NHL Rumor Mill – March 10, 2026

by | Mar 10, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 10, 2026

Did the Canadiens come close to acquiring Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies? What’s the latest on Blues center Robert Thomas? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANADIENS RUMORED TO HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN MATTHEW KNIES

SPORTSNET: Nick Kypreos believes the failed deal that the Montreal Canadiens attempted to make before Friday’s trade deadline was with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Kypreos also believes the Canadiens were trying to acquire Matthew Knies, claiming the 23-year-old Maple Leafs winger drew interest from several teams in the trade market.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthews Knies (NHL Images).

Aside from Auston Matthews and William Nylander, Knies is the only player who could provide the Maple Leafs with a return of top-tier talent.

Kypreos stressed that he’s not confirming that it was Knies the Canadiens were after, but that’s the speculation that’s out there.

Luke Fox pointed out that Elliotte Friedman raised the possibility before the trade deadline that the Maple Leafs floated Knies’ name in the trade market. Fox noted that the big Leafs winger was surprised that he popped up in trade rumors, but didn’t look into it too much.

Fox observed that Knies is the only member of the Maple Leafs core who lacks no-trade protection. He also noted that the Carolina Hurricanes asked for Knies at the 2025 trade deadline when the Leafs were trying to acquire Mikko Rantanen. Still, general manager Brad Treliving refused to part with him.

However, the Maple Leafs need to bolster their roster to stage a bounce-back performance next season. No one player should be considered off-limits if a move can be made this summer to improve their roster.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont noted that Kypreos spoke of the Canadiens’ deep prospect pool. Knies going to Montreal could fetch a return to the Leafs that restocks their depleted prospect cupboard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was originally believed that the Canadiens were pursuing St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas. Going after Knies makes more sense as it could give them a right winger to play alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield on the top line, or on the second line at his natural left-wing position with Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov.

Knies to Montreal would certainly qualify as a blockbuster. The return to the Maple Leafs could’ve been a first-round pick, a prospect, and a young player, or a couple of prospects and a young player.

For now, this is an unsubstantiated rumor because Kypreos can’t say for certain that Knies was the Canadiens’ target. Nevertheless, it’ll stoke speculation about the Habs’ offseason plans. Whether it involves revisiting that mysterious significant trade they tried to make at the deadline.

ROBERT THOMAS WAS NEVER ASKED TO WAIVE HIS NO-TRADE CLAUSE

DAILY FACEOFF: Robert Thomas told ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski that the St. Louis Blues never approached him about waiving his no-trade clause. He said that everything he heard came from media insiders and online.

“I just want to be clear: I was never asked, and nor did I ever ask for a trade,” Thomas said.

The 26-year-old Blues center has a full no-trade clause. His contract runs through 2030-31 with an average annual value of $8.125 million.

Thomas admitted that it’s been frustrating that the Blues aren’t where they thought they’d be this season. However, he insisted that he remains committed to the club and loves living in St. Louis.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reported the depth of the trade conversations about Thomas leading up to last Friday’s deadline suggests those talks will resume during the offseason.

LeBrun speculated the Buffalo Sabres and Utah Mammoth could revisit their interest in Thomas. He also raised the possibility of the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, or Los Angeles Kings getting involved.

The Blues reportedly set a high asking price for Thomas. Whether that softens during the offseason remains to be seen. Nevertheless, LeBrun thinks Thomas most likely gets traded this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For all the rumors about Thomas, his comments indicate that the discussions never reached the point where Blues management would ask him to waive his no-trade clause.

That could change during the summer, but that doesn’t mean Thomas will agree to it.

Remember, the Blues had a deal in place that would have sent Colton Parayko to the Buffalo Sabres, but the defenseman nixed the trade by refusing to waive his clause.

Thomas could do the same, but that won’t stop the conjecture about his future in St. Louis.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2026

by | Mar 10, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2026

Recapping Tuesday night’s action, the three stars of the week, Lightning forward Brandon Hagel fined, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe scored twice, including the game-winner in overtime, in a 5-4 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Brian Dumoulin had a goal and two assists, while Artemi Panarin and Scott Laughton each had a goal and an assist for the 26-23-14 Kings (66 points), who are one point behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Conor Garland tallied twice for the Blues Jackets (32-21-10, 74 points), who are two points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators got a 16-save shutout from James Reimer to blank the Vancouver Canucks 2-0. Ridly Grieg and Brady Tkachuk scored, and Tim Stutzle extended his assist streak to 13 games. The Senators improved to 32-22-9, sitting three points back of the Bruins. Kevin Lankinen stopped 22 of 23 shots for the 19-37-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators have won three straight and seven of their last 10 games. They got this victory without top defenseman Jake Sanderson, who is week-to-week after injuring his right shoulder during Saturday’s game against the Kraken.

An overtime goal by Frank Nazar lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 win over the Utah Mammoth. Andrew Mangiapane and Andre Burakovsky scored for the 24-29-11 Blackhawks. Dylan Guenther tallied his 30th goal of the season for the 34-25-5 Mammoth, who hold the first Western wild-card berth with 73 points.

Washington Capitals forward Connor McMichael tallied two goals in a 7-3 drubbing of the Calgary Flames. Justin Sourdif had a goal and two assists for the 32-26-7 Capitals (71 points), who are five points out of the final Eastern wild card. Matvei Gridin, Blake Coleman, and Yegor Sharangovich replied for the 25-31-7 Flames.

The New York Rangers downed the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2. Mika Zibanejad scored two goals and picked up an assist while Vincent Trocheck had three assists for the 25-30-8 Rangers. Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier replied for the 29-23-11 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers forward Taylor Raddysh missed this game and will miss his club’s next game as he attends the funeral of his father, Dwayne, who passed away last Tuesday from pancreatic cancer. My condolences to the Raddysh family for their loss.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, Colorado Avalanche winger Martin Necas, and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 8, 2026.

SPORTSNET: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel was fined $5,000 for being the aggressor in an altercation with Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin on Sunday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Seattle Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury. He was accidentally struck in the face by the skate of Senators forward Nick Cousins during Saturday’s game between the two clubs.

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s episode of “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman reported there was “a lot of talk” about Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry clashing with some of his teammates during a practice last week.

Friedman didn’t elaborate further, but went on to say it was symptomatic of a frustrating season for the club, pointing to comments made by former Oilers Troy Stecher and Andrew Mangiapane.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers hold third place in the Pacific Division with 70 points, but they have only four wins in their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks are only four points behind them in the playoff race.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 9, 2026

by | Mar 9, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 9, 2026

The trade deadline has passed, but the rumor mill keeps churning as the focus shifts toward offseason moves. Check out the latest on Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson, Roman Josi, and Simon Nemec in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE PENGUINS PART WAYS WITH MALKIN AND KARLSSON THIS SUMMER?

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe recently reported that Evgeni Malkin’s contract situation overshadowed the trade deadline for the Pittsburgh Penguins and could continue to do so over the remainder of this season.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

Malkin is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The 40-year-old center has expressed his desire to return with the Penguins for another season. He’s had a solid bounce-back performance as the Penguins jockey for a playoff berth in the Metropolitan Division.

However, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas indicated contract discussions would be put off until the offseason, prompting Malkin to express his disappointment publicly. Dubas praised Malkin’s performance and acknowledged what he means to the club, but indicated that he has to do what’s best for the organization.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This issue will likely fade over the remainder of the season as the focus shifts to the Penguins’ efforts to clinch their first playoff berth in four years. However, it will flare up again in the offseason, especially as the July 1 opening date from free agency approaches.

Speaking of aging Penguins stars enjoying bounce-back efforts, Erik Karlsson has one more year left on his contract. However, Pierre LeBrun speculated that the 35-year-old puck-moving defenseman could be moved this summer if there’s an opportunity for Dubas to recoup some assets.

LeBrun acknowledged that Karlsson carries an expensive cap hit but believes there would be genuine interest if the Penguins agreed to retain half of it. The veteran blueliner would also have to waive his no-movement clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson has an average annual value of $11.5 million, of which the Penguins carry $10 million, and the San Jose Sharks carry $1.5 million. He’ll earn $1.5 million in actual salary next season once his $6 million signing bonus is paid on July 1.

KEEP AN EYE ON SOME OF THE PREDATORS’ STARS THIS SUMMER

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun cites a source saying it might be worthwhile to keep an eye on Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi this summer.

If the Predators deepen their rebuild by trading Ryan O’Reilly, Steven Stamkos, and Jonathan Marchessault, Josi would probably want to speak with management about the club’s direction.

LeBrun believes Josi would probably stay in Nashville. The 35-year-old defenseman is loyal to the team and has two years left on his contract. Nevertheless, LeBrun isn’t ruling out the possibility that he might consider moving on.

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty reported Friday that Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz said he received calls about Stamkos, O’Reilly, and Erik Haula before the trade deadline.

Trotz indicates he told Stamkos and O’Reilly that he didn’t want to get rid of them, but if he got irresistible offers, he’d speak to them and give them the chance to decide if they want to accept a trade. He also indicated that he came “fairly close” to moving either guy, but “until it’s done, it’s not done.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators are expected to be under new management by this summer. Trotz’s successor could prove more aggressive in peddling veterans such as O’Reilly, Stamkos, and Marchessault, which in turn could prompt a conversation with Josi. It would indeed be something worth monitoring in the offseason.

DEVILS COULD CONTINUE SHOPPING SIMON NEMEC THIS SUMMER

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the New Jersey Devils were listening to trade offers for Simon Nemec. However, their asking price for the 22-year-old defenseman was a young, impact, top-six forward.

Nemec is slated to become a restricted free agent after completing his entry-level contract and has changed agents. LeBrun believes his camp intends to use teammate Luke Hughes’ contract (seven years, $9 million annually) as a comparable.

It would make more sense for the Devils to retain Nemec and move veteran defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who has two years left on his contract with an AAV of $9 million. However, it’s proven difficult to move Hamilton. Given the interest in Nemec, LeBrun believed the latter is more likely to be moved.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether the Devils can get a young impact forward in return for Nemec remains to be seen. There’s a better chance of landing that type of player in the offseason, but that doesn’t mean it’s a certainty. Devils management will have to sell Nemec’s potential as a No.1 defenseman.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Following Friday’s trade deadline, Sheng Peng reported San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier shot down a rumor claiming he offered up winger William Eklund to the Devils for Nemec.

“I think that was more Twitter stuff,” Grier said. “It’s something where you call and see if someone’s available and then see what the asking price is. That was really about the extent of it. There wasn’t any real getting into it.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s worth pointing out that the Sharks were reportedly interested in Hamilton last summer, but he declined to waive his no-trade clause.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2026

by | Mar 9, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2026

The Sabres take over first place in the Atlantic Division, Anthony Mantha leads the Penguins to a comeback victory, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in a wild 8-7 victory, leapfrogging the latter for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson (NHL Images).

Josh Doan snapped a 7-7 tie with his second goal of the game, Jason Zucker and Alex Tuch tallied twice, Tage Thompson had four assists, while Rasmus Dahlin and Bo Byram had three points each for the 39-19-6 Sabres (84 points). The Sabres are red-hot as they’ve won seven straight games.

Nikita Kucherov scored two goals and an assist, J.J. Moser had a goal and two assists, and Darren Raddysh picked up three assists for the Lightning (39-19-4), who sit second in the Atlantic with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a fight-filled contest with 102 penalty minutes, capped by Lightning winger Brandon Hagel jumping Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin early in the second period.

The last time the Sabres held first place in their division at this stage of the season or later was Apr. 11, 2010.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Anthony Mantha scored two game-tying goals, setting the stage for Tommy Novak’s overtime winner in a 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins. Erik Karlsson collected two assists for the Penguins, who improved to 32-17-14 to sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Pavel Zacha had a hat trick for the 35-22-6 Bruins, who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forward Justin Brazeau missed this game with an undisclosed injury. He is listed as day-to-day.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche nipped the Minnesota Wild by a score of 3-2. Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring and tallied the game-winner in a shootout for the Avalanche (43-10-9, 95 points). Kirill Kaprizov and Nico Sturm replied for the Wild (37-16-11) as they sit third in the Central Division with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nazem Kadri collected his first point in his return to the Avalanche, setting up MacKinnon’s regulation goal. The Avalanche reacquired the 35-year-old center from the Calgary Flames before Friday’s trade deadline.

Before this game, the Avalanche announced that team captain Gabriel Landeskog is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

An overtime goal by Miro Heiskanen lifted the Dallas Stars to a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Mavrik Bourque had a goal and an assist for the 39-14-10 Stars, who are second in the Western Conference with 88 points. Connor Bedard scored the tying goal to force overtime for the Blackhawks (23-29-11).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks forward Oliver Moore left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

The Detroit Red Wings blanked the New Jersey Devils 3-0. John Gibson made 21 saves until forced to leave the game with an injury following the second period. Cam Talbot made 10 saves to preserve the shutout. Moritz Seider had a goal and two assists, and Dominik Shine scored his first NHL goal as the Red Wings improved to 36-21-7, moving into third place in the Atlantic Division with 79 points. Jacob Markstrom turned aside 27 shots for the 32-30-2 Devils as their four-game win streak ended.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected two assists, and goaltender Connor Ingram made 24 saves to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. Leon Draisaitl scored what proved to be the game-winner for the Oilers (31-25-8), who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 70 points. Mitch Marner has two assists for the 29-21-14 Golden Knights, who are two points ahead of the Oilers in the Pacific standings.

The St. Louis Blues picked up their fourth straight win by downing the Anaheim Ducks 4-0. Joel Hofer made 22 saves for the shutout while Jordan Kyrou, Jonathan Drouin, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Pius Suter scored for the 25-29-9 Blues. Ville Husso stopped 31 shots for the Ducks (35-25-3, 73 points), who hold a one-point lead over the Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: New York Islanders center Bo Horvat was fined $2,500.00 by the NHL’s department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during Saturday’s game against the San Jose Sharks.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven was fined $4,166.67 for cross-checking Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 8, 2026

by | Mar 8, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 8, 2026

Check out the ongoing fallout from Friday’s Trade Deadline in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHY DIDN’T THE DEVILS MOVE NEMEC OR HAMILTON AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reported Friday that the Devils were open to moving Simon Nemec if the 22-year-old defenseman would fetch a return that improved their top-six forwards.

Adding a winger for Jack Hughes’ line has been a longstanding need. However, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that they were hoping to add a top-six center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes and Nico Hischier currently fill the top-six center roles on the Devils. Adding another top-six center doesn’t make sense unless they intend to move Hischier or Hughes.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton (NHL Images).

Trading Dougie Hamilton proved to be a difficult task for the Devils. One reason is the $7.4 million signing bonus that the 32-year-old defenseman is scheduled to receive on July 1. He also carries an average annual value of $9 million for the next two seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It seemed like Hamilton and the Devils would part ways back in January as he was upset over being a healthy scratch for a game against the Winnipeg Jets. Some Toronto pundits pondered the possibility of the Maple Leafs acquiring him, but that’s assuming they’re on his 10-team trade list.

The Devils could try again during the offseason, but will likely find that any interested clubs will prefer to wait until he gets his signing bonus before agreeing to acquire him.

SENATORS TRIED TO ACQUIRE WEEGAR

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports sources claimed MacKenzie Weegar was the Senators’ top trade target. However, the Calgary Flames traded the 32-year-old puck-moving defenseman to the Utah Mammoth.

It was expected that general manager Steve Staios would acquire a right-shot top-four defenseman or some additional scoring punch. However, they lacked a 2026 first-round pick to use as a trade chip, which hampered the Senators’ efforts to bolster their roster at the trade deadline.

Teams were asking Staios for young forward Ridly Greig and top prospects Carter Yakemchuk and Logan Hensler. However, the Senators weren’t parting with those players. Staios said he was looking at all options, including his goaltending.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staios added winger Warren Foegele, who could help the Senators’ offense if he can regain the scoring touch that he lost this season with the Los Angeles Kings. He scored for them in Saturday’s 7-4 win over the Seattle Kraken.

Goaltending options were few and far between for the Senators and everyone else in this trade market. The best names out there were Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers and Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues. The Panthers are trying to re-sign Bobrovsky, while the Senators could be on Binnington’s no-trade list.

WHY DID THE FLAMES RETAIN COLEMAN AND WHITECLOUD?

SPORTSNET: Eric Francis reports Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy admitted that he received strong offers for winger Blake Coleman and recently-acquired defenseman Zach Whitecloud. He chose to retain them because they wanted to remain in Calgary and would help mentor their younger players.

CALGARY SUN: Daniel Austin reports it seemed almost certain that Coleman would be traded.

The 34-year-old winger has one year remaining on his contract. Austin considers it inevitable that his name will surface in the rumor mill again.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2026

by | Mar 8, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2026

Milestone games for Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey, the Sabres extend their win streak to six games, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Nikita Kucherov collected four assists to reach the 100-point mark for the sixth time in his career as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2. Corey Perry scored in his first game back with the Lightning (39-18-4) since being acquired from the Los Angeles Kings on Friday. Matias Maccelli and Nick Robertson replied for the 27-26-11 Maple Leafs, who are 0-5-2 in their last seven games. The Lightning hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 82 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov is the third player to reach the 100-point plateau this season, sitting behind Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (106 points) and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (103). The Lightning played without defenseman Emil Lilleberg, who suffered a facial fracture during practice on Wednesday. He’s expected to miss two weeks.

The Buffalo Sabres kept pace with the Lightning with a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Tage Thompson scored to extend his points streak to 10 games, and Alex Lyon stopped 23 shots for the 38-19-6 Sabres (80 points), who have won six straight games. Zachary L’Heureux and Matthew Wood replied for the Predators (28-27-8), who have lost four of their last five and remain three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 64 points.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes tallied a hat trick and collected an assist to lead his club to their fourth straight win with a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Jesper Bratt had a goal and two assists for the 32-29-2 Devils. Will Borgen, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Will Cuylle replied for the Rangers (24-30-8).

An overtime goal by Josh Morrissey lifted the Winnipeg Jets over the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 3-2. Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists for the 26-26-10 Jets, who are five points out of the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 62 points. Linus Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (19-36-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Morrissey’s first game since getting injured during the Olympics. It was a memorable return as he moved past Dustin Byfuglien for the most points by a defenseman for this version of the Jets with 417 points.

The Montreal Canadiens nipped the Los Angeles Kings 4-3. Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice and had an assist, Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists, and Jakub Dobes kicked out 36 shots for the Canadiens (34-18-10), who moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Anze Kopitar, Scott Laughton, and Alex Laferriere scored for the 25-23-14 Kings (64 points), who also sit three points behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laughton’s goal was his first for the Kings since being acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday.

Speaking of the Kraken, they dropped a 7-4 decision to the Ottawa Senators. Shane Pinto had a goal and two assists, and Warren Foegele scored his first goal since being acquired from the Kings for the 31-22-9 Senators (71 points), who are four points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jordan Eberle collected two assists for the 29-24-9 Kraken (67 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his status. Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz departed in the first period after being accidentally cut on his face by the skate of Senators forward Nick Cousins. He was reportedly still being evaluated following the game.

As for the Bruins (35-22-5), they downed the Washington Capitals 3-1. Pavel Zacha, Viktor Arvidsson, and Elias Lindholm scored, and David Pastrnak collected two assists as they hold that final Eastern wild-card spot with 75 points. Aliaksei Protas replied for the Capitals (31-26-7).

An overtime goal by Bo Horvat gave the New York Islanders a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Ilya Sorokin stopped 30 shots, and Tony DeAngelo also scored for the 36-23-5 Islanders, who hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 77 points. Macklin Celebrini tallied his 32nd goal of the season, and Yaroslav Askarov made 32 saves for the Sharks (30-25-6), who sit one point behind the Kraken with 66 points

The Philadelphia Flyers upset the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on a shootout goal by Trevor Zegras. Alex Bump scored his first goal in his NHL debut for the 29-22-11 Flyers. Rickard Rakell had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (31-17-14), who sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points.

Calgary Flames forward Joel Farabee had two goals and an assist in a 5-4 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Ryan Strome had a goal and an assist in his first game with the Flames (25-30-7) since his acquisition from the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists for the 40-17-6 Hurricanes, who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4. Karel Vejmelka stopped 27 shots to become the first goaltender to reach 30 wins this season as the Mammoth (34-25-4) has won three straight and holds the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 72 points. Damon Severson, Mathieu Olivier, Adam Fantilli, and Mason Marchment each had a goal and an assist for the 32-21-9 Blue Jackets, who sit two points behind the Bruins for the final Eastern wild-card spot.

IN OTHER NEWS…

MLIVE.COM: Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars center Roope Hintz is expected to miss some extended time after injuring his left leg during Friday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche.

NHL.COM: Former Chicago Blackhawks forward and broadcaster Troy Murray passed away from cancer on Saturday at the age of 63.

Murray played 15 seasons in the NHL from 1981-82 to 1995-96, spending 12 of those seasons with the Blackhawks. In 915 regular-season games with the Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators, and Colorado Avalanche, Murray had 230 goals and 354 assists for 584 points, as well as 43 points in 113 playoff contests. He won the Selke Trophy with the Blackhawks in 1985-86, and the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1995-96.

After retiring, Murray became the Blackhawks’ radio analyst for over two decades.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Murray’s family, friends, former teammates, and the Blackhawks organization.