Shane Pinto’s 4 X $7.5M extension in Ottawa earns praise as a fair, forward-looking deal for a rising centre and potential Team USA Olympian, even as the cap climbs toward $100M. In Toronto, the visiting Kings face a battered Leafs squad missing Anthony Stolarz and Auston Matthews, big voids for a team whose defensive commitment is again under scrutiny after back-to-back losses to Boston. Edmonton has rebounded with two OT wins—both courtesy of Jack Roslovic—though the play hasn’t looked right and the Oilers eagerly await Zach Hyman’s return. Boston’s surprising seven-game heater continues behind Pastrnak and an unexpected scoring surge from Morgan Geekie, while New Jersey rookie Simon Nemec stole headlines with a hat trick in a back-and-forth win over Chicago. Team Canada Olympic chatter centres on whether youngsters Bedard and Celebrini can both fit at the expense of veterans, weighing their experience against limited roles on the big stage. The Rangers erupted for a 7–3 win over Tampa as Vincent Trochek returned and a freshly shorn Artemi Panarin added four assists, though their bizarre home-ice struggles persist. The hockey world also mourns the passing of longtime Rangers writer Larry Brooks after a brief battle with cancer.

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A memorable Hall of Fame induction saw Duncan Keith thank his son for helping him rediscover his love of the game, Joe Thornton deliver an emotional speech, and a standout class featuring Zdeno Chara, Alex Mogilny, Brianna Decker, Jennifer Botterill, Danièle Sauvageau & Jack Parker. On the ice, the Oilers rebounded from a humiliating 9–1 loss to Colorado by storming back against Columbus, thanks to two brilliant Connor McDavid goals and Jack Roslovic’s OT winner, though their structural issues and Kris Knoblauch’s pointed post-game comments on goaltending (from Saturday) underline how far they still are from true contention. In Toronto, defensive lapses continue as the Leafs gave up three third-period breakaways in a loss to Boston. Craig Berube was visibly frustrated and the team's lack of speed is apparent as they search for answers. Meanwhile, Brad Marchand is having a stellar season with a five-game goal streak and nearing 1,000 points, stepping up for an injury-depleted Panthers lineup and strengthening his case for Team Canada.

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Alex Ovechkin scored his unprecedented 900th goal on Wednesday, alongside 128 game-winners and 324 power-play goals, while Sidney Crosby continues his unreal pace toward a 21st straight point-per-game season and Evgeni Malkin stands as the highest-scoring Russian ever. All reminders of how lucky we are to witness this era’s icons. Jordan Binnington briefly tried to stash Ovie’s milestone puck, a light moment amid bigger concerns for a Blues team that simply doesn’t look right. A bizarre OT winner in Minnesota saw a dislodged net factor into a good-goal ruling that, while correct by rule, raised questions about odd one-off scenarios. Steven Stamkos forced OT with a buzzer-beater but has struggled overall, something Ray attributes partly to Nashville's roster construction. In Calgary, Nazem Kadri’s 1,000th game came with a goal and a rare Flames win, though Ray remains unconvinced about their playoff hopes. Macklin Celebrini’s hot start continues to shine in San Jose, as the league’s 18-to-22-year-old wave surges and potentially affects Olympic rosters. And in Seattle, Ryan Winterton’s first NHL goal offered a touching moment as he plays while his brother battles cancer, with strong support from the Kraken organization.

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