NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×NHL Playoff Races Heat Up
Joel Quenneville espn.com joined Scotty Bowman as the only coaches with 1,000 NHL wins when his Ducks rallied to beat the Oilers. The playoff races have restarted with many teams seeking to bolster their rosters for a deep run this spring. Mikko Rantanen espn.com will be out for an extended time for the Dallas Stars after sustaining a lower-body injury in the Olympics. Brett Kulak espn.com was traded from the Penguins to the Avalanche for Samuel Girard and a 2028 pick.
Olympic Aftermath
The United States' Olympic hockey gold medal win over Canada on Sunday drew an average audience of 26 million viewers on NBC and Peacock in the U.S. Connor Hellebuyck espn.com, the goaltender for the gold-medal-winning U.S. men's Olympic hockey team, will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, President Donald Trump announced. The Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. men's hockey team visited President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday afternoon and later received about a two-minute bipartisan standing ovation during his address to Congress.
Player News & Injuries
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby espn.com will miss at least four weeks after being moved to injured reserve. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov espn.com, who has not played this season after needing surgery in September to repair two major ligaments in his right knee, has a target for what would be his season debut. St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas espn.com, who is second on the team with 33 points, will take a temporary leave of absence because of a personal matter.
Team Updates
Vegas Golden Knights espn.com traveled without five players from the Olympic final, including Canadian forwards Mark Stone and Mitch Marner, defenseman Shea Theodore, and American stars Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin. Lightning coach Jon Cooper espn.com is out for two games after the death of his father, Robert. Devils honor Jack Hughes espn.com as NHL play resumes - the U.S. Olympic hero was honored by the Devils before their game Wednesday night against the Sabres.
Controversies & Mental Health
Brady Tkachuk espn.com said he didn't appreciate the AI-doctored video released by the White House that made it appear he was disparaging Canadians. Through his foundation, Maple Leafs center John Tavares espn.com has driven awareness of the mental health conversation. The Hughes brothers addressed the controversy over President Donald Trump's comment about the women's hockey team.
Contract Extensions & Future Outlook
The Kraken espn.com agreed to terms on two-year contract extensions Tuesday with forwards Ben Meyers and Ryan Winterton. With the medals awarded, the sprint is on to the end of the regular season as teams position themselves for the playoffs.