Toronto had a pair of rookie defencemen that scored, a Flyers freshman also found the back of the net, and the Red Wings-Sharks game was well attended by scouts.
Here are three things we learned in the NHL on Wednesday night.
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Patrick rewards Flyers for promotion
Philadelphia Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol promoted rookie centre Nolan Patrick earlier this week, moving him from the third to second line.
Patrick made the most of that opportunity by scoring for the Flyers in a 5-3 loss against the Washington Capitals.
The goal was Patrick’s fourth of the season in his 41st game and came on a beautiful pass from Wayne Simmonds.
The No. 2 pick from the 2017 NHL Draft has been slowed down this year by a concussion and is trying to find the consistency that helped him score 41 goals for the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2015-16 Western Hockey League season.
Leafs make up for short-handed defence
Toronto had a tough task against the New York Islanders by playing without three of its regular defenceman.
Morgan Rielly, Roman Polak and Ron Hainsey were all out with various injuries or illnesses, but it didn’t matter as the Maple Leafs shut out New York 5-0.
One player that stepped up in their absence was blueliner Travis Dermott, who scored his first NHL goal and logged 19:47 in his ninth career game.
Justin Holl, who was recalled from the AHL earlier in the day, also scored his first NHL goal in the third period.
Red Wings-Sharks draw a crowd
Offence was tough to come by between the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks, but the game drew plenty of interest from scouts around the league.
According to Craig Custance of The Athletic, 12 scouts were listed as attending the matchup.
With the trade deadline fast approaching on Feb. 26, teams are looking to bolster their squads for a Stanley Cup Playoffs run.
One name that seems to have come up several times over the last few years is defenceman Trevor Daley, who helped the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Cup the last two seasons.
Daley, who scored in regulation for Detroit, may not be on the move this year as he has a no-trade clause from the three-year deal he signed with Detroit this past summer. Although if the situation is right, you never know if Daley would choose to waive that in order to capture a third straight championship.
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