Welcome to your premier source for the latest NHL news on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. With the NHL season officially paused for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, there are no NHL game scores to report today. However, the hockey world is far from asleep. The international ice is heating up with high-stakes Olympic matchups, while back in North America, general managers are aggressively working the phones ahead of the rapidly approaching March 6 trade deadline.
Whether you are tracking your favorite country’s quest for gold or eagerly waiting to see if your favorite NHL franchise will make a blockbuster move, today’s update has you covered.
Olympic Hockey Scores & Notes from February 16, 2026
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are delivering unforgettable hockey moments. Yesterday brought thrilling semifinal action for the women’s tournament and the conclusion of the men’s preliminary rounds.
Women’s Olympic Semifinal Scores:
- United States 5 – Sweden 0: Team USA extended their incredible shutout streak! Goals from Cayla Barnes, Taylor Heise, Hannah Bilka, Abbey Murphy, and Kendall Coyne Schofield secured their ticket to the Gold Medal game.
- Canada 2 – Switzerland 1: The Canadians held on in a tight defensive battle, setting up a highly anticipated USA vs. Canada showdown for Olympic Gold on Thursday!
Men’s Tournament Notes: The men’s preliminary round has concluded, with Canada, the USA, Slovakia, winning their respective groups. Canada recently obliterated France 10-2, with Connor McDavid leading the entire tournament with 9 points.
Off-Ice Drama: Organizers were forced to make a rare mid-tournament change to the Milano Santagiulia Arena. Following complaints from goaltenders—including Team USA’s Jeremy Swayman—that the dark turquoise boards created a “flash screen” effect that hid the puck, the rink boards have officially been repainted to lighter blue and green hues ahead of the knockout stages.
Olympic Men’s Hockey Scoring Leaders
Here are the top 20 scoring leaders for the Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey tournament following the conclusion of the preliminary round. NHL stars are shining brightly on the international stage, with Connor McDavid currently leading the pack.
| Rank | Player Name | Country | GP | G | A | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connor McDavid | 🇨🇦 CAN | 3 | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| 2 | Macklin Celebrini | 🇨🇦 CAN | 3 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | Juraj Slafkovsky | 🇸🇰 SVK | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 4 | Sidney Crosby | 🇨🇦 CAN | 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 5 | Auston Matthews | 🇺🇸 USA | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 6 | Nathan MacKinnon | 🇨🇦 CAN | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 7 | Martin Necas | 🇨🇿 CZE | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 8 | Lucas Raymond | 🇸🇪 SWE | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 9 | Matthew Tkachuk | 🇺🇸 USA | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| 10 | Tim Stützle | 🇩🇪 GER | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 11 | Timo Meier | 🇨🇭 SUI | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 12 | Nick Olesen | 🇩🇰 DEN | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 13 | Cale Makar | 🇨🇦 CAN | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 14 | Mitch Marner | 🇨🇦 CAN | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 15 | Mark Stone | 🇨🇦 CAN | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 16 | Bo Horvat | 🇨🇦 CAN | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 17 | Filip Chlapik | 🇨🇿 CZE | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 18 | Kaapo Kakko | 🇫🇮 FIN | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 19 | Pius Suter | 🇨🇭 SUI | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 20 | Brady Tkachuk | 🇺🇸 USA | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
NHL Trade Rumors Heating Up During the Break
The biggest NHL news of the day revolves around the devastating injury to Los Angeles Kings forward Kevin Fiala. Fiala suffered a fractured lower left leg while playing for Switzerland in the Olympics. With $15.7 million in projected cap space and a sudden gaping hole in their offense, rumors indicate Kings GM Ken Holland is “working the phones,” with Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson potentially in his crosshairs.
Meanwhile, the rumor mill is spinning rapidly for several other contenders:
- Montreal Canadiens: The Habs are looking to be aggressive buyers. NHL insiders report that Calgary Flames veteran center Nazem Kadri would willingly waive his no-trade clause for a move to Montreal.
- Edmonton Oilers: Driven by the urge to capitalize on Connor McDavid’s prime, the Oilers are targeting Nashville Predators veteran Ryan O’Reilly to solidify their third-line center position for a Stanley Cup push.
- Boston Bruins: Boston is actively shopping for top-four defensive help. St. Louis Blues’ Justin Faulk and Calgary’s Zach Whitecloud are reportedly top targets to bolster their blue line.
Finding the Latest NHL News, NHL Trade Rumors, Fantasy Hockey Predictions
The trade deadline is just weeks away, and the landscape of the league is shifting by the minute. If you want to stay ahead of the curve on the latest NHL news, breaking NHL trade rumors, and elite Fantasy Hockey predictions, make sure to add nhltraderumor.com to your bookmarks today. Don’t miss a single blockbuster trade or waiver wire pickup!
