NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×Injuries & Discipline
Landeskog espn.com is week-to-week with a lower-body injury for the Avalanche. Meanwhile, Malkin espn.com received a five-game suspension for slashing Buffalo defenseman Rasmus Dahlin during Thursday's game between the Penguins and Sabres.
Trades & Transactions
The NHL trade deadline brought significant movement across the league. Kadri espn.com returned to the Avalanche in a swap with the Flames, reuniting with the team where he won a Stanley Cup in 2021-22. Carlson espn.com was the most surprising move, as the veteran defenseman was traded from the Capitals to the Ducks. The Red Wings espn.com bolstered their defense by acquiring Justin Faulk from the Blues, while also re-acquiring Perron espn.com from the Senators. Schenn espn.com joined the Islanders from the Blues in exchange for Jonathan Drouin, two picks, and a prospect, giving New York a veteran presence for their playoff push. In an emotional move, Foligno espn.com was traded from the Blackhawks to the Wild, allowing him to play alongside his brother, Marcus. Perry espn.com also returned to familiar territory, heading back to the Lightning after a trade from the Kings.
Player News & Contracts
Hughes espn.com scored a hat trick with an assist, his first NHL goals since winning gold with Team USA two weeks ago in Italy. Panarin espn.com had an unusual situation in Los Angeles when he wanted to wear No. 72 but found the Kings' mascot already wore that number. The team paid tribute to his brief overlap with the mascot's jersey after the number change. Bobrovsky espn.com will remain with the Panthers after general manager Bill Zito decided against trading the 37-year-old netminder and instead plans to negotiate a new contract. Eberle espn.com signed a two-year extension with the Kraken, staying with Seattle at an average annual value of $5.5 million. Nedeljkovic espn.com and Poehling espn.com also agreed to contract extensions, with the Sharks' goalie signing for two years and the Ducks' forward getting four years at $15 million total.
Playoff Race
The playoff race continues to heat up with significant matchups on the horizon. Oilers-Golden Knights espn.com will face off at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN in a crucial battle for the Pacific Division title. Teams across the league are jockeying for playoff spots, division titles, and seeding positions as the regular season approaches its conclusion.