Recent NHL trades have significantly impacted the league's landscape. The Dallas Stars bolstered their roster by acquiring center Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a first-round pick and a conditional third-rounder in the 2025 NHL Draft. This move aims to strengthen the Stars for a potential Stanley Cup run, with Granlund on pace to reach 60 points for the second straight year and Ceci providing depth on the right side of the Stars' blueline[1].

The New York Rangers reacquired center J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks, with Miller scoring twice in his first game back with the Rangers. However, the team lost 6-3 to the Boston Bruins, who are six points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. The Lightning, meanwhile, dropped a 3-2 decision to the New York Islanders, with Tony DeAngelo scoring in overtime and Adam Boqvist netting his first goal with the Isles since being claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers[1].

Vancouver Canucks GM Patrick Allvin explained that trading J.T. Miller was necessary due to a rift between Miller and Elias Pettersson, which had affected the team's culture. The Canucks are now focused on seeing how things go for Pettersson and hope he returns to his high-scoring form. The team is also eager to sign Marcus Pettersson and Drew O'Connor to contract extensions, both of whom were acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins and are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1[4].

In other news, the St. Louis Blues are considering trading blueliners Justin Faulk and Ryan Sutter after terminating Brandon Saad's contract. The team does not plan to move defenseman Cam Fowler and checking-line center Radek Faksa, as their current value to the Blues is higher than any potential return in the trade market[4].

The 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, an international tournament featuring NHL players from the US, Canada, Finland, and Sweden, is set to take place from February 12-20, 2025. The tournament will be played in Montreal, Canada, and Boston, Massachusetts, with each team comprising 23 NHL players selected by their respective National Associations. The format includes a round-robin stage followed by a one-game Final, with the two teams having the best tournament record advancing to the championship game[2].

Additionally, the Professional Women's Hockey League plans to add two expansion franchises for the start of the 2025-26 season. The league will begin sending requests for proposals to several markets, including Detroit, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Denver, and Seattle, with the goal of finding the right market size, fan base, facilities, and economic opportunity[5].

The NHL's midseason grades have been released, with teams receiving grades ranging from A to F based on their performance. The Washington Capitals retained the top spot, while other teams like the Carolina Hurricanes made significant moves, including acquiring high-scoring winger Mikko Rantanen[3]. The NHL trade deadline is set for March 7, with several players potentially on the move as teams look to bolster their rosters for the playoffs.