In today’s NHL rumour rundown, we start off with Kevin Fiala and his season-ending injury at the Olympics, and what kind of concerns that could create moving forward. Next, we look at the Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, and how talks about him and the Ottawa Senators are picking up. Finally, we have some more clarity on Evander Kane and what the Vancouver Canucks are going to do with him ahead of the trade deadline.
Fiala Injury is Exactly What Teams Were Afraid Of
Heading into the Olympics, many were keeping a close eye on Team Canada’s Tom Wilson and how his physical, and sometimes “dirty” play, would translate to the Olympics, which is often officiated differently than NHL games.
By pure coincidence, the first major injury to come from the tournament was at the hands of a Wilson hit, but there is no argument that the injury was due to nothing short of an accident.
Fiala had contact with Wilson, and as he was heading to the ice, he suffered a lower-body injury, which appeared to be his ankle. Elliotte Friedman reported on the morning of Feb. 14 that Fiala was set to have surgery in Italy and would miss the rest of the season.
A major part of why owners did not want players going to the Olympics was the injury risk. Friedman stated on the 32 Thoughts podcast that attendance at the Olympics was the biggest thing for the players and the NHL Players Association when entering the bargaining for this new deal.
Friedman suggested that, as a part of the negotiation, if players were going to go to the tournament, the league would get something they wanted. That could have been a number of things, but Friedman noted the shorter max-term contracts being one of them.
Related: NHL Rumors: Nylander Injury, McMann’s Value, McDavid and Celebrini?
While Los Angeles Kings owner Philip Anschutz and general manager Ken Holland are likely not happy to be missing a key part of their lineup, it was always a part of the deal. Things like this happen, and there likely will not be any major issues coming from this injury.
Senators Continue Being Linked to Wallstedt
Throughout the early parts of the season, the Ottawa Senators struggled mightily to get consistent goaltending. Linus Ullmark is back with the team, James Reimer looks composed in the net, and Leevi Merilainen has been getting some good play in with the Belleville Senators in the American Hockey League.
Things are as stable as they have been this season, though adding a quality goaltender behind Ullmark, who has a .884 save percentage on the season. While Ullmark’s leave of absence will hopefully lead to better play, he had a .930 save percentage in his two games since returning and has reinspired fans.
Still, his shaky play must leave the Senators nervous, and adding a high-end, young goaltender to the mix could certainly be in the books for the Senators.
Chris Johnston of The Athletic stated that the Senators would be his guess for Wallstedt’s destination at the trade deadline as the Wild look to push their team over the top and win a Stanley Cup. (from NHL trade matchmaker: Predicting where top targets go by the deadline, part 5, The Athletic, Feb. 11, 2025)
Johnston states, “Finding the right trade package is a notable barrier here. The Senators don’t own their 2026 first-round pick, but they do have multiple roster players who could get a deal like this one across the finish line.”
The Wild would likely be looking at a player like Shane Pinto. For the Senators, they clearly see Pinto as a long-term part of the club’s future, but with the exceptional centre depth they have, he could also be expendable.
There is certainly a deal to be made between the two teams; it’s just a matter of whether it will happen or not. Just because a rumoured deal makes sense doesn’t always mean it materializes.
Evander Kane Still On Block
It is no secret that the Canucks are selling. One of the pieces they are looking to move
In the same “matchmaker” where he commented on Ullmark, Johnston stated that the Canucks are willing to retain salary on Kane, and have a goal of a third-round pick in return.
They acquired Kane in the offseason, and entering his final season under contract, they were willing to take on the full $5.125 million cap hit. They are now in a position where they can retain their salary, and potentially get more in return than they paid.
James Mirtle and Johnston both submitted their prediction on where he ends up, and they both landed in the Central Division. The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars have both been previously linked, and appear to be the front-runners still.
Both could benefit from having a tough third-line presence, as Kane would bring, and he has proven to be able to be a productive playoff scorer, as evidenced by his 42 points in 68 playoff games over four seasons with the Edmonton Oilers.
