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Adam Proteau·6d·Partner

Four NHL Coaches Who Could Be Job Hunting This Summer

The NHL’s coaching carousel is spinning faster than ever, with multiple teams changing coaches – including the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues – during the current regular season. But the way things are shaping up, there are going to be more changes we should expect to see once this season is over. With that in mind, here are four coaches likely to part ways with their team this summer. In alphabetical order: 1. Andrew Brunette, Nashville Predators The Predators have been one of the biggest disappointments this season, posting a 25-35-8 record that puts them in 14th place in the Western Conference. Consequently, the spotlight is squarely on Brunette, who has been on the job in Nashville since May of 2023. That may not sound like a long time for a coach to leave their mark, but if Preds GM Barry Trotz isn’t going to make material changes to his team’s roster, the thing he can change is his coach. It’s certainly not solely Brunette’s fault that Nashville is where they are in the standings. However, the Predators may opt for a new voice behind the bench. And that would leave Brunette looking for work after this season concludes. 2. Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres Many eyebrows were raised when greybeard veteran Ruff was hired for his second tour of coaching duty in Buffalo last April. But the Sabres have been unable to improve in Ruff’s latest tenure, generating the Eastern Conference’s worst record at 27-35-6. The 65-year-old Ruff may see his tenure come to an end this coming off-season – especially if the Sabres dismiss GM Kevyn Adams at season’s end. A new GM will want their own coach in place, so Buffalo could be looking for a new bench boss very soon. Ruff’s near-lifelong connection to the Sabres hasn’t translated into many wins this year, and in the zero-sum business of NHL coaching, that’s all that really matters. Buffalo has to chart a different course as soon as possible, and that’s why we believe Ruff will be sent packing in favor of a younger coach with a different vision for this constantly-changing Sabres roster. 3. Joe Sacco, Boston Bruins The Bruins were accustomed to performing well in recent years, which is why their sub-par performance this season is such a downer for Boston fans. Jim Montgomery was fired in mid-November, and Sacco was inserted as an interim replacement for him. But that hasn’t done much good at all, and we don’t see Sacco staying on the job once this year comes to an end. Who will replace Sacco? Well, we see another coach currently employed by another Eastern Conference team – Penguins bench boss Mike Sullivan, who we’ll discuss below – being the choice in Beantown as the Bruins attempt to retool on the fly. Hiring Sullivan for his second stint as Boston’s coach would give the Bs the structure and discipline they’re in dire need of. Sometimes a return to a familiar face makes sense for a team, and that’s where we think the Bruins will be at with Sullivan if and when he becomes a coaching free agent. 4. Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins Sullivan has been Pittsburgh’s coach since December 2015, and he’s led them to two Stanley Cup championships, giving him a lot of leeway in the nine years he’s been on the job with the Penguins. But every coach eventually reaches his "best before" date, and considering that Sullivan’s Pens have failed to make the playoffs for this season and the previous two seasons, the Penguins need a change behind the bench. Only Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper – another multi-time Cup winner – has more current tenure than Sullivan, and we expect Sullivan would quickly be picked up by another team once the Penguins let him go. But the Penguins need a different voice now, and it’s time for both Sullivan and the Pens to mutually agree to part ways. All good things eventually come to an end, and it’s high time for the Penguins to move on from Sullivan. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Tony Ferrari·Mar 20, 2025·Partner

NHL Calder Trophy Tracker: Flyers' Michkov, Sharks' Smith Lead Best Of The Rest

This year’s NHL rookie class is giving hockey fans a thrilling Calder Trophy race. San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson and Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf solidified themselves as the likely finalists for the award, despite some very impressive seasons from other freshman NHLers. We ranked that trio last month, but the rest of the class deserves some attention this time. Let’s take a look, in no particular order, at the rest of the rookie class for the 2024-25 NHL season. Matvei Michkov, RW, Philadelphia Flyers 67 games, 20 goals, 27 assists, 47 points Michkov is exactly what the Flyers hoped for. He’s been an offensive dynamo with improved two-way efforts despite some inconsistent moments throughout the year. The relationship with coach John Tortorella has been about as good as they could have hoped, with some tough love. Michkov has shown some really impressive moments of relentless off-puck play to blend with his elite skill. Only Celebrini has scored more goals this season among the rookie crop, with 21. Cutter Gauthier, LW, Anaheim Ducks 68 games, 13 goals, 21 assists, 34 points Gauthier hit his stride in the second half of the season. He’s tied with Will Smith and Huston for the lead in rookie scoring since the 4 Nations Face-Off, with 12 points in 14 games. Gauthier began to adapt to the pace of the NHL game, and he’s ascended the lineup for the Ducks as of late. The Philadelphia Flyers’ fifth-overall pick in 2022, whose trade request was granted last year, is a heavy shooter who could be a sneaky good breakout candidate for next season. He will likely reach a 40-point rookie campaign. Will Smith, C, San Jose Sharks 60 games, 13 goals, 22 assists, 35 points Smith has always been known for his dynamic playmaking, and it’s starting to show up in the NHL. He’s also tied for second among rookies in goals since the 4 Nations Face-Off, with five in 11 games. While San Jose sits at the bottom of the standings, the vibes around the franchise are immaculate, thanks in part to their young stars, Smith and Celebrini. There is still plenty of room to grow, and finding out if Smith will be a full-time center in the long term will be a work in progress, but his growth from October to today is promising. Logan Stankoven, RW, Carolina Hurricanes 63 games, 10 goals, 21 assists, 31 points Stankoven is one of the most energetic and high-motor rookies in the rookie class, and he was the key piece heading back to the Hurricanes in the Mikko Rantanen trade with the Dallas Stars. With 29 points in 59 games in Dallas and two points in four contests since the trade, Stankoven needs some time to get used to his new surroundings. We may not see him be fully comfortable until next season, but his style of play should fit right in with the Hurricanes. Tenacious and skilled, Stankoven should be a key contributor in the middle-six for the Hurricanes into the playoffs. Marco Kasper, C/LW, Detroit Red Wings 63 games, 13 goals, 14 assists, 27 points The Red Wings have needed a player who can play up and down the lineup and help elevate those around him by being flexible from a stylistic standpoint. Kasper has played on the left wing on the top line alongside Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin or down the middle with Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat. He’s played down the lineup in a defensive role and meaningful minutes on the penalty kill. Kasper doesn’t have the eye-popping counting stats to get into the Calder conversation, but he’s been excellent overall. Drew Helleson, D, Anaheim Ducks 42 games, four goals, six assists, 10 points The fact that Helleson doesn’t put up points will always make him a secondary or tertiary part of the conversation among Anaheim’s young talent, but his steady defense should be appreciated. Helleson plays a physical game and doesn’t try to do too much with the puck. He tracks play well in his own end and moves the puck to skilled teammates effectively. He’s found a way to be a positive influence on the ice with a bad team. He and Gauthier are tied for the team lead in goals-for percentage at 54.45 and 54.47, respectively, according to evolving-hockey.com. Mackie Samoskevich, RW, Florida Panthers 59 games, 13 goals, 12 assists, 25 points The Panthers are unsurprisingly one of the NHL’s best teams this season, but the back half of their season is full of injury troubles. Matthew Tkachuk hasn’t played since the 4 Nations Face-Off, and new acquisition Brad Marchand hasn’t suited up for the team, either. That’s given Samoskevich the chance to move up the lineup, and the highly skilled right winger has looked fantastic. His puckhandling and energy have been a nice addition to the top six and top power-play unit. He’s been a dual-threat offensive presence that will likely end up down the lineup come playoff time, giving the Panthers the depth needed to win the Cup (again). Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The Hockey News·4d·Partner

Top NHL Prospects In Future Watch 2025: 76 To 100

It’s not easy making the NHL. Nor should it be. Some make it as teenagers, but many prospects take three, four or even five years to break through to the NHL. The Hockey News' Future Watch issue features the top 100 team-affiliated prospects in the game every year. We asked a scout, director of player personnel or GM from each NHL team to provide their input on the top prospects in the game, using a five-to-10-year measuring stick. So, while it’s not surprising that the sure-fire prospects at the top of the list get there quicker, a lower-ranked prospect gets every bit equal opportunity. Jakob Pelletier, Seamus Casey and Alex Turcotte were all ranked in the 90s last year yet have made NHL contributions this season. We start this project in mid-January after NHL teams have had post-WJC scouting meetings. At that point, we draw a line in the sand about who’s a prospect and who’s an NHLer. In some cases, those scenarios change. That’s why names such as Denton Mateychuk, Lian Bichsel, Liam Ohgren, Fedor Svechkov, Emil Andrae and Josh Doan are listed as prospects even though they’ve broken through as NHLers in the past month or two. Other players, such as Isaiah George and Owen Pickering, looked to be established NHLers before surprisingly being demoted mid-project. That’s why they’re not listed among the top 100 prospects. - Brian Costello, editor Let's begin with with the players ranked from 76th to 100th. Keep coming back to TheHockeyNews.com this week for more players on the list, or check out the entire top 100 prospects now with write-ups on each player by being subscribed to The Hockey News. 76. Rutger McGroarty, RW, Pittsburgh PenguinsWilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) As a star player in the NCAA and a key performer for the U.S. at the 2024 WJC who was involved in a somewhat splashy trade before even turning pro, McGroarty has a higher profile than most prospects. Still, Pittsburgh is slow-rolling his development, and he’s been working on details in the AHL. The Penguins love his tools, hockey sense and character, and his scoring has picked up. Skating is not a strength. The big question is his ceiling. Does he end up a top-six forward or fringe guy? - Jonathan Bombulie 77. Brendan Brisson, C, New York RangersHartford (AHL) 78. Brad Lambert, C, Winnipeg JetsManitoba (AHL) 79. Emil Hemming, RW, Dallas StarsBarrie (OHL) 80. Nikita Chibrikov, RW, Winnipeg JetsManitoba (AHL) 81. Colby Barlow, LW, Winnipeg JetsOshawa (OHL) Barlow’s pure goal-scoring ability, which starts with a heavy and accurate shot, leaps off the page. He’s backed it up with consecutive 40-goal seasons in the OHL, too, and the transferability of his offensive instincts was evident in his three-point cameo with the AHL’s Moose last season. The Jets like Barlow’s competitiveness and leadership qualities, which “pulls players into the fight,” said Roy. And the Jets were also encouraged by his work to improve his skating and conditioning. - Jared Clinton 82. Mikhail Gulyayev, D, Colorado AvalancheOmsk (KHL) 83. Linus Eriksson, C, Florida PanthersTimra (Swe.) 84. Stian Solberg, D, Anaheim DucksFarjestad (Swe.) 85. Ethan Gauthier, RW, Tampa Bay LightningDrummondville (QMJHL) 86. Luca Del Bel Belluz, C, Columbus Blue JacketsCleveland (AHL) 87. Ilya Nabokov, G, Colorado AvalancheMagnitogorsk (KHL) 88. Filip Bystedt, C, San Jose SharksSan Jose (AHL) 89. Sam O'Reilly, RW, Edmonton OilersLondon (OHL) O’Reilly generated buzz heading into the draft after showcasing his mature two-way game during London’s OHL title run. When O’Reilly was still there at the end of Round 1, head scout Rick Pracey convinced Oilers brass to acquire pick No. 32 to snag the right-shot pivot. The former D-man draws rave reviews for his play away from the puck and hockey sense, and Oilers assistant GM Keith Gretzky said he can complement the team’s strong core of centers: “He’s not flashy, but he gets the job done.” - Carol Schram 90. Egor Zavragin, G, Philadelphia FlyersSt. Petersburg (KHL) 91. Anton Wahlberg, C, Buffalo SabresRochester (AHL) 92. Emil Pieniniemi, D, Pittsburgh PenguinsKingston (OHL) 93. Gavin Brindley, C, Columbus Blue JacketsCleveland (AHL) 94. Jani Nyman, LW, Seattle KrakenCoachella Valley (AHL) 95. Seamus Casey, D, New Jersey DevilsUtica (AHL) If things work out, Casey could be the second coming of Brian Rafalski. When the Devils had injuries to Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes, Casey found himself on the opening-night roster and showed exceptionally well. After putting up outstanding numbers at the University of Michigan, he’s now learning to play a more complete game, though defending will always be challenging at his size. An injury that led to surgery on his hand was a minor setback, but he’s logging huge minutes in Utica when he’s healthy. - Ken Campbell 96. Mikhail Yegorov, G, New Jersey DevilsBoston University (HE) 97. Adam Kleber, D, Buffalo SabresMinnesota-Duluth (NCHC) 98. Marcus Gidlof, G, New York IslandersLeksand (Swe.) 99. Oscar Fisker Molgaard, C, Seattle KrakenHV71 (Swe.) 100. Andrew Cristall, LW, Washington CapitalsSpokane (WHL) Cristall got a long look in training camp and tied for the lead in pre-season scoring for the Caps. And he’s kept it up back in the WHL as he clinched the league’s scoring title with 132 points. Cristall was dealt from Kelowna to Spokane in January, and he’s fit in seamlessly with Kraken pick Berkly Catton. Cristall brings skill, vision and an ability to find soft spots in the O-zone. An undersized winger, he has made a concerted effort to add strength. Mahoney says that’s helped his skating – an area he could still improve. - Ben Raby This article appeared in our 2025 Future Watch issue. Our cover story focuses on Ducks prospect Beckett Sennecke, who is tearing it up with the OHL's Oshawa Generals this season. We also include features on other exceptional NHL prospects, including: Zayne Parekh, Porter Martone, Gavin McKenna and more. In addition, we look at the top-10 prospects in the pipeline for each of the 32 NHL clubs. You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.

Adam Proteau·6d·Partner

Berube’s Trust In Rielly And Holmberg Proved Costly In Leafs’ Loss To Nashville

When your team is winning games in professional sports, problems you encounter can be swept under the rug. But when you fail, you open yourself up to fair criticism. And after their 5-2 defeat at the hands of the lowly Nashville Predators Saturday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs – and specifically, some of the choices made by Leafs coach Craig Berube – deserve to be questioned. For one thing, Berube’s most-utilized player – Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly, who logged 24:28 of ice time – was far from in his best form. Now, we’re not as hard on Rielly as many have been this season, but against a Preds team that has struggled mightily on offense this season, Rielly was terrible with his defensive spacing and his play reads. And he didn’t make up for it with any offense at all, finishing the game with a minus-2 plus/minus rating. Rielly’s usage might have been understandable if the Leafs were down a defenseman because of injury. However, that wasn’t the case – and Toronto defensemen who played a better all-around game than Rielly played significantly fewer minutes than him. Relative newcomer D-man Brandon Carlo played just 15:21, shutdown blueliner Chris Tanev played only 17:11, and shutdown defenseman Jake McCabe logged only 19:17. Giving any of those three more time on ice than Rielly should’ve been a no-brainer for Berube, but that wasn’t how things played out – and the results were hugely disappointing from a defensive standpoint for the Buds. Another questionable decision by Berube is his ongoing choice to use forward Pontus Holmberg on the Leafs’ third line. Holmberg clearly has a fan in Berube, but we don’t see Holmberg as anything other than a fourth-line forward – and against the Predators, Holmberg was used as Toronto’s third-line left winger. Unsurprisingly, Holmberg had no impact on offense whatsoever – the sixth consecutive game he was held off the scoresheet, and the ninth time in his past ten games he failed to produce a point. And Holmberg’s season point total of six goals and 15 points in 58 games should make it perfectly clear that this is not a player who is any better than a fringe NHLer. Holmberg’s lack of production might not be as much of a problem if Berube didn’t have a far better option for the third line in trade-deadline-acquisition Scott Laughton, who was on the ice for a team-low 9:52 Saturday. The Leafs spent a first-round draft pick and a decent prospect in Nikita Grebenkin to land Laughton, so why isn’t he getting the benefit of the doubt in favor of Holmberg? Make it make sense, Mr. Coach, and give Laughton more chances than you’ve been giving Holmberg. Laughton's early days with the Leafs haven't been very impressive – he has zero points through eight games with the Leafs – but if and when his game starts clicking in Toronto, he could be a difference-maker in the playoffs compared to Holmberg. For the most part, we like the job Berube has done this season. But he’s made some confusing choices of late, and his reliance on Rielly and Holmberg Saturday were not choices that we agree with at all. As their games grow in importance, the Leafs are going to have increasingly difficult decisions to make. And make no mistake – each and every decision Berube makes is going to fall under a microscope, and the choices he makes could ultimately be the difference between his team winning or losing in the post-season. Berube will have to justify his rationale for questionable moves like the ones he made Saturday because if he can’t, fans and media are going to eat him alive. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Jason Chen·3d·Partner

NHL Power Rankings: Jets Take Back No. 1 As Worst Clubs Near The Chopping Block

Welcome back to The Hockey News' NHL power rankings, where we rank all 32 teams based on their weekly performance. We’ve got our second NHL playoff clinch with the Winnipeg Jets, which defeated the Washington Capitals in overtime on Tuesday. The San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks were the first to be eliminated, while the Nashville Predators avoided being the third team with a win against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken are next on the chopping block unless they can win their next couple of games, with the Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins likely to follow. Should the Bruins get eliminated, their eight-season post-season streak – tied with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the longest current streak – will end. Who gets in, however, will likely be determined in the final day of the regular season. This season has been wildly unpredictable, and as many as five teams from last year’s playoffs – Predators, Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, New York Rangers and Bruins – might miss the cut. Most egregious of all are Presidents’ Trophy Rangers, and also the Canucks and Bruins, both of which finished in the top four in their conferences. 1. Winnipeg Jets (49-19-4, +77. Previous: 2) The Jets take back the top spot after beating the Caps in overtime after Nikolaj Ehlers was sprung on a breakaway during an untimely line change by the Caps. Ehlers is scoring at a point-per-game pace this season, and one wonders how many more points he could score if he was averaging more than 16 minutes per game. 2. Washington Capitals (47-15-9, +75. Previous: 1) Tuesday’s loss to the Jets was only the Caps’ third loss in March with a power play that converted on less than 10 percent of its chances. That’s pretty wild considering who’s on their top unit, though it didn’t stop Alex Ovechkin from getting one goal closer to Gretzky’s record. 3. Colorado Avalanche (44-25-3, +38. Previous: 4) The Avalanche have lost only once in regulation in March, making them the best team this month. A slight cause for concern is Mackenzie Blackwood’s recent play – entering Tuesday’s game against the Red Wings, Blackwood had a .895 SP in March. 4. Carolina Hurricanes (43-24-4, +37. Previous: 3) Impressive wins against the Jets and Tampa Bay Lightning by a combined 8-3 score were undone by losses to the Los Angeles Kings and Preds by a combined 10-3 score. There’s just always something about the Hurricanes that holds them back from being considered a serious Cup contender. 5. Dallas Stars (45-21-4, +55. Previous: 5) When the Stars made the trade for Mikko Rantanen, it effectively put a huge target on their backs… or is a target on their face, considering how many of them have been hit by pucks? The Stars have just two regulation wins over the past two weeks, but no one’s panicking. 6. Los Angeles Kings (40-21-9, +28. Previous: 9) Darcy Kuemper is quietly having a really solid season, and the Kings have risen from the dead following a five-game losing streak to go 9-1-0. Claiming second place in the Pacific in a first-round matchup against the Edmonton Oilers would be huge because neither team is particularly good on the road, especially the Kings, who are 14-18-5. 7. Vegas Golden Knights (43-20-8, +51. Previous: 10) The Knights have won four in a row averaging five goals per game, pushing them from sixth to fourth in goals-for per game. They’re a perennially good team, but it’s easy to forget that their offense isn’t usually this good, and it’s even more surprising considering the talent they lost over the past few seasons. The last time the Knights finished the season with a top-five offense was in the 2020-21 shortened campaign. Before that was in 2017-18 when they made the final. 8. Edmonton Oilers (41-24-5, +26. Previous: 8) It’s going to be a tough week without Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and they face a tough test Wednesday against the Stars. After a tough stretch where they lost five in a row in late February, the Oilers went 7-3-1 and lost only one game by more than one goal… to the Ducks, surprisingly enough. 9. Tampa Bay Lightning (41-25-5, +59. Previous: 7) Connor Hellebuyck could be a unanimous winner for the Vezina, but note Andrei Vasilevskiy is the only other goalie with a save percentage above .920 with at least 20 starts. The Lightning are 34-19-3 when he’s in net and 7-6-2 when he’s not. 10. Florida Panthers (43-25-3, +36. Previous: 6) A tough road trip for the Panthers, which went 2-4-0 with only one regulation win, though at least it was in a key battle against a divisional rival. It’s worth mentioning again just how important it is to win the Atlantic, avoiding a first-round matchup against the Leafs or Lightning and facing a wild-card team instead. 11. Toronto Maple Leafs (43-25-3, +21. Previous: 13) The good news is the Leafs bounced back after a horrible loss to the Preds with a 7-2 win against the Flyers. The bad news is they have a pretty tough path to clinch the division with a road trip to California, playing seven of their remaining 11 games on the road and facing the Panthers two more times. 12. St. Louis Blues (38-28-7, +15. Previous: 15) Shades of 2019? The Blues have a ton of momentum with seven straight wins and now sit four points clear in the second wild-card spot, breezing through the easiest part of their remaining schedule. They have one more road game in Nashville on Thursday before it gets tough, facing the Avs twice and the Jets one more time before the end of the season. 13. Montreal Canadiens (33-28-9, -23. Previous: 11) Their confidence may be high and their offense excellent, but remain incredibly streaky. After going 3-0-1 with wins over the Panthers and Sens, they go 0-1-2 with 15 (!) goals allowed. They have to start getting better on the road – they’ve only had one road trip where they’ve won more than they’ve lost, and started their four-game road trip with a 6-1 loss to the Blues on Tuesday. 14. Ottawa Senators (37-28-5, +1. Previous: 12) The 5-1 loss to the Avalanche showed just how far away the Senators are from really competing, but as long as their recent 1-3-0 slide doesn’t continue, I foresee playoffs in the Sens’ future. They’ve overcome a fascinating up-and-down season from Linus Ullmark, who can be brilliant in one stretch but disastrous in the next. He went 7-0-1 in December with only eight (!) even-strength goals allowed to 0-4-0 in February with a 4.35 GAA and then back on track with a 7-2-1 record in March. 15. Minnesota Wild (40-27-5, -8. Previous: 16) No matter what happens to the Wild, the big positive is they’re playing with house money because no one expected them to be this good. We were robbed of a potentially extraordinary season from Kirill Kaprizov, and the Wild offense has suffered immensely, ranking 17th in goals prior to Kaprizov’s last game and 32nd since. 16. Calgary Flames (34-25-11, -20. Previous: 19) What a show of resilience by the Flames, who have won four straight – all comeback wins. For a team that had a hard time scoring, they’re not having much trouble now with Nazem Kadri at the heart of it, scoring consecutive overtime-winners against the Isles and Kraken. 17. New Jersey Devils (37-28-7, +24. Previous: 14) Sheldon Keefe sounded so frustrated in his press conference, he might’ve driven the bus that ran over Johnathan Kovacevic. They’ve lost four of their last five, though they’re not in danger of missing the playoffs with a seven-point cushion over the Islanders. Stranger things have happened, and there’s no jinx here, but Jacob Markstrom is now 1-5-1 with a .843 SP in March. 18. Utah Hockey Club (32-28-11, -13. Previous: 17) Utah squandered Monday’s game against the Wings even though the two teams were trending in different directions, putting Utah three points behind the Canucks. They’ll need to come away with at least two wins in their upcoming road trip to stay in the race, which means they must win one game against the Panthers and Lightning in their upcoming back-to-back with only one goalie they trust. 19. New York Rangers (34-32-6, -2. Previous: 20) Saturday’s win against the Canucks was such a misnomer because they were thoroughly outplayed by a tired, banged-up team playing a road game at 10 a.m. in their home time zone. Otherwise, it would be five straight losses and nine in their last 11 games. Without Igor Shesterkin, this is a lottery team. 20. Vancouver Canucks (33-26-12, -16. Previous: 18) The injury to center Elias Pettersson couldn’t come at a more inopportune time as the Canucks fight for their playoff lives. Quinn Hughes is superhuman, but even he cannot accomplish this alone. Thatcher Demko’s return provided a spark in a 4-3 shootout win against the Devils, but they have three more road games on their six-game trip and sit five back from the red-hot Blues. 21. Columbus Blue Jackets (32-29-9, -8. Previous: 21) Sean Monahan notched two assists in his return to play, and it was not a coincidence the Jackets also managed to stop their six-game losing streak. They needed some luck (and help from the referees) to beat the Islanders, and it’s kept their playoff hopes alive. They host the Canucks on Friday in a key game for both teams with major playoff (and power rankings) implications. 22. New York Islanders (32-28-10, -16. Previous: 22) The Isles are giving up valuable extra points losing in overtime to the Flames and in a shootout to the Blue Jackets. Those two extra points had they won would’ve put them in a wild-card spot, a situation hardly imaginable for a team that can barely win three games in a row. Ilya Sorokin deserves a lot of credit – since Semyon Varlamov’s last game on Nov. 29, Sorokin, Shesterkin and Vasilevskiy are tied with 38 starts apiece, and no goalie has faced more shots than Sorokin. 23. Detroit Red Wings (33-32-6, -22. Previous: 23) Since their seven-game winning streak, the Wings are 5-11-1 with the second-worst (!) points percentage in the NHL. Their play has dropped off so much that they went from holding a wild-card spot to being last among the five teams vying for that spot. Their goaltending is again a mess with trade-deadline acquisition Petr Mrazek suffering an injury. 24. Buffalo Sabres (29-35-6, -26. Previous: 27) Impressive win over the Jets, and they ruined Dylan Cozens’ homecoming in a 3-2 win, but at this point, who cares, right? The Sabres are going to miss the playoffs for the 14th straight season, and since their last playoff appearance in 2011, they have the league’s worst points percentage and the fewest goals-for per game. 25. Pittsburgh Penguins (29-33-11, -53. Previous: 25) Well, I see we’re back to Tristan Jarry’s old ways! Not that the Pens had much of a chance of making the playoffs anyway, but there was a glimmer of hope during his four-game winning streak. He was pulled Tuesday in a 6-1 loss to the Lightning, and Alex Nedeljkovic didn’t fare any better. 26. Seattle Kraken (30-36-6, -20. Previous: 24) Fatigue must be a factor again for Joey Daccord, who passed last season’s career high in starts (46) and has a .877 SP in March, the second straight month where his save percentage has dipped significantly. He did something similar last season when his save percentages peaked in December and January and kept dropping over the final few months of the season. 27. Anaheim Ducks (30-32-8, -33. Previous: 26) The Ducks looked like they were trending up in February but have now lost seven of their last 11, including two games where they allowed seven goals. They are, however, on pace to post their best points percentage in six seasons. 28. Nashville Predators (27-36-8, -47. Previous: 29) Two surprising wins against the Leafs and Hurricanes overshadow the bad news that Roman Josi will not return this season. They’re on pace for their fourth-worst points percentage in an 82-game season and the highest goals against per game in franchise history. 29. San Jose Sharks (19-42-9, -77. Previous: 31) For a team that loses more games than anyone else, there’s still a lot of positive vibes. The latest is Luca Cagnoni, who earned an NHL call-up during an outstanding rookie season in the AHL as an undersized offense-first defenseman, the type that’s been all the rage following Quinn Hughes and Lane Hutson’s success. 30. Boston Bruins (30-33-9, -46. Previous: 28) How did we get here? With a six-game losing streak and Jeremy Swayman doing his best Jordan Binnington impersonation – he really does live rent-free in Boston, doesn’t he – in an embarrassing 7-2 loss to the Kings, the Bruins have to really think about where this team’s headed next season and beyond. Their eight-season post-season streak is in real danger. 31. Chicago Blackhawks (21-41-9, -61. Previous: 32) A 7-4 win against the Flyers saves the Hawks from being at the bottom again. It’s still kind of amazing to me the Hawks have managed to win three consecutive games just once this season. 32. Philadelphia Flyers (28-36-9, -52. Previous: 30) Zero regulation wins in March. Zero. They have three more chances to avoid that dubious honor with a three-game homestand, but who’s hopeful? They’ve allowed 14 goals in their last two games and a goaltending tandem that – wait, they have goalies?! Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Lyle Richardson·5d·Partner

NHL Rumor Roundup: Which Players Could Become Offer-Sheet Targets?

The St. Louis Blues' signing away Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg from the Edmonton Oilers with offer sheets was among the NHL's biggest surprises of last summer. With the salary cap projected to rise from $88 million this season to $95.5 million for 2025-26, several teams with plentiful cap space could be emboldened to follow the Blues' example, targeting some of this summer's notable NHL RFAs. Chris Johnston of The Athletic believes mid-tier or emerging talent are the most vulnerable since contending teams want to avoid overpaying those players, citing last summer's signings of Holloway and Broberg as examples. The Oilers' limited salary-cap space was also their undoing. Having invested in re-signing Adam Henrique, Mattias Janmark and Corey Perry and adding Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner earlier in the summer, they had little room to match those offers for Holloway and Broberg, who now play key roles in the Blues' resurgence in the standings. Johnston suggested Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque and Florida Panthers left winger Mackie Samoskevich as possible offer-sheet targets. They're promising young players in the final seasons of their entry-level contracts. The Stars have a projected cap room of about $5.33 million for next season with pending UFA forwards Jamie Benn, Mikael Granlund and Matt Duchene to re-sign or replace. Meanwhile, the Panthers have $19 million but could prioritize re-signing UFA-eligible core players Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad. Johnston cited colleague Peter Baugh suggesting left winger Will Cuylle and defenseman K'Andre Miller of the New York Rangers as offer-sheet options. The Rangers have a projected cap space of $10.6 million. Cuylle is completing his entry-level deal while Miller is an RFA with arbitration rights. Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild could be another. The 23-year-old center is also finishing an entry-level contract. His 54 points in 70 games this season should earn him a significant raise. The Wild have a projected $21 million in cap space, but NHL.com's Dan Rosen believes they must maintain sufficient long-term cap room for superstar left winger Kirill Kaprizov's contract extension, which could take up $14 million of their cap room starting in 2026-27. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Lyle Richardson·Mar 21, 2025·Partner

NHL Rumor Roundup: Latest On The Canadiens And Penguins' Off-Season Plans

While the Montreal Canadiens jockey for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, some pundits are looking ahead to GM Kent Hughes' off-season plans. It's assumed Hughes will be in the market for a second-line center. He recently explained that he felt the trade deadline wasn't the best time to pursue that player, but he said he spoke with other GMs to “spitball” some names, including those involving players who didn't appear in the rumor mill before the trade deadline. Sportsnet's Eric Engels reported Hughes tried to find a center to play with Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook but couldn't find a way to accomplish that objective at the trade deadline. He indicated he won't overpay for one in this summer's free-agent market, preferring to try again in the trade market. Hughes has done reasonably well in previous off-season trades, adding Laine, Newhook, Kirby Dach, Mike Matheson, and Sean Monahan. His club possesses considerable trade capital, carrying nine picks in the first four rounds of this year's draft (including two first-rounders), a deep pool of prospects and plentiful cap space. TVA Sports' Marc de Foy believes Hughes is right to be cautious in this summer's free-agent market, pointing out that UFA-eligible centers, such as Toronto's John Tavares, Dallas' Matt Duchene and Colorado's Brock Nelson, are in the mid-thirties. He also indicated Florida's Sam Bennett is 29, but his physical style of play leaves him susceptible to injuries. Chicago’s Ryan Donato is enjoying a career year with 51 points but never reached those heights before this season. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins playoff hopes hang by a thread, sitting eight points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Pittsburgh Hockey Now's Dan Kingerski was asked about the possibility of Penguins GM (and former Leafs GM) Kyle Dubas pursuing Mitch Marner if the 27-year-old right winger goes to market on July1. Kingerski doesn't dismiss the idea, especially if Dubas flips some draft picks this summer for younger players and feels good about the club's direction. However, he acknowledged the rising salary cap would give more teams the cap space to bid for Marner. Dubas could instead use his cap room to target a rival club's RFA with an offer sheet. He believes JJ Peterka of the Buffalo Sabres could be a prime option. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette thinks Dubas should try moving defenseman Erik Karlsson and goaltender Tristan Jarry this summer to free up salary-cap space. Dubas reportedly spoke with several teams about Karlsson before the trade deadline. If he's willing to retain part of the 34-year-old defenseman's cap hit, he might find a taker this summer. The Penguins carry $10 million of his $11.5-million average annual value through 2026-27. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Michael Traikos·3d·Partner

Maybe Mikko Was The Problem: With Rantanen Gone Hall Is Playing Like A No. 1 Overall Pick Again

Maybe Mikko was the problem after all. How else to explain the transformation that has occurred with Taylor Hall — and the Carolina Hurricanes, in general — since Mikko Rantanen was sent packing at the trade deadline. Hall, who is on his sixth team in six years, was initially viewed as sort of an afterthought in the three-player trade that brought him and Rantanen to Carolina on January 24. It wasn’t necessarily that the Hurricanes didn't want him. It was more that the Hurricanes needed a spot to park half of Rantanen's salary and agreed to take on Hall, who is a pending UFA, in order to facilitate the trade. For agreeing to retain 50% of Rantanen's salary, Chicago also earned a third-round pick. Some had suggested even that was too high a return for a veteran winger who seemed way past his prime. In his first 12 games with the Hurricanes, the 33-year-old didn’t exactly dispel that notion. Hall, who had just nine goals and 24 points in 46 games with the Blackhawks, managed just a goal and two assists in first 12 games with the Hurricanes. Rantanen, who had two goals and six points in 13 games, was not much better. Unhappy with Carolina and making it clear he had no intentions of re-signing in the summer, Rantanen was moved to Dallas on the day of the trade deadline. Since then, something has clicked with Hall, who has exploded with six goals and nine points in eight games. In a 5-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks on March 23, Hall scored a hat trick. A couple of nights later, he was rewarded with a season-high 19 minutes and 18 seconds of ice time. He made the most of it, by blazing by a couple of defenders and scoring his third power play goal since joining the Hurricanes in a 3-1 loss to the Nashville Predators. In the process, the Hurricanes have won nine of their past 11 games — and are 6-2-0 since the trade deadline. When asked what Hall has brought to the team, Sebastian Aho was succinct in his scouting report: “Speed.” Indeed, Hall is looking more and more like the guy who won the Hart Trophy as league MVP with New Jersey in 2017-18. At the very least, he is reminding everyone why he was once a No. 1 overall pick with the Oilers. “Yeah, I'm getting there,” Hall told reporters. “It's nice to see goals go in. That always help kind of reinforce that you're doing some things well. I mean, on the ice for a goal against at the end of the game, would have kept the game closer, so there's always stuff to fix, but as far as creating chances and feeling like I have a have a good grasp on where the puck's going and things like that, I think it's coming along.” With Hall leading the way, Carolina appears to have found the sniper they had been hoping Rantanen would have become. If it continues in the playoffs, maybe the Hurricanes will reward Hall with a contract extension. Who knows, maybe Rantanen — and not Hall — will be viewed as the afterthought in the blockbuster trade.

Lyle Richardson·Mar 20, 2025·Partner

NHL Rumor Roundup: What's Next For Hurricanes And Canucks In The Summer?

Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky took a big swing that didn't pan out with Mikko Rantanen. That doesn't mean he'll stop swinging. Tulsky acquired Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 24. However, he wound up trading the 28-year-old right winger only six weeks later when Rantanen declined to sign a contract extension with the Hurricanes. Carolina shipped him to the Dallas Stars, who signed him to an eight-year contract extension. However, the experience hasn't dampened Tulsky's willingness to pursue another big name in the trade or free-agent market. He recently told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that he intended to use the Hurricanes' cap space for next season to be aggressive in this summer's free-agent market. PuckPedia indicates the Hurricanes have a projected salary-cap space of $36 million next season with eight players eligible to become UFAs. They include defensemen Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov, left winger Taylor Hall and goaltender Frederik Andersen. Tulsky told LeBrun he'd have around $20 million remaining if he re-signed everyone. That's plenty of room to make a big splash in this summer's free-agent pool. During a subsequent report for TSN, LeBrun said he expected the Hurricanes would pursue Mitch Marner if the Toronto Maple Leafs right winger goes to market on July 1. Marner is in the final season of a six-year contract with an average annual value of $10.9 million. The Hurricanes attempted to acquire the 27-year-old by offering Rantanen straight up to the Leafs before the trade deadline. However, Marner declined to waive his no-movement clause. For his part, Marner remains tight-lipped about his future, putting his focus on the remainder of the season. Nevertheless, he will be the top target for clubs like the Hurricanes if available on July 1. Turning to the Vancouver Canucks, Patrick Johnston of The Province replied to a reader's question about whether they'll pursue a top-six forward in free agency. Johnston observed that Marner would be the best available player but isn't sure if he'll go to market. Winnipeg Jets left winger Nikolaj Ehlers could also be available, but Johnston questioned whether the Canucks need another small forward. The Canucks have about $13.3 million of projected cap space for next season, with Brock Boeser and Pius Suter as their pending UFAs. Even if they let those two walk, they can't afford a big ticket free agent without shedding some salary first. They could have better luck boosting their roster in the trade market. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Michael Traikos·2d·Partner

The Misery Is Over: Philadelphia Flyers Fire Tortorella With Nine Games Remaining

The misery is over. At least it is for John Tortorella. Two days after losing 7-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs — the second straight seven-goal loss during a losing streak that has stretched on for six games — the Philadelphia Flyers coach is done for the season. The Flyers have nine games remaining, but Tortorella won’t be coaching them. Associate coach Brad Shaw takes over interim coaching duties. He coached 40 games for the New York Islanders in 2005-06, going 18-18-4, and he was an associate or assistant coach in St. Louis, Columbus and Vancouver before joining the Flyers in 2022-23. “Today I made the very difficult decision to move on from John as our head coach,” said GM Daniel Briere. “John played a vital role in our rebuild. He set a standard of play and re-established what it means to be a Philadelphia Flyer. John’s passion on the bench was only equaled by his charitable work in our community. As we move into the next chapter of this rebuild, I felt this was the best for our team to move forward. I’d like to thank John for his tireless wok and commitment to the Flyers.” Tortorella was hired in Philadelphia in 2022-23, taking over a rebuilding team that had already moved on from previous captain Claude Giroux. In his first season, the Flyers finished with the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference. But last season, he exceeded expectations — and temporarily flirted with a playoff spot — as the team missed out on a wild-card spot by just four points. This year, however, he could not build on that success. The Flyers, who have gone the past 14 games without a regulation win, have the worst winning percentage in the East. It doesn’t help that they were sellers at the trade deadline, having moved veterans Scott Laughton, Andrei Kuzmenko and Erik Johnson. But either way, it appears that even Tortorella was growing tired of all the losing. “It’s my job to prepare this team in this type of situation. I haven’t done a good enough job in the past couple of games,” Tortorella said following the blowout loss to the Leafs on Tuesday. “When you’re in this type of situation where you’re losing all the time and there’s nothing at the end of the tunnel for you, there’s certainly going to be some frustration. But this falls on me. “I’m not really interested in learning how to coach in this type of season with where we’re at right now, but I have to do a better job. So this falls on me.” Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Ken Campbell·1d·Partner

Are The Boston Bruins Really This Awful?

Man, Jake DeBrusk must have been much better than we all thought. Ever since he's left the Boston Bruins, they've gone to the dogs. Well, not really. When the calendar turned to 2025, the Bruins were in third place in the Atlantic Division, firmly in possession of a playoff spot. Since then, disaster. They've not only foundered, but they traded away franchise stalwarts Brad Marchand and Brandon Carlo for futures. Yes, they have a ton of cap space this summer. But so do a lot of other teams. Yes, they have a decent core of players signed long-term, but that might just prompt them to continue chasing a contender status that just isn't there. This is a team that looks destined to be in the mushy middle, which is kind of the worst place in the NHL, for a few years. Today's video column has more. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The Hockey News·Mar 22, 2025·Partner

Could Matthews Eventually Surpass The Goal Records Of Ovechkin And Gretzky?

By Ella Tsotsos, The Hockey News Intern Alex Ovechkin’s chase of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record has captivated the hockey world, but could Auston Matthews one day emerge as the NHL’s greatest scorer? While Ovechkin continues his quest to surpass Gretzky – he's currently just seven goals away from beating Gretzky's career goals record – Matthews has quietly positioned himself as a future contender to rewrite the record books. Matthews is one of the NHL’s premier goal-scorers, with a unique blend of skill and finishing ability. At 27 years old, he’s already scored nearly 400 goals and has the potential to average 50-60 goals annually for the next several years. If Matthews can maintain that pace, he could reach 600 goals by his early 30s, putting him within striking distance of Ovechkin and Gretzky. In 2023-24, Matthews scored 69 times to top Ovechkin’s 21st-century record of 65 goals in a season. To be sure, Matthews has a lot of work to do in order to one day pass Ovechkin, but it’s within the realm of possibility. Matthews is scoring at a pace of 0.64 goals per game through nearly nine seasons. That’s about 52 goals per year if Matthews stays healthy and plays all 82 games – which, granted, is a bit of a leap of faith considering that the Maple Leafs sniper has averaged about 70 games per season over the course of his career. But, if Matthews can stay mostly healthy to avoid injuries and maintain his scoring pace, it is possible that he could surpass Ovechkin and Gretzky. However, it's not all about Matthews’ pace. Ovechkin, despite being 39 and in his 20th NHL season, is still scoring at an impressive clip and his NHL career could stretch into his early 40s. He’ll likely have well over 900 goals before retiring from the NHL – and perhaps returning to the KHL to close out his career with Dynamo Moscow – making it even more difficult for Matthews to chase him down. Obviously, age will be a factor for both players. As Matthews enters and progresses through his 30s, his goal output will likely dip, especially if injuries continue to impact his consistency. The fact that Matthews has had some injury issues, combined with Ovechkin’s resilience and his extended career, could tip the scale in Ovechkin’s favor. In the end, it might not be a matter of Matthews surpassing Ovechkin but whether Matthews can stay healthy, maintain his high level of play and avoid the inevitable decline that comes with age. If he can navigate those obstacles, the door could remain open for Matthews to not only challenge Ovechkin but potentially eclipse both Ovechkin and Gretzky for the NHL’s ultimate goal-scoring crown. For now, Ovechkin’s chase of Gretzky is the headline, but Matthews' potential to join or even surpass both of them keeps the next chapter of hockey history wide open. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Avry Lewis-McDougall·Mar 20, 2025·Partner

'Looks Like He Was A Goalie': Oilers' McDavid Reacts To Canadian PM Joining Practice

Canada's new prime minister practised with the Edmonton Oilers, the NHL team he continues to cheer on. Mark Carney took the ice with the Oilers on Thursday ahead of the team's clash against the Winnipeg Jets, which rank second in the NHL. Carney was sworn in as Canada's 24th prime minster on March 14. Since then, he spent the past week visiting leaders in France, the United Kingdom and Iqaluit before taking some shots on net on Thursday. The 60-year-old wore an Oilers jersey with his nameplate and the No. 24 on the back. "Obviously nice to have him here," Oilers captain Connor McDavid said after practice. "He's an Oilers fan, lifelong Oilers fan, and Oilers fans are welcome here for sure, so definitely a unique thing." Carney was born in Fort Smith, N.W.T., but grew up in Edmonton while Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Paul Coffey led the team to Stanley Cup championships. He even mentioned the Oilers in his speech after winning the Liberal party leadership race to replace outgoing prime minister Justin Trudeau on March 9. "Yes, we can argue about politics. We can argue about hockey. We can even be an Oilers fan in Ottawa," Carney said at the time. "This is a free country. But when it comes to Canada, we are all on the same side." Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch appreciated Carney's support. "I assume not too many former prime ministers have been Oiler fans, so it's nice to have one that cheers for the good team," he told reporters. Carney chatted with players and coaches and even helped out with drills – although his skates hinted at his usual position on the ice. "Looks like he was a goalie with those goalie skates," McDavid said. Indeed he was, putting on the pads as a third-string goaltender for Harvard University's varsity squad in the mid-1980s. He didn't start in net for a game, but he did play part of a 10-2 win for the Crimson against Colgate, stopping all the shots he faced, according to the Harvard Crimson. He was even roommates with former Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli, who captained the team during Carney's senior year. Carney later became the backup goalie on the University of Oxford's men's hockey team. But despite his hockey experience, he wasn't a practice goalie for the Oilers on Thursday. "I'm not sure the security detail would like that very much," McDavid said. The Oilers host the Jets at 9 p.m. ET. As for Carney, he's expected to meet with Alberta premier Danielle Smith, according to the Canadian Press. - Jonathan Tovell contributed to this report. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Michael Traikos·Mar 21, 2025·Partner

'Give Them The Puck!' — Buffalo Sabres Score Own Goal In Embarrassing Loss To Utah HC

If you thought things could not get any worse for the Buffalo Sabres this year, take a look at what happened in Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Utah Hockey Club. Down 3-2 in the final minutes of the third period, Buffalo had its goalie pulled and extra attacker on the ice when Utah took a delayed penalty. That should have given the Sabres a power play. Instead, it led to an embarrassing moment that pretty much summed up Buffalo's season. With the official's hand in the air for the delayed penalty, all Buffalo had to do was allow a Utah player to touch the puck and get a whistle. Tage Thompson, however, had a different idea. "Give them the puck. Give them the puck. Give them the puck!" shouted Sabres TV analyst Rob Ray, who became increasingly annoyed as the the Sabres passed the puck around. "Give. Them. The. Puck." Thompson did not give Utah the puck. Rather, he attempted to pass the puck back to the point. "I mean, it was kind of a scrambly play, and I was just kind of filling a spot and I got the puck and wasn't really aware that there was a delayed call," said Thompson. "So had that been the case, then I probably would have just tried to attack and shoot it, make them touch it. But yeah, they're kind of sitting there, and thought I had a lane to (Rasmus Dahlin) to the top, and it just went through everybody." Sadly, Thompson missed his target with his pass and the puck banked off the boards and travelled the length of the ice and towards the net. "The Sabres throw it away and this is going to maybe go into the net?" added play-by-play commentator Dan Dunleavy. "Off the boards. Oh my goodness, it's in." "Give them the puck," an angry Ray said again, in disgust. Ray — and Buffalo fans — had every reason to be frustrated in how Buffalo handled the delayed penalty. After all, it was only two weeks when the Sabres were in a similar situation against the Tampa Bay Lightning, with the team passing the puck around and wasting valuable time rather than get the whistle. “We’ve gone over this,” coach Lindy Ruff told reporters. “The Tampa game was the same. I don’t know if (Thompson) realized whether they were getting a penalty, but just chalk another one up.” Utah scored once more as Buffalo had its two-game winning streak snapped. With 15 games remaining, the Sabres are in last place in the Eastern Conference standings — and 29th overall. "Bad play by me and even worse result," said Thompson.

Adam Proteau·4d·Partner

If The NHL Expands, So Should The Playoffs – Here's How

More NHL expansion could be on the way. If it happens, the playoffs should expand as well. American billionaire Dan Friedkin of The Friedkin Group, which owns soccer clubs AS Roma and a majority share of Everton, reportedly met with the NHL multiple times about a potential Houston franchise, according to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. This comes after past news about the interest in bringing a team back to the Atlanta area as well. That could bring the NHL up to 34 teams, with 17 in each conference, if interested owners in each city get their wish. An offshoot of potential NHL expansion should be the Stanley Cup playoff format. As it stands, half the NHL’s 32 teams make the playoffs. But if the NHL kept its 16-team structure after bringing on another expansion squad or two, that number would drop below the 50-percent mark. So, how could the league address its post-season in a 34-team setup? From our perspective, there are a couple of options. The first would be along the lines of what the NBA does, which is assuring the top six teams in each conference of a playoff spot, with the top four teams in the wild-card race squaring off in a play-in tournament to decide the final two spots in the Eastern and Western Conferences. Another option could be a best-of-three series between the second- and third-place teams in the wild-card race for the second wild-card berth. With the best-of-three-series option, 18 teams advance to the post-season – just over half – but only two teams in the East and West battle for the final spot in each conference’s quarterfinals. You’d have four teams fighting for two playoff spots in each conference with the NBA system. From this writer’s preference, an expanded NHL playoffs using the NBA format would be the right way to go, as there’s the potential for more upsets while keeping a thrilling end to the regular season. The first and second teams in the wild-card race get two chances to advance anyway. They would face off, with the winner clinching the first wild-card spot. The loser takes on whoever wins in the No. 3 vs. No. 4 game for the second wild-card place. If this wild-card play-in format happened this season, the potential matchups could have been full of drama. Ahead of Monday night’s games, the standings would have had the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens facing off in the East’s No. 1 vs. No. 2 game and the New York Rangers taking on the New York Islanders in the No. 3 vs. No. 4 match. In the West, the Minnesota Wild would battle the St. Louis Blues for the first wild-card spot, while the loser would take on the winner of a Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks contest for the second wild-card spot. The NHL only introduced wild-card berths in 2013-14 as the league continued to evolve. If the league grows, it makes sense to continue to grow the playoff pool like what happened 45 years ago. The NHL expanded to a 16-team playoff format in the 1979-80 season, when there were only 21 teams in the league. So this notion that there can’t be a majority of the league’s teams involved in the post-season flies in the face of the NHL’s history. Ultimately, an expanded NHL playoffs is all about increasing the value of regular-season games, which would be true if the NHL adopted an NBA-style play-in system. In fact, all the teams that were in the wild-card race for most of the season but are running out of time would still have everything to fight for. As of March 24, four teams trail the 10th-place Islanders by fewer than five points. In the West, the Utah Hockey Club is only one point behind the 10th-place Canucks, and the Minnesota Wild are only four points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the third spot in the Central Division – which would hypothetically make them safe from a play-in round. That means more teams are playing important games deeper into the regular season, and that’s what it’s all about. If more NHL expansion ever happens, which would come with sky-high expansion fees, a revamped playoff system should come with it. Teams with the most regular-season success wouldn’t be affected by an increased playoff field, but games would matter more for more teams, and any way you look at it, that would be a success. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Lyle Richardson·4d·Partner

NHL Rumor Roundup: Edmonton Oilers Could Go Goalie Shopping This Summer

Goaltending has been an ongoing concern for the Edmonton Oilers this season. Entering this week, their goals against per game (2.89) ranked 14th overall, but their save percentage (.897) was 20th. Consistency has been an issue for the Oilers' tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. Skinner's 2.87 GAA ranks 31st among netminders with at least 25 games played this season, while his .895 save percentage is tied for 35th. Pickard's stats are a little better, ranking tied for 17th in GAA (2.63) and tied for 24th in save percentage (.901). David Staples of the Edmonton Journal recently cited Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer saying he knows “for a fact” the Oilers intend to address their goaltending in the off-season. Stauffer claimed the Oilers intend to bring in a “1B goalie” to challenge Pickard for the backup role. He said he didn't want to see Skinner run out of town, only to watch him rejuvenate his career elsewhere as Devan Dubnyk did with the Minnesota Wild a decade before. Pickings are slim for goaltenders in the free-agent market. This year's crop could include Frederik Andersen, Vitek Vanecek, Jake Allen, Alexandar Georgiev, Dan Vladar, David Rittich, Ilya Samsonov and Alex Lyon. They either have injury histories or have had their own consistency issues during their careers. Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson was linked to the Oilers in this season's rumor mill. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported some frustration that he wasn't moved on the part of the players, Ducks management, and the teams interested in him. Gibson has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.4 million and a 10-team no-trade list. In February, Friedman reported the Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes were among the 31-year-old netminder's list of preferred destinations. The rising salary cap for next season could make it easier for teams to take on the full amount of his average annual value. It could also make the Ducks receptive to retaining up to half of it to facilitate a trade. Gibson reportedly wants to join a team where he'll be the clear-cut starter. That won't work in Edmonton unless the Oilers part ways with Skinner this summer. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Tony Ferrari·Mar 21, 2025·Partner

NHL Sour Rankings: 2025 Mock Draft For The Bottom 10 Teams

The NHL’s playoff picture is coming into focus, which means the bottom-end teams are solidifying their spots in the draft lottery – and the NHL sour rankings. Whether these teams expected to be at the bottom or not, they must focus on the future. The work to improve will largely begin at the NHL draft, where they will look for prospects to help shape the next era of their franchise. Let’s mock the top 10 for the 2025 NHL draft based on who could be available for each team and what direction they might go when they are on the clock. We’re using a reverse order of the standings for the draft order. A key point to remember is that this is a mock draft, not a ranking. This is how the draft could go down, not the order of the best players in my view. No. 1, San Jose Sharks: Matthew Schaefer, D The San Jose Sharks have a solid foundation up front with Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and William Eklund. Quentin Musty and Filip Bystedt are on the way as well. Their back end has some solid prospects, highlighted by last year’s 11th-overall pick, Sam Dickinson, and the recently recalled Luca Cagnoni. But getting their future No. 1 defender would be a gift if they get to draft first overall for a second straight year. Schaefer has the skating and tools to be a do-it-all defender on both ends of the ice. No. 2, Chicago Blackhawks: Michael Misa, C Connor Bedard is the franchise center, but adding Michael Misa would give the Chicago Blackhawks one of the most impressive one-two punches down the middle. Misa is the most well-rounded forward in the draft. He has an impressive dual-threat offensive upside, a wicked sense of scoring goals in various ways and an excellent vision of play development on the ice. Misa can also insulate Bedard. No. 3, Nashville Predators: James Hagens, C The Nashville Predators weren’t supposed to be this bad, but landing Hagens would be a wonderful way to cap off their season that’s had nothing but disappointment. Hagens would be arguably the most dynamic center the team has ever had. His skill and playmaking would give the Predators a player who can manipulate and dictate play offensively in a way they haven’t had enough of over the years. Hagens is a center who could be the pillar the Preds build around moving forward. No. 4, Buffalo Sabres: Caleb Desnoyers, C The first moderate surprise is Desnoyers going to the Buffalo Sabres, which are still looking to find their way out of the basement. The Sabres just traded Dylan Cozens, and while they got Josh Norris back in the deal, they will look to build out their depth up front. Desnoyers could fit as a center in the middle six or play on the wing, but his strength is playing a complementary role. That trait could help the Sabres in a big way as they try to find their way. No. 5, Seattle Kraken: Porter Martone, RW The Seattle Kraken have been excellent at drafting the highest-end talent regardless of size. This year, they get the chance to add the best player available and some of the size the team lacks in its young talent. Martone has the kind of functional physicality that thrives in the NHL and an incredible knack for making plays through contact. He also has a very good shot and could complement a player, such as Matty Beniers or Shane Wright, moving forward. No. 6, Philadelphia Flyers: Roger McQueen, C The Philadelphia Flyers find themselves back in the top 10 of the draft, but there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful with the prospects on the way, such as Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk, as well as the arrival of Matvei Michkov this season. Last year, the Flyers took Jett Luchanko in what was considered a conservative and safe pick. That gives them the room to take a risk this year with McQueen. Despite missing most of the year with a back injury, McQueen’s combination of size, skill and scoring ability is a bet some NHL team will make early. The hulking center could be a big swing if McQueen can stay healthy and avoid long-term injury concerns. No. 7, Pittsburgh Penguins: Victor Eklund, LW Like his brother a few years back, Victor Eklund goes seventh overall. The Pittsburgh Penguins’ management group is focused on adding skill and… skill. Eklund brings a ton of that and tenacity to make him an instantly effective player in the NHL who can play up and down the lineup. Eklund would be a great addition to a Pittsburgh prospect pool that has grown over the last couple of years, likely asserting himself as the top prospect instantly. No. 8, Anaheim Ducks: Kashawn Aitcheson, D The Anaheim Ducks have added a ton of talent up front, and they have some really intriguing young defensemen who can move the puck on the back end. They love their big, bone-crushing defenders as well. Adding Aitcheson would give them a young blueliner who can act as a foil for the puck-moving guys, such as Pavel Mintyukov or Olen Zellweger. Aitcheson is the kind of player the Ducks love with that throwback to rough-and-tumble hockey. No. 9, Boston Bruins: Jackson Smith, D The Boston Bruins aren’t used to drafting this high in the draft, but they will look to add a key piece to the next era of Bruins hockey. While they could certainly use some scoring punch up front, the Bruins pipeline lacks everything. Adding Jackson Smith could be a big deal because he has all of the tools to be a very good two-way blueliner. Coming in and eventually learning under Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm would be a perfect situation for the team and player. No. 10, Detroit Red Wings: Anton Frondell, C This isn’t just because the Detroit Red Wings love drafting Swedes or that they seem to love their solid, steady centers. Frondell going to the Wings is the perfect spot because it’s a high-end prospect who has dealt with injuries, and it’s a team that has a couple of really solid young centers in Nate Danielson and Marco Kasper but lacks the higher-end prospect Frondell could be. If Kasper or Danielson end up on the wing because Frondell comes in and takes the No. 2 center spot behind Dylan Larkin, that’s the perfect scenario. Frondell has the steady game that Detroit loves and the offensive upside they need. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Adam Proteau·Mar 20, 2025·Partner

'Just Go Play': Playoffs Are Where Maple Leafs' Scott Laughton Will Make His Mark

While some big trades at the NHL trade deadline had immediately positive results, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquiring Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers isn’t one of them. Laughton has yet to produce a point in six games as a Leaf, and his role diminished on Wednesday as Max Domi improved his play. Leafs coach Craig Berube cut Laughton’s minutes on Wednesday night against Colorado. Laughton played just 11:13 – his lowest time-on-ice total since Dec. 8. Laughton's current woes must be humbling as someone who averaged more than 15 minutes of ice time as a Flyer before being traded to the Leafs. But not every trade will be an immediate success, and what matters most is how Laughton handles the transition to a new club and what he does by the playoffs. “I think he’s trying to probably play the game without making mistakes, and he’s overthinking things instead of just playing,” Berube said of Laughton. “Just play. Be aggressive, do your thing, and that will come around. I do believe that. He wants to do well. He’s just got to loosen up and go play. Use your ability. You’re a good player. You’ve played in the league a long time. Just go play. I think he’s holding back a little bit. Just too safe, almost.” When you don’t have any offense to point to, and when the Leafs are only 3-3 since the trade deadline, it’s easy to grow frustrated. Laughton’s under a huge microscope in Toronto, where every shift is hyper-analyzed, and Leafs fans constantly compare him to the best the Buds have had to offer. But if Laughton can shut out the naysayers, he will work out of this funk and show everyone why Toronto GM Brad Treliving gave up a first-round pick and decent prospect in Nikita Grebenkin for his services. The Maple Leafs don’t need Laughton to do all the heavy lifting. They have Auston Matthews and John Tavares doing that by centering the top two lines. He just has to settle in – either at center on the third line or on the wing – and read the game. Toronto beat the Calgary Flames and the Avalanche to regain second place in the Atlantic Division. That will set up the Leafs for a better position in the playoffs, where Laughton’s game best suits the team. Scoring isn’t his specialty, as his career highs are 18 goals and 43 points. He had 11 goals and 27 points in 60 games for the Flyers before the trade. But his two-way play, penalty-killing, physicality, flexibility between center and left wing and his hockey IQ are what the Leafs need in their bottom six. Since the trade deadline, he ranks second among Leafs forwards in blocked shots, with six, and he has 14 hits. It’s a matter of time before Laughton fully acclimates to his home team. “He’s from here, and he’s got a lot going on and people and everything else. You want to please, right,” Berube said. “You’ve got to forget about pleasing and play and do your thing. You’re a good player. That’s why you’re in the National Hockey League for a long time.” Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Andre Leal·Mar 20, 2025·Partner

Ovechkin's Chances Of Breaking NHL Goals Record Against Crosby Are High

Alex Ovechkin is nearly the NHL’s top goal-scorer ever – and the likelihood he cements that status against Sidney Crosby continues to grow. Ovechkin is seven goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record. He scored again on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Flyers. After that, Washington has 13 games left in the regular season. The big question is when he will break the record and who he will score against. Ovechkin’s best odds to score his 895th goal is in the last four games of the season, according to Canada Sports Betting (CSB). The Capitals play against the Columbus Blue Jackets twice, as well as the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins in those final four outings ahead of the post-season. CSB says Ovechkin has a 71-percent chance of snapping the record in the final game of the season against his longtime rival, Crosby and the Penguins. In all fairness, there is something poetic about resetting the all-time goal record with two of the best players of the last generation sharing the ice. On a broader scale, Ovechkin will have to go through some elite goaltenders to build up his tally before the end of the regular season. The Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, Florida Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky and Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin are some of the goaltenders he may face along the way. Ovechkin’s scored on Bobrovsky 16 times in his career and 12 times on Vasilevskiy. Only Marc-Andre Fleury’s allowed more goals to Ovechkin among active netminders, with 28. In 53 games this season with Washington, Ovechkin has 35 goals and 57 points. He’s tied for fifth in the NHL in goals with Buffalo Sabres right winger Tage Thompson and Boston Bruins right winger David Pastrnak. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Lyle Richardson·3d·Partner

NHL Rumor Roundup: Latest On The Senators And Red Wings

Holding the Eastern Conference's first wild-card berth, the Ottawa Senators are close to securing their first trip to the post-season since 2017. Nevertheless, some fans and pundits are already pondering their potential off-season moves. Julian McKenzie of The Athletic was recently asked about the Senators' biggest off-season need and how they might address it. He believes they could use a top-scoring right winger. Looking at the free-agent market, he indicated Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs would be the obvious choice. Given the Senators' cap situation, he considers the 27-year-old right winger too expensive, suggesting Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets and Mikael Granlund of the Dallas Stars would be more affordable options. The Senators have a projected cap space of $18.444 million for next season, with 13 active roster players under contract. McKenzie also doesn't see the Senators (or anyone else) successfully signing away Leafs left winger Matthew Knies with an offer sheet. The 22-year-old power forward is in the final season of his entry-level contract. He pointed out the Leafs have $27.4 million of projected cap room for 2025-26. The Senators won't be signing Marner or Knies, but it would generate considerable headlines if they did. Landing one or the other would elevate the Battle of Ontario rivalry to levels not seen since the two clubs' memorable playoff clashes over 20 years ago. Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings struggle to keep their playoff hopes alive. Their latest March swoon has some observers wondering what GM Steve Yzerman will do to bolster the roster this summer. The Red Wings are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the ninth straight season, six of those under Yzerman's watch. If he wasn't feeling any pressure in Hockeytown before the start of the season, he'll be feeling it by the end of it. This could be the most crucial off-season of Yzerman's tenure as Wings GM. The Athletic's Max Bultman recently looked at the club's current slide and what it says about their off-season needs. He believes they need stability in goal, a difference-maker among their top-six scorers and depth on defense. Bultman listed Marner, Ehlers, Vancouver's Brock Boeser and Florida's Brad Marchand as possible free-agent targets. He also suggested Washington defenseman Jakob Chychrun as a free-agent blueline option, but he's since signed an eight-year extension with the Capitals. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.