Dallas Stars Place Mikko Rantanen On IR
Feb. 24: Rantanen will be out for at least two weeks and possibly longer, head coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters today, although he doesn’t expect the injury to end his regular season (via Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News). That will nonetheless put him out through the trade deadline and keep him out of at least Dallas’ next seven games.
Feb. 23: The Dallas Stars announced today that they have placed star forward Mikko Rantanen on injured reserve, retroactive to Feb. 20, the date of Finland’s loss to Canada in the quarterfinals of the recent Winter Olympic tournament.
Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan told the media today, including Stars Thoughts’ Robert Tiffin, that Rantanen is doubtful to play in the Stars’ first game back from the break, and is questionable beyond that point. According to Tiffin, Gulutzan “didn’t want to speculate” on Rantanen’s status beyond this week.
The team’s roster move suggests Rantanen isn’t set for an extended absence. Since his IR placement was made retroactive to Feb. 20, he will be eligible for activation as early as Feb. 27. If the team held a firm expectation that Rantanen would miss well over a week, it is less likely that they would have directly clarified the retroactive nature of his IR placement in their announcement post.
Rantanen’s injury didn’t end up costing Finland, as they cruised past Slovakia to earn a bronze medal. His injury, while seemingly minor in the grand scheme of the Stars’ season, threatens to seriously impact their odds of winning the games he’s set to miss. Rantanen is arguably Dallas’ most talented forward, currently leading the team in scoring with 69 points in 54 games.
Rantanen leads all Stars forwards in time-on-ice per game and is widely considered one of the game’s top wingers. Missing him, even for a handful of games, will hurt the Stars. With that said, Gulutzan’s comments combined with how the Stars have announced Rantanen’s IR placement suggest the star winger won’t be sidelined for too long, which is certainly good news for Dallas.
Snapshots: Mangiapane, Ersson, Canucks
The Edmonton Oilers continue to shop veteran winger Andrew Mangiapane and are expected to trade him before the March 6 trade deadline, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported today. Pagnotta has previously reported on Mangiapane’s situation over the last month, writing that numerous teams, including the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks and Winnipeg Jets have had varying levels of interest in Mangiapane.
In past years, Mangiapane might have been a somewhat tough player to move, as he has an additional year on his contract at a $3.6MM AAV. While that’s not a salary that’s going to break any team’s cap sheet, the reality is his on-ice value this season has not been commensurate with his compensation, as he has just 12 points in 49 games. But Mangiapane has had his moments over the course of his career, including in 2021-22 when he scored 35 goals, or when he won tournament MVP at the 2021 IIHF Men’s World Championships, so it’s easy to see why a team with some financial flexibility might be interested in adding him at a minimal asset cost.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Philadelphia Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson is entering a crucial stretch of the season, one where his future in the Flyers organization could be decided, writes The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz. According to Kurz, “it’s make-or-break time for Ersson in a Flyers sweater” and “If he doesn’t finish strong, it’s difficult to envision the Flyers tabling a qualifying offer this summer to extend him.” A pending RFA, Ersson has been one of the league’s weakest goalies this season. He has a .856 save percentage in 24 games this season, and was only marginally better in 2024-25, when he posted an .883 in 47 games. He’s making $1.45MM against the cap on his current contract.
- The Vancouver Canucks have a whole host of trade possibilities to consider as the trade deadline inches closer, and most attention has been paid to the team’s pending UFAs, including veterans Evander Kane and Teddy Blueger. But that’s not the only trade avenue the Canucks are looking at in their quest to add more future assets to their team. The Athletic’s Thomas Drance reported that the Canucks are “actively exploring” their options in terms of “weaponizing” its cap space in order to add assets. While Drance noted that the more favorable cap environment likely takes deals such as the Canadiens’ acquisition of Sean Monahan and a first-round pick off the table, Vancouver could still have some options with how to utilize its projected $5.7MM (or more) cap space set to be available by deadline day.
Central Notes: McKenna, Thomas, Sundqvist
It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for top 2026 draft prospect Gavin McKenna. He began the month with some legal trouble as he was arrested, but later returned to the ice and scored eight points in a single game against Ohio State. McKenna’s season has been subject to quite a bit of conversation, with many speculating that the Canadian winger, who had long been considered this year’s top draft prospect, might be losing his grip on his status as the presumptive No. 1 overall pick. It’s unclear how the events of the past month – both the legal issue and the uptick in production – will impact McKenna’s draft stock, but at least one team appears to now hold an improved view of the player. Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reported today that the Chicago Blackhawks “have noticed McKenna improving his all-around game,” and that “they were skeptical about him earlier this season,” but “that’s no longer the case.”
In addition, Pope reports that McKenna’s “felony charge is unlikely to affect his NHL draft stock now that it has been dropped.” Whether the Blackhawks will be in a position to draft McKenna is, of course, not clear at this time. They are No. 27 in the league standings, and would likely need some lottery luck to have a shot at McKenna. Regarding other options for their top draft choice, Pope noted that the Blackhawks “have also long been interested in Canadian center Tynan Lawrence,” who is widely ranked as one of the top centers in this year’s class. While Pope’s reporting only relates to one team, it does shed some light on how other NHL scouts might view McKenna given the events of the past month, assuming the Blackhawks are not alone in their reported view of things.
Other notes from the Central Division:
- St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas is one of the key names as the league rapidly approaches the trade deadline, with The Athletic’s Chris Johnston listing him No. 5 on his trade board. Complicating what would already be a complex trade to pull off is the recent injury suffered by Thomas. Jeremy Rutherford, Johnston’s colleague at The Athletic, relayed word from Blues head coach Jim Montgomery who said that Thomas underwent a “minor leg procedure” and currently has an unclear return timeline. Rutherford noted that Thomas did skate on Friday, but it remains unknown when Thomas will be fit to return in full. The 26-year-old center scored 21 goals and 81 points in 70 games last season and has 11 goals and 33 points in 42 games this year.
- Veteran Blues winger Oskar Sundqvist had a minor procedure during the Olympic break, reports Rutherford. He skated alongside Thomas on Friday, but like his teammate, is currently dealing with an uncertain return timeline. The 31-year-old veteran has 14 points in 43 games this season and when healthy is a regular bottom-six contributor for the Blues, including on both sides of special teams.
Latest On Josh Morrissey
Winnipeg Jets star Josh Morrissey suffered an upper-body injury at the recently-concluded men’s hockey tournament at the Winter Olympics, the full extent of which has yet to be revealed. Morrissey was unable to get back onto the ice for Canada after suffering the injury, and TSN insider Darren Dreger said today that Morrissey is expected to miss “a good chunk of time” as a result of the injury.
Jets head coach Scott Arniel didn’t go as far when asked about Morrissey after Jets practice today. As relayed by Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press, Arniel confirmed that the defenseman won’t play on Wednesday when the team resumes its schedule against the Vancouver Canucks, but added that he could meet the team on its upcoming road trip after he is evaluated by team doctors.
It goes without saying that the Jets hope their evaluation of Morrissey’s injury ends up in a more positive prognosis. The blueliner, who has finished inside the top-10 of Norris Trophy voting in each of the last three seasons, is easily Winnipeg’s most important defenseman.
He’s a true No. 1 in every sense, averaging 24:37 time on ice per game, which is the most on the Jets by a wide margin. That level of usage per game places him No. 11 in time on ice per game among all defensemen in the NHL. Morrissey is also Winnipeg’s top power play quarterback, averaging 3:09 time on ice per game on the man advantage, and has scored 10 goals and 42 points in 56 games.
Losing Morrissey for an extended period would not only take the Jets’ most important blueliner out of their lineup, the trickle-down effect of losing him would also be felt by the rest of the defense, who would have to play increased roles as a result of his absence.
Of course, even if Morrissey does miss some time and the Jets suffer as a result, their overall direction for the season is unlikely to change dramatically. Even with a healthy Morrissey, the Jets entered the Olympic break No. 28 in the NHL with a 22-26-8 record. Their playoff odds sit at just 5.5% according to Moneypuck, so Morrissey’s injury and its exact timeline is unlikely to make or break their season.
But in any case, the team is still likely hoping to get Morrissey back as soon as possible, so that they can at least put up a fight down the stretch and hope to potentially shock the hockey world and make a push upwards in the standings.
Nashville Predators Recall Zachary L’Heureux, Matthew Wood
The Nashville Predators announced today that forwards Zachary L’Heureux and Matthew Wood have been recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.
With the Olympic tournament now over, teams are gearing up for a return to the NHL regular season. The Predators’ first game is Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks, and today’s recalls give head coach Andrew Brunette two additional forward options to work with when constructing his lineup for that game and the games beyond.
Both Wood and L’Heureux are first-round picks who are among the higher-ranked prospects in the team’s system. L’Heureux was a late first-rounder at the 2021 draft, and has spent all of 2025-26 to date in the AHL, scoring 14 goals and 28 points in 28 games. That’s a departure from last season, when he played just four games in the AHL and 62 in the NHL. This recall will give L’Heureux the chance to potentially make his season debut in Nashville. He plays the kind of gritty, aggressive style that teams often covet in bottom-six forwards, so it will be interesting to see whether L’Heureux will be able to hang onto the NHL opportunity he’s set to receive.
Wood, 21, was a first-rounder at the 2023 draft and is in the midst of his first full season as a pro player. The skilled 6’4″ winger scored three points in his three AHL games played during the break, only failing to land on the scoresheet against a juggernaut Grand Rapids Griffins team.
Wood started the year off very well in the NHL, scoring 10 points in his first 11 games of the season, including his first NHL hat trick. His production has slowed down quite a bit, and he’s sitting on 17 points in 46 games this season. He only managed three points in the month of January as his ice time fell noticeably.
With some good games under his belt during the Olympic break, the hope will be that Wood can rediscover some of the form he flashed earlier in the season, and get his production back on track. Nashville is currently in contention for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, and will need contributions from everyone if it hopes to make a surprising run back to the postseason.
United States Wins Gold Medal At 2026 Winter Olympics
The United States have won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, capturing their first gold medal since the legendary “Miracle on Ice” team of 1980.
The golden goal, coming from New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes, came early in the game’s three-on-three overtime period. It ended what was an iconic game between two hockey heavyweights. An early goal from Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy gave the Americans a 1-0 lead, but the ice began to tilt in the second period. A goal from Colorado Avalanche defender Cale Makar tied the game in the second period.
Canadian pressure was relentless for the rest of regulation time. The Canadians piled up quality scoring chances, but reigning Hart Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck made save after save to keep the game tied. Hellebuyck’s paddle save on Canadian defenseman Devon Toews, breaking up a prime scoring opportunity, will likely now go down as one of the most iconic saves in the history of USA Hockey.
Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin, who constructed this American roster, came under significant criticism during the lead-up to the tournament for some of his roster decisions. His choice to include a pair of New York Rangers veterans, J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck, rather than lethal goal scorers Jason Robertson and Cole Caufield, was one that drew considerable fire. But Guerin maintained all along that he was looking to build not the “best” team, one that would have as many all-stars as possible, but instead the “right” team, one capable of handling all of the adversity a short best-on-best tournament typically provides.
The Americans went through the tournament without a significant amount of adversity, though, at least compared to the Canadians. Sweden gave them a scare during the quarterfinals when Mika Zibanejad tied the game late, but superstar Quinn Hughes pushed the Americans forward with a fast overtime marker. The Americans flew past the Slovaks in the semifinals, and the United States’ games in the knockout round felt very different from Canada’s games, which were marked by late deficits and dramatic comebacks.
In the end, the margin between the United States and Canada was razor thin. While Canada dominated much of the final two periods of the game, the nature of three-on-three overtime is that it provides a clean slate for every team – it is a distinctly different form of hockey than five-on-five. Hellebuyck kept the Americans in the game, and gave them a chance to win it by delivering them to the overtime period. While Canada had a few chances in overtime, Hughes was the first to convert his, and in doing so, he etched his name into international hockey history.
Trade Deadline Primer: Florida Panthers
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at bubble teams in recent days, we now shift the focus to teams currently in a playoff spot. Next up are the Panthers.
Winning the Stanley Cup is a war of attrition, and while the Florida Panthers have been remarkably successful over the last few years, the scars of their relentless chase of championships have come to a head this season. The club has played deep into the spring and early summer for three straight years, but do not currently look positioned to do the same this year. The Panthers sit third-to-last place in the Eastern Conference, eight points adrift of the Boston Bruins, who occupy the second wild card spot. Captain Aleksander Barkov, the team’s most valuable player, suffered an injury that will cost him the entire season, and star Matthew Tkachuk has been limited to just 10 games as a result of an injury of his own. Seth Jones, one of their top defensemen, is also on long-term injured reserve. While the Panthers can never be counted out to provide a late-season surge, it’s questionable whether the best path forward for the franchise would be investing more deeply into a 2025-26 season that continues to slip away.
Record
29-25-3, 8th in the Atlantic (15.7% playoff probability)
Deadline Status
Short-term sellers/long-term buyers
Deadline Cap Space
$2.56MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: FLA 2nd, WSH 2nd, CHI 4th, FLA 5th, FLA 6th
2027: FLA 2nd, FLA 3rd, FLA 4th, FLA 5th, FLA 6th, WSH 6th, FLA 7th, SJS 7th
Trade Chips
While the Panthers have taken a notable step back this season, don’t expect their competitive downturn to be a permanent one. The Panthers still have a core of players locked into long-term contracts that remains the envy of the league, and will enter next season healthier and better-rested than they have been in years. As a result, the Panthers are unlikely to enter into this season’s deadline with much interest in subtracting players who might be able to fit into the team’s roster puzzle starting next season.
The Panthers don’t figure to have an abundance of trade chips at their disposal. While some veterans such as Evan Rodrigues and Eetu Luostarinen would make valuable trade assets, the fact that each has an extra year on their contract at an affordable cap hit ($3MM each) makes keeping them more valuable to the Panthers than trading them. The Panthers have every intent of returning to true Stanley Cup contention as soon as next season, so it doesn’t make sense to subtract too dramatically from a formula that has worked so well. (This season’s results notwithstanding.)
With that said, Florida isn’t totally without players they could trade over the next month – they just aren’t likely to fetch the team a huge amount of value in return. A.J. Greer is having the most productive season of his career, and brings three valuable traits contenders look for at the deadline: size, depth production, and Stanley Cup experience.
He’s scored 11 goals and 21 points in 57 games this season, which is already a career-high. Given how much money Florida already has committed to its roster for next season, Greer’s performances may be pricing himself out of remaining in Florida beyond the deadline.
Veteran center Luke Kunin, also a pending UFA, was a trade asset last season when the San Jose Sharks received a fourth-round pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for his services. Kunin is unlikely to cost as much this year, seeing as he’s averaging the fewest minutes of any regular forward in head coach Paul Maurice’s lineup. But Kunin has won 51.5% of his draws this season, and is averaging a little over a minute on the penalty kill, so teams looking for a cheap veteran depth center could be interested.
On defense, the only option that works as a rental is veteran Jeff Petry, as the 38-year-old is the only NHL regular on the blueline who is a pending UFA. Petry has over 1,000 games of NHL experience and has been a regular for the Panthers, playing in 55 of the team’s 57 games and averaging 14:51 time on ice per game. While he likely wouldn’t return the Panthers significant value, he could be a player of interest to teams looking to shore up their blueline depth in a way that won’t break the bank.
Team Needs
Healthy Core Players: Ultimately, no external addition the Panthers could realistically make would be as impactful as getting their players back to full health. This is a team whose competitive fortunes look totally different with Barkov in the lineup. With Jones also on injured reserve, the Panthers are down their most important overall player, as well as one of their top defensemen. Since Barkov is extremely unlikely to return in 2025-26, the Panthers are likely best-served prioritizing building up their odds of contending next season, rather than in what remains of this year.
Cost-Controlled Depth: The closest modern-day comparable to what the Panthers have achieved in the past two years is the Tampa Bay Lightning of the first few years of the decade, as they won back-to-back titles and lost in another Stanley Cup Final. Beyond their elite core group of players, the Lightning were able to build a dominant contender because of the significant surplus value they mined in the depth roles of their lineup.
Photos courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Buffalo Sabres Recall Zach Metsa
The Buffalo Sabres announced this morning that they have recalled defenseman Zach Metsa from their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.
Metsa was originally reassigned at the start of the Olympic break. He’s spent a larger portion of this season on the Sabres’ NHL roster. Since Buffalo next plays on Wednesday, the same day the Americans have their next game, Metsa would not get the chance to play in any additional games by remaining on the AHL roster, hence today’s recall.
Today’s recall comes during what has been the most successful campaign of Metsa’s pro career. The 27-year-old is an undrafted player who signed with the Sabres coming out of college, where he captained Quinnipiac University to a national championship in 2022-23. Metsa has developed at a steady pace at the AHL level, going from 24 points in 54 games in his rookie season to 46 points in 69 games as a second-year pro.
This season, Metsa has 15 points in 16 games as his performances earned him a depth role at the NHL level. While he hasn’t yet earned the trust of head coach Lindy Ruff to the point where he’s trusted to play a strong diet of minutes (he averages just 9:42 time on ice per game) he has gotten into 26 NHL games.
If Metsa can continue to earn the trust of Ruff, the Sabres could end up getting real surplus value on Metsa’s contract. The two-year deal he signed in July of last year has an additional season remaining at a $775K NHL salary and $325K total guarantee.
While Metsa isn’t playing very much in the NHL right now, if he can build himself to the point where he’s relied on as a capable third-pairing or even No. 7 defenseman, his league-minimum NHL cap hit should give the Sabres solid cap savings next to what a comparable player might cost on the open market.
When Metsa was sent down on Feb. 6, he was reassigned alongside two young Sabres forwards: Konsta Helenius and Isak Rosén. Neither player has been recalled to this point, but given how well each has played at the AHL level this season, it would be a surprise to see them spend too much time in Rochester in the remaining portion of the season.
Sidney Crosby Ruled Out Of Semifinals, Possible For Medal Game
Feb. 20: Crosby will not play in today’s semifinal matchup against Finland, Hockey Canada announced. As IIHF rules stipulate a captain must be named for each game, Connor McDavid will wear the ‘C’ in his absence. Crosby, who by all accounts avoided a worst-case injury, is still questionable for either the bronze or gold medal game pending today’s result.
Feb. 18: During Canada’s dramatic overtime victory over Czechia in the quarterfinals of the ongoing Winter Olympics men’s hockey tournament, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby was forced out of the game with an injury.
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan relayed word from Canadian head coach Jon Cooper post-game, who said that he didn’t know the extent of Crosby’s injury. According to Kaplan, Crosby will undergo medical imaging to determine the extent of the lower-body injury he suffered. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that Hockey Canada is expected to issue an update on Crosby’s status on Thursday.
As one of the most iconic players in the history of Canadian international hockey competition, Crosby’s status is one of the key storylines to watch as the tournament progresses into the semifinal stage. At this point in time, one can only speculate on whether Crosby will be available for the rest of the tournament.
If Crosby is unavailable, it goes without saying that would be a massive loss for Canada. Crosby has six points in the tournament and his line with Mitch Marner and Mark Stone has been one of Canada’s best.
Any extended absence would also impact the Penguins. Pittsburgh is in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, in large part powered by Crosby’s 59 points in 56 games. Losing Crosby, even for a brief period of time, would make winning on a nightly basis far more challenging for the Penguins.
As of right now, all Canada and Penguins fans can do is wait for Hockey Canada to issue an update regarding Crosby and hope it’s positive.
Oilers Assign Alec Regula On Conditioning Loan
The Edmonton Oilers announced that defenseman Alec Regula has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, on a conditioning loan.
The move will allow Regula to get into some games over a maximum of a two-week period. The 25-year-old defenseman has been a frequent healthy scratch, and has not played since Jan. 20. Both Regula and the Oilers are likely hoping to get him into some games as he hasn’t played very much stretching back to last season.
Regula arrived in Edmonton off of waivers from the Boston Bruins in Dec. 2024, but missed all of the 2024-25 campaign with a knee injury.
This season, Regula has gotten into 29 games for the Oilers. He’s scored three points and is averaging 14:28 time on ice per game, including 0:49 per game on the penalty kill. He’s under contract for another season at a two-way rate with a $450K AHL salary, so the Oilers will hope he can build some confidence at the AHL level and translate that to his time on the NHL roster once he’s recalled from his conditioning stint.