 mark of the third period, giving Boston a 1-0 lead. The goal energized the crowd after both teams were cold on offense, and it appeared that the Bruins were set to seal another home win. 

Doughty Forces Overtime

But the Kings didn't go away and responded again in the clutch. 

Just over five minutes later, Drew Doughty tied the game 1-1, with under six minutes remaining in the final regulation, firing the point shot off Elias Lindholm's skate at the net front and in to tie things up. 

LAK Goal - Mass-a-Drew-setts!

Doughty hammers home the game-tying goal with six minutes on the clock! 1-1. Kings have pushed since going down, get rewarded there.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) March 11, 2026

But, just 39 seconds in overtime, Charlie McAvoy buried the overtime winner to give Boston the 2-1 victory in one of the most tightly defensive battles we've seen in a regular-season match in a long time. 

Despite the loss, the Kings competed very well on the road against Boston, which has been pretty much unbeatable at TD Garden, winning their 13th straight game there, and the defense was excellent. 

Key Stats

Los Angeles managed only 15 shots on goal, struggling to generate any offensive momentum all night despite playing one of their best defensive games of the season.

The Kings once again struggled on the power play, finishing 0/2 and winning just 44.9% of their faceoffs, two major stats that've been ailing them this season. 

Disappointing for Los Angeles not to get two points, but it resulted in a hard-earned point and got some help tonight in the fight for a wild card spot, as the San Jose Sharks and Seattle Kraken all lost today. 

The good news for Los Angeles is that they're now tied with Seattle for the final wild-card spot in the postseason and are five points behind the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers for the second seed in the Pacific Division. 

 Los Angeles will continue its five-game road trip on Friday, when it takes on the New York Islanders at 7:00 PM EST. 

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ST. LOUIS – By his own admission, Brayden Schenn is usually one not to disclose his emotions for all to see.

But even the human in the New York Islanders center, who was acquired by the St. Louis Blues just four days ago at the NHL Trade Deadline, couldn’t even simulate what was about to happen at the first TV timeout in the first period.

Get the tissues out. The man meant a lot to this organization. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/UB2zEnpf1G

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) March 10, 2026

It’s a rarity to see, but Schenn’s return after getting traded was overwhelming, to say the least.

One day, the former Blues captain is at one side of the hotel in San Jose to sliding over to the next, absorbing the pitch from Islanders brass, to making his way back into the city he’s called home the past nine years to dressing in the visiting locker room and facing guys he went to war with countless times.

Everyone understands the business side of being a professional athlete, but when Schenn was the focal point, first on the jumbotron, then getting the thunderous ovation from the sellout crowd of 18,096 who will never forget being an integral part of the city’s first Stanley Cup in 2019, it admittedly got to the 34-year-old.

There was applause. There were obvious tears. A part of the Blues fabric was leaving, and the fans wanted to show their appreciation.

“It was a pretty emotional night,” said Schenn, who picked up the primary assist on Mathew Barzal’s OT winner and first point with the Islanders. “I can usually hold it together pretty good, I’m not going to lie, but driving into the rink today got me a little bit. The fans have been so good to me, the organization has been so good.”

The Blues knew what was coming, too, and were rightfully impressed with how the crowd showed its appreciation after 650 regular-season games and 485 points, 58 more playoff games and 29 points.

“Brayden Schenn’s meant a lot to this organization,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “Stanley Cup champ, one of the players that brought home the Stanley Cup to St. Louis for the first time. He’s just an incredible family person and husband, father and community guy.”

Blues rookie Jimmy Snuggerud has known Schenn for less than a year and even felt the emotions during the tribute, calling Schenn’s mentorship “massive.”

“That was sad, honestly,” he said. “Even for a guy like me watching whose only known him for not even a year now. Just what he’s done for this franchise and this program bringing a Cup and being a great captain. … it’s really great to see ‘Schenner’ and what he has to do with the Islanders. I’m watching him, I’m cheering him on. It’s really cool to see that. I’m just so happy for him.

“From the day I stepped foot in, I moved in with him right away. From off-ice antics to on-ice antics, a guy I’d go to basically for all answers because he’s been through just about everything as a player. It’s honestly really cool just to see what he’s done and not knowing him for this long and still get the opportunity to live with him and more or less play with him on the ice. Honestly it was really cool.”

Schenn stayed in St. Louis to pack up as many belongings as he could and help his wife process and gather up whatever was needed while his new teammates headed home. He will make his Islanders home debut on Friday while getting in one last day with his former teammates, who also gathered at the Schenn household on Monday to spend as much time together now that that time is gone.

“It has been a tough couple days,” said Blues goalie Joel Hofer, who often played with Schenn’s two sons in the locker room after practices. “Him and ‘Faulker,’ two good friends. It was definitely fun to battle it out against him.

“I wanted to take (the tribute) all in. He means so much to this organization and such a good person to us. He’s great. I definitely wanted to take it all in.”

Theo Lindstein's NHL Debut A Success For Blues Despite OT Loss To IslandersThe 2023 first-round pick (No. 29 overall) collected an assist in a 4-3 loss, moved pucks well and used his skating ability to fit in, which is a good sign moving forward

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ST. LOUIS – Theo Lindstein understandably felt nerves on Tuesday.

The St. Louis Blues defenseman, who made his NHL debut in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders, did his best to keep his game face on. But undoubtedly, the first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft (No. 29, one of three in the lineup for the Blues on Tuesday) soaked in the atmosphere at this level and performed as well as can be expected.

Theo Lindstein taking his rookie lap #stlbluespic.twitter.com/77jk1RqAZI

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) March 10, 2026

“Fun. For sure, a dream-come-true,” Lindstein said postgame. “A little disappointed that we couldn’t get the two points here, but overall, I think we played a great game. We were hard to play against, a little bit disappointed we couldn’t get the two points.

“I was a little bit nervous there in the beginning, but when the game started, I just came in pretty fast and felt good out there. It was a fun game to play.”

Lindstein had an assist and was a plus-1 in the game, playing 13:39 playing alongside Colton Parayko, and he didn’t look overwhelmed.

“Excellent. Really impressed with Lindstein,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “You could tell how well he skates. He uses his feet really well to carry pucks or move pucks, and then he used his feet really well to defend well too. Very encouraging first game.”

The 21-year-old was coming on at a greater clip at Springfield of the American Hockey League. However, he got quite the dose of just how things are done at this level, which made his skill set skating with the puck and foot movement all the more imperative.

“Everyone up here is much better and go faster out there,” Lindstein said. “You have to think a little bit faster and quicker. It was fun.

“After a couple shifts. You’re coming into it pretty quick. It was fun. Disappointed we couldn’t get two points.”

Lindstein had no turnovers and/or giveaways in the game, and that’s impressive since the Islanders, who overcame a 3-0 deficit to win, pumped 49 shots at the Blues and Joel Hofer.

“I wanted to play my game, use my skating and my hockey sense out there and play as quick as possible, get my feet moving and I think I did that tonight,” Lindstein said. “It was fun.”

Hofer, who made 45 saves, thought Lindstein fit right in.

“I thought he was great,” Hofer said. “I was super-excited to get him here and obviously excited for him to play his first game and get a point too is super-special.

“I try to talk to him and all the other guys, try to make it as comfortable as I can. Just do what I can to help him out there.”

Lindstein was on the ice with fellow 2023 first-round picks Dalibor Dvorsky (No. 10) and Otto Stenberg (No. 25), and the third wheel (Lindstein) was able to accomplish something the other two didn’t – earn a point in his NHL debut, and he most certainly heard the appreciation of the 18,096 at Enterprise Center.

“It was pretty cool,” Lindstein said.

Robert Thomas Never Asked To Waive No-Trade Clause, Or To Be TradedBlues top-line center confirms reports as name swirled around trade rumors leading into deadline last Friday; believes St. Louis isn't far off from being a contender again

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SEATTLE (AP) — Ryan Ufko scored his first NHL goal with 5:35 to play in the second period to put the Nashville Predators ahead to stay in a 4-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night.

The rookie skated in from the right of the goal, dodged between two defenders and tucked the puck past Seattle goalie Joey Daccord to give the Predators a 3-2 lead and two critical points in their chase for a wild-card playoff spot. Right now the team is on the outside of the playoff picture.

Tyson Jost and Reid Schaefer also scored second-period goals to erase Seattle's 2-0 first-period lead and Steve Stamkos added an empty-netter for his 31st goal of the season.

Jonathan Marchessault had a pair of assists for Nashville, which had lost four of its previous five, and Juuse Saros made 43 saves.

Kaapo Kakko scored just 2:14 into the game and Matty Beniers scored at 9:46 of the first period to give the Kraken a 2-0 lead. Beniers scored from a tough angle, firing from the bottom of the right circle and over the shoulder of Saros just inside the far post.

Daccord finished with 23 saves.

Seattle's Shane Wright scored a goal in the second but it was waved off because of goalie interference when Ryker Evans slid into Saros and took out his feet.

The Kraken were without left wing Jaden Schwartz, who was hit in the face by a skate during Seattle’s 7-4 loss to Ottawa on Saturday.

Kraken, clinging to a wild-card slot, have now lost five of their last seven games.

Up next

Predators: Visit Vancouver on Thursday night.

Kraken: Host Colorado on Thursday night.

___

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

Ryan Ufko netted his first career NHL goal, a highlight reel score and game-winning conversion that elevated the Nashville Predators past the Seattle Kraken, 4-2, on Tuesday at Climate Pledge Arena. 

In the second period, Ufko got the puck off the face-off in the Kraken zone. He'd deke out a Kraken defender, cutting into the slot and getting goalie Joey Daccord sliding before putting it in on the forehand. 

Since joining the Predators for the first time this season on March 5 against the Boston Bruins, Ufko has two points in three games (1G, 1A). This season in Milwaukee, he's recorded 44 points (11G, 33A) in 50 games and earned AHL All-Star honors. 

Juuse Saros was massive in net, making 43 saves on 45 shots for his second 40+ save performance of the season. It's the most saves he's made in a single game this season. 

The Predators fell behind early, as Kaapo Kakko and Matty Beniers scored in the first 10 minutes to make it 2-0 Seattle. Kakko's goal came just 2:14 minutes into the game.

RYAN UFKO'S FIRST @NHL GOAL IS ONE TO REMEMBER 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/kNtRntweme

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) March 11, 2026

Nashville was dominated in the first period, getting outshot 19-7 and going down by two goals.  

Its response was swift in the second period. Tyson Jost scored on a feed from Fedo Svechkov to get the Predators on the board. It was Jost's first goal since Dec. 27 and Sevchkov's second point in three games. 

Reid Schaefer tied the game later in the second, tapping in a feed from Matthew Wood. That was Schaefer's first goal since Dec. 31 and Wood's 10th assist of the season. 

Steven Stamkos added an empty net goal with five seconds left in the game to seal a victory. 

Jonathan Marchessault recorded two assists in the win for just his third multi-point game of the season.

The win is massive for the Predators' hopes of making the playoffs, now just a point behind the Kraken for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference with 66 points. 

According to MoneyPuck.com, with the win, the Predators now have a 25.5% chance of making the playoffs. Los Angeles (67 points) picked up just one point in a 2-1 overtime loss to Boston, while San Jose (66 points) lost in regulation to Buffalo, 6-3. 

The Predators continue their five-game road trip into Vancouver on Thursday against the Canucks at 9 p.m. CST. 

The Islanders’ incredible overtime magic continued with their 10th OT winner of the season, this time built off the foundation of a three-goal comeback and a rare double-power-play conversion from a team whose power play can rarely shoot straight.

Mat Barzal finished the 4-3 win in St. Louis, using his speed to wrongfoot forward Jordan Kyrou for the overtime tally at 2:11. But the Isles only got there thanks to some good fortune, good power play passing and a timely coach’s challenge that prevented a 4-0 deficit.

The Isles had outshot the Blues badly in the first period and to start the second, but they allowed too many golden chances and were behind 3-0 just over midway through the game. It looked like it was 4-0 when Robert Thomas put in another golden chance, but it was overturned by video review after the Isles challenged for offside. Before the challenge, it looked like the Isles were considering putting David Rittich in, but thankfully they didn’t, because Sorokin’s elite services later proved necessary.

That overturned goal was the fortune teller’s turning point if not the actual turning point; it wasn’t until much later in the second period (17:50) that J-G Pageau finally got the Isles on the board. With the way the Isles had generated chances prior to that point (still outshooting the Blues 29-14 through 40 minutes), it felt like that gave them a fighting chance going into the third.

[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]

But who would’ve expected that chance to be cashed in by not one, but two power play goals? Honestly, when Pavel Buchnevich was called for a very fortunate double-minor high-sticking on Calum Ritchie five minutes into the third, my first thought was, “Great, there goes four more minutes of comeback time wasted.”

Instead, the Isles power play moved the puck around and retained it along the boards decently enough — though not as well as the Blues, who just missed restoring their three-goal lead on a power play late in the second. Their persistence was rewarded when Jack Finley (son of former Islander and Blue Jeff Finley) accidentally pushed a loose puck over the line as he and another Blue battled with Bo Horvat and Cal Ritchie in the crease.

The goal was credited to Ritchie at 5:52, erasing the first minor and bringing the Isles to within one. They pulled off a proper power play sequence to get the next one, Horvat finishing a tic-tac-toe play in the slot from Ritchie and Barzal.

BO HORVAT TIES IT! pic.twitter.com/SVRk1Uxr1y

— Islanders Videos (@SNY_Islanders) March 11, 2026

Cal Ritchie (PPG, PPA) said it was a matter of simplifying things on the man advantage (2 for 4). Patrick Roy said that entailed trying to move the puck quicker, which he said #Isles did, certainly on back to back PPG in third period on Pavel Buchnevich four-minute high stick

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) March 11, 2026

That left it tied 3-3, paving the way for some nervy moments but mostly two teams who were fine with tossing a coin for the extra point.

Overtime was your usual cagey affair, and Barzal wisely awaited the right moment to turn on the jets just after Kyrou came on the ice (and after receiving the puck from Brayden Schenn, who was shadowed by his trade counterpart Jonathan Drouin on the play). As Darren Pang said on the TNT broadcast with Butch Goring and Brendan Burke*, “Barzal going up against Kyrou, not exactly a Selke-nominated player.”

*At the game, staring into space as I waited for my daughter to use the restroom, I was startled to see Burke and Goring in line for the men’s room among the masses. I knew the game was on TNT but didn’t realize they had the call — didn’t even realize Butch does TNT games?! — so I was disoriented but happy, and take full credit for the comeback that ensued.

That burst of speed and 3-on-3 matchup allowed Barzal to bait Kyrou outside before cutting inside and firing upstairs from the slot. Game over.

MAT BARZAL 😱

He dashes in for a magnificent goal in @Energizer OT! pic.twitter.com/NKdDGPrh4l

— NHL (@NHL) March 11, 2026

Overall, it was a mostly well-earned two points for the Isles with the final shots tally 49-23. But many of their shots did not have the desired traffic or rebound presence, while they let up some inexcusable openings on the Blues goals. That included a 4-on-1 counterattack to open scoring for the Blues, and a wide open backdoor Jimmy Snuggerud after Scott Mayfield, Carson Sousy and Ritchie were all mesmerized watching Thomas in the left wing corner. Dylan Halloway’s goal to make it 2-0 was at least a fantastic shot that stunned Ilya Sorokin, but the Blues forward was allowed to much space to dance into the slot unimpeded.

Schenn’s Farewell

What a crazy, whirlwind week for new Islander Brayden Schenn! Switching teams without switching hotels in San Jose, getting one game in (an OT win, it’s how we do) before heading right back to his home for the past decade, then taking in a tribute and thank you after a parting that he did not request. With three kids, including a newborn, he’ll surely settle in on Long Island just fine, unless the former Drouin residence he’s renting is cursed.

Brayden Schenn said he's normally able to stay on top of his emotions. But he admits reception from Blues' crowd, actually, almost everything associated with today, got to him and deeply touched him.

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) March 11, 2026

Brayden Schenn gets his tribute video in his return to St. Louis pic.twitter.com/pum15qLv4b

— Islanders Videos (@SNY_Islanders) March 11, 2026

Brayden Schenn returns to St. Louis and receives a standing ovation 💙 pic.twitter.com/9kXNoLV64F

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 11, 2026

On the ice, he looked a little more comfortable, logged five shots in 17:06 and won seven of 10 faceoffs. He had an early chance to get on the board that required a stretching stop from Joel Hofer. And for the record book, he gets the assist on the OT winner, even if all he did was hand it off to Barzal on his own way off for a change.

Up Next

That was huge, getting not one but two points from an 0-3 deficit in a game the hockey gods tried to steal from them. That pulls them even with Pittsburgh, which has a game in hand and picked up an OTL point tonight.

The Isles head home from the trip 2-2 thanks to some OT magic. They’ll have a home back-to-back vs. L.A., which beat them too easily last week, and Calgary, which lost 4-0 tonight in Manhattan.