NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - APRIL 02: Simon Nemec #17 of the New Jersey Devils reacts during the third period against the Washington Capitals at Prudential Center on April 02, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Washington Capitals 7-3. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
“Hischier has made it known his goal is to win a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils, and he’s certainly a player they need to keep around if they’re serious about doing so. He has averaged 32.4 goals and 72.6 points per 82 games over the last three seasons. That production alone makes him irreplaceable, let alone all that gets put on his plate defensively and in the faceoff dot. It’s rare to find players who can not only hold their own, but excel, with the kind of usage Hischier draws.” [Infernal Access ($)]
“Despite the disappointing season, the New Jersey Devils still had a few players who exceeded expectations.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
What might new contracts look like for Nico Hischier, Simon Nemec and Arseny Gritsyuk? Some projections: [New Jersey Hockey Now]
Hockey Links
The Flyers, Wild and Ducks advance, and the Penguins, Stars and Oilers are done:
THE BATTLE OF PENNSYLVANIA BELONGS TO THE FLYERS! 🤩
Your Lady Byng Memorial Trophy finalists are… 🏆 #NHLAwards
The trophy is presented annually to the player judged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability. pic.twitter.com/wsCXBieTLB
“The on-ice officials not only missed Greig uppercutting a defenseless Hurricanes defenseman, but they also put Brind’Amour’s team on the PK afterward, something the Canes coach said shouldn’t be acceptable given how many people in the building saw the incident take place. But after years of watching mistakes such as this, Brind’Amour didn’t place blame on the two refs and two linesmen on the ice. Instead, he went back to an argument he has been making since he stepped behind the bench: the NHL’s officials need more help to get things right.” [The Athletic ($)]
“Jessica Campbell will not return to the Seattle Kraken bench next season, the team announced Thursday. Campbell’s contract is expiring this summer, and sources told ESPN that she has received interest across the league.” [ESPN]
A cool moment before Tuesday’s Bruins-Sabres game in Buffalo: “Seconds into ‘O Canada,’ national anthem singer Cami Clune’s microphone malfunctioned. A dutiful crowd of 19,070 — Shane and Andrea Doan included — rushed to her aid with a full-throated, word-for-word reinforcement.” [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins takes the ice against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game Five of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 27, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The offseason is here a little earlier than the Penguins wanted it to be. As they shift into that mode, here’s what to watch for in the upcoming weeks for the early portion of decisions that will need to be made and events to unfold prior to the busy period around the draft and free agency.
Step 1: The Wilkes-Barre playoff run
Pittsburgh’s season is over but there’s still important information to glean for the organization within their AHL team. There are several players in Wilkes-Barre now, from Sergei Murashov to Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Avery Hayes and Harrison Brunicke that will have very good chances to graduate to the NHL as soon as the start of next season. The organization would love to see a deep run by WBS to see which young players rise to the occasion and pique their interest when it comes to sorting out their squad for next season and which holes they might still want to fill via trades and free agents over the summer. The Pens probably wouldn’t have traded for Arturs Silovs without his 2025 Calder Cup run, this year their targets could well be internal for projecting to the NHL club.
Step 2: Find out draft position
Pittsburgh’s draft spot is currently 22nd, with draft position being set by regular season performance and not playoff results (until Conference Finals and Stanley Cup teams getting bumped to the end of the order, anyways). The Pens’ slot could move up to 20th if both the Flyers beat Carolina next round AND Vegas doesn’t advance to the Western Conference Final. If one of those items occur then the Pittsburgh pick moves to 21st. If neither of them happen, the pick remains 22nd. Vegas is up 3-2 in their series on Utah to move onto the next round and Carolina is a heavy favorite, so for draft positioning there might not be a move up from 22nd, but it’s one of those things to sit back and wait and see how it goes.
Step 3: Sort out Evgeni Malkin
This could take hours, days, weeks or even months to reach a conclusion. Malkin has made no secret his desire to return in 2026-27 with the Penguins. Kyle Dubas, on the other hand, has been in no rush to extend the star forward. Malkin will turn 40 this summer and the Penguins want to get younger, but he did produce 61 points in 56 games this season. Objectively, there shouldn’t be much to think about here to give the franchise icon a one-year extension. He’s still a productive player that could and should help the team next season and likely even come at a discounted rate. (It also doesn’t hurt that Malkin will help sell tickets and merch while keeping Sidney Crosby happier).
Step 4: Ownership transition
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman recently said the sale of the Penguins from FSG to the Hoffmann announced in December is ‘on track’ but didn’t give a timetable of when it would be completed. That requires Board of Governors approval and they haven’t had a meeting recently to get to that business. Immediate reactions might be for some sort of drastic change or shifts but it usually doesn’t pan out like that from the very start. It’s still an important item to check off the list, even if it likely won’t alter the offseason or team direction.
Step 5: Other free agents
The unrestricted free agents on the NHL roster, along with Malkin, are Kevin Hayes, Anthony Mantha, Noel Acciari, Connor Dewar, Connor Clifton, Ryan Shea, Ilya Solovyov and Stuart Skinner. In an effort to get younger, most of these names have likely played their final game as a Penguin. To varying levels, a few (most likely Dewar, Shea and Solovyov) will at least be approached for a possible return, if not get outright efforts to keep for next season. Maybe that applies to some of Acciari, Mantha and Skinner too, though I’d personally put those three names in a much less likely to return category at this point.
For restricted free agents, the Pens have Egor Chinakhov and Arturs Silovs to deal with (plus Koivunen and Joel Blomqvist down in the AHL). In this day and age it’s not uncommon to not tender an RFA and try to get a better deal for the team – that happened with Dewar and Phil Tomasino last year, but it’s a no-brainer that everyone mentioned in this category will get a qualifying offer and have their rights retained by the Pens.
—
There are certainly other items to consider and items to get to as well, depending on how aggressive the team might feel about what to do with someone like Ryan Graves or whatever might happen with the Kris Letang situation, whose no movement contract turns to a 10-team no trade on July 1st. Items like that are not as pressing or immediate for this early look at the offseason items and decisions that will unfold first.
On Friday night, the Montreal Canadiens will have a golden opportunity to qualify for the second round of the playoffs by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning for a fourth time. If they do manage it, it will only have taken four years for the Kent Hughes/Jeff Gorton/Martin St-Louis regime to win a playoff round. That would be remarkable.
If you compare them with the Canadiens’ long-time rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, they hired Brendan Shanahan and Kyle Dubas to mould their rebuild in 2014. They missed the playoffs in their first two seasons, just like the Canadiens did in their first two seasons with the new administration at the helm.
Both franchises made the playoffs in their front office’s third season at the helm. That was in 2017 for the Leafs, when they lost in the first round to the Washington Capitals in six games. For Montreal, that was in 2025, when they too lost to the Caps in the first round, but in five games.
Then, for the next two seasons, Toronto lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games. The following year, they lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the qualifying round. In 2021, they lost to Montreal in seven games after leading the series 3-1. In 2022, they lost to the Lightning in seven games. It took the Shanahan/Dubas duo nine years to finally win a round in the playoffs.
The Canadiens could potentially do it in four and a half years, half the time. Why? Because the Habs have been built the right way. They did not focus solely on the big names and handcuff themselves with big contracts and no movement clauses. The Leafs had Morgan Reilly, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and John Tavares from 2018 onwards. There was a lot of star power that faded when it really counted, and Toronto couldn’t overcome it.
This year in the playoffs, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky have been struggling to put up points at even strength. Suzuki has five points, four of which have come on the man-advantage; Caufield has four points, all on the power play, just like Slafkovsky’s three points.
Still, the Canadiens lead the series. Why? Because of their depth, which they have because Hughes was able to sign his top guns to reasonable contracts with team-friendly cap hits. The way he handled the negotiations for Caufield, Slafkovsky, Guhle and Hutson has been exemplary, and he’s been able to add good complementary pieces along the way like Mike Matheson, Zach Bolduc, Noah Dobson, Alexandre Texier, Alexandre Carrier, Alex Newhook and even Kirby Dach of late has stepped up.
Of course, you can’t call a rebuild an unmitigated success until a Stanley Cup has been won, but if the Canadiens manage to reach the second round in such a short time, it will be further evidence that they are doing things the right way.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 29: Trevor Zegras #46 of the Philadelphia Flyers shakes hands with Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at the conclusion of Game Six of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 29, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With tonight's 1-0 overtime win, the Flyers have advanced to the second round of the NHL Playoffs (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…
As the Pittsburgh Penguins shift their attention toward the off-season, we can look back at the overall picture of their playoff run and the season as a whole. The team was largely undone by their disastrous start, falling into a 3–0 series hole, in addition to the power play that never came around, and underperforming top players such as Anthony Mantha. Still, the season exceeded expectations for a team in transition, with promising young talent on the horizon as this transition between eras continues. [PensBurgh]
Sidney Crosby reflected on the uncertain future of longtime teammates Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang after Game 6, calling them “like family” and expressing hope they can continue playing as a trio. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell will not return to the team next season, as her contract expires and she explores other opportunities across the leaguge. [ESPN]
The Vancouver Canucks have interviewed Florida Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson as part of their search for a new general manager, according to reports. [Sportsnet]
Anze Kopitar, Cole Caufield, and Jake Sanderson have been named finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy. [Sportsnet]
After back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final, including a Game 7 loss in 2024, the Oilers are out in the first round, falling to an Anaheim Ducks team that just ended a seven-year playoff drought.
"We were an average team all year," Oilers captain Connor McDavid told reporters after the Game 6 loss in Anaheim. "When you're an average team with high expectations, you're going to be disappointed. We just never found it."
"We were an average team all year. When you're an average team with high expectations, you're going to be disappointed."
McDavid, who signed a team-friendly, two-year extension to allow the team to build a stronger contender, still drives the team. So does Leon Draisaitl, but both of them were dealing with injuries. Even though the goaltending was changed to Connor Ingram and Tristan Jarry, it didn't get them as far. The penalty kill was the worst in the league in the playoffs.
"We expected to have a longer run than we did. It is what it is," McDavid said.
Golden Knights coach John Tortorella hasn't budged on his feeling about goaltender Carter Hart, expressing full confidence in his ability as the team's No. 1 netminder.
And that's great.
It's what you want to hear from a coach when discussing what some might deem the most important position this time of the year.
But Hart, among goaltenders, regardless of appearances, ranks 16th with both his save percentage of .888 and goals-against average of 3.02 during the postseason.
“That's who he is," Tortorella said. "I think Carter has the ability to put things away ... and get ready to play the next day."
For Hart, though, he's been bailed out by a suddenly popping Vegas offense that ranks fourth in the postseason with an average of 3.40 goals per game.
Helpful, sure. But the Golden Knights are also allowing 3.60 goals-against per game - fourth-highest in the postseason.
I think he's grown over the years," Tortorella said. "This is ... 3-1/2 years with him. I've just watched him grow."
Again, the proud and confident fatherly take is what you want to see at this point, and Hart has to feel proud.
But it would be highly advisable for Hart to begin making stops before the offense dries up and the Knights can't complete comebacks.
True, they've scored five goals in each of their last two wins, but the Mammoth held them to just two runs in the previous two.
Anything can happen, and Hart will need his strongest glove in net on Friday for Game 6.
"It's such a unique position," Tortorella said. "You're kind of on an island out there, in a team sport. What is the most important position in the game?
Tortorella insists Hart doesn't get caught up in his head when he struggles or has turned in some bad minutes.
" I think it's written," Tortorella said. "I think he's able to put it away and that's what a goalie has to do."
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) makes a save against the Utah Mammoth during the first overtime period of game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena.
The Minnesota Wild knocked out the Dallas Stars in the first round with their 5-2 win in Game 6. With this, the Wild are moving on to the second round.
A former Sabres forward helped play a role in the Wild's win, as Marcus Foligno recorded an assist.
Foligno picked up the primary helper on star defenseman Quinn Hughes' game-opening goal for Minnesota. It was a nice assist from Foligno, too, as he set up Hughes beautifully while on the rush.
With this assist, Foligno ended the series against the Stars with two points and a plus-2 rating in six games. Overall, the former Sabres forward played well for the Wild this series and will be looking to keep this kind of play up for Minnesota in the second round from here.
Foligno was selected by the Sabres with the 104th overall pick of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. In six seasons with the Sabres from 2011-12 to 2016-17, he had 49 goals, 67 assists, 116 points, and 1,023 hits. Since his time with the Sabres ended, he has spent each of the last nine seasons with the Wild.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins kicked off their Atlantic Division Semifinal series against the Hershey Bears with a bang on Thursday night.
WBS raced out to a 3-0 lead before winning 4-2, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
Atley Calvert opened the scoring for WBS at 3:02 of the first period. He carried the puck into the offensive zone and ripped the puck past Hershey goaltender Clay Stevenson from the slot.
— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 30, 2026
WBS took that 1-0 lead into the intermission before Aidan McDonough made it 2-0 at 5:16 of the second period. He also scored from the slot area.
WBS later had a power play in the second period when Owen Pickering made it 3-0. Ville Koivunen dished him the puck and he fired it from the point, giving WBS a three-goal lead.
— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) May 1, 2026
Hershey made it a one-goal game in the third period before Avery Hayes put the game away with an empty-net goal, giving WBS the 1-0 series lead. Hayes has been one of the baby Penguins' best players this year and has also scored five goals in the NHL.
Penguins prospect Harrison Brunicke was all over the ice in this one and he wasn't afraid to get physical, either. Brunicke played in nine NHL games this year before being sent back to Kamloops. Once his junior season ended, he was sent to WBS.
Goaltender Sergei Murashov finished with 31 saves on 33 shots and got his first career win in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
WBS will try to take a 2-0 lead in the series on Saturday.
The Chicago Blackhawks came in last place in the NHL's Central Division in 2025-26. They had an 11-point improvement from the year prior, but their division is the best in the league.
On Thursday night, Central Division rival Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars played the sixth game of their first-round series. Going in, the series was the story of one team (Minnesota) dominating at 5-on-5, and the other (Dallas) owning the special teams battle. This had the Wild up 3-2 in the series with a chance to clinch at home.
It was a back-and-forth affair throughout the first two and a half periods until Quinn Hughes gave the Wild a 3-2 lead at 10:38 of the final frame. The Wild added two empty net goals and won 5-2. This earned them their first series win in 11 years.
The Wild will move on to play the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche, another Central Division squad. These three teams, Colorado, Dallas, and Minnesota, were all top 8 NHL teams, but one had to be eliminated after one round because of the playoff format.
The truth of the matter is that the Blackhawks are nowhere near these teams as currently constructed. Watching the way the Wild dominated even-strength play against the Stars, who are still an elite team, showed just how far away the Blackhawks are. Add in the Avalanche, and it makes it even bleaker.
Even the Utah Mammoth, which made the playoffs out of the Central Division through the Wild Card, is way ahead of Chicago. Utah is down 3-2 in their series to the Vegas Golden Knights, but they have shown tremendous fight against a veteran team with Stanley Cup pedigree. The series is still far from over.
Could a couple of wise moves get the Blackhawks on par with teams like the St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, or Winnipeg Jets? It's possible, but those teams are always looking to improve as well.
When it comes to competing with teams like the top three in the Central, the Blackhawks need a number one defenseman in the neighborhood of Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Miro Heiskanen, and those guys don't grow on trees.
Connor Bedard could become a superstar of the highest level, and his supporting cast is only going to get better, but there is a ton of development needed there.
Not only are these the teams that the Blackhawks need to jump in the standings if they want to become a winner again, but they are also the ones they will see as opponents on the ice most often.
The sport of hockey is in for a treat with this second-round series between the Wild and Avalanche. Colorado has been on a second-round collision course with one of Dallas or Minnesota since American Thanksgiving, and it's finally here.
What is the solution for the Blackhawks team trying to get to this level? Stay the course. Keep developing their young players, adding talent to the NHL roster when they are ready, and be ready to jump on a big trade or free agency signing when the time is right.
As of now, Chicago's biggest strengths are its farm system, its cap space, and its development success. As the years go on, it will all come together, and they will slowly but surely start competing with these teams.
They just aren't there yet, and these teams are showing why as they go through the Stanley Cup playoffs.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Minnesota Wild hadn't advanced past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2015, but that was made ancient history on Thursday evening.
Former Michigan Wolverines defenseman Quinn Hughes, who had been linked to the Detroit Red Wings earlier this season, along with former Red Wings forward Vladimir Tarasenko, both played key roles in their Game 6 victory over the Dallas Stars, sending them on a collision course with the Colorado Avalanche.
Hughes, who was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Wild in December despite being heavily linked to the Red Wings, scored twice as part of Minnesota's 5-2 victory at Grand Casino Arena.
Meanwhile, Tarasenko, who more than doubled his goal output this season with Minnesota after scoring only 11 last season with Detroit, also scored for the host Wild.
Tarasenko is one of several former Red Wings who made an appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this spring.
Not only is Tarasenko with the Wild, but so is veteran defenseman Jeff Petry, who started this season with the Florida Panthers but was later trade to Minnesota.
Anthony Mantha and Elmer Soderblom, now with the Pittsburgh Penguins, were recently eliminated from the opening round by Luke Glendening and the Philadelphia Flyers.
Goaltender Alex Lyon, who played two seasons with the Red Wings, is on the verge of a second round appearance with the Buffalo Sabres should he and his teammates defeat the Boston Bruins in Game 6 on Friday.
And while he's not playing, former Red Wings first-round draft selection Joe Veleno is part of the Montreal Canadiens squad that is one win away from eliminating the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
A former Vancouver Canucks forward has won an award named after a former Canucks head coach. On Thursday, Jayson Megna was named the winner of the 2026 Bruce Boudreau award. As per the AHL, the award "honors the most outstanding American Hockey League player not playing on an NHL contract, recognizing their leadership, consistency, and impact on the league."
Megna is currently in his second season with the Colorado Eagles. The 36-year-old has served as Colorado's captain for the last two years, during which he has recorded 102 points in 134 games. The Eagles are currently in the second round of the playoffs and are getting ready to begin their series with the Henderson Silver Knights.
As for his time with Vancouver, Megna spent two seasons split between the NHL and AHL. He played 59 games for the Canucks, where he recorded four goals and eight points from 2016-18. Megna also played 29 games for the Utica Comets, where he recorded 16 points.
Feb 9, 2017; Columbus, OH, USA; Vancouver Canucks right wing Jayson Megna (46) skates with the puck against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the third period at Nationwide Arena. Vancouver shutout the Blue Jackets 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports
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, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
After a short and disappointing playoff run that ended in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa Senators fans may be looking for something, anything, to cheer for over the next month and a half.
For those fans who like to keep an eye on the players who used to wear the Centurion crest, there are still a number of former Senators in play to win a Cup this year.
Brady Tkachuk says the dialogue about his NHL future has become a frustrating distraction.
Dallas vs. Minnesota
It’s hard to believe Matt Duchene has been gone from the Senators for seven seasons now and is easily the most productive player on this list. He has eight points in five playoff games, good for a share of third in the league. Duchene was traded to Columbus back in 2019 for Vitaly Abramov, Jonathan Davidsson, and a first-round draft pick that would turn out to be Lassi Thomson.
For Minnesota, a pair of former Senator veteran wingers are still plugging away. Nick Foligno and Vladimir Tarasenko both have one point in five games. Goalie Filip Gustavsson has had a front-row seat to this series. He has been on the bench for every game, wearing the ball cap, while 23-year-old Jesper Wallstedt has played every minute for the Wild.
Edmonton vs. Anaheim
The only former Senator in this series is Ottawa’s former first-round draft pick, Curtis Lazar, who has no points in four games for the Oilers. Lazar was once seen as a real blue-chip prospect, and though he never quite lived up to his first-round billing here or anywhere else, he deserves credit for carving out a solid NHL career with over 600 games and counting.
Montreal vs. Tampa Bay
The Lightning have a pair of former Senators playing in this series. "Nick Paul does it all," but he hasn’t gotten on the scoresheet in this series, with no points in four games. Tough guy Scott Sabourin has no points in two games.
Paul was traded away by Ottawa in 2022 for Mathieu Joseph and a fourth-rounder that would turn into Blake Montgomery, who just started his pro career playing a few games at the end of the season with the Belleville Senators.
Buffalo vs. Boston
Former Senator Josh Norris is back in a familiar spot to Sens fans, and unfortunately, that is the injured list. He’s missed the last three games with injury and has no points in two games, but he is expected to return for Game 6 of the Bruins-Sabres series. Of course, Norris was famously traded away at the deadline last year in a multiplayer deal that saw the Senators land Dylan Cozens.
For Boston, three players have former Senator ties. Mark Kastelic, who brings toughness to the fourth line, just as he did here, has one point in five games in this series and 11 penalty minutes. He was sent to Boston from Ottawa in the Linus Ullmark deal, as was goalie Joonas Korpisalo, who has only played 13 minutes in the series in relief of Jeremy Swayman.
Jonathan Aspirot has been a revelation for the Bruins. After four years in Ottawa's organization with Belleville and then two more AHL seasons with Calgary, he ended up with the Bruins this season. And when they had a rash of injuries, Aspirot got his shot. He's played in all five games for Boston and has two assists.
Vegas vs. Utah
Mark Stone has four points in five games for Vegas. Stone has certainly been injury prone with Vegas, routinely missing significant time during the regular season. However, he always seems to find a way to be ready for the playoffs, and while probably held together with bubble gum and binder twine, Stone has four points in five games for Vegas so far.
Since he was once property of the Senators for less than a week, we also need to include Utah defenseman Ian Cole on this list. He has 2 points in five games for the Mammoth. In 2018, Cole was traded to Ottawa when the Sens dealt Derick Brassard to Pittsburgh in a multi-player deal for Filip Gustavsson and a first-rounder.
Three days later, Cole was shipped to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Nick Moutrey and a third. The Sens might have held out for a little more if they knew that Cole was going to play another eight years in the league.
So there it is. If you're looking for a reason to stay invested this spring, those are the familiar names still chasing the Stanley Cup. Live vicariously, my friends.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
For the 10th consecutive season, the Detroit Red Wings are watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs from home.
Their fate was officially sealed after yet another late-season collapse, in which a once-comfortable lead above the playoff cut line vanished, culminating in a disappointing 5–3 loss and a chorus of boos from frustrated fans at Little Caesars Arena on April 11.
Following a 4–3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the penultimate game of the season, they were then throttled 8–1 in the regular-season finale by the Florida Panthers.
Head coach Todd McLellan was nothing short of incensed afterward and, during what was his shortest postgame media availability session of the campaign, said bluntly that the entire team should be embarrassed.
It was McLellan who decried what viewed as "jerseys" on the ice, or players who weren't making a difference and weren't giving a complete, total effort.
“Right now, for us, I think we have some players that are playing well and playing hard, and then we have some guys that are just jerseys,” McLellan said on February 28. “What I mean by that is they’re wearing jerseys. They’re skating around, they’re eating up some minutes, but we need more. We just flat out need more."
Which players, especially during the final third of the season, was McLellan referring to?
Jersey No. 1: Michael Rasmussen
There may be no player who better embodies Todd McLellan’s “jersey” critique than Detroit’s former first-round pick (ninth overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft
Built like a prototypical power forward at 6'6" and 220 pounds, Michael Rasmussen instead shies away from physical contact, is routinely knocked off the puck, and rarely ventures into the dirty areas of the ice. To see him drive to the net is about as rare as a solar eclipse.
He’ll occasionally show flashes of the player Detroit envisioned when they made him a first-round pick in 2017. Perhaps the most notable example came when he leveled Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils after scoring an empty-net goal, then stood over him in a pose reminiscent of Muhammad Ali towering over Sonny Liston.
Rasmussen appeared in 64 games this past season, and his 14 total points were the lowest of his career aside from the shortened 2020–21 campaign, in which he recorded 12 points in 40 games. Additionally, his hit total was less than half of what it was just a season ago.
He appeared to be coming into his own in 2021-22 and for much of 2022-23 before his season was ended because of a broken kneecap as the result of a shot block.
Since then, Rasmussen has resembled anything but the kind of power forward that his size affords him the opportunity to be.
He remains under contract for two more seasons carrying a salary cap hit of $3.2 million.
If GM Steve Yzerman makes good on his offseason outlook of improving the club's five-on-five scoring while making their bottom-six tougher for the opposition to face, don't be surprised to see Rasmussen be a roster casualty in the form of a trade or buyout.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Limited to 51 games during the 2024-25 campaign, the 25-year-old appeared in just 35 games this season after suffering his second long-term injury in 10 months.
Edstrom revealed he competed on a fractured ankle for six weeks before he and the Rangers medical staff decided he undergo surgery in December, keeping him out until early March.
The lower-body injury that ended his season last year also required surgery.
While this latest injury ate up nearly half his season, Edstrom was also a healthy scratch in the final 11 games.
The extended time away from the ice has hindered Edstrom’s development, allowing some of his former Wolf Pack teammates to climb the Rangers depth chart and compete for the bottom six role he’s occupied since his 2023-24 debut.
Adam Edstrom skates during the Rangers’ March 12 game against the Jets. NHLI via Getty Images
“From last year to this year, I feel like I’m getting kind of used to [the injuries], which is not a good thing,” he said on breakup day earlier this month. “It’s always tough to be out of the lineup like that [as a healthy scratch]. You want to play and you want to contribute. I’m just looking forward to a good summer and then getting into camp and playing well.”
After Edstrom spent most of the season on long-term injured reserve, head coach Mike Sullivan tried to work the 6-foot-7 forward back into the lineup.
He slotted back into his usual spot on the left wing of the fourth line before plugging him onto the second line for the March 12 game in Winnipeg.
It was the first time Edstrom skated as a center in the NHL.
It lasted five games.
Playing between Jaroslav Chmelar and Taylor Raddysh and then Chmelar and Jonny Brodzinski, Edstrom and his linemates struggled to generate anything offensively.
His unit with Chmelar and Brodzinski was on the ice for one goal against, per Natural Stat Trick, while neither line scored a single goal during 5-on-5 play.
The Edstrom-to-center experiment was short-lived for a reason, but it also called into question where No. 84 fits in the Rangers lineup going forward.
Adam Edstrom takes a shot during the Rangers’ March 16 game against the Kings. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I grew up playing center,” Edstrom said. “When I went pro, so when I was like 18, that’s when I moved out to the wing. It’s been a good amount of years since I played center, and it felt kind of new to me. And then especially at the NHL level, like draws, I feel like that was a big difference from when I was taking draws against 17-, 18-year-old kids. I feel like I’m probably more comfortable on the wing as of right now.”
Edstrom was moved to center in the first place to accommodate Chmelar, whose play won the coaching staff’s affections and demanded a lengthier opportunity.
The 22-year-old made more of an impact in his 28 games (six points) than Edstrom did in his 35 (five points).
It wasn’t just from a production standpoint, either.
Chmelar is more physically imposing than Edstrom despite standing three inches shorter and weighing six pounds less.
His overall impact on a game-to-game basis was also much more consistent than the rate Edstrom was going.
As of now, Chmelar is looking like Edstrom’s biggest competition going into training camp.
“[Sullivan] has brought up the consistency,” Edstrom said. “I mean, just for me, in my own head, I just want to stay healthy. I know I have a lot of good hockey in me. I know I can prove myself at this level. So just stay healthy. Hopefully, I have a good camp and then just play my best hockey.”
