NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×Injury Updates
Golden Knights captain Mark Stone espn.com left Sunday's game against the Penguins with an undisclosed injury. The loss adds to Vegas's challenges as they navigate a competitive Western Conference race.
Coaching Changes
The L.A. Kings espn.com fired coach Jim Hiller after two seasons and named associate head coach D.J. Smith as interim. Los Angeles sits three points outside the wild-card race with 20 games remaining.
Olympic Celebrations
The Blue Jackets espn.com honored Zach Werenski before Saturday's game against the Islanders for his Olympic gold medal with Team USA. Meanwhile, the Panthers espn.com hosted a post-Olympic celebration featuring Matthew Tkachuk and Auston Matthews in a ceremonial faceoff.
Player Injuries
Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin espn.com has been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs with an ACL injury. The news represents a significant blow to Dallas's postseason aspirations.
League Analysis
As the NHL returns from the Olympic break, power rankings espn.com show significant movement beyond the top five teams. The league's competitive balance appears to be shifting heading into the final stretch of the regular season.