While the 2026 Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey tournament in Milan is ramping up, NHL teams in North America were permitted to return to practice on Tuesday.
The Chicago Blackhawks held their first optional practice since the Olympic break began two weeks ago, and most of the roster participated. One of the few players absent was 23-year-old defenseman Wyatt Kaiser, who suffered a lower-body injury in the Blackhawks’ final game before the break on Feb. 4. More in the links for an update on Kaiser and all the noteworthy takeaways from the optional session.
Also in Blackhawks news, a minor-league goaltender has been handed a 20-game suspension by the American Hockey League, and the NHL club has been selected to play in a yet-to-be-announced special event in the 2026-27 season.
Around the league, Team Canada & USA prepare for their Quarterfinal matchups at the Olympics, Vladislav Gavrikov could be the next Ranger on the move, and the latest trade rumors surrounding Justin Faulk.
All that & more in the Daily!
Chicago Blackhawks Recap, News & Tidbits
Chicago Hockey Now: After spending nearly two full weeks away from the rink, the Blackhawks were back on the ice for an optional practice on Tuesday. Wyatt Kaiser was among the few players absent, and head coach Jeff Blashill provided a slight injury update for the left-handed defenseman. Connor Bedard was also back taking faceoffs for the first time since getting hurt on Dec. 12.
More CHN: A case can be made that every member of the Chicago Blackhawks NHL roster will benefit from the 13-day Olympic break. However, these three players in particular should profit the most from the time off.
More CHN: The AHL announced on Tuesday that Blackhawks goalie prospect Stanislav Berezhnoy has been suspended for 20 games for violating the terms of the AHL/PHPA Performance Enhancing Substance Program. Berezhnoy, 23, has played in 15 games for the Rockford IceHogs this season, which is his first in North America. Drew Commesso is expected to be busy until Berezhnoy can return on Apr. 11.
According to Scott Powers of The Athletic, the Blackhawks have been selected for a “yet-to-be-announced NHL special event in the 2026-27 season. The Blackhawks will have one fewer home game on their schedule, leading people to believe they’ll participate in the 2026 NHL Global Series in Europe to begin the year. It very likely won’t be another Winter Classic, since they just hosted that event at Wrigley Field in 2024-25.
The Blackhawks have been selected to be in a “yet-to-be-announced League special event” and will have one fewer home game next season.
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) February 17, 2026
The Blackhawks will have only 41 home games next season — even with the 84-game schedule — because they’ve been selected for an NHL “special event.”
That implies a Europe trip, which would be the Hawks’ first since Berlin/Prague in 2019.
For the 41 home games, season ticket…
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) February 17, 2026
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
The Athletic: Canada is set to face Czechia, while the United States battles Sweden in the Quarterfinals at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Wednesday. Here’s a preview of the matchups for the two tournament favorites to come away with a Gold Medal.
Sportsnet: Along with Stanislav Berezhnoy, the AHL also suspended Coachella Valley Firebirds forward David Goyette for 20 games for taking an illegal substance. Both players are out until April.
San Jose Hockey Now: Jeff Skinner is now officially a free agent. The 33-year-old winger, signed by the San Jose Sharks over the summer, was placed on waivers on Monday for the purposes of contract termination. Now, we play the waiting game to see where Skinner lands next.
Carolina Hockey Now: The Carolina Hurricanes signed goaltender Brandon Bussi to a three-year extension on Monday worth $5.7M, with an average annual value of $1.9M. Rachel Barkley from CHN dives into how Bussi’s new deal compares to other top goaltenders around the league.
New Jersey Hockey Now: Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Miro Heiskanen, Roman Josi, and Rasmus Dahlin are among the NHL’s best defensemen participating in the Olympics. Yet, New Jersey Devils 22-year-old blueliner Simon Nemec has arguably been better than all of them for Slovakia in the tournament. James Nichols from NJHN breaks down how Nemec has elevated his game to another level.
RG Media: James Murphy reports that the Boston Bruins are among multiple teams interested in St. Louis Blues right-handed defenseman Justin Faulk. The Canadiens, Mammoth, Sabres, Red Wings, and Stars have also shown interest in the former Hurricane. Those same teams could also potentially look to pry Connor Murphy away from Chicago.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Muse made a pledge going into the season to maximize each player and help them reach their full potential. So, has Muse followed through on that pledge so far?
NHLtraderumors.me: According to former New York Rangers forward and current NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp, defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov could want out of the Big Apple, depending on how much is torn down in the team’s “retool”. Gavrikov, 30, just signed a seven-year contract with the Rangers as a free agent this past offseason. What a mess the 2025-26 season has been for the Original Six franchise.
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