The Avs bested the Red Wings on Saturday and play them again tonight. Will Gabe Landeskog participate in the Olympics with a letter on his jersey? Also, an epic outdoor game in Tampa Bay featuring a goalie fight!
All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — February 2.
Colorado Hockey Now
Detroit was cold. It felt nice to fly back to sunny Colorado on Sunday ahead of a rematch between the Red Wings and Avalanche. I will say, for those who haven’t been, you should absolutely put Little Caesars Arena on your bucket list. That building is far and away the best in the NHL and the in-game entertainment and energy from the crowd is top notch.
Albeit, Red Wings fans didn’t have much of anything to cheer for on Saturday. Nathan MacKinnon was a big reason why.
READ MORE: 10 Takeaways: No Necas, No Problem. Supercharged MacKinnon Led Avalanche in Detroit
After the game, I asked Mackenzie Blackwood about MacKinnon. Does he still get surprised when MacKinnon puts up one of those types of games?
His response was fun.
READ MORE: In The Room: Asking Blackwood About MacKinnon is Always Entertaining (+)
Moving away from NHL action, it’s sounding like Team Sweden is leaning towards Gabe Landeskog being a part of their team for the Winter Olympics. Landeskog hasn’t played since sustaining an upper-body injury in Florida on Jan. 4.
Colorado’s captain has made it clear that he wants to play in Italy. Jared Bednar was on the record saying the team supports him rehabbing so he can partake. It’s just a matter of making sure things can align for him to be cleared to play by then.
If he does, he’ll be relied on quite a bit.
READ MORE: Landeskog to Captain Team Sweden at Winter Olympics?
Around The NHL
Detroit Hockey Now: The Red Wings will be seeking redemption at Ball Arena. They’ll have to figure out their recent scoring struggles if they’re going to have any chance to best the Avalanche.
Boston Hockey Now: What an epic matchup between the Bruins and Lightning in the latest Stadium Series. Tampa went down 5-1 and made a comeback. They won in a shootout after a controversial no goal in OT.
This game truly had everything. The largest comeback in 45 outdoor games, real drama, and… another goalie fight!
STADIUM SERIES GOALIE FIGHT 😱 pic.twitter.com/ntCWlmmr25
— ESPN (@espn) February 2, 2026
Florida Hockey Now: Nobody is doubting the Florida Panthers have the talent to make a late push and secure a playoff spot. But the number of injuries to crucial players continues to make that difficult.
Forever Blueshirts: Do the Rangers need a retool, or an all-out rebuild?
