They always say that the NHL is all about opportunity.

Well, for 23-year-old defenseman Joel Nystrom, his opportunity has led to not only an NHL debut and stint, but now a multimillion dollar contract. 

The Carolina Hurricanes have inked Nystrom to a four-year, $4.9 million contract that will run through the 2029-30 season.

“Joel stepped into our lineup early in the season and has proven that he belongs in the NHL,” said Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky in a press release. “He fits our style of play well and we are excited to watch his continued development in Carolina.”

The Swedish rookie, who was a seventh-round pick in 2021, made his NHL debut on Oct. 23 and has since appeared in 23 games this season with all the injuries to Carolina's blueline.

Nystrom has picked up four assists on the year while averaging 16:02 per night. He's been a stable force on the blueline and even though he's a rookie, the moment has never seemed too big for him.

"We saw somebody that had really high-end hockey sense and that was something that we wanted to bet on," Hurricanes associate GM Darren Yorke told The Hockey News back in November. "Fast forward almost four years now and we’re seeing that hockey sense shine in the NHL and he’s been a big part of the team’s success lately when other guys have been hurt. He’s been able to step up.”

A Perfect Storm: Hurricanes Rookie Defenseman Joel Nystrom Making Most Of OpportunityA rare seventh-round pick defies the odds, showcasing an already high-level hockey sense. Discover how Joel Nystrom's rapid development landed him a a spot in the Hurricanes lineup.

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ST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild made a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks for defenseman Quinn Hughes.

The cost was steep for Minnesota but it has to be when acquiring a player of that magnitude.

Vancouver will be getting Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round pick.

Rossi, 24, was the Wild's 9th overall pick from the 2020 NHL draft and is coming off 24 goals and 60 points last season. A future top center in the NHL.

Buium, 20, has been compared to Hughes and was the Wild's 12th overall pick from the 2024 NHL Draft. He has played in 31 games this year and has three goals and 14 points. 

Ohgren, 21, was the WIld's 19th overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft and has struggled this year in limited ice time. He has zero points in 18 games.

Hughes, 26, is under contract for one more season after this one. Despite all the rumors of him joining his two brothers in New Jersey, Hughes has been traded to the Wild.

The 5-foot-10 defenseman has two goals and 23 points in 26 games this year for the Canucks and is their captain.

He won the 2024 Norris Trophy which is given to the top defenseman in the NHL. He led the league with an NHL career-high 92 points (17 goals, 75 assists) in 82 games, and had the most even-strength points (54), second-most power-play points (38) and was fourth in plus/minus (plus-38) among defensemen.

In his career, Hughes has recorded 61 goals, 371 assists, 432 points, 16 power-play goals and 190 power play points in 459 games.

Quinn Hughes, acquired by MIN, is a superstar offensive defenceman. An exceptional skater, passer, and puck-handler who has been relied upon to carry his team's offence while also holding up his end of the deal defensively. #MNWildpic.twitter.com/k3j7Wn08Fp

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) December 13, 2025

The Wild don't make this move thinking there isn't a chance he signs with them. The Wild are going to have to sell it to him to stay though. His brothers Luke and Jack play for the Devils and the rumor for the longest time was that Quinn is going to sign there.

According to Michael Russo, there has been no assurance given to the Wild that Hughes will extend next summer. But, Wild general manager Bill Guerin does know him well. The U.S. born defender will be on Team USA at the Olympics.

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The Philadelphia Flyers made multiple moves during the 2025 NHL off-season. One of them was bringing in forward Christian Dvorak, as the Flyers signed him to a one-year, $5.4 million contract in free agency. 

While Dvorak landed a nice payday from the Flyers, it was not necessarily one of the most-talked-about NHL signings from the summer. While this was the case, there is no question that the Flyers' decision to sign Dvorak to this one-year, prove-it deal is looking like a home run. 

Dvorak has been impressing with the Flyers this season, as he has recorded seven goals, 14 assists, 21 points, and a plus-7 rating in 29 games. With this, the Flyers center is well on his way to crushing his current career-high of 38 points, which he recorded during the 2019-20 season with the Arizona Coyotes. 

Dvorak is only continuing to stay hot as the season carries on, too. Over his last three games with the Flyers, the 2014 second-round pick has posted one goal, four assists, and five points. This included him recording back-to-back two-point games against the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 9 and then the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 11. 

With the way Dvorak is playing, it is hard not to like this signing for the Flyers. It will be intriguing to see if the veteran forward can keep this kind of strong play up from here. 

The Detroit Red Wings’ AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, have opened the season in remarkable fashion, winning 20 of their first 22 games. Leading the charge is top prospect Sebastian Cossa, who has been nearly unbeatable in net.

Detroit’s 15th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft has been dominant, posting an 11-1-0 record with a 1.76 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage through 12 appearances.

The Hockey News spoke with Cossa ahead of the Griffins’ weekend matchups against the Rockford IceHogs and the Chicago Wolves. Cossa credited his impressive numbers to the experienced group playing in front of him, noting the impact of the NHL veterans on the roster.

"Being my third year in AHL now, a lot of confidence in myself, and knowing what I need to bring every night to play well and then obviously, I think we've got one of the best penalty kills in the league, which helps out a lot," Cossa started off by saying "As I said, I think the NHL experience, especially a lot on the back end, has helped out a lot for sure, so, definitely playing good hockey, and feeling really confident in my game, but the boys helped me out a lot too."

Grand Rapids’ leading scorer John Leonard recently spoke about the team maintaining a day-by-day mindset despite their strong start, a sentiment Cossa echoed. He acknowledged the outside buzz surrounding the team’s success but emphasized their commitment to staying grounded.

"The noise is going to be there with the start we've had, but I think we're still taking day by day, not letting it get to our heads, and still coming to work every day with a great work mentality and taking the next game with what it is face value," Cossa explained "Basically, I think every team's coming into our building when they play us, knowing that they're playing the best team in the league right now, so we're getting everyone's A game and I think every night someone on our team has stepped up and helped us get these wins here and there."

Cossa also spent part of the offseason working extensively with Griffins goalie coach Roope Koistinen, who has guided him throughout his three AHL seasons.

They focused on refining Cossa’s approach, helping him rely more on his natural reactions while maximizing the advantages of his six-foot-six frame, particularly in controlling slides and handling lateral movement.

Sebastian Cossa with the SAVE OF THE YEAR! (After misplaying the pass but who cares). He even has a big smirk on his face at the end of this clip #GoGRG#LGRWpic.twitter.com/JIZwKlaYHq

— Griffins Nest (@GrGriffinsNest) December 6, 2025

During that same offseason, Detroit made waves by acquiring goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks in a Draft Day trade, giving the Red Wings their strongest goalie tandem in years. Cossa had the chance to work with Gibson during training camp and said the two quickly formed a strong connection, praising Gibson’s mentorship.

"I got to spend some time with him, trying to pick his brain as much as possible, he's an awesome guy, very reciprocal with me, very respectful, and just trying to help me out as much as he could, so he did a great job at that, someone who I feel confident that I can go talk to and chat with and stuff like that," Cossa said.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Cossa also expressed admiration for Gibson’s recent performances, especially his ability to rebound after a challenging start in Detroit. When asked about early-season rumors of a possible NHL call-up during Detroit’s shaky stretch in goal, Cossa made it clear that while his ultimate goal is the NHL, his priority is to excel consistently at the AHL level first.

Sebastian Cossa save thread ⬇️#LGRWpic.twitter.com/1a2ALvWS8b

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) December 11, 2025

"Yeah, I mean, it's tough obviously you do hear it, at the end of the day, you do want to be there, so that's what you're striving for but I know that I need to dominate at this level for a sustained period of time and once that happens, hopefully get my shot, but just trying to take it day by day, do what I keep doing down here that's made me successful throughout the year and hopefully by the time I do get my shot, just bring that up and bring that routine up to Detroit," Cossa explained.

Throughout the interview, Cossa repeatedly emphasized his goal not simply to compete, but to dominate at every stage of his development. With the start he’s had, he’s proving exactly that. He concluded by saying that while the team hopes to carry their momentum into the postseason, their focus remains on maintaining high standards each night rather than looking too far ahead.

The Griffins return to the ice Saturday night when they host Rockford at Van Andel Arena. Fans can tune in on 96.1 The Game, WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM, stream through AHL.TV on FloHockey.tv. 

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ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues assigned forward Aleksanteri Kaskimaki to Springfield of the American Hockey League on Friday.

The 21-year-old, who was recalled on Dec. 1 and made his debut on Dec. 4 against the Boston Bruins, played in five games for the Blues. 

Kaskimaki, who did not record a point, has played in 16 games with the Thunderbirds this season and had seven points (four goals, three assists). He was originally drafted by the Blues in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft.

The signing of veteran Robby Fabbri, who had an assist in his Blues debut Thursday in a 7-2 loss to the Nashville Predators, likely made this move to send Kaskimaki back down easier so that he can continue to play games.

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Only one NHL team has hit double-digits in regulation home losses so far throughout the 2025–26 season. It’s the same team that currently sits dead-last in the NHL’s standings at 32nd with a total of 25 points collected throughout 31 games. 

Yes, it’s the Vancouver Canucks. 

Vancouver’s home record has been nothing short of abysmal this season. On the road, the Canucks haven’t fared terribly, as they’ve put together a record of 7–7–2 that ties them with three other teams for 17th in the NHL with 16 points. At home, however, is where things begin to slide. The Canucks have a league-worst home record of 4–10–1, having only grabbed nine points in their 15 home games so far. 

Salvaging this season feels like it’s out of the cards for a tired Canucks team and an even more tired Canucks fanbase that voiced their displeasure by throwing a jersey on the ice last night. There’s no direct remedy for their on-ice woes, given that a lot of factors have gone into the product currently being iced (David Kämpf being the only active natural center to play 80+ NHL games, for example). With that being said, there are some particular stats that stand out from Vancouver’s home stretches throughout the season — and not in a good way. Let’s take a look at some of the things that have contributed to the Canucks’ poor home record. 

Vancouver’s Penalty Kill Has Not Surpassed 75% While On Home Ice 

Looking at the Canucks’ stats on a month-per-month basis, Vancouver has yet to register a month in which they have posted a penalty killing rate of over 75%. Throughout five home games in October, the Canucks killed 11 of 15 penalties taken to register a rate of 73.3%. It’s better than their current overall PK% of 71.6%, but unfortunately also the highest they have registered throughout the first three months of the season. During their six home games in November, Vancouver posted a penalty-killing percentage of 70.6%, while December’s dropped to only 66.6% with two more games remaining after Christmas. 

With that being said, the penalty kill has been an issue throughout the season — not just on home ice. Their overall home penalty-killing percentage is 70.7%, while they have registered 72.1% while on the road. 

The Canucks’ Power Play Has Been Good, But Not Great  

One of the keys to a good team is a consistent power play — something that the Canucks haven’t quite been able to register. While their power play percentages at home aren’t bad, per-se, the Canucks have noticeably had some dry spells when it comes to their man-advantage. Of course, their dreaded 0-for-9 performance came on the road against the San Jose Sharks, but at home, Vancouver has endured some inconsistent spells as well. In their past four games, the Canucks have only scored one power play goal throughout nine opportunities. 

The eye-test indicates that the power play isn’t a main cause for negativity. In fact, it’s one of the Canucks’ few redeeming stats throughout the season, currently placing 16th in the NHL. When equipped with the proper pieces, they can move the puck into the O-zone well. However, it’s hard to generate those scoring chances when missing a good chunk of said pieces. Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and Conor Garland — all of whom play pretty big power play minutes — have all missed some Canucks home games throughout the year. 

An Expected Strength Has Become One Of Vancouver’s Biggest Weaknesses 

Before the season started, it felt as though there was one part of the Canucks’ lineup that would undoubtedly be a strength — their goaltending. Kevin Lankinen had a career season in 2024–25 while Thatcher Demko entered the year with an off-season of health and proper training. 

It only took until November for things to start going downhill. 

Demko missed a back-to-back weekend homestand and later departed Vancouver’s game against the Winnipeg Jets on November 11, resulting in Lankinen playing in all six of the Canucks’ home games that month. Including Demko’s SV% logged against the Jets, Vancouver posted an overall SV% of .804 throughout the month of November. They allowed 27 goals-against throughout this span of time, coming out to an average of 4.5 per game. 

While the goaltending situation did improve throughout Vancouver’s first stretch of home games in December, the numbers still weren’t fantastic. They allowed 13 goals against for an average of 3.25 per game, while registering a SV% of .836 including the numbers put up by Lankinen before he’d been pulled against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday. 

In theory, there are teams with worse goaltending records than the Canucks, but there aren’t many. Throughout the entire season, the Canucks have allowed 55 goals against at home in 15 games, coming to an average of 3.67 per game. The Montreal Canadiens (3.93), St. Louis Blues (3.75), and Detroit Red Wings (3.69) all have higher averages than them in this category. However, the Canadiens and Red Wings, both of whom are within the top-half of the NHL in points, also have much higher goals-for numbers, demonstrating that they can put in the effort to keep up with any opposing offence they allow. Clearly, the Canucks can’t say the same. 

While it’s still early in the season, it does feel as though time is running out for a Canucks team that is working against multiple deadlines. The disappointment from fans has been noticeable, with many choosing to spend their money elsewhere instead of at Rogers Arena. The Canucks’ season feels as though it has hit the rockiest part in a storm out at sea; they’ll either emerge as a pack or end up shipwrecked. 

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 Winnipeg Jets have made several changes across the lineup lately to try and generate a spark amid their recent losing skid yet little has worked thus far with the Jets' 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday marking their 12th loss in their last 17 games with things potentially getting worse sooner than later as their upcoming schedule includes difficult matchups against teams like the Capitals, Oilers, Avalanche and Wild. 

Jets Colour Analyst Mitchell Clinton reported Friday that Arneil has experimented with more lineup changes, keeping Alex Iafallo on the top unit after his big night Thursday where he scored a nice goal on a solo effort versus Boston's Jeremy Swayman.

Besides the top line, the forwards are going to see several surprising changes ahead of Saturday's contest versus the Capitals with Cole Perfetti teaming up with captain Adam Lowry on the second line with Tanner Pearson on the opposite wing. 

#NHLJets line rushes. It’s all battle drills out of one end so it’s difficult to say what the “order” is:

Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo
Perfetti-Lowry-Koepke/Pearson
Niederreiter-Namestnikov-Nyquist
Barron-Toews-Vilardi

Morrissey-Pionk
Samberg-DeMelo
Stanley-Schenn
Fleury-Miller

— Mitchell Clinton (@MitchellClinton) December 12, 2025

In the bottom six, Nino Niederreiter will play his 1,000th NHL game on Saturday and will do so playing with Vladislav Namestnikov and struggling veteran winger Gustav Nyquist on the third line. Finally, Gabe Vilardi is dropping all the way to the fourth line to hopefully keep winger Morgan Barron hot after he scored in Thursday's loss with Jonathan Toews centering the unit. 

The Jets are hoping that major shakeups to their forward lines will ignite some energy as they face a Washington team arriving in Winnipeg on a scorching run with a league-leading 10-1-2 stretch over its past 13 outings. 

The Capitals have been red hot on offense with a 4.15 goals per game average during their recent surge and will likely test a struggling Eric Comrie, who has battled hard despite tough circumstances, or rookie Domenic DiVincentiis, who would be thrown into a challenging NHL debut much like his Manitoba Moose goalie partner Thomas Milic, who drew the powerhouse Hurricanes in his first start. Winnipeg is simply looking for something to finally click and to secure a badly needed win.

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Wild acquire star Quinn Hughes from Canucks in blockbuster NHL trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Minnesota Wild have acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks in the biggest blockbuster trade of the NHL season.

The teams announced the seismic move Friday night, after the 2024 Norris Trophy winner as the league’s top defenseman had been the most talked-about trade candidate over the past couple of weeks.

Minnesota sent center Marco Rossi, defenseman Zeev Buium, winger Liam Ohgren and a first-round pick in the 2026 draft to suddenly rebounding Vancouver to complete the deal. Rossi at 24, Ohgren at 21 and Buium at 20 fit the young players the Canucks were speculated to be targeting if they were to trade Hughes.

“Quinn played hard, led by example and did a lot of very good things for the Canucks,” Vancouver general manager Patrik Allvin said. “Trading away a player of this caliber is never an easy decision to make, but it was one we had to do to make our team better. We are so excited to add a solid centre in Marco, a good young blueliner in Zeev and a versatile forward in Liam. This year’s draft is a strong one, so acquiring a first-round pick was also a big part of this deal.”

Hughes, only 26 and considered the best at player at the position behind Colorado’s Cale Makar, has one season left on his contract after this one before he can become an unrestricted free agent. There has been plenty of buzz around Quinn wanting to play with brothers Jack and Luke on the New Jersey Devils.

They could potentially be teammates on the U.S. Olympic team, either in February in Milan or in 2030. Wild GM Bill Guerin runs USA Hockey’s management team.

Hughes has two goals and 21 assists for 23 points in 23 games this season with the last-in-the-NHL Canucks. He has been their captain since 2023, and his abrupt exit paves the way for more change in Vancouver 11 months since the trade of J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers and in the aftermath of coach Rick Tocchet’s departure.

“With the circumstances surrounding JT and now Quinn, we are fortunate to acquire these very good young players from Minnesota,” Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said. “They will be a key part of the rebuild that we are currently in, giving us a bright future moving forward. The hockey club will continue to build with talented young players using that as a blueprint to become a contender sooner rather than later.”

Minnesota cannot extend Hughes until July 1, and it’s unclear if he would entertain signing another contract. He had nothing in the way of trade protection on his current deal, paying him an average of $7.85 million annually, that would have allowed him to block a trade anywhere.

The Wild are taking a shot at challenging the two top teams in the NHL, Colorado and Dallas, in the Central Division, which also includes reigning Presidents’ Trophy-winningWinnipeg. Hughes vastly upgrades their blue line, which already included captain Jared Spurgeon and smooth-skating Swede Jonas Brodin. Winger Kirill Kaprizov only this past fall signed the richest deal in hockey history to stay in the “State of Hockey” for eight more years.

It was the second major trade of the day after two-time Stanley Cup Final runner-up Edmonton finally made a move for a goaltender, acquiring Tristan Jarry from Pittsburgh.

Wild acquire star Quinn Hughes from Canucks in blockbuster NHL trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Minnesota Wild have acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks in the biggest blockbuster trade of the NHL season.

The teams announced the seismic move Friday night, after the 2024 Norris Trophy winner as the league’s top defenseman had been the most talked-about trade candidate over the past couple of weeks.

Minnesota sent center Marco Rossi, defenseman Zeev Buium, winger Liam Ohgren and a first-round pick in the 2026 draft to suddenly rebounding Vancouver to complete the deal. Rossi at 24, Ohgren at 21 and Buium at 20 fit the young players the Canucks were speculated to be targeting if they were to trade Hughes.

“Quinn played hard, led by example and did a lot of very good things for the Canucks,” Vancouver general manager Patrik Allvin said. “Trading away a player of this caliber is never an easy decision to make, but it was one we had to do to make our team better. We are so excited to add a solid centre in Marco, a good young blueliner in Zeev and a versatile forward in Liam. This year’s draft is a strong one, so acquiring a first-round pick was also a big part of this deal.”

Hughes, only 26 and considered the best at player at the position behind Colorado’s Cale Makar, has one season left on his contract after this one before he can become an unrestricted free agent. There has been plenty of buzz around Quinn wanting to play with brothers Jack and Luke on the New Jersey Devils.

They could potentially be teammates on the U.S. Olympic team, either in February in Milan or in 2030. Wild GM Bill Guerin runs USA Hockey’s management team.

Hughes has two goals and 21 assists for 23 points in 23 games this season with the last-in-the-NHL Canucks. He has been their captain since 2023, and his abrupt exit paves the way for more change in Vancouver 11 months since the trade of J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers and in the aftermath of coach Rick Tocchet’s departure.

“With the circumstances surrounding JT and now Quinn, we are fortunate to acquire these very good young players from Minnesota,” Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said. “They will be a key part of the rebuild that we are currently in, giving us a bright future moving forward. The hockey club will continue to build with talented young players using that as a blueprint to become a contender sooner rather than later.”

Minnesota cannot extend Hughes until July 1, and it’s unclear if he would entertain signing another contract. He had nothing in the way of trade protection on his current deal, paying him an average of $7.85 million annually, that would have allowed him to block a trade anywhere.

The Wild are taking a shot at challenging the two top teams in the NHL, Colorado and Dallas, in the Central Division, which also includes reigning Presidents’ Trophy-winningWinnipeg. Hughes vastly upgrades their blue line, which already included captain Jared Spurgeon and smooth-skating Swede Jonas Brodin. Winger Kirill Kaprizov only this past fall signed the richest deal in hockey history to stay in the “State of Hockey” for eight more years.

It was the second major trade of the day after two-time Stanley Cup Final runner-up Edmonton finally made a move for a goaltender, acquiring Tristan Jarry from Pittsburgh.

There was breaking news to break down on this week’s episode of The Hockey Show.

In addition to a busy week with the Florida Panthers, upcoming outdoor games and Rip the Ice punishments, THS co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork reacted to the news of the Edmonton Oilers trading Stuart Skinner and several other assets to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Tristan Jarry.

They also discussed Carter Hart’s start in Vegas and how the Golden Knights have kept him away from the media, particularly during their visit to Philadelphia earlier this week.

Joining the show this week was the Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson, who had some very interesting ideas on how we can make the amazing NHL even better.

Wins and fails included a beautifully colorful game between a pair of Original Six franchises, the NHL’s most punchable face, a pair of leads lost in literally the last second and a reason why players should be practicing crawling across the ice.

You can check out the full show and interview in the videos below:

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The Buffalo Sabres are attempting to salvage what earlier in the week appeared to be a disastrous Western road swing. After losses in Philadelphia, Winnipeg, and Calgary, the Sabres beat the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday and on Thursday, they bested the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. 

Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson, and Zach Benson scored for Buffalo, and Alex Lyon, fresh off a relief victory against the Oilers, made 30 saves in the victory. The Sabres have dealt with the roster dilemma of carrying three goalies all season, as they cannot demote Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Lyon, or Colten Ellis without clearing waivers. 

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Head coach Lindy Ruff has commented that dealing with three goalies has been challenging, and based on the fact that a number of clubs are looking to shore up between the pipes, it would make sense that opposing GM’s would check in with GM Kevyn Adams to gauge the availability of one of his netminders.

Confirmation of that came from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in his 32 Thoughts column, as he indicated that the Oilers checked in with the Sabres on the availability of Lyon, who is in the first year of a two-year, $3 million deal, before trading with Pittsburgh for Tristan Jarry on Friday. The Oilers deal with the Penguins was a money-in, money-out deal involving Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak, which resulted in only a $25,000 difference against the salary cap. 

Although the timing of the inquiry was not revealed, the fact that Colten Ellis is on injured reserve would likely not have been a factor with Buffalo since they have Devon Levi in Rochester, but the Sabres would probably not have been interested in taking back a goalie or more salary in a swap. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram  @MikeInBuffalo

One of the Montreal Canadiens' biggest objectives of this season should be to improve at the center position. This is a major need for the Habs, and they are now being linked to one of their former centers because of it. 

According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, the Canadiens are one of the teams interested in Los Angeles Kings forward Phillip Danault. 

"One team I'd keep a really close eye on is the Montreal Canadiens on trying to bring Phillip Danault home," Seravalli said. "I know the Canadiens are one of the teams circling around Danault with the LA Kings."

Hearing that the Canadiens have their eye on Danault is not necessarily surprising. As noted above, they need help at the center position, and a player like Danault would have the potential to provide them with just that. 

Danault has struggled this season, however, recording zero goals and five assists in 30 games with the Kings. Yet, he also had 43 points this past season with the Kings, so it would not be surprising if we saw his offense go back up as the season rolls on. Perhaps a move back to Montreal could be the boost he needs to turn things around.

In 360 career games over six seasons with the Habs, Danault posted 54 goals, 140 assists, 194 points, and a plus-47 rating. 

Wild acquire star Quinn Hughes from Canucks in blockbuster NHL trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Minnesota Wild have acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks in the biggest blockbuster trade of the NHL season.

The teams announced the seismic move Friday night, after the 2024 Norris Trophy winner as the league’s top defenseman had been the most talked-about trade candidate over the past couple of weeks.

Minnesota sent center Marco Rossi, defenseman Zeev Buium, winger Liam Ohgren and a first-round pick in the 2026 draft to suddenly rebounding Vancouver to complete the deal. Rossi at 24, Ohgren at 21 and Buium at 20 fit the young players the Canucks were speculated to be targeting if they were to trade Hughes.

“Quinn played hard, led by example and did a lot of very good things for the Canucks,” Vancouver general manager Patrik Allvin said. “Trading away a player of this caliber is never an easy decision to make, but it was one we had to do to make our team better. We are so excited to add a solid centre in Marco, a good young blueliner in Zeev and a versatile forward in Liam. This year’s draft is a strong one, so acquiring a first-round pick was also a big part of this deal.”

Hughes, only 26 and considered the best at player at the position behind Colorado’s Cale Makar, has one season left on his contract after this one before he can become an unrestricted free agent. There has been plenty of buzz around Quinn wanting to play with brothers Jack and Luke on the New Jersey Devils.

They could potentially be teammates on the U.S. Olympic team, either in February in Milan or in 2030. Wild GM Bill Guerin runs USA Hockey’s management team.

Hughes has two goals and 21 assists for 23 points in 23 games this season with the last-in-the-NHL Canucks. He has been their captain since 2023, and his abrupt exit paves the way for more change in Vancouver 11 months since the trade of J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers and in the aftermath of coach Rick Tocchet’s departure.

“With the circumstances surrounding JT and now Quinn, we are fortunate to acquire these very good young players from Minnesota,” Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said. “They will be a key part of the rebuild that we are currently in, giving us a bright future moving forward. The hockey club will continue to build with talented young players using that as a blueprint to become a contender sooner rather than later.”

Minnesota cannot extend Hughes until July 1, and it’s unclear if he would entertain signing another contract. He had nothing in the way of trade protection on his current deal, paying him an average of $7.85 million annually, that would have allowed him to block a trade anywhere.

The Wild are taking a shot at challenging the two top teams in the NHL, Colorado and Dallas, in the Central Division, which also includes reigning Presidents’ Trophy-winningWinnipeg. Hughes vastly upgrades their blue line, which already included captain Jared Spurgeon and smooth-skating Swede Jonas Brodin. Winger Kirill Kaprizov only this past fall signed the richest deal in hockey history to stay in the “State of Hockey” for eight more years.

It was the second major trade of the day after two-time Stanley Cup Final runner-up Edmonton finally made a move for a goaltender, acquiring Tristan Jarry from Pittsburgh.