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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