News & Analysis
Original reporting, analysis, and commentary on the NHL — players, teams, trades, and the numbers behind the game.
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AnalysisOctober 31, 2026
Nikita Kucherov's Trade Request Leaves Tampa Bay With Little Leverage
Kucherov has reportedly asked out of Tampa Bay, and the Lightning say no. With his contract ending this season, the Larkin and Hellebuyck playbook doesn't fit.
AnalysisOctober 31, 2026
Dylan Larkin's Suspension Follows the Connor Hellebuyck Playbook
Detroit has suspended Dylan Larkin after his preseason trade request. Winnipeg just ran this script with Connor Hellebuyck, but the contracts change the leverage.
AnalysisOctober 24, 2026
Are the 8-2-1 Bruins as Good as Their Record Says?
Boston leads the Atlantic at 8-2-1, but its 5-on-5 numbers look like a middle-of-the-pack team. The goaltending is doing the heavy lifting.
Latest
AnalysisOctober 24, 2026
McDavid's 10-Game Point Streak and the Oilers' Finishing Surge
Connor McDavid has 31 points in 10 games. Here's which parts of Edmonton's hot start look real and which are running ahead of the chances.
AnalysisOctober 22, 2026
The Tkachuk Brothers' Hot Start Together and What It Means
Matthew and Brady Tkachuk opened 2026-27 with hat tricks, big point totals and fights. Here is how to judge the start, and what Brady's arrival has added.
AnalysisOctober 21, 2026
Struggling Canucks Lose 8 Straight: What's Broken, What to Fix
Vancouver has dropped eight in a row. The scoring numbers are propped up by hot finishing, so the fixes have to come from better chances and a closer look at how the minutes are being spent.
Power RankingsOctober 20, 2026
NHL Power Rankings Week 3: Avalanche Hold No. 1
Colorado stays on top of the Week 3 NHL power rankings despite soft 5-on-5 numbers. Carolina, Tampa Bay, Dallas and Washington round out the top five.
AnalysisOctober 17, 2026
Evan Bouchard and the Oilers Are on a Scoring Spree
Evan Bouchard has 6 goals through 7 games, and Edmonton has 31 as a team. The expected-goals numbers say the pace is ahead of the chances.
AnalysisOctober 17, 2026
Why the Maple Leafs Are Limiting Gavin McKenna's Ice Time
Toronto's No. 1 overall pick has dressed every game but sits ninth among Leafs forwards in ice time. The 5-on-5 numbers explain why, and what he has to fix.
AnalysisOctober 15, 2026
Flyers' 8-Game Losing Streak: Why It Happened, How It Ends
Philadelphia has lost 8 straight and scored 10 goals against 17.13 expected. The gap is large, small-sample noise is part of it, and here is how a turnaround looks.
Power RankingsOctober 14, 2026
NHL Power Rankings Week 2: Colorado Holds On at No. 1
Colorado stays on top of the Elo rankings after a 1-2-0 week, while Carolina and Tampa Bay close in. Philadelphia and Vancouver sit near the bottom.
AnalysisOctober 11, 2026
How Charlie McAvoy's Return Changes the Bruins' Defense
Charlie McAvoy is back after a six-game suspension, and the Bruins are 4-2-0 without him. One of the six defensemen who dressed against Philadelphia has to come out.
Power RankingsOctober 7, 2026
NHL Power Rankings Week 1: Colorado Opens at No. 1
Colorado starts the season on top of the LivingHockey power rankings. Carolina, Tampa Bay, Buffalo and Dallas follow, and several teams' results don't match their 5-on-5 numbers.
Game PreviewOctober 7, 2026
NHL Predictions Tonight: Avalanche at Jets, Penguins at Capitals, Oilers at Ducks
Three games on Oct. 7. The model leans Washington (59%), Colorado (54%) and Anaheim (56%), and a few early-season goalie samples are doing a lot of the talking.
AnalysisMay 10, 2026
Buffalo and Montreal Are Splitting a Series Their Stars Aren't Playing In
The Sabres and Canadiens are tied 1-1 heading to Game 3, but the series story isn't the stars. It's the second lines and depth scoring deciding everything.
Data Explained
Plain-English breakdowns of the metrics behind the modern game — what each stat actually measures, how it's calculated, and when to trust it.
