NHL News

The Blue Jackets will play their final regular-season game on Thursday against the New York Islanders. 

Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets, this game means very little other than keeping a five game winning streak alive, and going out on a winning note. The Montreal Canadiens beat the "resting" Hurricanes in regulation, which means the Jackets are out. They left it in the hands of other teams to get them in, which is not a recipe for success. 

Columbus Blue Jackets Eliminated From Playoff Contention The Columbus Blue Jackets have been eliminated from playoff contention.

The Blue Jackets still have this game to play, and will do so in front of their faithful fans who will fill the arena to the rafters. 

There are still a few things to play for.

1. A six game winning streak.
2. Zach Werenski needs 1 assist to tie the single season assist record, and two to pass Artemi Panarin.
3. Boone Jenner is one goal from 200 in his career.
4. Columbus will have five players who will play 82 games - Kuraly, Provorov, Olivier, and Fantilli. In 23-24 they had just one - Provorov.

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 19.5% - 22nd in NHL
• Penalty Kill - 76.9% - 22nd in NHL
• Goals For - 261 - 8th - 3.22 GPG - 9th
• Goals Against - 266 - 25th - 3.28 GPG - 25th

Islanders Stats

• Power Play – 14.8% - 31st in NHL
• Penalty Kill – 77.8% - 31st in NHL
• Goals For - 261 – 8th – 2.73 GPG – 27th
• Goals Against – 266 – 25th – 3.10 GPG – 19th

Series History vs. The Islanders

• Columbus is 17-7-5 at home and 26-22-8 in 56 all-time games against the Islanders
• The Jackets are 2-1 vs. NYI this season. 

Who To Watch For The Islanders

• Bo Horvat leads the Isles with 29 assists and 57 points. 
• Anders Lee leads the team with 29 goals. 
• Ilya Sorokin is 30-24-6 with a .907 SV%. 
• Marcus Högberg is 2-5-3 with a .887 SV%.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Islanders

• Boone Jenner has 15 points in 31 career games against New York. 
• Zach Werenski has 13 points in 23 games.  
• Sean Monahan has 16 points in 19 games against the Islanders. 

Injuries

• Kevin Labanc (shoulder) is on Injured Reserve as of Feb. 21 and is out for the season (25 Games) 
• Elvis Merzļikins (upper body) has missed 4 games. 
• Jake Christiansen (upper body) has missed 3 games. 

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 321

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.

Let us know what you think below.

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The puck dropped on the Montreal Canadiens’ 82nd game of the season at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night, with the Carolina Hurricanes in town. Martin St-Louis’ men had already failed to clinch a playoff berth in their last three games, and expectations were high in Montreal, especially since the visitors decided to rest some of their regular players. Rod Brind’Amour even went as far as using Jesperi Kotkaniemi as his top-line center.

Nick Suzuki Is Up For The King Clancy Trophy
Canadiens: The Training Wheels Are Off Demidov
Josh Anderson Wins An Award

Milestones

Although Juraj Slafkovsky is only 21, he skated in his 200th NHL game on Wednesday night. He started the game with 50 points, tied with the career high he had established last season, but he didn’t have to wait too long to top it, registering an assist on the game’s opening goal scored by Kaiden Guhle.

While he took a silly penalty in the second frame, as has often been the case lately, he played a great game. He was on the ice for three of the Canadiens’ goals, blocked three shots, and landed a hit. His physical play also led to Nick Suzuki's goal, and when he learns to play like that on a consistent basis, he will become a real threat for opponents. 

This Habs goal by Nick Suzuki doesn’t happen without the big hit & board battle win by Juraj Slafkovsky

pic.twitter.com/0ckn4uHEoQ

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 17, 2025

In the second frame, rookie blueliner Lane Hutson got an assist on Kaiden Guhle’s second goal of the game, it was his 60th helper, tying Larry Murphy’s record for the most assists in a season by a rookie defenseman. If his name wasn’t already penciled in as the Calder Trophy winner, it should be now.

Guhle Bounced Back

After a disappointing game on Monday in which he took a penalty that became the turning point, Kaiden Guhle played a massive role in the Canadiens’ win. He scored two goals, landed seven hits, blocked three shots, and logged nearly 24 minutes of ice time.

On nights like these, it’s easy to see why Kent Hughes decided to make Guhle the first young core piece of his defense. He can do it all, excel on defense, contribute to the offense, and pump up the team with his physical play.

It Wasn’t Perfect, But It Was Enough

While the 4-2 scoreline could lead to believe the Canadiens dominated, it wasn’t the case. There was an agonizing stretch for Canadiens’ fans in the second frame when the score was tied 1-1 and during which the Hurricanes dominated even though they were icing a watered-down version of their roster. It was a display reminiscent of the loss against the Chicago Blackhawks.

With 8:49 left in the second stanza, the Canes had a 12-2 edge in shots on goal for that frame, and the Habs looked like they were playing nervously. The captain took charge four minutes later, and Suzuki scored a big goal to give Montreal a lead that Guhle doubled minutes later. Then, in the final frame, after the Canes had gotten back to within one, there was a lot of defending, and the Habs really needed to work to close out the game, with the coach cutting his bench and using his more defensive players.

In the post-game presser, the bench boss was almost beaming with pride:

The last two minutes after we scored in the empty net, I could breathe a bit, and I was thinking about plenty of things, my dad came to mind, my mother too. My dad was a huge Canadiens fan […] As soon as I could, I went to see my dad in the room and gave him a big hug, I think he was even more stressed than our players. - Martin St-Louis about the way he felt.

St-Louis was visibly proud of his team and can now look forward to experiencing the playoffs in Montreal while being on the home side. It will be the first time since spring 2017 that the Canadiens will participate in the playoffs in front of a real crowd. There was that magical run to the Stanley Cup Final back in 2021, but the building wasn’t full thanks to COVID. If tonight’s anything to go by, the atmosphere when the Canadiens take on the Washington Capitals in just over a week should be electric.

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

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What's next for Sharks in net with Georgiev set to move on? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

Alexandar Georgiev is moving on.

“I’ve already had a conversation with the GM, and he said they’re going with a different group for next year,” the pending unrestricted free agent shared, after stopping 25 of 27 shots in the Sharks’ season-ending 3-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.

It was the Sharks’ 11th-straight loss.

Georgiev, 29, was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the Mackenzie Blackwood trade on Dec. 9.

It was a trying campaign for Georgiev, who had led the NHL in wins over the last two years.

Ousted by the team that he thought he’d be leading into the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring, the veteran netminder had to try and find his game on perhaps the worst defensive team in the league.

Read the full article at San Jose Hockey Now

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How Bruins can fix roster, return to playoffs in 2026 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins were the most disappointing team in the NHL this season, and the question now is: How do they retool their roster and get back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs as quickly as possible?

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney is about to face the biggest test of his career. He has to achieve two objectives at once.

The first is a quick retool that includes substantial roster improvements so the remaining prime years of David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Jeremy Swayman are not wasted. The second is for Sweeney to have an eye toward the future and dominate the 2025 NHL Draft.

Sweeney likely will have a top-five pick in every round this year, which he has never had during his decade-long tenure as B’s general manager. His draft record is average at best, and that must improve for the Bruins to have any sort of success both in the short- and long-term.

Here are five ways the Bruins can try to fix their roster and contend again next season (and beyond).

Jeremy Swayman regains his previous form

The easiest way for the Bruins to get back on track and make the playoffs next season is for starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman to play at the top 10 level he’s shown for most of his career.

Bruins goalie coach Bob Essensa and the rest of the staff need to figure out what went wrong with Swayman and which adjustments need to be made.

Expectations for Swayman went way up after his stellar 2024 playoff run and the offseason trade of Linus Ullmark that made the 26-year-old netminder the undisputed No. 1 in Boston’s crease.

Swayman’s 2024-25 season started with a contract dispute that resulted in him missing all of training camp and the preseason. He finally reached an eight-year, $66 million deal with the B’s a couple days before Opening Night.

Swayman was able to play a career-high 57 games without any injuries, but his performance dipped dramatically. His .920 save percentage from 2020-21 through 2023-24 was the sixth-highest among all goalies. He fell to a career-low .892 save percentage and a 3.12 GAA this season, while also ranking 92nd of 102 qualifying goalies with a minus-9.2 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck.

Last season, Swayman ranked fourth in goals saved above expected (plus-18.4).

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It was stunning to see Swayman go from leading the 2024 playoffs in save percentage and GSAA, and then play so poorly this past season.

Swayman is not as bad as he looked in 2024-25. We have multiple seasons of data to support that. And it’s not like the team defended well in front of him, either. But he can’t play this poorly again. He’s the league’s fifth-highest paid goalie. The Bruins don’t have the offensive firepower to overcome bad goaltending, so it’s on Swayman to return to the top 10 level he’s played at for most of his career.

Develop young talent

It’s impossible to retool, especially in a quick manner, without good young players coming through the system. You can’t plug all your roster holes in free agency and the trade market. It’s too expensive and just not feasible.

Teams have to draft and develop young players who make a meaningful impact at the NHL level. And as a bonus, these players are on cheap, team-friendly contracts.

The Bruins have not developed many NHL regulars in recent years, and the ones they have — John Beecher, Jakub Lauko, etc. — are not impact players. Only seven of the 36 players selected by the Bruins in the last seven drafts have played in an NHL game. Only two of those seven — Beecher and Mason Lohrei — have played more than 100 games.

Lohrei has the potential to be a top-four defenseman someday. He’s a gifted offensive player and an excellent skater. He tallied 33 points in his first full season with the B’s. It’s important for the Bruins to give him every chance to improve.

The Bruins also need to figure out the best development path for Casey Mittelstadt — a 26-year-old center acquired in the Charlie Coyle trade. Fraser Minten, who was acquired in the Brandon Carlo trade, has the makings of a very good middle-six forward. Will Zellers, a prospect acquired in the Coyle deal, led the USHL with 44 goals and shows great potential as a scorer.

Fabian Lysell, Boston’s 2021 first-round pick, finally played in the NHL this season and put together a couple encouraging performances late in the year. His speed and skill are desperately needed. Poitras has shown flashes of being a good NHL player despite a disappointing 2024-25 season.

Fabian Lysell wins a foot race to a loose puck and sets up Marat Khusnutdinov for his fifth goal of the season.

4-4 game. pic.twitter.com/B007Y575p2

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) April 16, 2025

It’s OK to make big moves in free agency and the trade market once in a while, but there has to be a steady flow of young players coming up through the system. That’s how you build championship depth.

Find a legitimate top-six center

The Bruins were able to survive at center last season without Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, both of whom retired after the 2023 playoffs. That wasn’t the case this season. The lack of suitable replacements for Boston’s two longtime centers was a massive problem.

Making matters worse for the Bruins is that there aren’t any good internal options. Matthew Poitras had a nice rookie season in 2023-24, but he underwhelmed this year, tallying one goal in 33 NHL games. He spent most of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL. Poitras still has potential as an NHL player, but thinking he could fill a top-six role any time soon would be foolish.

There aren’t any other prospects capable of stepping into that position, either, which highlights the importance of the Bruins using their 2025 first-round pick on the best center available.

Elias Lindholm was expected to be a top-six center, especially when he signed for top-six money (seven years, $54.25 million) on Day 1 of free agency last summer. Lindholm largely underwhelmed, often producing at the level of a No. 3 center. He has tallied 65-plus points only once since 2018-19.

The trade market is the best place for the Bruins to find a top-six center in the near future (more on that below).

Swing for the fences in trade market, free agency

The Bruins will have around $28 million in cap space this summer, per PuckPedia. They need to re-sign right wing Morgan Geekie and defenseman Mason Lohrei — both restricted free agents — but Sweeney does have some financial flexibility to chase big-ticket additions in free agency and/or the trade market.

The No. 1 player who could hit unrestricted free agency is Toronto Maple Leafs wing Mitch Marner. The 27-year-old forward is an elite offensive player who has averaged 95.3 points over the last four seasons, including a career-high 100 this year. It’s unknown whether the Leafs will let Marner get to free agency, but if he does hit the open market, the Bruins would be wise to make a run at him.

A center is Boston’s No. 1 need, but Marner is one of the league’s top playmakers. His 73 assists ranked tied for third-most with Connor McDavid.

Nikolaj Ehlers also could become a UFA. The Winnipeg Jets forward has scored 20-plus goals in eight of the last nine seasons, and he’s hit the 60-point mark in each of the last two seasons. The Bruins need a top-six left wing with Brad Marchand no longer on the roster, and Ehlers certainly would be able to fill that role.

The best center who could become a UFA is Florida Panthers veteran Sam Bennett. He scored 25 goals — the second-highest total of his career — in 76 games. He’ll be 29 years old in June. Bennett is a solid player and a winner, but he’s not the type of player who the Bruins should spend major money to acquire. Marner is far better offensively and a little younger.

Outside of Marner, there aren’t any real game-changers in free agency. So that leaves the trade market as perhaps the best place to make substantial upgrades.

The Bruins, as a result of their trade deadline deals, have a lot of good trade assets to use in the offseason. For starters, they have more early-round draft picks coming up than they’ve owned in a long time. That haul includes four first-round picks and five second-round picks over the next three drafts.

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Top-six forwards are quite expensive to acquire via trade, and the Bruins might have to be creative to find a good deal. But the Bruins now have some talented prospects and a bunch of future draft picks, so they have the ammo to make a bold swing.

Hire the right coachRichard T Gagnon/Getty ImagesUniversity of Denver’s David Carle could be a popular NHL head coach candidate this year.

The Bruins have had some really good head coaches over the last 10 years, but they’ve ended up firing all of them.

They fired Claude Julien during the 2016-17 season, which, in fairness, made sense at the time. They fired Bruce Cassidy after the 2022 playoffs and he won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights the very next season. They fired Jim Montgomery 20 games into this season and he helped the St. Louis Blues drastically improve and make the playoffs. Montgomery might actually receive some Jack Adams Award (coach of the year) votes.

This next hire — assuming it’s not interim head coach Joe Sacco — has to be able to develop young players and fix the special teams. The Bruins had the 29th-ranked power play and the 24th-ranked penalty kill this season.

The Bruins could look at an internal candidate such as Jay Leach, who has four years of assistant coach experience in the NHL. He also has four seasons of AHL head coaching experience with the Providence Bruins. Jay Pandolfo is the Boston University head coach, but before joining the Terriers, he was a Bruins assistant coach for several seasons. He would be a good candidate to pursue.

University of Denver head coach David Carle, who has done a tremendous job with that program (two national titles), should be ready for an NHL job. If the Pittsburgh Penguins move on from Mike Sullivan, would the B’s be interested in bringing back the Massachusetts native? Sullivan is an excellent coach who has won two Stanley Cup titles in Pittsburgh and also coaches Team USA.

The next coach will be the third that Sweeney has hired as GM. If he gets this one wrong, he might not get a fourth chance.

Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver's most recent 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

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The Canucks wrapped up their season with a decent night from an analtyics perspective. Vegas won the even-strength scoring chances battle 18-17, while also holding a 7-6 advantage in even-strength high-danger chances. Overall, Vancouver was able to stay in this game for two periods, but were unable to hold off the Golden Knights during the third period.

The heatmap is a good representation of why the Canucks only scored one goal on Saturday. Vancouver elected to take most of their shots from distance, and struggled to create second-chance opportunities in the crease. The hope is that next season, the Canucks can become a team with a stronger net-front presence, which should lead to more goals and chances.

To wrap things up, Nils Höglander had a strong game for Vancouver. During his 13:22 of ice time, he recorded an assist and finished with an xGF% of 61.85. In the end, Höglander finished the season on a high and showed that he deserves a spot in the top six next year.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

The Calgary Flames (40-27-14) will travel to the City of Angels to face the Los Angeles Kings (48-24-9) for their final regular-season game.

This game was originally scheduled for Jan. 8, but was postponed due to the wildfires in Los Angeles.

With the playoff pursuit now over, the Flames are expected to set shape their future by suiting up Zayne Parekh, Sam Morton, Hunter Brzustewicz and Aydar Suniev for their debuts against L.A. Full article on these skaters here.

The Kings on the other hand have already qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and are slated to face the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. Several of their top players have been listed as day-to-day including defensemen Drew Doughty, Joel Edmundson, Mikey Anderson, center Anze Kopitar, wings Quinton Byfield and Tanner Jeannot.  It will not be a surprise to see them not in action, in hopes of being rested and ready for the post-season.

HEADS 2 HEAD

At even-strength, Calgary’s save percentage is the third-highest against Los Angeles. They average 30.5 shots on goal per game against the Flames, which is the ninth in the league. The Kings’ power play is ranked tenth based on the performance of the last 30 days. With L.A. not being at full strength, expect those numbers to be different.

Dustin Wolf is expected to suit up for his ninth-consecutive game and to his relief, his final of an outstanding season.

Meanwhile, the Kings’ save percentage is the fifth-best against the Flames of all teams. However, Calgary averages a league-low 23 shots on goals per game to L.A. Both those numbers could also look different with a younger Flames lineup. It will also be interesting to see how the power play turns out. Before a rare two-power-play-goal night against Vegas on Tuesday, the Flames were 3-for-20 in the man-advantage in April.

TALE OF THE TAPE (SKATERS)TALE OF THE TAPE (GOALIES)

Puck drops at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles tonight at 7:30 MT/9:30 ET.

The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up their 2024-25 season with a 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Pius Suter scored the only goal while Kevin Lankinen stopped 19 of the 20 shots he faced through two periods. Nikita Tolopilo was credited with the loss, as he made six saves on eight shots in the third period.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Canucks’ Quinn Hughes Voted Team MVP for 2024-25 By The Fans

Canucks Fans Name Kiefer Sherwood The Team’s Unsung Hero

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Despite a strong first period, Vancouver was unable to gain momentum as they were outscored 4-0 in the second and third periods. The Canucks could not match the Golden Knights speed, as they fell for the 16th time this season in regulation at home. In the end, it felt as though the only people in Vancouver who had energy in the third were the fans, as they started multiple chants near the end of the game.

Games like Saturday are a good reminder of how much the Canucks need to improve their roster ahead of next season. Yes, getting players like Elias Pettersson, Filip Chytil, and Tyler Myers will help, but the difference in speed and skill was on full display during the 4-1 loss. Despite neither team having anything to play for, Vancouver was still outshot 29-17, with the team once again recording more missed shots (20) than those that hit the net.

Shifting off the ice, Saturday was long-time equipment manager Pat O'Neill's final game with the organization. O'Neill has been working in the NHL for over 40 years, and has been with the Canucks since the late 80's. Not only did O'Neill receive a standing ovation, but every player on the Golden Knights roster ensured they went by the bench after the game to shake his hand.

"He's just a terrific person," said Quinn Hughes post-game. "We've had some great years, some tough years here through the six years I've been here. He's one guy that, no matter what, you come in and he's got a smile on his face. He's the same person to everyone. He acts the same every single day. So he's a legend in Vancouver, a pillar for the organization. He's seen so much, so many great players, great people, coaches and captains. He's definitely a legend here, and he'll be missed. I talked to him today. I know he's planning to still be around the rink a little bit. It's gonna be probably hard to go cold turkey for him, but yeah, just a tremendous, tremendous human being."

In the end, Vancouver's season ends with more questions than answers. They will miss the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five seasons, and may be on the verge of losing key contributors in free agency in Brock Boeser, Pius Suter, Derek Forbort and Rick Tocchet. Ultimately, the next few months will be challenging for the organization as this management group looks to build a roster that can compete for a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Stats and Facts:

- Pius Suter sets a new career high with 25 goals
- Conor Garland hits the 50-point mark for the second time in his career
- Kiefer Sherwood finishes the season with 462 hits
- The Vancouver Canucks finish the 2024-25 season with a 38-30-14 record

Scoring Summary:

1st Period:

8:23- VAN: Pius Suter (25) from Conor Garland and Nils Höglander

2nd Period:

18:33- VGK: Victor Olofsson (15) from William Karlsson and Shea Theodore

3rd Period:

7:59- VGK: Pavel Dorofeyev from Victor Olofsson and Ben Hutton
10:45- VGK: Jack Eichel (28) from Ben Hutton and Brett Howden
18:28- VGK: Cole Schwindt (1) from Shea Theodore (ENG)

Up Next:

Year End Media- Friday, April 18, 2025

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

NHL Public Relations announced the schedule for the Opening Day of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday evening. Playoffs are set to begin on Saturday, April 19th, and will broadcast two games on Saturday evening.

Per an email from NHL PR, game 1 of the first round series between the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars is set for Saturday, April 19th at 6:30 pm MT/8:30 pm ET. The series will begin in Dallas at American Airlines Center for the first two games before both teams travel to Denver to play out games 3 and 4 at Ball Arena. TNT, TruTV, and Max will broadcast the games in the United States, while Sportsnet, SN360, and TVA Sports will host the game broadcast in Canada.

This will not be the only game set to air on Saturday. The series between the St. Louis Blues and the Winnipeg Jets is set to begin with game 1 in Winnipeg at Canada Life Centre. Puck drop is set for 4:00 pm MT/6:00 pm ET. The game will be on Sportsnet, CBC, and TVA Sports in Canada. In the United States, the game will be on TNT, truTV, and Max.

The Carolina Hurricanes had a memorable night Wednesday even despite a 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens as the team had a pair of rookies making their NHL debuts.

Forward Skyler Brind'Amour, son of head coach Rod Brind'Amour, and defenseman Domenick Fensore got to suit up for their first NHL games after both putting in good years in the AHL.

"I think they acquitted themselves well," Rod Brind'Amour said. "I really do. It's a tough environment to walk into, but I thought all of them did a nice job."

Brind'Amour, 25, logged 15:28 centering William Carrier and Logan Stankoven and finished the night with a block and a hit as well as going 8-for-10 in the dot.

"There's been a lot of emotions," Brind'Amour said on his debut. "Kind of all over the place. It was a lot of fun. Obviously it's the best league in the world so it's tough to jump in and get your feet wet in that kind of environment with playoffs on the line for them, but it was really cool to be able to do that and really grateful for everybody that's helped me get to this point."

There were still a few learning moments for the rookie, namely the opening goal where he found himself accidently screening Pyotr Kochetkov.

 "He was fine," Rod Brind'Amour said. "Had the one big mess up on the first goal, covered the wrong guy and kind of took him too far in and then screened the goalie on a long shot, which as I said, if there's no screen, it's not going in. But other than that, I think he handled himself pretty well.

"I was happy for him because he's earned it. He's earned it, played solid. He's not a guy who's going to score three, four goals a night, but I think he was good on the faceoffs and that's kind of the little things that he does, kill penalties, that kind of role and I think he did a good job."

Fensore, 23, played 17:13 and had five shots on goal, a block and two hits.

The defender showcased his smooth skating, being unafraid to carry and transition the puck and his defending was nothing to scoff at either.

"It's been kind of crazy," Fensore said. "Got the news yesterday and flew here last night. Just being jumped into a big game like this was pretty special."

Both players also got time on the penalty kill, which was a perfect 3-for-3 on the night for Carolina.

In total, the pair brought the Canes' rookie number to five in Montreal as they skated also alongside Bradly Nadeau, Scott Morrow and Logan Stankoven and they all will probably have the chance for one more game too in Ottawa on Thursday.

Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

ST. LOUIS -- The quest for the Stanley Cup begins on Saturday for the St. Louis Blues, who will open their Western Conference First Round series against the Winnipeg Jets at 5 p.m. (CT). 

The game will be televised on TNT, truTV and Max in the U.S. and Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports in Canada for those Blues fans north of the border. Of course, it can also be heard on ESPN 101.1-FM.

Games 1 and 2 will be played at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, with Games 3 and 4 slated for Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Game 5, if necessary, would be back in Winnipeg; Game 6, if necessary, would be in St. Louis and Game 7, also if necessary, would close the series in Winnipeg.

The NHL will released the full schedule on Wednesday:

Sat., April 19, Game 1: Blues at Jets, 5 p.m. (FanDuel Sports Network, TNT, truTV, Max, 101 ESPN)

Mon., April 21, Game 2: Blues at Jets, 6:30 p.m. (FanDuel Sports Network, ESPN2, 101 ESPN)

Thurs., April 24, Game 3, Jets at Blues, 8:30 p.m. (FanDuel Sports Network, ESPN2, 101 ESPN)

Sun., April 27, Game 4, Jets at Blues, noon (FanDuel Sports Network, TBS, truTV, Max, 101 ESPN)

* Tues., April 30, Game 5, Blues at Jets, TBA (FanDuel Sports Network, 101 ESPN)

* Fri., May 2, Game 6, Jets at Blues, TBA (FanDuel Sports Network, 101 ESPN)

* Sun., May 4, Game 7, Blues at Jets, TBA (FanDuel Sports Network, 101 ESPN)

It's the first time the teams have squared off in the playoffs since the Blues, as the third seed in the Central Division, knocked off the No. 2-seeded Jets in six games in 2019, en route to the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship.

Winnipeg took three of the four matchups this season, with the Blues going 1-2-1, with their lone win on Dec. 3, 4-1. The Jets won the most recent matchup, 3-1, April 7 in Winnipeg.

The Blues (44-30-8) finished as the second wild card from the Western Conference, while the Jets (56-22-4) won the Presidents' Trophy for the first time ever and claimed the Central Division title.

The Nashville Predators have announced that they have reassigned defenseman Ryan Ufko to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. 

Ufko, 21, made his NHL debut with the Predators on April 14 against the Utah Hockey Club. During the matchup, the 6-foot defenseman threw one hit in 15:37 of ice time. Now, after making his debut, he is heading back to the AHL. 

Ufko has been solid for the Admirals this season, so they will certainly be happy to have him back. In 71 games this campaign with the AHL squad, he has posted eight goals, 21 assists, 29 points, and a plus-3 rating. 

Ufko was selected by the Predators with the 115th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. 

Nashville Predators Place Defenseman On WaiversThe Nashville Predators have placed defenseman Marc Del Gaizo on waivers,  PuckPedia reports. New Predators Forward Michael Bunting Is Heating UpAt the 2025 NHL trade deadline, the Nashville Predators acquired forward Michael Bunting and a 2026 fourth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defenseman Luke Schenn and forward Tommy Novak. Schenn was then quickly flipped by the Penguins to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick. Predators Top Prospect Is Heating Up In AHLNashville Predators prospect Joakim Kemell is considered one of the team's most promising youngsters. The 20-year-old forward is continuing to develop his game at the American Hockey League (AHL) level with the Milwaukee Admirals and is in the middle of a solid season that saw him play in the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic.

Breaking down the best value bets, futures to take and strategies to look out for ahead of the first round matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators

The Battle of Ontario is officially happening with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators facing off in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, starting with Game One this Sunday. It'll be a highly-anticipated matchup that should re-ignite an age old rivalry.

Toronto has faced off against Ottawa 171 times with their first meeting dating back to 1891, when the Senators beat the then-Toronto St. George's to win the Ontario ice hockey title.

Flash forward 134 years and both teams still hate each other as they head into their fifth postseason head-to-head with the Maple Leafs winning all four series and holding a 16-8 all-time record. It should make for must-see tv and a series of games that any hockey fan won't want to miss.

We want to add to your viewing enjoyment by providing a couple betting options that should enhance the viewing experience as you win some money along the way.

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

More NHL: Safe Bets to Close Out the NHL Season: Top Picks for Parlays and Futures

Maple Leafs Series Spread -1.5 (+122)

Ottawa has won five straight over Toronto heading into the playoffs but they have a young, unexperienced roster that could have a hard time adjusting to a playoff environment. The Maple Leafs have the fourth-oldest roster in the NHL with a average age at 29.8 tied with the Golden Knights and Hurricanes.

Toronto's stars like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have lived through the playoffs with some wins but more regularly heart-breaking losses. The Maple Leafs have been able to bounce back from it and put themselves in a position to redeem themselves with this year being their biggest triumph yet thanks to their third division title in team history.

The confidence with this team is rolling high and with their recent additions of playoff-type players like Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton, they should be able to take advantage of a Senators team that is the tenth-youngest with an average age at 27.8 years old.

I expect the Sens to be able to edge out at least one game in the series after beating Toronto four consecutive times this season but the second win will be the challenge. Either way, this bet covers both ends with the only loss being if the Sens push the series to Game 7 but the Leafs playoff experience should be able to prevent that from happening. 

More NHL: NHL Betting Roundup: Demidov and Nikishin To Make Debut, Landeskog Return

John Tavares - Series Leading Goal Scorer (+800)

The favourite to score the most goals in the series is Toronto captain Auston Matthews, which makes sense as the near-70 goal scorer is tied with winger William Nylander for the team-lead in playoff goals with 18 over the last seven seasons. Both forwards are great choices at +340 and +500 respectively but we look at a much better value with the Leafs hottest player right now in John Tavares.

Toronto's former captain has 12 goals over his last 38 playoff games but has been scorching hot, entering the postseason. With 11 goals over his last 13 games, no player in the NHL is hotter than Johnny Toronto.

The 34-year-old veteran centre rides a four-game point drought versus the Senators heading into the series but I expect him to turn things around. He's been playing for a new contract and should get a big one after recording 38 goals this season, his highest goal total since his first year in Toronto in 2019.

Betting Strategies: Offence to Stay Hot

There has been six or more goals in 15 of the last 25 meetings between the Maple Leafs and Senators, which should lead to more explosive games in this series. If we do catch most of the game lines coming out at over/under 6.5 goals, that would be tight but still doable as that number hit in six of their last 12 matchups.

More NHL: Blues Enter Stanley Cup Playoffs As Dark Horse Contender

The most ideal situation for us would be to wait till the games start and hope for no early goals and then getting the over 5.5 with a live bet at a better price tag.

Matchup Trends: Potential Player Prop TargetsToronto Maple Leafs:

• Auston Matthews has 16 goals, 17 assists for 33 points in his last 25 games against the Senators, including goals in two of the last three matchups. Nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points in his last 16 games and has second-best playoff point-per-game average on the team at 0.87 through 55 games.
• Mitch Marner has just four goals and six assists for ten points in his last 16 games versus the Senators. Six goals and 14 assists for 20 points in last 15 games and has the best playoff point-per-game average on the team at 0.88 through 57 games. 
• Matthew Knies has a pair of goals and an assist for three points in his last four games versus Senators. Plays on a line with Matthews and Marner, Potential Value Bet Option. 
• William Nylander has nine goals and six assists for 15 points in his last 16 games against the Senators. 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points in last 26 games.
• John Tavares has three goals and 12 assists for 15 points in his last 19 games against the Senators (four-game point drought). Bounce back should come with red hot play as of late - Potential Value Bet Option.

Ottawa Senators:

• Tim Stutzle has four goals and nine assists for 13 points in his last ten games against the Maple Leafs. Has been shown to lack toughness and could struggle in playoff-type atmosphere - Potential Fade Option.
• Brady Tkachuk has a goal and an assist for just two points in his last eight games versus the Maple Leafs. Has shown to have playoff-type build but untested, will need wait-and-see approach.
• Drake Batherson has two goals and four assists for a point-per-game average in his last six games versus the Maple Leafs. No playoff experience but could fly under the radar - Potential Value Bet Option.
• Shane Pinto has three goals and four assists for seven points in his last eight games versus the Maple Leafs. Four goals and two assists for six points over last seven games. 

More Hockey: Top NHL Prospect Expected to Join Michigan Wolverines Next Season

Series Schedule for Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators

• Game 1: Sunday, April 20, Ottawa at Toronto
• Game 2: Tuesday, April 22, Ottawa at Toronto
• Game 3: Thursday, April 24, Toronto at Ottawa
• Game 4: Saturday, April 26, Toronto at Ottawa
• Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Ottawa at Toronto
• Game 6: Thursday, May 1, Toronto at Ottawa
• Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Ottawa at Toronto

It's time to preview the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs from a betting and fantasy hockey lens on The Cheat Sheet.

First-Round NHL Playoff Odds, Early Conn Smythe Look And More by The Cheat Sheetundefined

Here's what George Nassios and Andrew McInnis discussed in this episode:

0:00: Do the New Jersey Devils have any chance at taking down the Carolina Hurricanes?

3:32: Are the Dallas Stars (+104) a smart underdog bet against the Colorado Avalanche? (-125)

6:55: Betting the length of the Battle of Ontario series

10:15: Best bets to target in the Battle of Florida series

14:11: Can the St. Louis Blues (+188) have a tight series with the Winnipeg Jets? (-230)

17:46: How should bettors look at the Minnesota Wild (+195) in their series against the Vegas Golden Knights? (-240)

22:58: Could the Los Angeles Kings (+116) be a strong upset candidate in their series against the Edmonton Oilers? (-146)

27:11: Is Jack Eichel (+1700) a strong candidate for an early Conn Smythe bet?

30:38: Would you rather have Jake Sanderson or Lane Hutson in a fantasy keeper league?

33:24: Should Kirill Marchenko be a high fantasy draft pick next season?

Subscribe to The Hockey News Cheat Sheet on your preferred platform and come back on Wednesdays for the latest episodes.

By hockey standards, the disaster that is the New York Rangers has a touch of the Titanic and Hindenberg about it. 

Everybody – even in distant Edmonton – seems to be talking, wondering. how the richest NHL team in America has become the square root of ignominy and ineptitude.

Well folks, Edmonton is part of the problem because the Oilers got the right coach in Kris Knoblauch and the Rangers did not.

What's more, you could say that Knoblauch was purloined right from under GM Chris Drury's watch. After all Kris was doing wonderful things in Hartford where the Wolf Pack just happens to be the New Yorkers supply store.

"The natural order of progression," says The Old Scout, "should have been Knoblauch replacing Gerard Gallant when Drury fired Gallant. Ignoring Knoblauch was a huge mistake on Drury's part."

Nobody who knew Knoblauch in Hartford was surprised when Kris orchestrated McDavid, Inc. to within one win of the Stanley Cup last spring. Nor will they be surprised if he does it again.

Kris can coach. Period!

As for Laviolette,  nobody will be particularly surprised if –  by next week – Pistol Pete will be on the unemployed line alongside John Tortorella.

These things happen when a veteran coach's game plan falls apart like an ill-built Lego set.

Put it this way, "The Disaster On Seventh Avenue" would not have happened had Kris Knoblauch been in charge; as he should have been.

Thus the NHL equation: Lucky Oilers=Ruined Rangers!

The American Hockey League has officially announced the 2024-25 All-Rookie Team.

The team is voted on by players, coaches and media from all 32 teams.

The 2024-25 team is:

• Goaltender ― Nikke Kokko, Coachella Valley Firebirds (32 GP, 20-9-2, 2.23 GAA, .914 SV%)
• Defenseman ― Luca Cagnoni, San Jose Barracuda (62 GP, 14-35-49, 10 PPG)
• Defenseman ― Tristan Luneau, San Diego Gulls (56 GP, 7-41-48, 1 PPG, 2 GWG)
• Forward ― Justin Hryckowian, Texas Stars (66 GP, 20-38-58, +14, 4 PPG, 1 GWG)
• Forward ― Ville Koivunen, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (62 GP, 21-34-55, 4 PPG, 2 GWG)
• Forward ― Bradly Nadeau, Chicago Wolves (63 GP, 30-26-56, 8 PPG, 7 GWG)

Nadeau leads all rookies in goals and is second in rookie scoring to Hryckowian. He is the fifth U20 player in AHL history to score 30 goals in a season. He was selected 30th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023. 

Koivunen is third in AHL rookie scoring and his offensive ability has immediately come through for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He has five assists in seven NHL games this season. A second round pick of the Hurricanes in 2021, he was acquired by Pittsburgh in the trade that sent Jake Guentzel to Carolina. 

Hryckowian leads all rookies in scoring in what is his first full pro season. He has one point in five NHL games this season. He was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Stars in 2024 after three seasons at Northeastern University. 

Cagnoni was a fourth round pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2023 and has been dominant offensively in his rookie season, sitting fourth in scoring by AHL defensemen this season. He recorded two assists in six NHL games this season.

Luneau is fifth in scoring amongst AHL defensemen this season after missing most of what was intended to be his rookie year last season due to injury. A second round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2022, Luneau won QMJHL Rookie of the Year in 2021 and Defenseman of the Year in 2023. He is pointless in six NHL appearances this season.

Kokko has stepped up admirably for Coachella Valley this season as they look to make their third straight Calder Cup Final. A second round pick of the Seattle Kraken in 2022, he made his NHL debut earlier this season. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.        

ST. LOUIS – For the St. Louis Blues to accomplish what nobody thought they could do coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off on Feb. 22 was nothing short of remarkable.

And even in going 19-4-3, good for a .788 points percentage, it still took until the final game of the regular season to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

That’s just the degree of difficulty of gaining entry into the playoffs as the second wild card from the Western Conference, no less, was what it took to get this done.

So how did it happen?

Coach Jim Montgomery knows.

“Great leadership, led by our captain who scored the first goal tonight,” Montgomery said, referring to Brayden Schenn. “I thought consistency by the staff and the players with our communication and I just thought that we grew so much culturally and in our team identity. And those two things, when our players started using words like togetherness. The words I used were their words this morning. Selfless, sacrifice, love.”

Let’s start at the top:

When Montgomery was hired to replace Drew Bannister on Nov. 25, mere days after being fired by the Boston Bruins, the Blues were 9-12-1 and sort of running amuck, through a quagmire of sorts.

And sure, there was a coaching surge initially, winning five of their first seven games under Montgomery, but then there were also challenges of not being able to string wins together regularly. Consistency was a topic of discussion. The Blues were the last team in the NHL to put together a three-game winning streak this season.

How could they possibly be a playoff team, let alone be considered to be taken seriously? Their coach stayed the course, and the players bought in.

“System, positivity, always great to be around, believing in you, how you’re a good player, let you do stuff in the offensive zone,” forward Pavel Buchnevich said of Montgomery. “Everybody was super-pumped when ‘Monty’ was coming. Half of the team know him from previous work here (2020-22 as an assistant coach under Craig Berube) and we know how good he is as a coach and even a better person.”

The Blues won their last game prior to the 4 Nations, 6-5 against the Chicago Blackhawks, and came out of the gates and dropped a 4-3 shootout loss against their first-round playoff opponent, the Winnipeg Jets, a game in which they led in the final minute of regulation. It’s a game in which the Blues liked more so than the one they lost, but then on the following night on Feb. 23, the team began a stretch of what’s laid the foundation for where they are now, winning six of seven before starting their franchise-record 12-game winning streak on March 15, and here we are.

“A lot goes into it,” Schenn said after scoring his 18th and final goal of the regular season Tuesday. “This is what you train for in the summer, and this is what you play for all year -- to have a chance at the Stanley Cup. You just have to get in and anything can happen. We saw that years ago. We've been on a good run here and, at the same time, we just can't be happy that we're in. Playing Winnipeg, Winnipeg is obviously a good team and they're going to present a good challenge for us. But I don't think anyone gave us a chance really, where we were. I'm glad we kept it together. They're too many good pieces in this locker room to not get in the playoffs. We felt if we played hard for one another, we can get the job done and it just took 82 games.”

Several things stood out, too many to name.

“I mean, there's a lot of things,” Schenn said. “I've talked about it all along, guys being selfless, playing hard for one another. Something we've been trying to do for a couple of years now ... when you start winning hockey games, you actually start getting more individual results and guys feel better about themselves individually and about the team. It's just a mindset that you have to come in and play for a team and good things happen when you do that. It's nice to be in and some pressure relieved of how the past week’s gone, and it's nice to seal it that way.”

In goal, things tightened up as well between Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer.

At the break, Binnington was 15-19-4 with a 2.89 goals-against average and .897 save percentage. Hofer was 10-7-1, 2.88 GAA and .903 save percentage.

From the break on, Binnington was 13-1-1 with a 2.10 GAA and .910 save percentage; Hofer went 6-1-2 with a 2.19 GAA and .904 save percentage.

When the Blues lost Colton Parayko on March 5 to a left knee injury that required it to be scoped in a 3-2 shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings, much hope was lost.

Parayko was having a career season offensively and leading the Blues in minutes played. But instead of playing the oh-woe-is-me card, the Blues went on a 13-3-1 run without their top defenseman, who returned on Saturday in a 4-3 shootout loss at the Seattle Kraken. The Blue line held it together, including Cam Fowler, who was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 14 and chose St. Louis because he thought he would win here.

The 33-year-old, who last played in the playoffs in 2016-17, really helped fuel his career with an incredible run with the Blues from the moment he played his first game.

Now that the season is over, Cam Fowler's breakdown between the #stlblues and #nhlducks:

Ducks: 17 games, 0g-4a=4 points; minus-7; 21:04 TOI

Blues: 51 games, 9g-27a=36 points; plus-19, 21:42 TOI

My goodness, what an acquisition he has been.

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) April 16, 2025

“There’s a lot that goes into it,” Fowler said. “We looked at the makeup of the team and where I could come in and try and make an impact. You just look at the players they have, guys that have won the Stanley Cup (Schenn, Parayko, Oskar Sundqvist, Robert Thomas, Binnington), world class goaltending, high-end players offensively. I just felt like it was a good fit for me and my family and I’m grateful that they trusted me to come in here and try and help this team. It’s been a heck of a ride for the last few months and I feel like I’ve been here much longer than that just by the way everyone’s treated me and the guys that we have in this locker room. I’m thankful for that and looking forward to the opportunity of playing in the playoffs again.”

The Blues were third in goals against average at 2.31 per game, behind the Jets (2.20) and Kings (2.29) since the break.

From a forward perspective, it starts with Robert Thomas.

Thomas finished the season with a 12-game point streak (four goals, 21 assists) and was tied for second in the NHL since Feb. 1 in points with 45 (nine goals, 36 assists) behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (46 points; 14 goals, 32 assists) and Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak (45 points; 19 goals, 26 assists).

Thomas is first since the 4 Nations break with 40 points (eight goals, 32 assists); Jordan Kyrou was a point-per-game player (26 points; 13 goals, 13 assists) in 26 games; the injured Dylan Holloway (lower-body injury suffered April 3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins) had 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 21 games, followed by Pavel Buchnevich, who also had 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 22 games; Fowler had 22 points (three goals, 19 assists) in 25 games, and Jake Neighbours had 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 26 games.

The Blues were No. 1 in the NHL since the break averaging 3.81 goals per game.

“I feel like break really help us,” said Buchnevich, who scored in six of the final eight games. “Everybody kind of (reset) thinking how their game (is) going and now we start playing for each other, support everywhere, sacrifice blocking shots. You look at all lines, everybody contribute. We come (together) as a team, but everybody like to be around (each other). It’s positive energy every time and it’s helped us.”

And let’s not discount the young guys, like Zack Bolduc, who tied Kyrou for most goals since the break (13). Bolduc finished the season with 19 goals, and Jimmy Snuggerud, playing in just his sixth game since coming out of college at the University of Minnesota, had a goal and an assist, his first NHL goal and multi-point game, in a 6-1 convincing win over Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday to punch their ticket.

“What they’ve learned is what it takes to win in this league,” Montgomery said. “It’s such a great experience to understand the grind and the mental grind, more than a physical grind, that it takes to win battles, to win every foot of ice in this league that’s the greatest league in the world in big moments and being able to come through in big moments. This is going to give us years of good vibes because the experience of learning how to win, it’s not easy to find that in the league.”

For Snuggerud, it’s gone fast, but it’s been enjoyable.

“It's cool, honestly,” he said. “I grew up watching hockey and the dream goal is to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs and to have this group in here to do it with, it's so special. It should be a fun upcoming few weeks.”

And now they go in playing with house money as the underdogs against the Presidents’ Trophy winners and Central Division winners.

“Everyone looks at Winnipeg and that's the first-place team in the league,” Schenn said. “We've got a lot of work to do, they're a good team and they don't give up much. You don't really pay attention to Winnipeg a whole lot, and then I started watching when my brother [Luke] got traded there and they're a good defensive hockey team with a good goalie. It's going to be an exciting series and we're looking forward to the challenge.”

What does a Stanley Cup winner actually look like? It’s a question that all 32 NHL teams ask every season. 

By analyzing the regular-season profiles of the last 10 champions, there are statistical trends that consistently lead to post-season success and can be used to see which 2025 Cup contenders match the mold.

The general framework for this experiment prioritizes some key aspects that have historically dictated a team’s success in the playoffs: offensive depth, puck possession, defensive strength and goaltending.

Here’s a rundown of the stats and criteria being used, and why each of them is important.

After that, it's time to see which NHL teams fit the bill the most.

(Stats courtesy of moneypuck.com, naturalstattrick.com and hockey-reference.com.)

What Stats Often Determine A Stanley Cup Champion?

Goals against per game: While offensive efficiency in the regular season has varied across previous champions, defense has always been consistent. Seven of the last 10 Cup winners have ranked in the top 10 in goals against per game.

Expected goals differential: How dangerous are the chances you are creating, and how dangerous are the ones you are giving up? They can individually be valuable, but the best teams are good at both. Eight of the last 10 champions finished in the top 12 in expected goal differential.

Goal differential: While expected stats provide a good measurement of a team’s overall process, results are truly what matter. Seven of the last 10 Stanley Cup champions finished in the top four in goal differential.

Power-play percentage and penalty-kill percentage: Special teams have always had the potential to decide which team wins a game, which can apply to an entire playoff run. Seven of the last eight winners finished with a top 10 power play in the regular season.

Corsi-for percentage: Possession dominance at even strength has increasingly become a factor leading to success in the regular season, which translates to success in the playoffs. Seven of the last 10 Stanley Cup winners finished in the top 10 in Corsi-for percentage during the regular season.

PDO: Every team needs bounces to go their way in the quest for the Stanley Cup. While not perfect, PDO is the best indicator of favorable bounces throughout a season. It measure shooting percentage plus save percentage. Five of the last 10 teams that won it all finished in the top five in PDO, and nobody finished lower than 13th.

Regulation wins: With no 3-on-3 overtime, wins in regulation can be a way of measuring even-strength dominance. Nine of the last 10 Stanley Cup champions have finished top-10 in regulation wins.

Here are some other factors being taken into consideration that aren’t accounted for with the analytics above.

Weight: Playing “heavy hockey” has been an important part of today’s game. While the 2014-15 Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2015-16 and 2016-17 ranked in the bottom half of average weight, five of the last seven Stanley Cup rosters have been in the top 10.

Star talent: Defining a “star” isn’t always a linear process, but for the sake of this exercise, it’s defined as a player who averages over a point per game throughout the regular season. Seven of the last 10 champs have had at least one in their lineup, and five of them have had two or more.

Depth scoring: While the stars lead you to the playoffs, having offensive depth has always been an important part of every Stanley Cup run. Six of the last 10 winners had four or more 20-plus-goal scorers, and every team other than the 2020-21 Tampa Bay Lightning (shortened season) had three.

Goaltending stability: When nothing seems to be going right, the best teams have historically had a goaltender to rely on to potentially steal a game or two in the post-season. Seven of the last 10 champions have had a goaltender with at least a .915 save percentage, and six teams had at least one that finished top-10 in goals saved above expected (GSAx)

2024-25 NHL Teams That Match The Blueprint The MostWinnipeg Jets

Canada’s best chance of winning a Stanley Cup in 2025, according to this exercise, lies in the hands of the Winnipeg Jets.

The Presidents' Trophy winners are primed for a deep playoff run with Hart Trophy candidate Connor Hellebuyck and the dynamic offensive duo of Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. This team has long felt like a contender, but now the pieces might finally fall into place.

This year is different. The Jets’ offense seemingly struggled throughout the regular season last year, finishing 15th in goals-for per game (3.16). With scoring dropping around the league this year, the Jets have only produced offense at a slightly higher clip (3.37) and rank fourth in goals per game. For even further context, that pace would have them finish ninth in league scoring last season.

Last year’s first-round matchup with the Colorado Avalanche was a track meet the Jets simply could not keep up with, especially with a power play that ranked in the bottom 10 in the NHL. Now, the Jets are the best team in the NHL with the man-advantage and have the best goaltender in a league where nearly every other team has had offensive regression.

NHL Power Rankings: Each Team's MVP As Jets Finish On TopWelcome to the last edition of the NHL power rankings for the 2024-25 season. Thanks for following along in what has been another unpredictable and exciting season.  Los Angeles Kings

What the Los Angeles Kings lack in star power, they make up for in structure and depth. 

They’ve arguably been the best defensive team in the NHL this season, ranking first in expected goals against and second in total goals conceded. Their penalty kill is also among the league’s best, ranking seventh.

While the Kings play a tight brand of defense, goaltender Darcy Kuemper deserves a ton of credit for his efforts. 

The 34-year-old is outperforming his 2021-22 Cup-winning campaign with a .922 save percentage, a top-six GSAx ranking and a 2.02 goals-against average – tied with Hellebuyck. 

The Kings haven’t had any real stability in their crease since the departure of Jonathan Quick, and a resurgence like this could give them the edge in playoff rounds where they might not be favored.

Offense has, and will continue to be, the biggest question for the Kings. 

Adrian Kempe is their only player with over 70 points. They rank 28th in power-play percentage and 13th in goals-for per game (3.06). 

That said, their formula seems to be working, putting together an absurd 41-0-2 record when scoring three goals or more. 

Aside from Kempe, Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala and even Quinton Byfield have all been significant contributors to this balanced offense. It will be guys like Alex Laferriere, Warren Foegele and Trevor Moore who leverage matchup opportunities and drive them on a deep run.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning just won’t go away. 

Even after losing two integral pieces to their core in Steven Stamkos and Mikhail Sergachev last off-season, the Lightning built a regular-season resume that has them looking just as dangerous as they were in their pursuit of back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.

The Lightning arguably have the most star power out of any playoff team this season, led by Art Ross leader and Hart Trophy candidate Nikita Kucherov. They also have three other players who have scored at least 35 goals and averaged over a point per game in Brandon Hagel, Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel. 

This high-powered offense is third in even-strength goals while also having the fifth-best power play, leading them to score more total goals than anyone in the NHL. There isn’t an on-ice scenario where the Lightning aren’t capable of scoring, and they do it at a rate higher than any other team in the league.

GM Julien BriseBois also deserves credit for the additions made in the summer and at the trade deadline. Aside from Guentzel fitting in perfectly as the Lightning’s new trigger man, re-acquiring Ryan McDonagh has also been a huge win, covering up a lot of the defensive shortcomings this blueline looked to have heading into the season. 

Oliver Bjorkstrand was also a nice pickup, adding a defensively responsible winger with some scoring upside to a bottom-six group that already wins most of its matchups offensively. Having him recovered from injury would give the team another depth boost in the playoffs, but he's currently out week-to-week.

The Lightning also have the best goal differential in the Eastern Conference, largely due to a Vezina-caliber season from Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Russian netminder is quietly having one of the best statistical years of his career, boasting a .921 SP and 2.18 GAA while sitting only behind Hellebuyck in GSAx.

There’s no perfect formula for winning the Stanley Cup – but there are some patterns. Teams that have depth scoring, dominant goaltending and strong defensive structure tend to be the ones lifting the Cup this summer. The margin between contenders and pretenders is razor-thin, but these three teams have set themselves up for success in the coming weeks.

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Anyone who suggested prior to the season that the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets would be battling for the final playoff spot in the final days of the 2024-25 campaign might have been laughed out of the room.

Vying for the No. 1 spot in the NHL draft lottery? Maybe. But the playoffs? No way.

But here we are in the final two days of the season with these two very promising but very flawed teams fighting for the last spot. Montreal needs to get to overtime Wednesday night against Carolina to secure its ticket. Columbus needs Montreal to lose in regulation, and the Jackets need to beat the New York Islanders in regulation Thursday night.

Even though both teams have overachieved, the Blue Jackets' season will have been a success regardless of what happens. The Canadiens, on the other hand, face a lot of questions and a disastrous 2024-25 if they don't lock this down.

Today's video column has more.

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With the 2024-25 NHL regular season drawing to a close, it's time to take a way-too-early look at what fantasy hockey drafts could look like next campaign. First-round selections provide managers with a significant piece around which to build. While injuries provide stumbling blocks and randomness, using a first-round pick on a high-risk, high-reward player who doesn't pan out won't necessarily result in a poor finish. However, savvy managers can mitigate the risks by choosing players with reliability and durability to blend with their statistical prowess.

1. Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers

McDavid missed more games in 2024-25 than he has in a while, but fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned. His ability to stay healthy hasn't been much of an issue in the past, and he is still a strong bet to surpass the 100-point plateau while racking up shots on goal and power-play points. Since 2021-22, the 28-year-old center has led the league with 190 points with the man advantage. McDavid has consistently been one of the best point-per-game talents in the league and remains a set-it-and-forget-it selection at No. 1 overall. 

2. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche

MacKinnon reached another gear in 2023-24 and had another outstanding performance this campaign. He sat out the final three contests of Colorado's regular-season schedule, which cost him a chance to claim his first Art Ross Trophy, but he had the most assists (84) and shots on net (320) in the league before his absence. Over the past two years, he has the second-most power-play points. MacKinnon's 10.0 shooting percentage in 2024-25 is in line with his career average (10.5), but returning to 40 to 50 tallies in 2025-26 is achievable with a little more puck luck.   

3. Leon Draisaitl, C/LW, Edmonton Oilers

Like McDavid, Draisaitl dealt with more injury issues in 2024-25 than in previous campaigns, but he shouldn't have an injury-prone label going into next season. Draisaitl has topped the 100-point plateau six times, including four straight seasons. He has reached the 50-goal mark on four occasions and is on track to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for the first time. Having eligibility as a winger gives him additional value. 

4. Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning

Kucherov has been healthy for three consecutive campaigns, and his fantasy stock has risen dramatically. He has been comfortably surpassing 100 points while topping 80 helpers twice and hitting 100 assists in 2023-24. Since the 2022-23 campaign, Kucherov has led the league in power-play points. Fantasy managers wouldn't be wrong to select him sooner, though, especially if a right-wing forward is an early roster priority.

5. Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

Matthews lost some luster in 2024-25 while playing through a nagging upper-body injury. Falling from 69 goals in 2023-24 to 30-plus tallies is a significant drop, but the potential for a bounce-back showing is high because of his natural scoring ability and his propensity to fire shots on the net. If he does fall slightly in drafts, he could be a tremendous value addition. 

6. Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche

Makar is still the best blueliner to take in fantasy and the only one worthy of going in the first round. Despite the injuries, Quinn Hughes had a great season, and Zach Werenski was excellent because he stayed healthy, but Makar remains the cream of the crop. The 25-year-old Makar has reached the 90-point plateau in consecutive seasons and finds the back of the net like a forward, hitting 30 for the first time in 2024-25. He also racks up shots, power-play points and blocks, giving him a tremendously high ceiling. 

7. David Pastrnak, RW, Boston Bruins

In a brutal season for the Bruins, Pastrnak was an offensive force. He has topped 40 goals and 100 points in three straight campaigns. Pastrnak has been credited with the most shots on target during those three years and is one of only two players with more than 1,000, joining MacKinnon. The 28-year-old Pastrnak remains a valuable fantasy winger going into 2025-26. 

8. Kirill Kaprizov, LW, Minnesota Wild

Before running into injury problems in late December, Kaprizov was one of just five players at 50 points. He had 23 goals and 27 assists in his first 34 outings. Going into 2024-25, Kaprizov hit the 40-goal mark in three straight seasons, topping 100 points once and getting 96 points in 2023-24. He might be one more shortened campaign away from being an injury risk, but he remains an incredibly productive player that some fantasy managers may forget about on draft day. 

9. Artemi Panarin, LW, New York Rangers

The Rangers earned the unfortunate distinction of being the fourth team in NHL history to miss the playoffs after winning the Presidents' Trophy the year before. However, Panarin stayed consistent. He needs only one point in the team's regular-season finale to reach 90 for a fifth straight season. Since the 2021-22 campaign, he ranks sixth in points and fifth in power-play points. Panarin should remain a reliable producer in 2025-26. 

10. Mitch Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs

After coming close in 2021-22 and 2022-23, Marner hit the 100-point plateau for the first time in his NHL career this season. Since the 2021-22 campaign, he has the eighth-most points in the league. His fantasy value will change if he leaves the Maple Leafs via free agency in the summer. Still, Marner's playmaking skills and ability to contribute in all situations make him an intriguing first-round talent. 

11. Mikko Rantanen, RW, Dallas Stars

Rantanen's fantasy value has taken a hit away from the Avalanche. However, he has been better with Dallas after a brief stop with Carolina. He has been piling up assists at a rate on par with the highest of his career despite not seeing as much ice time as he did in Colorado. He still has considerable offensive ability, and fantasy managers won't have to deal with the uncertainty of free agency after Rantanen signed an eight-year contract to remain with the Stars. 

12. Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets

If a goaltender is going to go in the first round, it should be Hellebuyck. He is a workhorse with consistently solid numbers. He will likely win his third Vezina Trophy and could receive attention for the Hart Trophy. Since the 2021-22 campaign, Hellebuyck has led the league in wins, shutouts and saves. 

Honorable Mentions:

Jack Eichel, C, Vegas Golden Knights: Eichel finally stayed healthy and predictably had a breakout performance, but a late-season injury could hurt his draft stock. He has first-round talent as a high-volume shot generator and an outstanding producer if potential fantasy managers believe he has turned the corner on his health issues. 

Sam Reinhart, RW, Florida Panthers: Reinhart provides plenty of category coverage between goals, points, shots and hits to be worthy of first-round consideration. The drop in production from his career year in 2023-24 wasn't as pronounced as some pundits thought it would be. 

Matthew Tkachuk, LW/RW, Florida Panthers: After being limited to 52 appearances in 2024-25, Tkachuk's fantasy value will probably decrease in the eyes of many potential fantasy managers. Still, he provides excellent category coverage and a high offensive ceiling. 

Jack Hughes, C, New Jersey Devils: Hughes has appeared in 62 games in consecutive seasons and has reached the 70-point mark on both occasions. He had 99 points in 2022-23 and possesses 100-point upside, but injury concerns are growing. 

NEW YORK (AP) — Dylan Strome scored three times, and the Washington Capitals beat the New York Islanders 3-1 on Tuesday night.

It was Strome's third career hat trick. Charlie Lindgren made 33 saves for Washington, which had dropped two in a row.

Hudson Fasching scored in the third period for New York, and Ilya Sorokin stopped 33 shots.

The Islanders have dropped four of five going into their season finale at Columbus on Thursday night. They will miss the playoffs for the second time in four seasons.

The Capitals are preparing for the playoffs after winning the Metropolitan Division.

Strome completed the hat trick at 18:49 of the third period with an empty-net goal.

Takeaways

Capitals: Martin Fehervary left in the first period after blocking a Bo Horvat wrist shot with the inside of his left foot. He later returned — a positive sign for Washington, which can’t afford to lose another defenseman ahead of the playoffs.

Islanders: Veteran forward Matt Martin was an alternate captain for the first time in his career with New York. It was likely his final home game with the Islanders, after spending 14 of his 16 NHL seasons with the team.

Key moment

Lindgren made two critical stops on Pierre Engvall and Noah Dobson at 14:53 of the first period during an Islanders power play.

Key stat

Washington star Alex Ovechkin recorded his 28th assist this season and No. 726 for his career — part of a milestone season in which he surpassedWayne Gretzky atop the NHL’s career goals list.

Up next

The Capitals close out the regular season on Thursday at Pittsburgh.

The Islanders finish their season against the Blue Jackets.