Not so Happy New Year for Preds and Rangers. Canucks infirmary growing. Stars fined. Previewing Canada/USA and Winter Classic. Ask R&D Anything!

The Predators and Rangers continue to struggle, with Nashville sitting 30th in the NHL and New York 26th, both falling short of expectations. Weekend hits saw Timo Meier and Tyler Bertuzzi ejected for dangerous plays, sparking debate over penalty enforcement. Injuries to Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson raise questions about Vancouver’s trade urgency. The Dallas Stars face a $100K fine for violating CBA rules with a Boxing Day skate. As the Winter Classic approaches, focus shifts to USA vs. Canada at the World Juniors, with both teams looking to rebound from surprising losses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.