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.
Ducks’ Petr Mrazek Out For Season After Hip Surgery
The Anaheim Ducks announced today that netminder Petr Mrazek will miss the rest of the 2025-26 season after undergoing hip surgery yesterday. Mrazek has not played since Jan. 5 and has been on injured reserve since Jan. 7.
This news is an undoubtedly unfortunate development for Mrazek, who is set to hit unrestricted free agency in the summer. The 34-year-old veteran has a $4.25MM AAV contract that is set to expire. Today’s news means that Mrazek won’t be able to put any additional games on his résumé before he hits the open market. Acquired by the Ducks in June as part of the Detroit Red Wings’ acquisition of John Gibson, Mrazek played in just 10 games this season. He went 3-5-0 with a grisly .858 save percentage and 4.07 goals-against-average.
Those numbers won’t help Mrazek’s case in free agency, but looking past just his brief Ducks tenure, Mrazek’s platform as a free agent looks improved. He was the No. 1 goalie playing behind a weak rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks team in 2023-24 and posted a strong .908 save percentage across 56 games played. Throughout his NHL career, Mrazek has been a talented, if inconsistent goaltender.
While he was likely viewed as a more straightforward option for clubs interested in a veteran backup goaltender in this summer’s open market, today’s development will likely inject some uncertainty into his free agency.
Blue Jackets’ Scott Ford To Interview For NCAA Coaching Vacancy
The Columbus Blue Jackets have granted permission for assistant coach Scott Ford to interview for the vacant head coaching role at Brown University’s men’s hockey program, according to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline.
Portzline added that there would be “further conversations” between GM Don Waddell and head coach Rick Bowness if Ford ends up offered the job. Ford’s name first came up regarding the role in a report from New England Hockey Journal’s Mark Divver.
Brown is currently without a permanent head coach after former bench boss Brendan Whittet stepped away from the program on Jan. 28 to take a family medical leave. The University noted as part of its announcement that when he returns from leave, “Whittet will transition into a new role in athletics administration.” Whittet became head coach at Brown in 2009-10 after a decade as an assistant coach at Dartmouth College. His most successful campaign came in 2012-13, when he led Brown to the finals of the ECAC tournament..
Ford, 46, is a Brown alumnus who captained the program in 2003-04 and was that year named his conference’s top defensive defenseman. He’s in his second season as an assistant coach in Columbus, brought there as a member of former head coach Dean Evason’s staff. He remained on staff after the Blue Jackets swapped head coaches and hired Bowness, but like many assistants who are holdovers from a prior bench boss, his future in Columbus is likely somewhat uncertain.
Seeing as Whittet remained in his position for well over a decade, it’s unlikely Ford will have an abundance of opportunities to become the head coach at his alma mater – a factor that could impact his interest in making the NHL-to-NCAA move. NCAA coaches often enjoy a significantly greater degree of job stability than NHL coaches, and especially assistant coaches. Not only does that mean the Brown head coaching role, once filled, is unlikely to become vacant again for quite some time, it also means an NHL coach with an uncertain future given the departure of his former boss could be particularly attracted to an NCAA vacancy. That, combined with the fact that Brown is Ford’s alma mater, give Ford all the reason to be interested in the head coaching role at Brown.
While it’s too early to tell whether Ford will ultimately land in Rhode Island, this is a storyline for Blue Jackets fans to look out for as the Olympic break continues.
Latest On Maxim Berezkin
As one might expect of a club with back-to-back appearances in the Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers’ prospect pool is not widely seen as overflowing with high-end talent. Entering the season, the team’s pipeline ranked No. 31 in the NHL according to Corey Pronman of The Athletic, and No. 30 according to Elite Prospects. In a system notably short on likely future NHL talent, one name that has stuck out is that of Russian winger Maxim Berezkin.
Berezkin, 24, made headlines when he scored five goals and 16 points in 20 playoff games for KHL side Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. He followed that up with 15 goals and 42 points in 66 games in 2024-25, helping Lokomotiv win the KHL title. That raised some questions as to whether Berezkin might make the transition across the Atlantic and sign his entry-level deal with the Oilers.
He didn’t end up doing so, but today, The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell wrote that Berezkin “has expressed interest in signing with an NHL team,” which supports what The Nation Network’s Jason Gregor reported last summer, that Berezkin is interested in trying to come to the NHL for 2026-27.
While his numbers are down this season (he has 23 points in 53 games), his prior scoring success combined with his physical tools (he stands 6’4″ 211 pounds) will likely make him a valued prospect in Edmonton. Mitchell did indicate that there is a possibility “Edmonton’s lack of success with Russian players over the years may make him a trade option” this season, and the possibility Edmonton deals the player cannot be dismissed. In a prospect pool short on high-end or close-to-NHL-ready talent, Berezkin could be a useful trade chip.
But regardless of whether he signs his entry-level deal in Edmonton or is traded and needs to sign elsewhere, it appears the player will likely make an attempt to join the North American pro ranks next season. The Oilers have had some success with some older prospects they’ve added directly into their pro ranks over the last year, namely in Quinn Hutson, Josh Samanski, and Viljami Marjala. If Berezkin’s KHL production is any indication, the Oilers could extend that track record whenever he signs out of Russia.
Latest On Eemil Vinni
Edmonton Oilers goalie prospect Eemil Vinni was loaned to a different team in Finland’s second-tier league today, according to an official announcement. The 2024 second-round pick has thus far spent the entire season with Mestis side JoKP, and has now been loaned to Ketterä.
Ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Oilers’ system entering the season by the team at Elite Prospects, Vinni has had an uneven 2025-26 season. He got into 37 Mestis games for JoKP in 2024-25, but has just 17 this season. His .884 save percentage across those 17 contests ranks last among the three goalies who have seen time for JoKP this season, behind 27-year-old Juho Ahopelto (.891) and former AHL All-Star Kasimir Kaskisuo (.888).
Vinni has not played since Jan. 10, so this loan should give him the chance to get into games on a more regular basis, a key factor in the development of goaltenders.
While Vinni is unlikely to challenge incumbent starter Reima-Ville Roos, whose .917 save percentage ranks No. 2 among all goalies in Mestis, he should be an upgrade over backup Väinö Tanninen. Tanninen, 21, has gone 2-6-3 with an .865 save percentage in 13 games this season.
Since Vinni is playing out a contract that only runs through the end of the season, his development path should open up this summer. Vinni will likely have several options to choose from when it comes to continuing his hockey journey. While staying in his native Finland appears to be the most likely choice, the possibility that Vinni takes an alternative development path cannot be ruled out.
Sharks Notes: Musty, Bystedt, Lund
San Jose Sharks 2023 first-round pick Quentin Musty returned to the AHL ice after missing a month with a lower-body injury. While he was unable to land on the scoresheet during the San Jose Barracuda’s loss to the Henderson Silver Knights last night, his return from injury puts him in a position to resume his AHL rookie season and continue to make his case for an eventual NHL recall.
Unfortunately for Musty, missing time is something he’s had to get used to over the last two seasons. Last year, he didn’t begin his OHL season until November, sitting out in hopes the Sudbury Wolves would fulfill his trade request. (They did not.) Then, he suffered a hand injury, and was limited to just 33 games in 2024-25. With that year behind him, Musty has had a decent rookie campaign in the AHL. Through 33 games, Musty has 24 points, which is a 52-point 72-game scoring pace. He’s widely considered to be among San Jose’s top prospects, ranking No. 4 in their system entering the season by Elite Prospects, and No. 5 by Daily Faceoff.
Other notes from the Bay Area:
- The Sharks have been without 2022 first-rounder Filip Bystedt for the last two games due to a lower-body injury, and according to independent reporter Madison Montez, he is expected to be sidelined on a week-to-week basis. Bystedt’s injury cost him the chance to compete in the AHL’s All-Star Classic, and could unfortunately impact his odds of making his NHL debut at some point this season. The 22-year-old center leads the Barracuda in scoring with 36 points in 40 games, but has yet to receive an NHL recall to this point in his young career.
- 2022 No. 34 overall pick Cam Lund is currently being evaluated for an injury after missing the last two periods of the Barracuda’s most recent game, reports Montez. The 21-year-old replaced Bystedt at the AHL’s All-Star Classic and has 25 points in 37 games in what is his first full season playing pro hockey. Lund spent 11 games with the Sharks after signing his ELC last season, and scored two goals and three points in his first taste of pro hockey.
Snapshots: Clara, Reschny, Olsen
Anaheim Ducks prospect Damian Clara had a performance for the ages today in Italy’s loss to Sweden in the group stage of the Winter Olympics. In front of a home crowd, Clara gave Italy a chance to upset the Swedes, making 46 saves. Per The Hockey News’ Derek Lee, Clara was forced out of Italy’s loss with what appeared to be a lower-body injury while making a save. There has not been any word on the extent of Clara’s injury, or if he will be fit to play in Italy’s next game, which is Friday against Slovakia.
If Clara is not fit to play, Italy will turn to Milan native Davide Fadani, who has a .922 save percentage in 22 games this season with Swiss National League side EHC Kloten. Clara, 21, was a 2023 second-round pick of the Ducks, and has spent this season playing in Sweden’s top pro league, the SHL. Through 30 games with Brynäs IF, Clara has an .888 save percentage.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- Calgary Flames 2025 first-round pick Cole Reschny is questionable for the University of North Dakota’s games this weekend against the University of Miami (Ohio), according to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. Reschny left UND’s game last weekend with a lower-body injury. The former WHL Victoria Royals star has had a strong start to his NCAA career, scoring 25 points in 24 games. He could be a large part of the Flames’ future, as he was ranked as the league’s No. 76 skater prospect by the team at Elite Prospects.
- Former Winnipeg Jets prospect Ryan Olsen was released by the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder today, ending his three-week stint in Kansas. The 2012 sixth-round pick helped the Colorado Eagles, now of the AHL, to a Kelly Cup championship in 2018, and has moved around since that point. He spent the following two seasons in the AHL, including a 17-goal, 34-point season with the San Antonio Rampage in 2018-19, before moving to Germany’s second division. Olsen spent the last two seasons in the DEL2 before beginning this season in Germany’s third division. His stint in Wichita, which ends with zero points in six games played, was Olsen’s first opportunity in North American pro hockey since October 2023.