NHL Rumor Mill – February 2, 2022

by | Feb 2, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – February 2, 2022

Check out the latest on the Canadiens, Stars, Canucks, Ducks, Panthers, Predators, Wild, Kings and Coyotes in today’s NHL rumor mill.

LATEST PETRY SPECULATION

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports a league source suggested a scenario that the Dallas Stars could become a team with interest in Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry if they move John Klingberg, a pending free agent who has requested a trade. The idea would see them replace Klingberg with the 34-year Petry.

LeBrun added the Canadiens are telling teams they don’t have to move Petry, who’s signed through 2024-25. They’re also not moving him at a discount simply because he’s struggling this season.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports a few teams have indicated they see a Petry move being more likely to occur in the offseason than at the March 21 trade deadline. Despite his difficulties and those of the Canadiens this season, he put up good stats last season and that hasn’t gone unnoticed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Petry’s stats could improve playing on a better team. However, he’s a 34-year-old defenseman carrying a $6.25 million annual cap hit through 2024-25 and a 15-team no-trade clause. Meanwhile, the salary cap is flattened for the foreseeable future. If the Canadiens don’t intend on retaining part of his cap hit or agree to take back a toxic contract, they’ll have to include a sweetener to convince an opponent to pick up the full remainder of his contract.

The Stars acquiring Petry as a replacement for Klingberg would make sense if they were a Stanley Cup contender. They’re not. They’re a struggling club with $19.45 million invested in past-their-prime forwards Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin through 2024-25. They’ve already got nearly $18 million invested in blueliners Miro Heiskanen, Esa Lindell and Ryan Suter. Restricted free agents Jason Robertson, Denis Gurianov and Jake Oettinger must be resigned while UFAs Joe Pavelski and Alexander Radulov must be re-signed or replaced.

Finding a deal that works for the acquiring club, the Canadiens, and Petry is easier said than done. It will be quite an accomplishment for Habs rookie GM Kent Hughes if he can pull it off.

RUMORS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS”.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the Vancouver Canucks could be considering re-signing J.T. Miller instead of trading him. That’s one reason why other names like Conor Garland have surfaced in the rumor mill. Canucks president Jim Rutherford wants to create room and that’s why he’s exploring all possibilities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman is referring to cap flexibility, something the Canucks haven’t had for a while. It doesn’t mean Rutherford’s going to engage in a fire sale of his best players or make cost-cutting deals before the trade deadline. However, that could change if his club fails to gain ground in the playoff chase by the March 21 deadline.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm (NHL Images).

Whoever becomes the new Anaheim Ducks general manager faces a big decision regarding the future of pending UFA defenseman Hampus Lindholm. Friedman doesn’t believe the Ducks can afford to keep him post-deadline even if they’re in playoff contention unless they know he’s staying. He also mentioned the Ducks have many options with UFA blueliner Josh Manson, including keeping him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I can also see them retaining Lindholm, Manson and fellow UFA Rickard Rakell as “own rentals” if they’re still holding a playoff spot by deadline day.

The Ducks haven’t been in the postseason since 2018. Like every team, they’ve endured revenue losses during this pandemic. Ownership could be unwilling to jeopardize potential playoff money this season by trading away a key player or two even at the risk of losing them to free agency this summer.

Friedman cited colleague Jeff Marek recently mentioning Florida Panthers forward Owen Tippett as a possible trade candidate. He also suggested Frank Vatrano as another.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers’ focus is reportedly on bolstering their blueline depth. It wouldn’t be surprising if they draw on their forward depth to address that need.

Nashville Predators GM David Poile said he likes his team and doesn’t want to make many changes. “We’re content where we are,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s understandable given the Predators’ improvement this season. It’s probably safe to say Poile won’t be shopping pending UFA winger Filip Forsberg, who’s played a key role in the Preds’ performance. Poile could be a buyer by deadline day but it will probably be a minor move or two.

There have been no current contract discussions between the Minnesota Wild and winger Kevin Fiala, who is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer.

Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake will meet with winger Dustin Brown during the all-star break to discuss his future. The Kings have no desire to move goaltender Jonathan Quick. They are in the market for a big left-shot defenseman. Blake declined to comment about Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brown is a UFA this summer while Quick has a year remaining on his deal. I can see Blake signing Brown to an affordable one-year deal. Chychrun would be a terrific fit with the Kings but the Coyotes seek a good young NHL player, a first-round pick and a top prospect in return.

COYOTES ARE ONCE AGAIN WILLING TO TAKE ON CONTRACTS

TSN: Chris Johnston reports teams in need of salary-cap relief could be in touch with the Arizona Coyotes before the trade deadline. The Coyotes have let it be known they’re willing to take on contracts or money in exchange for future assets like they did last summer. It will depend upon the length of the contract and the type of player being brought in.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They could also become a third-party broker between two clubs, retaining part of a player’s cap hit in exchange for a draft pick or prospect.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2022

by | Feb 2, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2022

The Avalanche’s home win streak ends at 18 games, the top rookie and the three stars for January are revealed, Willie O’Ree will receive the U.S. Congress’ highest honor, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche’s home winning streak ended at 18 games as the Arizona Coyotes nipped them 3-2. Alex Galchenyuk scored his first goal of the season and tallied the winning goal in the shootout. Coyotes goaltender Scott Wedgewood picked up the win with a 38-save performance. The loss left the Avalanche (68 points) one point behind the first-overall Florida Panthers in the overall standings.

Speaking of the Panthers, they blew a 2-1 lead to drop a 5-2 decision to the New York Rangers. Chris Kreider scored twice and set up another goal while Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists. The Rangers (64 points) are tied with the Carolina Hurricanes but the latter holds first in the Metropolitan Division with five games in hand.

The Tampa Bay Lightning (63 points) gained some ground on the Panthers by beating the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on an overtime goal by Victor Hedman. With the win, the Lightning are three points back of the Panthers. Logan Couture had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (48 points), who sit two points out of the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner extended his goal streak to seven games by tallying twice and adding two assists in a 7-1 thrashing of the New Jersey Devils. Auston Matthews netted his 29th goal of the season as the Leafs remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 61 points.

Filip Forsberg scored twice and Juuse Saros kicked out 30 shots for his 100th career NHL win to double up the Vancouver Canucks 4-2. The Predators sit in second place in the Central Division with 60 points while the Canucks (56 points) are four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

David Pastrnak’s two power-play carried the Boston Bruins to a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist for the Bruins, who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 55 points.

The Calgary Flames overcame a 3-1 deficit with three unanswered third-period goals to drop the Dallas Stars 4-3. Dan Vladar replaced Flames starter Jacob Markstrom after he gave up three goals on 23 shots. Oliver Kylington tallied the winning goal late in the third. The Flames hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 50 points while the Stars sit two points back.

Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov scored twice, including the winner in overtime in a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Washington goalie Ilya Samsonov made 43 saves after Vitek Vanecek left the game following a first-period collision with Penguins winger Kasperi Kapanen. The Capitals hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 59 points while the Penguins (62 points) hold third place in the Metropolitan Division.

The Vegas Golden Knights (57 points) opened a two-point lead over the Anaheim Ducks for first place in the Pacific Division by defeating the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. Golden Knights forwards Jonathan Marchessault and Mark Stone each had a goal and an assist while Sabres winger Alex Tuch scored in his first game in Vegas against his former club.

New York Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin stopped 26 shots in a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock returned to the lineup after missing 25 games with a lower-body injury.

The Philadelphia Flyers picked up their second straight win following a 13-game losing skid by downing the Winnipeg Jets 3-1. James van Riemsdyk and Oskar Lindblom tallied two unanswered third-period goals for the Flyers. Jets winger Kyle Connor potted his 25th goal of the season.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The bill to present Willie O’Ree the Congressional Gold Medal was signed into law Monday by U.S. President Joe Biden. It is the U.S. Congress’ highest honor and commemorates O’Ree’s achievements as a hockey pioneer and his ongoing contributions to the game. O’Ree became the first black player in NHL history when he took to the ice for the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 18, 1958.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to O’Ree, who will receive the award in a ceremony at a future date.

Florida Panthers winger Jonathan Huberdeau, Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros, and Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust are the NHL’s three stars for January 2022 while Panthers winger Anton Lundell was named rookie of the month.

THE ATHLETIC: Sean Shapiro reports several NHL executives are frustrated over the Arizona Coyotes plan to spend the next three seasons playing at a 5,000-seat arena at Arizona State University while the franchise attempts to construct a new arena in Tempe. The Coyotes must vacate the Gila River Arena at the end of this season after the city of Glendale opted out of it lease agreement with the club. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Shapiro the Coyotes’ plan is under serious consideration by the league.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those executives told Shapiro they’re concerned over what that move into such a small venue will have upon hockey-related revenue at a time when HRR has already been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re also upset by the prospect of the Coyotes receiving more money under the league’s revenue-sharing plan. Whether those concerns carry any weight in the league’s decision remains to be seen.

TSN: Rick Westhead reports former NHL star Ralph Backstrom had a severe form of the degenerative brain disease CTE. Backstrom died in Feb. 2021 and had his brain donated for research. His wife revealed the posthumous diagnosis. What was notable was Backstrom was a skill player rather than one who engaged in belligerent physical play. CTE is often diagnosed in athletes with a history of repeated blows to the head.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Westhead observes, Backstrom’s CTE may have come not from fights but from body checks that occur during a game.

SPORTSNET: Former NHL player Reid Boucher was sentenced to four years of probation with one year of suspended jail time if he successfully completes his probation in his 2011 sexual assault case. He pleaded guilty on Dec. 13 to third-degree sexual criminal sexual conduct against a minor.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 1, 2022

by | Feb 1, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – February 1, 2022

​More trade speculation regarding Canadiens defensemen Jeff Petry and Ben Chiarot plus some of the Senators pending UFAs are garnering attention. Check out the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.

LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said his club views its trade deadline plans as being “open to everything”. However, they’re not feeling pressured to move out players on long-term deals by deadline day. If a move makes sense before March 21 they’ll consider it and if not they’ll wait for the offseason.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry (NHL Images).

LeBrun indicates the Canadiens front office is also debating which players should stay and those who should go and why. However, it’s not easy to make individual player assessments when the club is playing so poorly right now. Hughes said he’s spoken to players who’ve been mentioned in trade rumors, saying he didn’t have any answers for them right now but wanted them to see him if they have any questions.

Sources told LeBrun that Jeff Petry would be open to a trade. The 34-year-old defenseman is having a rough year but still has value around the league, with one Western Conference executive saying his club would have no hesitation about stepping up for Petry if he could address a roster need.

LeBrun doesn’t see the Habs peddling Petry at a discount if they move him at all. He has a 15-team no-trade list but his camp is open to help facilitate a trade.

THE JEFF MAREK SHOW: Elliotte Friedman believes Petry will draw interest in the trade market based on his performance during last year’s playoffs. He expects the blueliner will be traded but isn’t sure if it’ll happen at the trade deadline or in the offseason. Friedman suspects it could be this summer because teams have more salary-cap flexibility.

Friedman also believes defenseman Ben Chiarot will be the first player the Canadiens trade this season because of his eligibility this summer for unrestricted free agent status. He pointed out the St. Louis Blues are among several teams interested in the 31-year-old Chiarot.

He also made the point that it was easier for the Canadiens to retain salary on Chiarot because it’s only for the remainder of this season. For Petry, it would mean doing so through 2024-25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Petry’s contract will be a stumbling block on the path to a trade. Hughes would probably accommodate the unhappy defenseman’s trade request during this season if he was carrying a more affordable cap hit on a shorter term.

That Western Conference executive cited by LeBrun and any others interested in Petry would love to take him off the Habs’ hands provided Hughes retains a healthy chunk of the defenseman’s $6.25 million annual cap hit. Or takes back a toxic contract. Or packages Petry with the Canadiens first-round pick in this year’s draft, or a promising player like Cole Caufield or Alexander Romanov, or top prospect Kaiden Guhle.

Those are scenarios Hughes undoubtedly doesn’t want to do. It would be quite a feat by the Canadiens rookie GM to move Petry without having to resort to one of them. Maybe there will be better options available in the offseason. Petry’s unhappiness and uninspired play, however, could end up forcing Hughes into choosing one of those options.

Chiarot remains the easiest to move and I daresay Friedman is right that he’ll be the first Hab to be traded by deadline day. His annual cap hit ($3.5 million) isn’t that expensive but it could be necessary to retain some of it to ship him to a cap-strapped team. As Friedman points out, it won’t do any harm to the Canadiens payroll or their performance this season, especially if they can get a solid return that helps them over the long term.

TWO SENATORS UFAS DRAWING INTEREST

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently reported Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg and forward Nick Paul has garnered attention in the NHL rumor mill. Forsberg has popped up among clubs seeking help between the pipes while Paul has impressed with his work ethic.

Both players are slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer. The Senators would like to re-sign them but Seravalli suggests they could end up on his trade targets list if they’re not under contract by March 21.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 1, 2022

by | Feb 1, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 1, 2022

​Mason Marchment has a 6-point night in a big Panthers win, more changes to NHL COVID protocols, the 3 stars of the week revealed, the wild re-sign Jordan Greenway and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Mason Marchment scored two goals and set up four others in a six-point performance as his club doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 8-4. Teammates Anton Lundell collected five assists while Sam Reinhart tallied a hat trick and chipped in an assist. Patrik Laine scored twice for the Jackets while Elvis Merzlikins was pulled after giving up seven goals on 25 shots. The Panthers regained first place in the overall standings with 69 points.

Florida Panthers winger Mason Marchment (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets received bad news yesterday as defenseman Jake Bean is expected to be sidelined for four weeks with a groin injury. Bean already tallied career highs with four goals and 15 points this season.

Auston Matthews netted a hat trick during the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-4 comeback win over the New Jersey Devils. The Leafs overcame a 4-2 deficit with four unanswered third-period goals. Mitch Marner extended his goal streak to six games with a goal and two assists while Leafs goalie Jack Campbell was pulled after giving up three goals on nine shots. They remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin missed this game with a concussion and is expected to remain sidelined for the remainder of this week. Devils coach Lindy Ruff missed this game and will miss the rematch tonight due to the recent passing of his father. My condolences to Ruff and his family.

An overtime goal by Tim Stutzle lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Goaltender Matt Murray picked up the win with a 37-save performance while Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot each had two points. The Oilers (47 points) sit one point behind the Calgary Flames in the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Jaroslav Halak made 20 saves for his first win since Dec. 30 in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Brock Boeser tallied his 12th goal of the season as the Canucks (46 points) sit two points back of the Flames.

The Detroit Red Wings nipped the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. Jordan Oesterle scored in overtime while Dylan Larkin netted his 23rd of the season. Rickard Rakell replied for the Ducks, who sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 55 points.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league and the NHL Players Association yesterday announced an update on their COVID-19 protocols. Among the notable changes is the removal of “enhanced measures” as they revert back to start-of-season protocols, removal of daily testing for fully-vaccinated individuals, removal of the requirement to test close contacts, and updated recommendations for the type of masks and steps to reduce community exposure.

Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri, Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, and Calgary Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 30.

DAILY FACEOFF: The skills competition for the upcoming 2022 NHL All-Star weekend in Las Vegas will feature events on the Las Vegas Strip and in the Belaggio Fountains.

TWINCITIES.COM: The Minnesota Wild signed winger Jordan Greenway to a three-year, $9 million contract extension. The 24-year-old winger was slated to become a restricted free agent this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a nice little pay bump for Greenway from the $2.1 million annual average value of his current deal. This also fits comfortably within the Wild’s salary-cap payroll for 2022-23. Cap Friendly indicates the Wild have $69.4 million invested in 13 players next season with Kevin Fiala, Alex Goligoski, and Kaapo Kahkonen among their notable free agents.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Danton Heinen is listed as day-to-day with an unspecified injury.

GOPHNX.COM: Arizona Coyotes center Johan Larsson could be facing surgery for a nagging groin injury.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Former Blackhawks Marian Hossa, Ed Olcyzk and Patrick Sharp will be part of the advisory committee that will select the club’s next general manager.

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs head coach Mike Nykoluk passed away at age 87. He spent 17 seasons as a player in the AHL but briefly played for the Leafs in 1956-57. He was their head coach from 1980 to 1984. As an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers, he was part of their Stanley Cup championships in 1974 and 1975. He was also an assistant coach with the New York Rangers before joining the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Nykoluk’s family, friends and to the Leafs, Flyers and Rangers organizations.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 31, 2022

by | Jan 31, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – January 31, 2022

​Could the Canadiens trade Jeff Petry or Brendan Gallagher? What are some possible trade targets for the Bruins? Find out in today’s NHL rumor mill.

LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

LA PRESSE: Guillaume Lefrancois reports Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said he was willing to trade Jeff Petry if it works out for both sides. The 34-year-old defenseman has not requested a trade but he’s struggling through his worst season on the ice while his family has returned to the United States due to the COVID measures in place in the province of Quebec.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry (NHL Images).

Hughes met with Petry during the club’s recent road trip. He told the blueliner he was aware of what was happening in his life, saying if there’s a chance it will work out on both sides to trade him they would do so. Until then, he expects Petry to play his best for the Canadiens.

Lafrancois suggested Hughes might want to do Petry a favor by trading him to an American club. However, his $6.25 million annual cap hit through 2024-25 combined with the flattened NHL cap makes that contract difficult for some teams to absorb.

Hughes also mentioned he’d like to add more leadership to his roster. Ideally, he’d like to add another center to provide support for Nick Suzuki. Francois suggested it would be interesting if the Habs GM pursued former client Patrice Bergeron during the offseason. The Boston Bruins captain is an unrestricted free agent this summer.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan suggests Brendan Gallagher faces an uncertain future with the Canadiens. Though he’s in the first season of a six-year, $39 million contract, Cowan believes it would be understandable if the 29-year-old winger didn’t want to stick around for a rebuild at this stage in his career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Petry certainly seems unhappy this season. There’s also conjecture he hates playing for Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme. It was telling that he no longer had the assistant captain’s “A” on his jersey when the Habs played the Columbus Blue Jackets last night. The blueliner was also singled out by the press and on social media for not coming to the defense of Sam Montembeault when the Canadiens goalie was run by Edmonton Oilers winger Zack Kassian on Saturday.

The decline in Petry’s performance would hurt his trade value but I daresay there would be teams willing to gamble on a change of scenery helping him regain his usual 40-point production. However, his contract is a serious sticking point. In addition to his cap hit, he has a 15-team no-trade clause and a no-movement clause to prevent any demotion to the minors. The Canadiens will either have to retain some salary, take on a toxic contract, or try to spread around that cap hit with a three-team deal.

Gallagher is in the same boat contract-wise, though his no-trade list consists of six teams. His feisty style would be enticing for some clubs but not his $6.5 million cap hit through 2026-27.

The bottom line is it will require considerable management skills by Hughes and hockey ops VP Jeff Gorton to swing deals that move one or both players without leaving the Canadiens carrying too much dead cap space.

SUGGESTED BRUINS TRADE TARGETS

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss listed five forwards he believes the Bruins should target before the March 21 trade deadline.

Topping his list is the Vancouver Canucks J.T. Miller as he’d be a great fit as the Bruins’ second-line center. The cost would be high, leading Goss to wonder if they would consider parting with Jeremy Swayman or Mason Lohrei as part of the deal for Miller.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind Miller is signed through next season. The Canucks could listen to offers but they’re under no pressure to move him now. The Bruins lack sufficient asset depth to win a bidding war for his services against clubs like the New York Rangers, who have more cap space and promising young talent to draw upon for trade bait.

Goss also listed the Arizona Coyotes Lawson Crouse and Phil Kessel, the Vegas Golden Knights’ Reilly Smith and the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Max Domi.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those players could be more realistic trade options for the Bruins. Kessel, however, has an eight-team no-trade clause and might not prefer returning to Boston. Crouse would certainly be more affordable as a depth addition plus he’s a restricted free agent this summer.

Smith lacks no-trade protection and could be a good fit. Like Miller, however, there could be other clubs who could outbid the Bruins. Domi’s inconsistency has been an issue throughout his career.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 31, 2022

by | Jan 31, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 31, 2022

​The Avalanche maintain their win streaks, Carey Price talks about his future, All-Star Game updates and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche extended two winning streaks with a 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. They’ve won 10 straight and are undefeated at home in their last 20 (19-0-1). Mikko Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkin each had a goal and an assist as the Avs regained first place in the overall standings with 67 points. The Avalanche tied an NHL record for the most victories (15) in one month.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

Speaking of unbeaten streaks, the Minnesota Wild extended theirs to nine games (8-0-1) by holding off the New York Islanders 4-3. Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy each had a goal and an assist as the Wild (57 points) moved into third place in the Central Division. Wild winger Kevin Fiala collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games.

Andrei Svechnikov broked a 1-1 tie to lift the Carolina Hurricanes over the San Jose Sharks 2-1. Goaltender Frederik Andersen made 27 saves as the Hurricanes have won four straight and sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points.

A third-period goal by K’Andre Miller lifted the New York Rangers to a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Igor Shesterkin kicked out 40 shots while teammate Mika Zibanejad had a goal and two assists to keep the Rangers (62 points) within two points of the Hurricanes.

Los Angeles Kings winger Trevor Moore tallied twice to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Kings captain Anze Kopitar collected two assists while Bryan Rust scored two goals for the Penguins. With 53 points, the Kings move within one point of the second-place Anaheim Ducks in the Pacific Division while the Penguins (61 points) remain one point behind the second-place Rangers in the Metro Division.

Tyler Seguin scored twice and picked up an assist while Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist as the Dallas Stars rolled to a convincing 6-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Dallas forward Roope Hintz reached the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career. The Stars moved into a tie with the Calgary Flames with 48 points but the Flames hold the final wild-card spot with two games in hand.

The Columbus Blue Jackets rode a four-goal first period to a 6-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Patrik Laine scored twice for the Jackets while Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens.

HEADLINES

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price spoke to the media yesterday for the first time since the Stanley Cup Final in July. He still hopes to return to action this season after suffering setbacks in his recovery from off-season knee surgery. Price also insisted he wants to remain with the Canadiens and has no plans to move anywhere.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price also entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program for a month back in October. He has been the subject of trade speculation as some pundits mused about whether he’ll want to stick with a struggling team that appears headed for a rebuild after this season. Even if he was willing to waive his no-movement clause, his injury and his $10.5 million cap hit through 2025-26 would ensure he remains in Montreal for the rest of this season and probably beyond.

NHL.COM: Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi and Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov were added to the rosters for next weekend’s NHL All-Star game. They are replacing New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon as both are sidelined by injuries.

CBS SPORTS: Carolina Hurricanes winger Teuvo Teravainen missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Buffalo Sabres forward Zemgus Zirgensons is out past the All-Star weekend with an undisclosed injury.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights signed defenseman Brayden McNabb to a three-year contract extension with an annual average value of $2.85 million. Forward Michael Amadio was inked to a two-year extension with an annual cap hit of $762,500 while goaltender Logan Thompson inked a three-year deal worth an AAV of $766, 667.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Former Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton will take over as head coach of Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey team after Claude Julien slipped on ice and fractured some ribs during training camp in Switzerland.