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Latest On Olympic Rink Construction

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NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly met with the media to share the latest on the ice rink construction for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, with updates summarized by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. Daly confirmed that the rink will finish construction on February 2nd, just three days before the women’s tournament is scheduled to begin. The men’s tournament is set to start on February 11th. Daly added that the NHL has sent their own ice technicians and experts to Milano Cortina to support the construction, saying:

We’re basically moving everybody there to try to help get this done in a way that’s acceptable for NHL athletes. And I’m cautiously optimistic it will be fruitful.

The NHL is hearing positive updates, per Daly, and doesn’t view the construction challenges as an insurmountable barrier. At the same time, Daly said the NHL won’t send players if the ice conditions are deemed unsafe to play on. The ice sheet itself is set to be a standard international size – 196.85 feet by 85.3 feet (60 meters by 26 meters). That was the sized used in past Olympic events, but goes against an agreement made this summer between the NHL and IIHF. The NHL found out about the improper sizing last week. They okayed the it for 2026 but will expect proper dimensions for the 2030 Winter Olympics, per Daly.

The NHL is set to pause play for two weeks for the Winter Olympics. With an insistance that there is no contingency plan – Olympic hockey will only play at this newly-constructed arena next year – the NHL could find themselves in a true all-or-nothing situation. Daly spoke to the league’s optimism but also acknowledged that they may need to come up with an emergency solution, if faced with worst case scenario. What that solution would look like will be up to little more than speculation. The NHL set history with the 4-Nations Face-Off – an international, best-on-best tournament hosted by the NHL – last February. That could be a framework that let’s jettisoned Olypmians get back on the ice, while not disturbing the vacation plans of those not headed to Italy.

Golden Knights Recall Dylan Coghlan, Assign Jaycob Megna

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The Vegas Golden Knights have swapped depth defenseman on the NHL roster. Dylan Coghlan has been recalled, while Jaycob Megna has been reassigned to the AHL. Neither player has appeared in an NHL game this season.

Megna, 32, was recalled to the Golden Knights roster on December 1st. He has been rotated between the NHL and AHL roster three times since clearing waivers on October 2nd. Through that movement, he’s managed to appear in 15 games with the Henderson Silver Knights. He’s recorded five points, 12 penalty minutes, and a plus-six in those appearances. That includes two points, four penalty minutes, and a plus-three in his last four games. Megna also has eight seasons of NHL experience. He has appeared in 193 games, and scored 27 points, through stints with the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Florida Panthers.

Coghlan, 27, has performed well in-line with Megna. He has 10 points, 10 penalty minutes, and a plus-four in 20 games with Henderson. This is his recall of the season. He appeared in six games with the Winnipeg Jets, with no scoring, last year and 18 games with the Carolina Hurricanes between 2022 and 2024. Coghlan has appeared in 112 games across six seasons, and three teams. He has 22 points and a minus-10 in those appearances.

This swap surely has more to do with roster technicalities than it does lineup implications. Megna will only be able to spend 15 more days on the NHL roster, before he will have to clear through waivers to be reassigned to the minors. The Golden Knights appear to be using those days sparingly, after recalling Megna for one week in October and the first week of December.

Canadiens Reassign Kaapo Kahkonen

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12/8: The Canadiens have reversed this move with Montembeault feeling better.

12/7: The Montreal Canadiens have recalled goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen from the AHL. He will backup Jakub Dobes with Sam Montembeault under the weather, per hockey insider Frank Seravalli.

Kahkonen has served as backup for the AHL’s Laval Rockets this season. He has a 6-2-0 record and .895 save percentage through nine games. Those numbers pale in comparison to rookie starter Jacob Fowler, who has 10 wins, three shutouts, and a .919 save percentage in 15 games. Recalling the veteran Kahkonen will allow Montreal to keep Fowler in a starting net with three games ahead this week.

Kahkonen has fallen down the depth chart, but still brings plenty of experience to the fill-in role. He has appeared in 140 games across seven NHL seasons. That includes a nightly backup role through two years with the Minnesota Wild, and two years with the San Jose Sharks, between 2020 and 2024. He routinely eclipsed a .900 save percentage through his first five seasons in the NHL. That includes a .913 save percentage in 36 games of the 2021-22 season, which he split between Minnesota and San Jose. His performance fell off with a move to the Colorado Avalanche last season, landing him in a routine AHL role. That role has now stretched across four AHL clubs – three last season, then a move to Laval this year. He isn’t likely to curb the slow years on this recall, but should offer a steady hand if the Canadiens need it.

Blues Recall Hugh McGing

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The St. Louis Blues have recalled center Hugh McGing with their open roster spot. He will join the Blues with three games ahead of them this week. McGing has six points, 25 penalty minutes, and a minus-seven in 18 games with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds this season.

McGing has been near the top of St. Louis’ call-up sheet since 2022. He has appearead in six NHL games in that span, with no scoring, no penalties, and a minus-five. He brings a hard-working energy to the bottom of the lineup. Despite his 5-foot-8 frame, McGing isn’t afraid to get involved with puck battles in the corners or in front of the net. That grit has earned him a key role as Springfield’s third-line center. He has also appeared on the team’s penalty-kill.

The Blues will be looking for any help they can to keep their recent hot streak going. They have won their last two games by a combined score of 6-4 – after losing eight of their previous 11 games. The Blues face two of the top 15 offenses in the league through their next five games in Boston (ranked seventh in goals-for) and Chicago (ranked 14th). They’ll get a bit of respite with two matches against the Nashville Predators, who are one of only five teams with fewer goals than the Blues this season.

McGing will offer an alternative for Matt Luff, who made his Blues debut on Suunday. Luff recorded one hit, two shot blocks, and a minus-one in eight minutes of ice time.

Avalance Reassign Trent Miner, Scott Wedgewood Expected To Return

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The Colorado Avalanche reassigned goaltender Trent Miner after Sunday’s win over New York. The move clears way for Scott Wedgewood to return from injury in Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators per Corey Masisak of the Denver Post.
Wedgewood missed Colorado’s last three games with a back injury. He sustained the injury in the second period of Colorado’s December 2nd win over the Vancouver Canucks.
The Avalanche have leaned heavily on Wedgewood this season. He has appeared in 19 games to starter Mackenzie Blackwood’s – who missed the start of the season with injury – 10 games. Both goalies have a .920 save percentage, tying them for third-highest in the league among goalies with double-digit appearances.
Blackwood has been stellar as of late. He has five wins, two shutouts, and a .944 save percentage in his last six games. That performance – including back-to-back wins this weekend – should be enough to hang onto Colorado’s starting role. That will default Wedgewood to the backup spot, though Colorado will again relish in the chance to have two of the league’s hottest hands in their goaltending room.
Meanwhile, Miner will return to the minors, where he’s already posted four wins and a .908 save percentage in six games. He has also posted a .909 save percentage in two NHL games this season. His return to the AHL will challenge Isak Posch for the starting role. Posch – an AHL rookie – has 10 wins and a .917 save percentage in 14 games this year.

Wild Reassign Hunter Haight

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The Minnesota Wild reassigned forward Hunter Haight to the AHL’s Iowa Wild with center Danila Yurov back to full health. Haight was recalled on December 1st and didn’t see any game time on this call-up. His last action was with Iowa on November 30th. He has scored four goals and five points in 14 AHL games.
Haight has rotated between rosters as Minnesota’s extra forward all season long. That role earned him the first two games of his NHL career, though he wasn’t able to find the score sheet in either. He scored 20 goals and 34 points in 67 games of his rookie AHL season last year. His scoring totals haven’t jumped off the page just yet but Haight has earned Minnesota’s attention with responsible two-way play from the center role.
Yurov returned from injury with a minus-two in Saturday night’s game. The rookie has slowly worked up the lineup over the year, even appearing on the top-line  as the Wild addressed early season injuries. He hasn’t yet capitalized on the growing role, with seven points and a minus-five in 22 games. Yurov is two seasons removed from 49 points in 62 games of the 2023-24 KHL season, though he fell to 25 points in 46 KHL games last year. The 21-year-old will remain a breakout candidate in his return from injury.

Sabres Recall Zach Metsa, Reassign Noah Ostlund

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The Buffalo Sabres have recalled defenseman Zach Metsa from the AHL’s Rochester Americans. Metsa was reassigned last Monday. He played in three games with Rochester last week and recorded two points, one penalty, and a plus-two.

Metsa played in the first four NHL games of his career earlier this season. He hasn’t found a scoresheet yet, other than one penalty, but has recorded a plus-three. Metsa has been a much more electric piece for Rochester. He has 13 points in 14 games with the Americans, good for second on the blue-line in scoring behind Zac Jones’ 20 points in 20 games.

Metsa, 27, is emerging as a potential NHL option after two strong AHL seasons to start his career. He joined Rochester as an undrafted free agent in 2022-23, after five years at Quinnipiac University, where he won one NCAA National Championship. Metsa had a quiet first year – with just 28 points in his first 72 AHL games. That preluded a true breakout last season. He recorded 49 points in 77 games, including playoffs, last season. That led Rochester’s defense in scoring and ranked third on the team overall. He has kept up the hot scoring through this season, helping to cement his spot on top of Buffalo’s call-up sheet over the more experienced Jones.

To make room for Metsa’s recall, Buffalo has also loaned center Noah Ostlund back to the AHL. The second-year pro has been Metsa’s counterpart on offense, bouncing between the NHL and AHL lineup for much of the year. He has seven points in six AHL games and six poinst in 20 NHL games. It’s the first scoring of his NHL career, after he failed to produce in the first eight games of his career last season. Ostlund will look to rediscover his offensive production with a return to the Americans, after only posting one assist in his last nine games with Buffalo.

Blues’ Jordan Kyrou Out Day-To-Day With Lower-Body Injury

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12/7: Blues head coach Jim Montgomery designated Kyrou as day-to-day, and said he was “doing OK”, in an update on Sunday. It seems St. Louis has dodged worst case scenario, after losing a main lineup fixture early into Saturday night’s win.

12/6: The St. Louis Blues lost star winger Jordan Kyrou during Saturday night’s game against the Ottawa Senators. He went down the tunnel three minutes into the game after receiving a hit against the boards from Ottawa Senators rookie Stephen Halliday. Kyrou was favoring his left leg on his way off the ice.

Kyrou has been on a heater as of late. He has three points, a plus-two, and eight shots on net over his last four games. Those numbers have propped Kyrou up to 16 points, a minus-nine, and 69 shots on goal in 27 games this season. He ranks second on the team in scoring behind Robert Thomas’ 17 points in 24 games. Kyrou hasn’t filled his usual stapled top-line role under head coach Jim Montgomery, but he’s snapped back to routine scoring after a four-game drought in early November.

Kyrou has been an electric scorer for the Blues dating back to the 2021-22 season. That was his breakout year in the NHL, marked by 27 goals and 75 points in 74 games. He has followed that with three consecutive 30-goal seasons and two more 70-point years. He’s up to 348 points in 443 games through eight years in the NHL. That scoring will make him an invaluable asset in any potential moves, and a hard lineup piece to replace should this injury force him out of more games.

David Pastrnak Questionable For Bruins’ Three-Game Road Trip

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The Boston Bruins could embark on a three-game road-trip through the Western Conference without their superstar goal-scorer. Winger David Pastrňák continued to skate on his own at Saturday’s practice and was designataed as questionable for the road-trip by head coach Marco Sturm, per Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy.

Pastrňák hasn’t played since November 26th due to an undisclosed injury. He has missed five games in that span, and could miss up to eight games if he isn’t able to travel with the Bruins. Boston lost two of their first three games without Pastrňák – but they rebounded with back-to-back wins in their last two games, where they outscored opponents 9-3.

Even though their luck has turned around, Boston still sorely misses Pastrňák in the lineup. He ranks second on the club in scoring with 11 goals and 29 points in 25 games. It’s yet another dominant season for the Czech star. He has stacked up 100-point seasons in each of the last three years – including a 61 goal, 113 point season in 2022-23. That was Boston’s highest scoring season since Adam Oates scored 142 points in 1992-93.

Pastrňák’s absence opened the door for Casey Mittelstadt to return to the lineup after more than 20 days out due to a lower-body injury. He has stepped up in the return with two points in his first two games back and another point in Saturday’s win over New Jersey. Mittelstadt is up to 11 points in 19 games this season. He has carved out an impactful role in Boston’s top-six, helping to sustain a Bruins offense that has the seventh-most goals in the NHL despite missing their 100-point scorer.

Jets To Host Canadiens In 2026 Heritage Classic

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The NHL announced that the Winnipeg Jets will host the Montreal Canadiens at Princess Auto Stadium for the 2026 Heritage Classic on October 25th. This will be the fifth time Montreal has played in an outdoor game. Their last was in 2017, when the Canadiens lost to the Ottawa Senators 3-0 in the NHL 100 Classic. Montreal has never hosted their own outdoor game.

The Heritage Classic has had an inconsistent schedule compared to the NHL’s other outdoor events. It has only been played seven times since its debut in 2003 – a debut that saw Montreal defeat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Montreal also appeared in the second Heritage Classic in 2011 – where they lost to Calgary 0-4.  Winnipeg also faced Calgary and Edmonton in a pair of Heritage Classics. The Jets flipped Montreal’s results, beating Calgary (2-1) but getting shutout by Edmonton (0-3). The most recent Heritage Classic – in October 2023 – was, coincidentally, saw the Oilers beat the Flames 5-2.

The 2026 Heritage Classic will mark the first outdoor game for many future NHL stars. Montreal will bring Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, Ivan Demidov, and Cole Caufield to their first outdoor matchup, while Winnipeg class of youngsters is led by Cole Perfetti. This could also be Jonathan Toews’ first outdoor game since 2019, if he re-signs with his hometown Jets next summer.

Princess Auto Stadium is home to the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who also a white-and-blue color scheme like the Jets. The Canadiens also share a red-and-blue color scheme with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, which could lead to an exciting jersey matchup, on top of what’s sure to be an impact matchup between two playoff hopefuls next season.

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