NHL Trade Talk Recap: Oilers, Habs, & Jets – Batherson Almost Comes Through

It felt like one of those nights where every Canadian team was fighting some version of the same battle. But no Canadian team won. A little stumble there, a moment that almost swung things around. But then the letdown. It wasn’t a good night for Canadian teams in general.

Still, pulling a solid game out of the pile of four Canadian losses wasn’t that hard. Drake Batherson is worth talking about.

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Buffalo Sabres 4, Edmonton Oilers 3 (OT)

The Edmonton Oilers dragged fans through the whole emotional catalog again. They were flat and messy early. They took too many penalties, but then turned into world-beaters for fifteen minutes. Scoring three goals in the third and tying it with basically a heartbeat left was about as exciting as a game can get on home ice. Connor McDavid did McDavid things (sometimes I forget how amazing he is until he decides to take over a game), and Vasily Podkolzin dug around the crease like he’s been doing since he came to Edmonton.

And then, just like hockey does, all that hard comeback work came back to naught. Thirty-three seconds into overtime, Alex Tuch just slipped past everyone and beat Stuart Skinner‘s glove side. And that was that. The air left the building because, after such a stunning comeback, fans were practically counting the win before OT even began.

The bottom line? For the third period, the Oilers looked like the team they could be. But their slow start did them in.

New Jersey Devils 4, Ottawa Senators 3

Ottawa keeps grinding, but the bounces just aren’t there. They had the early jump, got the power-play looks, and every time New Jersey poked ahead, they jumped back into the game. Drake Batherson (I’ll talk about him later) scored twice. Tim Stutzle added a goal with the man advantage. Linus Ullmark looked sharp enough, but didn’t stop Cody Glass after a turnover. Game over.

Tampa Bay Lightning 6, Montréal Canadiens 1

Montréal hoped to catch Tampa tired and extend their losing streak. However, the Lightning had other ideas. They showed up ready to play, and the Canadiens couldn’t match their push. The Habs gave up early goals and made too many defensive misreads. Neither Jakub Dobes nor Sam Montembeault could stop the bleeding. It was another rough night for the Canadiens.

In one bright note, youngster Oliver Kapanen scored a power-play goal. But Cole Caufield’s eleven-game streak ended. It was one of those nights where everything felt sideways.

Dallas Stars 4, Winnipeg Jets 3

Dallas ran up three goals before Winnipeg really got moving. Once the Jets found their legs, though, they looked decent—Scheifele had two goals, Connor added a couple of assists, and Stanley’s late goal at least gave the crowd something to cheer. Five-on-five, they were sharper, hitting the forecheck harder, and even had Dallas on their heels for stretches.

But their early mistakes did them in. The special teams couldn’t carry them back into the game, and that was that.

Canadian Team’s Player of the Night: Drake Batherson (Ottawa Senators)

Honestly, this wasn’t a hard choice. Batherson dragged the Senators into the fight again and again. It was more than just the goals — although they were big. It was the way he reads plays, fights for space, and doesn’t sulk when the game slides the wrong way.

Related: Sabres OT Hero and Oilers’ Trade Target In Middle of Chaotic Finish