The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without defenseman Jake McCabe and forward David Kampf for the next two games, as both are set to miss the club’s brief two-game road trip through Florida after participating in Monday’s optional skate.
According to TSN’s Mark Masters, the two skaters hit the ice before the team departed for Fort Lauderdale ahead of a back-to-back set against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday and Wednesday. Head coach Craig Berube told reporters both players are officially ruled out for the trip and are still listed as day-to-day.
“They won’t play either game, the next two,” Berube told reporters including Masters.
Jake McCabe and David Kampf back on the ice today, but won’t play the next two games, per Leafs coach Craig Berube @TSN_Sportspic.twitter.com/q5eGDh3N1y
Berube also mentioned on Monday that the pair will stay back in Toronto and continue to recover, not travelling with the team.
“They’ll stay home. They’re skating today, which is good, but they’ll be out the next two games,” he said.
Kampf exited Wednesday’s game against Florida in the second period with an upper-body injury and did not return. McCabe, whose injury is undisclosed, was seen heading to the dressing room with just over a minute left in the third period after crashing awkwardly into the boards following a hit from Carter Verhaeghe. The 31-year-old blueliner also collided with a linesman after a Matthew Knies goal.
Both players also sat out Saturday’s home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“I'm not sure when it happened, to be honest with you. I really don't know,” said Berube on Friday.
Jake McCabe went to the Leafs dressing room with 1:10 left
Toronto has a small cushion at the top of the Atlantic Division with a four-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning and a six-point lead over the Florida Panthers. With just six games remaining on the regular-season schedule, the team can afford to rest McCabe and Kampf with bigger goals set on the playoffs – already locked into their ninth consecutive postseason appearance.
Kampf, who has tallied five goals and eight assists for 13 points through 59 games this season, is averaging a career-low 12:24 of ice time per game. McCabe, meanwhile, has been a cornerstone of Toronto’s defense, contributing two goals and 21 assists while averaging a career-high 21:31 per night across 66 appearances.
No official timetable has been given for either player’s return.
"I can't really comment on that too much about how long it's going to be,” Berube said on Friday.
For now, Toronto will prioritize health ahead of their hopes of a postseason run, looking to get McCabe and Kampf ready for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the latest.
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Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Milestone Monday rewinds to April 7, 1982, when the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Los Angeles Kings in a wild first-round opener.
Both teams kicked off the playoffs with full throttle on offense. It was 4-3 for the Oilers after the first period and 8-6 for the Kings after the second.
The Kings won 10-8, but both teams set an NHL record no other teams matched since.
Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media. And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.
The Winnipeg Jets return home to take on the St. Louis Blues, who have won 12 games in a row.
The Jets could receive reinforcements tonight with the addition of Nikolaj Ehlers. The 29-year-old blocked a shot and was later hit by a Cole Perfetti shot against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, forcing him to miss Saturday's loss to Utah HC.
His offensive creativity was thoroughly missed despite his absence spanning just one game. His 24 goals and 63 points in 67 games have him ranked fourth and third on the team. If his game-time decision status is upgraded, he'll return alongside his usual linemates, Vladislav Namestnikov and Perfetti, and will also retake his spot on the first power play unit.
Coming out of the lineup would be David Gustafsson, as Jarrett Anderson-Dolan has left a lasting impression on HC Scott Arniel.
On the backend, Colin Miller did not participate in this morning's skate, replaced by Haydn Fleury. Miller has recorded four goals and 14 points in 59 games, but is also deemed a game-time decision with an illness.
If he is unable to play, Fleury will check back into the lineup, paired with Logan Stanley. Fleury has played 37 games this season, registering seven assists. Without Neal Pionk, Fleury will take Miller's placeholder spot as the quarterback of the second power play unit.
It'll take a team effort and a stellar night in goal from Connor Hellebuyck to defeat the Blues tonight. They are by far the hottest team in the NHL and have continuously found ways to win hockey games.
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Montreal Canadiens's prospect Ivan Demidov’s season ended in the KHL on Sunday. SKA St. Petersburg lost to Dynamo Moscow 5-2, losing its first-round series in six games. In game five, the right winger shone brightly with a goal and an assist, but he was kept off the score sheet on Sunday.
While SKA’s KHL team is now eliminated, its lower-league affiliates aren’t, and according to RG.org’s Marco D’Amico, that’s where the talented forward is likely to be headed for now. St. Petersburg owns his rights until May 31st, and when Roman Rotenberg was asked what was next for the prospect, he replied:
I don’t know about Montreal. He’s a SKA player Honestly, we haven’t thought about Montreal, Quebec, or Toronto. Everything will happen in its time… It would be better for both Nikishin and Demidov to stay in Russia with SKA.
- Coach Roman Rotenberg on what's next for Ivan Demidov
That certainly doesn’t sound like the organization is about to cut ties with the player and allow him to cross over to this side of the pond. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has always been clear that he didn’t expect his Russian wonder to come over this season.
As mentioned in the past, SKA’s organization wants to win championships at every level. Considering his age, he’s still eligible to play in the MHL, their junior level. Adding a player of his caliber to the roster could make a huge difference.
While Canadiens fans are sure to be displeased with the news, if the roles were inverted and Demidov could help the Canadiens organization win a championship in the AHL, they would assign him to the Laval Rocket. It’s the nature of the business. Demidov’s contract with SKA is valid until the end of May, and it’s normal for them to want to use the player as long as possible.
Ivan Demidov’s KHL season has come to an end as SKA is eliminated from the playoffs.
In 70 total games in the regular season & the playoffs, he had:
- 22 goals - 32 assists - 54 points
He surpassed Kirill Kaprizov for the most points scored by a U-20 player in KHL history. pic.twitter.com/PsSxS3M7LY
However, a final decision has yet to be made, and the Demidov clan will meet with SKA in the coming days to discuss the next steps, but Canadiens fans shouldn’t hold their breath. Hopefully, Demidov doesn’t sustain any injury in lower-level play. Last year, in 17 playoff games, he tallied 28 points before suffering a lower-body injury. Still, according to RG.org, he came close to suffering an injury in Sunday’s game.
Hopefully, whatever is decided, Demidov steers clear of injury and is 100% ready when the Canadiens’ development camp kicks off at the end of June or in early July, I can already picture the Brossard facility filled to the brim with fans eager to catch a glimpse of the next franchise cornerstone.
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The Boston Bruins had a nice run among the NHL's top teams.
From 2017-18 to 2023-24, the Bruins were consistently among the top 10 teams, reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2019, winning the Presidents' Trophy twice, and setting single-season records with 65 wins and 135 points in 2022-23.
However, it all unravelled quickly this season. They failed to suitably address the departures of core veterans, leaving them battling to remain in the wild-card race.
Management waved the white flag by the March 7 NHL trade deadline, shipping out Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo and Trent Frederic. Those moves sent the Bruins to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings for the first time since 1996-97, eliminating them from the 2025 post-season race.
The Bruins still have high-scoring superstar right winger David Pastrnak, stud defenseman Charlie McAvoy and starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman under long-term contracts. Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic believes they should build around that trio going forward.
Shinzawa cited the Washington Capitals as a template for Bruins management to stage a quick roster turnaround. They were trade deadline sellers two years ago but also made several notable additions over the past two years.
Those additions included center Pierre-Luc Dubois, defensemen Jakob Chychrun and Rasmus Sandin, and goaltender Logan Thompson. They have become key factors in the Capitals' surprising rise to the top of the Eastern Conference this season.
Appearing on Daily Faceoff last week, Ty Anderson of Boston's 98.5 The Sports Hub said he believed the Bruins could be aggressive in this summer's free-agent market.
The Bruins have a projected salary-cap space of $27.1 million with 13 active roster players under contract for next season, with RFA Morgan Geekie as the only core player to be re-signed. They can afford to re-sign Geekie and their other five RFAs and have enough left to make a splash in this summer free-agent market.
Despite their cap room, the Bruins could face a bidding war with other teams for those players. They could consider the offer-sheet route in hopes of prying away a talented young RFA from another club. Targets could include Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, Toronto left winger Matthew Knies and Buffalo Sabres left winger JJ Peterka.
Bill Clement, a Hockey Hall of Fame broadcaster and 11-year NHL player, is a good person to ask.
Clement played against Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky and broadcasted countless games played by Ovechkin. Those four are among the best skaters in NHL history, though Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby and Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard also receive mention.
Ovechkin is sixth on Clement’s all-time list. That’s not a slight, he said, adding that the left winger’s ability to get into a shooting position is “second to none.”
Make no mistake, said the analytical Clement, that Ovechkin is one of the greatest players ever. But he ranks players based on several categories, including Stanley Cup titles, finals appearances, goals, assists, playmaking and puck-carrying ability.
The Super Six
Here is Clement’s all-time list:
1. Wayne Gretzky, C: 894 goals, 2,857 points, four Stanley Cups
2. Bobby Orr, D: 270 goals, 915 points, two Stanley Cups
3. Gordie Howe, RW: 801 goals, 1,850 points, four Stanley Cups
4. Mario Lemieux, C: 690 goals, 1,723 points, two Stanley Cups
5. Sidney Crosby, C: 622 goals, 1,682 points, three Stanley Cups
6. Alex Ovechkin, LW: 895 goals, 1,619 points, one Stanley Cup
“If someone said to me, ‘Who is the greatest goal-scorer?’ I would say Alexander Ovechkin,” said Clement, who is enjoying retirement after 30-plus years as a Philadelphia Flyers and national broadcaster. “But if you ask for a list of the greatest players, there’s more that goes into it than just scoring. Things like Stanley Cups, scoring. All of those guys (he ranked ahead of Ovechkin) won multiple Stanley Cups.”
Ovechkin, now in his 20th season, won one Cup in 2018, though his Washington Capitals are strong contenders this year.
“The one thing that keeps me from putting Ovi higher on that list is that he’s not a good puck carrier, and everyone else on that list could just dance when they had the puck,” Clement said. “Gordie would hold guys off with just one arm, and he was a great puck carrier.”
In Clement’s Super Six, he said Howe, Ovechkin and Pittsburgh Penguins captain Crosby had the most power and strength in the group and that Lemieux made it look like “it was a one-man ballet out there. He was so graceful, so fluid. He had it all – speed, size, reach.”
Clement noted that Ovechkin frequently has more goals than assists – this will be the 14th time out of his 20 seasons.
“I think half of Ovi’s assists are on rebound goals off his shots,” he said. “I look at the ability to make plays, too. I have Ovi as the sixth-best player ever, but I have five guys ahead of him just because of the puck carrying and the playmaking.”
Records Galore
Clement, who won two Stanley Cups with the Flyers, was asked why he gave Gretzky the nod over Orr.
“At one time, Gretzky had 61 records. For goals, assists, five-point games, six-point games. The list was endless,” said Clement. “And many of them, I don’t know if they’ll ever be broken.”
He added that it’s “always difficult to compare a great defenseman with a great center. Orr did revolutionize the position. He won eight Norris Trophies” – given to the NHL’s best defenseman.
On the flip side, because of injuries, Orr only played a total of 36 games over his last four seasons, Clement pointed out.
“He only played nine full seasons in the NHL, and the only season he didn’t win the Norris, he finished second to Harry Howell when Orr was 18 years old,” Clement said.
If Orr had been healthy, “there’s no question he would have been in that No. 1 slot” as the best player in history, Clement said. “All the other guys we’re talking about played 15 to 20 seasons. Or more. And Sid and Alex are still going. The great thing about Alex is his durability.”
As for Gretzky, “I would never call Wayne dynamic because he didn’t have much of a shot, and he wasn’t really fast, and he certainly wasn’t strong,” Clement said. “But nobody has ever thought the game the way Wayne thought and processed the game. When he was on the ice, he was the quantum computer of his era. He was way ahead of everything that was happening on the ice. It was almost as if he could see into the future.”
Ovechkin isn’t a Gretzky, “but from the blueline in, he’s as smart a player who has ever played,” Clement said. “Nobody ever expected him to come close to winning the Selke as the best defensive forward, but his offensive sense of the game and his position – he has lived off the one-timer from the off wing – (is amazing).
“He created an art form out of finding dead spots, soft spots, in the offensive zone. And he had guys good enough to get him the puck. I mean, Nick Backstrom is one of the most underrated centers ever, I think. He assisted on more Ovechkin goals than anybody.”
Clement, who ranks Bobby Clarke, Bryan Trottier and Anze Kopitar as the best-ever two-way centers, said Ovechkin has been a master at getting his body in a deadly shooting position.
“Every pass that come to him in that shooting hole on the off wing is not perfect,” Clement said. “Everybody doesn’t make a perfect pass. But if you watch his feet, he has quick little steps, and he gets a read on the pass almost as it’s leaving the passer’s stick, and he knows if he has to adjust by a couple of feet, he’ll quickly move and get down on a knee if he has to. His ability to adjust to a powerful shooting posture – even when the pass isn’t perfect – is second to none.”
Here’s a summary of everything that happened in the world of the Red Wings from March 31st to April 6th.
For starters, it was revealed that top goaltending prospect Trey Augustine wasn’t going to be signed by the Red Wings. At least, not at this point in time. All this means is that the goalie is going to go back to Michigan State for one more season.
Players cannot be signed to NHL contracts while playing in the NCAA.
The same night that information came out, the Red Wings took on the scorching hot St. Louis Blues. The Blues would get the better of them in overtime, but they walked away from the 2-1 loss with a point. That’s still huge at this point in the season.
With the hulking forward back in the mix, the Red Wings handed the Hurricanes a decisive 5-3 loss. In the process, they gained another two points for themselves in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race that’s coming down to the final hour.
With the victory, forward Patrick Kane reached some milestones. He became the US-born skater with the most 20-goal seasons ever, passing Mike Modano. Kane also recorded his 100th point as a member of the Red Wings.
The Boston Bruins’ season is nearing its conclusion.
The B’s have just four games remaining on their regular season schedule, including next Tuesday’s finale against the New Jersey Devils in Boston.
The Bruins halted their 10-game losing streak with an impressive 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at TD Garden on Saturday night, then followed it up with a 6-3 loss to the Sabres in Buffalo on Sunday. The B’s have a 31-38-9 record entering Monday.
Even though there will be no playoff hockey at the Garden for the first time since 2016, there are still a couple of interesting storylines to follow over the next eight days.
Here’s a look at what Bruins fans should be watching for in the final stretch of the 2024-25 season.
First-round draft pick positioning
With each week that passes, the Bruins’ odds of winning the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery have improved. That’s what happens when you lose nine of your last 10 games late in the season.
The Bruins are officially eliminated from playoff contention and entered Monday with the worst record in the Eastern Conference — a spot they haven’t found themselves in since 1997. As a result, Boston has the fourth-worst record in the league and the fourth-best odds of winning the No. 1 pick.
Here are the Bruins’ lottery odds right now, per Tankathon:
No. 1 pick: 9.5 percent chance
No. 2 pick: 9.5 percent
No. 3 pick: 0.3 percent
No. 4 pick: 15.4 percent
No. 5 pick: 44.6 percent
No. 6 pick: 20.8 percent
There’s a 34.4 percent chance the Bruins earn the No. 1, No. 2 or No. 4 pick. The last time their own first-round pick was in the top four was the 1997 draft, when the B’s selected future Hall of Fame center Joe Thornton with the No. 1 overall pick.
The Bruins’ margin for error is slim, though. They share the fourth-worst record with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Seattle Kraken are just one point above both teams. The Sabres, Anaheim Ducks and Pittsburgh Penguins are all just three points above the Flyers and Bruins.
One or two wins for the Bruins over the final week of the season could result in them moving from the fourth-best lottery odds to the sixth-best, and that would be a very bad outcome for Boston.
The No. 1 goal for the Bruins through next Tuesday’s finale should be to lose games and get the best lottery odds possible.
David Pastrnak’s quest for 100 points
The one bright spot amid this awful Bruins season has been the play of David Pastrnak. His on-ice performance and leadership have been tremendous.
Pastrnak has 13 points in the last six games, including a five-point night against the Hurricanes on Saturday that saw him score a hat trick to reach 40 goals for the fifth straight season. On Sunday against the Sabres, Pastrnak became the first Bruins player ever to tally a point on 10 straight goals scored by the team, per NESN.
The superstar right wing now has 97 points (40 goals, 57 assists) through 78 games. He’s three points away from his third consecutive 100-point season. At this rate, it would be pretty surprising if Pastrnak didn’t reach the century mark.
One interesting development the last month or so has been the chemistry between Pastrnak and center Elias Lindholm. The Bruins hoped these two forwards would form a strong chemistry on the top line when Lindholm was signed last summer, but for whatever reason, it just wasn’t a fit early in the season.
But since the beginning of March, Pastrnak and Lindholm have played 104:09 minutes together at even strength, and the Bruins have a 162-88 lead in shot attempts, a 73-44 advantage in shots on net, an 82-37 edge in scoring chances and a 15-11 goal differential during that ice time, per Natural Stat Trick.
This recent success between Lindholm and Pastrnak is something for the Bruins to be encouraged by heading into next season.
Morgan Geekie’s value going up
The only interesting contract situation for the Bruins this summer involves Morgan Geekie. The veteran forward has tallied career highs with 51 points and 29 goals. His 22 assists are tied for a career high.
If Geekie does score 30 goals, he’ll be the first Bruins player not named Pastrnak, Brad Marchand or Patrice Bergeron to do it since Loui Eriksson in the 2015-16 season.
Geekie has posted career highs in goals and points in back-to-back campaigns with the Bruins. His emergence as a likely 30-goal scorer is a fantastic development for the B’s, but it also could cost them a pretty penny.
The good news for Boston is Geekie will be a restricted free agent, so he can’t hit the open market and the team can match any offer he receives.
Geekie’s current contract is a two-year, $4 million deal. He deserves a huge raise from the $2 million AAV he’s been earning. Will it take between $4-5 million to sign Geekie long term? Maybe more than $5 million? It will be fascinating to see how this unfolds.
Geekie has made himself a key part of the Bruins’ future as a productive, versatile forward who’s just 26 years old.
The 2022 second-round pick is a well-rounded center who is responsible defensively, kills penalties and has an improving offensive skill set. He scored a hat trick for the AHL’s Providence Bruins shortly after the trade.
Minten made his Bruins debut Saturday versus the Hurricanes and played well. The Bruins are desperate for help at center, so it’s important that Minten not only proves he belongs in the NHL but also make a meaningful impact at both ends of the ice. That’s why the reps he’s getting toward the end of the season are so valuable.
In an ideal world, Minten would be the Bruins’ No. 3 center next season, but there will be plenty of competition for that role.
Daniel Bochner knew of Matvei Michkov because the gaudy 2019-20 scoring totals made it impossible to miss him.
As a burgeoning star in Russia, Michkov averaged almost three points per game on the under-16 international stage. He racked up an incomprehensible 109 points (70 goals, 39 assists) in only 26 games at the Russian under-16 level. He was producing offense at a rate rarely if not ever seen in his country.
“So he was pretty well-known,” Bochner said.
Bochner was the player development coach for the Russian national teams and SKA St. Petersburg, one of the most prominent clubs in the KHL, Russia’s top pro league. He first met Michkov when the prospect was 15 years old.
“I had no doubt that he was going to come in there and, as long as he was given opportunity and ice time, he was going to be impactful scoring,” Bochner, now a player development coach for the Hurricanes, said in a mid-January phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “At the same time, I knew that there were other areas that he was going to have to get better at and I think that’s no different than any rookie coming into the NHL. It’s a big jump for anybody.”
From the start, Bochner saw special talent in Michkov. But as a development coach, his job wasn’t to pump up Michkov’s strengths; it was to identify a weakness and hope Michkov would want to attack it.
“He’s an extremely competitive person and within that competitiveness is that need to want to be better than other people,” Bochner said. “Then obviously within that is, ‘I need to get better at stuff, I’m not naturally better than everybody. I may be in some areas, but there are going to be other areas where I’ve got to outwork people.'”
Bochner approached Michkov with an area to refine.
“There was some knock on his skating early,” he said. “I never saw it as bad as other people saw it. I always thought that he was never going to be explosive with linear speed. But what I did want to improve with him was his lateral movement because I think that’s really important off the rush and it’s really important to be deceptive once you get into the offensive zone, which is sort of his bread and butter — his ability to create separation in the offensive zone, find open ice and then be able to capitalize on that with his scoring ability.
“That was really, when I first met him, something I picked up and that became a focus, retooling his crossovers, his edge work and just try to get him more comfortable in tight areas and then more comfortable with lateral movement when he has got the puck on rush offense. Making sure that he wasn’t just pushing with his outside leg, but he had that inside leg driving through, which is going to create more lateral force as he’s skating up the ice.”
Bochner worked closely with Michkov in SKA St. Petersburg’s development camps, which would run for about two and a half weeks. He was pleased with the youngster’s devotion to a monotonous and meticulous part of his game.
“Not only was he receptive, but he was also self-aware,” Bochner said. “We came up with a game plan and obviously when you try to make any adjustments with your technical skating, it’s sort of a boring process. There’s a lot of boring repetition, it’s not a ton of fun, especially with guys who want to play with the puck and shoot on goalies.
“It’s usually isolated movement patterns. So if you’re not interested and you’re not committed to making that better, you’re not going to be very receptive. And he was. We would go out there early, work on his crossovers, work on his skating. He was super receptive.”
The work wasn’t to make Michkov’s stride look more aesthetically pleasing; it was to make him stronger and more efficient in his movements.
“When you look at him, the skating technique doesn’t stand out where you’re saying, ‘Wow, what a beautiful skater,'” Bochner said. “But what he does is he’s able to skate off his check quickly, he’s agile, he can control the puck very well in tight spaces, he’s sturdy and strong on the puck. It’s not easy to take the puck off of him.”
“I am going to put that into practice because that’s what brings him joy, so you want that as a motivating factor, you want him to stay sharp there,” Bochner said. “But you want to identify the things where he’s having a low success rate. And that’s how I went about it with him.”
The Flyers have seen Michkov’s sheer competitiveness this season.
“Oh yeah, definitely,” Sean Couturier said last Friday. “Anything he does. Even in practice sometimes.”
The Flyers’ captain recalled a recent 2-on-2 drill in which Michkov thought he scored, but for some reason the goal didn’t count. As a result, Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster ended up scoring on Couturier and Michkov.
“I think he didn’t talk to them for the next day,” Couturier said. “He’s that kind of guy, really competitive. … I think that’s what makes him special. Those elite athletes always have that competitive edge and he definitely has that.”
Despite some slumps and learning moments, Michkov has had a highly promising rookie season. The offensive gifts have been as advertised. He entered Monday leading all rookies in goals (24) and even strength points (43). He’s tied for first in power play goals (seven), second in overall points (58) and tied for second in assists (34). And he’s the only player in the NHL with both three or more overtime goals and three or more shootout goals.
Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson is the likely front-runner for the Calder Trophy, while Sharks center Macklin Celebrini and Flames goalie Dustin Wolf also stand as Michkov’s competition.
Michkov’s 58 points are the most by a Flyers rookie since Mikael Renberg had 82 in 1993-94. Renberg’s mark is a franchise record for most points by a rookie in a season. Michkov is ninth on the Flyers’ all-time rookie single-season scoring list.
“You want to let him play his game, but once in a while, kind of remind him that there are certain things at certain times you’ve got to take care of,” Couturier said. “How to manage a game, you can’t always cheat for offense when you’re playing with a lead, sometimes it’s better off to just defend. But I don’t want to be in his ear every shift, I kind of just let him play. I try to also encourage him when I see improvement and when he’s doing the right plays. It’s definitely a balance.”
At the start of November, Brad Shaw mentioned how Michkov liked to play on the move and, because of that, he’d sometimes drift out of good position. Essentially, Michkov likes to read and react for when the play may shoot up ice. He’s thinking offense.
“You might ask the coach who’s here in 10 years and [Michkov] might still have a little drift to his game,” Shaw, now the Flyers’ interim head coach, said last Friday with a laugh. “But I think it’s one of the reasons that he’s a great player, I think it’s a reason why he’s dangerous, is his ability to anticipate. And we’re just trying to get him smarter in that anticipation — ‘this one was good and this one was not so good.’ That’s all part of the process.
“He’s a very willing student of the game, which I love. He’s a guy that wants to get better as soon as possible, wants extra, not afraid of being shown mistakes. It doesn’t really affect him like some other young players. That’s a real asset to have for a guy his age, for a guy who kind of has his style of play, because he’s going to butt heads with coaches, he’s going to be stubborn in some aspects of how he would like to play.”
Bochner worked with Artemi Panarin the summer before the Rangers’ star became one of three finalists for the 2019-20 Hart Trophy (NHL’s MVP). He has also trained Canadiens prospect and 2024 fifth overall pick Ivan Demidov, Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko, former Flyer and current King Andrei Kuzmenko and Oilers winger Vasily Podkolzin.
With Michkov, he could sense the clutch gene.
“He is a guy that when the game is on the line, he doesn’t run away,” Bochner said. “He’s the guy that wants the puck on his stick. There is an innate confidence that comes with that mentality. And when you have confidence and you have scoring ability, even if there are issues in other areas, you’re going to find the back of the net. Those two things combined, if you have confidence and you have scoring ability, that’s a deadly combo. And he definitely has that.”
As this season has gone on, Michkov has shown more and more of his personality.
“He’s very serious and stoic at times, but at the same time, he can quickly come out of that and make a joke or just lighten up the mood with something,” Bochner said.
Bochner will keep him in touch with Michkov through an occasional text message.
“I try not to bother him too much,” Bochner said, “but if I see him score a nice goal or something, I will send him a little note and he usually sends me back a nice emoji or a thumbs up.”
Those moments probably don’t happen without Michkov wanting to sharpen a weakness at a young age back in Russia. The boring work has made big goals and unreal highlights the expectation in Philadelphia.
“Even outside of him scoring, just his body language, you see that he wants the puck, you see that he wants to be the guy to make a difference in those situations,” Bochner said. “It’s pretty remarkable.”
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver's most recent 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Canucks were outplayed in their loss to the Golden
Knights. Vegas held a 26-22 even-strength scoring chances advantage, while Vancouver also lost the even-strength high-danger scoring chances battle 10-8. While there were some positive moments in the game, the Canucks struggled to match the Golden Knights speed, which ended up costing them on Sunday night.
As for the heatmap, it is a good illustration of how Vancouver's defence struggled against Vegas. The Golden Knights generated shots from all over the zone and were able to get 35 shots on Kevin Lankinen. Yes, it is a positive that the Canucks were able to limit Vegas to just eight high-danger shots, but overall, they struggled defensively as the Golden Knights held most of the possession.
Looking at the forward lines, Vancouver's top trio was Nils Höglander, Pius Suter and Brock Boeser. During their 11:19 of ice time, the Canucks held a 9-6 scoring chances advantage, while also outscoring their opposition 1-0. Overall, this line was impressive as each member was able to generate an individual high-danger chance at even strength.
To wrap things up, Aatu Räty also had a strong night. During his 11:10 of even-strength ice time, Vancouver finished with a 6-5 scoring chances advantage, while Räty led the team with two individual even-strength high-danger chances created. Räty also won six of nine faceoffs and showed once again why he deserves a full-time spot in the NHL.
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The Calgary Flames (36-27-13, fourth in the Pacific
Division, four points away from the second wild-card spot) will travel to the
Bay Area to play the San Jose Sharks (20-46-10, last in the Pacific Division, 23.1%
to win first overall pick).
This will be the third of four meetings between the two
teams. Calgary won both previous matchups.
Despite being dominated offensively by the Golden Knights, the
Flames came away with one point thanks to a First-Star performance by goalie
Dustin Wolf. Calgary will now face off against a San Jose team that was the
first team eliminated from play-off contention, and are favorites to pick up
the first overall pick for the second year in a row. But this team consists of
exciting and talented first rounders like William Eklund, Will Smith
and rookie of the year favorite Macklin Celebrini, alongside veterans like
Alexander Wennberg and Tyler Toffoli. They are certainly not a bunch to take casually.
But for Calgary, with Vancouver and Utah hot on their tail in the standings, a win will keep their playoff hopes alive as they trail the
current second wild-card spot holders Minnesota by four points. It goes
without saying: this game is a MUST WIN.
HEAD 2 HEAD
Based on both prior games this season, the Calgary Flames
have the fifth-best save percentage against the San Jose Sharks at even-strength
situations. It is expected that Wolf will make his fourth consecutive
start in net. This should be a relatively easier night compared to Saturday, as
the San Jose offense have belted just 25.5 shots on goal against the Wolf (who was goaltender
in both previous games), which is 18th against any team by San Jose this
season.
In 4-on-5 penalty
kill situations, the Flames are 4-for-5 against the Sharks. After going 2-for-2
in the PK against the Knights, along with a string of good performances highlighted
in this article, I have no doubt the PK unit will continue their great form in
this upcoming game. It also helps that the Sharks power play is the sixth-worst
in the league. Still, it’s probably best
not take a hungry young team, one with the Calder Trophy front-runner, lightly
considering their power play percentage of 20.0 against Calgary is a modest 16th
amongst all teams.
On the offensive end, the Flames have enjoyed showering Sharks
goalies with shots on goal, putting up 34.5 per game, the third-most against any team.
However, the Flames powerplay unit has gone 2-for-9 on the
man-advantage against San Jose.
After Saturday’s embarrassing powerplay showing, Calgary needs
a comeback, and an emphatic one at that.
TALE OF THE TAPE (SKATERS)
TALE OF THE TAPE (GOALIES)
PLAYOFF ODDS
As San Jose has been eliminated from playoff contention, this
game has no impact on the Sharks’ playoff odds.
For the Flames, the playoff odds are as follows depending on the outcome of the game:
The Calgary Flames take on the San Jose Sharks at the SAP Center in San Jose tonight at 8:30 MDT/10:30 EDT
The Vancouver Canucks have lost yet another important game for their playoff hopes. Despite coming close, they lost 3–2 to the Vegas Golden Knights, marking their eighth loss in the second-half of back-to-backs this season. Nils Höglander and Aatu Räty scored for the Canucks, while Kevin Lankinen made 32 saves on 35 shots against.
Höglander made his return to the lineup tonight, starting on a line with Brock Boeser and Pius Suter. This was his first taste of in-game action since leaving the match on March 22 against the New York Rangers, though he joined the team for a regular practice on Friday. He tallied the opening goal off a solid offensive effort from Vancouver, grabbing a rebound after the Canucks sent a flurry of shots at Vegas goaltender Adin Hill. Prior to tonight’s game, he had five points in his previous five games. In his return to the lineup, he put up two shots and two hits in 16:20 minutes on the ice.
“It felt good to get the goal there in the first period,” Höglander said after the game. “Feels good to get it over and just keep going from this.”
“I think a lot of guys can learn from Höggy," Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet added on Höglander's performance tonight. "You’ve got to move your feet and go to where the puck is going to be.”
The chances didn’t stop for Vancouver after Höglander’s goal, as each line contributed to generating the team’s seven shots produced within the first half of the first period. By the end of the first frame, despite the 2–1 score, the Canucks put up 12 shots and a corsi-for of 17. As well, the night after scoring his first career NHL goal, Elias Pettersson (D) put up three hits in the first period.
“I think the first period was pretty good. We got some good forecheck and good looks. So, yeah, that's the goal. We’ve gotta score,” Höglander added.
For Vegas, the first period was extremely lucky. Their first goal could have been challenged for being offside, as Barbashev seemed to enter the Canucks’ zone only inches before Mark Stone carried the puck in. However, Vancouver decided not to challenge it despite it looking pretty close. This is assumedly due to Vegas’ status as the top power play team in the NHL. The second Vegas goal bounced off of Victor Mancini’s skate and flew into the net before Lankinen could slide to the other side of his crease to stop it.
Lankinen made his first start since the team’s 7–6 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 28. The Finnish goaltender’s playing time has decreased significantly since Thatcher Demko returned to the lineup on March 24 against the New Jersey Devils, giving him ample rest after starting nearly 50 games this season. Despite letting two in during the first period, he settled into the game and made a great slew of saves in the second frame.
Räty, who has been fantastic since being called up on March 23, scored his sixth goal of the season to tie the game up at 2–2. He now has four goals in his last six games. He was the team’s best regular faceoff man by a mile today, winning seven of 10 draws (though Jake DeBrusk won all three that he took). Räty also had three shots and four hits in 11:35 minutes played.
Despite their impressive start to the game, by the third period, play fell dramatically into Vegas’ favour. In this frame, the Golden Knights piled 12 shots onto the Canucks in an attempt to break the tie and finally beat Lankinen near the 17-minute mark of the third period.
"Obviously we didn't have the puck enough the second half of the game. They controlled the play, so we're kind of hanging in there. So it's tough when you're you don't have the puck a lot, but there's some effort from a lot of guys out there," Tocchet noted.
“I think we’ve just got to keep building, keep believing here,” Lankinen said of what the team can take from the loss.
While their postseason hopes will depend on other teams in their conference, Vancouver can’t afford to lose any more games if they want a shot at playoff hockey.
Stats and Facts:
With the win, Vegas’s record at Rogers Arena is now 9–1–2
Canucks playoff odds now sit at 0.2%, as per MoneyPuck.com
Boeser tallies his 11th point in the last 10 games
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
4:46 - VAN: Nils Höglander (7) from Pius Suter and Brock Boeser
8:36 - VGK: Ivan Barbashev (21) from Mark Stone
13:15 - VGK: Nicolas Roy (13) from Tanner Pearson and Keegan Kolesar
2nd Period:
8:03 - VAN: Aatu Räty (6) from Filip Hronek and Kiefer Sherwood
3rd Period:
16:46 - VGK: Victor Olofsson (14) from William Karlsson and Alex Pietrangelo
Up Next:
With the conclusion of their final back-to-back of the season, Vancouver’s next game will come against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday in the first of a two-game road trip. This will be the second game they play against four straight playoff-contending teams. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00 pm PT.
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MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Zack Bolduc sat at his locker recently, comfortable in his own skin -- his NHL skin.
The St. Louis Blues forward, playing in his first full season after getting a taste of life in the NHL last season after the Blues selected the 22-year-old with the No. 17 pick of the 2021 NHL Draft, can look around his surroundings in St. Louis and finally knows he belongs.
It took some time, plenty of learning curves and teachable moments, lots of patience and frequent flier miles between St. Louis and Springfield of the American Hockey League.
It's not always fun and games for a highly-touted prospect to hit the ground running -- or skating -- in the NHL. Look at Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon, who did have 63 points in his first NHL season in 2013-14 but only had 38 in his second; Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid did put up 48 points his rookie season in 45 games before he's taken off; Tampa Bay Lightning's Nikita Kucherov may be the best comparison of them all after scoring just 18 points in 52 games his rookie season of 2013-14. Those are some of the high-end first-round picks that are faces of the league today.
Not comparing Bolduc to any of these players, but it just shows that even the best of players need some time to develop. Bolduc is still developing, but the foundation seems to have been laid for growing his potential.
Earlier in the season, Bolduc still wasn't sure he belonged -- yet. As the Blues (43-28-7) embark on their final road trip of the season, starting with Monday against the Winnipeg Jets, Bolduc knows he longs.
"Oh yeah, definitely," he said. "I'm feeling comfortable and confident on the ice. I feel like I can play with everyone on the ice, against anyone. I think I can help this team win some games too. It's great to be a part of it.
"We have a great group of guys too. We're building something special here right now. We've just got to keep it going."
Bolduc, who has 33 points (18 goals, 13 assists) in 68 games this season and is among the team leaders at plus-20, was in and out of the lineup earlier in the season under Drew Bannister. But when Jim Montgomery took over and made his Blues debut as coach on Nov. 25 against the New York Rangers, Bolduc scored his first two goals of the season and seemingly began to build his game.
It took some time, even though Montgomery was building trust in the young player, but it finally started taking shape despite the occasional healthy scratch. Things really seemed to take off after the 4 Nations Face-Off break, coinciding with the Blues' 18-2-2 run since Feb. 22.
Remember, this is a player that combined for 209 points (105 goals, 104 assists) in two seasons with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL before turning pro.
"I don't know exactly when he had the 'Ah-ha' moment in the last six weeks, but he obviously had it mentally," Montgomery said. "As coaches, you can tell someone, 'I want you to make plays, I believe in you.' Until he believes it himself, there's going to be inconsistency. And what we're getting out of him is night in, night out, he competes. Night in, night out, his details are really good. The offensive part of his game, he's getting more opportunities because his habits are so much better."
Bolduc had a goal and two assists in two games leading into the break but was sent to Springfield during the break to continue playing, and despite only getting two assists in four games with the Thunderbirds, it seemed to reset Bolduc and he's scored 12 of his 18 goals on the season in 22 games since, including two power-play goals on Saturday in a 5-4 win against the Avalanche to extend the Blues' winning streak to a franchise record 12.
Power play goal for St. Louis!
Scored by Zack Bolduc with 19:11 remaining in the 1st period.
"I think it's just time," Bolduc said. "Play the position and feel some situations here and there, be around the guys and do some video and try to learn everything on the ice and off the ice.
"For me it was all about time. You give yourself some time and try and work, try and learn every day and things will happen. I started feeling all the effort you put in when you come back, it's fun."
Even though he's played majority of the time on the third line with Oskar Sundqvist, Mathieu Joseph and whoever else has had to slip into the lineup, Montgomery seems to be tapping No. 76 on the shoulder more so if there's a need for top six minutes with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, or Brayden Schenn, Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours now that Dylan Holloway is sidelined week to week.
"It's a great feeling," Bolduc said. "I know I can play with these guys. I know now I can help this team win some games and I can play with a guy like Thomas, 'Jakey', whoever. Sometimes I play with 'Schenner' when lines are flipping here or there.
"Our full lineup is full of talent. It's fun to play with everyone. I just want to do the best for this team and win as many games as we can."
Unfortunately for the Pittsburgh Penguins, they will be hitting the links early for the third consecutive season.
With a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, the Penguins were officially eliminated from playoff contention for the third consecutive season, which puts them just one season shy of the four-year non-playoff stretch from 2002-06.
For a franchise that has seen the success that Pittsburgh has, losing is not something the Crosby-era group, in particular, has been accustomed to. That's why it's important for the team to maintain the winning culture within their locker room as they transition to the next phase of young talent.
"Obviously, we're not where we want to be, and we all understand that," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "We know where we're at. We know where we want to go. We've got to keep working towards that, and that's what we're trying to do."
This one was a back-and-forth affair for a lot of the evening, as chances were traded throughout most of the game. Although the Penguins pressured at various points, Chicago capitalized on odd-man rushes and were able to get behind the Penguins' defense in the latter half.
With just a minute and five seconds to go in the second period, the Blackhawks got a shorthanded two-on-one when Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson pinched to try to keep the play alive in the attacking zone. Frank Nazar capitalized to give Chicago the 1-0 lead.
Then, midway through the final frame - and after a flurry of Penguins' chances - Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev managed to get behind Penguins' defenseman Conor Timmins for a breakaway, and he beat goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to put his team ahead, 2-0.
Rickard Rakell did add a power play goal a few minutes later for his 34th of the season - tying his career-high set in 2017-18 with the Anaheim Ducks - but it didn't prove enough, as Mikheyev added the empty-netter with 56 seconds left to secure the win.
"I just don't think we matched their energy," Nedeljkovic said. "I mean, the game was right there. I just think they had a little bit more juice than we did."
"We weren't even close to the team we were [Saturday]," Sullivan said. "It was one of those nights where we just didn't seem to have the energy. I didn't think we did as good a job managing it also. There's going to be some nights where, maybe, you don't have your legs or you don't have your A-game, so to speak. But you have to acknowledge it, recognize it, and manage the game appropriately and be yourself. I just didn't think we were diligent enough in that area."
In addition, captain Sidney Crosby's 12-game point streak drew to a close. During his streak, he registered 11 goals and 20 points.
How The Maple Leafs Will Adjust Without David Kampf And Jake McCabe In The LineupKampf left Wednesday's game with an upper-body injury, while McCabe's ailment is undisclosed.
