Oliver Kapanen

The Edmonton Oilers loan winger Max Jones back to AHL Bakersfield, clearing a crucial roster spot as they eye activating Kasperi Kapanen and Jake Walman from LTIR ahead of Saturday's clash with the Flyers. Jones, the 6'3" Michigan bruiser who came over in last year's Trent Frederic deal, logged limited ice time during his recent NHL stint with just two points in eight games.

Connor McDavid puts the finishing touch on another Oilers shutout, sniping an empty-netter against a slumping Seattle squad that's limping home from a brutal road trip. Depth guys like Kasperi Kapanen and Max Jones step up big while Connor Ingram celebrates his birthday with a stonewall performance, his ninth NHL whitewash and second of the year. Edmonton rolls to their first four-game streak, climbing the Pacific ladder as the playoffs heat up, and you know what that means for the chasing pack.

Connor Ingram picks the perfect night to dominate, turning 29 with 27 saves in a stonewall against the Kraken that keeps Edmonton's streak alive at four straight. Max Jones notches his 300th game milestone, Kasperi Kapanen chips in, and Connor McDavid does what he does best to hand Seattle their sixth loss in seven.

Kasperi Kapanen battles down low to jam home a greasy one against his old Blues squad, cashing in Leon Draisaitl's feed late in the second for Edmonton's first blood. The 29-year-old winger, who's been grinding through injuries all season, picks a perfect spot for some revenge at Enterprise Center. With seven goals already in limited action, Kapanen keeps proving he's no ordinary middle-six guy in this tight playoff push.

Martin St. Louis pulls Ivan Demidov to the bench, signaling the young Russian needs to earn every shift with the right compete level. The Habs coach admits he sometimes regrets checking the kid's ice time post-game, but context and consistency dictate the tough calls in a rebuild. Demidov skates with Kapanen and Slafkovsky now, and if they gel in the top six, it could quiet the whispers about his development path amid high expectations from Montreal's front office.

Montreal forward Oliver Kapanen skips practice as the Canadiens opt for a therapy day to keep him fresh amid a grinding schedule. Coaches monitor his workload closely in this pivotal Atlantic push, where depth players carry extra weight. The move underscores how the Habs manage young legs to stay competitive in the playoff scrum.