Bruins' offseason to-do list must include acquiring an elite scorer originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins got great offensive production from David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie during the 2024-25 NHL season.

Pastrnak scored 40-plus goals for the fourth straight season and tallied 100-plus points for the third consecutive year. Geekie scored a career-high 33 goals — 16 more than last season.

But two good offensive players are not enough to make the playoffs, let alone make a run at the Stanley Cup. While there are plenty of roster weaknesses for Bruins general manager Don Sweeney to address over the offseason, finding another high-end scorer needs to be at the top of the list.

“(We have to find) some extra scoring potential, and we probably have to address the wing positions,” Sweeney said Wednesday at the team’s end-of-season press conference.

“That will deepen the scoring ability that showed up ineffectively this year in the way the roster was built. We didn’t score enough, and our power play was dormant for most of the season.”

The Bruins ranked 27th in goals per game (all situations) and 29th in power-play percentage. They also ranked among the league’s worst teams in scoring at even strength.

So, how do the Bruins find more scoring? Will they focus on the trade market, free agency or internal improvement?

“It’s all the above, whatever is at our disposal to utilize,” Sweeney said Wednesday. “I referenced what we tried to do at the trade deadline to find some younger players, deepen our prospect pool, add a player who would help us in Casey (Mittelstadt) from an offensive standpoint. He’s a different player than Charlie (Coyle). He could grow into some of the things that Charlie Coyle was so very good at.

“We’re going to use every mechanism possible.”

The B’s definitely could get more offense from the players already in the organization.

Pavel Zacha is a 50-point scorer who played below that level this season. The blue line, especially Charlie McAvoy, can provide more offense. Casey Mittelstadt could score 15-20 goals if used correctly.

Elias Lindholm had a strong finish to an otherwise underwhelming season. He could potentially regain his top-six center form from recent seasons. Young players such as Fabian Lysell, Fraser Minten and Matt Poitras could provide valuable scoring depth, too.

But don’t expect prospects to get NHL reps until they’ve fully earned the opportunity.

“We’re not going to just plug a player in because he’s young and exciting,” Sweeney said. “They have to earn those stripes. Fabian’s a good example of building blocks and recognizing one-on-one talent and ability is different than how it’s going to translate to winning hockey in the National Hockey League on a competitive team. Ultimately, they have to earn that. We’re going to hold them to that standard.”

The most impactful way to bolster this team’s offensive potential — at least in the short term — is to swing for the fences in free agency and/or the trade market. The B’s will enter the offseason with about $28 million in salary cap space, per PuckPedia.

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner could become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He is an elite offensive player who tallied a career-high 102 points this season. He’s arguably the best playmaking wing in the sport and has averaged 66 assists over the last four years.

Winnipeg Jets left wing Nikolaj Ehlers has scored 20-plus goals in eight of the last nine seasons. He can become a UFA this summer, too.

It’s unknown if Marner or Ehlers will even make it to free agency in July, but if they do, it would be smart for the Bruins to try to acquire one of them. Besides Marner and Ehlers, there aren’t any other major difference-makers in the 2025 free agent class.

That leaves the trade market as the other path for Sweeney to make significant scoring additions to his roster. As a result of his trade deadline moves, Sweeney now has a couple more quality prospects and draft picks — including four first-rounders and five second-rounders over the next three years — to dangle on the trade market.

And then, of course, the Bruins will have the opportunity to add a potential top-six forward in the 2025 NHL Draft. Boston has the fifth-best odds to win the lottery and can finish no lower than the No. 7 pick. The center position is the Bruins’ primary roster need entering this draft, and there are several talented prospects at that position in the top 15 picks.

The Bruins need to defend better next season. The goaltending — especially from Jeremy Swayman — needs to be much improved, too. But unless the B’s fix their scoring troubles, this team will be back in the draft lottery in 2026. Only one of the bottom-12 teams (the Minnesota Wild) in goals scored this season made the playoffs.

If Sweeney can acquire at least one high-end forward in the coming months, it could be enough to get the Bruins back into the playoff mix as early as next season.

The Winnipeg Jets have pulled ahead two games to zero in their opening round, best-of-seven matchup with the St. Louis Blues. 

Thanks to back-to-back game-winning goals from Kyle Connor, the Jets have taken a stranglehold on a tough Central Division opponent that got red-hot over the season's second half. 

St. Louis, which actually had its franchise-best, 12-game winning streak stopped by the Jets in the season's final weeks, has not been a pushover either. The Blues led at two different points in Game 1, and never trailed by more than a single goal at any point in this series (with the exception of Adam Lowry's empty-net marker). 

The Jets know the Blues well. Playing each other roughly four times a year, the two divisional opponents also have a postseason history. 

In 2019, a similar looking St. Louis team challenged Winnipeg in the opening round. Having been dead last in league standings near the Christmas break, the Blues rebounded dramatically in the second half, earning their way to a date with Winnipeg in first round.

They came into the former Bell MTS Place and stole both games away from the Jets, pulling ahead 2-0 in the best-of-seven. 

Winnipeg flipped the script with two wins in St. Louis, tying things up in advance of Game 5. 

But the Blues were just too strong and took the next two games, sealing the deal on the Jets' push for another lengthy postseason run. That Blues team was good, real good. So good that it went all the way to the Cup Final, where it beat the Bruins in seven games for the league championship.

Should Winnipeg manage to find a way to take down St. Louis this year, the Jets would then go on to face the winner between the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars.

Should the Avalanche come out on top, it would be another familiar opponent. Colorado was Winnipeg's Round 1 matchup last postseason. Despite beating the Avs in Game 1 at home last year, the Jets dropped the second contest, before hitting the road for Denver. 

They lost both games at Ball Arena only to come home and lose in the series-deciding contest, falling from the postseason in just five games - four after a dominant 7-6 win in the opener.

Should Winnipeg play Colorado and manage to fend off its explosive offence, a date with the Jets' most familiar postseason opponent could be in the works. 

Should they beat the Minnesota Wild in the opening round and then take care of business against either Los Angeles or Edmonton in the second round, the Vegas Golden Knights could once again be waiting on the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference Final. 

Sure, it's quite a reach, Winnipeg very well could be squaring off with the team that has twice booted the Jets from the postseason - including shutting down their chance at going to the Cup back in the Western Conference Final in 2018.

Vegas certainly has the depth and experience to take another swing at a lengthy postseason run. But it's just that. Are the Knights running out of oxygen? Will they sustain another series-and-a-half of playoff violence to make it to the conference final?

The same question could be said of Winnipeg, which is already down Gabe Vilardi, Nikolaj Ehlers and Rasmus Kupari on offence due to injury. 

If the Conference Final was determined by regular season standings points it would already have guaranteed a matchup between Vegas and the Jets. However, this is NHL hockey - and Stanley Cup Playoff hockey at that, where nothing is given, every inch is earned.

Yes, Vegas sent Winnipeg packing in five games back in the third round in 2018. Sure, that feels like a lifetime (and a pandemic) ago, but the wound still bleeds.

More recently, the Golden Knights denied the Jets' hopes in the first round two seasons back. In a very similar way to that of Colorado's five-game victory, Vegas allowed a Jets win in Game 1 before storming back with four-straight to eliminate Winnipeg from contention.

If it is Winnipeg and Vegas in the conference final and the Jets prove victorious, the only fitting opponent in the Stanley Cup Final would be the Montreal Canadiens - also known as the team that swept Winnipeg in four-straight games in the second round of the pandemic-shortened 2021 season. 

The idea of Montreal - the Eastern Conference's eighth-seed - making a run to the Stanley Cup may be the most preposterous part of this proposition, but the possibility is not completely far-fetched. The Habs would have to beat the top team in the East (Washington) before taking down a combination of Toronto, Tampa Bay, Florida and Carolina to make it to the Cup.

It would be an insanely wild ride for the Jets and their fans, but it's not entirely impossible. Sure, many stars would need to align to allow this redemption tale for the ages, but for now, it starts with the Blues, as the Jets allow feelings from 2019, 2024, 2018, 2023 and maybe, just maybe, 2021 fuel their passion for greatness. 

Tkachuk and Domi made headlines on Day 4 of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs – but it wasn’t Keith and Tie.

The last time Keith Tkachuk and Tie Domi were in the playoffs at the same time was in 2004. This time, it was the Florida Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk and Toronto Maple Leafs’ Max Domi scoring important goals on Tuesday night, although Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk recorded his first career goal as well.

Here are the key storylines from each game.

Carolina Hurricanes Defeat New Jersey Devils 3-1 (CAR leads series 2-0)

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen took over the spotlight in Game 2 against the New Jersey Devils. In a low-scoring 2-1 win for the Hurricanes, Andersen made 25 stops on 26 shots to record a .962 save percentage.

Aside from the opening five minutes of the game when they scored, the Devils didn’t have many grade-A chances. According to naturalstattrick.com, New Jersey had seven high-danger chances, while Carolina had 15.

Although the Hurricanes controlled most of this game, the Devils put up a strong fight defensively. Brett Pesce kept the game close, with six blocked shots and two goal-line clearances.

Devils coach Sheldon Keefe liked his team’s game as the series moves to New Jersey for two games.

“I liked a lot about our game today,” Keefe said. “We showed attitude, we showed competitiveness, we showed care.”

Demoted But Not Down, Max Domi Scores OT Winner For Toronto Maple LeafsFor most of this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t know what to do with Max Domi — or where he fit in.

Toronto Maple Leafs Defeat Ottawa Senators 3-2 OT (TOR leads series 2-0)

The Toronto Maple Leafs took Game 2 over the Ottawa Senators in overtime thanks to a Max Domi snipe. With that, the Leafs take a 2-0 series lead for the first time since 2002 against the New York Islanders.

Max isn’t the first Domi to score a game-winner against the Senators in the playoffs. His father, Tie, scored a game-winning goal in Game 5 of their first-round series against the Sens in 2004. 

Domi’s reaction to his goal? 

“Big win, on to the next one now,” he told reporters.

Ottawa had a tough time hitting the net in the third period with only three shots on goal. Nonetheless, the Senators forced overtime with a goal from Adam Gaudette. With that, they applied heavy offensive pressure on the Leafs, which coach Travis Green praised.

“I really liked the way we played tonight,” Green told reporters. “To play a road game like that was encouraging for our team.”

The Senators will get another crack at the Maple Leafs on Thursday at the Canadian Tire Centre.

No Panic: Ottawa Senators Lose Again, But They'll Be Better For It In The Short- And Long-TermThere are no moral victories in the Stanley Cup playoffs, so the reality is the Ottawa Senators find themselves down 2-0 in the Battle of Ontario and face an enormous task getting back into this first-round series.

Florida Panthers Defeat Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 (FLA leads series 1-0)

It took four days from the opening night of the playoffs before fans could see the Battle of Florida between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. However, Game 1 might not have ended the way many would’ve anticipated.

Speaking of waiting, Matthew Tkachuk finally returned to the Panthers roster after being out with a lower-body injury since the 4 Nations Face-Off. He made his presence known, scoring two goals and an assist in his return, all on the power play.

The Panthers went on to steamroll the Lightning in a 6-2 win on the road to set the tone for the series. Defenseman Nate Schmidt added another two goals past Andrei Vasilevskiy, who had a rough outing for the Bolts.

It was a night to forget for Vasilevskiy, who finished the game with a .625 SP, allowing six goals on 16 shots.

The third period was when things got out of hand for Tampa Bay. They allowed three goals that sucked the energy out of the team. The Lightning challenged Schmidt’s first goal and lost the argument, which then led to another goal 14 seconds later on the power play.

Eventually, they added a third, and fans began to leave Amalie Arena early. 

“You have to stop the bleeding,” Victor Hedman said to reporters. 

Minnesota Wild Defeat Vegas Golden Knights 5-2 (Series Tied 1-1)

The Minnesota Wild flipped the script on the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2, with a 5-2 win. It was a hot start for the Wild, scoring three goals in the opening period past Adin Hill, to give the team a large cushion for the rest of the contest.

Minnesota’s first line led the way, with Kirill Kaprizov making multiple highlight plays in the game. He started with a shoulder-high, breakaway pass to Matt Boldy, who opened the scoring. Boldy has three goals and four points, while Kaprizov has two goals and five points in this series.

“I think (Joel Eriksson Ek, Boldly, and Kaprizov), they play a playoff-style type of hockey,” Wild coach John Hynes told reporters. “They play north. They play direct. They can use their competitive level in combination with skill. It gives them a chance to be a line that's hard to play.”

Kaprizov iced the game with 2:26 left on the clock with the empty net. While protecting their lead, he pounced on a loose puck after a save from Filip Gustavsson and threw it the length of the ice, into Vegas’ empty net to secure the win.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

For most of this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t know what to do with Max Domi — or where he fit in.

Was he a second-line winger? A third-line centre? After acquiring Scott Laughton at the trade deadline, was Domi even a top-nine forward anymore?

In a 3-2 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators, Domi answered back with: Yes. Yes. And yes.

The 30-year-old gap-toothed forward, who played up and down in the lineup on Tuesday, was a bit of everything for the Leafs in Game 2. That included being the somewhat unlikely OT hero in a game that the home team nearly gave away.

Domi started the night playing wing on a second line with John Tavares and William Nylander. But in overtime, he was centering the third line with Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson when Domi deked past a couple of defenders and scored the winning goal to give the Leafs a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“Every night there’s a different hero in playoffs, it doesn’t matter who scores as long as we get the win,” said Domi. “Shoot the puck, anything can happen.”

In the process, Domi reminded everyone that his biggest asset might just be his versatility, along with his dedication to improving his skill-set.

After all, that move that Domi pulled off in overtime was one that he practised often. That very morning, while his teammates were still in the dressing room, Domi was alone on the ice ripping shot after shot on an empty net. Hours later, he did it for real, while his dad, who is no stranger to the Battle of Ontario, cheered him on from the stands.

“Great play by him,” said Mitch Marner. “That was really cool for him to get that. I’m happy for him. It was an amazing play by him to get that middle (on the ice) and that shot.

'That's Playoff Hockey': Leafs' Stolarz Explains Bodychecking Senators' Greig In Game 2 WinThe Ottawa Senators outhit the Toronto Maple Leafs 44 to 25 in Game 2 on Tuesday night.

Taking a drop pass from Simon Benoit in the Ottawa end, Domi weaved through traffic and then beat goalie Linus Ullmark with a wrist shot at 3:09 in the extra frame.

“He works on his craft so much on ice, off ice,” said Marner. “How he takes care of his body, how he’s such a pro. I was lucky that I got to see that in London as well when I was really young. To learn off of him was amazing. To see nothing has changed and he’s even more of a pro now is pretty special.”

For Domi, it was the kind of moment that he has likely dreamed about. But it was also the kind of moment that has eluded him for most of his time with the Leafs. After signing a four-year extension worth $15-million last summer, there was an expectation that Domi would get back to being the highly skilled player who once scored 28 goals and 72 points for the Montreal Canadiens in 2018-19.

No Panic: Ottawa Senators Lose Again, But They'll Be Better For It In The Short- And Long-TermThere are no moral victories in the Stanley Cup playoffs, so the reality is the Ottawa Senators find themselves down 2-0 in the Battle of Ontario and face an enormous task getting back into this first-round series.

At the very least, with Craig Berube hired as coach, the thinking was Domi would embody the hard-nosed style that the new Leafs coach was preaching.

Instead, with just eight goals and 33 points, Domi has spent the year trying to justify his salary and spot in the lineup.

A day earlier, Berube had told reporters that “Max is good about playing wherever.” After the Leafs gave up a 2-0 lead, Domi was taken off the second line in favour of Pontus Holmberg. “Just an adjustment with match-ups more than anything,” said Berube.

Turns out, it was the right move.

"We Stayed With It': Maple Leafs Halt Senators' Comeback Bid To Take 2-0 Series LeadMax Domi scored the overtime winner as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven series on Tuesday. 

Whether he’s playing on the second line, third line or even the fourth line, Domi found a way to make an impact.

“Big win, obviously we needed that one,” said Domi. “I give Ottawa all the credit in the world. They played a heck of a hockey game. We stuck with it, made some plays that we had to make at the right time and big win. On to the next one now.”

The Vegas Golden Knights entered Game 2 hoping to take a 2-0 series lead, but will now head to Minnesota with the series tied after Kirill Kaprizov imposed his will, helping the Minnesota Wild win 5-2.

Heading into the series, a lot was made of the matchup between Kaprizov and Jack Eichel, but through two games, it's been all Kaprizov. The 27-year-old Russian winger has scored two goals and five points on seven Wild goals. All three of Kaprizov's assists have been primary helpers on Matt Boldy's goals. 

Kaprizov's dominance should not diminish Boldy's excellence. Through two games, he's showcased his skill, hockey IQ, and physicality. Boldy has found ways to sneak behind the Golden Knights' defence and open up passing lanes for Kaprizov. On last night's opening goal, he was first to notice the change of possession, darted up the middle of the ice, received an outstanding pass from Kaprizov and used his body to shield Shea Theodore from the puck before finishing off the breakaway chance. 

“It was unbelievable,” Boldy said, mentioning that it may be the best pass he's ever seen.

As great as Boldy has been, it's Kaprizov who has his hands in every bit of action that comes from the Wild. 

Through two games, the Wild have outscored the Golden Knights 3-1 at 5-on-5 with Kaprizov on the ice, own 56.89% of the expected goals, and out-chance the Golden Knights 23-10.  

The Golden Knights need more from their best players to maintain or keep up with Kaprizov. Eichel and Mark Stone have not yet recorded a point through two games and are a -3. Theodore had a very difficult night, finding himself on the ice for all four Wild goals as they jumped out to a 4-0 lead. He turned the puck over for two goals and was caught puck-watching on the others.

“He’s trying to do too much out there. It’s that simple,” HC Bruce Cassidy said of Theodore. “He was light on the puck tonight. What do you want me to say? He’s a great player for us. It wasn’t his night, and it snowballed. There’s a player trying to make amends, and I respect that. I like that. It didn’t go that way, and someone has to pick him up by putting out a fire.”

Injuries are the only way Kaprizov has been held in check this season. During the regular season, he scored 25 goals and 56 points in 41 games. Going back to Minnesota, it will be harder for Cassidy to get the matchups he wants against the 2015 fifth-round pick, but it will have to be a team effort to slow him down. 

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

Golden Knights Attempting To Stay Mentally Sharp; Using Experience and Rest To Take Upper HandThe Vegas Golden Knights hold multiple advantages over the

Golden Knights Show Success In Second Leg Of Back-To-Back Meetings With Same Opponent Under Bruce CassidyLAS VEGAS -- The

It was another overtime classic etched into the history of the Battle of Ontario on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena – and it was a hometown player who sealed the deal.

Just 3:09 into overtime, Max Domi delivered a highlight-reel goal to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators and a 2-0 series lead in their first-round matchup.

The play began with Simon Benoit breaking up a rush in the Leafs' zone, turning the puck up ice, and feeding Domi just as they crossed the Senators’ blue line. The 30-year-old forward then danced through Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson before wiring the puck past Linus Ullmark, capping off a big win for Toronto. 

“It’s a heck of a play by Benny, he made that whole thing happen. I got a little lucky when it squeaked through, I’m not really sure if it was Cozens or who it was, but a little lucky. Then you get inside the hashmarks like that in the middle of the ice, you just got to shoot it. Ullmark is a heck of a goalie, but I’ll take it,” Domi said post-game.

“A lot of excitement. It’s a great play by him,” added teammate Mitch Marner. “It starts with Benny reading that play in our D zone and making a great outlet pass up the ice, and then joining, net front screen. Overall, just a great play by both of them.”

THE HOMETOWN KID!!!@Rogers | #LeafsForeverpic.twitter.com/nlN2THGWPb

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 23, 2025

It was a special moment for Domi, his first goal and point of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with his father, former Maple Leafs fan-favorite Tie Domi, watching in the crowd. 

“Pure jubilation. Obviously, the building erupts, but you couldn’t be happier for him,” said goaltender Anthony Stolarz. “He’s worked his a** off all year for us. He’s a great two-way player. He’s a hell of a teammate in the room, and to see someone like that get rewarded, hopefully it’s the start of something big for him this playoffs.”

“Everyday is a real privilege when you play with guys like him… For him to have that moment in overtime here at home, is extremely special for all of us. I can’t imagine how he’s feeling," added defenseman Morgan Rielly.

Tie Domi couldn't be happier 🥹 pic.twitter.com/DhHl3GEvlv

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 23, 2025

Toronto jumped out to a 2-0 lead for the second straight game, scoring on two of their first four shots. But unlike Game 1, Ottawa pushed back. The Senators dominated much of the second period, outshooting the Leafs 28-21 and throwing 44 hits in the game, while controlling enough offensive zone time to force overtime.

Despite the pressure, the Leafs held strong. They blocked 32 shots, and Stolarz once again stood tall in net.

“Unreal. Great for him (Domi), great for our team. Obviously, we got off to a real good start today. They pushed back hard, and we just stick with it,” said Tavares. “It wasn’t always pretty at times, but did what we had to do and got a big play by him. Obviously, winning in overtime is always a great feeling.”

"We Stayed With It': Maple Leafs Halt Senators' Comeback Bid To Take 2-0 Series LeadMax Domi scored the overtime winner as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven series on Tuesday. 

This postseason marks Domi’s second with the Maple Leafs. He recorded four points (1G, 3A) in their seven-game series loss to the Boston Bruins last spring, and while his regular season numbers this year were modest, finishing with eight goals and 25 points in 33 games, his versatility continues to be an asset.

After starting Game 1 on the second line on the wing, Domi was moved back to center in Game 2, anchoring the third line with Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson – a spot he spent most of the season in.

'It's Not That Much Of A Conversation': Why Max Domi Will Shift To Third-Line Center For Maple Leafs Against Senators For Game 2The Toronto Maple Leafs shifted Max Domi from the second-line winger position to the third-line center spot in the second period of their 6-2 victory against the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of their first-round series.  And that adjustment will stick when both teams clash for Game 2.

As the game took a turn, head coach Craig Berube, who had urged Domi to utilize his shot more often throughout the season, gave the forward the opportunity to make something happen in the extra frame. Playing his style, his game, Domi made no mistake when the chance presented itself.

“Yeah, it was great to see that goal by Max. Obviously, a great play. Benoit made a great play on it,” said Berube.

“He still works hard. I mean, he's always trying to improve and get better and work with people, skill guys, and practice and stuff like that. I feel very good. I feel very happy for him to get a goal. It's a big goal, obviously, and it's a great feeling to score one of those,” added Berube. “I'm very happy for him. He's a hard worker. I thought he had a good game tonight overall. He was skating. I always say that when Max skates and attacks, he's on his game.”

The Leafs now head to Ottawa with a 2-0 series lead, taking care of business on home ice. Toronto is 10-0 all-time in best-of-seven series when taking a 2-0 lead at home, and it also marked the first time since 2002 that the Leafs have led a playoff series 2-0. 

As Stolarz mentioned, if Tuesday night was any indication, the best may still be to come for Domi.

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

Bruins' lack of accountability over drafting and developing is concerning originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

There are a lot of reasons why the Boston Bruins find themselves in the unusual position of not playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and staring at the possibility of having a top-five pick in the NHL Draft.

Poor drafting and player development are at or near the top of the list.

You can get away with bad drafting and development if you have a good veteran team, which the Bruins had for over a decade. But at some point it catches up to you, and for the Bruins, that reality came in the 2024-25 season as they sunk to the fifth-worst record in the league.

The Bruins could make a few fixes this summer to get back in the playoff mix next season, but for them to really compete for a Stanley Cup title over the long term, there has to be a much larger emphasis on drafting and player development.

The Bruins’ draft record over the last 10 years is not good. There’s no room for debate. In fact, since Don Sweeney took over as general manager in 2015, he has drafted only two impact players who are still on the roster: defenseman Charlie McAvoy and goaltender Jeremy Swayman.

Only one forward drafted by Sweeney has scored 20-plus goals in a season — Jake DeBrusk — and he’s no longer on the roster. Only 10 of the 38 players drafted by the Bruins from 2017 through 2023 have played in an NHL game.

Despite the team’s lackluster draft and development history, Bruins president Cam Neely got pretty defensive when asked about it during Wednesday’s end-of-season press conference.

Here’s the exchange between Neely and The Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont:

Dupont: “Question on drafting and development, neither of them have really been up to expectations in my opinion.”

Neely: “Can you just elaborate on that, Kevin?”

Dupont: “The drafting?”

Neely: “Yep. Where we’ve picked, who we’ve picked and how it’s turned out.”

Dupont: “Well, where you’ve picked is not a lot of top 10 picks.”

Neely: “Not a lot of first-round picks.”

Dupont: “But ultimately, are those draft picks, have they developed and come on line the way you’ve wanted? If that’s the case, fine.”

Neely: “Well, obviously, you want to hit on all of your picks. The work the scouts do over the course of a year, they put in a lot of time and effort, they understand the players as best they can. We get the information from the scouts. Don ultimately ends up making the picks with information he gets from the scouts throughout the year.

“But I think our drafting and developing, the narrative there is a little off. And it’s been going on for quite some time. It goes back to 2015. In 2015, it was really unfair to Don. By the time Don got hired it was late May, the draft was late June. He probably wasn’t thinking about being the general manager at the time.

“What Don did leading up to the draft to make the acquisitions he did with those picks, to get those three picks, I thought was really good. Then Don was trying to move up in the draft and it didn’t work out.

“What we should have done, looking back, we should have taken some time out and said, ‘OK guys, let’s regroup here. We didn’t move up. We’ve got three picks in a row.’ I think it was very new for everybody. We stood backstage for those three picks. What we should have done was get back to our table and say, ‘Are we OK with our list?’

“These are things you try to learn from. Other picks after that, I think we’ve got a number of players, not necessarily with the Boston Bruins, that we have drafted that have played NHL hockey games. We have traded some of the picks and prospects to try and improve our club to win the Stanley Cup.

“The narrative — we’re not hitting on all our draft picks. No one is. You pick in the top 10, you better hit. We haven’t done that in quite some time. Have we been perfect? No. Can we be better? Yes.”

Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The lack of accountability from Neely and Sweeney at this press conference as it relates to the franchise’s drafting and player development should concern Bruins fans.

Neely’s excuse that the Bruins haven’t picked in the first round much recently is pretty unsatisfying.

One of the biggest reasons why the Bruins have traded away so many first-round picks is because they can’t draft and develop good players on a consistent basis. When that happens, you have roster weaknesses that must be addressed at the trade deadline. And how do you fix those issues at the trade deadline? By trading away draft picks.

And when you don’t have those picks, it’s hard to draft good players. It’s like a vicious cycle.

Neely also noting “where we’ve drafted” didn’t make sense, either. So, good players can’t be found outside the first round? Or outside the top 10?

In 2021, the Bruins picked forward Fabian Lysell at No. 21 overall. Two picks later, the Dallas Stars took Wyatt Johnston. In 2017, the Bruins selected defenseman Urho Vaakanainen at No. 18 overall. Two picks later, the St. Louis Blues took forward Rob Thomas. There were two top-six forwards on the board in the range Boston picked in both of those drafts and the front office missed on both.

The 2015 draft conversation also won’t die. While it does get tiring to talk about it over and over, the reality is it was a major blunder by the franchise.

Not being able to trade up in 2015 shouldn’t have been a major setback. The three players selected after Boston’s three picks were Mathew Barzal (top-six center), Kyle Connor (one of the league’s best goal scorers) and Thomas Chabot (top-four defenseman). It was all there for the Bruins to get three impact players, and they came away with zero.

You could argue the Bruins could have won the the Stanley Cup in 2019 and 2023 (and maybe other years) if they took Barzal and/or Connor. If they drafted Connor, they probably don’t have to give up a first-round pick (and more assets) to trade for Rick Nash in 2018.

The Bruins have picked in Round 1 in just three of the last seven drafts. They’ve made just three second-round picks in the last seven drafts. The last time they picked in the first two rounds of the same draft was 2017. This path is not sustainable. The Bruins need to fully commit to building their prospect pool and developing the next wave of franchise pillars.

After trading away so many veteran players at the March 7 trade deadline and stockpiling a bunch of draft picks as a result — four first-rounders and five second-rounders in the next three drafts — it will be fascinating to watch how they use this capital.

Will they trade some of these picks for immediate help? Charlie Jacobs, Neely and Sweeney all said or hinted at the notion that if healthy, and with upgrades this summer, the Bruins can be in the playoffs next season.

That’s great, but if this team actually wants to win the Stanley Cup in the near- or long-term, the drafting and developing has to improve. Throwing money at free agents and gutting the farm system/draft capital to address major roster issues isn’t a way to build a perennial winner.

And if that means the 2025-26 season doesn’t go well and you get another lottery pick, so be it. The Bruins don’t need to go through a Buffalo Sabres or Chicago Blackhawks type of rebuild where it’s a prolonged period of bad hockey.

They just need to reset a bit.

Ridly Greig stood before Anthony Stolarz and received a few chops and shoves before getting knocked down by the towering goaltender shortly after.

It's been a series of physicality for the goaltender, who, after Tuesday's 3-2 overtime win, has a .934 save percentage, the third-best among goaltenders during the playoffs.

Greig drove the net hard and barreled into Stolarz during Toronto's Game 1 win. But when the Senators forward planted his skates in front of Stolarz on Tuesday, the goaltender was having none of it.

"It was just caught up in the heat of the battle. Just one of those things that, it didn’t matter. I didn’t even know who it was," Stolarz said post-game. "It’s just one of those, you’re in the heat of the moment, and it is what it is."

Stolarz remembered the collision from Game 1 pic.twitter.com/ZI3xTXDlS0

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 23, 2025

It's not the first time, and likely not the last, that Stolarz gets into it with an opponent who stands their ground in front of him. "I’ve taken quite a few penalties in my day," he grinned.

"I’ve known Stollie for a long time, and I’ve seen that in junior, too. He’s a big man. He sticks up for himself," said Mitch Marner, who played with Stolarz on the OHL's London Knights.

"We Stayed With It': Maple Leafs Halt Senators' Comeback Bid To Take 2-0 Series LeadMax Domi scored the overtime winner as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven series on Tuesday. 

That mix-up might've been the most comedic part of the night. However, it won't be overshadowed by his strong play throughout Game 2, where he only allowed two goals on 28 shots.

He's been through a lot this season: getting more games than ever in the NHL and having knee surgery in mid-December, which cost him nearly two months. Stolarz came back from that and didn't miss a beat.

‘He’s Ready To Go’: Craig Berube All But Confirms Maple Leafs Goaltender Anthony Stolarz As Game 1 Starter Ahead Of Battle Of OntarioThe Toronto Maple Leafs held their first full skate of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Saturday, a day before the puck drops for Game 1 against the Ottawa Senators. While head coach Craig Berube didn’t officially name his starting goaltender for Game 1, his words left little doubt, with all signs pointing to Anthony Stolarz getting the nod. 

He's backstopping the Maple Leafs as they take a 2-0 series lead to Ottawa.

"He's just getting going in pro. You go through your career, how he went through it, kind of always was like the backup, but not a starter, and still a valuable position," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said.

"He's coming off a very good season last year and won a Stanley Cup. He came in this year wanting to be a starter, and I know it was a shared net for the most of the year. I think a lot of the reason for that was we had two guys that have not played a significant amount of games throughout the season. I like the combination of both of them, but he's been excellent all year."

Stolarz left Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday evening with four goals against through two games against the Senators. Part of that was because of how the Maple Leafs played in front of him, though his calm play also played a key role.

'He Made Big Saves': How Anthony Stolarz Won Game 1 Of The Goalie Battle Against Senators' Linus UllmarkAnthony Stolarz showed up and showed out against the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of the Battle of Ontario, which the Toronto Maple Leafs won commandingly, 6-2.

Most of what the 31-year-old has learned about playoff hockey came from getting a front-row seat to Sergei Bobrovsky's run with the Florida Panthers last spring.

"Last year, being able to be behind Bob and see how he conducted his day-to-day routine and what it took to prepare, and sit next to him in the locker room and just speak to him, I think that went pretty far for me," Stolarz said.

"I’m just trying to take all that experience from last year and roll it over to this year."

Stolarz flashes leather pic.twitter.com/T0vYFIcEY7

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 23, 2025

Clearly, what he's learned is working for him.

Before the playoffs began, Stolarz admitted he's not like other goaltenders, or in his words, the "weirdo." Stolarz likes to be around his teammates off the ice. However, when it comes down to business, he wants to win.

It's been a long road for the goaltender. He's a playoff starter in his ninth NHL season. Stolarz is enjoying the ride. The next stop: Ottawa for a crucial Game 3 of the Battle of Ontario.

"You obviously want your opportunity [to be a starter], but at the end of the day, I’m playing in the NHL. I like to have fun out there," said Stolarz. "I like to enjoy the moment with everyone on the team. We’ll enjoy this one tonight, but tomorrow, right back to work."

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

One thing that Montreal Canadiens’ fans have to be noticing is the magical year that Washington Capitals star, Alex Ovechkin is having. I’m afraid his two-goal game is just the tip of the iceberg.

That playoff overtime goal was the first of his illustrious career. That’s hard to believe since he’s played for so long and he has a Stanley Cup ring - - but here we are. Now, I think the Canadiens have to game plan more for stopping Ovechkin.

You have to try and keep Ovechkin on the outside. His stamina isn’t what it used to be so make him skate more. The Canadiens’ best defense might be holding on to the puck more than they did. That’s a total team effort that could pay dividends.

After looking at NHL Edge stats, I would boost Mike Matheson and Alexandre Carrier’s minutes and pull back a lot of Jayden Struble and some from Lane Hutson. And use David Savard less at the beginning of games and more from the second period on. There may be a way to give him a few more minutes but have him out there in key spots for his experience even though he has slowed down.

The Canadiens’ are playing with house money but that doesn’t mean that they can’t put a scare into the Capitals while gaining valuable playoff experience. Ovechkin is the Capitals best player once again and Montreal needs to play him tighter. I felt like he was able to roam free at times and that’s just dangerous.

It all comes down to this: the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Every team either suffers immense heartbreak or incredible joy.

The Colorado Avalanche knows about the incredible joy, after all, they recently won the Cup in 2022. However, this is a different year, marked by distinct challenges and new personnel.

Bookmark The Hockey News Colorado Avalanche team site so you never miss the latest news, game day coverage, and information on the Avalanche players.

One of those new faces is going to be a key piece for the Avalanche’s success.

Martin Necas was the big piece coming back in the Mikko Rantanen trade. To say that things have gone well since his acquisition is certainly an understatement.

Trending Colorado Avalanche Stories

'I Can't Say Enough': Jared Bednar Praises Avalanche GM For New Additions“All the pieces, including depth pieces, serve a purpose.”

Avalanche's Makar Is Potential Witness In Hockey Canada Trial

Colorado Avalanche Lineup Tonight: Colton, Landeskog

Prospect Jacob MacDonald Announced As AHL Award Winner

Zakhar Bardakov: What The Avalanche Have In New Prospect

Former Avalanche Goalie Will Be Free Agent

'Now It's All Business': Mikko Rantanen, Ex-Avalanche Forward, On Facing Old Team

A Round One Schedule for the Stanley Cup Playoffs is HereNHL Public Relations announced the full schedule for games 1-4 of round one for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Thursday morning. Dates for games 5-7 were also announced with times listed as TBD, meaning they will be announced once or if they become necessary.

After the trade, the Czech forward scored 28 points in 30 games while playing 20:30 a night. Necas found a home alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen. That line was able to dominate the fancy stats (63.1 Corsi For Percent) and out-score the opposition whenever they were on the ice (13-4).

The Avalanche will need that magic in the postseason.

This is why Necas is the Avalanche’s X-Factor for this playoff run. MacKinnon has been his usual self through two games, amassing three goals and one assist for four points total. But, the Avalanche are going to need more than their (assumed) Hart Trophy Finalist to win the Stanley Cup. They definitely need more to make it past the Dallas Stars in the opening playoff round.

Necas currently has one assist in two playoff games. Jack Drury, Ryan Lindgren, and Logan O’Connor all have more points than he does. He’s going to have to step up his game on the offensive side of the puck to become an X-Factor for the Avalanche.

With Game 3 scheduled for Wednesday night, fans will see if tonight is the night that Necas kicks things into high gear for the Avalanche.

Add us to your Google News favorites and never miss a story.

This campaign had no shortage of surprises. Not many people would have accurately predicted that the Rangers and Bruins would both miss the playoffs after finishing 2023-24 with 114 and 109 points, respectively. Nor was Mikko Rantanen being traded -- twice -- on many people's bingo cards. Lane Hutson tying for the fifth-most points (66) in NHL history among rookie defensemen, surpassing greats like Ray Bourque (65), Chris Chelios (64) and Nicklas Lidstrom (60), was also something to behold.

NHL 2025-26: Bold Predictions and Surprises in the Upcoming Season

Although the regular season only just ended, let's have some fun by making bold predictions about what 2025-26 might feature.

Minnesota Wild Poised for Western Conference Dominance

The Wild squeaked into the playoffs this season with a 45-30-7 record, which is quite the accomplishment given that the centerpiece of their offense, Kirill Kaprizov, missed half the campaign, and they had a significantly smaller usable cap ceiling than the rest of the league due to the lingering impact of buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.

A healthy Kaprizov alone would go a long way towards changing their fortunes. He played in 34 of Minnesota's first 35 games, and over that span, the Wild went 21-10-4 while generating an acceptable 2.94 goals per game. By contrast, when Kaprizov played in just three of 43 matches from Dec. 27-April 6, Minnesota went 21-19-3 and managed only 2.47 goals per game.

Of course, being that dependent on one player is a problem, but the Wild should be able to give him some significant help over the summer. Suter and Parise's buyouts combined to cost the Wild $14.74 million in dead cap space in 2024-25. Next season, that will dip to just $1.67 million. Combine that with the projected increase in the cap, and the Wild should have about $20.6 million in additional cap space to play this summer, per PuckPedia. Minnesota will need to lock up RFA Marco Rossi, who had 24 goals and 60 points across 82 appearances in the 2024-25 regular season, but outside of that, the Wild don't have any major players on expiring contracts, so they can afford to be aggressive on the trade and UFA markets.

The timing of this newfound wealth is also ideal. The team's core forwards of Kaprizov, Rossi and Matt Boldy, as well as starting goaltender Filip Gustavsson, are all in or approaching their prime. Meanwhile, key defenseman Brock Faber will be entering his third full NHL campaign. That combination suggests that the Wild are beginning a window of serious contention, and a big move or two over the offseason could be what pushes them over the edge.

Offensive Surge: Predicting Two 100-Point Defensemen in NHL

In the history of the league, there have been only 15 examples of a defenseman recording at least 100 points, with the most recent being Erik Karlsson in 2022-23. There has never been a time when two blueliners achieved that feat in the same campaign -- not even in the high-scoring 1980s and early 1990s.

Still, we're witnessing something of a golden age for offensive defensemen. Cale Makar is one of the best blueliners to ever play in terms of scoring production, so although he hasn't hit the 100-point mark in the past, no one would be shocked if he reached that mark in his upcoming age-27 season.

He's not the only one who has a shot of reaching that milestone, though. If Quinn Hughes can stay healthy, he's also a serious candidate to do it.

Having Hughes and Makar both achieve that feat is by far the most likely path to getting two 100-point defensemen in the same campaign -- although, when talking about a scenario as extreme as this, the word "likely" is being used generously -- but there are a few other defensemen who have a chance of picking up the slack with a career year if one of the two falls short.

If the Rangers rebound and Adam Fox stays healthy, then he has a chance of finding another level after surpassing the 70-point mark three times. Although Evan Bouchard took a step back in the 2024-25 regular season with 67 points compared to his previous 82, the Oilers blueliner has the potential to hit a new personal best in his age-26 campaign, especially if Edmonton's power play is kicked up a notch after finishing 12th (23.7 percent) this season.

Roman Josi and Victor Hedman seem less likely to have that kind of historic season given that they're in their mid-30s, but both are still high-end blueliners, so you never know.

Ultimately, that's what drives my fascination with this particular scenario: There are just a lot of candidates right now who, while not probable to hit the 100-point mark, are at least within the realm of possibility, so to have two of them accomplish it in the same campaign is far from impossible.

The Nashville Predators Will Finish With 100+ Points

Although a Predators rebound is far from a safe bet, it does feel meaningfully tamer than my previous pick. Still, I couldn't help myself. Nashville was one of the most interesting stories of 2024-25, adding two talented scorers over the offseason in Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, only to see the team's offense completely collapse -- the Predators scored just 2.59 goals per game in 2024-25, down from 3.24 in the previous regular season -- resulting in a 30-44-8 record. There is reason for some cautious optimism, though. Per Moneypuck, Nashville finished with a goals-for above expected of -52.11. What that suggests is that part of the Predators' problem might have been exceptionally bad puck luck. Their goals-for above expected was by far the worst in the league, and the worst of any team since the 2015-16 Maple Leafs, which finished at -62.52. In terms of xGoals, the Predators finished 2024-25 with 264.11, which was good for 10th place.

Even taking a step back from that, it's not unreasonable to believe this core is capable of rebounding. Stamkos and Marchessault each recorded 13 points across Nashville's opening 28 games, and those slow starts from two important players are part of what snowballed the Predators into such a bad campaign. However, that duo was adjusting to a new environment after long stints with their previous teams -- that's especially true for Stamkos, who spent his first 16 seasons with Tampa Bay -- and that might have impacted those early-season results. At this point, they've settled in, though, so when given the opportunity for a clean slate in 2025-26, they're likely to perform better.

It's also reasonable to believe that we could see better from goaltender Juuse Saros, who finished 2024-25 with a 20-31-6 record, 2.98 GAA and .895 save percentage. While there is some cause for concern here -- Saros' 2023-24 regular season was better, but also a mixed bag -- he has shown in the past that he can be an elite netminder. Goaltenders also tend to have more extreme ups and downs than skaters -- just look at Sergei Bobrovsky's career -- and while that can be frustrating, it also gives room for cautious optimism after rough times.

Cautious optimism is a good phrase in general for the Predators because when you combine those factors with the hope of a healthier Roman Josi, there is certainly a path available to a bounce-back campaign.

The End of the Penguins' Greatest Era

Your mileage may vary on whether you view this as unlikely enough to be considered bold. After all, Evgeni Malkin will turn 39 in July and is entering the final season of his contract, so his retirement in the summer of 2026 wouldn't stun many. Still, I can't help but make special note of it after the trio of Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang have played together for the better part of two decades.

I'll make things a little bit bolder by adding some meat to the scenario: All three of them open 2025-26 together, meaning that none were traded over the summer. Pittsburgh does fine, but not quite good enough to be anything more than a wild-card hopeful. By the trade deadline, the first domino falls: Letang, having been asked to waive his no-trade clause, is moved. Crosby won't be happy, but he'll press forward with the Penguins. Malkin, who is a little older than Crosby and has shown his age more -- although that's not much of a knock given that almost everyone shows their age more than Crosby -- will opt to either call it a career or conclude his playing days in the KHL after he finishes 2025-26 with Pittsburgh.

Crosby will still be with the team for 2026-27 as one of the final remnants of an amazing era of Penguins hockey. That campaign, a younger Penguins team, through a combination of fresh signings brought on by expired contracts and prospects making an increasing impact, will see some great progress. On the point of prospects: Pittsburgh has six picks in the top three rounds for the 2025 NHL Draft and already possesses an additional five for 2026, so the Penguins have a lot to work with going forward.

Barring a storybook turn of events, Crosby has won his final Stanley Cup as a player with Pittsburgh, but before his career ends, he'll likely see the promising start of a new era for the franchise.

The Ottawa Senators are heading back to the nation's capital empty-handed, and it figures that Tie Domi’s son would eventually emerge as a factor in the Battle of Ontario.

3:09 into overtime, Max Domi's shot from the high slot went off the goalpost and in, beating Linus Ullmark and the Senators, 3-2. With the victory, Toronto takes a strong 2-0 series lead.

Ullmark stopped 18 of 21 Toronto shots on the night, while Anthony Stolarz made 26 of 28 saves. Ottawa got goals from Brady Tkachuk and Adam Gaudette. John Tavares had a goal and an assist for the Leafs, while Morgan Rielly had the other goal.

It was a much more disciplined effort from the Senators, who gave the Leafs only one power play on the night.

In regulation, the two clubs each swapped goals that weren't exactly the highlight reel variety.

For the second straight game, the Leafs grabbed a 2-0 first-period lead. The first goal came off a nice pass off the half-boards from William Nylander. Nylander out-hustled Thomas Chabot to find a passing lane, then hit Morgan Rielly at the far post. Drake Batherson was able to take Rielly's stick away, but Rielly redirected the puck into the net with his skate to make it 1-0.

Tavares made it 2-0 on the power play. His shot was stopped by Ullmark, but the puck then banked in off Nick Jensen and into the net. 

The Sens did seem to get their feet under them after that and played an excellent second period, where they outshot the Leafs 13-3 and led in shot attempts 33-7. Tkachuk got the only goal of the second period when his centering pass deflected in off of Brandon Carlo’s skate to cut Toronto's lead in half.

While the Senators launched a shooting gallery at Stolarz in the second period, their first shot of the third period didn't come until just over 5 minutes left in regulation. It was a goal by Adam Gaudette, who tipped home a shot from the point over the right shoulder of Stolarz. The Leafs bench feverishly reviewed their replay monitors in hopes of challenging the goal for a missed offside. No luck.

That took the game to overtime, where it was decided just over 3 minutes in. On one ill-fated shift, the Senators' poise went right out the window.

Toronto's Simon Benoit grabbed the puck inside his own blue line and sprinted up the right wing on what turned out to be a 2-on-4 rush as the rest of the Leafs made a line change. Max Domi came along for the ride and accepted a drop pass from Benoit. Domi went right through Dylan Cozens and then right through Batherson, who both overcommitted and failed to take the body.

Then, with Chabot backing up too far to cover anyone, he and Benoit appeared to serve as the perfect screen. Domi then put one in off the post to win it.

Despite being down 0-2 now in the series, Senators head coach Travis Green was deadly calm in his post game availability, which set a fine example for his troops. He says there is no reason to panic.

"I think first of all, a lot of our guys haven't played a lot of playoff hockey,” Green said. “They haven't lost a playoff game in that way either. We talked about that quickly. I talked about earlier today that we had to play better. I really like the way we played tonight. A big step as a group. Looking forward to the next game.

“We came on the road, played two road games. Like someone said earlier, we probably deserved a better fate tonight. But that's part of playoff hockey, and we've said it all year: we don't get too far ahead of ourselves. We don't look behind. We worry about the next game, and if you do that, good things happen."

The Senators now face a near must-win situation on Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre as the series shifts to Ottawa for Games 3 and 4.

Max Domi scored the overtime winner as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven series on Tuesday. 

For a while, it looked like the Leafs were going to steamroll the Senators after scoring twice on their first four shots on goal for the second consecutive game. However, the Senators hung on and dominated the second period, which led to their first goal of the game from Brady Tkachuk.

The third period saw the Leafs play tighter defensively as they tried to hand on to the one-goal lead. But Senators forward Adam Gaudette deflected a shot past Toronto goaltender Anthony Stolarz to tie the game and force overtime.

It didn't take long before Max Domi scored the winner at 3:09. Toronto is 10-0 all-time in the best-of-seven series, where they won the first two games at home.

After the game, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube broke down the flow of the game.

"Yeah, it was great to see that goal by Max. Obviously a great play. (Simon) Benoit made a great play on it," Berube said. "But first period was really good. I liked our start a lot, came out playing on our toes, and got through our forecheck. We were aggressive. We got a good lead, our power play came through again. Second period I thought that they were the better team. We didn't make plays, we kind of looked like we were just protecting the lead a little bit and didn't make enough plays. Didn't advance and get to the offensive zone enough. Took a couple of penalties. And third period was fine. We were in good shape. The goal was the first shot we gave up in the third period. We were playing the right way and doing the right thing. It was a mistake and mistakes happen. We stayed with it and ended up getting the win."

In addition, Berube addressed:

* The change in Morgan Rielly's game (he scored Toronto's first goal of the game).

* Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz' performance (26-save performance)

* Why the Leafs elected not to challenge the Gaudette goal after mulling it over.

* The impact of Pontus Holmberg and his ability to draw penalties (leading to John Tavares' power-play goal that made it 2-0 Toronto)

Q: What have you seen different from Morgan Rielly that has allowed him to perform in the way he has? (one goal t

I don't think it's different in the playoffs than the last 20 games, I would say, or so, where he is up in the play more like I talked about. Playing with (Brandon) Carlo, I think he feels very comfortable with his partner. They got a good chemistry together and I think that he's freed up a little bit to do his thing offensively.

Q: Max looks like he's been putting in extra work. Good to see a goal like that pay off for him?

Yeah, he still works hard. I mean, he's always trying to improve and get better and work with people, skill guys, and practice and stuff like that. And I feel very good. I feel very happy for him to get a goal. It's a big goal, obviously, and it's a great feeling to score one of those. I've got a couple. *laughs* I'm very happy for him. He's a hard worker. I thought he had a good game tonight overall. You know, he was skating. I always say when Max skates and attacks, he's on his game.

Q: You've know Anthony his whole career. What are the lessons for a goalie who has waited this long to get his shot and see it pay off?

Yeah, I had him at the start of his career in Philly. He's just getting going in pro. You go through your career, how he went through it. Kind of always was like the backup, but, you know, not a starter. And still a valuable position. Ge's coming off a very good season last year and won him a Stanley Cup and he came in this year, wanting to be a starter. And I know it was a shared net for the most of the year. I think, you know, a lot of the reason for that was we had two guys that have not played a significant amount of games throughout the season. So I like the combination of both of them, but, you know, he's been excellent all year. I mean he got injured there, coming back from the injury, he took him a bit to establish himself again. But he's doing the job for us now.

'He Made Big Saves': How Anthony Stolarz Won Game 1 Of The Goalie Battle Against Senators' Linus UllmarkAnthony Stolarz showed up and showed out against the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of the Battle of Ontario, which the Toronto Maple Leafs won commandingly, 6-2.

Q: What did you make of Anthony sticking up for himself and take a roughing penalty?

I mean, I think it gets annoying after a while, right? And I've seen that with goalies before. I really don't have a problem with it.

Q: What was the conversation on the bench like of Ottawa's second goal?

Oh the tying goal? Well Stutzle's coming in, you know, he's not over the blue (line) the other way yet. And the puck just fired in and it looks like it hit him. We couldn't really identify that immediately, so call timeout so our video guys can take a little bit more time to look at it, but we made the decision that it did not hit him.

Q: Pontus draws a penalty. Can you talk about the little things he's done in this series?

He draws a lot of penalties. He's very good at that. One of the best. I think, like I said, I talked about Pontus and to me his game has gone to another level in the last 20 or so where he's way more aggressive. He has the ability to hang on to pucks and keep pucks and win battles and things like that. But for me, the skating part of it has gotten to another level where he's not waiting to be safe or, you know, he's just going now. Skating. I thought he had a real good game tonight. He was strong on things in the corner, helping out, battling, doing a lot of good things. He was at the net most of the night too for that line, which is important.

Q: You've been through a lot as a coach. How frustrating does it get when you go through stretches where it looks like your team stops playing?

Yeah, and I thought in a second, like I said, we stopped skating and watched a little bit and stopped making plays. It is frustrating, but at the same time as a coach, you've got to, you know, we're asking our players to be composed. I've got to be composed too. Talk to them about things, try to motivate them a little bit on the bench and get them going again, get them skating again. It was a funny period because it was a lot of different matchups going on and whistles and penalties. We had a couple penalties, so, you know, there's certain guys that don't hit the ice and they get out of rhythm a little bit. So we definitely got to play better in the second period.

'I Don't Know How Much Of A Wrestling Match It Was': Maple Leafs React to Brad Marchand and Pontus Holmberg's Scuffle in Game 5 Against BruinsHolmberg and Marchand got into a scuffle during the third period of Game 5 before the Bruins' forward was taken down by one of the officials.

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

There were plenty of fireworks during Game 1 between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Receiving a boost from the return of Matthew Tkachuk to the lineup, Florida scored early and often, taking down the Lightning 6-2 Tuesday night at Amalie Arena.

It didn’t take long for the Panthers to get things going.

Sam Bennett picked up the puck in Florida’s zone and quickly moved it up the ice, where Mackie Samoskevich eventually poked it into Tampa’s zone along the boards.

The rookie quickly collected the puck and sent a saucer pass toward the net, where Bennett was quickly heading, and the veteran deflected the pass from the rookie to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead at the 3:44 mark.

Playing in his first Panthers game since early February, Matthew Tkahcuk took the game’s first penalty. It was a roughing call on a hit on Nikita Kucherov that was more than questionable, especially during the playoffs.

Florida nearly killed it off but a late faceoff led to Jake Guentzel plucking a Kucherov rebound from the side of the net and quickly dangling it behind Sergei Bobrovsky to tie the game at one.

Another deflection goal would give the Panthers their second lead of the game. This time it was Dmitry Kulikov sending a wrist shot toward the net that Sam Reinhart redirected past Andrei Vasilevskiy with just 44 seconds left in the opening period.

A great shift by the Anton Lundell line led to Florida’s third goal of the game.

Pinning the Lightning deep in their zone, Bennett came flying off the bench and forced a turnover along the boards. The puck was picked up by Brad Marchand, and after his shot was stopped by Vasilevskiy, Nate Schmidt came barreling down the slot and poked in the loose puck.

Tampa Head Coach Jon Cooper challenged the play for goalie interference, but after a quick review the goal was deemed good, and Florida was given a power play for the failed challenge.

It took only 14 seconds for the Panthers to make Tampa pay.

Reinhart found Tkachuk all alone in front of the net, and he showed off his soft hands, dangling around Vasilevskiy to give Florida a sudden and commanding 4-1 lead.

A questionable hit by Emil Lilleberg on Anton Lundell put the Panthers back on the power play, and once again it was Tkachuk beating Vasilevskly to pump Florida’s lead to four.

Just over three minutes later, Brayden Point one-timed a nice pass from Ryan McDonagh past Bobrovsky’s blocker to trim Florida’s lead by one.

Florida’s third power play of the game would lead to their third power play goal.

A perfectly placed wrist shot by Schmidt from the point beat Vasilevskiy over the glove, restoring the Cats’ four-goal lead just over five minutes into the final frame.

On to Game 2.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Two goals and an assist for Tkachuk in his first game in over two months. The three points match his playoff career high.

Bennett’s goal was his first since March 28 against Utah.

Reinhart picked up where he left off after finishing the regular season with seven goals in 12 games.

Bobrovsky finished with 20 saves, including on six of Tampa’s seven high danger shots.

Florida’s two goals in 14 seconds during the second period were the fastest two goals scored in Panthers playoff history.

Schmidt’s goals were the eighth and ninth he’s scored during the Stanley Cup Playoffs over 77 postseason games.

The Panthers improved to 20-0 when leading after two periods during the playoffs under Paul Maurice.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Matthew Tkachuk removed from Injured Reserve ahead of Game 1 in Tampa

Florida betting trends leaning toward Tampa Bay despite Panthers being favored

Panthers full of 'excitement and energy' ahead of Game 1 in Tampa

Matthew Tkachuk continues trending toward Game 1 return as Panthers travel to Tampa

Panthers taking full advantage of late start to Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Nashville Predators reassigned forward Fedor Svechkov and defenseman Marc Del Gaizo to the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals Monday. The pair started the 2024-25 season in Milwaukee and now return to aid the Admirals in their quest for the Calder Cup.

Milwaukee won the AHL’s Central Division for the second consecutive season with a record of 40-21-5-6 (91 points), earning their fifth straight trip to the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Central Division semifinals begin May 1, when the Admirals will take on on the winner of the best-of-three Central Division first round series between Chicago and Rockford.

Svechkov is coming off his first season of NHL action, in which he recorded 17 points in 52 games for the Predators. Nashville's first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, Svechkov was thrust into a larger role once the team traded Tommy Novak to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the deadline.

Del Gaizo was eligible for reassignment after clearing waivers last week. He appeared in 46 games for Nashville this season, and brief demotion to the Admirals in early March made him eligible to play for them in the postseason.

Del Gaizo is eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer as a player with at least three professional seasons and fewer than 80 career NHL games while also being 25 years old. It's unclear whether he will be back with the Predators next season, but the team's recent signing of Andreas Englund to a one-year, $775,000 contract makes it seem unlikely.