ESPN.com · Feb 18
How NHL GMs are handling the 2026 Olympic break
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The Los Angeles Kings swung a trade for Artemi Panarin before the Olympic break -- only to watch Kevin Fiala suffer a season-ending leg fracture midway through the men's tournament while playing for Switzerland.
It's a quick turn of events for the Kings, who are trying to reach the Stanley Cup playoffs for a fifth straight season in a crowded Western Conference.
It also reinforces why NHL front offices have largely remained active during the break because of what's at stake when the roster freeze lifts Feb. 22 and the regular-season schedule resumes Feb. 25.