Minnesota Wild
NHL Trade Talk Morning Roundup: Canucks, Maple Leafs & Capitals
NHL Trade Talk Morning Roundup (Jan 30), Canucks win again, Maple Leafs lose again, Capitals have nobody at 4-Nations Faceoff
Welcome to today’s NHL Trade Talk Morning Roundup (January 30). Each morning, we’ll bring you three key NHL stories. Here, you can stay updated on the latest team wins and losses, trade talk, and player news from around the NHL. Today’s roundup reports that the Vancouver Canucks won their third game in a row by beating the Predators 3-1. However, the Toronto Maple Leafs showed no firepower at all in losing on home ice to the Minnesota Wild, also by the same score 3-1. Finally, we’ll wonder if the odd fact that the Washington Capitals will not send a single player from its NHL-leading team to the 4-Nations Faceoff in February is a good or a bad thing for their postseason hopes.
Demko Shines, Hughes Leads as Canucks Defeat Predators 3-1
Goalie Thatcher Demko made 31 saves in leading his Vancouver Canucks’ to a 3-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Captain Quinn Hughes registered two assists to extend his point streak to seven games. Good news for Linus Karlsson, who scored his first NHL goal in the Canucks’ third win in a row.
Karlsson has been kicking around in the Canucks organization since being traded from the San Jose Sharks in 2019. This was his 10th NHL game and his first point. He has some scoring upside and has put up two 20-goal seasons with the Abbotsford Canucks before his first NHL goal.
Gustavsson Slams the Door as Wild Beat Maple Leafs 3-1
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been having a tough time scoring anyway, but they ran into a hot Filip Gustavsson last night. He made 32 saves in the Minnesota Wild’s 3-1 win over a team without much offense beyond Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Nylander did score for Toronto, but he looked alone offensively. Toronto has to pull up its socks if it hopes to beat the hot Edmonton Oilers on Saturday on the road.
Capitals Send No One to 4 Nations: Advantage or Disadvantage?
Given that they’re one of the top NHL teams, it’s a surprise that the Washington Capitals aren’t sending a single player to the 4-Nations tournament. Does that fact give Washington extra rest before playoffs? Washington (like other NHL teams) has key players who could benefit from some downtime, such as Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome. But will too much rest disrupt player rhythm and create rust? It’s an oddity, and it will be interesting to see if the tournament has an impact.
Related: NHL Trade Talk Morning Roundup: Flames, Canadiens & Maple Leafs