NHL Hockey 24-Hour Briefing
×Injury Updates
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will miss at least four weeks after being placed on injured reserve. Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen faces an extended absence following a lower-body injury sustained during Olympic play.
Contract Moves
The Kraken secured their forward depth by agreeing to two-year extensions with Ben Meyers and Ryan Winterton. The Penguins traded defenseman Brett Kulak to the NHL-best Avalanche in exchange for Samuel Girard and a 2028 pick.
Olympic Aftermath
Team USA's Olympic gold medal victory drew an impressive 26 million viewers across NBC and Peacock. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom after his standout performance. The championship team visited the White House and received a standing ovation during the State of the Union address.
Player Returns
Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has set his sights on a season debut "soon" after recovering from September knee surgery. The two-time Selke Trophy winner has been sidelined since undergoing ligament repair.
With Crosby's absence and Rantanen's injury, several teams face significant lineup challenges heading into the stretch run. The trade deadline approaches as contenders evaluate their needs, while Olympic heroes return to NHL rinks with enhanced profiles.