Based strictly on their record and the standings, the Ottawa Senators continue to be a long shot to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But their underlying numbers, not to mention their current four-game winning streak, continue to suggest that if any team is capable of making a late, crazy run, it's the Senators.

But GM Steve Staios is almost out of time to decide what his strategy will be at the trade deadline. Yes, March 6th is still over a month away, but thanks to the Olympic break, the Sens have only six games remaining before the deadline.

"I think they are trying to do something there in Ottawa," Sportsnet analyst Elliotte Friedman declared on Tuesday on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. 

"I have a theory on what they've been trying to do, but it's something I have to check because I have a meter of, okay, they were mad at me a couple of weeks ago. I'll just let them calm down before I make them mad at me again."

The word theory generally suggests little more than speculation. But as one of hockey's top insiders, Friedman's theories are generally borne out of good information extracted from his sources around the league.

But the Senators may not be inclined to agree, at least not at the moment. 

When Friedman says the Sens were mad at him a couple of weeks ago, he's almost certainly referring to a podcast comment he made during the Linus Ullmark social media controversy that erupted during the goaltender's personal leave of absence.

Shortly after news of the controversy broke last month, Friedman commented on the situation, imagining what he would do if he were a player in Ottawa named in a rumour like that.

"I am walking into the organization, and I'm saying, 'Get me out of here. I did not sign up for this.' And especially if my family was involved, I would say, Get me out of here right now. That is too much. I did not sign up for that."

Naturally, that was an easy clip to grab, and even his employer's social media team ran hard with it.

"If I'm a player on the Senators, and I'm named there, I am saying get me out of here."

In the latest 32 Thoughts, @FriedgeHNIC and @sportsnetkyle react to the controversy in Ottawa following an anonymous tweet, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and more.

🎧: https://t.co/TZgY9VDeJ8pic.twitter.com/huLrSsg95W

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 9, 2026

However, if you listen to the full conversation on the podcast, Friedman actually appears to be trying to support the Senators and the manner in which they chose to react to the rumour. He was trying to outline how important it was for the organization to let the players know they had their backs, and he provided an example of what he believed would happen if they didn't come out with their fiery statement to reject the rumour.

But even in full context, the Senators surely didn't appreciate the remarks for a couple of reasons.

For one, the last thing the Senators needed after years of mismanagement under the former regime is a top NHL insider putting such a vivid, negative image out into the NHL universe. Getting people to imagine star players marching into Staios' office and barking, 'Get me out of here,' isn't great for business.

Secondly, no NHL player in any city would ever hold their team or their market responsible for an anonymous social media post. Pro athletes aren't always rocket scientists, but they all understand how the internet works.

Meanwhile, Friedman's theory on the Senators' current trade deadline strategy apparently threatens to make the team mad at him again, which is intriguing.

While he's not saying exactly what his theory is, he does think the Sens' goal differential, as opposed to those of other non-playoff teams in the East, might make them a more credible comeback threat and thus, possible buyers.

"You look at the teams that are out of the playoffs right now, as we wake up on Tuesday morning in the Eastern conference, the third best team, Columbus, who's made a great run of it under Rick Bowness, they're minus five. Washington is plus 12, and they're right there, Ottawa is plus seven.

"Everybody else, Florida, Toronto, Philly, Devils, Rangers, they're in the double digits minuses. I think they are trying to do something there in Ottawa."

We won't have to wait long to see if Friedman's theory is right or whether he's annoyed the Senators again.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

teve WarneThe Hockey News 

This story is from The Hockey News Ottawa. You can visit the site here or click on one of their latest articles below:

Linus Ullmark Makes 26 Saves In Senators Return
Two-Time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning Attends Senators-Devils Game In Ottawa
Why The Ottawa Senators Should Call Up Top Prospect Carter Yakemchuk
Senators' Difficult Path To The Playoffs: What's It Going To Take?

More information is now available about why Vancouver Canucks winger Filip Chytil did not finish Monday night's game. According to Head Coach Adam Foote, the 26-year-old left after the second period due to "migraines he has dealt with in the past that flared up the last couple of games". Foote also said that Chytil is unlikely to play in Vancouver's final game before the 2026 Winter Olympics on Wednesday. 

Post-game on Monday, there was some confusion about what exactly happened to Chytil. Foote said he "tweaked something", but followed it up with "I hope not" when asked if the injury was to the head. Chytil only played 7:36 in the game, with his last shift ending with 3:55 left in the second period. 

Chytil only recently returned after missing three months with a head injury. He has played six games, which included Monday's loss to the Utah Mammoth. In the six games since he returned, Chytil has zero points and nine shots on goal while averaging 14:23 per night.

The Canucks wrap up their pre-Olympic schedule on Wednesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Vancouver has yet to play Vegas this season. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT. 

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Though everything seems to be going wrong for the Philadelphia Flyers at the moment, one of their most recent trade acquisitions has quietly been a bright spot who continues to shine.

On Tuesday afternoon, the AHL announced that Lehigh Valley Phantoms defenseman Christian Kyrou, acquired by the Flyers in an Oct. 30 trade that sent winger Samu Tuomaala to the Dallas Stars, has been added to the 2026 AHL All-Star roster.

Because he is remaining with the Flyers at the NHL level through the Olympic break, forward Denver Barkey will be unable to participate, so Kyrou will be representing the organization instead.

Kyrou, 22, already has seven goals, 17 assists, and 24 points in just 34 games with the Phantoms this season, surpassing his previous career-high of 23 points in 57 games with the AHL Texas Stars in 2023-24 with more than enough room to spare.

Although a bit streaky, the 5-foot-11 defenseman has been a pleasant surprise for the Flyers, having gotten him in exchange for a winger in Tuomaala who very clearly had no path to NHL time with the organization.

Porter Martone Dominates in Blockbuster Matchups with Gavin McKennaThe top Flyers prospect racked up six points across two consecutive victories over McKenna and Co.

Kyrou is still relatively inexperienced and just played his 100th AHL game earlier this season, but his production has probably warranted an NHL opportunity at some point, even if only to serve as a power play specialist.

Fans have been clamoring for the former second-round pick to get a chance, and while it may be a bit early, it is probably refreshing to see Kyrou get recognized by the AHL for his efforts.

Kyrou, who is a restricted free agent at the end of this season, has three goals, seven assists, and 10 points in his last 10 appearances for the Phantoms.

The Detroit Red Wings have emerged as a leading candidate to acquire New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin as the NHL trade deadline approaches, sources say.

The Russian forward, an over point-per-game scorer for much of his career, is reportedly looking to move before the March 6 deadline, potentially with an extension included. Multiple outlets, including TSN’s Chris Johnston, suggest a deal could be completed as early as Wednesday, ahead of the Olympic trade freeze.

Panarin has captured significant attention this season after Rangers management announced they would not be looking to re-sign him. Rumors swirled for weeks about potential landing spots, but Johnston noted that speculation has begun to simmer as New York decides its next move. 

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently listed the top teams in the mix: the Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, and the Detroit Red Wings.

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Friedman highlighted that Panarin’s desired contract could range around $50 million, with some teams considering short-term, high-cap deals while others may emulate the structure of Brad Marchand’s six-year, $31.5 million deal with Florida. The Panthers remain in the mix, partly due to Panarin’s close friendship with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

Detroit stands out among the contenders for several reasons as they possess significant cap flexibility, a deep prospect pool, and draft capital appealing to the Rangers.

Panarin could slot immediately onto Detroit’s top line alongside stars Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, providing a major boost to a team looking to accelerate its rebuild. The Red Wings also have relatively few long-term contract commitments outside of key re-signings like Simon Edvinsson, making a sizable contract for Panarin feasible.

However, the decision is not without risk. Panarin, 34, is enjoying another productive season with 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 52 games, but a lengthy extension could be a gamble if his performance declines in the coming years.

For the Red Wings, the question is no longer whether they could acquire Panarin, it’s whether they want to make a bold move now to potentially shorten the timeline toward contention. With a deal potentially coming as early as Wednesday, fans could see the superstar in a winged wheel jersey very soon.

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The Los Angeles Kings are one overtime loss away from putting their names into the NHL record book for most overtime losses in history, and it's not the kind of milestone that a team wants to celebrate over. 

With 14 overtime losses on the season, the most in the NHL, with only the Vegas Golden Knights having the same amount, who sit in first place right now in the Pacific Division, the Kings have turned close games into costly missed opportunities, losing out on critical points in a Western Conference playoff race that has no margin for error.

The LA Kings and Vegas Golden Knights both have FOURTEEN OT losses which is on pace to shatter the NHL record 😳

Those extra points have Vegas leading their division and LA tied for a Wild Card spot 👀 pic.twitter.com/EuqJVoGQDq

— BarDown (@BarDown) February 2, 2026

A Record That Hurts More Than It Helps

This has been a recurring rollercoaster for the Kings this season; it's been the one issue they haven't been able to escape. The inability to close out close games and dig themselves out of a win in overtime or regulation when it becomes a one-possession game. 

Los Angeles also has the most overtime games played, with 23, and a below-average record: 9-14, tying for the most goals against (67) in the NHL with the Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild.

But with all this going on, Los Angeles is still very much alive in the West playoff picture. Despite all the struggles and heartbreaking losses they've gone through, it's still a very tight race. 

The Pacific Division has been very inconsistent this season, with no team you can look at and say is running away with the conference or a clear contender. Only three teams are either exactly .500 or above .500 in the conference: the Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks. Not even the number one seed, the Golden Knights, are above .500, with a record of 25-16-14. 

Three-on-Three Is Exposing the Kings' Weaknesses

Three-on-three is designed to reward speed, skill, shot-making, and execution. While the Kings have had solid shot-making and speed, they have struggled this season to score in the 3-on-3 format. 

Whether it's the lazy defense that gets tired in overtime or turnovers that the Kings give up a lot late in games, LA, for most of this season, always loses the same way in every game. 

A Warning Sign

There's also a psychological factor to this repeated outcome for the Kings. With Los Angeles constantly losing the same way, especially in overtime games, that chips away at their confidence, especially when the same mistakes keep surfacing.

A team that expects to compete in the Western Conference shouldn't be learning how to close games in February; it should already have it figured out, as we are well into the second half of the season and almost into the postseason.   

Now, none of this means the Kings are a bad team; in fact, it means the opposite: Los Angeles can compete with anyone on any given night and is competitive almost every night against the best teams in the league.

But being competitive without execution or clutch is how good teams become average or mediocre, and how playoff teams become first-round exits. 

Overtime Change 

Now, fans have argued that much of this inconsistency, not only in the Pacific Division but also in other divisions, has been due to overtime games. Fans have even argued that, from a competitive standpoint, ties would be preferable to the constant drift into 3-on-3 overtime matches, especially for several teams that haven't shown any ability to win in that format.  

The NHL used to have ties; the last season was 2004-05, before the controversial change in 2005-06 eliminated them and adopted 3-on-3 overtime and a shootout. But there have been no discussions in the NHL about changing the overtime rules again or going back to ties, as other professional leagues do in the NFL. 

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The Los Angeles Kings have made multiple roster moves ahead of their Tuesday morning practice, the final practice before the Olympic break. 

The Kings recalled defenseman Joe Hicketts from the AHL's Ontario Reign. In the same transaction, center Kenny Connors is headed back to Ontario.

These roster moves are likely due to the injury that defenseman Mikey Anderson suffered in Los Angeles' last outing against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. He left the game with an upper-body injury after playing just 2:50 of ice time.

While there hasn't been an official update on Anderson and how long he may be sidelined for, Hicketts comes in as a depth defenseman on an emergency basis.

Hicketts, 29, has spent the past six seasons exclusively in the American League, the past three campaigns with the Reign. 

He hasn't made an NHL appearance since 2019-20, and that was with the Detroit Red Wings, where he played six games. Hicketts has a total of 22 NHL contests under his belt, all for the Red Wings.

The undrafted blueliner has a small 5-foot-8 frame and a left-handed shot. He's featured in 41 games this season with the Reign, recording three goals and 14 points. With that, Hicketts has accumulated 41 penalty minutes and a minus-nine plus-minus rating.

As mentioned, Connors gets sent back down to the minors after a brief period with the Kings. The 22-year-old didn't get a chance to set foot on the ice and make an appearance for coach Jim Hiller's squad.

In what is his AHL rookie campaign and first year in professional hockey following three seasons at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Connors has scored nine goals and 24 points in 41 games.

Connors is sixth in Reign scoring and second in plus-minus with a plus-13 rating. 

The Kings' next game is on Wednesday against the Seattle Kraken. These roster moves suggest that Anderson may not be back in time for that affair, and maybe not until after the Olympic break.

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Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice spoke to the media today following an optional practice, providing updates on three recently injured players.

Those players are Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Anton Lundell. All three players are considered day-to-day and possible game-time decisions for tomorrow’s contest against the Boston Bruins. 

“There’s a chance they all play tomorrow; there’s a chance none of them play tomorrow,” said Maurice.

Bennett is the most recent Panthers player to sustain an injury, leaving Monday’s contest against the Buffalo Sabres with an upper-body injury. He exited the game in the first period after logging just 5:11 of ice time and did not return.

The 29-year-old has scored 19 goals and 42 points in 55 games this season and was recently named an injury replacement for Team Canada.

Marchand had returned for four games before suffering another injury. He’s missed the previous two games with an undisclosed injury and is hoping to get back into the lineup before departing for the Olympics. The 37-year-old ranks second in both goals and points on the Panthers.

Marchand was on the ice today, skating in a regular practice jersey. 

Panthers' Brad Marchand Sustains An Undisclosed Injury Against Blues; Set To Re-EvaluatedBrad Marchand was forced to exit Thursday's game against the St. Louis Blues with an undisclosed injury. The Florida Panthers winger will be re-evaluated to grasp the severity of the injury.

Lundell is the final Panthers forward now dealing with an injury, as his is also to the upper body. He’s missed the previous three games, but like Bennett and Marchand, he hopes to return to the lineup before joining Team Finland for the Olympics. 

The 24-year-old has scored 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points in 52 games this season. 

Panthers' Anton Lundell Returns To Practice In A Non-Contact JerseyAnton Lundell will be out of the Florida Panthers lineup tonight against the Buffalo Sabres, but he did skate in practice today with a non-contact jersey.

The Panthers are now nine points back of the Bruins for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and if they are without all three forwards, they run a real risk of falling even farther behind in the playoff race. Their chances of making the playoffs are already slim, and a pair of losses before the Olympic break would begin to shut the door on their three-peat hopes. 

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The Pittsburgh Penguins saw their six-game winning streak snapped by the Ottawa Senators on Monday night and will try to bounce back in their biggest regular-season game to date on Tuesday against the New York Islanders. 

In fact, this is probably the biggest Penguins game since they played the Boston Bruins on Apr. 13, 2024, with all of their playoff hopes on the line.

A regulation win for the Penguins would give them a four-point cushion on the Islanders with two games in hand. However, a regulation win for the Islanders would pull them even with the Penguins for second in the Metropolitan Division. 

The Islanders enter this game losers of two-straight games and didn't look good in a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday. They'll have Ilya Sorokin for Tuesday's game, which is a big deal since he's arguably been the best goaltender in the NHL this year and has covered up many of their defensive warts. Sorokin leads the NHL with 27 goals saved above expected and also has a .916 save percentage and a 2.44 goals-against average. 

Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer is having a fantastic season for the Islanders, compiling 15 goals and 37 points in 56 games. He's been exceptional in his own zone, and his skating is breathtaking.  

Don't forget about Mathew Barzal, either. His edgework is elite, and he's having a really good season with 15 goals and 47 points in 55 games. Bo Horvat earned his way to the Team Canada Olympic roster this season and has 21 goals and 35 points in 42 games. 

The Penguins will get Bryan Rust back from his three-game suspension on Tuesday, which could be huge for Sidney Crosby. Crosby hasn't been himself for the last week, so getting his linemate back might jumpstart him. 

Stuart Skinner is set to start in goal after Arturs Silovs started on Monday. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT and HBO Max. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

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There are a couple of different ways you can look at the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Monday night.

You could take the charitable approach and say they have been playing spectacular hockey for more than a month now, and that after such a long, sustained run of excellent play they were probably due for a stinker and a regulation loss.

You could also rightfully acknowledge that the Senators are probably a better team than their record indicates, and with better goaltending would probably be closer to a playoff spot right now. They were nearly flawless on Monday and have been on a roll over the past week-and-a-half, beating quite a few playoff teams rather convincingly.

But I was not really in the mood to be overly charitable after that game. Not because the Penguins are not entitled to loss, or an off night, or because they should win every game. It was not about the result. It was about the way they played. It was about how much of a no-show performance it was in a game where two points were there for the taking against a team below them in the standings.

If the Penguins were still the team everybody expected them to be at the start of the season I think games like Monday become more tolerable, especially after a hot streak. But the Penguins are not that team. They have raised the bar for what should be expected of them this season, and they have done that through their own play.

They entered Monday’s game with the sixth-best points percentage in the NHL, the third-best points percentage in the Eastern Conference, the fifth-most regulation wins in the NHL and a top-10 goal differential. Their underlying numbers are strong, their defensive play has steadily improved, they are getting steady, winnable goaltending.

What anybody expected before the season does not matter at this point.

What you think of their roster on paper does not matter at this point.

What matters is what they are doing on the ice, the way they are playing and the results they are producing.

And those results are that of a good team. A very good team.

This is no longer a team that should be looking at this season as, “Hey, what if we make the playoffs?” This a team that should be looking at this season and expecting to make the playoffs.

The question should not be “can they make the playoffs?” It should be “what can they potentially do in the playoffs?”

That is the position the Penguins have put themselves in in the standings. We are getting down to under 25 games in the regular season, and they are not only in a good position to potentially have home ice in the first round of the playoffs, there is a gap forming between them and the teams on the outside of the playoff picture. Not only due to the gap in points, but also due to the fact the Penguins still have multiple games in hand on pretty much every team they are competing with for one of those playoff spots.

It is a good team, and our expectations for them should be that of a good team. Sometimes that means being disappointed with such a flat effort. Sometimes that means criticism for such a flat effort, even in the context of a larger sampling of good to great games.

That is what makes Monday so disappointing. They did not just lose. They did not lose a competitive, well-played game. They were dominated from start to finish. While Ottawa was excellent, a lot of the Penguins mistakes were also very self-inflicted. There was no crispness to their game, their best players were some of their worst players in the game and had it not been for starting goalie Arturs Silovs absolutely standing on his head that could have easily been a 6-2 or 7-2 game. The fact they were even in a position to potentially get a point with five minutes to play in regulation is a testament to the game Silovs played.

When the Penguins had that disastrous home stand against against the Minnesota Wild and Seattle Kraken back in late November, coming back from the Sweden trip, head coach Dan Muse fumed after one of the games that just playing well and not getting results was not acceptable, and that they should be beyond that point in their expectations.

At the time, when the Penguins were still very early in the season and had not yet developed a larger sampling of play, it was a pretty bold statement from a first-year head coach of a team that was thought to be in a rebuilding season. That mindset is even more true now. Even though this is a team in some sort of a rebuilding phase, and even though there are young players on the roster and players developing, it is still, in general an older more veteran team that now should have serious playoff expectations.

Generally speaking, I am not down on the Penguins based on yesterday’s game.

I am simply down on that performance because my expectations have changed on this season.

This is a good team. Part of me thinks it is a really good team, and perhaps even a better team than a lot of people in Pittsburgh think it is. With strong play comes expectations. The Penguins failed to meet those expectations on Monday. Not because they lost. The way they lost. They have a big opportunity on Tuesday in a big game against the New York Islanders to make up for it.