Category: Sports News

The Winnipeg Jets have finally given 22-year-old forward Danny Zhilkin his long-awaited opportunity at the NHL level, recalling him from the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose ahead of what is expected to be his league debut.

To make room on the roster, the Jets placed defenseman Haydn Fleury on injured reserve, retroactive to Jan. 6, following a frightening incident Tuesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights. Fleury suffered a hard fall into the boards following a hit during the game and was eventually stretchered off the ice. Fleury has been diagnosed with a broken nose, bruised back and is still being evaluated for another concussion after he just returned from being sidelined for 17 games with one. 

TRANSACTIONS: The #NHLJets have recalled F - Danny Zhilkin from the Manitoba Moose (AHL). The Jets have also placed D - Haydn Fleury on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 6.

— Winnipeg Jets PR (@WpgJetsPR) January 7, 2026

For Zhilkin, the recall represents a significant milestone after patiently working his way through three professional seasons in the Jets organization. Drafted in the third round, 102nd overall, in the 2022 NHL Draft, Zhilkin entered pro hockey with considerable expectations and has steadily progressed each year with the Moose.

This season, Zhilkin has produced 14 points in 30 games, already closing in on the 17 points he recorded combined over his first two AHL campaigns. The steady increase in offensive output has been paired with improved consistency away from the puck, an area that the Jets have emphasized in his development. His ability to play responsibly while still contributing offensively has helped him earn trust within the organization.

And then Jets prospect Danny Zhilkin, who has looked dangerous all weekend, buried the shootout winner as the Moose go 3/3.

Post-game recap to follow on https://t.co/UggUR7V1u6pic.twitter.com/uYrgZEVCbc

— Dave Minuk (@ICdave) November 30, 2025

Zhilkin came close to cracking the Jets roster earlier this year, emerging as one of the final cuts during training camp. His strong preseason showing at the time fueled internal belief that his NHL debut was a matter of when, not if. Wednesday’s recall confirms that assessment.

The timing of the move could also signal a shift in approach for Winnipeg as the season progresses. With injuries mounting and playoff hopes becoming increasingly uncertain, the Jets may begin to evaluate younger talent to assess long-term fit at the NHL level. Zhilkin appears to be the first beneficiary of that opportunity, potentially opening the door for additional prospects to follow.

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The Chicago Blackhawks are once among the bottom teams in the NHL this season. Due to this, there is certainly a chance that they will be sellers at the 2026 NHL trade deadline. 

With the Blackhawks struggling, a few of their players have been brought up as potential trade candidates.

In his latest trade board for Daily Faceoff, Matt Larkin included Blackhawks players Nick Foligno, Connor Murphy, Jason Dickinson, and Laurent Brossoit. 

Out of the four players, Foligno was the only one in Larkin's "Names to keep an eye on" tier. Larkin brought up the possibility of Foligno being traded to a contender, but also noted that would likely only happen if the Blackhawks captain wants it to. 

Plenty of playoff clubs would love to have Foligno, as he is a leader who plays a heavy game, multiple positions, and is still an effective bottom-six forward. In 20 games this season, he has recorded one goal, seven points, and 51 hits. 

As for Murphy, Dickinson, and Brossoit, they were all in Larkin's "Theoretical trade chips if their teams fall out of contention" tier. 

Murphy undoubtedly has the potential to generate interest from contenders as we get closer to the deadline. Playoff clubs are always on the hunt for big, right-shot defensemen, and Murphy fits that description. The pending UFA could be a nice pickup for a contender looking to boost their bottom pairing.

Dickinson is another Blackhawks pending UFA who makes sense as a trade candidate. Teams looking for a solid two-way center for their bottom six could call about Dickinson. This is especially so with the center trade market not being the strongest. 

As for Brossoit, it is known that the Blackhawks are trying to find the veteran goalie a new home. The 32-year-old's strong resume could help him generate some interest if a playoff club is looking to improve at the backup position. 

The New York Islanders are riding high these days. Despite season-ending injuries to key players, Ilya Sorokin missing six straight games, and another injury to Bo Horvat, the Islanders have gone 5-2-0 over their last seven games and 2-0-0 without Horvat.

It's easy to lose sight of those key injuries piling up, even when questions were raised about the lack of offense.

Tuesday's 9-0 shellacking of the New Jersey Devils silenced any and all questions about their offensive potency. The game gave a desperately needed showcase of the skill and firepower that this team possesses.

Now, after that win and Matthew Schaefer's show-stealing performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada this past Saturday, the Islanders embark on a gargantuan seven-game road trip.

It's actually tied for the team's second-longest road trip of the season, with a seven-game trip back in November. However, that trip began with two games against the Devils and the New York Rangers, and if you're sleeping in your own bed after the game, it's hard to compare this seven-game trip to the upcoming one.

That trip saw the Islanders go 6-1-0, with marquee wins over the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights, while only losing to the Colorado Avalanche. In total, the Islanders went 15 days without a game in UBS Arena, with the entire trip squished down into 12 days for the seven games.

The total air mileage for the trip is estimated at 5,135.6 miles.

This trip, however, is longer in terms of both miles traveled and total length. The Islanders' last home game came on January 6 against the Devils, and it'll be 18 days until they return home for a Saturday afternoon matinée against the Buffalo Sabres.

The road trip itself sees all seven games compacted into 13 days, with a total air mileage of 5,719.3 miles. The level of competition is not quite the same as that of the first one. Instead of the world-beating Avalanche, Stars, Knights, and Detroit Red Wings, this trip features just three teams in playoff positions, along with the three worst teams in the league.

The trip begins Thursday in Nashville, where the Islanders take on Barry Trotz's Predators. It's Nashville's first home game since December 21. Nashville went seven straight on the road, going through the Pacific Northwest along the way. 

Nashville went 4-3-0 on the trip, but lost 6-2 to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Usually, teams returning home from a long road trip look jet-lagged to start, while teams beginning a road trip start hot.

The Islanders have not won in Nashville since Oct. 28, 2017, losers of six straight at Bridgestone Arnea. 

They'll need a hot start against the Predators, as they can't let Nashville settle into the game. It's the first meeting of the season, with a January 31 game in UBS Arena later this month. The game is a second straight ESPN+/Hulu exclusive, with the puck dropping just after 8 o'clock on the East Coast. 

After Nashville, the Islanders fly north to Minnesota to take on Quinn Hughes' Wild. It's the second meeting of the season, with the Wild beating the Islanders 5-2 in UBS Arena back on November 7.

Minnesota has since traded for Hughes, dramatically changing its team in the process. Marco Rossi, who scored in the 5-2 win, is no longer with the Wild. 

The Islanders are 0-3-1 in their last four trips to Minnesota, and overall are 1-9-1 against Minnesota this side of COVID-19. Last time the Islanders won in Minnesota, it was December 29, 2019, and New York's goal scorers were Ryan Pulock, Matt Martin, and Tom Kuhnackl, with Leo Komarov setting up Martin for the game-winning goal.

After Minnesota comes a game against the 32nd-placed Winnipeg Jets. The Jets have lost 10 straight games, cratering in the standings. In the one previous meeting this season, Winnipeg beat the Islanders 5-2 on October 13, just the third game of the season for the Islanders.

The Islanders then head into Edmonton to meet Connor McDavid's Oilers. The Islanders' first win of the season came against the Oilers in UBS Arena back on October 16, with Bo Horvat scoring a natural hat trick across the second and third periods to lead New York to a comeback win.

The Islanders haven't won in Edmonton since March 6, 2017, losing six straight (0-3-3). That day, the Islanders won 4-1 behind two goals from Anders Lee, along with tallies from Josh Ho-Sang and Andrew Ladd. So, suffice to say, it's been a long time since a win in Edmonton.

Then comes the 30th-place Calgary Flames, a team the Islanders have yet to play this season. The Flames are a very low-event team, one that struggles to score. It'll be paramount to start hot. That game is a 3 o'clock puck drop here, but a 1 o'clock puck drop in Calgary.

That leaves just two games for the road trip. First, the aforementioned Vancouver Canucks, who no longer have Quinn Hughes. The meeting will come exactly one month after the 31st-placed Canucks ran roughshod in UBS Arena behind Kiefer Sherwood's hat trick, en route to a 4-1 win on December 19.

The trip ends with a game against Lane Lambert's Seattle Kraken, currently third in the Pacific Division. The two teams squared off on November 23, with the game ending in a double shutout, with Kyle Palmieri scoring the shootout winner to give David Rittich the win and shutout.

For several years up to this point - and especially with two aging superstars - the Pittsburgh Penguins have not had the luxury of depth at, arguably, the most important position on the roster.

But something feels quite a bit different this season. And it's rearing its head now that this team is almost back at full health.

For the first time in a while, the Penguins actually have legitimate center depth on their NHL roster, which is manifesting in the lineup decisions they are making. On Wednesday, center Evgeni Malkin practiced in a full capacity with the Penguins for the second straight day, and he wasn't in his customary slot on the second line. 

Instead, the 39-year-old found himself on the left wing of 18-year-old center Ben Kindel, with Egor Chinkahov - acquired Dec. 29 from the Columbus Blue Jackets - playing on the right wing.

Malkin has, at times, played the wing on a line with Sidney Crosby. But it appears that, with the excess of centers on the NHL roster, head coach Dan Muse and the Penguins may be trying something different.

Although it's only experimental at this point - and it was the line's first day on the ice together - the fact that the Penguins even have the option to move Malkin to the wing at this juncture shows how many options they have at the center position right now. 

"When you have options - and Tommy Novak has been in a similar situation - it's nice because you have guys that can back each other up in the faceoff circle, you have guys that, whoever arrives back first, you can feel comfortable that they're going to be down low," Muse said. "It gives you options. So, I think it's a nice thing to have when you have guys with that type of versatility.

Chinakhov Trade Shows Penguins Are Starting To Shift GearsKyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins traded for Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, and it could be a sign of things to come over the next several months.

"I mean, you see it now. Basically, [at Wednesday's] practice, we wanted to see some different things. But you had it on most of the lines. Or, at least, guys that have played it a little bit. So, I think it's a good thing to have for sure, and I think it just gives you options."

And, simply put, the Penguins haven't necessarily had those options in years past. At this time last season, the Penguins had Crosby and Malkin, then Kevin Hayes as their third-line center and Blake Lizotte at fourth-line center. Other centers on the roster, even if mostly deployed as wingers, included Rickard Rakell, Cody Glass, Drew O'Connor, and Noel Acciari.

This season? Rakell has had more looks at center and has looked pretty natural in that role. The emergence of Kindel as a formidable two-way center in his rookie season was certainly not something the team expected, but they have embraced every opportunity that Kindel has earned. They also have Novak at their disposal - they acquired him from the Nasvhille Predators prior to the trade deadline last season - who has switched between the wing and center all season long and is effective at both.

At the end of the day, Kindel and Novak are upgrades over Glass and O'Connor, and it's making a world of difference for the Penguins. They know they have the capability and flexibility to tinker with their lines at will until they find combinations that click. And that's exactly what they've been doing this season between all of the injuries and changes on the NHL roster. 

It also allows them to roll four lines at five-on-five, which is another thing they haven't been able to do in recent seasons. The fourth line of Lizotte, Acciari, and Connor Dewar is clicking on all cylinders and has put together some key energizing shifts at key times for the Penguins. Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha have had chemistry with both Malkin and Novak, and they've been operating at a high level all season. 

Crosby's line with Rakell and Bryan Rust is usually reliable in terms of generating offense. And Kindel - despite his line fluctuating throughout the season - has been able to maintain a consistent and impressive level of play for a center his age at the NHL level. And his production and minus-11 rating should only figure to tick up with Malkin working on the same line as him as well as a finisher in Chinakhov.

Penguins' Forward Rutger McGroarty Out Indefinitely With ConcussionOne of the Pittsburgh Penguins' top forward prospects, Rutger McGroarty, heads to injured reserve for the second time this season.

Having two centers on every line - and, for the most part, two good ones, at that - is a luxury that not every NHL team has. And the Penguins are thrilled they can take advantage of that, especially as they are vying for a playoff spot and have won each of their past five games. 

"I think it's good," Crosby said. "It's one of those things where everyone just has to be adaptable. And, obviously, at center, it's always nice having guys who are either comfortable playing down low or taking faceoffs. That's definitely a luxury to have that.

"So, if you're going to have extra guys at any position, it's probably one of the ones you appreciate. I know I certainly like playing with guys who don't mind taking the odd faceoff, so it's good to have."

It will be interesting to see what lineup will be deployed when the Penguins face the struggling New Jersey Devils on Thursday, who are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. It has not been confirmed whether or not Malkin will be in the lineup, but if he is, folks might get a glimpse into what could be the Penguins' most formidable forward lineup they've had in years.

Penguins Re-assign Top Defensive Prospect To WHLThe Pittsburgh Penguins have sent Harrison Brunicke back to Kamloops.

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