NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×Olympic Returns & Honors
Matthew Tkachuk espn.com and Auston Matthews took part in a ceremonial faceoff as the Panthers hosted the Maple Leafs in their first post-Olympic game. Jack Hughes espn.com was honored by the Devils before their game against the Sabres after his Olympic heroics. Vegas espn.com returned without five players from the Olympic final, including Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin, Mark Stone, Mitch Marner, and Shea Theodore.
Coaching & Milestones
Joel Quenneville espn.com joined Scotty Bowman as the only coaches to reach 1,000 wins when his Ducks rallied to beat the Oilers. Jon Cooper espn.com is out for two games after the death of his father, Robert, leaving the Lightning without their head coach.
Player Updates & Injuries
Dallas Stars espn.com forward Tyler Seguin has been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season and postseason after suffering an ACL injury. Brady Tkachuk espn.com expressed frustration over an AI-doctored White House video that made it appear he was disparaging Canadians.
Rankings & Analysis
The NHL Power Rankings saw big shifts beyond the top five as play resumed from the Olympic break. Joel Quenneville's milestone win helped the Ducks climb in the standings. Wyshynski's espn.com trade tier rankings highlight which big names could bring a Stanley Cup as playoff races restart.
An NHL doubleheader with playoff implications is set for ABC and the ESPN app, featuring Penguins-Rangers and Bruins-Flyers. John Tavares espn.com has driven mental health awareness through his foundation, aiding his renaissance with the Maple Leafs. Fantasy hockey espn.com lineup strategy for March focuses on using the NHL schedule to your advantage.