NHL Hockey 24-Hour Briefing
×NHL Injury Updates
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will miss at least four weeks after being placed on injured reserve. The Dallas Stars face a setback as Mikko Rantanen is out for an extended period following a lower-body injury sustained at the Olympics. Blues forward Robert Thomas, second on the team with 33 points, is taking a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons.
Contract Moves & Returns
The Seattle Kraken secured their future by agreeing to two-year contract extensions with forwards Ben Meyers and Ryan Winterton. Meanwhile, Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has set a target date for his season debut after recovering from September knee surgery that required repair of two major ligaments.
Olympic Celebrations Continue
The U.S. men's hockey team remains in the spotlight following their gold medal victory. Their Olympic triumph drew an impressive average audience of 26 million viewers on NBC and Peacock. Team members visited the White House Tuesday and received a two-minute bipartisan standing ovation during the State of the Union address. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, President Trump announced.
Trade Deadline Activity
The Pittsburgh Penguins made a notable move by sending defenseman Brett Kulak to the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Samuel Girard and a 2028 draft pick. Kulak had been acquired by Pittsburgh just in December before being traded again.