NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×NHL Trade Deadline Moves
Penguins espn.com sent defenseman Brett Kulak to the NHL-best Avalanche for Samuel Girard and a 2028 pick. The move comes as teams make final pushes before the trade deadline, with many seeking to bolster their rosters for a deep playoff run this spring. Stars espn.com will be without Mikko Rantanen for an extended time after he sustained a lower-body injury in the Olympics.
Olympic Aftermath
USA's gold medal hockey win espn.com drew an impressive 26 million viewers on NBC and Peacock in the U.S. 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. However, Sens' 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.
Coaching Changes
Lightning espn.com coach Jon Cooper is out for two games after the death of his father, Robert. Meanwhile, Quenneville espn.com joined Scotty Bowman in the exclusive 1,000-win club when his Ducks rallied to beat the Oilers on Wednesday night. The Blues' Robert Thomas will take a temporary leave of absence because of a personal matter, while the Panthers' Aleksander Barkov has a target for what would be his season debut after recovering from knee surgery.
Player Injuries
Penguins espn.com captain Sidney Crosby will miss at least four weeks after being moved to injured reserve. The 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 Americans Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin. The Stars' Mikko Rantanen will also be out for an extended period due to a lower-body injury sustained in the Olympics.
Team Updates
The Devils espn.com honored U.S. Olympic hero Jack Hughes before their game Wednesday night against the Sabres. Kraken espn.com agreed to terms on two-year contract extensions with forwards Ben Meyers and Ryan Winterton. With the medals awarded, teams are now in a sprint to the end of the regular season as they position themselves for the playoffs.
Off-Ice Developments
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. 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.