Matthew Tkachuk will be trading his winter coat and gloves for sunglasses and sandals after a blockbuster trade sent him from the Calgary Flames to the Florida Panthers on Friday.
In a deal with two of the league’s best players swapping teams, the Panthers acquired high-scoring forward Tkachuk from the Flames in exchange for Jonathan Huberdeau, defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt and a conditional 2025 first-round draft pick.
Tkachuk, coming off career bests of 42 goals, 62 assists and 104 points this past season, signed an eight-year extension with Florida, a deal that will keep him with the team through the 2029-30 season. He said earlier in the week that he would not sign a long-term contract to stay in Calgary and that led to trade talks, with no shortage of teams hoping to land the 24-year-old.
''Matthew is a tenacious, physical competitor who possesses a tremendously unique skillset,'' Panthers general manager Bill Zito said. ''He is a consistent elite offensive contributor and has emerged as one of the most complete and dynamic young players in the National Hockey League. We are thrilled to be able to add a generational talent to our lineup.''
The Flames, who recently lost standout forward Johnny Gaudreau to free agency, get back a big-time playmaker in Huberdeau, who tied a career best with 30 goals last season, while setting personal bests with an NHL-high 85 assists and 115 points. Only Connor McDavid (123) had more points last season than Huberdeau, the Florida franchise leader in games, assists and points.
''We would like to thank Jonathan and MacKenzie for their immense contributions to the Florida Panthers, both on and off the ice, during their tenures in South Florida,'' Zito said. ''They have both blossomed into exceptional athletes and people. Their contributions as players and people made an indelible mark on our franchise.''
Weegar tallied eight goals with 36 assists last season in 80 games for the Panthers, who had a league-best 122 points in 2021-22 and won a playoff round for the first time since 1996 before they were swept by Tampa Bay in the second round.
Both Huberdeau and Weegar are set to be unrestricted free agents next summer.
NHL: Penguins goalie Jarry scores goal, stops 39 shots in win
Tristan Jarry scored into an empty net and stopped 39 shots to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-2 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.
With the Penguins protecting a 3-2 lead, Jarry stopped a dump-in and sent the puck end-to-end with 68 seconds remaining.
Jarry is the fourth goalie to score in the past 10 years, and 14th overall in the regular season. He is the first Penguins netminder to score a goal.
Jeff Carter scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and Sidney Crosby and Drew O’Connor also found the back of the net for Pittsburgh, which is 2-0-1 in its last three games.
Steven Stamkos and Tanner Jeannot had first-period goals as Tampa Bay dropped its third straight following a 4-0-1 surge.
Dewar has hat trick in Wild’s win
Connor Dewar recorded his first career hat trick and added an assist as the Minnesota Wild rolled to a 6-1 rout, ending the Nashville Predators’ six-game winning streak.
Dewar appeared to score a fourth goal with just over four minutes remaining but was taken away after the Wild were ruled to be offside after a video review.
Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who have won both games under new coach John Hynes.
Hynes served as Nashville’s coach for parts of four seasons before being relieved of his duties this past offseason by new general manager Barry Trotz.
Marner carries Maple Leafs to shootout win
Mitch Marner scored three times in regulation and added the shootout winner to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken.
Marner ended an eight-game drought with his second career hat trick, also accomplished in a four-goal game against Detroit on Feb. 26, 2022.
Auston Matthews also scored in the shootout and had two assists to help the Leafs improve to 5-1-1 in their last seven games.
Jared McCann scored twice as Seattle lost its third in a row (0-2-1).
NHL: Lindgren makes 37 saves as Capitals end Kings' 5-game winning streak
Charlie Lindgren had a spectacular 37-save performance and Connor McMichael and Anthony Mantha each had a goal and an assist as the Washington Capitals held off the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1 on Wednesday.
Lindgren allowed Arthur Kaliyev’s goal midway through the first period before stopping all 27 shots over the final two periods.
The Kings had a five-game winning streak snapped and lost in regulation for the second time in the last 15 games (11-2-2).
Cam Talbot faced just 15 shots as he dropped to 7-2-0 in his last nine starts.
Rangers rally past Red Wings
Jimmy Vesey scored the go-ahead goal with 4:15 left in the third period and Igor Shesterkin turned away 26 shots as the New York Rangers rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
Second-period goals by Moritz Seider and Robby Fabbri gave Detroit a 2-1 lead but K’Andre Miller drew the Rangers even midway through the third and Vesey batted a rebound out of mid-air and past Ville Husso for the game-winner.
Artemi Panarin also scored for NHL-leading New York, which rebounded from Monday’s loss to Buffalo to avoid losing consecutive games for the first time this season.
Husso made a season-high 38 saves, but Detroit had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Armia’s late goal lifts Canadiens
Joel Armia snapped a tie with 2:57 remaining in regulation to lift the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Alex Newhook and Cole Caufield scored in the second period and Gustav Lindstrom added an empty-net goal as the Canadiens won for the third time in four games following a four-game skid.
Patrik Laine and Yegor Chinakov scored for the Blue Jackets, who had won three of four.
Sam Montembeault made 26 saves to help Montreal close a five-game road trip 3-2.
NHL: Forsberg's goal in OT gives Predators sixth straight win
Filip Forsberg scored just 14 seconds into overtime to lift the Nashville Predators to their sixth consecutive win, 3-2 over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.
Michael McCarron scored twice in the first period and Juuse Saros stopped 29 shots for Nashville, which followed a four-game losing streak with wins in six straight.
Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust had goals for the Penguins, who dropped to 2-4-1 in their last seven.
Gustav Nyquist assisted on McCarron’s first goal to extend his point streak to nine games. He has two goals and nine assists during that stretch.
Pittsburgh went scoreless on both power-play opportunities and is 0 for 20 over the last eight games.
Wild stop slide in Hynes’ debut
Joel Eriksson Ek and Frederick Gaudreau scored first-period goals and the Minnesota Wild snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues in John Hynes’ debut as coach.
Matt Boldy added a goal in the third period and Filip Gustavsson stopped 23 shots for Minnesota, playing its first game under Hynes after the Wild fired Dean Evason on Monday.
Colton Parayko scored for the Blues, who dropped to 3-4-0 in their past seven games.
Devils score 3 in third period to rally past Islanders
Curtis Lazar scored with 23 seconds left to cap a three-goal third period and rally the New Jersey Devils to a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders.
New York took a 4-2 lead into the third period, but Jack Hughes scored at 5:08 and Nico Hischier netted the equaliser on a 4-on-3 power play with 8:50 remaining.
Michael McLeod and Dawson Mercer also scored for the Devils, who have won two straight after losing six of seven.
Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists for the Islanders, who had a six-game point streak snapped (3-1-3).
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