Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 29, 2026

by | Mar 29, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 29, 2026

What could new contracts for some of this summer’s top restricted free agents look like? Could the Kraken re-sign Bobby McMann? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

NEW CONTRACTS FOR YOUNG PENDING RFA STARS COULD AFFECT THE MARKET

TSN: Chris Johnston recently said that Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks, Leo Carlsson of the Anaheim Ducks, and Adam Fantilli of the Columbus Blue Jackets could reset the market when they sign their new contracts later this year.

Bedard, Carlsson, and Fantilli are restricted free agents coming off their entry-level contracts and lack arbitration rights. They’re also the top-line centers on their respective teams.

Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (NHL Images)

Johnston believes the reason Bedard, Carlsson, and Fantilli remain unsigned is that they’re holding off due to shifting market dynamics. He also thinks those three wouldn’t mind if a younger player, such as Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks, signed an extension beforehand to establish the market.

Those players could get eight-year contracts before the maximum limit is reduced to seven years on Sept. 26.

DAILY FACEOFF: Felix Sicard of the Crash the Pond Podcast projected that Carlsson and teammate Cutter Gauthier could each land contracts of eight years with average annual values between $9 million and $10 million.

Sicard anticipates that Carlsson’s AAV will be over $10 million, given his role as the Ducks’ first-line center. Gauthier could get close to $10 million as he’s poised to reach 40 goals this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The sharp rise in the salary cap is the main reason behind what Johnston called shifting market dynamics. We saw it earlier this season when all the biggest stars eligible to unrestricted free agency this July were signed to expensive long-term extensions.

Celebrini has established himself as a superstar during his sophomore season, sitting fourth overall in league scoring with 98 points. Barring injury or a late-season slump, he’ll likely finish with at least 105 points, more than the single-season best numbers of Bedard, Carlsson, Fantilli, and Gauthier.

The Sharks will be keen to lock up their franchise player for as long as possible, preferably the current maximum of eight years. Celebrini could earn an average annual value of around $15 million.

Bedard, Carlsson, and Fantilli probably won’t get as much as that, but they would be assured of long-term deals worth over $10 million annually. Gauthier will get around $10 million, especially if he exceeds 40 goals this season.

The Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, and Ducks have the cap space to re-sign those players. However, it could cost the Ducks over $20 million to ink Carlsson and Gauthier, which could limit their efforts to re-sign or replace pending UFAs Jacob Trouba, John Carlsson, Radko Gudas, and to re-sign RFAs Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov.

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek is a tough negotiator with players coming off entry-level contracts, as current Ducks center Mason McTavish and former Ducks forward Trevor Zegras can attest. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles this summer’s contract talks with Carlsson and Gauthier.

KRAKEN HOPE TO RE-SIGN BOBBY MCMANN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Seattle Kraken have shown an interest in retaining Bobby McMann, who is eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1.

The 29-year-old McMann has seven goals and four assists in eight games since being acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the March 6 trade deadline. Friedman said the two sides haven’t gone too far down the road with this yet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was rumored that one reason why the Maple Leafs parted with McMann was that his camp sought a multi-year extension worth around $5 million per season. Maybe the goal-starved Kraken would be willing to meet that price.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2026

by | Mar 29, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2026

Check out the recaps from a 15-game Saturday night in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A hat-trick performance by Owen Tippett carried the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Tippett finished with four points, and Dan Vladar made 32 saves for the 35-24-12 Flyers (82 points), who are five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Patrick Kane and Moritz Seider each had two assists for the Red Wings (39-25-8), who are one point out of that wild card with 86 points.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers have been hot of late, with a record of 7-1-1 in their last nine games.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg had a goal and two assists as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Ottawa Senators 4-2. Brandon Hagel and Charle-Edouard D’Astous each had a goal and an assist for the 45-21-6 Lightning, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 96 points. Dylan Cozens and Jordan Spence scored for the Senators (38-25-10), who sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning forwards Nikita Kucherov and Nick Paul missed this game due to illness.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield sniped his 45th goal of the season in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. The Canadiens’ second line of Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, and Alex Newhook each had a goal and an assist as the Habs (41-21-10) picked up their fourth straight win and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 91 points. Zachary L’Heureux scored for the 34-30-9 Predators, who cling to the final Western wild card with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist to become the third defenseman in NHL history to record multiple 60-assist seasons before the age of 23, joining Hall of Famers Paul Coffey (three seasons) and Bobby Orr (two seasons).

The Winnipeg Jets are getting closer to a Western Conference wild-card spot with a 4-2 upset of the league-leading Colorado Avalanche. Cole Perfetti snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period while Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and an assist for the 31-30-12 Jets (74 points), who moved within three points of the Predators. Brock Nelson and Parker Kelly replied for the 48-14-10 Avalanche (106 points).

A five-goal second period vaulted the New York Islanders over the Florida Panthers by a score of 5-2. Brayden Schenn had a goal and two assists for the Islanders (42-27-5) as they moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points. Matthew Tkachuk scored both goals for the 35-34-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers center Sam Bennett missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Zach Hyman had a goal and an assist while Jack Roslovic tallied his 20th goal of the season for the 37-28-9 Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 83 points. Beckett Sennecke and Cutter Gauthier tallied for the Ducks (41-28-4), who hold first place in that division with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks winger Troy Terry returned to the lineup after missing one game with a lower-body injury. Teammates Radko Gudas and Pavel Mintyukov missed this contest with lower-body injuries.

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist after missing 15 games with a lower-body injury in a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Mavrik Bourque scored twice and picked up an assist, and Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the Stars (44-18-11), who remain in second place in the overall standings with 99 points. Erik Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the 36-21-16 Penguins, who are clinging to third place in the Metropolitan Division with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins played without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as both are day-to-day with injuries.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak collected two assists to extend his points streak to 12 games to help his club beat the Minnesota Wild 6-3. Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm each tallied twice for the 41-24-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 90 points. Mats Zuccarello and Ryan Hartman each had a goal and an assist for the Wild (41-21-12), who sit third in the Central Division with 94 points.

The Carolina Hurricanes scored five straight goals in a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. Nikolaj Ehlers and Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (46-20-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 98 points. Timo Meier and Evgenii Dadonov replied for the 37-33-2 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gostisbehere returned from a nine-game absence with a lower-body injury.

San Jose Sharks rookie winger Igor Chernyshov scored twice (including the game-winner) for his first NHL multi-point game to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist for the 33-31-7 Sharks (74 points), who snapped a six-game skid to sit four points out of the final Western wild card. Denton Mateychuk and Cole Sillinger scored while Elvis Merzlikins stopped 33 shots for the Blue Jackets (38-24-11), who slipped into the final Eastern wild card with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov left this game after the second period with an upper-body injury.

The Buffalo Sabres overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Seattle Kraken 3-2 on a shootout goal by Tage Thompson. Rasmus Dahlin scored his 100th career NHL regular-season goal while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside 32 shots for the 45-21-8 Sabres, who remain in first place in the Atlantic Division with 98 points. Chandler Stephenson and Bobby McMann each had a goal and an assist for the Kraken (32-29-11) as they sit two points out of the final Western wild card with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres rookie Noah Ostlund could be sidelined longer than expected with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Kraken center Shane Wright left this game in the first period with an undisclosed ailment.

Utah Mammoth forwards Alexander Kerfoot and Logan Cooley each tallied two goals to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 6-2. Mikhail Sergachev collected four assists as the Mammoth (37-30-6) remains in the first Western wild card with 80 points. Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe scored for the 29-25-18 Kings (76 points), who are one point out of the final Western wild-card berth.

The Washington Capitals blew a 3-0 lead but rallied from a 4-3 deficit for a 5-4 shootout victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Dylan Strome scored the tying goal and the winner in the shootout for the 36-28-9 Capitals. Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights (32-26-16), who have lost six of their last seven games but remain third in the Pacific Division with 79 points.

St. Louis Blues winger Dylan Holloway had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours each had two assists for the 31-30-11 Blues (73 points), who sit four points out of the Western wild-card spot. Jake McCabe replied for the 31-30-13 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas returned to action after missing one game with an upper-body injury.

The Calgary Flames pounded the Vancouver Canucks 7-3. Matt Coronato and Morgan Frost each had a goal and two assists for the 30-34-8 Flames. Center Elias Pettersson picked up two assists for the 21-42-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Joel Hanley’s season is over as he suffered an undisclosed injury on Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 28, 2026

by | Mar 28, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 28, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at some of this summer’s notable restricted free agents.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently listed the latest rumors and reports regarding this summer’s notable NHL restricted free agents.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The limited talent in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market has some observers suggesting some teams could attempt to poach away a top restricted free agent with an offer sheet. Some of the players on this list could also become trade targets if their contract negotiations stall.

Fox also pointed out that eight-year contract extensions will be nonexistent starting on July 1, which could provide an incentive to get these players under contract before then.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson is slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. He’ll also be a year away from UFA eligibility if he and the Stars settle on a one-year contract.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

Fox indicated that Stars general manager Jim Nill reportedly explored Robertson’s value in last summer’s trade market, but he prefers to retain the 26-year-old winger. Nill also claimed the trade rumors were overblown. Robertson leads the Stars in scoring this season, which ensures his value will rise. A maximum eight-year extension could match teammate Mikko Rantanen’s average annual value of $12 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson’s situation will draw the most attention among this summer’s RFA class. The Stars have a projected $14.9 million in salary-cap space for 2026-27 with 18 active roster players under contract.

A $12 million extension would leave little room for Nill to fill out the remainder of his roster for next season. If he intends to re-sign Robertson to that much, he’ll have to shed salary to free up more cap room.

It will be interesting to see how Leo Carlsson’s contract talks progress this summer. The 21-year-old center has played a pivotal role in the Anaheim Ducks’ improvement this season, with 61 points in 60 games. He could be poised to become the Ducks’ highest-paid player, but he’s also coming off his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights.

Carlsson’s teammate, Cutter Gauthier, is in the same boat. The 22-year-old winger is the Ducks’ leading scorer with 36 goals and 63 points in 71 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks GM Pat Verbeek usually plays hardball with players completing their ELCs, as Mason McTavish found out last summer, and former Duck Trevor Zegras in 2023. If Verbeek does the same with Carlsson and Gauthier, their negotiations could carry over into training camp before they’re resolved, which could also tempt some rival clubs to check their availability via trade or offer sheet.

Salary-cap constraints could affect the Vegas Golden Knights’ efforts to re-sign Pavel Dorofeyev. The versatile 25-year-old winger has arbitration rights this summer. Fox speculates he could get a two-year extension, taking him up to UFA eligibility at $5.6 million AAV, while an eight-year deal could cost around $8 million annually.

However, the Golden Knights already have five forwards earning between $5 million and $13.5 million. They must also re-sign UFA-eligible defenseman Rasmus Andersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights usually find some creative way to retain their best player whilst staying within the boundaries of the CBA. They could get $8.8 million in cap relief if Alex Pietrangelo remains on long-term injury reserve, which could create sufficient wiggle room to retain Dorofeyev or Andersson. However, they must free up more room to keep both.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec surfaced in the rumor mill before the March 6 trade deadline. Fox believes he’ll either be traded for a nice return or sign a nice bridge deal. He noted that the Devils were rumored to have turned down an offer of winger William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks at the deadline.

After the trade deadline, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald hinted that he might draw from his blueline depth to bring in some help for his forward lines, like a top-six winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils could try to trade veteran Dougie Hamilton, but his inconsistent play, hefty salary, and 10-team trade list have made him difficult to move. Nemec seems the more likely trade candidate. Some have suggested sending him to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a package deal for power forward Matthew Knies.

Other notable players among this summer’s RFA class include Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli and goaltender Jet Greaves, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale, and Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I didn’t bother breaking down their individual situations because I don’t expect their teams to have any difficulty re-signing them. It’s unlikely those players will sign offer sheets, and if they did, their teams have the cap space to match such offers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2026

by | Mar 28, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2026

The Red Wings move closer to a wild-card berth, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings regained some ground in the race for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and two assists, Patrick Kane scored and picked up an assist, and John Gibson made 28 saves for the 39-25-8 Red Wings (86 points), who moved to within one point of the New York Islanders for the final Eastern wild card. Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin replied for the Sabres (44-21-8), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 96 points.

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres missed an opportunity to take over sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference from the Carolina Hurricanes, who hold two games in hand. Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day. The Wings called up Michal Postava to back up Gibson.

New York Rangers rookie goalie Dylan Garand stopped 27 shots for his first NHL win as his club beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1. Rookie winger Adam Sykora tallied his first NHL goal, J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists, and Jonny Brodzinski tallied twice for the 29-35-9 Rangers. Nick Lardis scored for the 27-33-13 Blackhawks.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: The date for the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery was officially confirmed for Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

DAILY FACEOFF: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson suffered an upper-body injury during Thursday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. He is listed as week-to-week.

CALGARY SUN: Flames forward Samuel Honzek has returned to practice with his teammates for the first time since suffering an upper-body collision after colliding with teammate Mikael Backlund. However, the 21-year-old will not return to action this season.

TORONTO STAR: The Maple Leafs returned forward Bo Groulx to their AHL affiliate. If he played one more game with the Leafs, he couldn’t return to the Marlies without passing through waivers. The Leafs want Groulx to take part in this year’s Calder Cup playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Groulx played well during his brief call-up. The 26-year-old center had three goals and two assists for five points in nine games, which could earn him a permanent spot with the Maple Leafs next season. He has 50 points in 52 games with the Marlies.

CBS SPORTS: The Colorado Avalanche reassigned winger Gavin Brindley to their AHL affiliate. With the Avalanche finally sporting a healthy roster, Brindley had been a recent healthy scratch. He’ll get more playing time with their farm club.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Peter Chiarelli and Kevin Maxwell are leaving the St. Louis Blues organization. Chiarelli was their vice president of hockey operations, and Maxwell served as a pro scout.

Chiarelli is reportedly among the candidates to replace Barry Trotz as general manager of the Nashville Predators. Maxwell is returning to the Rangers in a management role.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars promoted Rich Peverley to assistant GM. He’d served as their director of player personnel.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 27, 2026

by | Mar 27, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 27, 2026

Check out the latest on Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies and Canucks center Elias Pettersson in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols recently looked at what it might cost the Devils if they were to acquire winger Matthew Knies from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthews Knies (NHL Images).

Knies, 23, was the subject of trade speculation before the March 6 trade deadline. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Devils were among a handful of suitors with “serious interest” in the young Maple Leafs power forward.

Knies would be the perfect complementary winger to skate alongside Devils center Jack Hughes. It could cost the Devils defenseman Simon Nemec, who would immediately move up the Maple Leafs’ blueline depth chart.

Nichols also wondered whether the Leafs would be interested in a trade package including center Dawson Mercer, or perhaps a deal that includes prospect defenseman Seamus Casey and the Devils’ 2026 first-round pick. He doesn’t anticipate Devils veteran blueliner Dougie Hamilton being involved in this type of deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier this month, James Mirtle of The Athletic expressed his belief that the Maple Leafs shouldn’t trade Knies unless it’s for an elite first-line center or a top-pairing defenseman.

Mercer would not fill that need at center. However, Nemec has the potential to become a top-two blueliner. If the Devils make a pitch, the 22-year-old defenseman would have to be part of the return to draw any interest from the Leafs.

Meanwhile, Adam Proteau of The Hockey News considers Knies among a handful of untouchables on the Maple Leafs. If they’re going to rebuild, they need someone like Knies on their roster.

CANUCKS ARMY: Stephan Roget recently looked at several teams that might be willing to take struggling center Elias Pettersson off the Vancouver Canucks’ hands this summer.

The Carolina Hurricanes seem the most obvious choice, as it’s well-known that they attempted to acquire him from the Canucks. It was rumored that the two sides were close to a Pettersson-for-Martin Necas swap two years ago. They still need skilled scoring depth at center, and they have the cap space to take on Pettersson’s expensive contract.

Pettersson was also linked to the Detroit Red Wings before the March 6 trade deadline. Like the Hurricanes, they need additional scoring depth at center. The Los Angeles Kings could be in the market for a top-six center with Anze Kopitar retiring at the end of this season.

The New York Islanders could be a possibility as it would reunite Pettersson with former Canucks teammate Bo Horvat, especially with Mathew Barzal becoming more of a winger. The rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers also need help at center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some interesting possibilities here, but Pettersson’s recent performance and his contract remain major sticking points in trade negotiations. He’s struggled to meet the lofty expectations that come with his hefty deal, failing to come anywhere close to his career-high 102 points in 2022-23.

Pettersson carries an average annual value of $11.6 million for six more years with a full no-movement clause, giving him full control over potential trade destinations. Even teams with a lot of salary-cap space could insist on the Canucks retaining salary to facilitate a trade.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 27, 2026

by | Mar 27, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 27, 2026

Connor McDavid reaches another milestone as he regains the scoring lead, the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin and the Ducks’ Mikael Granlund have hat-trick performances, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists to regain the lead in the scoring race in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Evan Bouchard scored in overtime and collected an assist while Zach Hyman netted his 30th goal of the season for the 36-28-9 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 81 points. Mark Stone tallied twice for the Golden Knights (32-26-15), who sit two points behind the Oilers in third place.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is tied with Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov with 121 points, but he holds the lead with 41 goals. He also became the third-fastest player in NHL history to reach the 800-assist plateau, doing so in 785 regular-season games. He’s behind Wayne Gretzky (527 games) and Mario Lemieux (661 games)

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin set a league record by tallying a hat trick against his 21st NHL team to lead his club over the Utah Mammoth 7-4. Ivan Miroshnichenko scored two goals for the Capitals (36-28-9). Dylan Guenther tallied twice while Clayton Keller collected three assists for the 37-30-6 Mammoth, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 80 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 29 goals, Ovechkin is poised to reach the 30-goal mark for what will be a league-record 20th time. He also has 34 career hat tricks, passing Brett Hull for fourth place on the all-time list behind Gretzky (50), Lemieux (40), and Mike Bossy (39).

Mammoth forward Barrett Hayton missed this game as he’s considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of hat tricks, Mikael Granlund had one in the Anaheim Ducks’ 3-2 overtime win over the Calgary Flames. John Carlson picked up two assists for the 41-27-4 Ducks as they hold first place in the Pacific Division with 86 points. Blake Coleman and Matvei Gridin replied for the Flames (30-34-8).

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored twice to widen his lead in the goal-scoring race as his club downed the Winnipeg Jets 3-2. The Avalanche (48-13-10) extended its win streak to four games as they hold first place in the overall standings with 106 points. Mark Scheifele scored both goals for the Jets (30-30-12) as they sit five points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon has 48 goals, sitting four ahead of Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield. With 117 points, he’s third in the race for the Art Ross Trophy behind McDavid and Kucherov. Meanwhile, Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen collected an assist as he returned to action after being sidelined for 11 games with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of Kucherov, he had an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Seattle Kraken. Defenseman Brandon Montour scored twice (including the game-winner) while Kaapo Kakko and Bobby McMann each had a goal and an assist for the 32-29-10 Kraken (74 points), who are three points out of the final Western wild card. Jake Guentzel had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (44-21-6), who hold second place in the Atlantic Division with 94 points.

The Montreal Canadiens nipped the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 2-1. Jayden Struble and Zach Bolduc snapped their lengthy scoring droughts for the Canadiens (40-21-10), who picked up their third straight win and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 90 points. Damon Severson replied for the 38-23-11 Blue Jackets, who hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens forward Alexandre Texier missed this game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer collected two assists in a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars. Bo Horvat tallied his 30th goal of the season, and Calum Ritchie also scored for the 41-27-5 Islanders, who regained the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 87 points. Matt Duchene replied for the Stars (43-18-11), who remain in second place in the overall standings with 97 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders played without defenseman Tony DeAngelo, who will be out for one to two weeks with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by rookie forward Ben Kindel lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Ottawa Senators 4-3. Rickard Rakell had two goals and an assist, and Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists for the 36-20-16 Penguins, who moved back into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 88 points. Drake Batherson tallied twice for the Senators (38-24-10), as they slipped out of the final Eastern wild card by one point behind the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby left this game early in the second period with a lower-body injury. There was no post-game update regarding his condition. Crosby recently returned to action after missing 11 games with a torn MCL in his right knee.

The Senators will be without Thomas Chabot for the next six to eight weeks after he suffered a broken forearm during Monday’s win against the New York Rangers.

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek snapped a 2-2 tie with five seconds remaining in the third period to give his club a 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers. Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman also scored for the Wild (41-20-12) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 94 points. Daniil Tarasov kicked out 47 shots, and Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and an assist for the 35-33-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Foligno returned to action after missing the last 12 games with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues left this game after suffering a broken finger and could be out for the remainder of the season.

The New Jersey Devils doubled up the Nashville Predators 4-2, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Nico Hischier scored two goals, and Jesper Bratt had a goal and two assists for the 37-32-2 Devils. Steven Stamkos scored his 36th goal of the season for the Predators (34-29-9) as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Arseny Gritsyuk is out for the rest of this week after suffering an undisclosed injury during their 6-4 win over the Stars on Tuesday.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves to shut out the Vancouver Canucks 4-0. Quinton Byfield and Trevor Moore each had a goal and an assist for the Kings (29-25-18), who remain one point behind the Predators. Kevin Lankinen stopped 34 of 37 shots for the 21-42-8 Canucks.

The Philadelphia Flyers kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Bump, Christian Dvorak, and Noah Cates each had a goal and an assist for the 35-24-12 Flyers (82 points), leaving them five points out of the final Eastern wild card. Connor Bedard netted his 30th goal of the season for the 27-32-13 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers forward Nikita Grebenkin missed this game as he’s out for at least a week with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Dylan Holloway gave the St. Louis Blues a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Holloway also collected the primary assist on Dalibor Dvorsky’s second-period goal for the 30-30-11 Blues. Alexander Wennberg scored for the Sharks (32-31-7), who are 0-5-1 in their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.