Tampa Bay hits the ice post-Olympic break with Anthony Cirelli and Brayden Point back in practice, shaking off the rust. The Bolts' core always clicks fastest when these two sync up on the dots. Their return ramps up preparations for a brutal schedule stretch where every point counts in the Atlantic dogfight.

Matthew Tkachuk drops a message that's got Team Canada buzzing and Sidney Crosby in the crosshairs ahead of the Olympic gold medal clash. The Panthers agitator, never one to shy from stirring the pot, carries his Battle of Florida grudge overseas by calling Sam Bennett a big upgrade over injured Anthony Cirelli on the Canadian roster. With NHL stars like McDavid and Marner facing a fired-up U.S.

Oliver Bjorkstrand powers through recovery from that brutal compartment syndrome surgery that sidelined him last spring, just months after the Lightning swung big to land him from Seattle. The 30-year-old winger, now fully cleared and skating again, eyes a monster first full season in Tampa alongside Hagel and Cirelli.

NHL fantasy managers snag Anthony Cirelli, John York, and Mason Marchment as waiver-wire gold amid the league's quirky Olympic break schedule. These adds deliver sneaky points in uneven minutes, perfect for owners scrambling post-pause. Rotisserie leagues feel the shift as their lines heat up unexpectedly.

Team Canada bench boss Jon Cooper lays it out plain: Connor Bedard stays home from Milano because familiarity breeds Olympic gold, and the kid lacks that 4 Nations Face-Off bond with the coaching staff. Cooper picked Seth Jarvis and Sam Bennett to fill injury voids from Lightning duo Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli, leaning hard on guys he's already trusted in big spots.

Brayden Point's lower-body injury from that brutal net-front tangle with Cam York back in January shelves the Lightning sniper for Team Canada's Olympic run. Tampa's now missing two key pieces in Milano Cortina after Anthony Cirelli went down too, forcing Hockey Canada to pivot to Seth Jarvis as the replacement. Point's been grinding through a slower start this season with 30 points in 37 games, but his absence leaves a massive hole in Canada's depth chart just as the tournament heats up.