Former Sharks Players To Cheer For In The 2025 Playoffs

© Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

With the 2024-25 NHL playoffs underway and the San Jose Sharks preparing for their summer, there are a few former Sharks you may want to cheer for.

Here is a list of players you may want to keep a close eye on.

  • Brent Burns: Carolina Hurricanes
  • Brenden Dillion: New Jersey Devils
  • Timo Meier: New Jersey Devils
  • Joe Pavelski: Dallas Stars
  • Cody Ceci: Dallas Stars
  • Mikael Grandlund: Dallas Stars
  • Fabian Zetterlund: Ottawa Senators
  • Mackenzie Blackwood: Colorado Avalanche
  • Nico Sturm: Florida Panthers
  • Vitek Vanecek: Florida Panthers
  • Jonah Godjovich: Florida Panthers
  • Jake Middleton: Minnesota Wild
  • Gustav Nyquist: Minnesota Wild
  • Dylan DeMelo: Winnipeg Jets
  • Adin Hill: Vegas Golden Knights
  • Tomas Hertl: Vegas Golden Knights
  • Steven Lorentz: Toronto Maple Leafs
  • Ty Emberson: Edmonton Oilers
  • Jake Walman: Edmonton Oilers
  • Evander Kane: Edmonton Oilers
  • Kyle Burroughs: Los Angeles Kings
Sharks' Ryan Warsofsky Named Team USA Head Coach At 2025 WorldsSharks' Ryan Warsofsky Named Team USA Head Coach At 2025 WorldsSan Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky has been named the head coach for Team USA at the 2025 IIHF World Championship.

With the 2024-25 NHL playoffs underway and the San Jose Sharks preparing for their summer, there are a few former Sharks you may want to cheer for.

There are 21 former players in the playoffs who have played at least one game for San Jose. On a technicality, Charlie Coyle was drafted by the Sharks in the 2010 NHL Draft. Also worth noting is Vladislav Namestnikov, who was briefly part of the organization before the 2023 Trade Deadline, but like Coyle, never played a game.

Which team will you be cheering for?

Sharks Sign College FA Noah Beck To ELCSharks Sign College FA Noah Beck To ELCThe San Jose Sharks are signing one of the top college free agents, Noah Beck, out of Arizona State University. Sharks Sign 2022 2nd-Round Pick To ELCSharks Sign 2022 2nd-Round Pick To ELCThe San Jose Sharks have announced the signing of 2022 second-round pick Cameron Lund.

Kraken's Dismissal Of Coach Bylsma Is Another Reason Sabres Should Be Firing Bench Boss Lindy Ruff

Dan Bylsma (Matt Blewett, USA TODAY Images)

The NHL's coaching carousel continued spinning like crazy Monday, with the Seattle Kraken firing bench boss Dan Bylsma after only one year on the job. The Kraken/Bylsma news followed the news this past weekend that the New York Rangers dismissed Peter Laviolette, and that the Anaheim Ducks are moving on from Greg Cronin after only two years.

Bylsma probably should've been given more time to implement his vision for the Kraken, but the coaching business is not a fair one. That said, from a Buffalo Sabres perspective, the slew of coaching changes only make it clearer -- Lindy Ruff should've been fired the day the regular-season came to an end. And every day that Ruff remains employed as Sabres coach is more reason to be cynical about Buffalo management's chances to turn the ship around.

It doesn't matter that Ruff's latest tenure running the Sabres' bench only began on April 22, 2024. Clearly, if Bylsma can be terminated after leading the Kraken to a 35-41-6 record, Ruff can be let go in the wake of a 36-39-7 mark. And here's the bigger problem: unless Buffalo fires Ruff very soon, they're not going to have their pick of the coaching crop. Instead, if they choose to wait until the 2025-26 regular season begins to fire Ruff, they'll be probably going the interim coaching route and delaying someone from coming in and implementing their blueprint over the long haul.

It isn't that Ruff is now 65 years old that is cause for the Sabres to part ways with him. Older hockey lifers are still working for NHL teams around the league. The problem with Ruff is the bottom line for any coach -- wins and losses -- and there were not enough victories and too many defeats for Ruff this season. The NHL is a zero-sum business, and Ruff hasn't delivered a decent amount of wins this past season. It's that clear and straightforward of a predicament. It's been nearly a decade-and-a-half since there last were playoff games in Buffalo, and that's why nobody's job should be safe, Ruff's job included.

Now, Sabres ownership may be waiting until the future of GM Kevyn Adams becomes clearer before they choose to fire Ruff. But there is no salary cap on coaching and management in hockey's top league, and this is where Buffalo's owners have to go the extra mile to atone for missing the playoffs for the past 14 seasons. If it means paying Ruff to sit at home and wait out the remainder of his current contract, so be it. Because the alternative -- missing out on the next great bench boss, who can lead this Sabres team to finally get back into the playoffs -- is indefensible.

Ruff's legacy is not going to change if and when Buffalo fires him. He's got 1,856 regular-season games under his belt, and this past year, he won his 900th-career-game, making him only the fifth coach in NHL history to reach that plateau. However, all coaches eventually get to the end of the line -- and if Ruff isn't there right now, he can certainly see the end of the line from here.

Ruff Achieves Career Mark In Sabres Season Finale Ruff Achieves Career Mark In Sabres Season Finale The Buffalo Sabres struggles at the end of the season served to provide a bit of drama to what looked to be the inevitability of head coach Lindy Ruff reaching a notable career achievement, but after four attempts to reach career win #900, the Sabres 5-4 season finale victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday put Ruff in exclusive company.    

There's a reason NHL teams have an increasingly-quick trigger finger when it comes to letting their coaches go. You can't fire 23 players, and you can't fire ownership, so coaches bear the brunts of bad years. And by virtually every metric, the Sabres had another bad year. So keeping Ruff around isn't a choice that's likely to lead them out of this mess. They should be going with a new voice in the dressing room, and that means parting ways with Ruff A.S.A.P..

Because the longer they wait, the more they delay the inevitable. And the only people who will wind up suffering are Buffalo's players and fans.

Penguins GM Has Strong Words For Karlsson And The Rebuilding Route: 'You Can Hope In One Hand And S— In The Other'

Erik Karlsson (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas didn’t mince words when he addressed the media on Monday.

As part of Dubas’ post-season press conference, he talked about defenseman Erik Karlsson’s future with the Penguins and his view of a rebuild in Pittsburgh after a third straight season of missing the playoffs. He was direct throughout the questions and answers, including when he shared his expectations for Karlsson.

"Erik is and will forever be a polarizing figure,” Dubas said. “My view would be we expect him to be one of the people who pulls us from where we're at into contention.”

After the Penguins' season ended, the Swedish defenseman was vague about his future with the Penguins and said he “did not enjoy the last 15 games of the season.” 

He further explained that he does not look forward to missing many more playoff campaigns as he turns 35 in less than seven weeks. Karlsson made it clear he wants to play important games and make the playoffs.

“His actions have to match his ambitions,” Dubas said on Monday. He said Karlsson must be more reliable in terms of consistency. 

"He had moments of great play with too many inconsistencies,” Dubas said. “We have to push him to get here.”

However, Dubas believes in the defenseman, saying he has the tools to help this team get back to the playoff hunt.

“He showed throughout the year that he has another level to him,” the GM said.

He recalled Karlsson’s great performances for Team Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off and said he could help any team contend and win. Karlsson finished the tournament with a goal and three points in as many contests. Karlsson said the 4 Nations was as close to playoff hockey as he’s had in a while.

'We Have To Stick To A Very Concise Plan And Then Execute Our Butts Off': Dubas Clarifies Penguins' Summer Plans'We Have To Stick To A Very Concise Plan And Then Execute Our Butts Off': Dubas Clarifies Penguins' Summer PlansTo close out the 2024-25 season, Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas spoke with the Pittsburgh media on Monday.

Dubas also talked about where the Penguins stand in their “rebuild” phase. He provided a perspective of two different ways to rebuild in the NHL.

One way is to completely tear down a roster and build it back up through the draft. A little bit of luck in the draft lottery helps as well. But Dubas doesn’t plan to go down that route.

"You can hope in one hand and s--- in the other and see which one fills up first," he said.

He compared his team to the Washington Capitals, which turned around over last off-season to become one of the best in the NHL. The Pittsburgh GM highlighted what has worked for the Caps and the mix of young and old players.

“They’ve got obviously Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, John Carlson… and others that have been there. We have that here with our own high-end guys,” Dubas said. “The difference that I see between the teams is in that middle range. We don’t have Martin Fehervary and Connor McMichael, yet. We’re trying to rapidly get to that point.”

Dubas name-dropped a handful of players with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins who could make a push in training camp next season to help fill in these middle-range roles.

He highlighted Jack St. Ivany, Owen Pickering, and Harrison Brunicke as blueliners who could emerge as potential NHL players next season.

As for the forwards, he said most of those youngsters have already made appearances this season due to injuries. Those players include Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen.

Tristan Broz could make his NHL debut next season for the Penguins. The team would’ve liked for him to play for Pittsburgh earlier, but Dubas said they didn’t want his first taste of the NHL to be in meaningless games or “playing a team that’s dressing 14 forwards and four D.” Broz finished his AHL campaign with 19 goals and 37 points in 59 games. 

Dubas’ Penguins have two first-round picks in the 2025 NHL draft, a second-rounder, three third-rounders and five more picks in deeper rounds. They also have Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Karlsson and Kris Letang as some veterans signed through next season.

The Penguins had a 16-year post-season streak from 2007 to 2022. Before that, they missed the playoffs for four straight years but drafted Crosby, Malkin, Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury during that time. During this current three-year drought, their highest draft pick was Brayden Yager at 14th overall, and they traded him to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for McGroarty.

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Inside The Numbers: Penguins Netminders Compile Second Worst SV% Totals In 20 Seasons

Tristan Jarry - Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Fans across the NHL were well aware of the nightly struggles of the trio of Pittsburgh Penguins goalies, Tristan Jarry, Alex Nedeljkovic, and Joel Blomqvist. 

For the first time in 20 years, all three netminders finished the campaign with sub- .900 SV% totals, with Nedeljkovic leading the pack at .894, followed by Jarry (.892) and Blomqvist (.885). 

Collectively, the trio gave the Penguins a total .891 SV%, the lowest total since captain Sidney Crosby's rookie season, 2005-06, when Marc-Andre Fleury (.898), Sebastian Caron (.881), Jocelyn Thibault (.876), and Dany Sabourin (.714) combined for a .888 SV%. 

The 2024-25 season marked the fourth consecutive campaign that the Pittsburgh goalies witnessed a drop in SV% totals. In 2022, the last year the Penguins qualified for the playoffs, their goalies produced a .919 save percentage, which dropped to .907 in 2023 and further to .903 last year. 

Moreover, in the three seasons since their last pursuit of the Stanley Cup, the netminders have averaged a .903 SV%, which is ten points lower than their average during their 16-year playoff streak, during which they had averaged .913 annually. 

Alex Nedeljkovic and Tristan Jarry - Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Interestingly, the deeper we dig into the numbers, there's another demographic to look at, which is the 13-season tenure of Fleury, who patrolled the crease from 2003-04 to 2016-17 

In Fleury's rookie season, he played 21 games and registered a .896 SV%, while the team combined for a .893 SV%, which was still two percentage points better than the 2024-25 squad. 

Anyways, things got worse in Fleury's second season, Crosby's first, when the team set the century's lowest SV% totals with a .888 season, the only time in 25 years the team had a sub-.890 total. 

Penguins' Crosby Continues To Pace NHL In Top 10 Scoring Finishes During Salary Cap EraPenguins' Crosby Continues To Pace NHL In Top 10 Scoring Finishes During Salary Cap EraPittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby just finished his ninth 90-point campaign in the NHL, finishing as the league's 10th highest scorer, the 13th time he's accomplished that feat in 20 seasons. 

However, the Penguins became competitive immediately after, as evidenced by their 16-year playoff run, which resulted in three Stanley Cup titles in four Final appearances. 

Fleury was a significant part of that run, skating in the first 11 seasons. During his time with the Penguins, the team averaged a .910 SV% from 2004 to 2017. Meanwhile, in the eight seasons since his departure, the team's annual save percentage has dropped to .907%.

Marc-Andre Fleury and Tristan Jarry - Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Of course, there's an argument that the difference is only 0.0023 points, but those few extra saves are the difference between a win and a loss, which equals a playoff spot or a lottery draft pick.

Ultimately, general manager Kyle Dubas has some decisions to make in the upcoming offseason, and one of them is to assemble a goalie tandem that can recapture the success the Penguins had at stopping more than 90% of the shots they face, something they enjoyed annually for over 15 years. 

Inside The Numbers: Penguins' Record In Season FinalesInside The Numbers: Penguins' Record In Season FinalesThe Pittsburgh Penguins just finished their 57th season with a 34-36-12 record, missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive campaign.

Kraken Fire Dan Bylsma: Former Cup Champ Becomes Third NHL Coach To Lose Job In April

Dan Bylsma (Robert Edwards-Imagn Images)

The Seattle Kraken fired coach Dan Bylsma on Monday.

Bylsma leaves the Kraken after one season as their bench boss. The team went 35-41-6 for a .463 points percentage, the lowest since the Kraken's inaugural year in 2021-22.

“We thank Dan for his commitment and the energy he brought to our organization over the past four years at the NHL and AHL levels,” Kraken GM Ron Francis said in a statement. “After a thorough review of the season and our expectations for next year and beyond, we’ve made the difficult decision to move in a different direction behind the bench.”

The team didn't name a replacement. The Hockey News' Caroline Anne cited an ESPN report that assistant GM Jason Botterill could be promoted to GM while Francis stays on board, while Jessica Campbell, the NHL's first woman as a permanent assistant coach, is expected to remain with the team.

Bylsma replaced Dave Hakstol last season, after Hakstol had coached the team for its first three seasons. The team made it to the second round in 2022-23 but then fell out of a playoff position the following season. Bylsma got the job after guiding the AHL's Coachella Valley Firebirds to the 2023 and 2024 Calder Cup finals, losing both times to the Hershey Bears.

Bylsma has also won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009 and the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's coach of the year in 2010-11. In parts of nine seasons coached for the Penguins, Buffalo Sabres and Kraken, the 54-year-old has a career NHL coaching record of 355-231-61 in 647 games and 43-35 in the playoffs.

The NHL has now seen three teams make post-season coaching changes, with the Anaheim Ducksparting with Greg Cronin and New York Rangersfiring Peter Laviolette on April 19. The Philadelphia Flyers also fired John Tortorella on March 27 before the season ended, with Brad Shaw becoming the interim coach.

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'A Little Nervous to Start:' Travis Green Reflects on Loss, Eyes Strong Game 2 Response

On Easter Monday, Ottawa Senators head coach Travis Green didn’t sugarcoat things: he thinks his team came out nervous in Game 1.

Apr 20, 2025; Senators head coach Travis Green on the bench during game one of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

“I thought we were a little nervous to start the game,” Green admitted to the media on Monday, a day after the Senators fell 6–2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs to open their first-round NHL Eastern Conference playoff series. “Our passing wasn’t quite where it needed to be, but I thought it got better as the game went on.”

For several Senators, Sunday night in Toronto marked their first taste of NHL playoff action, and it showed in several areas – primarily with their parade to the penalty box.

The game opened with high intensity, physicality and a boisterous crowd, but the Senators were still right there, down by just one goal. Early in the second period, they missed on some great scoring chances to tie it, but then the Senators started to take costly penalties.

"Yeah, it's a fine line, Green said. "Playoff hockey is emotional, competitive. I'd like to think we have a physical team, and yet there's a fine line between crossing the line and taking penalties."

Green was more terse with the media than usual on Monday and wouldn't reveal what his next-day message to the team was.

“I’m not going to talk about my main message to our group,” he said. “That’s between us and the team, but we’re going to have to play better than we did last night.”

One area where Green may find something to build on is the club's five-on-five play. In that area, the Senators were excellent, but too often, they found themselves in the penalty box, giving Toronto multiple opportunities to strike with the man advantage.

And did they ever. The Maple Leafs were 3 for 6 on Sunday night with their three goals being scored in the first 10 seconds of each power play.

When asked about the frustrating timing of Toronto's scoring, specifically, how Toronto seemed to score immediately after each Senator goal, Green didn't buy into that. “We only scored two,” he said. “We had our looks. We got it to 2–1 and had a couple of really good looks to tie the game.”

As for any potential changes ahead of Game 2, Green didn’t tip his hand.

“There’s potential for changes every game,” he noted.

Okay, so that leaves us to speculate. Veteran winger and shift disturber Nick Cousins would seem like a good candidate to play on Tuesday. Green opted to go with Matt Highmore over Cousins in Game 1.

Green abruptness continued when a reporter asked how captain Brady Tkachuk was feeling after his first playoff game, Green gave a quick reply: “Good. Fine. Yeah."

With Game 2 set for Tuesday night at 7:30 PM in Toronto, the Senators now turn their focus to finding their footing in a series that still has a long way to go. They may have started nervous — but if Game 1 was their wake-up call, their response now becomes the lead story.

If they hope to steal one in Toronto, improvements in poise, discipline, finish, defence, and goaltending will all need to be a part of that response.

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

Matthew Tkachuk takes part in a Florida Panthers practice at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale. (Florida Panthers)

The Florida Panthers took the ice in Fort Lauderdale on Monday for a final pre-Stanley Cup Playoff practice.

Afterward, the team made the short trip up Florida's west coast to Tampa, where they face the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of their opening round playoff series on Tuesday night.

As the Panthers prepare to defend their Stanley Cup title, the big question surround the team is regarding the health status of Matthew Tkachuk.

The All-Star forward has not played in an NHL game since before February's 4 Nations Face-Off, where he suffered an apparent groin injury while representing Team USA.

Tkachuk has been skating for several weeks, and on Saturday on Monday he took part in his first full team practices with the Panthers since before his injury.

By all accounts, Tkachuk looked normal, showing no signs of an injury while skating on a line with Sam Bennett and Mackie Samoskevich.

He also took regular reps on Florida's top power play unit, along with Sasha Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Samoskevich and Seth Jones.

As long as Tkachuk continues on his path of progress and doesn't suffer any setbacks, it sounds like the plan is for him to suit up for Game 1 against the Lightning.

“He’s got to get through the morning skate tomorrow,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice after Monday's practice. “We’re still monitoring the recovery off the practice. He was out early, before we went, went through a whole practice, stayed until the end, so we’ll see how he feels coming back in tomorrow. If he feels good, and he gets through that morning skate, and everybody gives a thumbs up, then he’ll go."

It's a tough balance for the Panthers, who will want to make sure that Tkachuk is at a point where he isn't at any risk of re-injuring himself before inserting him back into the lineup, but know how much value he provides at a time where wins are at an absolute premium.

"We’re close enough now that you also put yourself in that situation where you'd consider two more days if you felt you were right there," Maurice said. "So we’ll just let the doctors and Matthew tell us where he’s at, and then we’ll go from there.”

That's where the NHL may have done the Cats a favor in giving them the latest series start time of any in the opening round.

Every other playoff series will have started, and some will have played twice, when the puck drops on Game 1 between Florida and Tampa Bay.

For Tkachuk and the Panthers, that extra time may have been just what the doctor ordered to get Florida their start back for the series opener.

But if for some reason they decide to hold him back another couple days, the team will be prepared for that, too.

“If you go back and look at the last five games, at a different time, I was running versions of all of these lines with the idea that if Matthew doesn’t play, I know exactly who is going into that hole," Maurice said. "We’ve already run that before, and the lines that it changes beneath will look exactly like a line we ran in a game that we liked. We've got a flow chart for how we'll handle this.”

Florida will hold their morning skate Tuesday at Amalie Arena, after which Maurice will again be asked about Tkachuk's status for Game 1.

One more sleep!

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'We Have To Stick To A Very Concise Plan And Then Execute Our Butts Off': Dubas Clarifies Penguins' Summer Plans

Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas speaks to the Pittsburgh media in his season-concluding press conference at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa. on Apr. 21. (Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News)

To close out the 2024-25 season, Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas spoke with the Pittsburgh media on Monday.

And if fans weren't sure about the approach that the organization plans to take this summer and beyond, Dubas seemed to clear up a few things.

After their third consecutive season of missing the playoffs, the Penguins find themselves in the midst of a rebuild. During locker cleanout day on Friday, both players and head coach Mike Sullivan expressed confidence that this team may be able to get back to contention again in a relatively quick manner.

While "returning the team to contention again as quickly as possible" remains the goal by Dubas's own admission, he also wants to pump the brakes on labeling an exact timeline for that to happen. Instead, he invoked a reassurance that the team is going to remain invested in the process of not just returning the team to playoff contention, but to Stanley Cup contention.

'I Have No Doubt This Thing's Going To Be Turned Around Quickly': After Lost Season, Penguins Optimistic About Future'I Have No Doubt This Thing's Going To Be Turned Around Quickly': After Lost Season, Penguins Optimistic About FutureFor one final time this season, the Pittsburgh Penguins gathered at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa. - this, time, for locker cleanout day.

“I think if you look at the history of these things, to go from where we’re at now all the way back to legitimate contention, I don’t equate just getting into the playoffs with being a contender," Dubas said.  "Various things happen, but I think if you look at some of the [playoff] games that have transpired already - and we’ll have the tale once the playoffs are done - that those two things are not the same."

He continued: "So, when I say ‘as urgently as possible,’ I try not to put a timeline on it because I don’t this to be a perpetual and evergreen conference where we come in and say, ‘Oh, we’re just a year or two or so away.' We’re pushing because I think that’s what the organization here is used to, what the fans want. We just have to stick to a very concise plan and then execute our butts off, that’s for sure.”

Even though he didn't want to put a timeline on anything, though, rest assured: It doesn't sound like Dubas is interested in doing a full-scale teardown, and he put it quite colorfully.

"I just think there are a number of teams in the leagues that, you know, there are two paths to go down," Dubas said. "You can go into the mass teardown rebuild and hope you get lucky with the lottery and hope that all this happens. "But you can hope in one hand and s--- in the other and see which one fills up first."

He pointed to the Washington Capitals' strategy of rebuilding and how they not only drafted well while contending, but how they also managed to keep veterans like Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, and John Carlson around and bridge that contention gap. Dubas believes that the Penguins need a few of those younger players - like Connor McMichael and Martin Fehervary - in order to execute something similar.

He stressed that the Penguins are "trying to rapidly get to that point," and that they will use their assets to try to get themselves to the point where they have all of those necessary pieces, as he believes that the Capitals are now the standard.

Mar 22, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals center Connor McMichael (24) looks on from the ice against the Florida Panthers during the first period at Capital One Arena. (Amber Searls-Imagn Images)

"They had to do one thing, we have to do two, which is fill that lack of the young 22, 23, 24, 25-year-old NHL players and also continue to build out our assets to use them to acquire and trade. Also, if you look at their team, they drafted extremely well... They're extraordinarily well-coached. I've known Spencer. We were together in Toronto.

"They're not going to go anywhere. So, we have to haul a-- and catch them because they're way ahead right now, as the standings show. But they weren't. They weren't two years ago. But they've done a great job in coaching, development, drafting. It's impressive."

In terms of what the plan is for this summer, Dubas gave a few hints as to what the organization's approach might be. He re-emphasized that the "execution" segment of their plan will kick into gear this summer, and given the assets and the cap space that the Penguins have, they may look to start setting the table for long-term contention with a few savvy moves.

Like Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipLike Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipOn Sunday, the hockey world got to witness Alexander Ovechkin - The Great “8” - surpass The Great “One” for the most goals in NHL history.

Those moves may not include big splashes in the unrestricted free agent market or the offer sheet market - Dubas stressed that the rising cap will make offer sheets easier to match for other teams - but that doesn't mean they won't look to restricted free agency.

"I think the areas that you probably would see us spend more would be acquisition by trade, and then signing players that other teams might not be able to fit," Dubas said. "I think the effect in free agency is probably going to be somewhat of a spike in salary, and so it’ll dry up the cap space rather quickly for us, and those players are mostly into that late 20-early 30 category.

"It could do two things. Number one, I think it's going to allow us to maybe trade for players that other teams can't afford that are restricted free agents, and then sign them longer range ourselves, using that cap space that way. You're signing a player that's 23-24 for seven or eight years versus going into free agency for someone who's 27 to 32 and getting them for seven years. So, I think that would be the more likely route... and the owners have been excellent there. There's no limitations on the player budget and spending. So, we need to use it in the right spot and not just say we were a cap team, but to use it towards getting us back to our goal."

Feb 27, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) moves the puck ahead of Philadelphia Flyers left wing Noah Cates (27) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

And, as Dubas has reiterated time and time again, that goal is getting the team back to legitimate contention. It remains to be seen whether players like Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell will figure into the longer-term. He did mention that one area they'd like to add to is their left defense, which has struggled mightily.

With the assets and the veterans that the Penguins have, they might just have to give up some high value in return for such a piece, being that executing in the trade market seems to be a large part of the plan. Unlike the defense corps, Dubas believes their forward and goaltending prospect pools are in a pretty good place.

If they can revamp the defensive corps and execute on some trades and draft picks to bring legitimate young players into the fold this summer, it could help expedite the process and make good on the plan to turn the team into a contender again. And Dubas knows the importance of doing that with urgency to someone like Sidney Crosby, who wasn't shy about expressing the toll that losing takes on him and the organization.

"Everything that we do is to try to get those young players around him," Dubas said. "If you have guys in the group that have won and have been a part of it, I think it can exponentially improve and expedite the team’s return to contending. I don’t know if it’s a proof of concept. I think, from my end, it’s trying to build something that can sustain itself for a long time.

"Getting those younger players who are going to be a part of that core around Sid - him helping them and them helping him - is really what the focus is. It’s really not just Sid, it goes back to the question of Bryan Rust, Karlsson, Kris Letang, Geno, Rickard Rakell, all those others that are there... they can play a role in that as well. I’m trying to do that for every one of them because I think they are high quality people. They are high-end players who can help return us to where we want to be."

‘We’ll Begin To Shift To The Execution’: With Assets Collected, Dubas Eyes The Next Phase For Penguins Hockey‘We’ll Begin To Shift To The Execution’: With Assets Collected, Dubas Eyes The Next Phase For Penguins HockeyPittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas knew that the decision to shift to the future a year ago with the Jake Guentzel trade to Carolina wasn’t going to be a popular one. 

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'A Really Good Chance To Be A Dominant Player In This Series': Wild's Matt Boldy Shines In Playoff Opener

Apr 20, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of game one of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images.

Wild forward Matt Boldy has had consistently good seasons ever since he joined the NHL. He has been a very good top-six forward for Minnesota but so far in his playoff career, Boldy hasn't been the player the Wild hoped he'd be.

His first playoff series Boldy had one goal, four penalty minutes, three hits and was a minus-one in six games. His second playoff series, he had zero goals and was a minus-five. He had five hits in six games as well. 

The question coming into the Wild's playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights was what will you get out of Boldy in this series. 

Well, if Sunday was any indication of what we will see from Boldy in this series, watch out. 

Boldy, 24, scored the Wild's only two goals in their 4-2 loss to the Golden Knights. Not only did he score two but he had six hits. 

"I thought he was very good. Obviously he had the two goals, but I just thought he was a beast on the puck and he was moving his feet," Wild head coach John Hynes said. "He played the style of game that gives him a really good chance to be a dominant player in this series, and he did a good job of that."

What likely caused this was how Boldy played for Team USA during the Four Nations Face-Off during the middle of the season. 

The young forward was one of USA's better players and was very physical as well. He used his 6-foot-2 frame to drive to the net and power his way through guys in the tournament and the hope was that would translate to the playoffs this go around. 

The result is, it did. 

Hynes was asked if Boldy maybe changed his game for the playoffs since his six hits was much higher than his career 0.64 hits per game.

"I wouldn't necessarily say I saw his game change. I think that he's played that way throughout the season," Hynes said. "I think maybe more than his game change, I think the confidence level that he has to be able to go to the Four Nations and play in that style of tournament. He was a big factor for our team with the U.S. I thought as the tournament went on, he was better and better, and his role increased as it as it went on.

"So I think the confidence in his own game and understanding what makes him an elite player and a hard guy to be able to play against, and he's doing it regularly now. So, it's good."

The Wild as a team finished with 54 hits on Sunday which was the second-highest total in Stanley Cup Playoff play in franchise history. Boldy was a big part of that. 

As Hynes said, Boldy has a chance to be a dominant player in this series and that is exactly what the Wild need if they want to even up the series on Tuesday. 

NHL Sour Rankings: What Lies Ahead For Every Non-Playoff Team

Macklin Celebrini (Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images)

The NHL is so often focused, for good reason, on the races at the top of the standings, but the NHL Sour Rankings looks at the bottom. 

With the regular season complete, we now have the final standings and can examine their NHL draft lottery odds and what they might do moving forward. 

San Jose Sharks, 20-50-12

Lottery odds: 18.5 percent
First-overall odds: 25.5 percent

The Sharks finished last in the NHL for a second straight year, which means they have the best odds for first overall once again. They won the first-overall pick last year, taking likely Calder Trophy finalist Macklin Celebrini, giving them a top-line center for the next decade and more. 

The vibes were high this year despite their unfortunate results, and that can be attributed to the success of the rookies, the fun that the team had on and off the ice and an understanding that they weren’t expected to be great this year. 

If they get another top pick, blueliner Matthew Schaefer seems like the obvious choice for San Jose. He would give them a defender to build around and slot other prospects, such as Sam Dickinson and Luca Cagnoni, into spots that better fit their skill set.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Blackhawks To Target Mitch Marner? Sharks To Shop First-Overall Pick?NHL Rumor Roundup: Blackhawks To Target Mitch Marner? Sharks To Shop First-Overall Pick?This was a difficult season for the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks. They improved marginally over their 2023-24 campaign amid concerns of growing frustration from franchise star Connor Bedard.

Chicago Blackhawks, 25-46-11

Lottery and first-overall odds: 13.5 percent

While the vibes were high in San Jose, the opposite was true for Chicago. 

Connor Bedard had 67 points this season, six more than his rookie year, but his points per game were down from 0.9 to 0.82. Frank Nazar looked good when he got into the lineup, and Artyom Levshunov had some bright moments when he got to the NHL. 

Chicago’s issue is it had so many injuries and plenty of underwhelming performances from the veterans. They just didn’t take the step they were expecting to take this year. You could see the frustration on the faces of players on a nightly basis, and the team was just down in the dumps from October to April. 

If they get the first-overall pick, pairing Michael Misa with Bedard would give them a one-two punch down the middle that opposing teams would envy, but they still need to surround them with steadying vets, something they were unable to do last summer. 

Nashville Predators, 30-44-8

Lottery and first-overall odds: 11.5 percent

No matter how many times we’ve checked in on the NHL Sour Rankings, seeing Nashville down here continues to be perplexing, at least until you watch the Predators play. They have a talented roster, and the lack of a full teardown at the deadline likely means the organization believes this season was a blip on the radar.

They won last off-season when they signed Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. They have a lot of talent with goalie Juuse Saros, left winger Filip Forsberg and defenseman Roman Josi, but getting everyone healthy and ready to go next season will be key. 

If they win the lottery, adding Misa or Schaefer would be a great addition, as they could start building the future while competing immediately next season. The Preds are a wild card going into the summer. 

Philadelphia Flyers, 33-39-10

Lottery and first-overall odds: 9.5 percent

After narrowly missing the playoffs last year, the Flyers finished last in the East this season. They did, however, bring in high-flying rookie Matvei Michkov, who lived up to expectations, reaching the 60-point plateau in his first season and delivering on the promise of a future star immediately. Management traded several former key pieces, and they have their eyes set on the future. 

They won’t have John Tortorella behind the bench because, despite the moderate success he had last season, he was outwardly frustrated with the team, which led to his firing. His rants and raves in the media were enough. 

The team is looking to usher in a new era centered around Michkov, and a top-five pick this summer would be a big piece in building toward a better future.

Pluses And Minuses: What The Flyers, Blackhawks And Bruins Must Consider With Their Interim CoachesPluses And Minuses: What The Flyers, Blackhawks And Bruins Must Consider With Their Interim CoachesThe Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks have more in common than their lackluster seasons.

Boston Bruins, 33-39-10

Lottery and first-overall odds: 8.5 percent  

As much as everyone outside of Boston seems to be enjoying the downfall of the once-strong Bruins, they moved on from the old guard and are focused on building around Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak. It also means the Bruins are slated to get a top-five pick and have a decent chance at first overall. 

If the Bruins were to draft Misa or Schaefer, they’d get a new top prospect who sets them up for another run at being a contender for a very long time. The Bruins have been a contender for over a decade, and this year was a true fall from grace, but with the players they sold and the young players coming, they shouldn’t be down here long. 

Seattle Kraken, 35-41-6

Lottery and first-overall odds: 7.5 percent  

The Kraken seem to understand where they are, and they did a good job this season of making the right moves at the deadline to help set themselves up for the future. 

They have some very solid young players, such as Matty Beniers and Shane Wright, and their prospect pool is solid, but they need a true difference-maker and a centerpiece to build around. Misa or Schaefer could be that player. The Kraken would benefit from a lottery win, but they're in a good spot to get another solid young player regardless. 

Buffalo Sabres, 36-39-7

Lottery and first-overall odds: 6.5 percent  

Why are you still here? That’s the question everyone, Sabres fan or not, has been asking this squad, which sits at the bottom of the standings once again. 

It’s tough to gauge what Buffalo needs. They have some solid forwards, some studs on the back end and a couple of good goalies. Obviously, adding Misa, Schaefer or any other top-end talent in this draft will be a good thing, but the Sabres need to figure out how to get out of the basement, period. 

Anaheim Ducks, 35-37-10

Lottery and first-overall odds: 6.0 percent  

The Ducks were an interesting team this year. They have a lot of young talent up and down the roster, with more on the way. They have some crafty veterans as well. Anaheim seems to be on the rise, and it had a better second half of the season as its young players continued to improve and get more comfortable at the NHL level. It’s going to be interesting to see what they add at the draft and how they rise next year.

Pittsburgh Penguins, 34-36-12

Lottery and first-overall odds: 5.0 percent  

The Penguins are in a downfall. We are seeing the final years of Sidney Crosby’s NHL career come on a team with very little chance of contention unless something drastic changes. 

If they wind up with the eighth-overall pick, they aren’t getting a player who can change their fortunes anytime soon. Even if they win the lottery and get their choice of player at the top, they can’t rely on a rookie to be the Robin to Crosby’s Batman and hope for success. They need to decide on what comes next for this team, with or without Sid. 

New York Islanders, 35-35-12

Lottery and first-overall odds: 3.5 percent  

The Islanders decided to move Brock Nelson, bringing in Calum Ritchie and proving they needed to retool some things at the very least. 

They need to add more speed and skill to the roster. They have needs all over the lineup. The Islanders are dangerously close to sitting in the mushy middle for years. A lottery win would be great for this team, but any added skill would help long-term. 

New York Rangers, 39-36-7

Lottery and first-overall odds: 3.0 percent  

Oh, how the mighty have fallen – and it was ugly. 

The Rangers’ season fell off the rails early. After an off-season in which they tried to trade captain Jacob Trouba, tensions were high coming into the year, and things just continued to go south from there. The team traded notable players during the season, including Trouba, Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil, while bringing in J.T. Miller and Will Borgen, among other assets. 

It’s been a weird year. They are the last team that could move up into the first-overall selection with the lottery, but with the luck they’ve had this year, I wouldn’t count on it.

Larkin Expresses Frustration with Red Wings Trade Deadline ApproachLarkin Expresses Frustration with Red Wings Trade Deadline ApproachDylan Larkin is not just the Red Wings captain.  He is also the team's longest tenured player, the only one left with first hand experience of playoff hockey in Detroit, and he grew up 40 minutes northwest of Little Caesars Arena in Waterford.  When you put it all together, it's no surprise that Larkin wears his team's shortcomings and nine season playoff drought the hardest.  At Saturday's locker clean-out day, Larkin expressed one particular aspect of that frustration.

Detroit Red Wings, 39-35-8

Lottery odds: 2.5 percent (0 percent for first overall)

Forever the bridesmaid and never the bride. Is that comment about the playoffs or the draft lottery? No one knows, but it’s certainly true in both cases for the Red Wings.

The Wings were in a playoff spot for long stretches this season before falling out at the end, just as they did last year. They also weren’t bad enough to even be in the running for first overall as the first team outside of the range to move into the top pick. 

Detroit’s best players were its young, homegrown talent. Its worst were the guys it signed to insulate the younger players. Fix the surrounding roster, and the young guys will probably get them to the postseason. It feels that simple, but the Yzerplan is struggling to get it going. 

Columbus Blue Jackets, 40-33-9

Lottery odds: 2.0 percent (0 percent for first overall)

The Blue Jackets were the darlings of the season.

They were in the running for a playoff spot up until their last game, and they had so many good things happen to them on the ice. Adam Fantilli’s ascension was fantastic, reaching the 30-goal mark. The duo of Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov elevated their game even more this season. Zach Werenski is a Norris Trophy contender.

The Blue Jackets were legitimately fun this season after an off-season filled with tragedy. A lottery win wouldn’t get them into the top two, but it would help them add another promising young talent for a team on the rise. 

Utah Hockey Club, 38-31-13

Lottery odds: 1.5 percent (0 percent for first overall)

In their first season in Utah, the former Coyotes players looked like they were having fun again.

The team was finding some level of success on the ice and plenty more off of it. Utah still has some holes, and its young players are improving, but it could use a few more prospects entering the NHL and making an impact. Thankfully, the Hockey Club has a solid stable of players coming. This team is close to making a push for the playoffs, which could happen as soon as next season.

Vancouver Canucks, 38-30-14

Lottery odds: 0.5 percent (0 percent for first overall)

The Vancouver Canucks were essentially the Rangers-West, which made it all the more entertaining when the Canucks swapped Miller for Chytil and a pick just to flip the pick for more immediate help. 

The constant drama around the club, from the Elias Pettersson and Miller saga to the weird pending divorce with Brock Boeser, made the season a drag. This team has elite talent, such as Quinn Hughes, but they need a return to form for Pettersson and a lot of other things to fall into place, or they will become the epitome of the mediocre mushy middle.

Rick Tocchet Sounds Like He Has Unfinished Business With The Vancouver CanucksRick Tocchet Sounds Like He Has Unfinished Business With The Vancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are out of the playoffs and moving into summer mode, but 2024 Jack Adams Award winner Rick Tocchet will hold onto the title of NHL coach of the year for a few more weeks.

Calgary Flames, 41-27-14, (Montreal Owns Pick)

Lottery odds: 0.5 percent (0 percent for first overall)

Montreal owns Calgary’s first-round pick, but Calgary has New Jersey’s, so they shouldn’t be too upset with how this season went. They had star rookie Dustin Wolf assert himself as the guy in net, Jonathan Huberdeau quietly had a very good season, and the Flames almost made the playoffs despite many predicting them to sit near the bottom. 

Calgary needs to build on what they did this season, and finding a way to continue adding young talent will help ensure that it’s not just a one- or two-season playoff contention window.

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Sabres' Playoff Futility Robbing Fans Of Memorable Post-Season Showdowns Against Rivals In Toronto, Ottawa

Mattias Samuelsson (left); Auston Matthews (right) -- (Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Images)

The Battle of Ontario kicked off Sunday with a 6-2 Toronto Maple Leafs win over the Ottawa Senators. But you know what would’ve been potentially better than that? A first-round Stanley Cup playoffs that included the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres’ history – which includes 14 consecutive seasons with no playoff hockey – is about as far from ideal as it gets. But there’s a history the Sabres have with Toronto and Ottawa that lives on in the minds and hearts of Buffalo fans, Maple Leafs fans, and Senators fans, and that’s why the Sabres need to get back into the post-season as soon as possible. 

Of course, Leafs fans remember Toronto’s most recent (and surprisingly, only) post-season showdown against Buffalo very well. It happened in the 1998-99 season, when the Sabres beat the Leafs in the Eastern Conference final. Buffalo’s win over the Leafs that year got the Sabres to the Cup final for just the second time in franchise history, and although that season was the only time the Sabres and Maple Leafs have squared off in the playoffs – something that sounds crazy, given how long both teams have been in the league – you’d better believe Buffalo's run to the Cup final in 98-99 was that much sweeter for Sabres fans because they steamrolled the Buds on the way there.

The Sabres also have a colorful post-season history with the Senators, as Ottawa has played Buffalo four times in the playoffs, with the Sens going 3-1 in those four series against the Sabres. Most memorably, Buffalo beat Ottawa to kick off that 1998-99 run to the Cup final – and the Senators paid them back when they beat the Sabres in the Eastern final in 2006-07. 

The Sabres and Senators haven’t played in the post-season since then, but that’s a result of playoff futility from both teams. That said, if the Sabres can right their ship, more playoff battles will be coming against the Maple Leafs and Senators. That’s because the NHL’’s playoff system now focuses on divisional rivalries in a way the league didn’t focus on for decades. 

Thus, it’s entirely possible we’ll get Buffalo showdowns against both Ottawa and Toronto in the same post-season, as a first-round win from two of those three teams in Round One would lead  to a second-round matchup between them, and even more drama would be ensuing. But the Senators and Leafs likely aren’t going to be missing out on the playoffs anytime soon, so it’s up to the Sabres to push into the playoff picture and get Toronto, Buffalo and Ottawa in the post-season at the same time.

Sabres sports fans have deserved much better than the results Buffalo has delivered for nearly a decade-and-a-half -- and you can also say Leafs and Senators fans have deserved better from the Sabres. Rather than taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers or Boston Bruins time and again in the post-season, Ottawa and Toronto could’ve been doing battle in the playoffs against their relatively-closer-geographical-rival in Buffalo. 

Questions Yet To Be Answered If Adams Will Remain As Sabres GMQuestions Yet To Be Answered If Adams Will Remain As Sabres GMFollowing the completion of Buffalo Sabres locker cleanout and GM Kevyn Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff speaking with the media for nearly an hour on Saturday, the disposition of the club and some of the principles responsible for their 14th consecutive non-playoff season is still up in the air.

In sum, fans in Ottawa, Toronto and Buffalo should want their teams to clash against each other, because there’s something especially special when the Leafs, Senators and Sabres are squaring off. It won’t happen this year, but it absolutely should happen next season and many seasons to come. 

So let’s get it done, Sabres brass. If by next spring, Buffalo is once again out of the playoff mix, the Sabres need to blow it up and start again, because these exercises in futility are robbing fans in Ontario and Western New York of a rivalry that ought to have many more chapters than it has at present.

The Maple Leafs, Sabres and Senators already have rich rivalries, but there should be more material in each rivalry between Ottawa, Toronto and Buffalo -- and it’s on the Sabres to make it so.

'That's What You Have To Do At This Time Of Year': Matthew Knies' Play In Game 1 Against Senators Highlights His Value To Maple Leafs

Apr 17, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Scott Laughton (24) scores a goal and celebrates with left wing Matthew Knies (23) against the Detroit Red Wings during the overtime period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Matthew Knies is the definition of a playoff performer with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

At 22 years old, Knies is already making massive blocks, scoring crucial goals — including his netfront power play marker in the third period — and playing a team-high 22:19 in Game 1 against the Ottawa Senators.

He's only two seasons removed from playing at the University of Minnesota and doing everything requested of him in the Stanley Cup playoffs — when it matters most.

"Yeah, it means a lot," Knies said on Monday, when asked about his team-high in minutes played. "I want to be able to play in every situation to dominate out there and be a physical component to our team. I think I did a good job of that, and I just want to keep it going."

Let's, though, return to when his key plays in the game came.

'I Can't Say Enough About Matthew Knies and JT In Those Areas': Maple Leafs Explode For 3 Power-Play Goals To Down Senators In Game 1'I Can't Say Enough About Matthew Knies and JT In Those Areas': Maple Leafs Explode For 3 Power-Play Goals To Down Senators In Game 1The Toronto Maple Leafs exploded for three power-play goals against the Ottawa Senators in a 6-2 victory in Game 1 of their first-round series in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Ottawa was pushing for a comeback just over midway through the third period. After some time in Toronto's zone, Knies stepped in front of a Thomas Chabot slap shot, which got his teammates going.

"I mean, that’s kind of what you have to do at this time of year, pay the price," he said, when asked about his hand after blocking the shot. "But no, I feel good."

And to score the goal on the power play shortly after: "Felt rewarding for sure."

Knies' play has been a talking point all season long. He put up career-high numbers (29 goals and 29 assists in 78 games), and since the power forward was drafted, seemed to be suited for the playoffs.

He's big, the heaviest player on the Maple Leafs, in fact, and plays in all situations for the team. 

"He was big last night. He’s so strong. He’s a handful to deal with down low and around their net," Auston Matthews said on Monday.

"He’s just a horse out there, so he was great for us last night. He’s physical on both sides of the puck, and like I said, he’s just hard to deal with down low."

'It's Not That Much Of A Conversation': Why Max Domi Will Shift To Third-Line Center For Maple Leafs Against Senators For Game 2'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.

What stuck out most about Knies' availability on Monday was his discipline. He wasn't getting ahead of himself or satisfied with everything the Maple Leafs did in Game 1. Part of that attitude has come from Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube's coaching style, but also from the player himself understanding there is lots more playoff hockey left.

And if you want to go far in the postseason, you need that mentality.

"I think there’s just a little bit of a different feel to it. It could be the new coach, it could be the new faces in the locker room," Knies said.

"It’s always going to feel a little bit different, but I think we’re ready for the test, and I think we did a good job. But I think it’s just one step, and we gotta keep this going, keep this one going. We don’t expect it to be a short series at all, so we just gotta keep working."


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Avalanche Get Great Gabriel Landeskog News

Gabriel Landeskog (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

One win down, three more to go.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs is all about being the first team to 16 wins, and taking it one game at a time.

The Colorado Avalanche has been taking a lot of things day by day. One of which has been the potential return of their captain, Gabriel Landeskog.

*See update at the bottom of this story.

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

The pillar of the Avalanche team played two games of a conditioning loan with the Colorado Eagles, where he recorded two points.

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A Round One Schedule for the Stanley Cup Playoffs is HereA 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.

Landeskog hasn’t played a game since June 26th, 2022, when the Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final, winning the Stanley Cup.

Now, all that waiting might turn around on Monday night.

Gabriel Landeskog Returns Tonight?

Head coach Jared Bednar did not confirm or deny that Landeskog would be in the lineup for Game Two. However, that hand might have already been shown.

According to a few media outlets present at the Morning Skate, Landeskog was one of the first skaters to exit the ice for the optional skate. This is important to note because Landeskog has usually stayed out with the extras.

Landeskog's return would be massive for the Avalanche. The team has been fantastic without their captain. However, the morale boost of having him in the lineup after almost three calendar years without him would skyrocket through the roof.

Unfortunately, Avalanche fans will have to wait until warmups to see if Landeskog will play or not.

*Update: The Avalanche announced that they have activated Landeskog from Injured Reserve. This all but confirms that he will play in Monday night's game against the Dallas Stars.

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How long is the Maple Leafs' NHL-record Stanley Cup drought?

How long is the Maple Leafs' NHL-record Stanley Cup drought? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Toronto Maple Leafs own the second-most Stanley Cup titles in NHL history. But it’s been well over a half-century since their last championship triumph.

The Leafs saw their record Stanley Cup drought extended with a second-round loss to the defending champion Florida Panthers in the 2025 NHL playoffs.

Toronto, the Atlantic Division’s No. 1 seed, eliminated the wild-card Ottawa Senators in six games this postseason before jumping out to a 2-0 series lead over Florida. The Panthers then responded with three straight wins, but the Leafs won Game 6 on the road to keep their season alive.

But, in a decisive Game 7 at home, the Leafs were booed off the ice as an ugly 6-1 defeat pushed the storied franchise’s championship drought even closer to six decades.

When was the last time the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup?

The Leafs’ most recent Stanley Cup championship came in the 1966-67 season.

What’s the longest Stanley Cup drought in NHL history?

Toronto’s current championship drought is the longest in NHL history at 58 years.

The Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks both are mired in title droughts of 50-plus years, as well. Buffalo and Vancouver joined the NHL in the 1970-71 season and neither has won a Stanley Cup in the 54 years since. The Canucks have reached three Stanley Cup Finals (1982, 1994, 2011) and the Sabres have reached two (1975, 1999).

When was the last time the Maple Leafs made the Stanley Cup Final?

The Leafs’ 1966-67 championship campaign also stands as their last appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. That means the Original Six franchise hasn’t reached the Cup Final in the expansion era (since the 1967-68 season).

The Leafs last appeared in the conference final in the 2002 postseason.

How many Stanley Cup Finals have the Maple Leafs made?

Toronto has reached the Cup Final 21 times, trailing only the Montreal Canadiens (33 appearances) and Detroit Red Wings (24 appearances) for the most in NHL history.

How many Stanley Cups have the Maple Leafs won?

The Leafs were victorious in 13 of those 21 Cup Finals. Only the 23-time champion Canadiens have won more Stanley Cups than Toronto.

Here’s a full look at Toronto’s Stanley Cup Final history (years listed are when Cup Finals were played):

  • 1967: Beat Montreal Canadiens
  • 1964: Beat Detroit Red Wings
  • 1963: Beat Detroit Red Wings
  • 1962: Beat Chicago Blackhawks
  • 1960: Lost to Montreal Canadiens
  • 1959: Lost to Montreal Canadiens
  • 1951: Beat Montreal Canadiens
  • 1949: Beat Detroit Red Wings
  • 1948: Beat Detroit Red Wings
  • 1947: Beat Montreal Canadiens
  • 1945: Beat Detroit Red Wings
  • 1942: Beat Detroit Red Wings
  • 1940: Lost to New York Rangers
  • 1939: Lost to Boston Bruins
  • 1938: Lost to Chicago Blackhawks
  • 1936: Lost to Detroit Red Wings
  • 1935: Lost to Montreal Maroons
  • 1933: Lost to New York Rangers
  • 1932: Beat New York Rangers
  • 1922: Beat Vancouver Millionaires
  • 1918: Beat Vancouver Millionaires

Editor’s note: This story was first published on April 21.