The San Jose Sharks and Kevin Labanc are working to find a new home for the struggling forward.
"We are working with the (Sharks) to find (Labanc) a new opportunity in the NHL, either by the trade deadline or the offseason," Labanc's agent Mike Curran told The Hockey News' Max Miller.
Curran noted that teams were interested in Labanc earlier this season, but a trade never materialized.
Labanc will be a healthy scratch for a seventh consecutive game on Wednesday against the Winnipeg Jets. He has just two goals and seven points in 32 games this season.
The 28-year-old could prove tough to move with a $4.725-million cap hit. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Sharks can retain salary on one more contract this season.
"It's just an understanding that it's not working here," Labanc told Miller on Tuesday. "Maybe go somewhere else and get a fresh start. Maybe when you were younger, you thought you'd be with the same team for your whole career, but that's not necessarily the case. Not everyone can be Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Logan Couture, and Tomas Hertl."
The Brooklyn, New York, native tallied a career-high 17 goals and 56 points in 2018-19 before registering nine points in 20 playoff games as the Sharks went all the way to the conference finals.
Despite his successful campaign, Labanc signed a modest one-year contract worth $1 million in July 2019 as a restricted free agent amid a San Jose cap crunch.
The Sharks took a significant step back the following season, and Labanc's numbers dipped as well. Still, San Jose inked the then-24-year-old to a four-year, $18.9-million contract in October 2020.
Since his career-best campaign in 2018-19, Labanc has tallied 46 goals and 107 points in 250 games and is a minus-79 in that span.
Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig addressed Saturday's incident with Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly for the first time following his team's win Tuesday.
"Just a lot of adrenaline," Greig said of his decision to score on the empty net with a slap shot, per TSN."Just the heat of the moment, heat of the game. It was an emotional game. Just got a breakaway and thought I'd bury it."
Greig was unsure if Ottawa's Canadian Tire Centre being filled with Maple Leafs fans impacted his decision. "It definitely doesn't feel good when the fans are 75% Leafs fans, but I don't know if that factored in or not."
Rielly took exception to how Greig scored the empty-netter and cross-checked him after the play.
Ridly Greig buries the empty-netter with a slapshot and Morgan Rielly takes exception đŸ˜³ pic.twitter.com/6NISK4AMSt
The Maple Leafs defender was suspended five games Tuesday as a result after an in-person hearing.
The Senators rookie admitted Rielly's reaction caught him a bit off guard.
"I don't think you're ever expecting a guy to come cross-check you in the face," Greig said. "But I'm also not sure if he meant to do that."
The incident has garnered significant attention, but the 21-year-old has done his best to avoid the debate.
"I've tried to stay offline the past couple days," Greig said. "Everybody's gonna have an opinion on it. Probably either gonna love it or hate it. Doesn't matter to me."
Greig noted the ovation he received from Senators fans during Tuesday's game was "pretty, pretty cool."
Goaltender Jacob Markstrom left the ball in the Calgary Flames' court when asked about being traded.
"It's up to Calgary, what they want to do," Markstrom told Sportsnet's Eric Francis on Thursday.
The 34-year-old is signed through 2025-26 at a $6-million cap hit. Markstrom's contract contains a full no-movement clause, and he'd have to approve any trade involving him. He said Thursday the Flames haven't approached him about waiving the clause.
"Whatever direction they want to go and what they want to do, I'm not going to force anything," Markstrom added.
"I'm not going to go up and meet and ask for a trade, either."
With the March 8 trade deadline approaching, Markstrom said he won't let the speculation about his future get to him.
"I know they've got to call me before (a trade), and they haven't called me, so I just keep playing," he said.
Markstrom would be a significant upgrade in net for several contending teams, including the New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes, and Los Angeles Kings.
He's been superb since December, posting a .928 save percentage in 15 starts. On the season, the 2022 Vezina Trophy runner-up has a .913 save percentage in 30 contests.
Markstrom has previously been moved ahead of the trade deadline. He was the primary asset sent to the Vancouver Canucks in the trade that shipped Roberto Luongo back to the Florida Panthers in 2014.
The Flames rank sixth in the Pacific Division at 23-22-5.
Minnesota Wild president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin was named GM for Team USA at the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off and 2026 Olympics, USA Hockey announced Thursday.
Guerin, 53, has been the Wild's GM since 2019. He represented the United States as a player at three Olympics and two World Cups, winning the 1996 World Cup and capturing silver at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
"It's an honor beyond belief to be asked to do this, and I couldn't say yes quick enough," Guerin said. "I am so thankful to USA Hockey for this opportunity. ... I've been fortunate enough to have many great days in hockey, and this is among the very best."
Guerin was tabbed as the United States' GM for the 2022 Beijing Olympics but ultimately didn't fulfill the role when NHL players didn't participate.
"With the NHL asking the competing teams to name their first six players for the NHL 4 Nations Faceoff early this summer, it was important for us to name a general manager, and we couldn't be happier to have Bill engaged for both that event and the Olympics," USA Hockey's assistant executive director John Vanbiesbrouck said.
"He brings the same level of competitiveness to his role as a general manager as he did as a player on the ice and that’s a real benefit."
The NHL 4 Nations Face-Off is a new event scheduled for February 2025 that will feature teams from Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland.
The United States last medaled in men's hockey at the Olympics in 2010.
The Chicago Blackhawks are getting another outdoor game.
Wrigley Field will host the 2025 Winter Classic, with the Blackhawks facing the St. Louis Blues, a source told the Chicago Sun-Times' Ben Pope.
It'll be the second Winter Classic at the venue. The Blackhawks hosted the 2009 event at Wrigley Field, a 6-4 loss against the Detroit Red Wings. Boston's Fenway Park is the only other stadium to have hosted two Winter Classics.
The NHL is expected to officially announce the game on Wednesday, according to Pope.
The Blues and Blackhawks clashed in the 2017 Winter Classic at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The hosts prevailed 4-1 over their rivals from Chicago.
The Blackhawks have participated in six outdoor games, most recently in the 2019 Winter Classic versus the Boston Bruins. It'll be the third time the Blues play outdoors.
Chicago will pass the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers for the most outdoor games in league history. Notably, the Blackhawks are 0-4 in Winter Classics and 1-5 overall in outdoor contests.
The Seattle Kraken shut out the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in this season's Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park. It marked the first time since the event's inception in 2008 that it wasn't the most-viewed regular-season contest, according to Front Office Sports, as Connor Bedard's NHL debut drew a larger TV audience.
Chicago is mired in last place with a 14-32-2 record. Bedard, the 2023 first overall pick, leads the Blackhawks in scoring with 15 goals and 33 points in 39 games but has missed 11 games with a broken jaw sustained on Jan. 5.
The Blues are currently in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a 26-21-2 record.
Hockey Hall of Famer Lanny McDonald sustained a cardiac event on Sunday, he announced on Instagram.
McDonald, 70, suffered the health scare at Calgary's airport after spending the weekend in Toronto for the NHL All-Star Game. He's currently recovering in hospital.
The Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs legend credited two nurses who happened to be passing by for jumping into action. "I owe them my life," McDonald wrote in his statement.
McDonald played 1,111 games in the NHL from 1973-89. He began his career with the Maple Leafs, quickly becoming a perennial 40-goal-scorer in the late 70s.
After seven seasons in Toronto and a three-year stint with the Colorado Rockies, McDonald made his way to Calgary, where he would enjoy the prime of his career. He racked up a career-best 66 goals and 98 points in 1982-83.
McDonald is remembered most for his postseason heroics. With the Maple Leafs, he netted a Game 7 overtime winner against the New York Islanders in the second round of the 1978 playoffs. As captain of the Flames, he won the 1989 Stanley Cup in his final season, scoring in the decisive Game 6 against the Montreal Canadiens.
Currently, McDonald is chairman of the board for the Hockey Hall of Fame. Before taking the role, he served nine years on the selection committee for the Hall.
The All-Star break gave us a few days to review the standings, which means it's a fitting time for an updated look at the projected top 16 picks for the draft in June.
You can find our first mock draft here, which was done prior to the world juniors in December.
Selection order is based on points percentage as of Feb. 4, and no lottery was applied.
Celebrini all but cemented his place atop the 2024 draft with his performance at the world juniors.
The 17-year-old was Canada's most impactful player at the tournament. He led the team with four goals and eight points and was consistently the most dangerous forward.
With 19 goals and 37 points in 23 NCAA games, Celebrini's production is in line with what we saw from Adam Fantilli, Jack Eichel, and elite draft-eligible players in the collegiate ranks over the past decade.
The key difference is that Celebrini is still only 17. Both Fantilli and Eichel turned 18 in October of their draft seasons, but Celebrini doesn't celebrate his birthday until June.
Craig Simpson is the only under-18 skater who scored at a higher rate than Celebrini in the NCAA, and he did so back in 1985. Since 2000, Jonathan Toews' 39 points in 42 contests are the most by a U18 NCAA skater.
Celebrini could pass Toews' total within the week. He isn't in the Connor Bedard tier of generational prospects, but he is a darn good player to land at first overall. A one-two punch of Bedard and Celebrini down the middle is the type of roster of which general managers dream.
The Sharks used their last five first-round picks on forwards. With the second overall selection here, San Jose takes a major step in rebuilding its back end by snagging Levshunov.
The top-ranked right-shot blue-liner in the class, Levshunov has stepped into the NCAA this season with Michigan State and been an immediate difference-maker. The Belarusian has tallied eight goals and 27 points, ranks second in team scoring, and boasts a team-best plus-24 rating.
With impressive skating and a pro build of 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds, Levshunov projects as an all-situations, top-pairing defenseman. He's become an elite penalty killer with Michigan State in no time and is the youngest player on the team.
The Sharks need a blue-chip defender and have exactly that in Levshunov.
At 6-foot-7 and 211 pounds, Silayev is a behemoth on the back end.
His combination of size and mobility makes him a tantalizing prospect. In a modern NHL that becomes faster and faster by the year, a monster defenseman who can skate with the top players and shut things down off the rush with his massive reach and physicality is a game-changer for any organization.
The Ducks already boast exciting defenders in Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger, but Silayev provides a very different skillset defensively.
After the acquisition of Cutter Gauthier in January to add to an already blossoming group of young forwards, Anaheim feels good about grabbing the most unique prospect in the class without a positional need in mind.
After starting the season outside of Bob McKenzie's top 16 as an honorable mention, Lindstrom has vaulted himself up to fifth on the most recent list.
Lindstrom is listed at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, his skating is an exciting trait, and he boasts excellent hands and a lethal shot. He plays mean and has the ability to completely take over games. It's no wonder he's become a challenger at the top of the class.
While he's been out of the lineup since mid-December due to a hand injury, Lindstrom has an active 12-game point streak in the WHL. He's racked up 27 goals and 46 points in 32 contests to go along with 66 penalty minutes.
A one-two combo down the middle of Adam Fantilli and Lindstrom would truly transform the Blue Jackets' future.
Eiserman scores goals. He's done that often for the U.S. NTDP, with 103 since 2022. That's just 23 behind Cole Caufield for top spot all-time at the program with plenty of games to go this season.
The concern is the rest of his game, and that's why he's starting to slip down the board. Once viewed as Celebrini's top challenger for first overall, Eiserman is now the No. 4 prospect on McKenzie's board.
Eiserman remains a pure shooter. He hasn't developed as a passer in the way many had hoped entering this season, he struggles defensively, and he's not a primary puck carrier in transition.
He may be a one-trick pony at this time, but elite goal-scoring is the attribute you want if you're taking a one-dimensional player.
Brock Faber has been a revelation for the Wild this season, and they add a future partner for him in Dickinson at sixth overall.
Starring in a prominent role on a dominant London Knights team, Dickinson has added more of an offensive element to his game this year with 47 points in 49 contests. He's a smooth skater with strong defensive play. Everything about his profile screams minute-munching, top-four defenseman.
The Canadiens need elite talent at forward and take a swing on Catton in the hopes of finding a difference-maker up front.
Catton has destroyed the WHL with 35 goals and 78 points through 47 games. He's a silky offensive creator that boasts strong skating. He was excellent at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in the fall and will likely feature prominently for Canada at the U18s.
The last time a draft-eligible NCAA defenseman produced at Buium's 1.31 points-per-game rate was 1977. He's been the top defender on a top team in Denver, and he landed a top-four role with the U.S. at the world juniors because of it.
The flashiest player in the draft falls to Calgary at No. 9. In need of high-end forwards as they begin to retool, the Flames take a home-run swing on Demidov.
No prospect in this class is as exciting offensively. Demidov possesses breathtaking skill and remarkable creativity. He's annihilating the Russian junior league with 20 goals and 45 points in just 23 games, but a lack of KHL minutes, an average 5-foot-11 frame, and the ever-looming (rightly or wrongly) Russian factor sees him drop to the bottom end of the top 10.
The Coyotes continue to build the league's biggest defense by adding Yakemchuk at 10th overall. A 6-foot-3, 190-pound blue-liner, Yakemchuk has a booming shot from the point and offensive skill. His stat line of 23 goals and 51 points in 45 games resembles that of a right winger, not a right-shot defenseman.
Helenius' intelligent play saw him become a top-six center in a top men's league at just 17 years old. A lack of dynamic attributes sees him drop out of the top 10, but the Kraken are happy to add Helenius to a collection of young, smart two-way centers in the organization.
General manager Barry Trotz wants high-end swings in the draft, and that's what he gets at No. 12 in Parekh. The 6-foot, 178-pound right-shot defenseman is a legitimate scoring threat from the back end, with 22 goals and 66 points in 44 games this season. Suspect defensive play keeps him outside of the top 10.
Jiricek is a wild card on draft day. He impressed at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in the fall but wasn't as strong in the Czech league. He also sustained a season-ending knee injury in his world junior debut. With a 6-foot-3 frame and intriguing two-way ability, Jiricek could be a steal if teams in the top 10 are hesitant to take him after the significant injury.
Fast, skilled, and with lots of room for physical development at a slight 6-foot-1 and 156 pounds, Connelly has excelled everywhere he's played this season. He's a top player in the USHL and was an MVP candidate at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and World Junior A Challenge. However, off-ice concerns from a pair of incidents in 2021 and 2022 make Connelly's ultimate landing spot more unclear.
Brandsegg-Nygard has been on fire since returning to the Swedish second-tier pro league after the world juniors. He has points in six straight games and is playing with confidence. A forechecking menace, he would be a perfect fit as a complementary winger with the Devils' elite talent down the road.
Note: Pick acquired by Sharks from Pittsburgh Penguins in the Erik Karlsson trade.
An offseason trade from the Seattle Thunderbirds to the Kelowna Rockets did wonders for Iginla's draft stock. The son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, Tij has 34 goals and 60 points in 45 games. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him push closer to the top 10 by June.
The Pittsburgh Penguins signed forward Jesse Puljujarvi to a two-year contract with a $800,000 cap hit, the team announced Sunday.
Puljujarvi signed a professional tryout with the Penguins in December. He joined Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate on a tryout in January, where he's tallied four goals and nine points in 13 games.
The contract runs through the 2024-25 campaign. Puljujarvi joins the NHL roster upon being signed and will require waivers to be sent down to the AHL.
The 25-year-old returns to game action after undergoing double hip surgery in the summer. He scored five goals and 16 points in 75 contests with the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes last season.
Puljujarvi was drafted fourth overall in 2016 by the Oilers. He had an up-and-down tenure in Edmonton, which saw him return to Finland for two seasons from 2019-21. He enjoyed a career year in 2021-22 with 14 goals and 36 points in 65 games.
The Penguins rank fifth in the Metropolitan Division with a 22-17-7 record.
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson will miss the rest of the 2023-24 season with an upper-body injury that requires surgery, the team announced Sunday.
Samuelsson has seven points in 41 games this season while playing 20:30 per contest. He ranks third among Sabres defenders in ice time.
The 23-year-old most recently played on Jan. 23 against the Anaheim Ducks. He'd missed Buffalo's last two games against the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.
Samuelsson is in the first season of a seven-year contract extension signed in October 2022.
The Sabres are sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 22-23-4 record.
Team McDavid defeated Team MacKinnon 4-3 in a shootout to advance to the All-Star Game final on Saturday.
David Pastrnak and Connor McDavid scored in the last minute as Team McDavid overcame a 3-1 deficit late in the second 10-minute period. Pastrnak netted the decisive goal in the shootout.
Team captain Nathan MacKinnon scored the opening goal and added a beauty backhander later in the contest. Oliver Bjorkstrand also tallied a goal for Team MacKinnon.
Boone Jenner found the back of the net for Team McDavid in the first period.