The Buffalo Sabres finished out their pre-Olympic schedule with a 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night. While the Sabres have been a juggernaut since the beginning of December, the club has come down to earth just prior to the break, losing three of their last four games to Montreal, Tampa Bay, and the Penguins.
The Sabres hold the first wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference, with 70 points (32-19-6), one point ahead of the Boston Bruins, and five points in front of the red-hot Columbus Blue Jackets, and Washington Capitals.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff spoke to the media following the loss:
What were the reasons for the loss?
You look at the couple of goals that we gave them, We gave them a breakaway off of an offensive zone face off, we give them another goal off, an o-zone face off that we won, odd numbered rush. Our passing definitely wasn't crisp. I think you look at our power play entries, they struggled. I think we missed the net on five of our first six real good opportunities, another sign that you're not quite on your game.
This type of performance has been rare over the last two months.
We we're still knocking on the door. We came out, we got the power play goal at the start of the third, we had a couple of good looks. I think the opportunity was there to claw our way back in, and then we took a late penalty. hitting the goaltender, which penalty you don't really want to take. Giving up that fourth goal, we had possession in the corner, made an errant pass, and they made us pay. We didn't make them pay for some of their mistakes, but they made us pay on the big mistakes we made.
Are you thankful based on how the season started that you are in a playoff spot at the break?
I talked to the team after the game. This is how incredibly tight it's going to be played. You can't have games going like we had. We weren't sharp. There were plays there. When you pass to a wide-open Thompson in front of the net and the puck kind of rolls, it should be in the back of the net, but we missed on opportunities to make them pay, but where we're at, we've worked hard to get where we're at. It's tough going into break when you when you lose a game like that, it's a bad feeling.
Are you confident that the players will hit the ground running after the break?
I have no doubt. We've asked a lot to this point, and they've answered every call we've had. I have no doubt that they're going to do the work that they need to come back and we can be better when we come out of (the break)......It's just another test, really. How you use this time and realizing that the division we're in, the conference we're in, is incredibly tight, so you can't take one step away for granted. And I think they understand that. That's what we talk about all the time. A single point might make the difference at the very end, whether you would have crawled back and tied that game tonight, or if there's another game down the road.
The NHL is taking a break while the Winter Olympics are happening in Italy, but the Hockey Show isn’t going anywhere.
This week, co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork welcomed ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski to chat about a plethora of topcs.
The boys got into the trade of Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers to the Los Angeles Kings and the arrest of top prospect Gavin McKenna.
They also discussed Team USA’s chances in the Olympic hockey tournament and how the team’s roster was constructed, as well as the NHL Draft lottery and how the Pittsburgh Penguins will somehow win the lottery despite making the playoffs, just to piss off Roy.
Both with Greg and without, Roy and Dave discussed their weekend at the 2026 Stadium Series in Tampa, which included an unforgivable amount of penalties, according to Roy.
This week’s wins and fails included an incredible start by the US women’s hockey team at the Olympics, an upcoming inclusive matchup between the US and Canada, an NHL defenseman who doesn’t understand why goalies don’t serve their own penalties and another mistake by Tony DeAngelo that Roy couldn’t wait to shine the spotlight on.
You can check out the full show and interview in the videos below:
The Chicago Blackhawks and the rest of the NHL are officially at the Olympic break. The rosters are frozen, vacations are planned, and the players representing their countries are on their way to Milano Cortina. For the Chicago Blackhawks, Teuvo Tervainen is their only NHL player headed to the games.
The trade deadline is not long after the games in Italy end (March 6th), so some big decisions have to be made about some of the pending free agents. Anyone moving out will create roster space not only for the rest of this season but also for next season.
The Blackhawks have a loaded prospect pool filled with players trying to make their way to the NHL as soon as possible. It will take some longer than others, and some may never. There are even a handful that may be used as trade bait to get NHL-ready guys in the lineup.
As we hit the big break, these are the top-ten prospects (non-full-time NHL players or under 50 games played) in Chicago’s system right now:
1. Anton Frondell
With guys like Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Oliver Moore no longer appearing on lists like this, Anton Frondell is the top forward prospect in the organization.
After becoming the third overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, his season with Djurgårdens of the SHL is going very well. In a league that’s incredibly hard to score in, he has 15 goals and 6 assists for 21 points in 33 games played. That’s extra special coming from a teenager with up and down ice time.
Frondell was Sweden’s best player en route to a Gold Medal at the World Junior Championships this year, which is another achievement on his resume. Frondell will likely either draw into Chicago’s lineup at the end of this season or the start of next.
2. Sam Rinzel
Sam Rinzel is very close to graduating from this list. He is one of Chicago’s most talented defensemen in the organization, but he’s needed some time to develop in the AHL this season as well. For being a rookie playing the hardest position in the game, he’s handled it so well.
Rinzel has been working on his defensive game, which is always the last thing to truly click at the NHL level. Since coming back up before the break, he’s played much better. His puck-moving skills are at another level, which has allowed him to be a power-play quarterback quickly. It won’t be long before he’s considered a true top-pair guy.
3. Roman Kantserov
Few players have raised their stock in the last 12 months more than Roman Kantserov. He has dominated the KHL offensively this season. He is 21 years old and has declared that he’d like to come to North America at some point. His KHL contract is up at the end of this season.
4. Nick Lardis
Speaking of reasoning their stock, Nick Lardis has been on a tear since the beginning of 2024-25. Scoring 71 goals in the OHL will do that for anyone.
Lardis didn't stop there, though. Up to this point, he is a point-per-game player in the AHL and had a good stint in the NHL while the Blackhawks dealt with injuries.
Next time Lardis suits up in the NHL, it may be for good. His ability to shoot the puck is up there with any young player in the organization, but he never looks out of place in other areas of the game, either. For being a former 3rd round pick in the draft, the Blackhawks found great value in Lardis.
5. Marek Vanacker
The Chicago Blackhawks traded up to get Marek Vanacker in the 2024 NHL Draft at the end of the first round. He dealt with some injuries and inconsistencies during 2024-25, but has bounced back nicely this year.
Canada snubbed him from their World Junior Championships roster, despite him being one of the best players in the OHL. That is fuel to his fire, and it has helped him stay dominant playing for his club in Brantford.
Will we see Vanacker make his NHL debut this year? How about in the AHL? It is possible, but with him being signed, he is sure to be a pro hockey player by the start of 2026-27.
6. Kevin Korchinski
Kevin Korchinski is still an incredible skater. He has a full season of NHL experience (his rookie year pro) under his belt, but he has yet to establish himself as a full-time NHL player. He has mostly played for the Rockford IceHogs since that year in the NHL.
While in the AHL, Korchinski has been an All-Star twice. The first time, he won MVP of the event after showing off his incredible skills as a former first-round pick. Now, he's trying to work his way back to the NHL.
Will there be room for him after the trade deadline? His biggest problem is that the one thing he does best, offense, is not much better than Sam Rinzel's or Artyom Levshunov, so he must round out his game a lot more.
7. Vaclav Nestrasil
The Chicago Blackhawks somewhat shocked the world when they took Czech forward Vaclav Nestrasil 25th overall in 2025. He wasn't on the radar, but his play since being drafted proved why their scouts were so high on him.
In addition to playing a key role on Czechia's Silver Medal-winning team, he's been a high-end producing freshman at UMass. It is unclear when he'll turn pro, but there is little doubt that the organization believes in his talents.
8. Nathan Behm
Nathan Behm is a high-end offensive player in the WHL, currently playing for the Kamloops Blazers. Size, skill, and speed have been a theme for the Blackhawks in recent drafts, and Behm provides all of that to their system. Arizona State is where he will play college hockey next season before attempting to turn pro at some point.
9. Jack Pridham
Jack Pridham decided to stay with the Kitchener Rangers in 2025-26 in favor of going to Boston University, where he committed to play college hockey. Now, he could still go back there after another dominant year in the OHL, or he could become a pro hockey player in Chicago's organization. Either way, Kyle Davidson has to like what he's seeing from their 2024 third-round pick.
10. Sacha Boisvert
Sacha Boisvert had an incredible year at North Dakota last year as a freshman. After transferring to Boston University ahead of 2025-26, things haven’t gone quite as well. He is still having a productive year, but injuries have kept him from taking the step that many thought he would. Will this keep him at BU for one extra season? It may. He may also still turn pro. Even with his slightly lowered stock, he still projected to be a solid NHL contributor.
Honorable Mentions:
Mason West
Mason West is a football quarterback and a hockey player. After leading Edina High School to a State Championship, he is skating with Fargo of the USHL. He will play for Michigan State in 2026-27 as he continues to develop.
AJ Spellacy
AJ Spellacy is a strong, speedy, energetic guy. He showed some of what he can do playing for Team USA at the World Junior Championships. Winning teams need depth forwards with Spellacy's potential in their prospect pool.
Drew Commesso
Spencer Knight is the starting goalie of the future in Chicago. However, with the way Drew Commesso has developed at Boston University and with the Rockford IceHogs, Commesso will eventually get a chance to be the backup.
He could also get an opportunity to start somewhere else if the Blackhawks ever trade him to help acquire players at different positions. The talent is there for Commesso to do great things in the NHL.
John Mustard
Providance College is a great team, and John Mustard plays a big role in that success as one of their top offensive players. He can score goals, create chaos with his speed, and knows what to do with the puck when it's on his stick. Will his speed and skill translate to pro hockey? We will find out shortly.
Adam Gajan
Playing for Minnesota Duluth, Adam Gajan has been one of the best goalies in college hockey. This level of play has earned him the opportunity to represent Slovakia at the 2026 Olympic Games. For a college goalie to get that type of honor, you know he's great. As far as his future with Chicago, it will depend on how his development continues, along with those around him who play the same position.
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New York Islanders radio broadcaster Alan Fuehring will be behind the mic for the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic in Rockford, Illinois, for the Skills Competition on Tuesday at 8 ET and the All-Star Challenge on Wednesday at 8 PM ET.
I was really hoping my phone would ring for this one. @TheAHL means a lot to me and I’m excited to work with this incredible crew to showcase its talent. @CHSN__https://t.co/Tr0z2Ifcep
Fuerhing, who spent eight seasons as the Bridgeport Islanders' Director of Broadcasting, was promoted to the Islanders' radio broadcaster ahead of this season.
He also continues to fill in for Brendan Burke on MSGSN broadcasts.
You can catch Fuehring and the AHL events on TSN, NHL Network, AHL.TV and CHSN.
With a win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Sabres would have overtaken the Canadiens in second place in the Atlantic Division. Still, Lindy Ruff’s men were unable to pull it off against Sidney Crosby and company. The Pens won 5-2, which meant Buffalo stayed at 70 points in the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens have a two-point lead on them and must manage to maintain a lead over the Buffalo outfit, since the Sabres would, in all likelihood, have the first tie-breaker at the end of the year; they have 26 regulation wins, while the Habs only have 21.
As for the Senators, they currently trail the Bruins, who hold the second wildcard spot, by six points, thanks to a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. While the Senators are not mathematically out of the playoff picture, a six-point deficit will be hard to make up with 25 games to go, given how strong the Atlantic Division has been this season.
Meanwhile, the two-time champions Panthers are trailing Boston by eight points after taking a 6-1 beating at the hands of the Lightning on Thursday night. The Cats’ frustration was evident as 147 penalty minutes were handed out to the Florida rivals. Matthew Tkachuk got a two-minute minor for abuse of officials and was looking for trouble all night, especially when he interfered with Nikita Kucherov, which led to a full-blown brawl in the third frame, when the Bolts were already up 4-0.
With the win, the Lightning now have a six-point lead over the Canadiens and have two games in hand. The Detroit Red Wings also have 72 points, like the Canadiens, but they have played one more game, which is why they find themselves in third place in the Atlantic.
If the Canadiens can keep the same pace, making the playoffs shouldn’t be a worry, but they’ll likely be jockeying for position right up till the end, and the first-round matchups won’t be clear until everyone has played 82 games. For now, though, the Habs can enjoy the break sitting in second place in the division and won’t have to worry about scoreboard watching until the end of February.
In the third period of the game, McCarron whacked van Riemsdyk on the forearm way after the play. There was no penalty on the play but the NHL's Player Safety program has fined McCarron for the slash.
Nashville is four points outside of a Wild Card spot and will head into the break 3-4-3 in its last ten games.
The Predators first game after the break will be against the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 26 at Bridgestone Arena.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned rookie forwards Avery Hayes and Rutger McGroarty to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Both players will get to play in AHL games during the next few weeks since the NHL is on its Olympic break.
Hayes made his NHL debut against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night, and it was one to remember. He scored two goals, one of which came on his first shot in the first period. He utilized his speed to blow right past two Sabres defenders before blowing the puck past goaltender Alex Lyon.
His second goal came off a great feed from Anthony Mantha, and he roofed it past Lyon. He's the 12th undrafted player to score multiple goals in his NHL debut in NHL history. He's also only the seventh player in NHL history to score multiple goals in the first period of his debut.
McGroarty finished Thursday's game with an assist and played really well during this recent stint in the NHL. His skating continues to look even better, and he's constantly in position to make plays.
Both players will be full-time NHLers pretty soon.
The WBS Penguins are currently in second place behind the Providence Bruins in the Atlantic Division and will try to make a run at first to end the season.
Horvat recorded two goals and an assist in the Islanders' 5-4 overtime win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, which included the game-winning tally at the 52-second mark of the extra frame:
Then, late in the third against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, Horvat scored the go-ahead goal for the Islanders to make it a 2-1 game at x before earning the primary assist on Mathew Barzal's empty-net goal at x.
Gimme some Italian Ice! Bo Horvat scores his 24th goal of the season and puts the #Isles up 2-1 late.🚨 pic.twitter.com/PsP0Ruzp0P
Seven members of the Vancouver Canucks will be heading to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, with the first day of games beginning on February 11. Despite the NHL being on break during the Olympics, many storylines will follow these players as they prepare to compete on the biggest stage in the world. Here are five Canucks storylines that will take place at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Will A Solid Showing At The Olympics Increase Trade Interest In Teddy Blueger Or David Kämpf?
Two of the Canucks’ pending UFAs will take part in the 2026 Olympics for their respective teams — Teddy Blueger for Latvia and David Kämpf for Czechia. This is especially intriguing as both players will likely be put in more-expanded roles than the ones they currently play in with Vancouver, with Blueger in particular potentially ending up in a more offensively-inclined role. With the NHL Trade Deadline on March 6 looming, there’s no doubt that management teams will be eyeing players at the Olympics as some to target as pick-ups for playoff runs, and Blueger in particular could be a strong piece for contending teams to add. Vancouver is one of those teams that looks like they’ll be making moves up until the deadline; if Blueger or Kämpf put on a show at the Olympics, it wouldn’t be surprising to see one of the league’s top teams make a move to acquire them as a depth piece.
Could A Strong Olympic Campaign Play Lukas Reichel Back Into An NHL Role?
The Lukas Reichel experiment in Vancouver hasn’t quite gone the way management has planned. Not happy with his defensive play, the organization sent Reichel down to the AHL to play while seeking out trade fits for the young forward. Similar to Blueger and Kämpf’s situations, Reichel will likely end up with a bigger role when skating with Germany at the Olympics — the potential of playing with stars like Leon Draisaitl and Tim Stützle will only add to that. If Reichel can put together a solid Olympic campaign, one that shows he’s paying more attention to the defensive side of the game, he may be able to play himself back into an NHL role.
Will Elias Pettersson Experience An Explosion In Offensive Output With Sweden’s Roster?
Last year, many believed playing with a stacked Team Sweden at the 4 Nations Faceoff would greatly help Elias Pettersson’s offensive efforts. That clearly didn’t happen, as the forward was unable to register a point in Sweden’s three games during the tournament. A similar belief follows Pettersson into the Olympics nearly a year later, especially now that he seems to slowly be making a comeback on the defensive size of the game. While the 2025–26 season still has yet to see Pettersson return to his 100-point form, there have been some small flashes of the creativity he showed in the early years of his NHL career. If he brings out this creativity while skating with some of Sweden’s top talents, Pettersson could find himself enjoying a strong offensive effort during his first career Olympics.
Feb 12, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Sweden forward Elias Pettersson (40) looks on in warm-up before the game against Team Canada during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Could An Extended Role With Czechia Add To Speculation About Filip Hronek Becoming The Canucks’ Next Captain?
Since the departure of former Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek has been the main player many have watched step-up into a leadership role. The defenceman now wears an ‘A’ for Vancouver and has been more present from a more public perspective. Hronek, who is the most-tenured Canuck when it comes to international play, has also taken on leadership roles for Czechia at times, wearing an ‘A’ in two different World Championships. With an extended role likely coming his way throughout Czechia’s Olympic campaign, Hronek’s position as a leader on Team Czechia may cause many to consider whether he could be the Canucks’ next captain or not.
Will Fatigue Play A Role In Kevin Lankinen’s Olympic And Post-Olympic Play?
Throughout the past two seasons, Kevin Lankinen has played in what feels like the most hockey of his career. Not only did he play in a career-high 51 games in 2024–25, he also took part in two games for Finland at the 4 Nations Faceoff. This season, he’s already up to 32 games played throughout Vancouver’s 57. With Thatcher Demko now shut down for the rest of the 2025–26 season, Lankinen will be taking on even more of a share of goaltending duties on top of what he may end up doing at the Olympics. Lankinen already showed signs of tiredness towards the end of last season; having him play even more in the final few months of the year may result in even more fatigue later on.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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The Olympic break is here for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and they have made some roster moves because of it.
The Penguins have announced that they have assigned forwards Avery Hayes and Rutger McGroarty to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Hayes was called up to Pittsburgh's roster ahead of their Thursday night contest against the Buffalo Sabres. The 23-year-old forward undoubtedly thrived in his NHL debut for the Penguins, as he scored two goals in the club's 5-2 victory over Buffalo.
Now, with the Olympic break here, Hayes will be looking to build on his momentum down in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. In 31 games this season with the AHL club, he has recorded 13 goals, 10 assists, and 23 points.
McGroarty, on the other hand, has recorded two goals, three assists, and five points in 20 games so far this season with Pittsburgh. The 2022 first-round pick has also posted four goals, eight assists, and 12 points in nine games this season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, the Chicago Blackhawks traded Seth Jones and a fourth-round pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick and Spencer Knight.
Florida was able to retain the 2026 first-round pick by giving the Calgary Flames their 2025 pick to complete the Matthew Tkachuk trade. If they didn't, this pick would slide to 2027 for Chicago. That condition was met, and no other conditions were reportedly placed on the pick.
However, 11 months later, it is now confirmed that there were actually stipulations on this first-round pick. It is top-ten protected. Shockingly, the two-time defending champions are having a down year, and this pick falling into the top-ten is possible.
If the Panthers do retain this pick, their 2027 first will transfer to Chicago. That 2027 pick is already set to go to the Boston Bruins from the Brad Marchand trade, but it will slide to 2028 for Boston if the Panthers are forced to give it to the Blackhawks.
Conditions on a pick are rarely misunderstood like this, but it can happen from time to time. Chicago's front office was always aware of it, but it was never reported properly.
Frank Seravalli was the first one to put it out there that this was a top-ten protected pick for Florida on Friday morning.
Some news: I'm in the process of launching a new site, Hockey 24/7, so consider today a soft launch.
A clarification that seemed to catch #TimeToHunt and #Blackhawks fans offguard - yes, Florida's 2026 pick is Top 10 protected.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
With the
NHL activities being on a hiatus during the Olympics, Montreal Canadiens
players who were not lucky enough to be selected to represent their country in
Milano-Cortina, or whose country cannot participate, have some much-deserved time
off. Even hockey-obsessed players like Ivan Demidov can enjoy a bit of a break.
The Russian
rookie who delighted Habs fans over the Christmas break by taking to a Bleu,
Blanc, Bouge outdoor rink with teammate Lane Hutson was spotted on a flight to
Florida yesterday. Where is he headed? Well, according to his significant other’s
Instagram account, Demidov is headed to Disney’s Magic Kingdom.
While the
winger was playing in the Canadiens’ last game before the break, Katya
Yakovleva was posting pictures in front of the iconic Magic Kingdom’s Castle
and of all the wonders she spotted in Disney.
Katya Yakovleva Instagram account
Demidov’s
rookie season is going just as planned, with the 20-year-old leading the rookie
scoring race at the break with 46 points in 57 games, on pace for a 66-point
season. Which is the same amount of points Hutson put up in his Calder Trophy-winning
rookie season last year. Before Hutson, the last Calder winner to put up 66
points was Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson.
That doesn’t
necessarily mean that Demidov’s name should be pencilled in as the Calder
Trophy winner just yet; he does have some great competition in Anaheim Ducks
Beckett Sennecke, who only trails him by two points, and New York Islanders
stand-out defenseman Matthew Schaefer.
The
18-year-old has taken the league by storm and is the odds-on favourite. Graduating
to the NHL straight out of junior and taking over the Isles’ number one
defenseman spot left vacant by Noah Dobson’s departure. The youngster has 39
points in 56 games, a plus-nine rating and averages over 24 minutes of ice time
per game and has scored four game-winning goals, including two in overtime. He
skates on Patrick Roy’s first pairing and quarterbacks the first power play
unit.
While
Demidov also plays a big role for the Canadiens and leads the rookie scoring
race, he faces an uphill battle for the Calder Trophy. With 25 games left on
the Habs’ calendar, the youngster still has time to make up some ground, but it
won’t be easy to overtake the young defenseman. When NHL action resumes, Canadiens and Islanders' fans will be treated to a first duel between the two young players as the Habs will take on the Isles on February 26 at the Bell Centre.
Along with “Thrill of Defeat” host and Pittsburgh guy Dan Hopper, we remember Dick Tarnstrom, who turned getting waived by the Islanders into a starring role on some bad transitional Penguins teams.
While the Penguins have had some all time great players in their history, the periods between those players were pretty dire. Bankruptcies, empty buildings and lots of losses were not uncommon for one of the NHL’s now-marquee teams. Into one of these eras stepped Dick Tarnstrom, a very late round pick of the Islanders who found himself squeezed out of Long Island during one of their rare fertile periods of the early 2000’s and onto a Penguins team desperate for anyone who could put the puck into a net. Tarnstrom was competent on a bereft squad, which means he got comparisons to Hall of Famers, and Hart and Norris Trophy votes from the win-starved writers covering it. The Penguins’ “X-Generation” might have featured a lot of weird players, but thanks to cheap tickets and EXTREME marketing, it actually succeeded in creating a new wave of fans. To those kids, guys like Dick Tarnstrom felt like superstars of tomorrow.
Dan takes us through the Full Tarnstrom Experience and tells us what it was like watching the Penguins between the Lemieux/Jagr and Crosby/Malkin eras. We learn about the “Ric and Dick Show,” attending Ryan Malone’s hockey camp as a kid, the Woodstock 99 flavor of the “X-Generation” ads and how Tarnstrom was able to capture hearts in the Steel City. We also wonder how we forgot he played for the Oilers during their 2006 Cup final run and why he was put on waivers in the first place (it probably had something to do with being Swedish and having Mike Milbury as a general manager). It’s the deepest dive you’ll find on the man who is surely the last “Dick” in NHL history.
Thanks again to Dan for coming on. His podcast, “Thrill of Defeat” is outstanding and if you’re a fan of Weird Islanders, it will be right up your alley. He’s on a bit of a hiatus now, but there are plenty of episodes to get started on.
WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL
Tarnstrom didn’t score a ton of goals for the Islanders but one of them helped them forge a 6-6 tie (!) with the Panthers in February of 2002.
Most people probably didn’t notice Tarnstrom getting picked up off waivers by the Penguins in August of 2002. But he started turning heads early that season (playing with Mario Lemieux might have helped). After a 41-point campaign, he would re-up with them in the summer of 2003 because, basically, they had to sign someone on defense. That investment would pay off in spades for them.
Here’s Tarnstrom scoring for the Penguins (includes a couple of classic Mike Lange calls)
This incredible article detailed the impact Tarnstrom had on the Penguins in the early rebuild stages. It would read like a satire if it didn’t really happen. Includes a cheap shot at the Islanders for good measure.
After playing for the Oilers, on their 2006 Stanley Cup final team, and the Blue Jackets to disappointing results, Tarnstrom returned to his native Sweden and his original club, the Stockholm-based AIK in 2008. The team had been relegated to the SEL’s second division. But with Tarnstrom as captain, they made it back to the top tier in 2010 and went on a couple of long playoff runs.
We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:
Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 30: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins scored one of their most impressive wins of the 2025-26 season on Thursday night when they beat a Buffalo Sabres team that has been one of the hottest in the NHL by an 5-2 margin. It was an impressive win not only because they mostly outplayed the Sabres, but also because they did it without Kris Letang, Rickard Rakell, Blake Lizotte and Noel Acciari. They did it with another mostly off night from the Sidney Crosby line. They did it with a couple of rookies (Ben Kindel and Avery Hayes) providing most of the offense.
It has the Penguins in second place in the Metropolitan Division going into the Olympic break, while also having a pretty nice cushion over the non-playoff teams in the Eastern Conference.
It is impressive. It is also far better than anybody anticipated for this season when it began.
It also leads to a question that needs to be asked. Are the Penguins contenders this season? Right now? The knee-jerk reaction instinct is to simply say, no, they are not, because that is not what anybody anticipated at the start and certainly not what the expectations were. But as I wrote on Tuesday, your play changes expectations, and based on the Penguins play and results I am having a hard time arguing why they can not contend for the Eastern Conference this season.
Follow me here.
1. Can the Pittsburgh Penguins be Eastern Conference contenders right now?
Let me just give you some numbers on where the Penguins rank across the board in both the standings and some other major categories.
NHL Points Percentage: .625 (7th)
Eastern Conference Points Percentage: .625 (4th)
NHL Goal Differential: plus-23 (7th)
5-on-5 Goal Share: plus-15 (8th)
5-on-5 Expected Goals Share: 52.2 (7th)
5-on-5 Expected Goals For Per 60 Minutes: 2.92 (4th)
5-on-5 Expected Goals Against Per 60 Minutes: 2.67 (17th)
In just about every standings metric, possession metric, and scoring chance metric they are a top-10 team. In most of them, they are a top-eight team. They are an outstanding 5-on-5 team. Their special teams in both areas are among the best in the NHL. They have four capable forward lines with some depth beyond them (as we have seen with Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen and now Avery Hayes able to make the move from the AHL and contribute). The goaltending has run hot-and-cold at times, but overall it has been good enough.
The only metric where they are not in the top-10 is when it comes to preventing expected goals defensively. They are middle-of-the-pack in that area. But even then they jump up to 12th in the NHL over the past 25 games, indicating some significant improvement in their defensive play.
Against teams currently in a playoff position they are 13-5-6 this season. Against the other top-10 teams in the standings this season they are 8-4-2.
We all know what the preseason expectations were. We all know what the roster looks like on paper and where the perceived shortcomings are.
We also know that we have a 56-game sampling where they have consistently outplayed teams, won games, and won games against other top contenders in the Eastern Conference and the NHL as a whole.
Right now the Tampa Bay Lightning are separating themselves from everybody else in the Eastern Conference and are starting to get healthy. They look like the class of the conference right now and are suddenly giving the Colorado Avalanche a run for their money league wide. They look impressive. Even dominant. Even then, the Penguins have traditionally matched up well with them and played them very well. Including this season. Including recently.
There is still a lot of hockey to be played, obviously, but not THAT much. The March schedule is brutally difficult and I suspect we will learn a lot about the Penguins during that stretch. We have also been saying that quite often this season and each time they keep passing the test. There is a lot to be said for that.
They are an objectively good hockey team right now. It is just a matter of how good and what their potential ceiling might be. My suspicion is it might be higher than even Pittsburgh thinks it is.
2. Sidney Crosby is in a funk and it has not really mattered
The one Penguins line that is not really clicking right now is, oddly enough, the Sidney Crosby line. Part of that was the absence of Bryan Rust for a few games while he served his suspension, and Justin Brazeau not really being a great fit in his place. Part of it has been Crosby going through a rare funk. Both things are contributing.
Crosby especially has been struggling with zero goals, only two assists and a minus-3 rating over his past seven games.
The Penguins record in those six games: 4-1-1
That is a testament to the Penguins forward depth.
That is also another box checked in the “why are they not considered contenders right now?” list.
3. Ben Kindel just keeps getting better
Of all the changes the Penguins made to their roster for this season, the selection of Ben Kindel and his unexpected presence in the lineup has been one of the most significant. An 18-year-old, non-top-five pick, playing at center, and just stepping right into the NHL and being one of the best players on his team (and a good team!) is just outrageously impressive and unexpected work.
He is not only impressive.
He keeps getting better.
Especially now that he has snapped out of the goal-scoring funk that he was stuck in for a few weeks.
He is now up to 14 goals in 53 games (a 22-goal pace over 82 games) and still one of their best all-around players. He had a game this past week where the Penguins expected goal share when he was on the ice was 98 percent. It is the second game this season he was over 94 percent in a game. He is arguably their best possession-driving forward this season. He is finding his scoring touch. He is a relentless puck-hound. He plays with an insane level of confidence for an 18-year-old. He has helped make their lineup significantly deeper in terms of quality. It can not be overstated how significant his presence in the organization has become.
He is not only a big reason why they are a potential playoff team this season, he is setting up to be a significant long-term building block. He is a huge part of the reason why this season has become so exciting for both the short-term and the long-term.
4. Anthony Mantha is having a career year
Kyle Dubas has been on some kind of a run over the past season-and-a-half and the Anthony Mantha signing this past offseason has been one of the more surprisingly productive moves. The plan with him at the time seemed obvious. Sign a guy coming off a down, injury-shortened season the prior year to a low-risk contract, hope to build his value up a little, then flip him at the trade deadline for a second-round pick. He seemed to be this season’s Anthony Beauvilier.
It has worked out significantly better than expected.
Going into the Olympic break Mantha is already up to 20 goals and 42 total points in 56 games, is on pace to set career highs in goals and total points. Prior to this season his high goal-mark was 25 (in only 67 games) during the 2018-19 season with the Detroit Red Wings. He is currently on pace for 29 goals. His career high in total points is 48 in both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. He is currently on pace for 61 points.
The Penguins could easily trade him for a second-round pick in March. Probably more. But I also do not know how they do that given the way the season is right now. It is not like the Penguins have a pressing need for more draft picks. They already have more of them over the next four years than any team in the NHL, including several picks in the first three rounds.
Should the Penguins re-sign him? That might be going a little too far with it. He has been a great addition and a great story this season. Whether or not he can continue that next season at age 32 on a significantly higher contract is an entirely different question. For now, though, you might just have to ride with it and see where it can take you.
Expectations change. Sometimes when expectations change your plans also have to change.
On the TNT Sports broadcast ahead of Los Angeles' tilt against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, Kings GM Ken Holland was asked if he has any more moves up his sleeves.
The Kings' surplus in forwards has been evident as left winger Warren Foegele has been the odd man out. The 29-year-old has spent the last three games sitting in the press box and hasn't been able to find a rhythm in this lineup all season.
"Warren Foegele had a great year last year," the Kings GM said. "He's been out of the lineup for the last couple of games… got to work the phones here."
Indeed, Foegele had a solid campaign last year for the Kings. In fact, it was the best season he's had in his NHL career.
He scored 24 goals and 46 points in all 82 games, as well as a team-high plus-36 rating in what was his first year as a member of the Kings.
Warren Foegele (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
This season hasn't been the same for Foegele, production-wise. In 43 contests, the Markham, Ont., native has six goals and eight points, which is nowhere near what he registered last year.
Part of that is because of a couple of injuries he has suffered this season, and constantly being in and out of the lineup. And when Foegele can get in the lineup, he's seeing fourth-line minutes, which is a role he hasn't endured last year.
With the idea of looking to move Foegele ahead of the NHL trade deadline on March 6, Holland shared his perspective on how he thinks the trade market will pan out with the Olympic break.
"I think it's going to go quiet now for the next 10, 12 days, and then as we get near the end of the Olympic break, the phones will start humming again, so we'll see if there's a fit," Holland said.
Friedman reported that the Kings were trying to add New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck in addition to Panarin, but it appears Trocheck would like to remain in the Eastern Conference.
Nonetheless, that proves that Los Angeles is still interested in getting a center, as they'll be even thinner down the middle once Anze Kopitar retires at the end of the season. For that, Foegele, among other assets, could be a trade piece to dangle in front of other teams.
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