NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×Coaching Milestone & Roster Updates
Joel Quenneville espn.com became the second coach in NHL history to reach 1,000 wins as his Ducks rallied past the Oilers. The Vegas Golden Knights espn.com traveled for their next game without five key players from the Olympic final, including Mark Stone, Mitch Marner, and Shea Theodore.
Olympic Aftermath & Honors
U.S. Olympic hero Jack Hughes espn.com was honored by the Devils before their game against the Sabres. The gold medal-winning U.S. men's team espn.com visited President Trump at the White House and received a standing ovation during the State of the Union. Their championship victory drew 26 million viewers espn.com across NBC and Peacock.
Team Absences
Lightning coach Jon Cooper espn.com will miss two games following the death of his father. St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas espn.com is taking a temporary leave of absence for a personal matter; he ranks second on the team with 33 points.
Injury Report
Sidney Crosby espn.com was placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss at least four weeks. Dallas Stars star Mikko Rantanen espn.com will be out for an extended period after sustaining a lower-body injury during the Olympics.
Transactions & Extensions
The Penguins traded defenseman Brett Kulak espn.com to the NHL-leading Avalanche for Samuel Girard and a 2028 draft pick. The Kraken espn.com signed forwards Ben Meyers and Ryan Winterton to two-year contract extensions.
Player Returns & Playoff Push
Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov espn.com is targeting a season debut soon after September knee surgery. With the medals awarded, the NHL playoff picture espn.com is now in full sprint mode as teams jockey for position.
Additional Honors & Analysis
Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck espn.com will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, President Trump announced. The Hughes brothers espn.com addressed controversy surrounding comments about the women's hockey team. A look at Olympic standouts espn.com from all 32 NHL teams reveals who starred in Milan Cortina. For fantasy players, post-Olympic pickups espn.com like Dostal and Laferriere are essential adds.