from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

- You know, chances are that Auston Matthews will be Patrick Kane’s center for Team USA at the Olympics, and if not him, then likely Dylan Larkin, but do not go to sleep on the possibility of Jack Hughes emerging as a top-six force for the Yanks in Beijing.

Of course, the overtime winner Friday night against the Blackhawks was a work of open-ice beauty in the three-on-three competition. And the spin move off which No. 86 scored his first of the night was about skill. But perhaps more noteworthy was seeing Hughes come away with the puck outnumbered two-on-one below the goal line just prior to the first one.

Hughes between Kane and Chicago linemate Alex DeBrincat, perhaps?...

- So you’re Tom Fitzgerald, GM, and you have the chance to acquire Jack Eichel.

Are you interested if Nico Hischier is the featured piece of the package going the other way?

- Whispered into our ears by a savvy individual with keen insight into the dynamics of the league (and that description eliminates scads of suspects, no?), we’ve been advised not to discount the possibility that Marc Bergevin, entering the final year of his contract as general manager in Montreal, just might wind up in Los Angeles next season working with Kings president Luc Robitaille.

more on the first topic plus other hockey notes including a look at TNT's first night...