NHL trade deadline is Friday
Utah Hockey Club couldn't finish its four-game homestand with a perfect record, but wins in three of those four games pulled the team within two points of the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks in a tightly packed race for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. The Canucks, Flames, Blues and Utah are all separated by two points.
With only one game remaining before the NHL Trade Deadline at 1 p.m. MT on Friday, Utah is squarely in the playoff race and will not be in sell mode with players on expiring contracts, per GM Bill Armstrong.
Utah begins a two-game road trip through the Midwest on Thursday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Here's a look at the week ahead.
Upcoming Schedule
Thursday, 3/6: at Detroit, 5 p.m. MT
Friday, 3/7: at Chicago, 6:30 p.m. MT
Scouting the Red Wings: Like Utah, Detroit is in a battle for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Eight teams were separated by seven points in the race for the East's two wild card spots, with the Red Wings sitting in the final wild card slot entering play Monday. GM Steve Yzerman said recently that the team is still rebuilding — a process it began in 2019 — but a flurry of offseason moves has some analysts questioning that stance. Detroit has missed the postseason for eight straight seasons, the longest drought in franchise history.
Individual stats: Forward Alex DeBrincat leads Detroit with 28 goals. Forward Lukas Raymond leads the team with 41 assists and 63 points. Detroit's goaltenders are allowing 3.1 goals per game, the 10th worst mark in the NHL.
Injury updates: Center Michael Rasmussen (upper body) and forward Elmer Söderblom (upper body) are day to day. Center Andrew Copp is out for the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn pectoral tendon.
Season series: The teams have not played this season.
Scouting the Blackhawks: Chicago is in a battle with San José for the worst record in the NHL and the best odds at landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The Blackhawks are headed toward a fifth straight season without a playoff berth, which would tie for the second longest drought in franchise history; one short of the record. Chicago's power play ranks sixth in the NHL at 26.2 percent and its penalty kill ranks eighth at 81.2 percent.
Individual stats: Forward Ryan Donato leads the team in goals with 21. Connor Bedard leads the team with 33 assists and 49 points. Chicago's goaltenders have combined for a 3.52 goals against average (30th in the NHL).
Injury updates: Center Philipp Kurashev (hand) and forward Nick Foligno (lower body) are both day to day. Center Jason Dickinson (ankle) and goalie Laurent Brossoit (knee) are on injured reserve.
Season series: Utah leads, 2-0. In the first game in Utah Hockey Club history, Dylan Guenther had two goals, Connor Ingram made 24 saves and Utah beat the Blackhawks, 5-2 at Delta Center on Oct. 8. Utah won the second meeting at Delta Center last Tuesday when forward Lawson Crouse scored the game-winning goal on a backhander with 7:48 left in a 2-1 victory.
Who's hot?
- Since Nov. 30 (28 games), Utah captain Clayton Keller has 16 goals and 49 points.
- In the nine games since his return from injury, forward Dylan Guenther has six goals and 10 points.
- In his past five starts, goaltender Karel Vejmelka has stopped 107 of 115 shots (.930 save percentage).
By the numbers
- Only six NHL teams are more than six points out of a playoff spot.
- Utah is 6-2-2 in its past 10 games at Delta Center.
- Utah is eight points ahead of last season's pace after 61 games.
Quotable
"I think our group has earned the right, at this point, to fight. We're always looking to improve the team through trades and acquisitions, but at the end of the day, we're also in a period where there's a lot of guys that have to develop in front of us before we go chasing rentals."
— Utah GM Bill Armstrong on the team's approach to Friday's NHL trade deadline
