The Colorado Avalanche slip Jacob MacDonald onto waivers while the Washington Capitals do the same with goalie Mitch Gibson, moves that scream roster housekeeping amid the Olympic break. These aren't household names, but in a league where every depth piece counts coming out of Milan-Cortina, GMs watch these wires like hawks. Front offices know one claim could shift the bottom of the lineup before practices ramp up and the real grind resumes.

Jeff Skinner clears waivers after the Sharks put him on unconditional waivers to terminate his one-year deal, setting the 33-year-old free agent loose in a league hungry for veteran scoring ahead of the deadline. Colorado shelves depth D-man Jacob MacDonald while Washington just-waived goalie Mitchell Gibson, who they signed earlier today on a two-way pact.

The Capitals reward their steady AHL netminder Mitch Gibson with a two-year, two-way contract that kicks in right now, straight from the front office announcement today. This 2018 fourth-rounder out of Harvard has turned heads in Hershey with a scorching .918 save percentage and career-high 12 starts this season, especially amid Washington's goaltending injury woes with Lindgren and Thompson sidelined before the Olympic break.

Henrik Zetterberg, the old Swedish maestro who captained Detroit through their last glory days, now eyes a genuine turning point as the Red Wings claw their way back into playoff contention. Captain Dylan Larkin, who soaked up Zetterberg's quiet leadership during his rookie years, channels that same grit with additions like John Gibson anchoring the net and Patrick Kane dishing magic.

Detroit's front office grapples with a looming decision on their grizzled netminder, balancing cap space against playoff push as the Olympic break looms. John Gibson's steadying presence has masked deeper issues, but whispers from Little Caesars suggest Yzerman eyes younger blood. Whatever path they choose, it shapes the Wings' first deep run in a decade.

John Gibson channels his inner wall for the Red Wings, posting a perfect record since early December with numbers that scream vintage elite. The big man from Anaheim, now thriving in Detroit after that summer trade, has the Wings riding high into the break, winning nine of their last 12 and tying Colorado for the month's best mark in the league. Front offices around the NHL are taking notice as Gibson's streak reignites playoff talk for a team starved for postseason action in nearly a decade.