Ahead of the 2025-26 training camp, the Chicago Blackhawks signed veteran defenseman Matt Grzelcyk to a PTO. He took that opportunity and ran with it.
Grzelcyk earned a spot on the roster and has played in every Blackhawks game so far. Through 57 games with Chicago, Grzelcyk has 12 assists. Whether it's playing a depth defensive role or quarterbacking one of the power play units, he gives great effort in whatever role Jeff Blashill asks of him.
Before coming to Chicago, Grzelcyk had a nice career playing on some great teams. The truth is, though, that he needed a PTO to stay in the league this year. To say he's grateful for his current organization would be an understatement.
"I'm lucky to still be in the league and lucky that Chicago gave me a chance. I love it here so far," Matt Grzelcyk said of playing for the Blackhawks. It isn't likely that they are going to be a postseason team, but Grzelcyk confirmed that it is still his mindset to make it with Chicago and hasn't considered being traded to a contender.
"I honestly haven't really thought about [being moved] at all," Grzelcyk said when asked about welcoming an opportunity to move on and try to compete for the Stanley Cup.
When Grzelcyk arrived at camp on a PTO, nobody had any idea what the year could turn into for him. He was desperate to stay in the league, and now he's an important piece on Chicago's blue line.
"I just wanted to come to camp and see what happens over two weeks," Grzelcyk said. "I chose [Chicago] because I wanted to be here, and I'm glad it's worked out. I've had a lot of fun this year getting to meet everyone on the team and in the organization. They treated me extremely well, so it's been a great experience so far."
From a Blackhawks standpoint, Grzelcyk brings a lot of wisdom to this young group. He has played with some of the game's all-time great leaders like Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and Sidney Crosby. This history has allowed him to come in and bring some of that knowledge to players looking to learn.
"A lot of the young guys have questions about those guys. You learn through experience, getting to see them, how they operate, their day-to-day, how they approach every single day [trying] to get better at some aspect of their game, and the way they take care of their bodies. That was a very eye-opening experience, so I try to pay that forward. You want to lead by example as much as you can."
Matt Grzelcyk is very into Boston University as an alumnus. With Ryan Greene, a fellow alumnus, on the team and Sacha Boisvert on the way, this program means a lot to the modern-day Blackhawks.
"I train there in the summer, so I'm really tight with some of the coaches there," Grzelcyk said. "I had them all with the Bruins. Their trainer was my assistant with the Bruins, as well. He trains me in the summer, and before I went on PTO here, I skated with them for two weeks, so I got to know some of the guys on the team. It's been fun to keep up with them and just wish them luck."
There is a squat rack in BU's gym named after Matt Grzelcyk. Alongside some of his fellow alumni, they had equipment named after them as a thank you for donating money to help make upgrades to the gym.
"It was mostly guys who train there in the summer. We get to use the equipment in the summer. They didn't really ask us; it was something we wanted to do. You see the benefits of it, so it's been great."
Grzelcyk confirmed that he keeps in touch with a lot of his old teammates from BU, the Bruins, and the Penguins, which shows how liked he was as a teammate everywhere he goes. There is value to having a guy of his charachter around.
There are a lot of ways that the rest of the season can go for Grzelcyk, but his impact on the young players in Chicago's locker room will be felt for a long time. He is one of the good guys in the NHL, and the Blackhawks are better for having him around.
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The Pittsburgh Penguins are set to be pretty shorthanded on the forward front for their final regular season game before the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina begin.
But they will be getting some reinforcements - including one forward getting his first recall to the NHL level.
In a correpsonding move, the Penguins recalled forward prospect Avery Hayes from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), their AHL affiliate. Hayes, 23, has 13 goals and 23 points in 31 AHL games on the season, including four goals and six points in his last six games.
Undrafted, Hayes signed a two-year entry level contract with the Penguins last spring, which kicked in for the 2025-26 season. As one of the final NHL roster cuts during Penguins' training camp, Hayes is a feisty, versatile forward that can be plugged anywhere in a lineup and play on both special teams units.
Should Hayes make his NHL debut against the Sabres, he will be the 11th rookie to appear in a game for the Penguins this season, which is the top mark in the NHL.
The Chicago Blackhawks have made a roster move, as they have assigned defenseman Sam Rinzel to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.
With the Blackhawks now on their Olympic break, it makes sense that Rinzel is heading back to the IceHogs' roster. With this, the young blueliner will get to continue to get into game action while the Blackhawks are not playing.
Rinzel has appeared in 31 games this season with the Blackhawks, where he has recorded two goals, seven assists, nine points, 30 penalty minutes, and an even plus/minus rating. This is after he recorded five assists in his first nine NHL games with the Blackhawks this past season.
Down in the AHL with the IceHogs this campaign, Rinzel has recorded two goals, eight assists, and 10 points in 19 games.
Rinzel is considered to be one of the Blackhawks' top prospects, as the 2022 first-round pick has plenty of upside. It will be interesting to see how much of an impact he can make with Rockford after being sent back down from here.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 29: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins battles against Connor Murphy #5 of the Chicago Blackhawks at PPG PAINTS Arena on January 29, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins only have one game left before their Olympic break but are experiencing a bumpy road to get to that finish line. It was already announced that Blake Lizotte will be out for tonight’s game against Buffalo due to the birth of his child and that Noel Acciari is a game-time decision while dealing with an illness that kept his off the ice for the morning skate.
To make matters worse, Rickard Rakell was unable to get through the skate and won’t be able to play tonight either.
Updates from Dan Muse: ▪️Arturs Silovs starts in goal ▪️Rickard Rakell left morning skate early – he has a lower-body injury and will not play tonight ▪️Noel Acciari (illness) is a game-time decision ▪️As @PenguinsPR posted, Blake Lizotte is not available for personal reasons
Hayes would surely be in the lineup tonight should Acciari not be able to play now that Rakell is unable to play. If Acciari can go, the team would have an extra forward available.
The bigger question for Rakell as a member of Team Sweden is how big of an injury that he has and what that could mean for his participation in the upcoming Olympic games. The tournament begins on February 11th.
For the Pens, the Rakell injury will mean a new forward playing with Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust tonight, and possibly the NHL debut of another player in Avery Hayes depending on how the health status of Acciari looks by game time.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 31: Pittsburgh Penguins center Blake Lizotte (46) battles with New York Rangers defenseman Urho Vaakanainen (18) in front of New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) during the third period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Rangers on January 31, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins fourth line has become a major driving force behind their success this season, and rapidly become not only one of the most effective fourth-lines in the NHL, but also one of their most effective lines as a team.
When the Penguins visit the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night, in their final game before the Olympic break, it is going to have a different look.
Perhaps even a significantly different look.
The Penguins announced on Thursday that Blake Lizotte will be away from the team for personal reasons as his wife is expecting the birth of their first child.
The good news is it is not an injury situation and just a temporary absence for some good news for the Lizotte family.
Forward Blake Lizotte (personal) will not be available for tonight’s game against Buffalo.
The bigger potential concern beyond Thursday is the fact forward Noel Acciari was also not present at the morning skate, putting his availability into doubt with what Dan Muse called an illness.
Pens HCDM: – Silovs starts vs Buffalo – Acciari is dealing with illness; hasn’t been ruled out yet tonight “game time decision” pic.twitter.com/qx4hfPiN9h
The fourth consisted of Connor Dewar, Kevin Hayes and Rutger McGroarty.
That could obviously be a problem on a lot of different levels.
For one, Lizotte and Acciari are both significant parts of the Penguins penalty kill. Taking them out of the lineup would really love that unit scrambling for some options.
It would also negate the 5-on-5 play that group has been demonstrating all season.
The Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari trio has played 282 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey this season and outscored teams by a 14-7 margin with a 54.7 percent expected goals share. They are doing that despite getting the heaviest defensive zone starts on the roster.
It is also not playing like a traditional fourth line in the sense they are just looking to chip the puck and play to a 0-0 tie. They are looking for offense, creating offense and converting offense.
If McGroarty draws back into the lineup that would not be the worst thing given how well he has played in his most recent call-up. It might not be ideal to have him on the fourth line, but his presence in the lineup would be a positive.
Hayes would be the concern given how much he has struggled this season when he has played.
This was already going to be a difficult game given that the Sabres have been one of the best teams in the league for two months now, and it could get significantly tougher if two-thirds of their fourth line can not play. Even Lizotte’s absence along would be significant. Given that the Penguins have recorded just one out of a possible four points this week these would be two important points to get going into the Olympic break. They are going to have their work cut out for them.
Sometime after making this trade with the New York Rangers and before the Kings' outing against the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday night, Holland made himself available at a scheduled press conference.
During his media availability, he was asked about head coach Jim Hiller and his confidence in the coaching staff for the final stretch of the season.
Holland said that he has full confidence in his team's coaching staff for the remainder of this season and expects the Kings to make the playoffs.
At this point in the season, with just 27 games left in the regular-season schedule, it wouldn't make much sense to make a coaching change.
Not only is the 2025-26 campaign in the back half, but the Kings are as close as a team can get to a playoff spot, and in a weak Pacific Division.
In 55 games, Los Angeles has 60 points from a 23-18-14 record, including its 4-2 loss to Seattle on Wednesday. With that, they are three points off the Anaheim Ducks, who hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, playing one more game than the Kings have to this point.
Furthermore, the Kings are just one hot streak away from sitting atop the Pacific. The Vegas Golden Knights, who will be Los Angeles' next opponent on Thursday, have 66 points in 56 contests.
Therefore, not only is there a minimal buffer period for a new coach to come in and instill their new system on the Kings, but the team's not in the worst position in the standings either.
This is Hiller's third year as the Kings' coach, and his second full season as the bench boss. Last year, he led the Kings to a second-place finish in their division with a .640 win percentage and 105 points in the regular season.
For this season, the Kings are on pace to register 90 points in the standings under Hiller's guidance. That wouldn't be enough to make the playoffs last season in the Western Conference, with the final team to get in accumulating 96 points.
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The Anaheim Ducks hired Pat Verbeek to take the reins as the franchise’s general manager on Feb. 3, 2022 (just six weeks before the 2022 trade deadline).
The 2025-26 season is his fourth full season in the GM role. He spent the 2022 trade deadline tearing the roster down and his first two full seasons, the two worst in franchise history (2022-23 and 2023-24), stockpiling and laying a new foundation on which his potentially contending teams will one day be built.
The standings suggested the Ducks turned a corner in 2024-25, making a 21-point leap from 59 (27-50-5) to 80 (35-37-10). Today, with 26 games remaining on the 2025-26 schedule, the Ducks have 63 points (30-23-3) through 56 games and seem to be in the process of making another sizable jump, as they’re on pace to eclipse 92 points and make the playoffs for the first time in eight years.
Tuesday marked the fourth anniversary of Verbeek's hiring, so let’s take a look at all the notable moves he made in the last calendar year to get his club to where they are today:
2025 Trade Deadline
Ducks acquire goaltender Ville Husso from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations
This wasn’t a needle-moving move at the time, but Verbeek was able to get a third-string goaltender for free, with John Gibson dealing with various injuries throughout the course of the 2024-25 season. He fit in well down the stretch, both in Anaheim and with the San Diego Gulls in the AHL. Enough so that the Ducks elected to sign him to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $2.2 million.
Husso has performed at an adequate level for a backup in Anaheim, appearing in a total of 16 games and posting a 7-6-2 record and a .895 SV%.
Grade: C+
Ducks acquire forward Herman Traff and a 2025 second-round pick (Lasse Boelius) from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenseman Brian Dumoulin
Just eight months and 61 games after Dumoulin was acquired for a fourth-round pick, Verbeek flipped the veteran defenseman on an expiring deal for a player taken in the third round of the 2024 draft (Traff) and what became the 60th overall pick in 2025 (Boelius). Both players acquired for Dumoulin seem destined for the NHL in the not-too-distant future.
Traff is a big power forward with a heavy shot that he gets his entire 6-foot-3, 198-pound frame behind, and is having an excellent 2025-26 D+2 season for IK Oskarshamn in HockeyAllsvenskan (Sweden’s second-tier professional league), where he’s tallied 38 points (22-16=38) in 42 games.
Boelius is a smooth, puck-moving, yet defensively sound, 6-foot-1 defenseman eating second/third-pairing minutes in his first full season in Liiga (Finland’s top professional division) for Assat, where he has seven points (1-6=7) in 39 games and represented Finland at the 2026 World Junior Championships, where he tallied seven points (2-5=7) in seven games.
Grade: A
2025 Offseason
Ducks Fire Greg Cronin and hire Joel Quenneville
It was somewhat shocking to see Verbeek let go of Greg Cronin just two years after he was hired and following a season in which the Ducks made a 21-point jump in the standings from 2023-24 to 2024-25. However, most metrics, underlying or traditional, indicated the lack of growth from the roster Verbeek was looking for with Cronin behind the bench, and he was the first NHL head coach let go following the end of the season.
Cronin was let go on April 19, and the Ducks found their next head coach on May 8: Joel Quenneville. Quenneville carried with him an impressive resume as a three-time Stanley Cup winner and the second-winningest coach in NHL history, but also a checkered past as the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks during their 2010 sexual assault scandal.
The Ducks under Quenneville have been a roller coaster to this point in the season. After a scorching start, they’ve scored the 15th-most goals per game in the NHL (3.20), and they’ve allowed the fourth most goals per game (3.48). They have the 24th-ranked power play (17.9%) and the 22nd-ranked penalty kill (78.1%).
With him, Quenneville has brought a steady presence on and off the bench and seems to be a good manager of personalities and environment. He’s allowed his youngest and most talented roster players, from Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger to Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Beckett Sennecke, and Cutter Gauthier, to work through their mistakes and learn from failure rather than fear failure.
The system he’s implemented, along with the new coaching staff that includes Jay Woodcroft and Ryan McGill, has shown flashes of how successful it can be when all cylinders are firing. Still, Quenneville’s next step will be to ensure those cylinders fire with greater consistency moving forward.
Grade: B+
Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Ducks acquire Chris Kreider and a 2025 fourth-round pick (Elijah Neuenschwandner) from the New York Rangers in exchange for Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick (Artyom Gonchar)
With this trade, Verbeek essentially dropped 15 spots in the draft and parted with a defensively inclined center prospect with a low ceiling (Terrance) to add a talented goalscorer, but a depreciated asset in Kreider, who was coming off of an injury-riddled down year at 34 years old.
Kreider’s been inconsistent for the Ducks so far in his tenure in Anaheim, but he has brought a blend of light-heartedness and professionalism to the Ducks’ locker room, producing 30 points (19-11=30) in 50 games. He has one year remaining on his contract that carries an AAV of $6.5 million.
If there was a nit to pick when evaluating this trade, it would lie in the initial selection of Terrance in the second round of the 2023 draft, when there were several higher-ceiling players on the board in a deep draft. All things considered, this is a positive outcome for the Ducks.
Grade: B
Ducks acquire Ryan Poehling, a 2025 second-round pick (Eric Nilson), and a 2026 fourth-round pick from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Trevor Zegras
Verbeek acquired a good friend of Zegras in the form of Chris Kreider, but after spending a year and a half swirling in trade speculation, Verbeek finally traded Zegras, and the return was underwhelming. Poehling is a nice fit in the Ducks' bottom six and is the Ducks' best defensive forward by a considerable margin. Nilson projects as something similar down the road, and the fourth may have become a roster player already (more on that later).
However, Zegras was sold when his value was at an all-time low, days before NHL free agency was set to open, which eventually led to a market deficiency in the style of player Zegras represents. It was clear Zegras wasn’t destined to remain in Anaheim long-term, but the ideal option seems like it would have been to play him in the Ducks' new, offense-forward system and under Quenneville, who’d had past success with players like Jonathan Huberdeau and Patrick Kane, to recoup some value.
If that was never going to be an option, the next best route would seemingly have been to wait a week to see how many teams swung and missed on top-six forwards in free agency (it was a lot), as the pool was depleted following a myriad of players re-signing with their previous clubs. Zegras seems to have found a long-term home in Philadelphia, regained his shine, and has produced 48 points (20-28=48) through his first 55 games.
Grade: D
Ducks acquire Petr Mrazek, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for John Gibson
In another trade felt like a long time coming, Verbeek handed Lukas Dostal sole possession of the keys to the Anaheim crease with this move. Gibson and Dostal were one of the best tandems in the NHL in 2024-25 (if not the best tandem), but each deserved to be a starter for the 2025-26 season.
This seemed like another underwhelming return, especially given Mrazek’s cap hit and, again, how many teams were looking for goaltending help after the free agency period was underway. After a rough start, Gibson re-found his form in Detroit and has posted a 22-12-2 record, a .904 SV%, and 8.1 goals saved above expected. Mrazek has rarely been healthy for Anaheim this season, and when he has, he’s been inconsistent to say the least, posting a 3-5-0 record, a .858 SV%, and -8.0 GSAx.
Grade: D+
Draft
The Ducks selected ten players in the 2025 NHL Draft, highlighted by tenth-overall pick Roger McQueen. McQueen is a towering, 6-foot-5 right-shot center who covers vast amounts of ice, possessing surprising puck skills, a willingness to physically engage, and a scoring touch. He was a top-five talent who dropped to ten due to a fracture in his back, costing him all but 20 total games in 2024-25. The Ducks, having selected at the top of the previous six drafts, allowed them to take a calculated risk on McQueen, who’s tallied 23 points (8-15=23) through his first 25 games in his freshman season at Providence College in the NCAA.
As mentioned, Boelius and Nilson project to play NHL games with their translatable skillsets. The Ducks took a few interesting swings later in the draft, highlighted by talented winger Emile Guite in the fifth round, who, after a down year in 2024-25, has bounced back with 45 points (23-22=45) in 41 games so far in 2025-26.
Grade: A-
Free Agency
Ducks sign Mikael Granlund to a three-year contract, $7 million AAV
A year after striking out on big offers to high-profile free agents Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, Verbeek made his biggest needle-moving free agency signing to date on July 1, 2025. Granlund’s versatility was a major selling point for Verbeek, and has proved useful during his first few months in Anaheim. He’s provided a lot of the clever, high hockey IQ plays the Ducks lost with Zegras’ departure, and picked up much of the offensive slack when the team had lost star players at various points to injury throughout the middle portion of the season. He’s scored 27 points (12-15=27) through his first 38 games with the Ducks.
Grade: B
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Contract Extensions
Ducks sign Lukas Dostal to a five-year contract extension, $6.5 million AAV
Lukas Dostal filed for salary arbitration on July 5, 12 days before he and the Ducks avoided a hearing and agreed to a five-year extension. Dostal had elevated himself into conversations as one of the NHL's top young goaltenders, and this contract made him the 11th highest-paid goaltender for the 2025-26 season.
Early in the season, reflecting the entirety of the 2024-25 season, Dostal was the Ducks' best player and the primary reason they got off to a 11-3-1 record in their first 15 games. As the salary cap ceiling continues to increase for the duration of his contract, it will likely continue to represent a bargain.
Behind another mediocre defensive team this season, Dostal has posted a 21-13-2 record, a .897 SV%, and 3.7 GSAx.
Grade: B+
Ducks sign Mason McTavish to a six-year contract extension, $7 million AAV
Verbeek took another contract extension negotiation with an RFA coming off their ELC well into Ducks’ training camp, after doing the same with Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras in 2023. McTavish was eased back into camp (unlike with Zegras and Drysdale), and didn’t seem affected by the extended negotiations, but was relieved nonetheless that it was in the rearview and he’d remain in Anaheim for the better part of a decade.
He continues to be a streaky 2C for Anaheim and has scored 30 points (13-17=30) through 51 games this season. In a league where every team is seemingly looking to add firepower down the middle, the Ducks are in a good place with Leo Carlsson and McTavish as a one-two for the foreseeable future.
Grade: B-
Ducks sign Jackson LaCombe to an eight-year contract extension, $9 million AAV
In a surprise preseason announcement, Verbeek locked up his top defenseman to the largest dollar value contract in franchise history. The sticker shock with this extension was real, but with the rising salary cap and the role LaCombe has played for the team in the last season and a half, this contract will likely age surprisingly well.
LaCombe is 13th among all NHL skaters in terms of TOI/G (24:30), playing top minutes for the Ducks at 5v5, on the power play, and penalty kill. He’s scored 37 points (6-31=37) through 56 games in 2025-26 and will represent the US at the Olympics in Milan. He’s living up to the extension, and it doesn’t even kick in until the 2026-27 season, when his cap hit will take up an even lower percentage of the Ducks’ overall cap space.
Grade: B+
In Season (2025-26)
Ducks acquire Jeffrey Viel from the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick
Verbeek’s most recent move was to acquire a 28-year-old (now 29) winger with just 64 career NHL games under his belt, including ten in 2025-26 as the Boston Bruins’ 14th forward. He’s a no-frills, prototypical bottom-six winger who’s made the most of his elevated shot in his first nine games with the Ducks, scoring three points in his first four games with the club, but nothing since.
Ultimately, the trade doesn’t (and won’t) move needles, and Viel’s performed adequately. However, with the injuries the lineup sustained over the last month, it felt like an opportunity to see how some of the younger players with the Gulls could have fared with some NHL experience, and it opens some eyes regarding how Verbeek feels an NHL bottom six should be built.
The fourth-round pick traded will become whichever ends up better between the picks acquired in the Gibson (Detroit) and Zegras (Philadelphia) deals.
Grade: C
Conclusion
The Ducks currently sit in a playoff position and have taken another step in their journey out of the NHL’s basement. With playoff games representing the stated goal for the 2025-26 season, it seems time for Verbeek to make a more significant needle-moving transaction or two to get his club to that point. Reports indicate he’s aiming to land a “big fish,” but his track record calls his ability to pull that off into question.
This past year may have raised concerns about Verbeek’s reading of various markets, but credit is due when it comes to recognizing that an overhaul behind the bench was needed in order for the Ducks’ youngest, most talented, and most important players to take necessary steps in their development and to get the roster, as a whole, to where they are now: in control of their own destiny, with playoff hockey on the line every night.
The Calgary Flames have reassigned defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz and forward Matvei Gridin to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, the team announced Wednesday, following Calgary’s 4–3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.
Directly after a 5–2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights to kick-off the 2026 Winter Olympic break, the Vancouver Canucks re-assigned Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Victor Mancini, and Nikita Tolopilo to the AHL. This will ensure that all three players get some playing time while the NHL goes on break until February 25. Jiří Patera will join Vancouver as a result of these moves.
Lekkerimäki was called-up by Vancouver last week after spending over a month in the AHL. During this period of time with the Abbotsford Canucks, the forward scored seven goals and four assists in 11 games played. Throughout his past five games with Vancouver, Lekkerimäki scored a goal and saw some first-unit power play time.
Mancini has gone up-and-down from the NHL to AHL throughout the past couple of weeks due to injuries on Vancouver’s blueline. He rejoined the Canucks on January 12, skating in four games before being sent back down to Abbotsford. The defenceman played in four games with the AHL Canucks during that span, tallying a goal and an assist, before he was brought back up due to an injury to Zeev Buium. Mancini has two goals and six assists in 24 games in the AHL this season.
Tolopilo has gotten into quite a few games for Vancouver this season, playing in nine total as a result of injuries to Thatcher Demko. He has three wins, three losses, and an overtime loss to his name this season as well as a 3.04 GAA and team-high .910 SV%. He very nearly recorded his first NHL shutout with a 2–0 win against the Anaheim Ducks on January 29; however, since Kevin Lankinen came in and made one save while Tolopilo was being evaluated for concussion protocol, the shutout ultimately belongs to both of them.
While Vancouver will now be on break until their 7:00 pm PT game against the Winnipeg Jets on February 25, the three players sent to Abbotsford could take part in as many as seven games before the NHL resumes. The AHL Canucks will play the San Jose Barracuda on February 6 and 7; the Ontario Reign on February 14, 16, and 18; and the Henderson Silver Knights on February 20 and 21.
Jan 17, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Victor Mancini (90) watches as goalie Nikita Tolopilo (60) makes a save on Edmonton Oilers forward Matt Savoie (22) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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The Olympic break is straight ahead, and the Ottawa Senators will play their final game before the layoff against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday, February 5.
My top Senators vs. Flyers predictions and NHL picks are calling for Ottawa leaving the City of Brotherly Love with a win tonight.
Senators vs Flyers prediction
Senators vs Flyers best bet: Senators moneyline (-125)
The Ottawa Senators have elite underlying numbers at 5-on-5 with a fourth-ranked Corsi For percentage and expected goals percentage, and No. 1 goalie Linus Ullmark has looked the part in his two starts since returning to action.
Ullmark has turned away 40 of 43 shots for a .930 SV% across the consecutive wins, and he’s also stopped 1.63 goals above expected.
With the Philadelphia Flyers ranking 24th in CF% and 15th in xGF% at 5-on-5, I am expecting Ottawa to head into the Olympic break in winning fashion.
Senators vs Flyers same-game parlay
Sens winger Drake Batherson has picked up a point in four consecutive games and is skating with leading scorer Tim Stutzle on the top line and No. 1 power-play unit. With Batherson and Stutzle being on the ice for a high-end 5.51 goals per 60 minutes this season, look for No. 19 to mark the scoresheet again tonight.
Turning to the final leg of this same-game parlay, Ottawa defenseman Thomas Chabot has registered two or more shots in 16 of 23 games since returning from an upper-body injury, and he’s settled into a secondary role on the blue line behind No. 1 Jake Sanderson.
Softer matchups have been helpful with Chabot ranking third on the Sens in attempts (111) while also sporting an impressive 54 CF% at 5-on-5 across the 23-game stretch.
The Senators have covered the puck line in nine of their last 14 away games (+7.35 Units / 36% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Senators vs. Flyers.
How to watch Senators vs Flyers
Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Thursday, February 5, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
TSN5
Senators vs Flyers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Brandon Hagel continues to pile up the shots each night without Brayden Point in the lineup, especially at home.
My Panthers vs. Lightning predictions have that trend continuing in his final game before the Olympic break.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Thursday, February 5.
Panthers vs Lightning prediction
Panthers vs Lightning best bet: Brandon Hagel Over 2.5 shots on goal (-160)
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel has averaged 3.6 shots and 7.5 attempts per game without Brayden Point. Those are much higher than his outputs with Point in the lineup and have led to a remarkable 76% Over rate, clearing this line in 13 of 17 games.
His numbers in Tampa Bay are even better. He's produced 4.3 shots on goal per game, averaging close to eight attempts each night with Point sidelined. That has resulted in eight Overs through nine games. Incredible consistency.
Not only is Hagel skating on the No. 1 power play, but he has Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel by his side on a stacked top line.
Without Point, Anthony Cirelli, and Nick Paul, head coach Jon Cooper has opted to use Guentzel at center and put all his eggs in that basket.
They will undoubtedly get plenty of offensive zone starts and cushier usage to help maximize their abilities.
They should spend a ton of time on the attack, generating opportunities. Hagel is the most trigger-happy player of the bunch and will get plenty of chances to shoot as a result.
Panthers vs Lightning same-game parlay
We’re going to take a couple of swings and try to head into the break with a bang.
Hagel’s high volume makes him a threat to score nightly, particularly with so many of his shots coming from high-danger areas. He has scored eight goals through nine home dates without Point.
Sticking with Canadian Olympians, Brad Marchand stands out for the Florida Panthers. He will be unfazed by the difficult matchup as he has scored in exactly 50% of his games vs. Top-10 defenses, including all three meetings with Tampa Bay.
Brandon Hagel has 3+ shots in nine of his last 10 without Brayden Point. Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Lightning.
How to watch Panthers vs Lightning
Location
Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
Date
Thursday, February 5, 2026
Puck drop
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
Hulu
Panthers vs Lightning latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
The Vegas Golden Knights haven’t strung together many wins of late, yet they still hold on to top spot in the Pacific Division.
My Kings vs. Golden Knights predictions see Vegas taking care of business against an intra-division foe and entering the break on a high.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Thursday, February 5.
Kings vs Golden Knights prediction
Kings vs Golden Knights best bet: Golden Knights moneyline (-135)
The Vegas Golden Knights are playing better than their 3-5-2 record would indicate over the last 10 games. A lot better.
They have generated 139 high-danger chances while conceding just 98. That’s a 58.65% share, slotting them second to only the Dallas Stars league-wide.
Put simply, Vegas is creating a lot better chances than they’re giving up. They're also loaded with firepower to help them convert those chances.
They have largely been undone by goaltending. Luckily for them, that area of their team shouldn’t be as problematic tonight.
The Los Angeles Kings have scored 141 goals this season, second-fewest in the league. Only the Calgary Flames have found the back of the net fewer times.
The Kings also rank 30th in shooting percentage. That’s far from ideal heading into a matchup with a Golden Knights team that allows only 24.8 shots per game.
Newcomer Artemi Panarin will not play, with the Kings opting to give him the break to skate and get up to speed with the systems of his new team.
Whether Vegas outscores its goaltending problems, or simply limits shots so effectively they don’t show up, I expect them to win this game.
Kings vs Golden Knights same-game parlay
Mark Stone hasn’t scored in six straight games, his longest drought of the season. He has, however, scored in 10 of his past 18 home dates and was shifted back onto the top line with Jack Eichel in last night’s game.
He should get plenty of good feeds from one of the league’s best playmakers.
The volume continues to be there for Alex Laferriere regardless of opponent. He has cleared this line in seven of his past 10, including against strong shot suppression sides like Philadelphia, St. Louis and…Vegas!
Kings vs Golden Knights SGP
Golden Knights moneyline
Mark Stone anytime goal
Alex Laferriere Over 1.5 shots on goal
Kings vs Golden Knights odds
Moneyline: Los Angeles +130 | Vegas -150
Puck line: Los Angeles +1.5 (-190) | Vegas -1.5 (+160)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (-115)
Kings vs Golden Knights trend
Mark Stone has scored in six of his past 10 games in Vegas. Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs. Golden Knights.
How to watch Kings vs Golden Knights
Location
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Date
Thursday, February 5, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN West, Vegas 34
Kings vs Golden Knights latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 5–2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Despite a strong first period, Vancouver was unable to keep up to Vegas’ skill throughout the rest of the game. They outchanced the Golden Knights in the first period only, but suffered a brutal collapse in the third period that saw them put up only two scoring chances-for and four shots on net. Throughout the entire game, Vancouver only registered six high-danger scoring chances.
If there were any doubts about Vancouver’s lack of chances, the heat map from last night’s game confirms it. The Canucks were unable to find good areas to take chances from, with their warmest spot on the map being at the faceoff dots. Defensively, they were unable to keep Vegas from scoring from in-tight, as three of the Golden Knights’ five goals came from directly near Kevin Lankinen.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Vegas Golden Knights, February 4, 2026, Natural Stat Trick.
While it wasn’t a great night for most, one trio made their mark in their second-straight game. Vancouver’s line of Liam Öhgren, Teddy Blueger, and Conor Garland continued to show up for the Canucks offensively-speaking, factoring into both of the team’s goals last night while also playing the most minutes together with 14:16. They also registered the highest CF% with 62.07% while also generating the most scoring-chances for (7).
Though he didn’t factor into scoring, Tom Willander had himself a strong night for Vancouver. The defenceman played the fourth-highest minutes on the team with 20:10, also registering the fourth-highest CF% with 51.43%. Willander also generated the most scoring chances-for on the Canucks (9) while allowing the second-least (4).
Vancouver will now be on break for the next couple of weeks as the 2026 Winter Olympics take place. Seven members of the Canucks organization will represent their countries in Italy, while the rest will have some time off before resuming practice in mid-February. Vancouver’s next game will take place on February 25 at 7:00 pm PT when the Winnipeg Jets roll into town.
Feb 4, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) keeps the puck away from Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) during the third period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
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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