The press box at Rogers Arena on Tuesday will be full as plenty of scouts have made the trip to watch the Vancouver Canucks take on the San Jose Sharks. With Vancouver having already announced a rebuild, teams from across the league have sent representatives to watch and evaluate Canucks players. Vancouver currently sits 32nd in the NHL and is projected to finish last in the league this season.
While there are usually a healthy number of scouts in the building, Tuesday will feature 17 in total. Teams with more than one representative at the game include the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Anaheim Ducks. Below is a look at which teams will have at least one scout at Rogers Arena on Tuesday.
Anaheim Ducks (x2)
Chicago Blackhawks
Dallas Stars
Detroit Red Wings
Florida Panthers
Los Angeles Kings
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
Philadelphia Flyers
St. Louis Blues
Toronto Maple Leafs (x2)
Utah Mammoth
Vegas Golden Knights
Winnipeg Jets
The Canucks continue their eight-game homestand on Tuesday against the Sharks. So far, Vancouver is 1-4 through their first five games at home. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Jan 21, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) and forward Evander Kane (91) and defenseman Tyler Myers (57) during a stop in play against the Washington Capitals in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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ST.
LOUIS – Otto
Stenberg came to the St. Louis Blues with an open mind.
A
first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, when Stenberg was called up
by the Blues and made his NHL debut on Dec. 17 against the Winnipeg
Jets, there were no real expectations at the time.
But
the 20-year-old made such a good and lasting impression on the Blues
and the organization, he lasted 18 games, and would have lasted
longer had he not been assigned to Springfield of the American Hockey
League on Monday in order to remain eligible to play games there
while the Olympic break is in play.
But
through all the firsts of not being a pro but being an NHL pro, the
trials and tribulations that go with that, including an 82-game
schedule, travel, time zone changes, etc. etc, Stenberg, who had
eight points (one goal, seven assists) and was a team-leading plus-4,
but there’s one lasting impression the young forward made.
“He
doesn’t cheat the game,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said.
Enough
said.
Stenberg
has been so defensively sound, so fundamentally sound, it was as if
he knew what he was coming into at the highest level without being
overwhelmed by what he was to face.
Sure,
there were nerves. That’s only natural. But this is a kid that has
played in the Swedish Hockey League as a teenager for two years with
grown men, and it was instilled upon him at an early age that seems
to have him at a great advantage.
“When
I played on the U-20 team, it was like close to the SHL team. That
was one of the things that the coach told me,” Stenberg
said.
“‘I need to be able to trust you in the D-zone if you want to
play.’ I think that made me think about it more. I think I just got
better and better every game there.
“I’m
just trusting my reads. ‘Monty’ told me early that he trusts my
reads so he wants me to play when I see and read the game. Of course
we have some things that we do as a team, but I would say most of the
time, it’s playing on what I see and trust my reads.”
Montgomery
gave Stenberg immediate confidence by putting him in situations that
would merit much detail in close games, and Stenberg said, “Yeah,
of course. In the beginning when he told me that, it gave me
confidence. It’s easy to play when you don’t have to think that
much about what the coaches are saying. Of course it gives you
confidence and it’s easier to play.”
Stenberg
was given many roles, including a top six role, a role on the penalty
kill, a role in 5-on-6 situations when it would merit the Blues
closing leads out.
The
kid didn’t disappoint.
“Obviously
a smart hockey player, detailed, trusts his game, knows the system
and I think he was very good in his first couple games defensively
and making the right reads and I think how you’re just kind of
seeing a little bit more confidence and with the puck,” Blues
captain Brayden Schenn said. “He’s a good, solid two-way player.
He’s going to be good for a long time in this league. One, because
he wants to learn and two, he’s willing to get better.”
Montgomery
added, “His defensive instincts are really high-end for a young
player in the league. He said that where he was in Sweden, they
really harped on D-zone details. Now, his offensive side of the game,
I think that’s going to shine more through him being more confident
that he’s an NHL player. And then that’s up to us to encourage
him to have more risk because we trust his instincts. When you trust
someone’s instincts, you can have a little more risk because we
know you’re going to go everything you can to get back on the right
side of pucks.”
As
for that offense, it will come.
And
the opportunity now to go to Springfield and play in all situations
should serve new Thunderbirds coach Steve Ott, who had Stenberg in
St. Louis as an associate coach, well. Ott wasn’t surprised what
Stenberg was able to do.
“I
wouldn’t say it surprised me at all,” Ott said. “I thought in
training camp, you could see his hockey IQ. It’s extremely high
even for an NHL guy. His play without the puck is extremely smart. As
his game progressed here in the last month or so, you could see even
the more skill coming out where he’s making the strong puck play.
His forecheck and pressure continues to improve and you’re watching
a young player gain his confidence in the NHL, which isn’t easy to
do. I think he’s got a great engine on him. He’s going to come
down here and play in all situations and continue to develop so that
when he does go back, he’ll be a player that sticks and has a great
future in the NHL.”
The
fact Stenberg is willing to check and go to those hard areas should
bode well. He needs time and reps in those areas. There was a
situation in a game in which he was on a backdoor play with Robert
Thomas, who made a high-end play getting the puck there from the slot
that Stenberg just missed on, and you could see the disappointment on
his face as he got to the bench. Again, time and reps will rectify
that. The fact he’s going there is something that one has to
instill in themselves.
“I
think it’s getting better and better,” Stenberg
said.
“I feel like I have more time with the puck. That’s something I
want to get better at and keep developing at this level. I’ve
always been an offensive player when I was young. I know I have it in
me. I just need to get more and more comfortable at this level and I
think it will come more and more.
“It
makes it easy to play when the coach trusts you.”
And
the players quickly, not only adapted, but also trusted the kid.
“I
think it’s real important, whether it’s Otto or ‘Dvo’, the
next guy that gets drafted by the St. Louis Blues,” Schenn said.
“The faster you make people feel comfortable in the environment and
the surroundings, the better off and more confident they’re going
to get with their own games and the better they’re going to play
for the organization. Guys did it to me when I was young, guys did it
to me when I came to St. Louis, so my job is to help guys and pass
things along, make them feel as comfortable as possible. Whatever
help they need, I’ll try and do my best to be there for the next
up-and-coming guy because someone did that for me when I was
younger.”
St. Louis Blues forward Otto Stenberg (28) scored his first NHL goal on Jan. 7 against the Chicago Blackhawks. (Matt Marton-Imagn Images)
To
which Stenberg said, “He’s been so good to me, since I started in
training camp and in the summer. He texted me before I came here.
He’s a great guy outside of the rink and in the locker room. He’s
helped me a lot with the game in the beginning. It was so easy to
ask him. He talked to be about things because sometimes it’s hard
to understand when (coaches) are writing stuff on the board. He just
showed me and everything was clear. He’s helped me a lot. He’s
been so good. To everybody in this locker room.
“It’s
been great. I’m pretty sure he helps ‘Dvo’ and all the other
young guys too. It’s been great.”
Stenberg
is in Springfield to play today but this is only temporary. He will
be back wearing No. 28 again, and soon.
“He’s
had a real good stint with us,” Montgomery
said. “Consistently reliable, someone that is very smart
offensively and defensively, and then offensively, he needs to expand
his game. Right now, he gets a lot of opportunities. I think working
on his shot and mindset of being more aggressive getting to the blue
paint offensively is something that’s going to let him when he
comes back to be an even better Blue for us. But he’s had a really,
really good tenure with us in his first go-around in the NHL.”
In
other words, don’t get too comfortable in Massachusetts because
Missouri will be home again, and for quite a bit.
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The Buffalo Sabres were in the final game of their five-game road swing in Toronto on Tuesday, and instead of starting Alex Lyon in pursuit of a club-record 10th straight victory, head coach Lindy Ruff opted to go with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The Sabres netminder allowed a pair of goals to Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews, and on Matthews go-ahead goal, Luukkonen appeared to injury his left leg.
The Sabres netminder left the game and was replaced by Colten Ellis. During the first intermission, it was revealed that Luukkonen would not return.
The 26-year-old was selected as one of the three goalies for Team Finland for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, and after a slow start, has gone 4-1-1 in his last six starts. Luukkonen was 11-7-2, with a 2.66 GAA, and a .905 save % in 19 starts.
The Sabres have carried three goalies on their NHL roster since the start of the season, when they claimed Ellis off waivers from St. Louis. All three goalies have spent time on the injured list this season, which has made carrying an extra netminder necessary.
New Jersey Devils winger Ondrej Palat hurriedly walked towards the exit of Prudential Center in the clothes that he had worn into the arena mere hours ago, only minutes before his teammates would take the ice for their pregame warmups.
The organization soon announced that Palat would be held out tonight for roster-related reasons.
In the first period of the Devils game against the Winnipeg Jets, the two-time Stanley Cup champion was traded to the New York Islanders along with a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and the club’s sixth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft in exchange for 27-year-old forward Maxim Tsyplakov. He has a $2,250,000 cap hit and is in the first year of a two-year contract.
The 6′3″, 203 lb winger has two points (one goal, one assist) in 27 games. Per the press release, Tsyplakov has recorded 37 career points (11 goals, 26 assists) and 45 penalty minutes in 104 career regular-season games. He made his NHL debut and scored his first NHL goal on Oct. 10, 2024, against the Utah Mammoth.
Palat signed a five-year contract with the Devils worth $30,000,000 with an annual average value of $6,000,000 on July 14, 2022.
The veteran played 248 games as a member of the Devils, finishing his tenure with 38 goals and 92 points.
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Isaiah George was sent back down to AHL Bridgeport on Tuesday to make room for newly acquired defenseman Carson Soucy on the Islanders roster, per the NHL’s media site.
George played just two games with the Islanders during his stint, notching an assist Monday night when his shot was tipped in by Mathew Barzal as part of the Isles’ 4-0 win in Philadelphia.
The defenseman, who played 33 games with the Islanders last season and seemed like a good bet to carve out a role this year, has gotten some hard luck all year long.
When the Islanders were cycling through call-up options to replace Alexander Romanov, with Marshall Warren, Travis Mitchell and Cole McWard all getting chances to play, George was dealing with a pair of injuries.
New York Islanders defenseman Isaiah George (36) skates up ice during the second period against the St. Louis Blues at UBS Arena on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
And once he was back healthy and playing well enough in Bridgeport to earn a chance of his own, general manager Mathieu Darche finally decided to look outside the organization by bringing in Soucy, who is expected to fill Romanov’s role for the rest of the season.
As George is waivers exempt, sending him down was an easy move unless the Islanders were willing to put Ryan Pulock on injured reserve, which would have guaranteed Pulock — who is day to day with an upper-body injury — will not play Wednesday against the Rangers
Because the NHL has done away with paper transactions, George will need to play at least one game in Bridgeport — which is next in action Friday — before he is eligible to be called back up.
It wouldn’t be surprising if another NHL chance does come soon for George.
His ability to play both sides of the ice makes it highly possible that he’ll be the next man up in case of another injury, or if Pulock misses an extended period.
New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock (6) skates in front of Washington Capitals right wing Justin Sourdif (34) during the first period at UBS Arena, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Sending George down, though, is an indicator that Pulock should be back pretty soon. If he can’t go Wednesday, the Islanders would be without an extra defenseman against the Rangers.
Though that is not as big a consideration at home as it would be on the road — it’s not impossible to get someone from Bridgeport to Long Island if need be — it will have factored into the decision-making process.
With the NHL's roster freeze a week away, trade talk appears to be ramping up around the league. For the Vancouver Canucks, the player who is involved in most reports is forward Evander Kane. The 34-year-old has 24 points in 51 games and is an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
"I think there's a lot of names that are out there," said Kane. "And all of a sudden, just because a member of the Vancouver media decides to tweet it out, I got a big scrum today. So, yeah, it's part of the process. It's part of the way business is on the NHL level. And just looking forward to tonight's game."
The post that Kane is referring to came from CHEK TV's Rick Dhaliwal. The post reads, "Evander Kane's agent Dan Milstein has been given permission to help facilitate a trade for his client." After it was mentioned in the scrum about Milstein getting permission to talk with other teams, Kane was asked if he thought trade talks would be happening this early based on the team being in 32nd place.
"I don't think anybody anticipated from top to bottom, the season going the way it's gone. So, you know, when that does happen, I think every single year with the team who is in last place, changes happen.... Yeah, I think everybody's disappointed with how the season has gone. Nobody wanted to be in last place. I don't think anybody has that anticipation or that desire to start off a year so, but it is what it is, and you have to be ready to show up to work the next day and be a professional. And I think that's what everybody in the room has done so far, and we'll let the chips fall where they may."
As for a potential trade, the most likely outcome is that Kane is moved to a team heading to the playoffs. He has played in each of the last two Stanley Cup Finals and has plenty of experience both in the regular season and post-season. For Kane, he is also focused on winning a Cup before his time in the league comes to a close.
Jan 25, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Evander Kane (91) shoots against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
"I don't know if there's a person in this room that doesn't have a hunger to play playoff hockey. I think that's, you know, when you train all summer and come into training camp, that's what you're training to do. So obviously, that's a desire for anybody, and no different with me."
Overall, moving Kane is not an easy task. He carries a cap hit of $5.125 million and has a 16-team approved trade list. Based on Kane's performance and contract, it is likely the Canucks will need to retain some money if the organization wants to trade him before the deadline and pick up additional pieces that will help the rebuild.
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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With the team remaining in the basement of the Metropolitan Division, Chris Drury has already begun his retool of the organization ahead of the NHL trade deadline.
Veteran defenseman Carson Soucy was the first domino to fall in a deal with the Islanders, and numerous other pieces are expected to be shipped out of town, as well.
Simply put, times are tough on Broadway right now, but one of the few positives has been the improved play of young winger Gabe Perreault.
The former first-round pick has begun finding the confidence the coaching staff has been looking from him at the NHL-level, solidifying his spot in New York’s top-six.
“Gabe has done a great job,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “You can see the offensive instincts, he’s getting more comfortable with each game and the experience he gets.”
Those instincts were on display again on Monday night, as Perreault sent a nifty cross-ice feed over to J.T. Miller for the Rangers’ second goal midway through the first period.
That snapped a four-game pointless streak for the youngster.
Perreault ended up with just that assist on the scorers’ sheet, but also logged three shots on goal in 16:35 of ice time in the come-from-behind overtime victory over the Bruins.
“We’re excited about the progress he’s made,” Sullivan said. “That pass he made to J.T. is an elite play. There’s a lot of guys who don’t have the vision or skillset to execute that play -- it was a really smart play on his part.”
The 20-year-old is now up to three goals and five assists in 20 games on the season.
With not much to play for down the stretch, Perreault continuing to take strides forward with his game would be an encouraging sign for the Rangers.
After his club missed three straight playoffs starting with the 1958-59 debacle, Rangers GM Muzz Patrick needed a trade to save his job. He got it from the most unlikely source – the Montreal Canadiens. Here's how:
Habs' boss Frank Selke had been furious over the fact that his star defenseman. Doug Harvey was one of a few key NHL aces who were trying to form the NHL's first players' union. Selke, like Conn Smythe in Toronto, wanted none of this union stuff.
"Harvey still was regarded as one of the best defenseman in the NHL," said Associated Press hockey writer Ben Olan, "but Selke said he wanted him out of Montreal. He also – as it happened, mistakenly – believed that Harvey was over the hill.".
While many Montrealers gaped in amazement, Selke dealt Harvey to the Rangers along with Al (Junior) Langlois, another defenseman.
Then, another astonishing event took place – Patrick signed Harvey to both play defense and coach the team – a move that was practically unheard of in the NHL at the time.
While Selke may have felt that Harvey was in the twilight of his career, Doug not only steered the Rangers into a rare playoff berth but also won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. The man hardly was over any hill.
P.S. The players' union that Harvey was kept from organizing finally became reality a few years after Doug became a Ranger.
P.S.S. Along with Glenn Hall – another union organizer – Harvey went on to star for the expansion St.Louis Blues – but only as a player. By this time the NHL Players' Association had been officially recognized by the league!
Jan 21, 2026; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) skates during the warmup period against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Sergei Belski/Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
NEW YORK — Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust has been suspended three games for an illegal check to the head of Vancouver’s Brock Boeser.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the ban following a disciplinary hearing with Rust, who will be out against Chicago, the New York Rangers and Ottawa. He’s eligible to return at the Islanders.
Rust lifted his right shoulder into Boeser’s head in the final seconds of the Penguins’ game at the Canucks, which they won 3-2. Boeser is out at least a week after going on injured reserve.
Rust will forfeit $80,078 in salary with that money going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Dec 9, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski (70) passes the puck against the Nashville Predators during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Steve Roberts/Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
DENVER — Sam Malinski’s breakout season was rewarded when the Colorado Avalanche signed the defenseman to a four-year extension.
The deal is reported to be worth $19 million, with an annual cap hit of $4.75 million.
The 27-year-old Malinski already has set career-highs with 21 assists and 24 points in logging 16 minutes, 43 seconds of ice time per game. He’s second among defensemen on the team in assists behind reigning Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar.
“Sam is a hard-working defenseman who has great skating and puck-moving ability,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said in a statement. “His commitment to the defensive side of the game has turned him into a reliable defenseman for us.”
It’s another instance where the Avalanche have rewarded an up-and-coming player this season. In November, Gavin Brindley signed a two-year contract extension less than 48 hours after scoring his first NHL overtime winner. The 5-foot-8, 173-pound Brindley was acquired by Colorado on June 27 as part of a deal that sent Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to Columbus.
Three months ago, the Avalanche signed Martin Necas to an eight-year, $92 million contract extension through 2034.
The Avalanche brought in Malinski as a college free agent in March 2023. He made the opening roster in 2024-25 and has been a fixture on the blueline since. He has 11 goals and 38 assists over 149 career regular-season appearances. Malinski also played in five games, with one assist, in the playoffs for Colorado last season against Dallas.
Malinski, who is 5-foot-11, 190-pounds, suited up for Cornell University from 2019-23. The Lakeville, Minnesota, native was a team captain in 2022-23.
The New York Rangers completed their first trade of this suppressive retool on Monday night, sending Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders in exchange for a third-round pick.
With Soucy set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Rangers’ playoff hopes dwindling by each passing game, it was only inevitable that the team would eventually trade the veteran defenseman.
Mike Sullivan opened up about the trade for the first time after Tuesday’s practice.
“Souce is a great person. He was a good Ranger,” Sullivan said. “He competed hard. Him and I had a conversation, that's what we talked about. I really enjoyed working with him. He's a good pro. This is just part of the game and the reality of where we’re at.”
When the Blueshirts acquired Soucy from the Vancouver Canucks during the 2024-25 season, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury had a different vision for Soucy, believing he could be a long-term piece for the franchise.
“He's not a rental,” Drury said of Soucy last season. “He’s someone we could have in for the rest of the year and next year. I just like the overall game – the size, the skating, the sense, how he defends. We were able to do some homework on him the last couple weeks and we’re excited to get him.”
That mindset shifted after Drury issued a letter on Jan. 16 outlining the team’s plan to retool the roster and essentially punting on the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign in order to focus on the future.
It looks like the Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their top forwards for an upcoming crucial stretch of games.
On Tuesday, the Department of Player Safety suspended top-line winger Bryan Rust for three games following a hit to the head of Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser on Sunday. Boeser was concussed on the play and was placed on injured reserve by the Canucks.
Rust, 33, has no prior history of suspension, and the hit happened around the net-front in the waning seconds of the game with the Penguins protecting the lead. These factors, along with others, are why head coach Dan Muse did not agree with the league's ruling.
"I think three games is a lot," Muse said. "I don't agree with it. The organization [doesn't] agree with it. They have a tough job in the league in terms of looking at these things.
"Bryan Rust is a guy who you know what you're going to get from him every night. He's a guy that works his a-- off every day. He's a guy that's heart and soul. One thing he's not is a dirty player."
"He's going to do everything he can to help the team win, and he's done it in a way..." Muse began. "I mean, I've coached against this guy. He's been in the league, for what, 12 years? [650]-plus games? You see his track record. He's a guy who works, but he also plays the game the right way, and he plays it clean. So, based on that track record, based on the player, who he is, what he's shown for a very long time in this league... yeah, I disagree with it.
"Again, I understand the league's got a tough job, but in terms of the play, like, it's the end of the game. He's doing everything he can to just get back to the net front, not allow another shot on net in the closing seconds. And, so, the way he comes in there, he kind of tries to come in on the defensive side. And when you look at the video, too, there's a lot of things happening there. There's the visual that you see, but I also think there's the intent and how all those things unfolded."
Barring an appeal, Rust's suspension will be in effect until the Penguins' game against the Ottawa Senators on Monday, and the team will face the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday and the New York Rangers on Saturday. He has 18 goals and 39 points in 47 games for the Penguins this season, and the team has five games remaining before the three-week Olympic hiatus.
During net-front scramble at the Penguins’ goal, Boeser looks to collect the puck as Rust skates in from the slot. As Boeser finds the puck and attempts to play it towards the net, Rust loads up and delivers a high, hard check that misses Boeser’s core, picking his head and making it the main point of contact on a check where such head contact was avoidable. This is an illegal check to the head.
It is important to note that both elements of the illegal check to the head rule are satisfied on this play.
First, the head is the main point of contact as Rust’s shoulder and arm make direct contact with Boeser’s head and it is the head that absorbs the majority of the force. Second, the head contact on this play is avoidable. Rust takes a poor angle of approach, choosing an angle that causes him to cut across the front of Boeser’s body, missing his core. Rust then raises his arm and leans into contact, causing direct contact with Boeser’s head with requisite force for supplemental discipline.
If Rust wants to deliver this check, he must stay low and take an angle that hits through the shoulder and core =, rather than one that makes the head the main point of contact.
The incriminating angle comes from one not too often seen from the top down, compared to the standard replay. Boeser ended up in concussion protocol, per Canucks head coach Adam Foote and has been placed on injured reserve and will be out for a minimum of a week.
The Penguins were not pleased with the league’s decision, calling it “a lot”. Coach Dan Muse talked about it after practice on Tuesday.
Here's what Dan Muse had to say about Bryan Rust getting suspended three games for an illegal check to the head at the end of Sunday's game in Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/cB0NewQrLK
Rust had yet to be suspended in his 685 game NHL career. Despite the heavy punishment, it’s not unprecedented to for a first-time offender to be leveled with a three-game suspension.
There are numerous examples of players given 3 GP in their first suspension. Just involving Pens:
Pacioretty on Letang, illegal check to head, 11/26/11 Ristolainen on Guentzel, interference, 3/21/17 Asham on B. Schenn, 4/15/12 Engelland on Kruger, illegal check to head, 12/20/11
Last year Trevor Zegras, another first time offender, was suspended for three games for a hit to the head of Michael Rasmussen.
It’ll be a tough loss for the Pens, who have five games remaining until the Olympic break. Rust worked with his usual first line today in practice with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell, which means the teams will have to shuffle some lines around at a time they would prefer not to given how well everything has been rolling in their current four-game winning streak.
Barring an appeal and reduction of the suspension, Rust is eligible to play next on Tuesday, February 3rd when the Penguins play on the road against the New York Islanders. He will miss the team’s upcoming games against Chicago, the NY Rangers and Ottawa.
NEW YORK (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust has been suspended three games for an illegal check to the head of Vancouver’s Brock Boeser.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the ban Tuesday following a disciplinary hearing with Rust, who will be out Thursday against Chicago, Saturday against the New York Rangers and Monday against Ottawa. He's eligible to return next Tuesday at the Islanders.
Rust lifted his right shoulder into Boeser’s head in the final seconds of the Penguins’ game at the Canucks on Sunday, which they won 3-2. Boeser is out at least a week after going on injured reserve.
Rust will forfeit $80,078 in salary with that money going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
The Detroit Red Wings return home Tuesday riding a surge of momentum after a strong three-game road trip, having won eight of their last ten games and four straight at home. They’ll host the Los Angeles Kings in a rematch of an earlier 4–3 shootout win in California.
While Detroit has been heating up, the Kings arrive looking for consistency, posting a 7-8-6 record over their last 21 games. Still firmly in the playoff hunt and tied for the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, Los Angeles will be motivated by both revenge and the need to build momentum in a tightly packed race.
Detroit’s recent success has been fueled by balanced scoring throughout the lineup, with several players breaking out of slumps, including J.T. Compher, Marco Kasper, and Emmitt Finnie. That depth has eased pressure on stars like Patrick Kane, who remains on the verge of a historic milestone, while Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin, and Lucas Raymond continue to drive offense.
The Kings, meanwhile, have struggled to score consistently and may again lean on strong goaltending from Darcy Kuemper and a defense-first approach, with young blueliner Brandt Clarke and winger Adrian Kempe providing key offensive sparks. With John Gibson expected to start for Detroit, the matchup sets up as a tightly contested game between two teams relying on structure, depth, and timely goaltending.
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