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Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is less than 24 hours removed from giving the Penguins their fifth-straight win. 

He came off the bench in overtime to win the game on a breakaway, showcasing his vintage backhand. Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves had no chance on the shot. 

That goal capped off a brilliant week for Crosby, who recorded four goals and eight points in four games. His production earned him the NHL's Second Star of the Week. 

87 just being 87 ⭐️

Sidney Crosby recorded four goals, four assists, and eight points in four games, earning @NHL Second Star of the Week honors.

Details: https://t.co/AI3jIoeNTlpic.twitter.com/DlAAI4akx5

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 5, 2026

All four games resulted in wins, and the Penguins are on a five-game winning streak heading into Thursday's game against the New Jersey Devils.

Crosby is also on a seven-game point streak, compiling five goals and 12 points during that time. He's also on pace for 48 goals and 94 points this season, which is simply outrageous for someone who is in his 21st season. He's simply on another level once again. 

The Penguins are 20-12-9 through 41 games, good for 49 points. They are currently in the first wild card spot. 

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

Former Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula has been placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Zamula being placed on unconditional waivers comes after he was suspended by Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins over the weekend. Now, with this news, Zamula's time with the Penguins organization is coming to an end before it started.

The Flyers traded Zamula to the Penguins last week in exchange for forward Philip Tomasino. This was after Zamula had one assist and a plus-4 rating in 13 games for Philadelphia this season. He also played in three games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms before being traded to Pittsburgh, where he recorded two assists. 

Now, if Zamula clears unconditional waivers, his contract will be terminated and he will become an unrestricted free agent (UFA). He certainly could generate interest as a UFA, as teams would be able to sign him at a lower price than his current $1.7 million cap hit. 

In 168 games over six seasons with the Flyers, Zamula recorded eight goals, 33 assists, and 41 points. 

The Vancouver Canucks have officially hit the halfway point of the 2025–26 NHL season. At the beginning of the year, many fans couldn’t have said they saw their current coming. However, things such as injuries, trade rumours, and lots of roster movement have resulted in a very different team taking to the ice. With half of their season officially past them, here’s how this Canucks team now stacks up to the rest of the NHL. 

Team Stats 

In theory, the Canucks aren’t currently dead-last in the NHL. That honour belongs to the Winnipeg Jets, who have only won one game in their past 10 to put them at a season record of 15–21–4 (34 points). Other than the Jets, there is no other NHL team in a lower position in the standings than Vancouver. Having said that, many of the Canucks’ team stats are still towards the bottom of the NHL, as their penalty kill (73.9%), goals-against (142), and goals-for (113) all rank below 25th in the league. Their only team stat that ranks within the top-half of the NHL is their power play (20.3%), which currently sits at 14th. 

Individual Skater Stats 

In terms of individual skater stats, there hasn’t been too much of a change-up for Vancouver since the 35-game mark. Virtually all category leaders from the last check-in have remained in their spots, with the only change being in penalty-killing TOI. While Tyler Myers led the Canucks by the 35-game point, Marcus Pettersson has since surpassed him with a total of 127:33 minutes played shorthanded. Filip Hronek also joins Elias Pettersson as one of the team’s leading scorers with each scoring 25 points on the season (tied for 129th-highest in the NHL). 

Goaltender Stats 

Much like their individual skater stat leaders, Vancouver’s goaltending stats have also retained the same leaders as those at the 35-game mark. Thatcher Demko holds the team record for SV% (.904%), goals-against average (2.72), wins (8), and high-danger SV% (0.83%). Three of these four stats rank below 20th in the league, with his total of wins being tied for 38th-highest. On the other hand, his high-danger SV% is currently tied for 19th. Kevin Lankinen ranks first on the Canucks in minutes played (1173:36), shots faced (568), and high-danger shots faced (174), with all three categories ranking below the 20th-highest. 

The Canucks are on the road for the next six games, with the first game of this trip being a matchup against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. Vancouver will then take on the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday before heading north to face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. From January 12 to 13, they’ll take part in their second back-to-back of 2026, playing the Montréal Canadiens and later the Ottawa Senators. 

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 Calgary Flames announced Monday that the club has recalled forward William Strömgren from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers.

Strömgren, 22, is in his fourth professional season and has been a key contributor for the Wranglers during the 2025–26 campaign. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound winger has recorded six goals and 23 assists for 29 points in 33 games, posting a plus-13 rating while adding three power-play tallies.

Selected by the Flames in the second round (45th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, the Örnsköldsvik, Sweden native has continued to show steady development at the professional level.

While Strömgren is not expected to be in the lineup when Calgary faces the Seattle Kraken on Monday night, the recall marks an important milestone in his career. When he does make his debut, it will be his first NHL regular-season game.

Denver Barkey’s transition to the NHL has not followed the usual arc of a young player trying to announce himself. There has been no frantic pace to his game, no sense that he is pressing for offense or trying to force relevance shift by shift.

Instead, his arrival has been defined by a steady absorption into the Philadelphia Flyers’ daily rhythms—systems, details, and expectations—until his presence feels less like a trial run and more like a natural extension of the lineup.

That is the most telling part of Barkey’s early NHL sample. He doesn’t look like a player borrowing time at this level. He looks like someone who understands the terms of the job.

His first NHL goal—scored against the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 3—served more as confirmation than revelation. Barkey didn’t chase the moment, and when it arrived, he treated it as a byproduct of doing the right things rather than a destination in itself.

“Obviously, it helps with the confidence,” Barkey said. “I’m just continuing to grow as a player every game and get comfortable with the league, and getting some points or a goal really helps. But just continue to focus on a 200-foot game, making sure I’m executing the systems and the game plan day in, day out.”

Denver Barkey's got his first NHL goal! ⚫️🟠 pic.twitter.com/WStgxkVI4p

— NHL (@NHL) January 3, 2026

That perspective isn't rehearsed. It's reflected in how he plays. Barkey’s game has translated because it is rooted in decision-making and spatial awareness. He understands where pressure is coming from, when to support underneath the puck, and how to arrive in scoring areas without abandoning defensive responsibilities. His shifts rarely feel disjointed. They flow.

Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet has been careful to frame Barkey’s progress around those details rather than the result on the scoresheet. The goal itself was the visible reward. What mattered more was the sequence that made it possible.

“If you look at the play, where he scored—backdoor, then scoring, that’s awesome,” Tocchet said. “But I love what happened in our end… He’s willing to play that 200-foot game to get that. As a coach, that’s what you want to see. He’s not just looking to play a half-ice game; he’s playing a full game.”

Denver Barkey Reflects On A Largely Successful Season And An Even More Promising FutureDenver Barkey's star was launched into the stratosphere during the 2023-24 season, where he burned intensely bright—and shows no sign of burning out anytime soon.

That distinction explains why Barkey has earned trust quickly. He doesn’t drift toward offense at the expense of structure, and he doesn’t disappear when the puck moves away from him. His defensive routes are clean. His support is timely. He closes space with purpose. 

The foundation for that maturity lies in Barkey’s hockey sense, which Tocchet has singled out repeatedly, but there's another trait the head coach highlighted that might not immediately come to mind when fans think of the five-foot-ten, 174-pound winger. 

Recalling what qualities stood out to him as far back as watching Barkey captain the London Knights to an OHL Championship, the Flyers bench boss said, “The one impressive thing about him, obviously, is his hockey IQ. But he’s not scared to go into a corner. He’s a small guy, but just goes in reckless sometimes. He doesn’t care. He’s got a lot of courage.”

Re: Denver Barkey’s future with the Flyers, Rick Tocchet said he admires his hockey IQ and grittiness but understands “you can’t have a guy living out of a suitcase long-term.” Said that he, Danny Briere, and Keith Jones will have discussions about him and continue to evaluate.

— Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) January 5, 2026

That courage isn’t performative. Barkey doesn’t seek out collisions, but he doesn’t avoid them either. He wins body positioning through anticipation, uses contact to extend plays, and remains available in traffic. He plays with the understanding that NHL ice demands commitment in uncomfortable areas, and he hasn't tried to negotiate around that reality.

There is also a continuity to what Barkey is doing now and what the organization believed he could be. Tocchet referenced conversations dating back to his arrival in Philadelphia, including early endorsements from President of Hockey Operations Keith Jones.

"Jonesy told me when I took the job, 'You'll like this kid,'" he said.

The traits showing up at the NHL level—competitiveness, awareness, fearlessness—are not new developments. They are simply being tested under brighter lights.

Still, none of this eliminates the complexity of the decision facing the Flyers. Barkey’s performance has earned him consideration, but performance alone is not the only variable. The NHL calendar is unforgiving, and the mental and physical toll of the season is often where young players face their steepest learning curve.

“We’re still evaluating, but he’s putting some good games together,” Tocchet said. “It’s a heavy schedule. It’s different than juniors and the minors, but we’re seeing, does he wear down, things like that. And we’ve gotta help him out.”

That evaluation is as much about sustainability as it is about readiness. Barkey has handled the pace, structure, and travel schedule across his seven NHL games so far. The question is whether the environment he’s in right now is the one best suited to support continued growth over months, not weeks.

Tocchet addressed another factor that weighs heavily on development decisions: stability.

“There’s a time, also, where you can’t have a guy living out of a suitcase,” he said. “You’ve got the mental aspect, too… You can do it short-term, but I don’t think you can do the long-term.”

That reality frames the conversation going forward. Keeping Barkey in the NHL would require a clear, consistent role and the support structures to match it. Sending him to the AHL would not be a retreat, but a strategic choice to provide continuity and minimize friction in a critical stage of development.

What Barkey has already done, however, is shift the tone of that discussion. This is no longer about whether he belongs. He has answered that question with his play. The remaining decision is about timing, context, and long-term benefit—how best to ensure that the qualities he’s already shown not only persist, but deepen.

For a player this young, that's an enviable position to be in. And for the Flyers, it's a testament to a prospect that knows exactly what kind of player he is, and knows how to show it on the biggest stage.

S.O.S. to the Blueshirt Brass:

If you want to make the playoffs, here are the teams in the way:

1.Tampa Bay Lightning: Head coach Jon Cooper has made miracles of a team that refused to die even after Steve Stamkos became an ex-Bolt.

2.Carolina Hurricanes: They won't win the Stanley Cup because they still don't have the goaltending, but they have everything else, including a driving coach.

3.Boston Bruins: The rookie coach Marco Sturm has made a huge difference along with surprise hotshot Morgan Geekie and Jeremy Swayman's solid goaltending. This is a Beantown team in a comeback year.

4.Washington Capitals: As long as Al Ovechkin is leading them and Tom Wilson is pacing them, the Caps are well-balanced  with Logan Thompson as one of the NHL's best goalkeepers. Because of Wilson, they have New York's number.

5.Montreal Canadiens: Although Marty St.Louis is not coaching “The Flying Frenchmen of yesteryear,” he still has a flying team. He also has enough talented youngsters for a strong second half. The ugly part is that Marty's goalies are terrible.

6.Pittsburgh Penguins: All they needed was a new coach. Dan Muse is doing what Mike Sullivan could not; getting A-Plus efforts from Sidney Crosby, Gino Malkin and Kris Letang. Muse also will do what Sully didn't – and may not with the Rangers – is get Pitt back in the postseason. 

7. New Jersey Devils: They should do better with the Hughes boys Luke and Jack and good balance up and down the line. But even though they underperform, the Devs' talent spread from goal to attack is better than most.

8.Buffalo Sabres: The Law of Averages stated that – sooner or later – Buffalo would find its way to the playoffs. An across the board group of good kids is finding the way. Plus, Lindy Ruff still knows how to coach.

9.New York Islanders: Despite a killing collection of injuries, the Isles keep finding ways to stay in the mix. And an amazing rookie Dman Matthew Schaefer is leading them. The Nassaumen showed the Rangers a thing or two – goals, that is – on December 27th.

10. Florida Panthers: Rules No. 1 through No. 32: Never bet against the champions!