Projected Lineup: March 18 vs. Pittsburgh | Carolina Hurricanes Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen will look to secure another win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday, marking his second matchup with the team in eight days. The veteran netminder made 24 saves in his previous game last Tuesday and stopped two of three shots in the shootout to claim his third consecutive victory. Andersen has now recorded four wins in five games since the Olympic break, with his recent victories coming against Detroit, Edmonton, and Tampa Bay. Forward Eric Robinson is set to return to the lineup after serving as a healthy scratch in the previous game against Columbus. His absence allowed Nicolas Deslauriers to sit out. Robinson, who has yet to record a point in his last seven contests, remains a key offensive threat with 11 goals on the season, tying him for ninth on the team. The projected lineup for the game includes Svechnikov, Aho, and Jarvis on the first line, with Hall, Stankoven, and Blake forming the second line. Ehlers, Staal, and Martinook will form the third line, while Carrier, Jankowski, and Robinson will be on the fourth line. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere is sidelined with a lower-body injury, expected to miss "a couple of games" as of March 10. Forward Pyotr Kochetkov is out for the year following hip surgery, which was noted as of December 29. The first power play unit features Aho, Ehlers (Staal), Jarvis, and Svechnikov with Nikishin, while the second unit includes Blake, Hall, Jankowski, and Stankoven with Miller. Jordan Staal will handle faceoffs for the first power play unit. If he wins the draw, he will stay on the ice, and Nikolaj Ehlers will join him when the puck exits the zone.#carolina_hurricanes #frederik_andersen #eric_robinson #shayne_gostisbehere #lenovo_center
NHL playoff watch: Will the Penguins catch the Hurricanes? The final stretch of the NHL regular season is shaping up as a critical period for division races, with the Metropolitan Division remaining a focal point. The Pittsburgh Penguins, who were not expected to be a playoff contender in the 2025-26 season, have defied expectations by securing second place in the Metro. Their preseason over/under of 77.5 points has already been surpassed, positioning them as a serious threat to the Carolina Hurricanes, who lead the division by seven points. The two teams will face off on Wednesday in a pivotal matchup that could shift the balance of power in the Metro. The Hurricanes, who have dominated the division all season, hold a commanding seven-point lead over the Penguins. However, the Penguins’ upcoming schedule offers a glimmer of hope. Their next game against the Hurricanes on Wednesday, followed by a rematch on March 22, represents a potential "four-point swing" for either team. If Pittsburgh is to challenge the Hurricanes for the division title, these two games are essentially must-wins, given the current gap. Beyond these matchups, the Penguins have only four remaining games against playoff teams, while the Hurricanes face six such contests in their final 13 non-Pittsburgh games. The Hurricanes’ dominance is further underscored by their 97.2% chance of securing the division title, according to Stathletes projections, while the Penguins’ odds stand at a mere 1.5%. Despite these odds, the Penguins’ strong performance this season has kept their playoff hopes alive. Their 83 points place them in second place, with 15 games remaining before the regular season concludes on April 16.#columbus_blue_jackets #nhl #pittsburgh_penguins #carolina_hurricanes #metropolitan_division
Senators Acquire Warren Foegele from Kings The Ottawa Senators have completed a trade with the Los Angeles Kings, acquiring forward Warren Foegele one day before the NHL trade deadline. The deal was announced on Thursday, with the Senators sending a 2026 second-round draft pick originally acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for the 29-year-old winger. The two teams also agreed to swap conditional third-round draft selections. Under the terms of the trade, the Senators will receive the lesser of the Kings’ or Dallas Stars’ third-round picks in 2026, while Los Angeles will get the better of Ottawa’s or the Washington Capitals’ third-round selections. If neither Ottawa nor Washington qualifies for the playoffs, the Senators will instead send the worse of those two picks to the Kings. Foegele, who played 47 games for the Kings this season, contributed seven goals and two assists. His performance this year marks his second season with the team, following a career-high 24 goals and 46 points in 82 games during the 2023-24 campaign. The six-foot-two, 205-pound forward, hailing from Markham, Ont., is under contract through the 2026-27 season at a salary of $3.5 million. Drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the third round, 67th overall, at the 2014 NHL draft, Foegele spent parts of four seasons with the Hurricanes before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2021. He played three seasons with the Oilers in Alberta before leaving for Los Angeles via free agency in 2024. The acquisition adds depth to the Senators’ forward group, which currently sits six points behind the Boston Bruins for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. With the trade deadline approaching, the move positions the team to strengthen its roster ahead of the postseason push.#los_angeles_kings #buffalo_sabres #carolina_hurricanes #warren_foegele #ottawa_senators
Foegele traded to Senators by Kings for 2nd-round pick Warren Foegele, a 29-year-old forward, was traded from the Los Angeles Kings to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. The deal included a second-round selection in the 2026 NHL Draft for the Kings, with both teams also exchanging conditional third-round picks in the same draft. Foegele, who has one season remaining on his three-year, $10.5 million contract with the Kings, will now play for the Senators, marking a return to his hometown of Markham, Ontario. Foegele has contributed nine points (seven goals, two assists) in 47 games for the Kings this season. He expressed excitement about the move, noting it would be a homecoming. "It's pretty great, being closer to home, just a few hours away," he said. "Family and friends don't have to stay up too late on the West Coast time. Everyone in the family is pretty excited for this." He also highlighted the familiarity with teammates, mentioning that five players on the Senators roster were known to him from his time with the Hurricanes and Oilers. "Knowing guys makes the transition huge," he added. "I went to dinner with them last night, met some new faces, and everyone's been great so far since I've been here." Foegele, selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the third round (No. 67) of the 2014 NHL Draft, has accumulated 218 points (111 goals, 107 assists) in 560 regular-season games across the Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, and Kings. His playoff career includes 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 86 games. The Senators, currently sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 30-22-9 record, are four points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.#los_angeles_kings #edmonton_oilers #carolina_hurricanes #warren_foegele #ottawa_senators
Nicolas Roy Traded to Avalanche by Maple Leafs for Conditional Draft Picks Nicolas Roy, a 29-year-old forward, was traded to the Colorado Avalanche by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. The Maple Leafs received a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft as part of the deal. Roy, who has one year remaining on his $15 million, five-year contract with the Vegas Golden Knights, will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season. Roy, who joined the Maple Leafs in July 2025 in a trade that sent Mitch Marner to the Golden Knights, has 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 59 games this season. His performance with the Maple Leafs has been notable, though the team has struggled this season, sitting seventh in the Atlantic Division with a record of 27-25-11. The Maple Leafs have lost six straight games since the Olympic break, extending their losing streak to 12 of 15 contests. The Avalanche, meanwhile, remain atop the NHL standings with a record of 41-10-9, holding a six-point lead over the Dallas Stars for first place in the Central Division. The team’s strong performance has made them a key player in the trade market, and the acquisition of Roy adds depth to their roster. Roy, who was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the fourth round (No. 96) of the 2015 NHL Draft, has accumulated 186 points (73 goals, 113 assists) in 428 regular-season games across the Hurricanes, Golden Knights, and Maple Leafs. He also contributed 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists) in 79 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including a championship with the Golden Knights in 2023. Toronto coach Craig Berube acknowledged the inevitability of the trade, stating, “We knew this was coming. It’s a tight-knit group in there. They won’t be happy about it.#colorado_avalanche #toronto_maple_leafs #carolina_hurricanes #vegas_golden_knights #nicolas_roy
