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NHL Highlights: Last Week Before Olympic Break

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Artemi Panarin
Panarin swapped East Coast lights for West Coast vibes

The Tampa Bay Lightning dominated the Florida Panthers 6-1, with a brawl breaking out between Brandon Hagel and Matthew Tkachuk. Meanwhile, Vegas Golden Knights took down the Los Angeles Kings 4-1.


Panarin has signed a two-year contract with the Kings, worth up to $11 million per season...


The NHL is buzzing with excitement as we head into the Olympic break. Let's dive into the highlights of the week.


Top Story: Panarin Trade

Artemi Panarin has been traded to the Los Angeles Kings, sending shockwaves through the league. The Rangers received a conditional third-round pick, a fourth-round pick in 2028, and young forward Liam Greentree in the deal. Panarin, who's on track for his best season yet, signed a two-year contract extension with the Kings worth $11 million annually.


Goalie of the Week

Karel Vejmelka, the Czech netminder, stood out with wins over Vancouver Canucks (6-2) and Detroit Red Wings (4-1). He's keeping a 1.51 goals-against average and is crucial to Utah's playoff push.




Top Scorer

Nick Schmaltz from Utah led the scoring charts with four goals and two assists in two games, boasting an impressive 44.4% shooting percentage. Matt Boldy and Roman Josi also collected six points each.





Czech Player of the Week

Karel Vejmelka's impressive performances earned him the Czech Player of the Week award, breaking his personal record with his 27th win of the season.


Social Media Buzz

The Florida derby between Tampa Bay and Florida was heated, with the Lightning winning 6-1. Meanwhile, Canada's Olympic roster changes sparked discussions, with Tampa Bay players Anthony Cirelli and Brayden Point showing character by stepping aside for healthier teammates.





Artemi Panarin Traded to Los Angeles Kings

Russian forward Artemi Panarin has been traded to the Los Angeles Kings after nearly seven seasons with the New York Rangers. The Rangers received a conditional third-round pick in this year's NHL draft, a fourth-round pick in 2028, and young Canadian forward Liam Greentree in the deal.


Panarin has signed a two-year contract with the Kings, worth up to $11 million per season. The Rangers will retain 50% of his salary for the rest of this season. According to TSN, Panarin waived his no-trade clause specifically to join the Kings, indicating they were his preferred destination.




The trade of Artemi Panarin was expected, but the return the Rangers got was surprisingly low. They didn't get a first-round pick, largely because Panarin only wanted to join LA, which weakened the Rangers' negotiating power.


This limited the Rangers' options, resulting in them getting a conditional third-round pick, a fourth-round pick in 2028, and Liam Greentree instead of a bigger haul.


Kirill Kaprizov Ties NHL OT Points Record

Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov has tied the NHL record for most points in overtime this season, with nine points (4+5). If he adds at least one more after the Olympic break, he'll set a new league high. Kaprizov's consistent scoring has been a highlight of the Wild's season, and Quinn Hughes is also having a standout year, potentially becoming the most productive defenseman in club history.



Lightning Players Show Selfless Character at Olympics

Tampa Bay Lightning players Anthony Cirelli and Brayden Point showed their character by voluntarily stepping aside from the Canadian Olympic roster due to health issues, making way for healthier teammates. “It’s devastating. But Cirelli and Point proved they’re not selfish. They could have pushed to go to the Olympics, but they know they’re not fully ready. They chose to step aside so Canada would have a better shot at gold,” said Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois.


Photo of the Week

It didn’t matter that it was the last game before the Olympics. The derby between Tampa Bay and Florida was heated as always. The Lightning won convincingly 6-1, but other moments stood out as well.


At the end of the second period, a mass brawl broke out between Brandon Hagel and Matthew Tkachuk, echoing their clash from last year’s Four Nations Tournament in the Canada - USA opener. Other Olympians got involved too: Sweden’s Gustav Forsling and Switzerland’s J.J. Moser also squared off.



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