NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×Team Updates & Transactions
Sidney Crosby espn.com will miss at least four weeks after being placed on injured reserve, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced Wednesday. The team also sent defenseman Brett Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche espn.com in a trade for Samuel Girard and a 2028 pick. Ben Meyers and Ryan Winterton espn.com secured two-year contract extensions with the Kraken on Tuesday.
Aleksander Barkov, captain of the Florida Panthers espn.com, is targeting his season debut soon after recovering from knee surgery. St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas espn.com is taking a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons.
Coaching & Personal Matters
Lightning coach Jon Cooper espn.com is taking a two-game absence following his father's passing. Joel Quenneville joined Scotty Bowman in the exclusive club of coaches who have reached 1,000 NHL wins espn.com when his Ducks rallied to beat the Oilers Wednesday night.
Olympics & International Impact
The United States' Olympic hockey team espn.com visited the White House and received a standing ovation. The U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team’s win drew an average of 26 million viewers espn.com. Connor Hellebuyck, the goaltender for the gold-medal-winning U.S. men's Olympic hockey team, will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom espn.com by President Donald Trump.
The Vegas Golden Knights espn.com are without several players who participated in the Olympic final, including Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin, Mark Stone, and Mitch Marner. Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars espn.com will be out for an extended period due to an injury sustained during the Olympics.
Player Recognition & Honors
The Devils honored Jack Hughes espn.com before their game Wednesday night against the Sabres. The Hughes brothers addressed the Trump backlash espn.com regarding comments about the women’s hockey team.
Fantasy Hockey
For those involved in fantasy hockey, the essential Monday guide highlights Dostal and Laferriere espn.com as must-adds post-Olympics.
With the Olympics concluded, the NHL playoff picture espn.com is taking shape as the regular season continues.