NHL Rumor Mill – March 31, 2026

by | Mar 31, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 31, 2026

A list of several proposed trade destinations for Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, and the latest on the Rangers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

BETWEEN THE POSTS: Former Toronto sports pundit Howard Berger reports a “good source” told him that Auston Matthews won’t be back with the Maple Leafs.

Berger’s source claimed the 28-year-old center and team captain would be traded this summer to one of three teams: the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, or the Utah Mammoth. Because Matthews grew up in the southwestern United States, those clubs would apparently top Matthews’ list of preferred trade destinations.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings would probably love to land Matthews as a replacement for the retiring Anze Kopitar. However, they might not have sufficient trade capital to win the bidding for his services, unless the Kings are the only team he’d want to be traded to.

BLEACHER REPORT: Based on Berger’s report, Hannah Stuart compiled what the trade packages might look like for the Ducks and Mammoth to acquire Matthews, but she included the Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks as destinations.

Stuart admits she is working within the framework of “pie in the sky trade that could still possibly happen”, but that’s because “Leafs fans deserve some nice things sometimes.”

From the Ducks, Stuart proposed a return of center Mason McTavish, defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, and a second-round pick, with the Maple Leafs retaining 50 percent of Matthews’ $13.25 million average annual value through 2027-28.

Stuart pitched an offer of prospect Tij Iginla, winger JJ Peterka, and a second-round pick from the Mammoth, with the Maple Leafs retaining 50 percent of Matthew’s cap hit. From the Flyers, Porter Martone, Rasmus Ristolainen, and a second-rounder, with the Maple Leafs retaining 25 percent.

From the Sharks, Stuart proposed an offer of William Eklund, Sam Dickinson, and a third-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind that there has been nothing to suggest Matthews and the Maple Leafs will part ways this summer. There has been only some media speculation based on the club’s poor performance this season and the Leafs’ lack of reaction when Radko Gudas of the Ducks ended Matthews’ season with a knee-on-knee hit two weeks ago.

Matthews has two years left on his contract. He could remain patient and see whether the moves Leafs management makes this summer help the club rebound next season.

If Matthews tells management he wants to be traded, most observers will likely scoff at Stuart’s proposed offers. However, his full no-movement clause means he’ll only agree to be traded to a handful of teams.

As we’ve seen in recent years with the trades of Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin, those clubs will have the leverage, especially when Matthews reaches the final season of his contract. In that case, Stuart’s proposed trade offers could be better than what the Leafs might actually get.

Anyway, feel free to weigh in with your reaction to those pitches, and let us know what type of return you think Matthews might fetch in the trade market.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh recently evaluated the recent trades of New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury as he attempts to retool the roster.

Baugh observed that younger players traded away by Drury (Kaapo Kakko, K’Andre Miller) have improved with their new clubs. He believes the Rangers must examine what went wrong with their handling of Kakko and Miller before bringing in more young talent.

If the Rangers are headed toward a full rebuild, the addition of aging center J.T. Miller looks ill-advised, making the club older while costing them a first-round pick in the process.

Baugh is concerned about how Drury intends to retool after moving on from Artemi Panarin. He noted that this summer’s free-agent class is weak, and the Rangers don’t have as many trade chips as other clubs closer to contention. While the Blueshirts will have salary-cap space to add to their roster, Baugh believes it works only if there are players to use it on.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Center Vincent Trocheck remains a significant trade chip for the Rangers. That lack of quality talent in this summer’s free-agent pool could force teams to turn to the trade market. Those who were reluctant to meet Drury’s asking price for Trocheck at the trade deadline could be more willing to do so in the offseason.

Nevertheless, Baugh makes some good points about the Rangers’ development system and how they might not be as enticing a destination for top talent hoping to join a playoff contender. It will take some significant salesmanship by Drury to pull it off.

What say you, Rangers fans? Let us know in the comments below.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 30, 2026

by | Mar 30, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 30, 2026

Recaps of Sunday’s games, the Golden Knights replace Bruce Cassidy as head coach with John Tortorella, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning moved into first place in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Nashville Predators 3-2. Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists, and Corey Perry snapped a 2-2 tie for the 46-21-6 Lightning (98 points). Filip Forsberg scored his 34th goal of the season while rookie Joakim Kemell tallied his first NHL goal as the Predators (34-31-9) have lost three straight as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes each have the same record and points, but the former hold first place in the conference with 37 regulation wins. The Buffalo Sabres also have 98 points, but sit third with a record of 45-21-8.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Montreal Canadiens. Nick Suzuki tallied twice and collected an assist, Cole Caufield sniped his 46th goal of the season, and Jakub Dobes stopped 34 shots for the 42-21-10 Canadiens, who have won five straight games, sweeping their season series with Carolina to sit third in the Atlantic Division with 94 points. Andrei Svechnikov scored for the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield is two goals behind Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s leading goal scorer.

Caufield’s quest for 50 goals overshadowed Suzuki becoming the first Canadien to exceed 90 points in a season since Pierre Turgeon and Vincent Damphousse in 1995-96. Suzuki has 91 points, and is on pace to become the first Hab to tally 100 points since Mats Naslund in 1985-86.

The Boston Bruins overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on a shootout goal by Viktor Arvidsson, who also collected three assists in regulation. Pavel Zacha had two goals and an assist as the Bruins (42-24-8) picked up their third straight victory to hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 92 points. Mason Marchment had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who sit in the final Eastern wild-card berth with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei missed this game with an upper-body injury. Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier left this contest in the second period with an upper-body injury, likely a result of his first-period fight with Bruins forward Mark Kastelic.

The Blue Jackets had been on a tear since Rick Bowness took over as head coach in mid-January, surging up the Eastern Conference standings. However, they’ve cooled off lately, sporting a record of 1-3-1 in their last five contests.

An overtime goal by Trevor Zegras lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-1 upset of the Dallas Stars. Travis Konecny scored in regulation, and Samuel Ersson stopped 17 shots for the 37-24-12 Flyers (86 points), who are now two points behind the Blue Jackets for that final Eastern wild card. Arttu Hyry scored his first NHL goal for the Stars (44-18-12), who sit second in the overall standings with 100 points, but have dropped five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers also made news on Sunday by signing top prospect Porter Martone to a three-year entry-level contract. Chosen sixth overall in last year’s draft, the 19-year-old winger is expected to join the Flyers for the remainder of this season.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored twice and collected two assists in a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Nico Hischier had two assists for the Devils (38-33-2). Frank Nazar tallied two goals, and Anton Frondell had two assists for the 27-34-13 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov suffered a fracture to his left hand last Tuesday and is out for the remainder of the season.

The New York Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1. Igor Shesterkin turned aside 26 shots while Adam Fox had a goal and an assist for the 30-35-9 Rangers. Mackie Samoskevich replied for the 35-35-3 Panthers.

HEADLINES

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Vegas Golden Knights fired head coach Bruce Cassidy on Sunday, replacing him for the remainder of this season with John Tortorella.

Cassidy had been behind the Golden Knights bench since 2022-23, guiding them to the Stanley Cup that season. They reached the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and hold a playoff berth in the Pacific Division.

However, the Golden Knights have struggled since the Olympic break with a record of 5-10-2, being outscored by an average of 3.2 to 2.4 goals per game. For the first time in franchise history, they will finish with more defeats than victories.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights are ruthless and are unafraid to make bold moves to shake things up and remain in Stanley Cup contention. However, replacing Cassidy is unlikely to spark a significant improvement.

Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal believes Cassidy is being made the fall guy, calling it a desperate move by the struggling club. Jesse Granger of The Athletic pointed out that the Golden Knights have chipped away at their defensive depth in recent years, their core is aging, and their goaltending has been subpar.

As Graney and Granger observed, the team’s difficulties this season are primarily due to management’s construction of this team. By acquiring big-ticket players in trades and free agency, they gutted the defensive and goaltending depth that played a key role in their 2023 Stanley Cup run.

TSN’s Chris Johnston doesn’t believe Cassidy will be unemployed for long. Given his success with the Golden Knights and the Boston Bruins, he’ll have plenty of suitors this summer, with the Toronto Maple Leafs likely at the front of the line.

As for Tortorella, he’s joining his sixth team as he begins his 24th season as an NHL head coach. He’s a two-time winner of the Jack Adams Award and coached the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup in 2004. “Torts” also has a reputation as a no-nonsense bench boss. However, the Golden Knights must improve considerably from their current level for Tortorella to earn an extension beyond this season.

CBC NEWS: Former Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets forward Bill Riley died of cancer on March 29 at age 75.

Born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Riley was the third Black player in NHL history. He played with the Capitals from 1974-75 to 1978-79 and the Jets in 1979-80. In 139 games, he had 31 goals and 30 assists for 61 points.

Riley also spent four seasons in the AHL, captaining the New Brunswick Hawks to the Calder Cup in 1981-82. Following his playing career, he coached the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats and the Amherst Ramblers of the Maritime Hockey League.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Riley’s family, friends, former teammates, and the young players that he coached.










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 Morning Coffee Headlines – March 26, 2026

by | Mar 26, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 26, 2026

The Bruins defeat the Sabres, the Rangers are officially eliminated from the playoff race, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Pavel Zacha lifted the Boston Bruins over the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists for the 40-24-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 88 points. Jason Zucker tallied twice for the Sabres (44-20-8), who remain in second place in the conference standings with 96 points.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin’s fiancée, Carolina Matovac, attended her first Sabres game since her heart transplant last year. She’s spent the seven months recovering in the couple’s native Sweden.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll kicked out 40 shots in a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers, officially eliminating the latter from this season’s playoff race. Dakota Joshua had a goal and an assist for the 31-29-13 Maple Leafs. Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and two assists, and Mika Zibanejad tallied twice for the 28-35-9 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers are the first Eastern Conference team, and the second overall, to be eliminated from the postseason chase. On Sunday, the Vancouver Canucks’ postseason hopes were ended.

HEADLINES

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning captain Victor Hedman has taken a temporary leave of absence from the club for personal reasons. He missed the last three games with an ailment.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Another member of the Panthers has been sidelined by an injury. Center Anton Lundell could miss the rest of this season with an injured rib. He’s not expected to require surgery, but his recovery time could be between two and six weeks.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators might have to continue their playoff push without Thomas Chabot. The 29-year-old defenseman suffered an injured arm after being cross-checked by New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller on Monday. It’s speculated that Chabot could be out of the lineup for six weeks.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Anthony Mantha is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings signed defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.6 million.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Jacob Winterton, brother of Kraken forward Ryan Winterton, died Tuesday at age 25 following a battle with cancer. Jacob spent two seasons in the OHL from 2018-19 and 2019-20 with the Flint Firebirds and Oshawa Generals, followed by four seasons playing for the University of Guelph

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to the Winterton family and Jacob’s friends and former teammates.

THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal recently examined why NHL goaltending has become one of the most volatile positions in all major sports.

Several reasons explain this problem. One is that offenses have improved while goalies haven’t caught up. There’s also been a generational loss of workhorse goalies in recent years, as stars such as Roberto Luongo, Henrik Lundqvist, Carey Price, and Marc-Andre Fleury have retired.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dayal’s column is behind a paywall, but it’s well worth the read if you have access to it.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2026

by | Mar 25, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2026

The Penguins have no intention of trading Erik Karlsson, plus the latest on Rangers center Mika Zibanejad in today’s NHL Rumor Mill

THE PENGUINS WON’T PEDDLE ERIK KARLSSON THIS SUMMER

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has no intention of trading Erik Karlsson this summer.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

The 35-year-old defenseman has one year remaining on his contract. The Penguins are carrying $10 million of his $11.5 million annual cap hit. He is owed a $6 million signing bonus on July 1, and just $1.5 million in remaining salary after that.

That’s partly why Karlsson recently surfaced in trade rumors regarding the Penguins’ offseason plans. His improved performance this season has LeBrun believing there would be clubs interested in the puck-moving rearguard this summer.

However, Dubas told LeBrun that he’s not happy that Karlsson’s name is out there. He praised the veteran blueliner’s performance this season, saying the Penguins consider him part of their retooling process, and they don’t want to trade him this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s understandable why Dubas wants to retain Karlsson. His performance this season is among the reasons the Penguins have exceeded expectations and are currently jockeying for a playoff berth in the Metropolitan Division.

If Karlsson’s play drops off next season, they can try to shop him at next year’s trade deadline or let him depart as an unrestricted free agent next summer.

COULD THE RANGERS ATTEMPT TO MOVE MIKA ZIBANEJAD THIS SUMMER?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau noted that Mika Zibanejad was honored by the New York Rangers earlier this week for playing in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game. He wonders if the 32-year-old center’s next milestone will be celebrated with another team.

Proteau pointed out that Zibanejad has improved this season, with 30 goals and 67 points in 70 games. He’s still an effective top-six forward, but in the second half of his career, he’ll have to be traded from the rebuilding Rangers if he hopes to win the Stanley Cup.

Rangers GM Chris Drury didn’t attempt to move Zibanejad at the March trade deadline. However, Proteau suspects he could revisit that matter during the offseason. He has a full no-movement clause, but perhaps he’d consider waiving it to join a Stanley Cup contender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad is signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $8.5 million. His full NMC remains until that season, when it becomes a no-movement clause for waivers and a modified no-trade clause.

The market for Zibanejad probably wasn’t that good last summer because of his age, the drop-off in his production, and the remaining years of his contract. However, his turnaround this season on a much-worse Rangers club might improve his value now.

It was rumored last year that Drury wanted to move Zibanejad, but he refused to waive his NMC. Maybe it’ll be different this year after the Rangers failed to bounce back from last season’s disappointing performance.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2026

by | Mar 22, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2026

Lighting winger Nikita Kucherov takes over the scoring lead, a five-point night for Canadiens winger Cole Caufield, the Predators move into a playoff berth, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov scored two goals and collected two assists in a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Anthony Cirelli tallied twice for the 43-21-4 Lightning, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 90 points. Oilers captain Connor McDavid netted his 399th career regular-season goal as his club sits in second place in the Pacific Division with a record of 34-28-9 (77 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 118 points, Kucherov surpassed McDavid for the lead in this season’s scoring race. Speaking of McDavid, he acknowledged that his struggling club is fortunate to be playing in the weak Pacific Division. “It’s a bit of a pillow fight right now,” he said.

Meanwhile, sidelined Oilers star Leon Draisaitl has returned to his native Germany to receive treatment for his lower-body injury from renowned sports doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt. Draisaitl hopes to be healthy in time for the postseason.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield (NHL Images).

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield had a hat trick and two assists as his club pulled away from the New York Islanders by a score of 7-3. Nick Suzuki had four assists, Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice and set up two others, and Kaiden Guhle had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (38-21-10), who hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 86 points. Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer scored his 22nd goal of the season for the Islanders (39-26-5), who are one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 43 goals, Caufield sits two behind Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for this season’s goal-scoring lead. Meanwhile, Schaefer needs one goal to tie Hall of Famer Brian Leetch for the most goals by a rookie defenseman.

The Nashville Predators hold the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference after a 4-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Steven Stamkos led the way with two goals and an assist while goaltender Justus Annunen kicked out 39 shots for the 32-28-9 Predators (73 points). Shea Theodore replied for the Golden Knights (31-25-14), who sit one point behind the Oilers in third place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators have come a long way from being dead-last in the Western Conference on Dec. 1. Stamkos regaining his scoring touch has played a big part in their resurgence. After finishing last season with 27 goals in 82 games, the 36-year-old sniper has 33 goals in 69 games.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski collected three first-period assists as his club defeated the Seattle Kraken 5-2, extending their points streak to 12 games (8-0-4). Cole Sillinger had a goal and two assists for the 37-21-11 Blue Jackets, who sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 85 points. Kaapo Kakko had a goal and an assist for the Kraken (31-29-9), who sit two points back of the Predators for that final Western wild card.

The Buffalo Sabres picked up their fourth straight victory with a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Zach Benson had a goal and an assist while Tage Thompson tallied his 36th goal of the season for the 44-20-6 Sabres, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 94 points. Artemi Panarin scored for the Kings (28-25-16), who’ve dropped four of their last six games to sit one point behind the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are tied with the Carolina Hurricanes in points, but the latter holds first place in the Eastern Conference with a game in hand.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 41 saves to backstop his club over the Detroit Red Wings 4-2. Morgan Geekie collected three assists while David Pastrnak and Elias Lindholm each had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (39-23-8) as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 86 points. Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat scored for the 38-24-8 Red Wings, who cling to the final Eastern wild card with 84 points.

A shootout goal by Sidney Crosby lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-4 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Erik Karlsson tallied twice for the Penguins (35-18-16) as they hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 86 points. Brad Lambert had a goal and an assist for the 28-29-12 Jets (68 points), who sit five points out of the final Western wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Samuel Girard returned to the lineup after missing five games with an upper-body injury. Jets blueliner Neal Pionk was back in action after being sidelined for 23 games with a lower-body injury.

The Minnesota Wild nipped the Dallas Stars 2-1 on an overtime goal by Vladimir Tarasenko. Bobby Brink scored in regulation and assisted on Tarasenko’s goal for the 40-19-12 Wild, who sit third in the Western Conference with 92 points. Jason Robertson tallied for the Stars (43-15-11), who sit second in the West with 97 points.

Third-period goals by Michael Amadio and Ridly Greig enabled the Ottawa Senators to hold off the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 5-2. Tim Stutzle netted his 32nd goal of the season for the Senators (34-24-9) as they sit three points back of the Red Wings for the final Eastern wild card with 81 points. John Tavares and Easton Cowan replied for the 29-29-13 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz was struck in the throat by a high shot from teammate William Nylander during warm-ups. He was taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons. The Leafs also played without defenseman Morgan Rielly, who suffered a lower-body injury on Friday against the Hurricanes.

The Philadelphia Flyers picked up their seventh straight road win with a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Three unanswered third-period goals by Christian Dvorak, Travis Sanheim, and Noah Cates sealed the deal for the 34-23-12 Flyers (80 points), who sit four points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Dmitry Orlov scored for the Sharks (32-30-6), who’ve lost four in a row and sit three points out of the final Western wild card.

St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Defenseman Logan Mailloux picked up two assists for the 28-30-11 Blues. Filip Hronek scored for the 21-40-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues announced that defenseman Tyler Tucker is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. The Canuck activated defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph off injured reserve, but he didn’t play in this game.

IN OTHER NEWS…

CALGARY SUN: Florida Panthers forward A.J. Greer faces a disciplinary hearing for boarding Flames forward Connor Zary on Friday. Greer was given a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct. Zary left the game with an upper-body injury and did not return. There was no update on Zary’s condition, but head coach Ryan Huska said after the game that he was moving around.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Noah Laba (lower-body injury) and defenseman Urho Vaakanainen (upper body) are listed as week-to-week. Both players were sidelined during Wednesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils.

SI.COM: Chicago Blackhawks prospect Anton Frondell could make his NHL debut this week after his Swedish team (Djurgardens IF) had its season end with a 3-1 loss to Malmo. Frondell was chosen third overall by the Blackhawks in the 2025 NHL Draft.