5:15 PM ET We’ve reached that time of year yet again, when the rumors of players being swapped ahead of the NHL’s Feb. 25 trade deadline begin to generate some steam. With that in mind, here’s a look at several candidates who may well be on the move in the next few weeks, along with
NHL
10:00 AM ET Greg WyshynskiESPN In the NHL, confidence is everything. Nothing bolsters confidence more than putting a goal on the board to take a lead over an opponent. It can change the way the scoring team plays. It can affect the way a trailing team plays. Look at the Predators, one of the most
9:02 AM ET Welcome to a weekly feature where we have some fun with underlying numbers. We highlight a couple of trends, then dig beneath the surface to get a better sense of what they ultimately mean, what’s causing them and how likely it is that they’ll continue. Think of them as bite-sized deep dives.
5:54 PM ET Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson has been suspended indefinitely and admitted into stage two of the league’s substance abuse and behavioral health program, the league and the NHLPA announced in a joint statement Tuesday. The suspension is “related exclusively to his ongoing issues with alcohol abuse,” the statement said. The suspension is
2:03 PM ET Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes have signed forward Jordan Martinook to a two-year contract extension worth an average of $2 million per season. General manager Don Waddell said Tuesday that Martinook’s extension will begin next season. The 26-year-old has 10 goals and three assists in 50 games while leading
7:45 AM ET Emily Kaplan Greg Wyshynski Remember that moment of uncertainty back in school when report cards were sent home? That moment when you were sure that you aced a class but wondered if the teacher saw it differently? Or, conversely, that moment when you silently hoped that ‘D’ you thought you’d have to
7:51 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired defenseman Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings for a first-round pick and two prospects. Los Angeles gets forward Carl Grundstrom and the rights to unsigned defenseman Sean Durzi in the deal along with a 2019 first-rounder. The teams announced the
6:38 PM ET What the Columbus Blue Jackets do with star forward Artemi Panarin is a big talker leading up to the Feb. 25 trade deadline. What they won’t do is discuss a contract extension. On Monday, Panarin’s agent Daniel Milstein put out a statement: “We have informed the team that we are willing to
7:00 AM ET Greg WyshynskiESPN SAN JOSE, Calif. — John Tavares and his Atlantic Division All-Star teammate Steven Stamkos skated into the offensive zone. All three players from the Metropolitan Division were bunched up around Tavares, leaving Stamkos wide open for a goal. A fan watching his first hockey game could have diagnosed this defensive
7:00 AM ET Emily Kaplan Greg Wyshynski SAN JOSE, Calif. — The NHL’s current collective bargaining agreement expires in September 2022. However, this coming September, both the NHL and NHLPA have the option to exercise an opt-out clause. Over the past few months, leaders from both groups have begun meeting to hash out core issues