Now with one of the NHL's top defenseman to go with one of its top goal scorers, the Minnesota Wild are poised to go forward with that dynamic Quinn Hughes/Kirill Kaprizov combo, right? Not so fast. According to Michael Russo and Joe Smith in The Athletic, the way the Wild have been energized by the Hughes blockbuster addition, GM Bill Guerin is likely not done swinging for the fences. Russo and Smith report that with the Wild's excellent run, including a 7...
2 months ago
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While the Eastern Conference seems wide open, it's much tougher to hold down a playoff spot in that conference than the Western Conference, where the cutoff is five points lower. That means while a team has to be 6-7 games over .500 at this point in the season to hold a wildcard spot in the East, a team can be .500 to three games over .500 to hold one in the West. That being said, some not so good teams in the West, who were seen as sellers and willing to have a fire sale to prepare for the fu...
2 months ago
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It was the biggest shock of all the players left off Team Canada's Olympic roster when Sam Bennett's name was missing from the list. Ignoring everything Bennett has done in the NHL in the past year alone, Canadian hockey fans will remember the beautiful game-tying goal he scored against the USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off final game. He recorded six shots (most on the team) and five hits (most on the team) in that game. SAM BENNETT IN THE CLUTCH! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦 #4Nations pic.twitter.com/qlINVGKp09...
2 months ago
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The Boston Bruins , like every team in the Eastern Conference, is very much in the playoff race. They are 21-18-2 and are two points out of a wildcard spot, but need improvements. The defense and goaltending are pretty solid, but it's the forward group that really needs the upgrades. Frank Seravalli said, "The Bruins are in a spot where they need more heft up front. How are they going to find that? Maybe moving out Mittelstadt to get a better fit is a way to start, but you're going to have to ...
2 months ago
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The Columbus Blue Jackets took a bit of time to trade Yegor Chinakhov to find the right trade, but there was more interest from teams than just the Pittsburgh Penguins who ended up landing the former first-round pick. Chris Johnston reported, "There were teams around it. Going way back earlier in the season, the Leafs were one of them. I don't know that they were there later on here. San Jose I think had some interest. Winnipeg. A lot of teams were curious." Chinakhov is a 24-year-old drafted ...
2 months ago
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The Detroit Red Wings are sitting pretty in the standings, but Max Bultman of The Athletic thinks the biggest deadline question is still staring them in the face. Detroit’s top pair of Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson looks legit, and Ben Chiarot has been solid, but the blue line depth behind that gets a lot shakier once the games tighten up. With the March 6 trade deadline approaching fast, the Red Wings should add an experienced No. 4 or 5 defenseman who can handle heavy pressur...
2 months ago
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We brought you the word a few days back that the Philadelphia Flyers are looking to work out a multi-year extension with surprise top-line center Christian Dvorak. Signed to a one-year, $5.4 million deal in the offseason, the 29-year-old has had a strong first season in Philly. Now, insider David Pagnotta is adding more detail to the ongoing negotiations, projecting what a deal might look like for the 10-year NHL veteran. It sounds like three years in that $5.5M range is realistic. That'...
2 months ago
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Chicago Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill thinks Hockey Canada made a huge mistake leaving off Connor Bedard from the recently announced roster. Blashill came to the defense of his star player, who is currently on the IR with a shoulder injury. Blashill feels Bedard can help Canada win a gold medal, and be a huge reason for their success, much like he's seen in Chicago this season. I have a ton of respect for how hard these decisions are. Honestly, Canada, the U.S., Sweden, you h...
2 months ago
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The New York Rangers enter 2026 three points out of the second wild-card position in the Eastern Conference, however, they have several teams to leap frog, and the Buffalo Sabres, who are red hot and occupy the last playoff spot, have three games in hand. There's going to be some major decisions to make on Broadway, and one is the trade of star forward Artemi Panarin. Panarin, 34, is the biggest name on the rental list as he's on the trade market as a pending unrestricted free agent. The Range...
2 months ago
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The Carolina Hurricanes are going into the calendar year 2026 with goaltending becoming a big question mark. Pyotr Kochetkov is done after season-ending surgery for a lingering lower-body injury. Yes, rookie Brandon Bussi has been sensational, but he's never faced the full rigors of an NHL season before, and for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, they'll need to do better than the struggling Frederik Andersen as their veteran between the pipes. According to insider David Pagnotta...
2 months ago
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting a big boost to their lineup for Thursday night's game against the Winnipeg Jets, as captain Auston Matthews is returning to action. Matthews missed the Leafs last game against the New Jersey Devils after blocking a shot last weekend against the Detroit Red Wings. He finished the game, but the swelling was too much the past few days, keeping Matthews out of the lineup against New Jersey. The Leafs went on to win the game 4-0, thanks to Joseph Woll standing on...
2 months ago
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We are in 2026 and the NHL season is half over. While the standings are close, some teams have revealed themselves as sellers, even some that are closer to a playoff spot than a normal seller would be. While the wildcard spot to last place in the Eastern Conference is separated by six points and the cutoff is 46 points, the Western Conference cutoff is 41 points and last place has 34. But even teams who look to have even a chance to make the playoffs don't have the roster to compete yet and co...
2 months ago
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The Winnipeg Jets' season has gone off the rails as they have won one time in the past 11 games and three times in the past 19 games and sit last in the NHL with 34 points in 38 games. They still have a world-class goalie, strong defensemen, and some very good forwards, but beyond four players who have 30+ points, nobody else has over 15 points. The Jets aren't in a place where they want to rebuild, but rather change a few things around and finish strong as well as be able to come back next se...
2 months ago
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While Team Canada's Olympic team was named on New Years Eve, Team USA's team wasn't suppose to be known until Friday, however, thanks to some detective work from a few reporters , the team has been leaked. And yes, there's a bunch of players left off the roster that already have people shaking their heads. But, let's start with who was named, or will be named, and there's already six we know are heading to Milan. Auston Matthews, Brady Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes, Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Eichel and Ch...
2 months ago
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The Pittsburgh Penguins enter 2026 with a 17-12-9 record, good for 12th in the Eastern Conference, and three points out of a playoff spot. President Kyle Dubas has already been busy tinkering with his roster this season, and expect to see much more of the same in 2026. Here's three trade candidates who will be moved next by the Penguins: Stuart Skinner The Penguins did well to move Tristan Jarry and not have to retain any of his salary for the next two seasons. Dubas also managed to land a sec...
2 months ago
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The Buffalo Sabres have now won 10 games in a row and are in a playoff spot, just two points back of being in a divisional spot. This came after being last in the NHL earlier in the season. With a new GM and what is seemingly a new opportunity, the team is unstoppable and have turned themselves into buyers from sellers. This doesn't mean that the Sabres don't have to trade some players, but in an attempt to build a successful team that will last and to possibly add a bigger player this season,...
2 months ago
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The New Jersey Devils, from all accounts around the National Hockey League, had Dawson Mercer in a package that they were hoping would entice the Vancouver Canucks to send Quinn Hughes to Jersey. As we all know by now, that offer failed. But according to insider David Pagnotta , the Devils have not, and will not, stop dangling Mercer in trade talks—especially if it lands them one thing in particular. The Devils are desperately in need of goal scorers. They currently sit 27th in the NHL i...
2 months ago
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It was only one week ago that Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy reported that star center William Karlsson would return before the Olympics, as had been expected. But we're now getting word from insider Darren Dreger that Karlsson will NOT be available for Sweden at the Olympic Games. It appears @GoldenKnights William Karlsson will not be available for the Olympics. Tough break for Sweden as he was expected to be on the team. — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) December 30, 2025 ...
2 months ago
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Toronto Maple Leafs ' physical forward Dakota Joshua suffered a kidney injury in the team's last game in Detroit on Sunday, and according to head coach Craig Berube, it doesn't sound pretty. Craig Berube expands on what Dakota Joshua is dealing with Read More Here 📰 | https://t.co/RE4mF1yF2e pic.twitter.com/JsOP4DVmcw — TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) December 30, 2025 “Joshua’s still in Detroit,” Berube told reporters at practice Tuesday morning. “Whether he took a hit or went into the boards, it’s h...
2 months ago
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Devin Cooley has made quite the impression as backup goalie for the Calgary Flames—both on and off the ice. In 13 appearances (10 starts), he's logged a .914 save percentage and a 2.40 goals against average. The Flames have seen enough to know that they want him around for a while, and have locked Cooley up to a two-year extension worth $2.7 million (AAV of $1.35M). TOO COOL 😎 Devin Cooley has signed a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $1.35 million! pic.twitter.com/mgP3wvLkH6 — Calga...
2 months ago
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Kiefer Sherwood is has turned into one of the more interesting names on the market, and the Dallas Stars are popping up as a fit. Vancouver has made its pending unrestricted free agents available, and Sherwood checks a lot of boxes for a contender because he's producing at a career level while carrying a low cap hit. With 16 goals in 38 games and a reputation for being a heavy, disruptive winger, he looks like the kind of add that can matter in tight playoff hockey, especially for a Star...
2 months ago
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The Blake Coleman trade chatter is getting louder. Insider Frank Seravalli has openly connected the Calgary Flames winger to his hometown team, the Dallas Stars . Coleman is a Dallas-area product, and Seravalli basically spelled out the storyline, saying Dallas has interest and that you could imagine a “one-stop” call to Calgary that brings Coleman home.
Why Blake Coleman to the Dallas Stars keeps coming up
Seravalli also reported that interest around the league is huge, with sources...
2 months ago
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The Los Angeles Kings are barely holding down a playoff spot in the West and have only won three of their past 10 games. Fortunately right now, the West is much weaker than the East in terms of the wildcard spots. Regardless, the Kings have to take one last swing at the playoffs with Anze Kopitar and need center depth to do it. Kopitar and Quinton Byfield hold down the top two lines, but Alex Turcotte and Samuel Helenius have been thrust into larger roles even though their ice time is very low...
2 months ago
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The Carolina Hurricanes suffered another big blow as goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov suffered what seems to be a season-ending injury. The Hurricanes still have Brandon Bussi, who has been somewhat of a saviour for them this season out of nowhere, and Frederik Andersen, who can't really be trusted to play at a high enough level anymore, especially for a Stanley Cup contender. Kochetkov was 6-2-0 on the season with a 2.33 GAA and .899 SV%. The Hurricanes don't allow a ton of shots, so the SV% is alw...
2 months ago
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The Edmonton Oilers have been making moves lately with players coming off of the injured reserve. Noah Philp was placed on waivers and claimed by the Carolina Hurricanes , Cal Clattenburg was assigned to the AHL, and David Tomasek returned to the SHL. But there are still moves yet to be made as Andrew Mangiapane was a healthy scratch in the team's previous game. If the Oilers are sitting Mangiapane over players like Trent Frederic, Adam Henrique, Curtis Lazar, and Max Jones, then there's more ...
2 months ago
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