This article originally appeared on PGHHockeyNOW.com.

There is always drama between the Pittsburgh Penguins (28-15-11) and New York Islanders (30-21-5). Always.

In a four-point Metro Division battle between the second-place Penguins and third-place Islanders, the Penguins couldn’t hold a pair of one-goal leads in the third period.

Bo Horvat scored a breakaway goal in overtime for a 5-4 OT Islanders win.

A surprise tying goal midway through the third period by the Islanders was short-lived. Then the Penguins and New York Islanders began trading goals.

The Penguins reclaimed a 4-3 lead two minutes after the Islanders tied the game midway through the third period, when Justin Brazeau tipped Brett Kulak’s shot at 10:40.

However, the Islanders again tied the game with another goal from the top of the one when Adam Pelech beat Stuart Skinner at 15:24 of the third, and the drama only grew.

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We now know what a Lightning trade for Artemi Panarin could look like originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Tampa Bay Lightning weren't one of the first teams in the mix of trade rumors for New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin.

But as things approach crunch time for a potential deal, it appears the Lightning are very much in play.

And now, one hockey writer has given us an idea of what a trade might look like.

Elite Prospects senior director Cam Robinson posted on X to show the framework for a Lightning-Rangers swap.

MORE: How Connor McDavid is to the Oilers what Josh Allen is to the Bills

His suggestion would send Panarin to the Lightning for Oliver Bjorkstrand, Gage Goncalves, a 2028 first-round pick and "a couple" of second-round picks.

"Sunshine state," Robinson writes. "Playoff bound. Russian stars. They check all the boxes."

The tricky part to a Panarin trade for any acquiring team is that he's also seeking a contract extension with his new squad rather than hit free agency at the end of this season.

Tampa Bay has a bit less cap wiggle room than some of the other teams involved in the rumors.

MORE: How Olympic roster freeze may create a second NHL trade deadline

Of course, the Rangers also want to maximize their return, so it's a balancing act between Panarain's desires (he has a no-move clause) and what New York wants.

The Lightning might just be able to thread the needle to keep both portions of this possibility happy. 

Panarin would certainly be a huge addition to Tampa Bay's forward group, and it'll be fascinating to see if the Lightning's late push to land him can come through.

More NHL news:

• Jason Robertson shows how big a mistake Team USA made
• Evgeni Malkin's future with the Penguins may have changed
• This Oilers comeback didn't even make sense
• Why Craig Berube has a huge cut on his head
• Maple Leafs can trade for veteran who already likes playing in Toronto
• Senators warned about looming trade of $57.5 million star

Rangers' Artemi Panarin trade rumors have narrowed to 6 teams with deal looming originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

If Artemi Panarin is going to get traded before the Olympic roster freeze, the New York Rangers are on a ticking clock.

Rosters freeze at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, and there are still potentially six teams involved in the bidding war.

The Athletic's Vince Mercogliano reported Tuesday morning on the six teams still in the mix, and he broke them into three categories.

First, there are two teams that Panarin would like most if they can figure out a way to give him the contract extension he wants: the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

MORE: How Connor McDavid is to the Oilers what Josh Allen is to the Bills

Then there are the two teams with the most cap room to give out that extension: the Carolina Hurricanes and Los Angeles Kings.

Finally, there are the teams with the best pieces to offer in a return trade to the Rangers: the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals.

"If either Florida team can hit his $ ask -- a big if -- it's hard to think he wouldn't pick one of them," Mercogliano writes of Panarin, who has a no-move clause.

Mercogliano added in a reply to his post, "I don't believe Panarin wants to go the rental route," which eliminates a couple other possibilities that have been floated previously.

MORE: How Olympic roster freeze may create a second NHL trade deadline

The Panthers and Lightning would both look even stronger by adding Panarin to their roster in a way that would make both immensely dangerous in the Eastern Conference.

The Sharks are the most fascinating because they seem to be ahead of their own timeline, and pairing Panarin with Macklin Celebrini would be a cool idea.

The Rangers could also hold out until after the Olympic break and wait until the real NHL trade deadline, but it seems a deal may be looming here.

More NHL news:

• Jason Robertson shows how big a mistake Team USA made
• Evgeni Malkin's future with the Penguins may have changed
• This Oilers comeback didn't even make sense
• Why Craig Berube has a huge cut on his head
• Maple Leafs can trade for veteran who already likes playing in Toronto
• Senators warned about looming trade of $57.5 million star

Darren Raddysh continues to be a huge weapon on the back end, averaging more than a point per game while generating shots at a high clip.

My Sabres vs. Lightning predictions expect Raddysh to stay hot in an advantageous positional matchup.

Let’s break down my NHL picks for Tuesday, February 3.

Sabres vs Lightning prediction

Sabres vs Lightning best bet: Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots (-120)

Darren Raddysh is a red-hot, one-man shooting gallery. He's averaged 3.8 shots on 7.9 attempts over his last 10 games, going Over this line in eight of them.

Victor Hedman’s return made no impact on his usage. He continued to quarterback the top power play — a unit that scored three times in the Stadium Series game — and saw a steady dose of minutes at 5-on-5.

Raddysh attempted 12 shots, recorded a pair of points, and flirted with 30 minutes of ice time. He’ll be just fine with Hedman back.

The 29-year-old has a nice matchup to keep ripping the puck, as the Buffalo Sabres rank 29th in shot suppression vs. the right blueline over the past 10 games, and that’s where a healthy chunk of Raddysh’s volume comes from.

The Sabres sit 26th in that regard, so it’s not a matter of a dip in play for an otherwise strong side at defending that area. They've bled shots there all year.

With the Sabres also in a road back-to-back after an emotional divisional win against the defending Stanley Cup winners, Raddysh and the rested Tampa Bay Lightning should be able to enjoy plenty of time on the front foot.

Sabres vs Lightning same-game parlay

Jake Guentzel leads the Lightning in high-danger chances over the past five games, but only scored in one of them. Playing for a sizable home favorite in a game with a 6.5 total, this is a good spot for him to find twine.

The Lightning are a strong shot suppression team, but that shouldn’t matter too much for Jason Zucker.

He's recorded multiple shots in nine of his past 10 road games, including against the Panthers, Islanders, Canadiens, Jets, and Flyers — all strong defensive teams or lower-pace opponents.

Sabres vs Lightning SGP

• Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots
• Jake Guentzel anytime goalscorer
• Jason Zucker Over 1.5 shots

Sabres vs Lightning odds

• Moneyline: Sabres +185 | Lightning -225
• Puck Line: Sabres +1.5 (-125) | Lightning -1.5 (+105)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+100) | Under 6.5 (-120)

Sabres vs Lightning trend

Darren Raddysh has gone Over 2.5 shots in seven of his last 10 home games. Find more NHL betting trends for Sabres vs. Lightning.

How to watch Sabres vs Lightning

Sabres vs Lightning latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Bruins' HC Makes History in Monumental Stadium Series Loss originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The 2026 NHL Stadium Series between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning was truly one for the books.

An outdoor game — this time taking place at Raymond James Stadium on the coldest weekend Tampa, Fla. had seen in two decades —had everything a NHL fan could want. From a goalie fight, to a comeback win in a shootout and packed penalty boxes, the Lightning clawed their way back to a 6-5 win over Boston. En route to the Bruins loss, though, Head Coach Marco Sturm became the first individual to appear in an outdoor NHL game as both a player and head coach.

Sturm previously scored the overtime winner for the Bruins in the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park.

After a 33-39-10 overall season in 2024-2025, Sturm became the Bruins 30th head coach in franchise history and replaced Joe Sacco. The official announcement came from the league on June 10, 2025.

Marco Sturm writes league history en route to 2026 NHL Stadium Series loss

Feb. 1, 2026 marked the 45th league outdoor game of all-time and the ninth to go into overtime. Tampa Bay rallied from four goals down for the first time in program history.

The Lightning's Jake Guentzel scored the lone goal in the shootout for the win.

Final in the shootout. pic.twitter.com/KdSwnRKf3p

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 2, 2026

The Lightning's Brandon Hagel scored the fastest goal to start an outdoor game in NHL history to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead just 11 seconds into the game; under Sturm's charge the Bruins then scored four straight goals after Tampa Bay won the opening face-off.

Tampa Bay trailed 5-1 in the middle frame but then responded with four consecutive goals to tie the game, including two on a 5-on-3 power play in 23 seconds. Netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy made 29 saves.

This marked the largest comeback win in an outdoor game throughout the NHL and Tampa Bay's first time hosting an outdoor game.

Up next for the league, the NHL Olympic roster freeze begins on Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. EST and runs through Feb. 22 as league players return to the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014.

MORE:Columbus Blue Jackets honor milestone for Charlie Coyle

The first outdoor game in Tampa history had an added bonus: A goalie fight.

The Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman and the Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy squared off in the second period with Boston up 5-2 and tensions high.

During the Lightning's second consecutive power play, a scrum broke out as Tampa Bay's Brandon Hagel slashed Boston's Charlie McAvoy. Swayman jumped into the fray, which led Vasilevskiy to start skating down the ice.

Swayman noticed and skated toward Vasilevskiy. Once the gloves and masks were off, the two threw a few punches at each other at center before the on-ice officials intervened.

WE'VE GOT A GOALIE FIGHT AT THE STADIUM SERIES GAME 💥 pic.twitter.com/Ji7GQrM6HU

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 2, 2026

"Ten out of 10," Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh said to ESPN about the fight.

Sunday's fight took place on the sixth anniversary of the Cam Talbot-Mike Smith fight in 2000. There had been no goalie fights until Jan. 19, 2026, when Florida's Sergei Bobrovsky and San Jose's Alex Nedelkovic squared off.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bruins, Lightning goaltenders brawl during Tampa Stadium Series game

Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews blasted for on-bench 'addiction' originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Auston Matthews has a frequent on-bench behavior that not everyone is a fan of.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' captain likes looking at an iPad when he concludes his shifts.

Clearly, he's doing a quick film review of what's happening on the ice. It's not inherently bad.

But it also isolates Matthews a bit and potentially could prevent him from interacting with his teammates or seeing things that are happening in the game while he's waiting to go back in.

MORE: Maple Leafs get an Auston Matthews update on his future plans

Former Maple Leafs player Jay Rosehill recently laid into Matthews for doing this.

"Look at Auston Matthews," Rosehill said on Leafs Morning Take. "Like, is the iPad thing normal? Like, I have seen others, I've never seen a guy look at a f--ing iPad so much. It's like an addition... He's just like, give me the iPad. Give me the screen."

Rosehill added "that's kind of a microcosm of how he operates. It's nothing that's getting the boys together. It's nothing that's thinking about others."

MORE: Matthew Schaefer called his shot against the Rangers

Matthews is still a great player on the ice, but amid the Maple Leafs struggles, it could be up to the captain to help bring the squad together.

Toronto did win Saturday night, after Rosehill's comments, with a 3-2 victory in a shootout in Vancouver.

Maybe that'll be what they need to turn things around. It's probably more fun to watch a win on the iPad, anyway, rather than the six-game losing streak that had preceded it.

More NHL news:

• Jason Robertson shows how big a mistake Team USA made
• Evgeni Malkin's future with the Penguins may have changed
• This Oilers comeback didn't even make sense
• Why Craig Berube has a huge cut on his head
• Maple Leafs can trade for veteran who already likes playing in Toronto
• Senators warned about looming trade of $57.5 million star

Maple Leafs' Fraser Minten trade has aged horribly originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Amid a bad season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, they don't have to look too far to see something to bum them out even more.

Their traded away center, Fraser Minten, is looking like a rising star for the Boston Bruins.

Minten recently earned rookie of the month honors for Boston.

The Leafs made the deal with the Bruins on March 7, 2025.

MORE: Maple Leafs get an Auston Matthews update on his future plans

Minten, 20 at the time, had put up two goals and two assists for the Maple Leafs in 2024-25.

They also sent a 2026 first-round draft pick, with some protections, to the Bruins, along with a 2025 fourth-round that Boston used on Vashek Blanar.

Boston sent then-28-year-old defenseman Brandon Carlo to Toronto.

Carlo played in 20 games at the end of last season and has played 32 this season for the Maple Leafs. He has seven assists in the 52 games and is a plus-6.

This season for Boston, Minten has played in 55 games, putting up 14 goals and 15 assists (29 points).

MORE: Matthew Schaefer called his shot against the Rangers

Minten also has 97 hits and 34 blocked shots as he gets involved in a lot of action despite playing fewer than 15 minutes per night.

Toronto, especially now falling out of the playoff race, would surely love to have a young talent like Minten, or their own draft pick in the first round this year.

Instead, all they can do is watch as their 2022 second-round pick develops into a solid player for Boston.

More NHL news:

• Jason Robertson shows how big a mistake Team USA made
• Evgeni Malkin's future with the Penguins may have changed
• This Oilers comeback didn't even make sense
• Why Craig Berube has a huge cut on his head
• Maple Leafs can trade for veteran who already likes playing in Toronto
• Senators warned about looming trade of $57.5 million star

Bruins, Lightning embrace outdoor spirit with 2026 Stadium Series outfits originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The NHL Stadium Series is a time-honored tradition, with hockey teams spurning their usual settings in favor of the elements.

In 2026, that responsibility fell upon Bruins and the Lightning, who took over uncharted lands -- at least as far as the hockey world is concerned.

Boston and Tampa Bay traded blows at Raymond James Stadium, home of the Buccaneers. As such, they were required to make their mark.

With their pregame outfits, they did just that. Here's what you need to know.

NHL Stadium Series outfits, explained

The Bruins and Lightning embraced the spotlight during their 2026 Stadium Series fixture. When arriving on the scene at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, both Boston and Tampa Bay paid tribute to sides from a different playing surface.

For Boston, that meant rocking furs eerily similar to those of the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other 18th-century colonists. The threads, marked by farmer's frocks, stirrups and cowhide kicks featuring a single latchet, appeared to pay homage to the New England Patriots, who will take part in Super Bowl 60 next weekend.

SOME PATRIOTS HAVE ARRIVED pic.twitter.com/DEG7T2YbHN

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 1, 2026

Not to be outdone, the Lightning responded in style. Tampa Bay felt a sense of piety towards the host of its latest endeavors, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So it was only right that as Tampa's players spilled out of the team bus, they did so in Bucs gear.

Accompanied by gridiron stars Baker Mayfield and Tristan Wirfs, the Lightning traipsed onto the site of their matchup. They did so decked in orange-and-cream, sporting the Buccaneers' iconic creamiscle kits from 1976.

The Lightning pulled up to Stadium Series in full Buccaneer creamsicle uniforms 😱

Baker Mayfield and Tristan Wirfs lead the way! pic.twitter.com/Cmu4XyF9ce

— ESPN (@espn) February 1, 2026

The Bruins and Lightning aren't the first sides to dress to the nines ahead of their Stadium Series bouts. In 2023, Boston and the Penguins took to Fenway Park in Red Sox and Pirates jerseys, respectively.

The Oilers draped themselves in attire befitting of their name ahead of their Heritage Classic clash with the Flames in 2023.

The Oilers are dressed to impress at the Heritage Classic!

🎥: @BR_OpenIce

pic.twitter.com/UKfJwMmbUM

— BarDown (@BarDown) October 29, 2023

All of that is to say, the Stadium Series is increasingly serving a catwalk for NHL sides. Sunday's exploits added to that reputation.

Oilers' Kris Knoblauch names biggest mistake which led to loss vs. Wild originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

There must be something in Rogers Place that has bothered the Edmonton Oilers. The Kris Knoblauch-led team has found it hard to find constant pressure in hunting for goals. While they clawed themselves back to a victory against the San Jose Sharks, it was not the same story when Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid faced Jesper Wallstedt's Minnesota Wild.

Edmonton struggles on all facets

Judging from the first period, everything looked normal for the Oilers. Draisaitl scored an opening goal to move up the Edmonton all-time scoring list and McDavid dished out an assist to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. It had all the makings of a usual Oilers regular season game.

However, the Wild kept pushing and the Edmonton defense could not keep up. From the 8:01 mark of the first period up to the 12:43 mark of the third period, the Oilers failed to score which would be alright. But, in the same time frame, the Wild scored five goals. Clearly, Coach Knoblauch was not pleased and even outlined which part of the game caused their spiral to the unfortunate 7-3 loss.

“I think the tide changed in the first period taking three penalties in the offensive zone. I thought we had a pretty good period. We had two even-strength goals, and then we took the three penalties in the offensive zone, which led to two goals-against. I think that was a big turning point for us," the Oilers coach said, via Gerry Moddejonge of NHL.com.

In total, the Oilers had 42 shots on goal. 39 of those attempts were saved by Wallstedt which made it hard for McDavid, Draisaitl, and Bouchard to heat up. Furthermore, it did not help that Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram both had 75% and 77.8% save percentages by the end of the game. While the goal by Jack Roslovic was a noble attempt to salvage this loss, it had already been too late as the Oilers ran out of time.

Hopefully, Coach Knoblauch finds a way to turn things around fast as the Oilers only have two more games before the Olympics break.

More NHL News:

• Leon Draisaitl achieves unreal 22-year Oilers scoring feat against Wild

• Oilers 'need' to trade for forward with 99th-percentile max skating speed

• Connor McDavid achieves insane NHL feat amid Oilers OT win over Sharks

Florida native and current Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke is excited to play outdoors in his home state.

Peeke was born and raised in Parkland, Florida, and admitted that playing hockey outside wasn’t something he’d do. However, he’s eager to play outside at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, when the Bruins take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in a Stadium Series game.

“Me and a couple of my buddies who have gotten to this point, we take a lot of pride in being from Florida because we know there are only so few of us,” Peeke said on Saturday after the Bruins’ practice.

“Being able to play an outdoor game and experience that – I would’ve never guessed that they could pull this off growing up as a kid, but it’s going to be pretty special.”

Although Peeke will have plenty of family and friends in attendance on Saturday, the focus for him and the Bruins is getting the win and two points against a division rival.

“It breaks us up from the normal routine. I think we’re so wired to waking up, coming to the rink, playing a game, going home, all the same type of stuff,” Peeke said.

“I think this comes at a good time, where we’re playing good hockey, we feel good about ourselves. But at the same time, we know it’s a necessary two points.”

Peeke enters the game with four goals and seven assists for 11 points in 54 games. He’s set to skate on Boston’s third-pairing on Sunday alongside Nikita Zadorov.

The Bruins enter play with a record of 32-20-3 and are 8- 1- 1 in their last 10 games.

Solace was available for the Erie Otters after their Jan. 31 game against London.

They were only on a one-game losing streak after the Knights’ 6-1 victory, and not on the nine-game winless drought they ended the night before.

London, highlighted by Jesse Nurmi’s hat trick, left Erie Insurance Arena with an overall record of 28-16-3-1 in the Ontario Hockey League’s Midwest Division.

Erie dropped to 15-28-2-2 in the same standings.

Michael Dec accounted for the Otters’ lone score vs. the rival Knights. The forward recorded his team-leading 20^th goal during a first period power play.

London, though, never trailed again after Nurmi netted the first of his three goals midway through the second period.

More: Jackson Schouten knows his role for short tenure with Erie Otters

Ending the agony

Erie lost 24 hours after its dramatic 3-2 win over the visiting Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

The hosts’ first such result for 2026 occurred when Mclean Agrette scored the winning goal during the fifth round of the league’s shootout format.

Erie gained single points in its two games before the one with the ‘Hounds. The Otters lost a 4-3 shootout at Guelph on Jan. 23 and 4-3 in overtime to Kitchener on Jan. 24.

“There’s some positives to build off (getting points) three games in a row,” Erie coach Kris Mallette said. “It was nice go get the win. There was guessing during the shootout, but I guess we guessed right.”

Satisfaction vs. Soo

The Otters defeated the Brantford Bulldogs 3-2 last Dec. 30. What followed was a nine-game winless streak that paralleled a self-inflicted talent drain.

Erie, in deals ahead of the OHL’s Jan. 9 trading deadline, dealt away top scorers like Dylan Edwards and Gabriel Frasca in return for draft picks scattered between 2026 and 2029.

General manager Dave Brown, in public sessions with Erie media and fans, said they were made them at the cost of short-term success in a potential return for the franchise’s long-term prosperity.

Ending Erie’s winless streak meant more to Noah Tegelaar, its newest goaltender.

Tegelaar, 19, was involved in one of Brown’s deals that included an incoming player. The Otters sent the ‘Hounds their seventh round pick for this spring’s draft in exchange for the Georgetown, Ontario, native.

Tegelaar recorded 34 saves in his first appearance against his former team. He also stopped four of the Soo’s five attempts during the shootout, which was the main reason he was named the game’s first star.

“I knew it was going to be challenge coming into this game,” Tegelaar said. “I wanted to win this one so badly, so that’s why it feels so good.”

Although the ‘Hounds selected Tegelaar during the second round of the league’s 2023 draft, he didn’t crack their roster until last season. Even then, it was only for two appearances.

Tegelaar was 1-1-1 for Erie after his Jan. 30 start. His overall league record improved to 8-6-2.

“Hopefully, that game (vs. the Soo) showed what he’s capable of doing,” Mallette said. “We want to set standards here and he set a standard.”

More: Erie Otters' fans hear from general manager about roster purge

Who’s next

Erie concludes its four-game homestand with a rare morning start.

The Otters welcome the Guelph Storm on Feb. 5. The school day game, with students from the tri-state area in the stands, will begin at 11 a.m.

A week trip to Michigan for games against Saginaw and Flint follows for Erie.

Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie Otters' weekend results include end to lengthy win drought

Oilers 'need' to trade for forward with 99th-percentile max skating speed originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Edmonton Oilers want to change the trend.

They've lost in the Stanley Cup Finals each of the past two seasons to the Florida Panthers. That's the kind of three-peat no one is looking for.

And so as the NHL heads more deeply into trade season, there's work for the Oilers to do.

In a new article, The Athletic's Allan Mitchell has identified the Oilers' biggest need for a trade: a third-line forward with speed and size.

MORE: Maple Leafs get an Auston Matthews update on his future plans

Edmonton has already been linked to Bobby McMann of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Mitchell confirms that he'd be an ideal fit.

"Size and speed on the third line are the primary issues," Mitchell writes. "Goal-scoring ability would be a major asset, especially if the acquisition has had success scoring in a depth role. Bobby McMann of the Maple Leafs has been mentioned as a target recently. His max skating speed is 99th percentile, according to NHL Edge. He has 17 goals already and is on an expiring contract at $1.35 million. That’s a value contract for a fast player who has size and can score. It’s a perfect fit for Edmonton’s needs."

MORE: Matthew Schaefer called his shot against the Rangers

For this to really happen, the Oilers just need the Leafs to struggle a bit longer.

Toronto is obviously a big-name franchise that doesn't want to be a trade deadline seller. But if they don't think they can make the playoffs, or re-sign McMann after the season, then trading him now would make the most sense.

He would certainly fit in on an Oilers team with a lot of speed on its top lines but less so on its bottom-six.

McMann would be a great third-line player, and he could try to help the Oilers overcome their falling short of the last couple campaigns.

More NHL news:

• Jason Robertson shows how big a mistake Team USA made
• Evgeni Malkin's future with the Penguins may have changed
• This Oilers comeback didn't even make sense
• Why Craig Berube has a huge cut on his head
• Maple Leafs can trade for veteran who already likes playing in Toronto
• Senators warned about looming trade of $57.5 million star

Sabres' trade plans revealed amid historic hot streak originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Buffalo Sabres lost on Saturday night, but that will be viewed as just a blip.

This is one of the hottest teams in sports, on a pretty much unprecedented hot streak in franchise history, and very much in position to go for it.

The Sabres have the league's longest playoff drought, 14 years, but they're in prime position to make the postseason.

And they've actually been playing well enough to think about even bigger things if, and when, they get there.

MORE: Maple Leafs get an Auston Matthews update on his future plans

That creates an importance as the NHL enters trade season. The Sabres have to get their moves right.

There's one thing they need more than anything other, identified by The Athletic's Matthew Fairburn: defensive depth.

"The injuries to Michael Kesselring and Conor Timmins have tested Buffalo’s defensive depth," Fairburn writes. "Both of them should be fully healthy after the Olympic break, but injuries have forced the Sabres’ top-four defensemen to play heavy minutes lately. Adding another depth defenseman capable of playing a physical style would help them in their push for the playoffs."

MORE: Matthew Schaefer called his shot against the Rangers

The good news for Buffalo is that there are plenty of teams who appear to be sellers, and the Sabres aren't necessarily looking for a star.

Buffalo is still young and wouldn't want to trade away key future pieces, but small costs for a defenseman or two could be ideal to make the Sabres just that little bit better in a way that can make an impact.

So keep an eye out for improvements on the blue line for the Sabres as they try to make a run at big things this season.

More NHL news:

• Jason Robertson shows how big a mistake Team USA made
• Evgeni Malkin's future with the Penguins may have changed
• This Oilers comeback didn't even make sense
• Why Craig Berube has a huge cut on his head
• Maple Leafs can trade for veteran who already likes playing in Toronto
• Senators warned about looming trade of $57.5 million star

Maple Leafs get update on trading for Artemi Panarin rumors originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It's one of those rumors that makes you raise your eyebrows a bit.

Artemi Panarin to the Toronto Maple Leafs? The New York Rangers seem likely to trade the experienced forward, but that may not make sense.

The reality is that Toronto would be far from the likely destination, but they have checked in.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reports that the Maple Leafs have looked into Panarin, but that an actual deal is unlikely.

The 34-year old Panarin was previously said to have nine different suitors, according to The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta.

MORE: Maple Leafs get an Auston Matthews update on his future plans

Those nine teams were split into what Pagnotta called the three frontrunners -- Kings, Capitals, Hurricanes -- and six other interested squads -- Sharks, Ducks, Stars, Mammoth, Red Wings and Panthers.

Panarin has played 52 games this season for the Rangers at age 34 and has 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points.

In his career, he has 927 points in 804 games. That includes 321 goals and 606 assists.

MORE: Matthew Schaefer called his shot against the Rangers

The Maple Leafs would be an odd destination mostly because of their spot in the standings. They may be more likely to be sellers at this point than buyers.

If Toronto was more in the playoff race, it might be the perfect destination to add some firepower.

But as is, it seems like a far-fetched dream for the Leafs, more a cursory check-in on availability than anything that will actually come to fruition.

More NHL news:

• Jason Robertson shows how big a mistake Team USA made
• Evgeni Malkin's future with the Penguins may have changed
• This Oilers comeback didn't even make sense
• Why Craig Berube has a huge cut on his head
• Maple Leafs can trade for veteran who already likes playing in Toronto
• Senators warned about looming trade of $57.5 million star