With team president and general manager Chris Drury waving the white flag on the Rangers season with a letter talking of a retooling of the roster, here’s a look at who could be on the move before the Olympic break and March 6 trade deadline:
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In a meeting with Drury on Friday, Panarin was informed that the Rangers would not be extending him. As one of the last remaining big names on the impending free agent board, Panarin naturally has been in the middle of trade chatter all season. He is also one of the highest-valued assets the Rangers have in their lineup and should be able to fetch a mini haul. His full no-move clause, however, puts Panarin in the driver’s seat. Drury will have to work closely with Panarin and his camp to arrange a deal that the star Russian wing is on board with.
2. Brennan Othmann
Another player who has been in the rumor mill nearly all season, Othmann has been tabbed as needing a fresh start. The No. 16 overall pick in 2021 has struggled to translate his game to the NHL level over 33 career games. It simply has not been a fit in New York.
Rangers Rookie Brennan Othmann (78) when the New York Rangers held their training camp Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
3. Carson Soucy
In the final year of his deal, Soucy, and his $3.25 million cap, hit is easily moveable. There are plenty of teams that could use a stay-at-home defenseman who can play on either side.
Compared to last season, Soucy has been much more effective in his role for the Rangers through his 41 games. The Rangers, who gave up the 2025 third-round pick they received from the Golden Knights for Reilly Smith to acquire Soucy, should be able to find a team in need of defensive depth for the playoffs.
4. Alexis Lafrenière
If the Rangers wanted to make a splash and partially change up the team’s DNA, dealing Lafrenière before his modified no-trade clause — with an eight-team no-trade list — kicks in for the 2027-28 season would be a way. Nights like his three-assist effort in the Winter Classic are too few and far between.
The 2020 first overall pick was the consensus top selection at the time the Rangers won the draft lottery, but he never has been able to produce or lead like one. Lafreniere’s track record in the NHL hasn’t done much for his trade value, which means Drury should want to pounce on the first legitimate offer.
Rangers left wing Alexis Lafrenière juggles the puck in the first period at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York, Monday, January 5, 2026. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
5. Vincent Trocheck
The market for centers right now is one the Rangers will want to explore. There is a high demand for quality centers, which makes Trocheck another valuable trade chip for the Rangers. Since J.T. Miller was just named captain and Mika Zibanejad has a no-move clause until it becomes modified in 2029-30, Trocheck’s 12-team no-trade list that kicked in this season makes him one of the Rangers’ easiest centers to trade. The Rangers are already thin down the middle, but Trocheck may be the player who could fetch the kind of deal that Drury is looking for.
6. Braden Schneider
Primarily a third-pair defenseman over his five seasons in New York, Schneider hasn’t had the strongest season as he’s taken on a bigger role in the absence of Adam Fox. The Rangers never quite gave him an extended top-four opportunity unless it came on the heels of an injury, but the 24-year-old also hasn’t seized the role either. The Rangers would likely be willing to move on from Schneider as he heads toward restricted free agency — with arbitration rights — at the end of this season. Schneider would be a beneficial addition to any contender’s defensive depth.
The Philadelphia Flyers went from rebuilder to playoff dark horse... or so they thought, and now the team and its loyal but increasingly impatient fans are paying the price.
The Flyers, in the midst of a five-game losing streak (0-4-1), still very much look like a young, directionless team that has some future pieces, but a far cry from a finished product.
Having now fallen out of a playoff spot in what is shaping up to be yet another midseason collapse, the Flyers have also allowed no fewer than five goals in each of their last four losses, all in regulation.
Backup goalie Sam Ersson, after falling well behind Dan Vladar in the eyes of Rick Tocchet and Co., has descended into unplayable territory and owns an unfathomably bad .853 save percentage on the season.
Continuing to put Ersson in the line of fire when he very clearly has no confidence is harmful to both the player and his teammates, and the Flyers need to move on and move forward for the benefit of both parties.
That puts the Flyers back at what can be considered square one relative to the past few seasons; one goalie who can steal a few games, and another goalie behind him who is a complete enigma.
Time will tell if Aleksei Kolosov's resurgence is legitimate and can be relied upon, or if the Flyers again gravely miscalculated their situation.
Since signing a five-year, $25.75 million ($5.15 million AAV) contract extension with the Flyers on Jan. 5, veteran center Christian Dvorak has been out-shot 75-60 at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick, while being out-scored 5-2.
Linemates Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny, who have gone equally cold, have struggled in lockstep, though Zegras, who earns favorable deployment when the team trails, has out-shot opponents 80-65 in the same timeframe.
By re-signing Dvorak, in addition to retaining other grey hairs like Nick Seeler, Konecny, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Garnet Hathaway, the Flyers have called it quits on a rebuild and have no intentions on racing with other cellar dwellers to the bottom.
But, if the Flyers are all-in on being a competitive team looking to reach the playoffs--they've already lost their playoff spot--they cannot be bad and boring. They are both.
The San Jose Sharks, who are still an objectively bad team hindered most by their island of misfit toys defense core, have given Macklin Celebrini the keys to the car, and it's made them one of the NHL's most entertaining teams.
Celebrini, still just 19, has 24 goals and 71 points in 47 games this season after recording 25 goals and 63 points in 70 games last season.
He also has his Sharks in a playoff spot.
Flyers starlet Matvei Michkov, as you'll recall, finished his rookie campaign with more goals than Celebrini did, more games played notwithstanding.
That same Michkov has seen his average ice time drop two full minutes from 16:41 to 14:41 under Tocchet, who has demanded the Russian sensation adapt his style to the system and not vice versa.
Everyone knew when Michkov was drafted seventh overall in 2023 that he was not a plus skater but was an exceptional proprietor of offense attacking angles from his favored right wing and creating plays out of thin air.
The difference now is that the 21-year-old is playing left wing, right wing, with bit-part bottom-sixers, with top-sixers, on the top power play unit, or on no power play unit at all.
He's being thrown around and utilized with extreme indifference, but for some, it is a big shock and concern that Michkov has just 24 points in 45 games because of that.
But, hey, when you don't score, maybe you can contribute in other ways, right?
How about Michkov dropping the gloves and fighting Blake Lizotte on behalf of Denver Barkey, someone he's known for maybe a few weeks, in that 6-3 blowout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night.
In the last week, Michkov and Nikita Grebenkin, who have a combined 166 NHL games between them, got into fights standing up for and trying to inspire their teammates. But where are the leaders?
Hathaway, Seeler, Konecny, and Sean Couturier have seen this movie--the midseason collapse--before, and it is happening again.
The young guns are showing as much fight as possible in their limited opportunities, while the details, fight, and overall basic fundamentals for much of the rest of the team have completely fallen to the wayside.
Just play a 1-1-3 neutral zone and keep three to four bodies above the puck like the Tampa Bay Lightning did on Monday night and the Flyers have been completely stifled offensively.
The Flyers are not fun to watch, not hard to play against, and not disciplined. They are not committed to making the playoffs or rebuilding, and they are not bad enough to secure a top draft pick as they had last season.
Instead, the Flyers are very much a team adrift, going through the motions until the 2026 Winter Olympics come along.
Only the team can dig itself out of this relentless cycle of greyness and mediocrity, but if they fail to do so, there would be enough sample size to deduce that the heart of the team, the core, as currently constructed, is simply incapable without further changes.
The Flyers' next opponents--the New York Rangers--just openly penned a letter to their fans admitting they have been terrible all season and will make a bunch of trades in order to try and course-correct, and that same Rangers team still has more regulation and overtime wins (18) than the Flyers do (17) this season.
If the Flyers can't take down New York in their own building on Saturday afternoon, the organization will be forced to double back and reconsider their blueprint for success for this season, the offseason, and beyond.
While the Detroit Red Wings have put themsevles into an extremely advantageous position with their current second overall ranking in the Atlantic Division standings, they're going to be in for a dogfight the rest of the way.
The Atlantic Division is perhaps the most competitive in the NHL right now, and multiple teams are on complete heaters - including one that has to be seen to be believed.
With just how tight things are, the Red Wings are keenly aware of not only their own position but how their closest competition is faring.
"We look at the standings, there's a lot of information that comes from that stat pack, not just on the front page, but we look through it, and then analytics gives us information," head coach Todd McLellan explained. "But if your nose is stuck in it and you're trying to do a bunch of math and figure out stuff now, you're probably wasting your time. There are too many games left, and it's just too tight."
After the termination of general manager Kevyn Adams, the Buffalo Sabres have rattled off 15 of their last 17 games.
Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning have won 11 straight games, while the Toronto Maple Leafs have won eight of 12.
"It’s incredible," McLellan said of the pace of their Atlantic competition. "I don’t know who’s losing. Everybody seems to be winning."
To begin their centennial campain, the Red Wings were put through the gauntlet with several divisional matchups, including twice against the Maple Leafs, along with matchups against the Lightning and Florida Panthers.
Despite their Opening Night loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 9, the Red Wings earned victories in back-to-back contests against the Maple Leafs, followed by wins over both the Panthers and Lightning.
Late last month, the Red Wings picked up their third win of the season against the Maple Leafs, the first time they'd won three straight against their longtime Original Six rival in 30 years.
"As far as banking points against teams, you get teams when they're hot, and they're cold, and it can go for or against you," McLellan said. "Specifically against Toronto, we were able to get those points, and there are still some left on the table."
"We needed to explain to the players that points in games two, three, and four are just as valuable as in (games) 80, 81, and 82," he continued. "Hopefully, our players have grasped that, but we're past the beginning. Now, we're over the hump and coming downhill. Points will remain important every night."
The Red Wings well remember what has befallen them in each of the last few seasons when the month of March rolls around, and it will be incumbent upon them to avoid a similar outcome this year if they are to bring Stanley Cup Playoff hockey to Little Caesars Arena for the first time this spring.
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On Saturday night, with the Boston Bruins in town, the Chicago Blackhawks will celebrate "The Banner Years." This is the third of four chapters throughout their Centennial Season that will honor the franchise's long history.
This chapter is designed to recognize the teams that won the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013, and 2015. It was the greatest run of success in franchise history, and it brought the game of hockey back to the front burner in a sports-crazed town like Chicago.
Over 20 of the players who appeared on one or more of those three teams will be in the house for the celebration, adding to the intrigue of the night.
Of every player that suited up during that stretch, ten players stick out above the rest. Seven of these players won all 3 championships in the new millennium, and the other three won two.
Won Two Championships With Chicago
10. Bryan Bickell
Bryan Bickell might not have been quite as productive during the regular season as other depth forwards on the team through the years, but his importance to two of the three championships can't be overstated.
He was always a moderately productive bottom-six forward during the regular season, but his game reached a new level in the postseason. He always found a way to score big goals and make amazing plays when the stakes increased.
In 2013 and 2015, Bickell was in the conversation for the Conn Smythe Trophy as a playoff MVP at times. In the playoffs, he usually found himself playing in the top six because of what he brought to the table.
His style of play, a strong physical forward who dominates in front of the net, was incredibly suited for playoff hockey. The Blackhawks were even more dangerous because of his playoff scoring elevation alongside the stars on the team.
9. Johnny Oduya
When Johnny Oduya is the fourth-best defenseman and the ninth most important player during a modern-day dynasty, it speaks volumes about those higher on the list.
Oduya never made flashy plays or dominated offensively at any point, but he provided a steady, calm defender every time he was on the ice.
He did find a clutch goal now and again, but shutting down stars like Pavel Datsyuk, Patrice Bergeron, Anze Kopitar, and Ryan Getzlaf, amongst many others, along the way was a huge key to the team's overall success.
8. Corey Crawford
Antti Niemi was the main starter for the Blackhawks during the 2010 run to the Stanley Cup, but Corey Crawford took over after that. He was never a top-three goalie in the NHL, but he had times where he was 5-10.
He was the starting goalie for Chicago in 2013 and 2015, along with many other deep playoff runs around those two incredible years. Whether it was the regular season or the playoffs, Crawford was always there when his team needed him most.
You can't win in the NHL without above-average goaltending, especially in the playoffs. Crawford was as reliable as they come for many years.
Won Three Championships With Chicago
7. Patrick Sharp
Patrick Sharp was one of the best pure goal scorers that the team had during the run. In fact, he's one of the best in franchise history. When his career was in trouble during his time with the Philadelphia Flyers, he found his way to Chicago, where he became a star.
Sharp knew how to find the back of the net from range. He could score from in tight as well, but nothing like his ability to snipe. He wasn't dancing out there making finess plays, but the playmakers on the team knew that if they found him with some open ice, he was going to get it on net. It went in more often than not.
6. Niklas Hjalmarsson
It's hard to beat a team that has two goalies on the ice. Hjalmarsson didn't wear all of the pads and responsibility that actual goalies do, but he never wavered if he had to block a big shot.
No matter what, he'd throw his body in front of pucks coming off the sticks of the hardest shooters the game had to offer. Whether it was Shea Weber, Drew Doughty, or Zdeno Chara, Hjalmarsson was not afraid.
Hjalmarsson never failed to have his sticks in the right spot either. He didn't provide very much offense, but teams didn't find much scoring success when he was on the ice as a deterrent to their game.
5. Brent Seabrook
Brent Seabrook was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round (14th overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft. He lived up to everything they needed from him and more.
Seabrook dominated the game in all three zones. He had a big shot that played well on a power play, he could make a great breakout pass, and nobody could get anything going against him with much regularity.
He also had a certain clutch gene to his game, which allowed him to come up with some of the biggest goals in franchise history. Seabrook was so good that Team Canada had him on Olympic rosters throughout his career, which speaks to his overall game. On most NHL teams, he would have been a number one, but the Blackhawks had so much depth.
4. Marian Hossa
Marian Hossa is the greatest free agency signing in the history of Chicago sports. He came to the Blackhawks, and they were a completely different team.
Think of a high-end offensive producer and a Selke Trophy caliber player, and combine that into one. That gives you Marian Hossa. He also came to Chicago incredibly motivated after finishing each of his two previous years as a Stanley Cup runner-up.
Hossa was the perfect complement to the young core that the team had put together. His line was always able to defend and score, no matter who the opponent was. Of every player on this list, Hossa was the first to make it into the Hockey Hall of Fame and have his number retired by the team.
3. Patrick Kane
If this list were based on talent and overall career production, Patrick Kane would be number one. The truth is, however, that most of his super elite offensive years came after winning Stanley Cups.
Kane was still the third most important player to the three teams that did win. As a winger, Kane drove offense like a center during these times, and everyone on his line was more likely to score due to his presence.
Kane was one of the three players to win a Conn Smythe Trophy during this run. His playoff MVP came during the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
His most shiny moment of them all? Ending a 49-year drought for Chicago with his overtime winner in Game 6 of the 2010 Final. Few forwards in the league were as clutch as the man known as "Showtime".
2. Duncan Keith
Duncan Keith was a robot on the ice. He could play anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes per game, depending on how long it went with multiple overtimes. He didn't score goals as much as Seabrook from the back-end, but he did make plays as well as any other two-way defenseman in the league.
Keith won two Norris Trophies and was one of the three Conn Smythe Winners. Keith's playoff MVP came in 2015, as he willed the remnants of the previous two Chicago Cup winners to a third with his play.
Keith joined Hossa in the Hall of Fame as a member of the 2025 class, but his number has not yet been retired. That will happen eventually, as he was the second most important player (and number one defenseman) on a team that won multiple championships.
1. Jonathan Toews
Was Jonathan Toews as flashy as Patrick Kane (or even Marian Hossa)? No. That wasn't his game. His talent was being a great offensive player, but also an elite two-way forward. His play in all three zones was so good that many considered him to be a top-five NHL forward during these Stanley Cup runs.
Eventually, Kane became a more notable player than Toews, but nobody can deny him the title of most important player to "The Banner Years". Every Stanley Cup champion in the last 25 years has that number one center leading the way. For Chicago, it was Toews.
There were also a lot of leaders on these teams, but everyone followed the word of Toews more than anything. From a young age, he was the captain of a winning Original Six team, and that turned him into one of the game's all-time greatest leaders.
The third and final Conn Smythe Trophy winner of the three Cups was Toews, who took home the hardware in 2010.
It was pure domination from Toews and every teammate on this list, for a very long time. This core must live in the legacy of Chicago sports forever.
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ST. PAUL, Minn - After a tough homestand that included no wins in three games, the Wild are set to begin a roadtrip against the red-hot Buffalo Sabres, who is 15-2-0 in its last 17 games.
After making his NHL Debut on Thursday, David Spacek will stay with the team. Carson Lambos was recalled before the game but did not play. He has now been sent down.
David Jiricek has been recalled by the Wild.
Jiricek, 22, has played in 18 NHL games this season and has zero points, 11 shots and five hits.
Lambos, 23, has played in one NHL game this season, which was his NHL debut. He has one shot on goal, one blocked shot and is a plus-one in 10 minutes and 16 seconds of ice time.
He will go back down to the American Hockey League (AHL).
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Goals, saves, and wins have not altered Justus Annunen's focus this season.
Through the first two months of the season, Annunen had a .859 save percentage, a 3.43 goals against average and a 1-5-1 record, a stat line that was one of the worst in the NHL.
In a similar sense, the Predators weren't playing well, sitting as the worst team in the NHL with a 6-12-4 record in mid-November. Head coach Andrew Brunette has said before that Annunen hadn't been put in "fair" situations earlier in the season.
"We have to be really fair when we evaluate him (Annunen). We put him in some hard places, and we put him when he's a little bit rusty," Brunette said following a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers on Dec. 21.
Annunen's role in the early season was to relieve Juuse Saros, whether that meant giving the starting goalie a break or coming in after Saros was yanked.
In the early season, the Predators went as far as Saros went. At one point, the Finn was in the top two in the league in shots faced and saves made, not getting much support from the defense in front of him.
In a time where things seemed grim, Annunen didn't change anything. He muted all the noise around him and did the only thing that he could do: work hard.
"You have to focus on what you can do," Annunen said. "There's gonna be goals. That's hockey. Sometimes you've got to look beyond the results. You can't just look at the numbers and be like 'oh I had a bad game' or 'I had a good game.' You have to look at the whole picture."
The confidence in his own game has led to results: Annunen has won his last three starts and posted a .900 save percentage in his previous four.
His latest victories have been against the Vegas Golden Knights (4-2), the Washington Capitals (3-2), and the New York Rangers (2-1). Despite losing to the Colorado Avalanche, 4-2, Annunen made an impressive 37 saves on 40 shots.
"I feel like my game is being the same whole year and that it's hockey sometimes," Annunen said. "I've been putting in the work all summer, all last year and all my life, but sometimes the puck just goes in. Winning games, of course, helps."
Saros's efforts came in clutch in the victory over the Capitals, as he prevented Alexander Ovechkin and company from forcing overtime. He was perfect in 5-on-5 play and made 30 saves on 32 shots, which was his second 30+ save performance of the season.
"You got a little bit of grace for him (Annunen) in the first couple starts, and now he's gotten a little bit better rhythm," Brunette said following the win over the Capitals. "You could tell he's feeling a lot better, especially in his last five starts. He's been exceptional."
The confidence and belief in Annunen's game and that it'd eventually come around were shared by Predators management, as he signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract beginning in the 2026-27 season.
"I like it here a lot. They (management) want me to stay here, and I want to stay here, so that's pretty easy," Annuen said. "It's pretty good for the next couple of years to be able to work with Juice (Saros), Benny (Ben Vanderklok), Mitch (Korn) and just try to improve every day and try to get to the next level."
Drury wrote on Friday that he plans to “retool” by possibly trading established players.
Coming off an underachieving this season and missing the playoffs last year, the Rangers are the only team with a losing record in the Eastern Conference past the midway mark of the NHL season.
New York has lost a season-high five games, entering its next game Saturday at Philadelphia.
The Rangers were booed off the ice at the first intermission of their latest loss, an 8-4 loss to Ottawa that was the team's 17th setback in 22 games at Madison Square Garden.
Winger Artemi Panarin, New York’s leading scorer every season since signing as a free agent in 2019, does not have a contract beyond June 30, turns 35 on Oct. 31 and could be dealt before the March 6 trade deadline.
The Montreal Canadiens forwards Kirby Dach, Jake Evans, and Patrik Laine all participated in regular jerseys during the club's Jan. 16 practice.
Dach, Evans, and Laine have all been sidelined for the Canadiens due to injury. However, with all three of them returning to practice in regular jerseys, it appears that they are each getting closer to returning to game action.
The Canadiens are set to face off against the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 17. At this time, it has not been announced that any of these three players will play. Even if they end up each being ruled out, it is still very encouraging that they were all present at the Canadiens' latest practice in regular jerseys.
Dach has not played for the Canadiens since their Nov. 15 matchup against the Boston Bruins. In 15 games this season with Montreal, the 6-foot-4 forward has recorded five goals and seven points.
Evans' most recent appearance was on Dec. 20 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. In 34 games this season with the Original Six club, he has posted five goals, five assists, and 10 points.
As for Laine, he has not been in the Canadiens' lineup since their Oct. 16 game against the Nashville Predators. He has played in just five games this season for Montreal because of it, where he has one assist.
The first of two consecutive games against the Los Angeles Kings will be played on Friday, following the Ducks' sharp performance against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. The Kings are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.
Both Friday's (in Los Angeles) and Saturday's (in Anaheim) games could have major implications for the playoff picture, with the Kings and Ducks separated by just two points. Both teams are currently just outside of the second Wild Card spot, with the Kings' 49 points being two behind the fellow Pacific Division San Jose Sharks at 51.
"(These games against the Kings are) very tight checking, very detailed," Ducks winger Chris Kreider said after Thursday’s practice. "It's a divisional matchup. You can tell that it means more. It's a fun rivalry, looking forward to getting down to LA and playing."
Dec 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling (25), left wing Ross Johnston (44) and Los Angeles Kings right wing Joel Armia (40) battle for the puck in the third period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
For Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville, the kind of game that his team played on Tuesday against Dallas is what the Kings do consistently. In a matchup like this, it will come down to which team can execute that kind of game better.
“It’s kind of what we're talking about going into the game,” Quenneville said. “We want to have the same mindset, like we're playing Dallas. It's simple, and it's going to be straight ahead and check and check. This team probably is the stingiest at playing a patient team game and trying to create, gonna get you in trouble. We’ve seen last time in here, we got a little bit of an education. “Let’s be ready to go, playing the same way as we played the last game, and know that's something to build off of.”
"Offense isn't going to be a problem with this team, you've got to play good defense," Kreider said. "We've learned that we can generate offense off of playing good defense. Ultimately, winning hockey games is fun. That's how you win hockey games."
“They’re a good team,” Gauthier said of the Kings. “We've played them a couple times now and they play a really tight checking, solid defensive game. They don't give you a lot of opportunities, so got to bear down when you get the chances tonight.”
Dec 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (61) is defended by Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele (37) as he handles the puck in the first period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Gauthier and Troy Terry will both return to the lineup after missing Tuesday's game with an illness and upper-body injury, respectively. Terry has missed three consecutive games due to his injury and was expected to be a game-time decision on Tuesday, but did not participate in warmups. Gauthier was a full participant at Tuesday's morning skate but was ruled out with an illness prior to puck drop. He also did not participate in warmups.
UPDATE: Troy Terry has been placed on injured reserve. Sam Colangelo has been recalled from AHL San Diego.
“Feeling good, ready to go,” Gauthier said. “We have to play a solid defensive game and play super physical. In the Dallas game, watching the game, guys just played a really physical role and allowed everyone to know who their checks were and clarified up things in the D-zone, especially in the O-zone. Moving forward, I think that's the standard, just got to build off of it.”
Anaheim will be without forward Leo Carlsson for the second consecutive game due to a lower-body injury. Carlsson missed Tuesday's game with the injury after being a full participant at morning skate. Carlsson missed one game in late December due to a lower-body injury. Whether these two injuries are the same injury or two separate injuries is unknown.
Apr 10, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (91) moves the puck against Los Angeles Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson (44) during the third period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Nikita Nesterenko was assigned to AHL San Diego on Thursday, which leaves the Ducks with zero extra forwards due to Carlsson's injury. Kreider did not participate in Friday’s morning skate and will be a game-time decision, according to Quenneville. The Ducks acquired forward Jeffrey Viel from the Boston Bruins on Friday morning, but he will not be available to play as he travels across the coast from Boston.
Long-time King and team captain Anže Kopitar will not play in either game this weekend after being placed on injured reserve on Jan. 10 with a lower-body injury. This means that Kopitar likely already played the final game of his career against the Ducks on Dec. 27, 2025.
Ducks Projected Lines
Cutter Gauthier - Mason McTavish - Ryan Strome Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke Jansen Harkins - Ryan Poehling - Sam Colangelo Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Ian Moore
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba Olen Zellweger - Radko Gudas Pavel Mintyukov - Drew Helleson
Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)
Kings Projected Lines
Jeff Malott - Alex Laferriere - Adrian Kempe Warren Foegele - Quinton Byfield - Joel Armia Kevin Fiala - Alex Turcotte - Andrei Kuzmenko Andre Lee - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward
Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci
As the trade deadline approaches, trade rumours will continue to follow the Vancouver Canucks. The latest involves the L.A. Kings, who are rumoured to be interested in Evander Kane. This report came from MayorsManor.com and was released on Thursday.
As per the report, "While it’s still a rumor — something we don’t normally spend too much time on, but this was just too intriguing to not stop and give it pause for a few minutes — two separate sources over the past week have said they believe Holland is kicking the tires on a potential Kane trade."
Kane does have some connections to the Kings organization. Most notable is L.A.'s GM Ken Holland, who signed the now 34-year-old back in 2022 while with the Edmonton Oilers. Kane also played with Corey Perry and Warren Foegele during his time with the Oilers.
Kane was initially acquired by Vancouver during the off-season for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. In 46 games this season, he has scored seven goals while recording 21 points. Kane leads the Canucks in penalty minutes with 55, while his 76 hits rank third on the team.
Jan 2, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Evander Kane (91) gets up after a check against the Seattle Kraken in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline is scheduled for March 6 at noon PT. Vancouver is expected to be busy leading up to the deadline as they enter into rebuild mode. Based on Jim Rutherford's recent comments, it appears that the Canucks are open for business, which means plenty of rumours will circulate over the next few weeks.
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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Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane has already taken care of a historic matter of business, having become just the 50th player in NHL history to reach 500 goals scored.
Now, he's got his sights trained on a new historic milestone that he's on the precipice of.
With 1,371 career points, Kane is only three points away from tying Mike Modano for most by a U.S.-born player in NHL history, and four away from taking sole ownership of the mark.
Kane, who grew up watching Modano's career and even played against him several times while a member of the Chicago Blackhawks, would welcome his presence in the venue whenever it is that he's on the verge of surpassing his points total.
"I haven't talked to him recently, maybe as it gets closer, we'll see what happens as we get closer to the number," Kane said. "But I read that he'd like to be in attendance for it, which would be pretty cool."
Modano, a one-time former Red Wings forward who won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Dallas Stars with future Red Wings players like Brett Hull and Derian Hatcher, said in late November that he'd love to witness Kane break his record in person.
"I knew years ago that he might be one that if he stayed healthy, that he would be the guy that kind of goes after it," Modano said. "I'd love to be there and definitely would make the effort to be there for that one."
Like Kane in 2007, Modano was a former first-overall draft pick whose NHL career began with the Minnesota North Stars before the franchise relocated to Texas in 1993.
For Kane, having Modano on hand for such a historic milestone would make the moment even more special.
"It would be special, he was a player I really enjoyed watching when I was younger, the face of USA hockey for a long time," Kane said of Modano. "A lot of flair to his game with skill, speed, explosiveness, a fun player to watch, and one of the best American players of all time."
"Obviously, his numbers speak for themselves, but it would be a cool number to get to, and to have him here to be part of it would be pretty special."
That sentiment isn't lost on Kane's longtime teammate Alex DeBrincat, who, like Kane, grew up watching Modano.
"It would be really cool," DeBrincat said. "It would be a passing of the torch moment and definitely cool for all parties involved for him to be in the building. I'm sure Kaner looks up to him,
Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan, who coached against Modano both as an assistant with the Red Wings and early in his tenure as head coach of the San Jose Sharks, said it would be an honor to have Modano in Detroit to witness Kane breaking his points record.
"I think it would be great," McLellan said. "Hockey has a way of bringing legends out to big moments. Mike is recognized as one of the best American players of all time, and a former Red Wing, so to have him around if he's able, I'm sure he has a busy schedule, but if he's able and willing, it would certainly be an honor to host him."
"Hopefully Kaner can get the job done on those nights."
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Colton, who was listed as day-to-day yesterday (Jan 15) with an upper-body injury, was a game-time decision per head coach Jared Bednar during their morning skate, as he was the only player absent.
Though his availability was put into question, no one from the Colorado Eagles was initially called up, suggesting his status for tonight's game was super serious or that they really wanted to see if Colton could play and make a last-minute decision to call someone up.
The Avalanche had already had to call up a number of players from the Eagles, with numerous forwards currently injured. Ivan Ivan and Zahkar Bardakov, in place of Joel Kiviranta and Gabriel Landeskog, who are presently out week-to-week.
Most importantly, Blackwood is being activated from Injury Reserve and starting tonight, marking his first game since New Year's Eve against the St. Louis Blues, when he stopped 12 of 13 shots faced, helping them to a 6-1 victory. This is another boost for the Avalanche as they will now have their full goaltending tandem available, also known as the "Lumberyard."
Though Trent Miner, who was called up to help relieve Scott Wedgewood during his absence, showed an outstanding performance that should not only show confidence in the organziation but with the fans that if there would happen to be another injury to one of the goalies, Miner showed that despite the level of this team playing infront of him, he made some big plays either keeping the Avalanche in the lead to helping them stay within distance to tie the game and earn a point.
Mackenzie Blackwood morning skate practice
In the two games he played, he helped earn his first career win and shutout against the Columbus Blue Jackets (Jan 10) and helped earn a point against the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime (Jan 12). The Avalanche play 10 more games before the Olympic break, six at home and four on the road.
The New York Rangers, less than two years removed from being the league's best regular-season team, are calling for a "retool."
General manager Chris Drury sent out a message to fans on Jan. 16 with the struggling Rangers sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference.
"With our position in the standings and injuries to key players this season, we must be honest and realistic about our situation," he wrote. "We are not going to stand pat - a shift will give us the ability to be smart and opportunistic as we retool the team. This will not be a rebuild. This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects.
"We will target players that bring tenacity, skill, speed and a winning pedigree with a focus on obtaining young players, draft picks and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward. That may mean saying goodbye to players that have brought us and our fans great moments over the years. These players represented the Rangers with pride and class and will always be a part of our family."
The Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy and reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2023-24. They missed the playoffs last season, leading to a coaching change to Mike Sullivan.
But fortunes haven't changed. They have lost five in a row, starting in a game in which star goaltender Igor Shesterkin was hurt. In the four games since, they have given up 27 goals. Defenseman Adam Fox is also out with an injury.
According to puckpedia.com, the Rangers have a little more than $3,000 in cap space available.
Artemi Panarin is in the final year of his contract and would fetch prospects and picks if dealt. He has an $11.6 million cap hit and a full no-movement clause that the Rangers would need to get him to waive. The Athletic reported that Panarin was told his contract wouldn't be extended.
Many of their other veterans are locked in long-term, including Fox and Vincent Trocheck (2029), J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad (2030) and Shesterkin (2033).
"You will begin to see some of our plans come to light in the coming weeks and months," Drury wrote.
The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on March 6.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes acquired minor league defenseman Kyle Masters and a fourth-round pick this year from the San Jose Sharks for a fifth-round selection in 2027.
The teams made the move on Friday.
San Jose dealt Masters to clear a contract, allowing rookie Michael Misa to continue playing for the Sharks. Misa needed to be added to the roster to play in a 10th game and the Sharks had been at the limit of 50 contracts before the trade.
The 22-year-old Masters, who has not played in the NHL, was drafted in the fourth round by the Minnesota Wild in 2021. He has 35 career points in 69 games in the East Coast Hockey League and six points in 35 American Hockey League Games.
