NHL Rumor Mill – March 13, 2026

by | Mar 13, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 13, 2026

The latest trade speculation regarding Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies and updates on several of this summer’s notable UFAs in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE MATTHEW KNIES RUMORS KEEP CHURNING

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan weighed in on the recent rumors linking Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies to the Montreal Canadiens.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthews Knies (NHL Images).

Koshan observed that it hasn’t been reported how serious those rumored discussions were. He acknowledged the Maple Leafs need to restock with young players, prospects, and draft picks.

However, Koshan believes the Maple Leafs need the 23-year-old Knies as part of their plans, pointing out the scarcity of power forwards with age on their side. He believes whoever is in charge of the Leafs after this season needs to take a hard look at the core of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Morgan Rielly and decide whether that group can lead the club to playoff success.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs have had eight seasons with that core. They’ve won two playoff series. That should tell you all you need to know about whether they can lead the Leafs to postseason success.

TVA SPORTS: Jean-Charles Lajoie considers Knies to be a cleaner version of Washington Capitals power forward Tom Wilson. However, he’s skeptical whether the Canadiens will be able to land him.

Lajoie doesn’t see the Canadiens parting with top prospect Michael Hage. Parting with promising winger Alexander Zharovsky seems plausible, but keeping him while fostering internal competition seems appealing. He also pointed out that Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving could lose his job after this season, and his replacement likely won’t part with Knies.

THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle believes the only Knies trade that would make sense is if he fetches a return that adds an elite center (such as Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues) or an excellent defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Knies-to-Montreal provided a buzz not normally seen in the week after the NHL trade deadline. He would certainly be a great fit among the Canadiens’ top-six forwards, and he could fetch a return of promising young assets if the Maple Leafs begin to rebuild.

Knies will likely be a key part of the Maple Leafs’ plans, whatever they may be. Their asking price would begin with Hage, and that’s a non-starter for the Canadiens. If the Leafs fire Treliving, his successor will likely retain Knies.

UFA UPDATES

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch is the biggest name remaining in this year’s unrestricted free-agent market after Nick Schmaltz signed a contract extension with the Utah Mammoth earlier this week.

The Sabres want to re-sign Tuch, and they are continuing to work on it. LeBrun believes the 29-year-old winger could seek a deal comparable to the $10.63 million AAV signed by Adrian Kempe with the Los Angeles Kings last fall. However, the Sabres could counter with the $8 million AAV that Schmaltz will receive from the Mammoth starting next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They could meet in the middle for around $9.25 million. If not, the thin UFA market ensures Tuch will get what he wants elsewhere.

LeBrun also addressed why the Vegas Golden Knights haven’t re-signed Rasmus Andersson yet. They acquired the 28-year-old defenseman from the Calgary Flames in January.

The reason is that the Golden Knights have only $3.2 million in projected salary-cap space for 2026-27 because they still have to carry the $8.8 million cap hit of sidelined defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.

They can free up sufficient cap room in the offseason by moving salary or placing Pietrangelo on offseason long-term injury reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersson will sign with the Golden Knights on July 1. By that time, they’ll have Pietrangelo on offseason LTIR, freeing up the cap space to re-sign him.

The Anaheim Ducks are hoping that recently acquired John Carlson won’t be a playoff rental.

They’re giving the 35-year-old defenseman some time to adjust following his trade from the Washington Capitals. However, the plan is to approach Carlson and his agent at some point to discuss a contract extension.

Carlson is completing an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $8 million. LeBrun thinks a two-year extension makes sense, but he doesn’t see the veteran blueliner taking a pay cut.

LeBrun also cited Darren Raddysh of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 30-year-old defenseman is having a career year. The Lightning hope to keep him and eventually re-sign him.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2026

by | Mar 13, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2026

Lightning stars Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy reach notable career milestones, Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is injured by a knee-on-knee hit, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to reach the 1,100 regular-season points milestone in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Jake Guentzel and Gage Goncalves each scored twice for the Lightning (40-20-4, 84 points), who moved within two points of the Buffalo Sabres for first place in the Atlantic Division. J.T. Compher replied for the 36-23-7 Red Wings, who’ve dropped four of their last five games and cling to the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 79 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy became the second netminder in NHL history to record nine consecutive 30-win seasons. Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur holds the record with 12 consecutive seasons.

The slumping Red Wings were without Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp. Both centers will be sidelined by injuries for at least the next two weeks.

Speaking of the Sabres, their eight-game win streak ended as they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Washington Capitals. Jakob Chychrun snapped a 1-1 tie late in the third period while Logan Thompson stopped 29 shots for the 33-27-7 Capitals. Sam Carrick scored for the 40-20-6 Sabres, who sit second in the Eastern Conference with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres winger Alex Tuch missed this game with a lower-body injury. He’s considered day-to-day.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 6-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks was overshadowed by an injury to Auston Matthews. The Maple Leafs captain left the game in the second period following a knee-on-knee hit from Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas, who received a major penalty and a game misconduct.

Matthew Knies had a goal and three assists, and winger Matias Maccelli had a goal and two assists for the Maple Leafs (28-27-11). Cutter Gauthier tallied his team-leading 33rd goal of the season for the 36-26-3 Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gudas could receive supplemental discipline for that hit on Matthews, who may have suffered a serious injury to his left knee. The Ducks blueliner has had four suspensions in his NHL career, with the last being in 2019.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson scored twice and collected two assists in a 7-2 drubbing of the Edmonton Oilers. Wyatt Johnston had a goal and two assists, Miro Heiskanen collected three assists, and Jamie Benn scored two goals for the Stars (41-14-10), who hold second place in the Western Conference with 92 points. Evan Bouchard and Jason Dickinson scored for the Oilers (32-26-8), who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars extended their points streak to 14 games.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists to lead his club over the Seattle Kraken 5-1. Martin Necas tallied his 30th goal of the season, and Nazem Kadri scored his first goal with the Avalanche since being acquired from the Calgary Flames last Friday. Ryker Evans replied for the 29-26-9 Kraken, who’ve lost four straight games and slipped out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 67 points. The Avalanche (44-11-9) holds first place in the overall standings with 97 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the league announced it had rescinded the game misconduct penalty handed to MacKinnon during Tuesday’s game against the Oilers.

The San Jose Sharks vaulted over the Kraken into the final Western wild card by doubling up the Boston Bruins 4-2, handing the latter its first home loss since December. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic kicked out 39 shots while William Eklund, Tyler Toffoli, and Michael Misa each had a goal and an assist for the 31-26-6 Sharks, who sit one point ahead of the Kraken. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (36-23-6), who cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 78 points.

An overtime power-play goal by Sam Reinhart gave the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sam Bennett also scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves for the 33-29-3 Panthers. Adam Fantilli scored for the 33-21-11 Blue Jackets, who extended their points streak to eight games, sitting one point behind the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fantilli was unhappy about being whistled for tripping Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk in overtime. He and his teammates believe Tkachuk dove after losing control of the puck to draw the penalty.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2. Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice and collected an assist while Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist for the 30-22-14 Golden Knights, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 74 points. Rickard Rakell and Ben Kindel replied for the Penguins (32-18-15), who hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone returned to action after missing the last five games with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, Marner told reporters that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain while playing for Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Crosby remains sidelined but is expected to return to action before the end of March.

St. Louis Blues winger Jimmy Snuggerud tallied two goals while Jordan Binnington turned aside 31 shots for a 3-1 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Pavel Buchnevich also scored, and Dylan Holloway collected two assists for the 26-29-10 Blues, who are 5-0-1 in their last six games. Mark Jankowski scored for the Hurricanes (41-18-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon sold a portion of the club to three new minority owners. One of them is former NHL winger Bobby Farnham, who had eight goals and 10 points in 67 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, and Montreal Canadiens from 2014-15 to 2016-17. He went on to Harvard Business School and co-founded the investment group Fourth Line Capital.

The Philadelphia Flyers nipped the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on a shootout goal by Travis Konecny. Owen Tippett tied the game for the Flyers (31-23-11) with a shorthanded goal. Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov scored for the 38-16-17 Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild’s Quinn Hughes collected two assists, becoming the first defenseman to collect 60 assists in 60 games since Hall of Famer Paul Coffey in 1992-93.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard scored in overtime to defeat the Utah Mammoth 3-2. Frank Nazar and Tyler Bertuzzi each had a goal and an assist for the 25-29-11 Blackhawks. Dylan Guenther and JJ Peterka scored for the 34-26-6 Mammoth, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 74 points, but are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

The Vancouver Canucks nipped the Nashville Predators 4-3. Jake DeBrusk scored the shootout winner, Marco Rossi had a goal and two assists, and Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek each had a goal and an assist for the 20-37-8 Canucks. Tyson Jost scored twice for the Predators (29-27-9), who remain one point out of the Western wild-card berth with 67 points.

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere scored for the third straight game as his club downed the Winnipeg Jets 6-3. Gabe Perreault had his third straight multipoint game with a goal and an assist for the Rangers (27-30-8). Isak Rosen scored his first goal with the Jets (26-28-10) since being acquired from the Buffalo Sabres last Friday.

The Calgary Flames nipped the New Jersey Devils 5-4. John Beecher scored twice for his first NHL multi-goal game while Dustin Wolf made 28 saves for the 26-32-7 Flames. Jack and Luke Hughes each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (32-31-2).

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators will receive the 32nd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft after the league modified the disciplinary sanction originally imposed on the club for a botched trade involving Evgenii Dadonov by former Senators management in 2022.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 12, 2026

by | Mar 12, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 12, 2026

A look ahead at the Flyers’ potential offseason plans, and the latest on the Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE FLYERS AFTER THE TRADE DEADLINE?

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James reported Flyers general manager Daniel Briere remained firm on his asking price for Rasmus Ristolainen leading up to last Friday’s trade deadline. He claimed Briere sought a first-round pick and a prospect for the 31-year-old defenseman.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (NHL Images).

Briere stated that he wasn’t trying to dump Ristolainen or get rid of him, saying that the veteran blueliner still had a lot of value to the Flyers. He indicated there were plenty of calls from other clubs, but the offers didn’t make sense value-wise.

Retaining Ristolainen creates a logjam on the right side of the Flyers’ blueline, including Jamie Drysdale, Oliver Bonk, and the recently-acquired David Jiricek.

James believes the Flyers should’ve moved Ristolainen, as his value will never be higher than it was at the deadline.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco believes the Flyers did the right thing by retaining Ristolainen, pointing out that his departure would’ve left a big hole on the right side of the defense corps, which would’ve led to rushing one of their young blueliners into the lineup.

Di Marco cited sources claiming the Flyers offered Ristolainen and a roster player to an unnamed Eastern Conference team for a prospect and a roster player, but it was rejected by the other team.

The Flyers could attempt to move Ristolainen during the summer. However, they could also retain him and re-evaluate at next year’s deadline.

Di Marco also reported that Flyers sources claim the club will attempt to address its backup goalie position in the offseason. He suggested that Joseph Woll of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen of the Buffalo Sabres could be interesting options.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz believes addressing their thin depth at the center position should be the Flyers’ top priority in the offseason.

Winger Garnet Hathaway’s struggles this season could result in a contract buyout this summer. They could pursue a backup goaltender, as Samuel Ersson has played his way off the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ristolainen is signed through next season with a salary-cap hit of $5.1 million and lacks no-trade protection. Unless a rival club makes a significant offer, he will likely return with the Flyers next season.

It’s expected they’ll re-sign starting goaltender Daniel Vladar to a contract extension this summer. He’s currently signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $3.35 million. They’ll likely scour this summer’s trade and free-agent markets for a reliable backup.

Hathaway has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $2.4 million. A buyout would leave the Flyers with a $1 million cap hit for 2026-27 and $700,000 for 2027-28.

IS THIS SAMUEL MONTEMBEAULT’S FINAL SEASON WITH THE CANADIENS?

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan believes the Canadiens recalling Jacob Fowler from their AHL affiliate in Laval indicates they’ve lost trust in struggling starting goaltender Samuel Montembeault.

The 29-year-old Montembeault has one season left on his contract with a cap hit of $3.15 million. Cowan believes it wouldn’t be a shock if the Canadiens attempt to trade him this summer.

Following the Canadiens’ 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators with Fowler in goal, Herb Zurkowsky suggested Montembeault’s future in Montreal appears to be in jeopardy, but he cautioned that things can change quickly in pro sports.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens have been patient with Montembeault this season. They gave him playing time, they gave him time off, sent him to Laval on a brief conditioning stint, and replaced their goaltending coach. However, his ongoing inconsistency remains a nagging issue as the Habs jockey for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

Fowler showed promise in his 10-team call-up earlier this season, going 4-4-2 with a 2.62 goals-against average, a .902 save percentage, and one shutout. The 21-year-old netminder has been outstanding this season for Laval, going 7-1-0 in his last eight games with a 1.95 GAA and a .926 save percentage.

The Canadiens wanted to keep Fowler in the AHL for seasoning, but Montembeault’s struggles changed those plans. If the youngster spends the rest of this season as a reliable backup for Jakub Dobes, this could indeed be Montembeault’s final season with the Habs.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2026

by | Mar 12, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2026

The Canadiens nip the Senators, the Flyers defeat the Capitals, the Mammoth re-sign Nick Schmaltz, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov had a goal and an assist, and Jacob Fowler made 32 saves for a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, ending the latter’s seven-game points streak. Demidov snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period for the Canadiens (36-18-10), who’ve won three straight and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 82 points. Drake Batherson tallied twice for the 32-23-9 Senators (73 points), who remain five points out of the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Juraj Slafkovsky also scored for the Canadiens, setting a franchise record for the most points by a player before the age of 22 (164 points), passing Hall of Famer Henri Richard.

Recalling Fowler from the farm team in Laval and naming him the starter for this game was a surprising move by the Canadiens. It’s a clear sign that the Habs have run out of patience with struggling Samuel Montembeault, who lost his role as starting goalie to Jakub Dobes

Canadiens winger Cole Caufield missed this game with the flu, ending his consecutive games streak at 227.

The Philadelphia Flyers tallied four unanswered goals to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-1. Owen Tippett had a goal and an assist for the 30-23-11 Flyers. Ryan Leonard replied for the 32-27-7 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers winger Travis Konecny celebrated his 29th birthday with a goal, marking the second time that he’s done so in his NHL career. He joined Eric Lindros, Ross Lonsberry, Daniel Briere, Rick Tocchet, and Bill Clement among the Flyers to score multiple times on their birthdays.

HEADLINES

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: The Utah Mammoth signed forward Nick Schmaltz to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scratch another notable name from this summer’s depleted list of unrestricted free agents.

Schmaltz, 30, is in the final season of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $5.85 million. PuckPedia indicates he’ll earn an AAV of $8 million on his new contract, with full no-movement protection during the first two years, a full no-trade clause for the next two years, a 16-team NTC for two years after that, followed by an eight-team NTC for the final two years.

Schmaltz has consistently been among the Mammoth’s leading scorers. As their first-line center, he’s played a crucial role in turning this rising young team into a playoff contender this season.

Given Schmaltz’s role, the annual average value of his new contract isn’t unreasonable, especially with the projected significant increases of the NHL salary cap in the coming years. However, this deal won’t age well as his performance inevitably declines in the final four years.

Nevertheless, the Mammoth are willing to bank on Schmaltz being productive enough in the first half of this new contract to make it worthwhile if it elevates them into Stanley Cup contenders.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz is on the road to recovery after being accidentally struck in the face by the skate of Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins on Saturday.

Schwartz is sidelined indefinitely and could miss the Kraken’s remaining 19 games of the regular season.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Kraken, recently-acquired winger Bobby McMann said Toronto can be a difficult market to play in, especially when the Maple Leafs are struggling as they have this season.

The Kraken acquired the 29-year-old winger from the Maple Leafs before last Friday’s NHL trade deadline.

“Yeah, it can be (difficult). When things aren’t going well, it’s that much harder to play there, I think,” McMann said. “We’re all human, and I think that all NHL players at times get put on a pedestal. Everybody lets things get to them to a certain extent, some more than others.”

McMann said players are already self-critical when things aren’t going well, but it becomes amplified when it comes from the media and fans, especially in a big hockey market like Toronto.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 11, 2026

by | Mar 11, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 11, 2026

Were the Devils shopping Dougie Hamilton at the trade deadline? What would it have cost the Bruins to acquire Rangers center Vincent Trocheck? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DEVILS WEREN’T SHOPPING DOUGIE HAMILTON BEFORE THE TRADE DEADLINE

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reports multiple reports linked Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton to other teams leading up to last Friday’s trade deadline.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton (NHL Images).

Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said he wasn’t shopping Hamilton before the deadline, but he acknowledged a couple of teams called about the 32-year-old defenseman.

Hamilton appeared in trade rumors in mid-January after being a healthy scratch from a game against the Winnipeg Jets. At the time, Fitzgerald said it was performance-related, but the defenseman’s camp believed the club was trying to force Hamilton to waive his 10-team trade list going back to last summer’s draft.

Since then, however, Hamilton’s performance has improved, with 17 points in his last 20 games. Fitzgerald downplayed the January incident as a misunderstanding.

Hamilton is signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $9 million. He is due for a $7.4 million signing bonus on July 1, which reportedly hindered the Devils’ efforts to move him in a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils will be a team to monitor in the offseason. They were reportedly listening to offers for young defenseman Simon Nemec, who is in the final season of his entry-level contract and will be a restricted free agent lacking arbitration rights. It’s believed he could seek a contract comparable to the seven-year, $63 million deal signed by teammate Luke Hughes last October.

The Devils can’t afford to shell out $27 million annually for three defensemen. They could face a choice between moving Nemec or Hamilton.

THE RANGERS’ PRICE FOR TROCHECK WAS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR THE BRUINS

THE BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont reported Sunday about what the New York Rangers may have sought from the Bruins in exchange for Vincent Trocheck.

Dupont cited multiple sources claiming Rangers general manager Chris Drury set a high price for the 32-year-old center. It was rumored that the Boston Bruins were among the suitors for Trocheck.

Based on his sources, Dupont believed it could have had Drury asking Bruins GM Don Sweeney for Fraser Minten and a first-round pick, “or perhaps Minten, Mark Kastelic, and a first or second-rounder”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If that’s what Drury was seeking, it’s not surprising Sweeney passed. It would also explain why another club didn’t land Trocheck.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 11, 2026

by | Mar 11, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 11, 2026

Check out the recaps of Tuesday’s action in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid scored the go-ahead goal as the Edmonton Oilers nipped the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 4-3, ending the latter’s five-game win streak. McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had two points, and Ryan Nugent Hopkins tallied twice for the 32-28-8 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 72 points. Ross Colton, Martin Necas, and Valeri Nichushkin replied for the Avalanche (43-11-9), who sit in first place in the overall standings with 95 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon was ejected from this game in the second period for goaltender interference after colliding with Oilers netminder Connor Ingram, who was cut and had to leave the game. Tristan Jarry stopped 11 of 12 shots in relief of Ingram.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Quinn (NHL Images).

The red-hot Buffalo Sabres picked up their eighth straight victory by downing the San Jose Sharks 6-3. Jack Quinn tallied his first NHL hat trick and picked up an assist while Rasmus Dahlin and Ryan McLeod each collected three assists for the Sabres (40-19-6), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 86 points. Alex Wennberg had a goal and an assist for the 30-26-6 Sharks (66 points), who sit one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the Eastern Conference. Sharks center Macklin Celebrini scored for the fourth straight game.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they recovered from blowing a 4-2 lead to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on a shootout goal by Jackson Blake. Alexander Nikishin had a goal and an assist for the 41-17-6 Hurricanes, who sit first overall in the Eastern Conference with 88 points. Bryan Rust scored twice and added an assist for the Penguins (32-17-15), who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (lower-body injury) is with the team on their five-game road trip and participated in Tuesday’s full morning skate without a non-contact jersey. Head coach Dan Muse said Crosby isn’t ahead of schedule in his recovery, but he’s moving in the right direction.

Muse also told reporters that Penguins forward Justin Brazeau is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Samuel Girard and winger Kevin Hayes both have upper-body injuries, with Girard listed as day-to-day.

The Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1, leaving the latter winless in their last eight games (0-6-2). Rookie center Oliver Kapanen tallied his 20th goal of the season for the Canadiens (35-18-10), who have points in 10 of their last 11 games as they leapfrogged the Detroit Red Wings into third place in the Atlantic Division with 80 points. William Nylander scored for the 27-27-11 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected his 116th career NHL assist, setting the league record for the most by a defenseman within their first 150 regular-season games. Meanwhile, Canadiens winger Cole Caufield sat out the first half of the third period with an illness. He travelled with the club to Ottawa for Wednesday’s game against the Senators.

Speaking of the Red Wings, they suffered a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers. Carter Verhaeghe tallied twice within the final 1:30 of the third period for the 32-29-3 Panthers. Justin Faulk had a goal and an assist for his first points since being acquired by the Red Wings (36-22-7) at the trade deadline. Detroit holds the first Eastern wild-card spot with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Andrew Copp left this game in the second period with an injured left leg. He will be evaluated on Wednesday.

An overtime goal by Charlie McAvoy lifted the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Mason Lohrei also scored for the 36-22-6 Bruins, who hold the final Eastern wild-card berth with 78 points. Drew Doughty replied for the Kings (26-23-15), who sit behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western wild-card spot with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following this game, the Bruins lined up and shook hands with Kings captain Anze Kopitar, who is retiring at the end of this season.

The Kraken, meanwhile, blew a 2-0 lead and fell 4-2 to the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros kicked out 43 shots, and rookie Ryan Ufko’s first NHL goal was the winner for the 29-27-8 Predators (66 points), who are one point behind the Kraken. Kaapo Kakko and Matty Beniers scored for the 29-25-9 Kraken (67 points), as they cling to that final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Monday, the Kraken activated goaltender Matt Murray from injured reserve. He has been sidelined by a lower-body injury since Nov. 15.

The Dallas Stars held off the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1. Jake Oettinger stopped 26 shots while Oskar Back and Jamie Benn scored for the 40-14-10 Stars, extending their points streak to 13 games as they hold second place in the Western Conference with 90 points. Jack Eichel scored for the Golden Knights (29-22-14), who have dropped six of their last seven games as they hold third place in the Pacific Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan said sidelined winger Mikko Rantanen (lower-body injury) could return to action within the next two to three weeks. Center Roope Hintz (lower-body) remains week-to-week, and it’s hoped that he’ll return in time for the playoffs.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson turned in a 25-save performance to shut out the Utah Mammoth 5-0. Kirill Kaprizov had two points while Bobby Brink scored his first goal since being acquired at the trade deadline for the 38-16-11 Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 87 points. Karel Vejmelka turned aside 25 shots for the Mammoth (34-26-5), who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 73 points.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Conor Garland tallied twice for the second straight game to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2. Sean Monahan and Zach Werenski each had two assists for the 33-21-10 Blue Jackets, who extended their points streak to seven games, sitting two behind the Bruins with 76 points. Gage Goncalves and J.J. Moser replied for the slumping Lightning (39-20-4), who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 82 points, but have dropped six of their last seven games.

Anaheim Ducks forwards Alex Killorn and Ryan Poehling each had a goal and an assist to down the Winnipeg Jets 4-1. Defenseman Jackston LaCombe also had a goal and an assist for the Ducks (36-25-3), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 75 points. Morgan Barron scored for the Jets (26-27-10).

The New York Islanders (37-23-5) overcame a 3-0 deficit to nip the St. Louis Blues 4-3 on an overtime goal by Mathew Barzal, who finished with three points. The Islanders sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points. Jimmy Snuggerud had a goal and two assists for the 25-29-10 Blues.

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere had a hat trick, and Jonathan Quick stopped 21 shots to blank the Calgary Flames 4-0. Mika Zibanejad had two assists to reach 800 career regular-season points for the 26-30-8 Rangers. Dustin Wolf made 25 saves for the 25-32-7 Flames.