The NHL season is past the halfway point, and things are really heating up.
Teams are battling for playoff spots, figuring out their strengths and weaknesses, and prepping for the March 7th trade deadline—which is right around the corner.
This year, we’ve also got the exciting 4 Nations Face-Off (Feb. 10-21) adding another layer of intrigue.
We’ve already seen some huge trades, the rumor mill is buzzing, and key players are fighting to return from injury.
Basically, it’s non-stop action in the NHL.
In this blog, we’ll break down the biggest stories, analyze the impact of these moves. So, grab your jersey and get ready – we’re diving into all the news, rumors, and insights every hockey fan needs.
Trade Talk Heats Up
With the NHL’s March 7 trade deadline a mere month away, teams are busy figuring out what they need to make a push for the playoffs.
Some teams have even started making moves early, using the upcoming break for the 4 Nations Face-Off (Feb. 10-21) as a sort of early trade deadline.
The Vancouver Canucks have been especially busy lately.
On January 31st, they made a big five-player trade with the New York Rangers, sending center J.T. Miller to the Big Apple.
Not even 24 hours later, they swung another deal, this time a four-player swap with the Pittsburgh Penguins, bringing in defenseman Marcus Pettersson and forward Drew O’Connor.
They’re not messing around.
Chris Johnston of The Athletic has reported that there won’t be a roster freeze during the 4 Nations Face-Off.
So, while teams can still make trades during the tournament, the general feeling is that most of the serious negotiations will probably wait until after it’s over.
So, who are the players everyone’s talking about? Here are a few names popping up in the rumor mill:
Seth Jones (Chicago Blackhawks):
Even though the Blackhawks are having a rough season, some teams are wondering if Jones might be available.
TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on January 16th that he’s a skilled, puck-moving defenseman who plays a ton of minutes for Chicago.
Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins):
The Bruins are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16, which has led to some speculation about the future of their captain.
Bruins president Cam Neely acknowledged the team’s struggles back on January 15th.
Dylan Cozens (Buffalo Sabres):
Apparently, the Montreal Canadiens are among the teams checking in on the availability of Dylan Cozens.
Scott Laughton (Philadelphia Flyers):
The Columbus Blue Jackets might be interested in Laughton to replace the injured Kirill Marchenko, but the Flyers are reportedly reluctant to trade him.
Ryan Strome (Anaheim Ducks):
Strome is another player the Blue Jackets could be targeting.
He’s currently third in scoring for the Ducks with 30 points and has two years left on his contract.
Interestingly, some big names like Florida’s Sam Bennett, Calgary’s Nazem Kadri, Montreal’s Mike Matheson, Anaheim’s Jacob Trouba and John Gibson, and the Rangers’ Chris Kreider haven’t been mentioned as much in recent trade rumors.
And remember that Taylor Hall was already traded by Chicago to the Hurricanes in the whole Rantanen deal.
Player Updates and Potential Returns
Several teams are hoping to get some key players back from injury soon:
Buffalo Sabres:
Sabres fans have some good news! Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen could all be back in the lineup against the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
Thompson, who leads the Sabres in scoring with 26 goals and 48 points, sounded optimistic on Friday, saying, “Good day on the ice… Felt good, no issues… I feel ready.”
Cozens missed practice on Wednesday with a lower-body issue, and Luukkonen, who’s supposed to play for Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off (Feb. 12-20), missed his scheduled start against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday due to a lower-body injury.
4 Nations Face-Off
The 4 Nations Face-Off (Feb. 12-20) is just around the corner, and hockey fans are getting excited.
We’ll see some great matchups, including Lightning captain Victor Hedman, who will also captain Team Sweden, going up against his teammate, Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond.
And who could forget when Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid faced off before joining forces on Team Canada?
The 4 Nations Face-Off is shaping up to be a fantastic tournament.
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