It was the Maple Leafs' first win in regulation since Dec. 28, when they topped the last-place Arizona Coyotes. Prior to Saturday's game, the team had gone 2-3-4 in its previous nine contests, with both victories coming in the shootout.
Despite Toronto's shaky play of late, the Maple Leafs remain third in the Atlantic Division with a 13-point lead over the fourth-place Florida Panthers.
Morgan Rielly will be held out after suffering an upper-body injury during the second period of Thursday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers, according to TSN's Mark Masters. Rielly finished the game against the Flyers, but as head coach Mike Babcock alluded to postgame, he was used sparingly.
Rielly is in the midst of a career year. He's tallied 31 points in 47 games, just two points shy of Auston Matthews, who leads the Maple Leafs in scoring.
With another win on Saturday afternoon, the Colorado Avalanche extended their winning streak to nine games, the longest managed by any team this season.
The Avalanche topped the New York Rangers 3-1 and in doing so also tied their second-longest winning run in franchise history.
Leading the way on Saturday, once again, was Nathan MacKinnon, who extended his goalscoring streak - netting the eventual game-winner - to five games and his current point streak to nine matchups.
During the team's run, MacKinnon has tallied 19 points and now sits just two points behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov for the league lead.
As for the Avalanche, they currently hold down the final wild-card spot in the West but are just four points back of the St. Louis Blues, who occupy the third spot in the Central Division with three games in hand.
The Toronto Maple Leafs let another lead get away from them on Thursday night.
After mounting a 2-0 advantage in the second period in their clash with the Philadelphia Flyers, the club watched as its gutsy effort was quickly erased with the Flyers tying the game before the third period was four minutes old.
The Maple Leafs took the Flyers to the extra session - which they have done in five of their last six games - but ultimately Sean Couturier had the dagger just 18 seconds in to hand the Maple Leafs their fourth straight loss.
The game was an example of a recent trend that has found its way into the Maple Leafs' game - blowing leads. Thursday marked the fourth time in the last six that the Maple Leafs have coughed up a lead.
Date
Opponent
Lead Blown
Final Score
Jan. 4
Sharks
2-1
W 3-2 (SO)
Jan. 8
Blue Jackets
2-0
L 3-2 (OT)
Jan. 16
Blues
1-0
L 2-1 (OT)
Jan. 18
Flyers
2-0
L 3-2 (OT)
Of course, this unfortunate fad is nothing new for the Maple Leafs, as fans might recall the club was notorious last season for giving up leads late in games as well. In fact, the team blew 11 leads of two or more goals in 82 games last season, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton, who defines a blown lead as being when the opposing team is able to secure at least one point.
Luckily for the Maple Leafs, the so-called "pity points" have allowed them to construct a 12-point lead over the next-closest Atlantic club (the Detroit Red Wings), meaning there's no panic in Leaf Land - yet.
With a firm grasp on the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference, the Vegas Golden Knights are now looking to claim top spot in the league.
With a commanding 4-1 win over the top-ranked Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night, the Golden Knights moved to within a win of the Lightning for the best record in the NHL. What's more, the Golden Knights also have a game in hand on Tampa Bay.
With a firm grasp on the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference, the Vegas Golden Knights are now looking to claim top spot in the league.
With a commanding 4-1 win over the top-ranked Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night, the Golden Knights moved to within a win of the Lightning for the best record in the NHL. What's more, the Golden Knights also have a game in hand on Tampa Bay.
The Ottawa Senators' poor season apparently hasn't motivated players to head for the hills.
General manager Pierre Dorion noted to reporters Thursday that no player has requested a trade, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.
Dorion also said he hasn't shopped any players to other teams - though that's partly because other teams came calling on their own.
"I haven't shopped anyone," Dorion said, according to TSN's Brent Wallace. He added, "We have good players - that's why they (other GMs) are calling."
The Senators currently own the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference, and are consequently widely expected to be sellers at the trade deadline.
Dorion says he knows changes may need to be made. #Sens
The NHL trade deadline is just over a month away, but after Anthony Duclair was shipped to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night, it appears general managers have already started burning up the phones.
Many clubs remain on the cusp of a playoff position, meaning the next few weeks could be the tipping point in determining who will look to sell and who will look to load up ahead of the final stretch.
Here are the top 10 players who could very well be dealt ahead of the Feb. 26 deadline:
1. Evander Kane, F, Sabres
Teams that could be interested: Sharks, Blues, Kings
Kane's name has been among the most prevalent in trade rumors. It appears to be a given he'll be dealt, and rightfully so, as he's producing despite playing on the league's second-worst team.
Given he's tallied 35 points in 43 games in Buffalo, it would be interesting to see what he can do with a contender.
2. Mike Green, D, Red Wings
Teams that could be interested: Maple Leafs, Lightning, Capitals
The number of dependable, right-shooting veteran defensemen is slim, and Green is the best of that group.
Green, who earned an All-Star nod after tallying 24 points in 41 games, can slot in on the power play and be a huge boost to a club looking to fill out its D core.
3. Mike Hoffman, F, Senators
Teams that could be interested: Blues, Hurricanes, Sharks
Hoffman has one of the most lethal shots in the league.
His production hasn't been great, but considering the tailspin the Senators have been in, his 11 goals and 29 points are decent totals. Placed on the wing of a setup man like Joe Thornton or in a solid power-play unit, he could be the perfect trigger man.
4. Max Pacioretty, F, Canadiens
Teams that could be interested: Sharks, Blues, Kings
Team captains are rarely traded at the deadline. However, with the Canadiens set to miss the postseason for just the second time in the last six years, rumors about Pacioretty being shopped have already surfaced.
A smaller role and less responsibility on a contender could be just what Pacioretty needs to rekindle his scoring prowess.
5. Robin Lehner, G, Sabres
Teams that could be interested: Islanders, Penguins
Few goalies are available and even fewer teams are in need of one heading into the final stretch, but there could be a marriage between Robin Lehner and the New York Islanders.
Goaltending has clearly been the Islanders' Achilles' heel, and Lehner has been one of the better Sabres this season, putting up the sixth-best home save percentage in the NHL.
6. Thomas Vanek, F, Canucks
Teams that could be interested: Blues, Kings, Penguins
It seems teams looking to find offensive depth heading into the playoffs always look to Vanek for a cheap fill. The 29-year-old has recorded a respectable 12 goals and 29 points, including 11 power-play points, on a lowly Canucks squad.
The Canadiens forward has faced criticism for his play, been shifted from center to wing, and moved up and down the lineup. He's just two years removed from a 30-goal campaign, and, at 23 years of age, has more to give.
He still has two years remaining on his deal after this season, so this would be more than your average rental.
8. Erik Gudbranson, D, Canucks
Teams that could be interested: Maple Leafs, Rangers, Islanders
Teams bidding for Gudbranson won't get much offense, but they'll add a dependable two-way defender who can slot nicely into a bottom pairing.
Gudbranson ranks third on the Canucks in both blocks and hits per game, while averaging 2:15 of shorthanded ice time per night.
9. Patrick Maroon, F, Oilers
Teams that could be interested: Capitals, Penguins, Sharks
Things haven't gone according to plan for Maroon this season after he showed glimpses of promise playing alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl last year.
After erupting for 27 goals in 2016-17, he's on pace to finish with 10 fewer this time around. That being said, he's your quintessential sandpaper-type player with the ability to finish - ideal for playoff hockey.
10. Petr Mrazek, G, Red Wings
Teams that could be interested: Islanders, Penguins
After Lehner, Mrazek is the best goalie likely to be made available.
The Red Wings netminder will be a restricted free agent at season's end, and while he has served largely as a backup this year, he has experience as a starter. He's still only 25, and could serve as a depth option on a team like the Penguins.
A dismal 2017-18 campaign has given the Montreal Canadiens a wonderful opportunity.
No, not the chance to pick first overall in the draft - though with half the year still to go, that might not be out of the question - but rather the perfect opening to deal forward Alex Galchenyuk.
Over the past two seasons, Galchenyuk and his coaches have been bombarded by questions surrounding his streaky play, what line he's playing on, and whether he fits best on the wing or at center.
All that can be put to rest, though, if they trade the 23-year-old.
With Montreal holding down the third-lowest spot in the Eastern Conference and sitting seven points outside a wild-card berth, it's becoming clear the team will be a seller at the trade deadline.
Max Pacioretty's name has already been floated, which means few roster spots are safe. It makes the most sense to trade Galchenyuk, though, and the timing couldn't be better.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Galchenyuk holds a share of the team lead in scoring with Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher, recording 23 points in 41 games. He's also matched Andrew Shaw for the top spot on the team with five power-play goals, leads the club with 10 points with the extra attacker, sits tied for second in game-winning goals with two, and ranks third in shots.
Given the struggles he's endured over the last couple seasons, it could be argued his value hasn't been higher.
Back in June, it was reported the Canadiens were actively shopping Galchenyuk, but with no suitor emerging, the team inked the then-restricted free agent to a three-year, $14.7-million contract.
With the Canadiens likely to enter rebuild mode, they'll want to get his $4.9-million cap hit off the books.
As for Galchenyuk, a move might help him recapture the form that led him to record 30 goals and 56 points during the 2015-16 season.
He's still young and talented, and could serve as a great depth upgrade on a contending club ahead of the postseason.
The last two years have been a headache for everyone surrounding the Galchenyuk saga. A trade would put it to bed, helping the Canadiens acquire draft picks or prospects and giving him a fresh start.
The trade deadline is Feb. 26. It's time for Marc Bergevin to work the phones.
Believe it or not, the Vegas Golden Knights are just three points out from being the No. 1 team in the NHL halfway through their inaugural season.
The Golden Knights used another gutsy effort on Sunday night to get by the New York Rangers by a score of 2-1. With the win, the club has now gone 14-1-1 in its last 16 games and has become the second team to hit the 60-point threshold.
After 41 games, Vegas is on pace to finish with 120 points. With a start like this it's no longer a hot take to suggest that the Golden Knights will be playing playoff hockey this spring.
With the playoffs now on the horizon, the question is shifting to: What will the team do as it approaches its first-ever trade deadline? Generally, a team in Vegas' position would be in the market to buy potential rentals in an attempt to bolster its lineup.
However, with Vegas still in its infancy, a clear plan in place, and no glaring holes on its roster, it makes more sense for the club to stand pat and not make any moves it might regret later.
When general manager George McPhee set out to construct the Golden Knights' roster he made it imperative that he not only load up on younger, skilled, roster players, but to also stockpile his cupboard with a load of prospects and draft picks (a perfect example of which are first-round picks Cody Glass and Nick Suzuki).
Last June, the team made 12 selections at the draft. Going forward, the Golden Knights have 28 picks over the next three years.
As most GMs could tell you, the price to pay to acquire rental players at the deadline is usually prospects, draft picks, or both. For Vegas to part ways with these pieces for a monetary gain makes little sense, especially when you consider how well the team has played to date.
The team found chemistry almost immediately and it's led to the Golden Knights posting the second-most potent offense in the league, averaging 3.44 goals per game. On the other side, Vegas has given up 2.71 goals per game, good enough for the 11th-best mark. Despite their special teams being middle of the pack, it hasn't particularly hampered the club in anyway. Then there is the fantastic duo of Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban manning the pipes.
It makes little sense to mess with a winning formula. And in his short tenure, McPhee has shown he's not going to make any critical moves that could jeopardize the team's future.
Ahead of free agency last July, McPhee made it clear that his team wouldn't be very active as it's usually the time of the year where teams overpay for players. Then, after the Golden Knights went through a carousel of goalies with injuries to Fleury, Subban, and Oscar Dansk, McPhee said he wasn't going to have a knee-jerk reaction and trade for a goalie. Instead, he elected to wait out the storm - which now looks to have been the smart choice.
"The plan going into this year was pretty simple: If we're in the hunt, we're going to try and stay in the hunt, if you're not in the hunt, you do what teams that are not in the hunt do at the trading deadline," McPhee told Sportsnet's Hockey Central at Noon last week. "We'll see where we are when we get there. And what happens between now and then will be determined as we go along.
"We wanted to be competitive this year. We thought it was really important to the league. We thought it was important to the market - we wanted to give the market a chance. Can we be competitive and see how people respond here? Well it has been pretty darn good here and you don't ever want to lose that. We're trying to set a standard."
The Golden Knights couldn't have written a better script to this season if they tried. They worked the expansion draft to perfection by creating a model roster that's been producing from the back end on out, they've stockpiled talent in their system, and - without a ton of tinkering - the team leads the Western Conference.
They should be able to compete without any additions. Doing so would keep Vegas' current roster intact and more importantly keeps its future pieces in the fold.
Last November, owner Bill Foley stated he hopes to win a Stanley Cup within the team's first six years. Standing pat gives the Golden Knights the best chance at winning now while maintaining potential sustained success to do so in the future.
