Kirill Marchenko(20) and Adam Fantilli(14) scored the only goals for the CBJ, while Elvis Merzlikins stopped 19 of 22 Boston shots in a 4-2 Columbus loss to the Bruins. 

Joonas Korpisalo earned every penny of his contract by standing on his head the entire game. The Blue Jackets pumped 40 shots at the Bruins goalies but just couldn't solve Bronze Medal winner Korpisalo. 

This is only the new HC Rick Bowness's second loss as the Jackets' bench boss. 

First Period - SOG 20-10 CBJ - Columbus Goal Marchenko (20)

The Jackets started the game and looked to set the tone early. They weren't generating many shots but were buzzing around Joonas Korpisalo. Kirill Marchenko took a stretch pass from Mason Marchment, who split the defense and smoked a wrister by Korpisalo to make it 1-0 Jackets. 

Marchenko would give the Bruins their first power play when he hooked Henri Jokiharju. The CBJ killed it with relative ease to keep the game in favor of Columbus.

With six minutes left in the first period, there were anxious moments on both ends of the ice when Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo seemed to be under siege. Elvis was tripped behind his net, who then fell and had to dive through the crease to make a goal-saving stop on Sean Kuraly. Going back the other way, Korpisalo had to make a couple goal savers of his own.

Viktor Arvidsson would score for Boston when he put in a puck passed Merzlikins off the stick of CBJ forward Isac Lundestrom. Nothing like a little bad luck to start the post-Olympic break. 

The Jackets got their first power play with 2:09 left when Michael Eyssimont got called for holding Boone Jenner. The Bruins killed it, keeping it a 1-1 tie heading into the first intermission. 

Second Period - SOG 9-8 CBJ - Columbus Goals - None

Miles Wood gave Boston a power play at the 6:13 mark of the second when he ran into Joonas Korpisalo, drawing a Goalie Interference call. Korpisalo was pulled by concussion spotters, causing Michael DiPietro to be inserted into the crease for Boston. Korpisalo apparently passed concussion protocol and was back in the game with 8 minutes left in the second period. 

Morgan Geekie wasted no time when he scored his 33rd goal of the season, putting Boston up 2-1. 

The Blue Jackets couldn't get anything going in the second. Boston clamped down defensively and didn't give Columbus a thing. The Jackets actually outshot the Bruins 9-8 but went into the third period down by a goal. 

Third Period

With 11:29 to go, Mason Marchment was put in the box for slashing, in what looked to be a very soft call in a tight game like this. Merzlikins and the Jackets' PK were able to fend off the Bruins' man advantage to keep the game 2-1. 

Sean Kuraly put the Bruins up for good with 8:34 left in the third period to essentially end the game. The goal might have been helped in by a Blue Jacket defender's stick on the shot, which may have affected the angle of it. 

Adam Fantilli did score a goal at the 13:45 mark, but it just felt like it was too late.

Viktor Arvidsson scored an empty net goal to end the CBJ's seven-game win streak. The Boston win was their 10th straight win at home. 

Boston goalie Joonas Korpisalo played out of his mind in this game, stopping 36 CBJ shots to collect his first win against the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

Rick Bowness says he doesn't think the game got away from them at all and had more than enough chances to win. He's also curious about how they can control play and have the puck in the Bruins D-Zone so much and not draw any penalties. 

Final Stats

Player Stats

• Kirill Marchenko scored his 20th goal of the season.
• Adam Fantilli scored his 14th goal of the year and 20th assist. He also had 5 shots on goal and went 8/12 on faceoffs.
• Mason Marchment recorded his 14th and 15th assists
• Zach Werenski picked up his 43rd assist. He now has points in 8 straight games and 12 of his last 13. He also had 7 shots on goal and played 28:34 after returning from Milan.

Team Stats

• The Jackets power play went 0/1.
• The Columbus PK stopped 2 of 3 Bruin man advantages.
• Columbus only won 41.2% of the faceoffs - 21/51
• The Blue Jackets had 24 hits and 11 blocks.

Next Up For Columbus- The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at home after 23 days away from NWA to face the New York Islanders on Saturday. 

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Easton Cowan won't develop up in the press box.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' rookie hasn't been in the lineup since Jan. 29, which is six games ago. In that time, Toronto won its three games before the break, and then lost their last two in Florida.

You would think, given how the Maple Leafs fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, that a day later, Cowan would be inserted into the lineup against the Florida Panthers.

Instead, the only swap Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube made was putting Dakota Joshua in for Calle Jarnkrok. Thursday's game against the Florida Panthers was Joshua's first back since suffering a lacerated kidney on Dec. 28.

Even with Joshua coming into the lineup, though, Berube could've found a spot for Cowan, too. Putting the young forward in would be a discreet message to his team that their performance against the Lightning — amidst a crucial playoff race — wasn't good enough.

But no, Cowan sat again, and it's been almost a month since he's seen game action.

"What does he got? Forty-something games this year played for us? At the time I took him out of the lineup, I felt like he hit a bit of a wall. We won three in a row, so I kept the same lineup going into the game last night against Tampa," Berube said on Thursday before their 5-1 loss to Florida.

"It's decisions that I make as a coach, and I don't believe his development is getting hurt. I think he's improved this year as the year went along, and I think he still has the swagger that's needed. He's a confident kid.

"Now, saying that, he's got to get in there and play. And that's our job to get him in there at some point here."

So, let's get this straight: if Cowan has the "swagger that's needed," why isn't he playing more often? It doesn't even have to be in the NHL — the Marlies would be the perfect place for him to get big-time minutes.

Maple Leafs CEO Keith Pelley Says Team Will Do 'Whatever Is Needed' To Contend In 2025-26 Despite Slim Playoff ChancesAccording to TSN, Pelley's email was sent to season-ticket holders on Wednesday, ahead of the team's first game back after the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Through 43 games with the Maple Leafs, Cowan has seven goals and 17 points. That's more than forwards Steven Lorentz, Scott Laughton, and Calle Jarnkrok.

It's worth noting that Cowan wasn't eligible to be sent to the AHL before the Olympic break due to a stipulation which states waivers-exempt players can't be sent down if they had played 16 of the team's 20 NHL games before the roster freeze or had been on the NHL roster for 80 league days before Jan. 21, via PuckPedia.

He can be sent down now — though I doubt that will happen.

The bottom line is Cowan needs to play. You can argue his development isn't being harmed because the rookie is around NHLers every day, and likely learning tips and tricks from them. But that can only take him so far.

He needs to get into games to apply the tools he's learning. Cowan could've been the guy for the Marlies this year had they loaned him to the AHL club for more than just the two games he played down there in early November.

Either play him with the Maple Leafs, or send him to the AHL, where he'll get ample opportunity to play in every situation. Cowan needs it. The Maple Leafs' future needs it. And if you're not going to do that, you're doing a disservice to the player and the team's fans.

The Montreal Canadiens finally resumed their season on Thursday night when they hosted the New York Islanders at the Bell Centre. To celebrate their return, the Habs also celebrated their “Soirée Québécoise”. As the arena filled up before puck drop, pictures of poutine, the Rocher Perce, maple syrup and Elvis Gratton were projected on the ice to name a few as Diane Bibaud warmed up by playing Noir Silence’s On jase de toi on the organ.

It wasn’t Bibaud who needed to rehearse the most, though; both teams looked as rusty as one could have expected in the first frame, and there were quite a few icings, offsides, and missed cues, but they got there in the end.

Canadiens Have 2 Blue Jackets Trade Targets To Consider
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Canadiens Prospect Out For Four Weeks

Puck Possession

Once they had shaken off the rust, the Habs had a few dominant shifts, including one in which they made a full line change in the offensive zone without losing possession. They had the Islanders pinned down and good puck movement, but they were looking for the perfect play, and when they finally took a shot, it was one Ilya Sorokin had no trouble stopping and freezing, allowing the Isles to get a much-needed change.

The tendency to look for the perfect play rather than putting pucks on net is nothing new for the Canadiens, but it is something that really needs to be addressed. In tight physical playoff games, there won’t be time or space for the perfect play.

Discipline

The Canadiens were in perfect control of the game, up 2-0 in the second frame with 3:30 to go in the period, thanks to two Noah Dobson goals, when Juraj Slafkovsky took an interference penalty after slashing Tony DeAngelo’s stick, and Mike Matheson took a high-sticking penalty seven seconds later.

As a result, the Islanders had 1:53 at five-on-three, and they made the most of the golden opportunity with rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer scoring two power-play goals. It was a shame for Samuel Montembeault, who was tracking the puck well and had made two saves on one-timers during the penalties, but Schaefer showed just how good he was with a couple of picture-perfect shots.

Managing The Lead

After the game, Martin St-Louis was disappointed with the way his team failed to manage the puck after getting a 3-2 lead:

In those last 10 minutes, I felt like we let them play with the puck too much. We had to be able to still generate some offensive time. You’ve got to be calculated with what you do with it in the neutral zone, be selective in your choice of play in the offensive zone, which allows you to make them defend a little bit, but we had to defend the last 10, so you know, they just kept coming. I felt like we were defending pretty well, but at the end, they pulled the goalie, and they got an extra guy, that’s something we talked about, but we didn’t get the job done.

The bench boss was clearly annoyed at that five-on-six goal, adding: “The five guys have to do their job, and that’s not what happened”. After the game, the players told the media that the tying goal came from a bad bounce, but St-Louis didn’t agree.

When the Islanders scored with less than two minutes to go in the game, Mike Matheson, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Philip Danault, and Noah Dobson were on the ice, and given the coach’s comments, it feels like there might be a video session in the cards the next time there’s a full practice.

The Calder Trophy

Seeing Schaefer play in person for the first time tonight, it was hard not to be impressed with the way he plays the game at such a young age. The way he moves with so much fluidity, coupled with his stickhandling skills and decision-making at 18, it feels like the Calder Trophy is already his.

Whether or not Ivan Demidov wins the scoring race probably won’t matter, not against such a young player who has mastered the defenseman role to that kind of extent at that age. While age shouldn’t really be a factor, it generally is.

In the end, the loss was a shame for Dobson, who did manage to score twice against his former team, but he was also on the ice for three of their goals. In the net, Montembeault had a respectable outing even though he surrendered four goals on just 27 shots. The tying goal at the end of regulation was a tipped puck right in front of him, and as for the overtime goal, it was a clear faceoff win by the Islanders, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau took off, outskating everyone and showing up in front of the goaltender all alone. It’s not the first time that he’s spoiled the Canadiens day; it was his fourth game-winning goal in 37 games against the Habs.

As for Alex Newhook, he played a very good game in his return to action, spending over 13 minutes on the ice, picking up an assist on Dobson’s power play goal, taking a shot, landing a couple of hits, and winning four of the seven draws he took.

The Canadiens will hold an optional skate in Brossard at 11:30 AM on Friday, and they’ll be back in action on Saturday night when they’ll host the Washington Capitals.

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

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The Florida Panthers are looking to make a late-season playoff push, and they got things off to a solid start on Thursday night.

Hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team Florida is chasing in the standings, the Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 lead en route to a strong 5-1 victory.

Now they’ll get right back to work, as the Cats finish up a quick back-to-back when they welcome the Buffalo Sabres to Sunrise.

Buffalo arrives in South Florida holding on to the second Wild Card spot, with 72 points through 58 games played. That puts them nine points ahead of the Panthers with the same amount of games remaining.

Boston, who holds the second Wild Card spot, remains eight points ahead of Florida after picking up a 4-2 victory over Columbus on Thursday.

It’s quite the mountain to climb.

Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice knows how difficult of a stretch it will be, and was enthused by what he saw on Thursday, knowing what a healthy Florida team is capable of.

“It’s a real easy thing to focus on,” Maurice said. “It’s not even distractions; When you’ve got a 4 Nations year, an Olympic year, everything is kind of out of control and your schedule is completed different. We obviously had so many injuries that affected us, and I think the normal distractions that come from winning, but now this is nice and clean for us.”

The Panthers will be looking to pick up on Friday against Buffalo where they left off the previous night when they dismantled the Maple Leafs.

Leading the way for Florida was their new-look top line of Evan Rodrigues centering Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart.

The trio combined for two goals and two assists on 14 shots on goal.

“Evan Rodrigues was pretty good tonight, pretty dynamic with that line,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “There’s an awful lot of speed the one side and some great hands on the other side. I thought the three guys just played off each other really well, found holes, supported the puck and made some really good plays.”

Outside of Daniil Tarasov stepping in for Sergei Bobrovsky on the second night of a back-to-back, don’t be surprised to see Maurice roll out the same lineup against the Sabres that took down Toronto last night.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Friday’s battle with Buffalo:

Carter Verhaeghe – Evan Rodrigues – Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

A.J. Greer – Cole Schwindt – Sandis Vilmanis

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Uvis Balinskis

Tobias Bjornfot – Jeff Petry

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA 

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Photo caption: Feb 2, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) moves the puck against the Buffalo Sabres during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

In a dispiriting season, a great moment the other night:

With the Olympic break in the rearview mirror and the guys back in New Jersey, the Devils dropped a 2-1 decision to the Sabres on Wednesday. [Devils NHL]

Then on Thursday night, a three-goal third period pushed the Penguins to a 4-1 win over the Devils. [Devils NHL]

“Jack Hughes still gets an indescribable feeling when asked about scoring the biggest goal of his young career. Three days after becoming a national hero by scoring at 1:41 of overtime to give Team USA a 2-1 win against Team Canada in the gold medal game of the men’s hockey tournament at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, Hughes returned to the New Jersey Devils lineup for a night of reflection and celebration at Prudential Center on Wednesday. The 24-year-old center doesn’t want to dwell on the goal and prefers to speak about the team that made it all possible.” [NHL.com]

“The New Jersey Devils have no shortage of problems right now and Johnathan Kovacevic is moving up the list quickly. The 28-year-old defenseman has struggled mightily since making his season debut, and last night against the Buffalo Sabres may have been his worst showing yet.” [Infernal Access ($)]

Hockey Links

Sidney Crosby and Mikko Rantanen will miss some time:

Seems good!

1,000 wins for Joel Quenneville:

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

With the NHL trade deadline fast approaching after the league's return from the Olympic break, the upcoming draft is quickly coming into focus for hockey fans around the world.

The 2026 draft class, headlined by Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg and Keaton Verhoeff, features a ton of talent that has the chance to become foundational pieces of NHL franchises for a long time.

Considering the standings and the needs of the teams positioned to select in the top 16 of the first round, let's take a crack at what those picks could look like in June.

(Draft order determined by standings, sorted by points percentage, before games played on Feb. 26)

Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…

Thursday night was the return to action for the Pittsburgh Penguins after the Olympic break, playing host to the New Jersey Devils. Playing against a team lower than them in the standings, Pittsburgh took care of its business and defeated the Devils by pulling away with multiple third-period goals to secure two points and a win. [Recap]

As Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is set to miss at least the next month on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, he still believes in his teammates to maintain course and fight for a playoff spot in his absence. [Trib Live]

Updates from around the NHL…

The Detroit Red Wings are reportedly keen on acquiring veteran defenseman Tyler Myers from the Vancouver Canucks, according to NHL insider Darren Dreger. [TSN]

Joel Quenneville became only the second head coach in NHL history to reach 1,000 career wins when his Anaheim Ducks rallied for a 6-5 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night. [ESPN]

With a silver medal finish in the rearview mirror, is it too early for Team Canada to examine a possible roster for the 2030 Olympic Games? Perhaps Canada aims to go with a younger, faster squad, anchored by Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini, and Sidney Crosby?! [Sportsnet]

The Hockey Hall of Fame announced the death of former chairman Ian Morrison on Thursday. He was 95 years old. [TSN]

Montreal’s public transit agency, the Société de transport de Montréal, announced that it will once again display the English slogan “Go Habs Go!” on some city buses’ electronic signs to support the Canadiens after the provincial language watchdog reversed its earlier decision to ban the phrase following public criticism and government intervention. [Montreal Gazette]

If Bruins are buyers at trade deadline, which assets should they move? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins, whether as buyers or sellers, are no strangers to trade deadline moves.

General manager Don Sweeney has made at least one move ahead of the NHL trade deadline every year since taking over his current role in 2015. In fact, the trade deadline is typically where Sweeney does some of his best work.

He has been a buyer in most of those years, but in 2025, the B’s took a sledgehammer to their roster and dealt veterans such as Brad Marchand, Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic and others. It was the right move because the B’s went on to finish with the fifth-worst record in the league and miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

It’s still early, but with almost a year of results, those 2025 trade deadline deals have provided the Bruins with a lot of quality assets in the form of NHL players, prospects and draft picks.

Some of those assets could potentially be used over the next seven days as Sweeney decides how to approach the March 6 trade deadline.

The Bruins enter Friday in the Eastern Conference’s second wild card playoff spot. They have exceeded most expectations so far. But remaining in that spot, or moving up the standings, could prove difficult.

A huge factor in their better-than-expected record is overachieving offensively. The B’s have scored about 18 more goals (197) than expected (179.6) in all situations, per Natural Stat Trick. No other team has scored more than 12 goals above expected. Regression could be coming for a Bruins team that lacks high-end offensive talent. Therefore, adding a forward would be a meaningful upgrade ahead of the deadline.

The Bruins also have the second-toughest remaining schedule, per Tankathon, which includes 14 of their last 24 games on the road.

Improving the blue line, particularly the right side, would be a smart move. The B’s rank 30th in shots allowed, 26th in scoring chances allowed and 31st in high-danger chances allowed in all situations, per Natural Stat Trick. They have survived this lackluster defense because the goaltending has been strong. Jeremy Swayman ranks No. 4 in goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck. He has bailed out the Bruins many times this season.

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Boston reportedly had real interest in acquiring veteran defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames before he ended up getting dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights in January. Does the pursuit of Andersson tell us that the Bruins wouldn’t be opposed to buying at the trade deadline if the right deal presents itself?

The bottom line is they should be buyers. Investing huge assets for a rental makes no sense for this group, but minor tweaks to the roster absolutely should be explored. The Bruins aren’t one of the top Stanley Cup contenders, but could they win a round in the playoffs and maybe surprise some people? Sure. They have a very good goalie in Swayman. They have the league’s third-best power play. They rank No. 7 in faceoff win percentage. David Pastrnak is one of the most talented offensive players in the world.

And another thing to consider: There is no dominant, clear favorite in the East this season. The two-time defending champion Panthers have taken a step back and might even miss the playoffs. There are good teams in the East, like the Hurricanes and Lightning, among others, but none of them look unbeatable by any means.

If the Bruins decide to be buyers at the trade deadline, let’s look at some of the assets they could use to make roster upgrades.

2026 or 2027 first-round pick

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Bruins acquired an extra first-round pick in the 2026 and 2027 drafts as part of their trade deadline deals last season. They got the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2026 first-rounder (top-five protected) in the Brandon Carlo trade, and they got the Florida Panthers’ 2027 first-rounder in the Brad Marchand trade.

The Leafs have struggled more than anticipated this season and could miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016. That means the B’s could have a lottery pick even if they reach the postseason themselves. A top-15 pick has a lot of value, especially when you consider that the 2026 draft class is pretty strong.

There are a couple really impressive defenseman prospects who could go in the No. 6 to No. 15 pick range. The B’s would be wise to bolster their blue line depth in this draft.

The Bruins shouldn’t be trading any first-round picks for rentals. They are not a top-tier contender. It would be extremely reckless to make that kind of move. Sweeney should only trade a first-round pick if he’s getting an impact player in his prime who fits the age timeline of the Bruins’ other franchise pillars (David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, Jeremy Swayman, etc.).

The Bruins have made a first-round pick in back-to-back drafts, and those picks — Dean Letourneau at No. 25 in 2024 and James Hagens at No. 7 in 2025 — look quite promising. The previous time they picked in Round 1 in consecutive drafts was 2016 and 2017. Continuing to build the prospect pool should be a priority.

The only first-rounder that makes sense to dangle on the trade market is the Panthers’ 2027 pick, but only if used to acquire a player with term on his contract beyond this season.

Day 2 draft picks

Over the next four drafts, the Bruins own all of their second-round picks, all but one of their third-round picks (no selection in 2027) and six fourth-round picks. The B’s have three fourth-round picks in 2026 — their own, the Flyers’ pick and the Lightning’s pick.

If Sweeney wants to add a depth forward or a third-pairing defenseman at this trade deadline, these 2026 fourth-round picks would be a good place to start.

With six first-round picks in the next four drafts, the Bruins can afford to let go of some mid-round selections for immediate help.

NHL players and prospects

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

It can be tough to trade young players who flash exciting potential from time to time. But to get good veteran players — especially if they’re not rentals — you have to give up actual assets.

Mason Lohrei still needs to improve defensively, but his skating and offensive skill set as a 25-year-old defenseman could intrigue other teams. Fabian Lysell has 37 points, including 15 goals, in 46 games for the AHL’s Providence Bruins. The B’s have not given Lysell much of a chance to prove himself at the NHL level. If the Bruins don’t think Lysell is part of the long-term future, then it would make sense to move the 2021 first-round pick.

Matthew Poitras has shown flashes of being a good playmaker at the NHL level. But can he withstand the physical toll of an 82-game NHL schedule? Poitras has value as a center with above-average offensive talent.

Andrew Peeke is 27 years old with an expiring contract. He was a healthy scratch in Thursday’s win over the Blue Jackets. The Bruins have seven — maybe eight — defensemen worthy of ice time right now, and Jonathan Aspirot’s emergence as a key part of the blue line has added even more depth to that group.

If the Bruins could move Peeke as part of a trade that brings in a bottom-six forward with a little offensive punch, that would be worth considering. Even if he could fetch a mid-round pick, that would be a trade worth doing if both sides don’t feel an extension is likely.

Chicago Blackhawks (22-27-9, in the Central Division) vs. Colorado Avalanche (38-10-9, in the Central Division)

Denver; Saturday, 6 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche host the Chicago Blackhawks after Martin Necas' two-goal game against the Minnesota Wild in the Avalanche's 5-2 loss.

Colorado is 38-10-9 overall and 9-2-4 against the Central Division. The Avalanche are 12-0-4 when scoring a power-play goal.

Chicago is 22-27-9 overall and 7-5-2 against the Central Division. The Blackhawks have a -31 scoring differential, with 153 total goals scored and 184 conceded.

Saturday's game is the second meeting between these teams this season. The Avalanche won 1-0 in the last matchup.

TOP PERFORMERS: Necas has 25 goals and 40 assists for the Avalanche. Brock Nelson has six goals and three assists over the last 10 games.

Tyler Bertuzzi has 26 goals and 17 assists for the Blackhawks. Ilya Mikheyev has three goals and six assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Avalanche: 4-5-1, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.8 assists, 3.3 penalties and 7.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.

Blackhawks: 3-5-2, averaging 2.2 goals, 3.7 assists, 2.8 penalties and 6.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.

INJURIES: Avalanche: None listed.

Blackhawks: None listed.

___

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

By Evan Berofsky, RotoWire.com

Now that you've settled down after all that Olympic hockey excitement, it's time to turn your focus back on the NHL. We're less than two months from the end of the regular season and roughly a month until fantasy hockey playoffs begin.

There may be an adjustment period for everyone who participated in Milan and/or those returning from injury, though most of the bigger names should be able to keep performing. The lengthy break could make things harder to assess for others, but we'll try our best to recommend 50(ish) percent-and-under players in immediately favorable positions.

(Rostered rates as of Feb. 27)

Forwards

The Kings' (23-21-14) worst fears against their divisional rival came back to haunt them in a brutal fashion Thursday night. After entering this matchup following last night's embarrassing loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles followed up with an absolute meltdown on defense, losing 8-1 to the Edmonton Oilers (29-23-8). 

Edmonton scored twice in the first period and added three more in the second and third to further bury the Kings in the coffin in a very lopsided performance that exposed the Kings' defensive breakdowns, puck battles, face-offs, and lollygagging on offense. 

First Period: Early Damage

The warning signs appeared immediately. Edmonton opened the scoring at 12:05 of the first when Ty Emberson finished the clean 3-on-2 rush, beating Darcy Kuemper high glove side to make it 1-0. 

EDM Goal - Another one in transition. Emberson from the right-hand circle, scores high glove side. 1-0 Oilers.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) February 27, 2026

Just over a minute later, the Oilers notched in another goal, banking the shot off Kuemper's arm and in for a 2-0 lead. The Kings were handed a power-play opportunity a few minutes later after Darnell Nurse was assessed the double minor for high-sticking Brian Dumoulin, drawing blood. It was a prime chance to build off that physical play. 

Instead, LA failed to convert on the power-play, finishing the night 0/2, while the Oilers went 2/3. Los Angeles still managed to score in the period, despite several defensive lapses, when Joel Edmundson's shot from the left side was deflected by Warren Foegle, which found its way through the net, cutting the deficit to 1 and ending the first period with the score 2-1. 

LAK Goal - Whoa!

Edmundson's shot from the left point looked like it was deflected by Foegele on the way through, finds a way past Ingram! 2-1.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) February 27, 2026

Second Period: Game Slips Away

If the first period showed any hints of where this game was going, the second and third periods were even worse. In a span of six minutes, Edmonton scored three goals, extending their lead to 5-1 just like that. By the time the horn sounded and the second intermission ended, the boos were raining down in Crypto.com Arena. 

Fans rightfully boo the Kings off the ice as the second period comes to an end.

— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) February 27, 2026

The Kings defesnive zone coverage was disorganized, and breakouts were sloppy. Edmonton was taking advantage of all the defensive breakdowns by the Kings, outshooting LA 37-22 and controlling 66.7% of the faceoffs. 

Darcy Kuemper, who hasn't played since Feb. 4, was awful tonight, the rust clearly evident, giving up four goals before being benched for Anton Forsberg, who also gave up four goals, both goaltenders combining to give up eight goals. 

Third Period: Avalanche Continues

Any hope of ending the game with pride evaporated quickly. Leon Draisaitl scored 31 seconds into the third period, pushing the lead to 6-1, ending the night with his 30th goal of the season. 

Jake Walman got on the action a few minutes later, striking twice in a span of two minutes to extend the lead to 8-1, further embarrassing the Kings in front of their home crowd. 

Overall, the Oilers stars were dominant, continuing to prove why they're always going to be a problem against the Kings. Connor McDavid also had a great night, finishing with one goal, one assist, and two points, recording 100 points in just 60 games. 

The Kings, meanwhile, unraveled and were already defeated by the time the second period ended. Los Angeles lost two players tonight to injury, including Joel Armia and Dew Doughty, but it didn't matter because the scoreboard was already out of control.

The Kings are now trailing 8-1, and the Oilers have stopped really celebrating their goals because it's even embarrassing for them at this point.

This is like when a football up by 35 points is just running the ball up the middle every play and the defense still can't stop them.

— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) February 27, 2026

Los Angeles clearly has a big issue with their defense; no matter how many forwards they acquire, it's not gonna change a thing until they can improve their defensive line. 

A Concering Loss

This has arguably been the worst stretch the Kings have been on this season, and that's saying a lot, considering how bad they've been this season. Coming out of the Olympic break, when they needed to build momentum against their divisional rivals, the Golden Knights and Oilers, playing both games at home, the Kings have so far given up 14 goals and are off to a terrible start to reach the playoffs. 

Kings in the Artemi Panarin era:

- 6-4 loss to the heavily depleted Knights
- 8-1 loss to the Oilers

🥶🥶🥶 pic.twitter.com/SMdNVcKlK4

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 27, 2026

If the Kings don't regroup and focus defensively, their season can already be over in a week because of how much separation they're now putting themselves into with these losses. Los Angeles will next play on Saturday at 7:00 pm EST against the Calgary Flames at Crypto.com Arena.  

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ST. LOUIS – For one night, the St. Louis Blues overlooked their record.

Losers of three in a row and eight of nine (1-7-1), the Blues found a silver lining in what has been a lost season when they came off the Olympic break with a thorough win, 5-1 against the Seattle Kraken at Enterprise Center on Thursday.

Dylan Holloway scored his second NHL hat trick and had a career high four points with an assist, and combined with Pius Suter (one goal, two assists) and Jonatan Berggren (two assists), that line combined for nine points in the game.

Jordan Kyrou scored and Justin Faulk added two assists for the Blues, who improved to 21-27-9 on the season. Joel Hofer made 23 saves.

Here are Thursday’s observations:

* Holloway looked refreshed – Forget the hat trick … well, wait, let’s not, but aside from adding the offense in what was his most productive NHL game, Holloway looked as refreshed and healthy as he has since the end of last season, when the injury bug derailed what was a banner year that carried over to the 2025-26 season.

He was skating with fluidity, he was hounding pucks, laying hits and ready to pounce when given the opportunity.

He finished the game a plus-4 with five shots on goal in 16:04 of ice time after missing 23 of the past 24 games – including the last eight – with a right high ankle sprain.

“It was great just to be back,” Holloway said. “I just wanted to enjoy it. Honestly, if I didn’t have an impact now, I’m just grateful to be able to play. But it’s obviously nice to have an impact on the scoresheet.”

Holloway’s goal at 7:58 of the first period got the ball rolling for the Blues in a 1-0 lead, a play that started with a Tyler Tucker rim into the O-zone, an overskated puck by Brandon Montour, the puck was put back down low to Berggren, who quickly found Holloway in the left circle for the quick shot past Philipp Grubauer:

We sure missed this. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/TsGiz9TZHx

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) February 27, 2026

“I liked his game a lot,” Holloway said of Berggren, who was his linemate for the first time. “He’s a super-smart player, always trying to make plays. From watching these past 20 games, I was kind of able to get a good grasp on his game. I knew he would always be looking to make the right play. He’s got a lot of patience out there too. I was trying to find open spots.

“That first pass he made to me in the first period was a great pass. It’s a special play there.”

Holloway made it 3-1, 23 seconds after Kyrou gave the Blues the lead, when he first hunted down and forechecked a puck behind the net and got it to the point for Logan Mailloux to get the shot to the goal. Suter curled it back to the front in the crease where Berggren was, getting a redirection that was stopped but Holloway was on the spot to pounce on the rebound.

And when he backhanded in the empty-netter to make it 5-1 at 16:59 of the third period, it completed a terrific game:

🧢🧢🧢 pic.twitter.com/U880vs6edu

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) February 27, 2026

“His speed, his tenacity, his ability to add depth scoring and main scoring,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “When he’s playing like he did tonight and we saw it a lot right before he got injured (on Dec. 14 in practice), he’s a difference maker.”

Berggren added, “I’ve never played with [Holloway], but you can see in practice how skillful he is and fast. Really fiun to play with him.”

* The Holloway-Suter-Berggren line led the way – Holloway earned his cookies, but Suter and Berggren were also on the prowl.

They finished with four goals, five assists and a plus-10.

“Those two are really skillful players,” Berggren said of his linemates. “I think we think the game pretty similar.”

Montgomery had the best description of the trio in this game

“I thought they hounded pucks really well, I thought they used their speed and they created a lot of turnovers on the forecheck,” St. Louis coach Jim Montgomery said of the Holloway-Suter-Berggren line, “and then in the offensive zone, they were connected in triangles and they won races and they had a great net front presence. You look at the Suter goal was the best example of it.”

And the Suter goal that made it 4-1 at 1:56 of the third was two guys driving the net after Faulk’s initial shot, Holloway makes a hit, gets up and get the rebound and finds Suter in the interior of the slot and right circle:

Olympian Pius Suter has three points tonight... including this goal right here to make it 4-1. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/eMNayj7Oql

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) February 27, 2026

“We were moving our feet well and holding into pucks and kind of reset if needed,” Suter said of the line. “And just kind of be around the net. The bounces kind of worked out.”

* Quick strike in the second period helps Blues gain control – Seattle found its legs midway through the first period when the Blues led 1-0 and had an 8-0 edge in shots. But when Jake Neighbours was whistled for tripping at 9:59 of the period, the Kraken were able to gain an edge that started with a power play that had territorial edge for the entire two minutes and ultimately led to a goal.

The Blues reset after the period and Kyrou’s goal was a thing of beauty at 1:12 when he started the play breaking up things in the D-zone, moving into transition and starting a tic-tac-toe play with first, Colton Parayko, then Pavel Buchnevich:

Two goals. 23 seconds.

He🏒🏒 yeah. pic.twitter.com/82XQWPS84f

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) February 27, 2026

* Winning another challenge – Things could have gotten dicey when Ryker Evans thought he had cut the Blues’ lead to 3-2 on a shot from the point that had eyes and ricocheted off the ice and past Hofer at 10:19 of the second, but the Blues immediately challenged and won an offside challenge when Frederick Gaudreau failed to keep a puck alive and in the zone prior to it.

“I didn’t see it in real time, no,” Montgomery said. “(Video coach) Elliott Mondou and (assistant video coach) Ryan Stacey … as they scored, it was already radioed into us that this was offside. Thank God they has the view. I was wondering what was taking so long. (The referees) came over and I’m like, ‘You’ve got to have the view from the other angle.’ I’m like, ‘It’s pretty distinctive.’”

* Finley's debut – The numbers won't look gaudy, but for Jack Finley, who made his Blues debut after being claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 7, it was effective enough.

Like father, like son.

Jeff Finley wore No. 37 during his five-year stint with the St. Louis Blues.

His son, Jack, hit the ice for his Blues debut on Thursday... also wearing No. 37. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/dFRX1sH8Vj

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) February 27, 2026

The 6-foot-6, 227-pound center gained his first Blues point on Holloway's empty-netter, was a plus-1 and won five of 13 face-offs in 13:17 of ice time, but he was used in a penalty kill role, which was 3-for-3, playing on the fourth line with Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker.

Former Blue Jeff Finley is so proud to be in the building and see his son wear the 'Note for the first time 💙 #stlbluespic.twitter.com/8TnTd81Toq

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) February 27, 2026

"I thought his defensive stick was really good," Montgomery said. "He won two huge face-offs down the stretch. One on the PK and one on the pulled goalie situation. I thought he was in really good support position. That line created momentum for us, so overall, a really good start and I think it's only going to get better as he gets comfortable with the way we play and more importantly, comfortable being in the lineup."

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The Detroit Red Wings improved to 3-0 against the Ottawa Senators this season with a 2-1 overtime victory at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday night. Dylan Larkin scored the winner on a breakaway at 1:50 of OT, his second goal of the night, sliding a gentle backhander through Linus Ullmark's pads.

Along with some controversy, gold medal karma also seems to have followed the American Olympians back to their respective NHL teams. They accounted for all the scoring in this one, their first game back since winning gold at the Winter Olympics.

Even Team USA's video coach got in on the act.

The Red Wings appeared to open the scoring at 8:11 of the first period when Michael Rasmussen sprinted up the ice on a 2-on-1 and fired a wrist shot past Ullmark. But Sens video coach Mike King, just back from Milan with a gold medal, called down to the bench to let the coaches know that an overanxious Elmer Söderblom had jumped over the blue line too soon. The Sens got the goal overturned on an offside challenge.

Brady Tkachuk got the Sens on the board at 18:44 of the first, firing home a wrist shot through traffic in front of John Gibson. That would be the only blemish of the night for Gibson, who made 26 saves and seems to have the Sens' number this year. In just his third start since Dec. 27, Ullmark countered with 18 saves on the night.

5:24 into the second period, with Ridly Greig off for hooking, Lucas Raymond gathered the puck in the corner, backhanded a pass into the slot, and Larkin one-timed a snapshot past Ullmark to tie the game at one.

That was it for the scoring on the night, at least in regulation.

One notable moment came at the 7:40 mark of the second period when Greig backhanded the puck out of the Ottawa zone, way over everyone's head. Simon Edvinsson stepped up and shouldered Tkachuk, who would have had no reason to expect contact there.

Tkachuk was left with a bloody nose from his own stick coming up on the collision. It looked like textbook interference, but Edvinsson seemed to contend that he was holding the blue line and Tkachuk, who wasn't looking where he was going, skated into him.

Dylan Cozens fought Edvinsson right after the collision, and that didn't go so well either, while Tkachuk was given a ten-minute misconduct for his protests.

With no scoring in the third, the two teams headed for overtime, where the Senators lost an offensive zone faceoff. After head-manning the puck to Raymond in the neutral zone, Larkin caught Shane Pinto flat-footed in the race up ice.

Not realizing Larkin was home free, Thomas Chabot veered out of position to challenge Raymond at the boards with a stick check. Raymond then easily tapped the puck past Chabot for a Larkin breakaway, and he made no mistake, winning it in overtime.

After Canada's gold medal loss on Sunday, Sens fans have probably had enough of 3-on-3 overtime for one week.

Ottawa still ends up with a point out of it, but with the Boston Bruins (WC2) pulling two points out of their game against Columbus on Thursday, the Senators now stand seven points out of a playoff spot in the East.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News