Every win matters in the wild, wild Western Conference. Especially when arguably your biggest opponents, Vancouver and Calgary, end their game in a 4-3 shootout.

With Utah moving just two points behind the aforementioned teams after its 3-2 win against Anaheim, the impending matchup with Vancouver on Sunday, March 16, carries more weight than ever.

But before worrying about any future games and its playoff implications, Utah needed to take care of business against the Ducks first.

Thankfully for Utah, Mikhail Sergachev is on its team:  

HUGE SKATE SAVE BY SERGACHEV ⛸️

📺: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3Tpic.twitter.com/m95ONK5SQh

— NHL (@NHL) March 13, 2025

With Vejmelka coming out of the net, anticipating a shot from Ducks' forward Ryan Strome, a quick move with the puck gave Strome an open lane right behind Vejmelka. Despite being tangled with Anaheim's Alex Killorn, Sergachev saw that Strome was about to have a wide-open net.

Just as Strome was getting what looked to be a surefire goal, Sergachev kicked his right skate out at the last second to keep Utah's lead intact. 

"Really nice save by him there in the second," said Dylan Guenther. "I think he's just a big leader for us off the ice. When he talks, everybody's listening. He's the backbone of our team, and it's great to have him." 

Though the play happened midway through the second period when Utah was up only 1-0, Sergachev's skate proved to be the difference, keeping Utah from playing in its third consecutive overtime. 

While two back-to-back penalties from Sergachev eventually led to a game-tying goal from Anaheim early in the third, he didn't let the mistakes get to his head and later assisted on what became the game-winning goal for Guenther.

ELECTRIC FACTORY 🔋

Gunner gives Utah a 3-2 lead. pic.twitter.com/aUWwXkYSAR

— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 13, 2025

"When I saw [Anaheim] was low, I wanted [Keller] to go up to [Sergachev], and then he gave it over to me," said Guenther. "So, it was just good recognition. I feel like we've gotten pretty good chemistry as we've continued to play together."

While the goal from Gunner proved to be all Utah needed to secure the win, it also gave Sergachev a significant accolade, giving him his 300th assist of his career.

It wasn't just Sergachev who reached an important milestone in this game. Utah's Jack McBain also achieved a personal milestone, tying his career-high mark of 12 goals with Utah's first goal of the night.

McBain gets us on the board first 💪 pic.twitter.com/7UsJhDrZ5t

— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 13, 2025

With Alexander Kerfoot scoring Utah's other goal—his first since signing his extension—Utah avenged its 5-4 shootout loss to Anaheim back in December.

"Definitely a huge win, huge home stand," said Barrett Hayton. "Obviously, it would have been really nice to get all four points, but the way we were able to fight back in that Toronto game and get a point, it's huge for us."

With an upcoming road trip against Seattle, Vancouver, and Edmonton, securing tonight's win could go a long way for Utah in its hunt for the playoffs.

But with head coach André Tourigny emphasizing that every game is a playoff game for this team, Utah will treat every matchup with the utmost priority.

But considering the team 'love[s] each other' and 'fight[s] for each other,' in the words of Tourigny, Utah should be ready for any adversity coming its way. 

Report: Utah HC's Connor Ingram Enters NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance ProgramThe National Hockey League Players’ Association and the National Hockey League announced today that goaltender Connor Ingram of the Utah Hockey Club will be unavailable to his team for an indefinite period while he receives care from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.

Seattle, WA - Jani Nyman, the 20-year-old right winger from Finland, made his NHL debut on Wednesday night at Climate Pledge Arena as the Seattle Kraken hosted the Montreal Canadiens.

Standing at 6'2", Nyman, who was recalled from the Coachella Valley Firebirds earlier in the week, scored his first career NHL goal in the third period, cutting Montreal’s lead to 4-3. Nyman’s thrilling debut earned him the title of First Star of the Game.

Seattle Kraken (Bot) (@notseattlekraken.bsky.social)NYMAN GETS HIS FIRST @NHL GOAL IN HIS FIRST NHL GAME 🥹

The Kraken stunned Canadiens fans in attendance, taking the lead late in the third period with a tying goal from Matty Beniers, which sent the game into overtime.

Brandon Montour also had a spectacular evening, recording two goals and two assists.

Nyman's family (who arrived overnight from Helsinki) were seen on the jumbo tron exuberantly cheering throughout the evening. After the Kraken’s victory, Nyman spoke with Piper Shaw just off the ice, smiling as he shared, “This is very special for me and my family. Thank you.”

The Kraken continue their homestand on Friday night as they host the Utah Hockey Club for Women in Hockey Night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7PM PST.

Related

Pair Of Forwards Set To Make Kraken DebutMichael Eyssimont and Jacob Melanson are set to make their Seattle Kraken debuts tonight against the Nashville Predators. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News or Join the discussion with others in your hockey community on the Seattle Kraken Forum.

DETROIT—At 10:23 local time Wednesday night, the Detroit Red Wings' six-game losing streak officially ended, as the horn sounded on a sorely needed 7–3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.  It would've ended sooner if it weren't for a third period ground to a halt by a turn toward the extra-curricular with the game's outcome no longer in reach, resulting in 73 penalty minutes each way in the third alone. 

When the horn sounded at last, the Red Wings, or at least those of them that hadn't been dismissed early thanks to the late-game carnage, streamed to the ice to congratulate goaltender Petr Mrazek (23 saves on 26 shots) on his first win in his first game back in Detroit.

Wednesday's result doesn't make the remaining schedule any easier, nor can it compensate for the ground given up in the standings during the skid, but it does precisely what Detroit had to take from the evening's game: the weight of the losing streak off their backs. 

"We needed the win," said Patrick Kane after the game.  "It didn't matter how it came.  Obviously, it's nice to put up seven, but we needed the win tonight."

According to coach Todd McLellan, Detroit hadn't played as sound a game as it did two nights earlier in a losing effort in Ottawa, lauding his team's work in attack while suggesting it had to be tighter defensively, before adding, "I remember some of my mentors telling me never critique a win, especially when you haven't won much lately."  The biggest reason the Red Wings got to seven and got the win was Kane, who finished the night with his fourth career five-point game (two goals and three assists).

Detroit suffered an early wobble in the form of Tage Thompson's opening goal 7:38 into the night, one Mrazek perhaps should have done better with and one which came after Alex DeBrincat appeared to score the game's first goal only for it be ruled out for goaltender interference.  Kane, back at his orchestral best, made sure that inauspicious start didn't fester with two assists and then authoritative power play goal, skating downhill and wiring a shot over Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen's glove then dropping to a knee for an emphatic fist pump that conveyed the desperation of the Red Wings' circumstances, before the end of the period.

"I think in my mind, that's called leadership," said McLellan of Kane's performance. "That's called experience: When you have the toolset that he has, and you bring it on a night where the team's pretty desperate, and he delivers."

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"Sometimes these kind of nights happen, and sometimes nights like Ottawa happen, where you have 49 shots and nothing goes in," said a self-effacing Kane, when asked to describe his own role in the victory, but of course, "these kind of nights" don't just happen for everybody the way they do for 'Showtime' Kane.

After Buffalo cut the Red Wings lead to 4–3 late in the second, Kane again made sure his team stopped the bleeding there with a power play goal 1:36 into the third.  Detroit wasn't done scoring either, with Marco Kasper netting his second of the game four minutes later (with another Kane assist) and Moritz Seider adding the extra point to the Red Wings' touchdown nine minutes after that.

From there, the hockey gave way to something more reminiscent of professional wrestling.  After the biggest scrum of the evening, referee Frederick L'Ecuyer saved time by streamlining the penalty announcement: "Detroit's gonna have a minor for roughing, and all the other guys gonna have a misconduct," he said, twirling his finger for emphasis.

Of the brawling, Kane said, "It's great seeing everyone stick together."  It is that sort of togetherness the Red Wings will need if they are to persevere through the league's most difficult schedule to reverse the results of their losing streak and return to the postseason. 

Kane paved the path to victory Wednesday, but as McLellan alluded to, it will take more than individual heroics for Detroit to force its season to its desired conclusion.  It will take a collective.

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The Atlantic Division is turning out to be a dogfight with three serious contenders for the top seed. The defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers remain the leaders but the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning aren't far behind. 

With less than 20 games remaining for each team, if moves are going to be made it's soon as the window is closing on some current values presented.

More NHL: Utah Hockey Club Appears Likely Dark Horse to Make Stanley Cup Playoffs

A value that will quickly go away is the Leafs to win the Atlantic at +170 odds on Bet365. These odds quickly fluctuate with them being as high as +260 within the last few days as the Leafs are starting to gain ground. 

Florida and Toronto face off on Thursday night with the Leafs having a chance to surpass the Panthers with a win. Florida has 83 regular season points due to a 40-22-3 record while Toronto has a similar record with just one fewer win and 81 points. 

They will face off two more times after Thursday, which will play a pivotal role in the race but besides that the Leafs have the 12th-easiest remaining strength of schedule while the Panthers have the 13th-hardest. 

Both teams will have nine road games left with Toronto playing easier competition like San Jose, Anaheim and Buffalo while Florida will have to play much tougher teams like the Lightning, Capitals and Blue Jackets. 

More NHL:Hurricanes' Mikko Rantanen Moving to Dallas Stars For Logan Stankoven, Two First-Round Picks

The odds and trends are all pointing towards Toronto and the tide is quickly turning so you don't want to miss out. If you even wait until after Thursday's highly-anticipated matchup, you may be too late. 

Thursday features a crucial matchup for playoff seeding when the visiting Florida Panthers travel to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs with the Atlantic Division lead up for grabs. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 8-6 record on our last 14 picks and our 15-6 record on our last 21 underdog picks. 

All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

Florida Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs:

• Under 5.5 goals (+105)
• Maple Leafs ML (-110)

Both teams are looking for a much-needed win as they gave up multi-goal leads in their last outings with the Panthers more recently blowing a 2-0 lead in the third period versus the Bruins on Tuesday. They now have to travel and play a Leafs team that could overthrow them as the top team in the Atlantic with a win at home. 

More NHL:Panthers Add Bruins Legend at Trade Deadline

The Cats have allowed 16 goals over their last five road games and have dropped both of their previous two road games versus Toronto. The Maple Leafs have also struggled defensively with 28 goals allowed over their last seven games, which is fourth-most in the NHL during that span. 

This game has an over written all over it yet the line is still down at 5.5 which means that something else is affecting the line and the sportsbooks know something. We should be seeing a line at 6.5 with each team's recent trends but it could result of their history against each other with fewer than six goals in eight of their last 12 matchups. 

If we are continuing to go by history, the home team has won in this matchup five straight times and I would rather count on the Maple Leafs showing up rather than a Panthers team coming off a brutal loss like the one they took on Tuesday versus Boston. 

TSN (@TSN_Sports) on XTHE FLORIDA PANTHERS HAVE ELIMINATED THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS IN 5 GAMES!

More NHL: Leafs Present Best Betting Value in Tight Divisional Race with Panthers, Bolts

The Cats have been red hot and are long overdue for a few losses plus Tuesday's game will be stop two of a six-game road trip that should make the Cats look more human starting with a loss on Thursday. 

Home-ice advantage is a real thing for a handful of NHL teams, especially when seeing how ugly their results are on the road.

As the 2024-25 regular season continues to unfold, there are some truly Jekyll-and-Hyde performances between teams that thrive at home and struggle on the road. Five clubs, in particular, are either pushing for a playoff spot or home-ice advantage for the first round and need much better showing away from home to achieve those goals. 

Let’s look at those five teams, in alphabetical order.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes entered the season as a favorite to be the top team in the Metropolitan Division, but they’re 12 points behind the Washington Capitals. The reason why they’re a distant second is that although they’re 26-7-1 at home, they’re 13-15-3 on the road. Five of their last six wins came in Carolina, while five of their last six losses came on the road.

Carolina ranks 23rd on the road in points percentage, and much of their issues come from a drop in offense. They have the second-most goals-for per game at home, with 3.74, and the 23rd-most away, at 2.61. Their special teams are also slightly worse on the road, and they allow more shots against than they do at home.

Ten of Carolina’s remaining 17 games will be away from home. If the Hurricanes can’t improve their road record, they better hope the New Jersey Devils don’t go on a hot streak and make up the six-point difference to take away Carolina’s home-ice advantage. But thanks to the Hurricanes’ success at home, they will likely be at Lenovo Center to start the post-season.

Which NHL Teams Will Remain In The East's Wild-Card Battle?Now that the NHL’s trade deadline has passed, the race for playoff spots heats up.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The underdog Blue Jackets have an impressive home record of 20-6-4, but away from home, they’re a brutal 11-19-4. Since Feb. 1, the Jackets have gone 5-6-1. Five of those losses came on the road, while four of those wins happened at home.

Columbus has the best offense in the NHL at home with 4.07 goals-for per game. But they’re 20th on the road at 2.68 goals per game. 

Their power-play success rate at home is the second-best, at 29.4 percent, but it’s 12.4 percent on the road, which is second-worst. 

Zach Werenski not only leads all NHL defensemen in points at home, but he ranks second among all players. That is remarkable when considering he has the 18th-most points overall.

The good news for Columbus is that 11 of its final 18 games will be at home. If they can at least squeeze one point out of games at home, even if they lose in overtime, they will not only solidify their spot in a wild-card position but challenge New Jersey for third spot in the Metro – and a probable first-round showdown with Carolina.

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings have been phenomenal at home, going 21-3-4 so far. But it’s an entirely different story for them on the road, where they’ve posted a 13-17-5 mark. The difference between their home and road records is striking, and it has real consequences for how the rest of L.A.’s season could play out.

Los Angeles also has a tougher time scoring on the road at home, but the defensive numbers really stand out. They’ve allowed only 2.11 goals against per game at Crypto.com Arena but have conceded 3.06 goals per game everywhere else.

The Kings have 13 of their remaining 19 games at home. While they probably won’t catch the Vegas Golden Knights for top spot in the Pacific Division, the Kings can challenge the Edmonton Oilers for second place – they’re only one point behind them with a game in hand. Considering that L.A. has finished third in the Pacific in each of the past three seasons – taking on the Oilers in the first round in each of those three years – switching things up by securing home-ice advantage could prove to be huge for the Kings. 

The challenge is obvious, and the Kings have control of their future, so continuing to play well at home is crucial for them this season.

Who Remains In The NHL's Western Wild-Card Battle?The NHL’s Western Conference wild-card battle is heating up after the trade deadline.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning are an imposing 23-8-2 at home, but on the road, they’re a thoroughly average group with a 14-15-2 record. 

Since Feb. 4, they’ve been one of the hottest teams in the league with a 10-3-0 mark, and seven of those 10 wins came in Tampa Bay. Before that hot streak, they were 7-9-2, and they even fell out of a playoff spot briefly. They were 2-7-1 on the road during that span.

The Lightning are still battling to move up the ranks of the Atlantic Division. They’re currently in third spot largely because of their home record, where they have the third-most goals-for per game (3.67) and third-fewest goals against per game (2.27) with the fifth-best penalty-kill success rate (85.1 percent). Away from home, the Lightning only rank 19th in goals-against average (3.13) and penalty-kill rate (77.6 percent).

Ten of their final 18 games are on the road, including a visit to Dallas, Utah and Vegas. They’re only three points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for second place in the Atlantic Division, but they’ll need to stay strong at home and tighten up on the road to have a proper chance of taking home-ice advantage in the first round.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights lead the Pacific Division by five points now, which makes their road record almost confusing.

Vegas is 24-7-3 at home and 14-12-4 on the road. They’ve got 11 road games still to play, including an upcoming three-game road trip in the Eastern Conference. They also play Pacific Division rivals Calgary and Vancouver twice on the road in April.

Interestingly, the Golden Knights have the NHL’s best power-play success percentage on the road, at 31.4 percent, while it’s 23.8 percent at home. But their penalty kill is a league-worst 71.4 percent on the road, 

Vegas likely won’t fall lower than second place in the Pacific, so its home record is a good harbinger of what’s to come in the post-season. But obviously, they’ll have to play road games no matter where they finish in the Pacific, so any loss at home in the playoffs could be costlier than expected if they don’t improve slightly elsewhere.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins may find themselves in the bottom fifth of the NHL standings, but the opposite is happening in the AHL, where the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are one of the league's top teams.

Ahead of their matchup against the Hershey Bears on Wednesday night, the Penguins will look to inch closer to 200 goals, as they are pacing the league with 193 lamplighters, just a goal ahead of the Rochester Americans, Coachella Valley Firebirds, and Calgary Wranglers.

Meanwhile, two valuable points are on the line tonight as the Bears lead the Penguins 75 to 70 points for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. 

With a 31-16-7-1 record, the Penguins have the ninth most victories in the AHL, ranking fifth in points. Every team is chasing the Laval Rocket, who are 37-15-2-1 with 77 points. 

Even though the Colorado Eagles have the league's best goal differential, plus-52, the Penguins have scored the most (193) and given up the eighth fewest, 156, good enough for a goal differential of plus-37. 

31 shots, 31 saves 🧱

Filip Larsson records his FIFTH SHUTOUT tonight against the Crunch, which once again ties him first in the league in shutout victories. pic.twitter.com/EeLLLsQhqL

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) March 1, 2025

In addition to the AHL's best offense, the Penguins come into Wednesday night with the league's second best power-play statistics with a success rate of 22.5%, just shy of the San Jose Barracuda, who are at 23.1%.

Surprisingly, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has achieved their successes with limited opportunities. With only 182 power-play chances (25th in the AHL), they have tallied 41 goals, which ties them for the seventh most.

However, when on the power-play, they haven't slowed down opponents, who have tallied nine shorthanded goals against the Penguins, which is the sixth most in the AHL.

Interestingly, the Penguins are not just dominant on the power-play; they are elite penalty killers with an 85.0% success rate, which is good enough for fifth.

They have surrendered just 28 goals shorthanded, which ranks them 28th in the league, ahead of the Charlotte Checkers (28), Rochester Americans (28), Hershey Bears (27), and Coachella Valley Firebirds (26). 

With only one month left in their season, the Penguins have positioned themselves for a good spot ahead of the Calder Cup playoffs. Meanwhile, this season's successes should eventually transition to the NHL when these prospects are ready to make an impact in Pittsburgh. 

A week ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins went through the NHL Trade Deadline, shuffling the deck with several roster adjustments. Hours later, they got shut out by the Vegas Golden Knights 4-0, despite a solid effort.

Fast forward five days later, and the Penguins met the same Golden Knights, this time on home ice, where Erik Karlsson became a overtime hero, giving Pittsburgh a 3-2 overtime win on Tuesday night. On top of picking up two points, it was a special night for captain Sidney Crosby who had two goals, giving him 70 points on the season.

Meanwhile, Tristan Jarry is 2-0-0 in his return to the crease, so let's get into what happened in last night's game. 

Crosby on His Way to NHL Immortatily

As mentioned, Crosby had both the Penguins' goals in regulation. In doing so, he's notched a multi-goal game against 30 out of 32 NHL clubs, only missing the Utah Hockey Club and Penguins from his collection.

Moreover, Crosby has reached 70 points and is now just ten points shy of 80, which would give him a point-per-game average for the 20th time, breaking the record he currently holds with Wayne Gretzky.

Sidney Crosby has now hit 70 points 15 times in his career. 🤯

Crazy... https://t.co/akR0XDmEsbpic.twitter.com/gV0MUEC9LZ

— NHL (@NHL) March 12, 2025

Additionally, Crosby has 23 goals and is just seven shy of 30. If he can reach that plateau, it would be his 13th season reaching the milestone which would tie him with Mats Sundin, Brett Hull, Bobby Hull, and Phil Esposito for seventh all-time. 

Jarry Stands on His Head (Again)

Jarry returned to Pittsburgh days ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. In his two starts, he's faced at least 30 shots in one, emerging victories twice. After the longest time posting a SV% under .900, he's backstopped the Penguins to wins thanks to 64 saves on 67 shots. 

Tristan Jarry in his return to play:
• Stopped 64/67 shots
• .955 sv%
• 1.49 GAA / 3.79 GSAx
• 1 assist
• 2 wins

Really happy for this guy. Fans have criticized him, he’s bounced between the AHL and NHL, but has kept his head high and is focused on improving his game. pic.twitter.com/9SyBDXQQpl

— ChelPenguins (@ChelPenguins) March 12, 2025

Although the fan base thinks it's too little too late, Jarry's resurgence has been a positive thing for the franchise that hasn't had many things to be excited about down the stretch. 

Jarry has three years left on his contract and has been tapped as the Penguins de facto number one goalie. Ultimately, that could change in the offseason or next year, but watching him bounceback in this fashion can help the organization reevalaute their future plans.

Penguins Hang With Contender (Again)

Even though the Penguins were shut out in Las Vegas last week, the game was never out of reach until the final 15 minutes or so, when a 2-0 lead expanded to 4-0. 

On Tuesday, after going up 2-0, Pittsburgh kept the Golden Knights at bay again, playing competitively at both ends of the ice, which included more hits and blocked shots. 

When the Penguins are firing on all cylinders, they are capable of playing with anyone in the league, including elite teams like Vegas. Because of their place in the standings, most opponents write off Pittsburgh, but as they showed on Tuesday, there is still a lot of heart in the lineup and they won't just roll over for anyone. 

Although there is no hope for a playoff spot with only 14 games left, the Penguins can still make a mess of other team's plans and that's the joy of being a spoiler. 

The Anaheim Ducks had a relatively quiet NHL trade deadline period, as was expected given their current roster construction and their position in the standings during the month leading up to the deadline.

When the NHL resumed play following the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Ducks were nine points out of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference standings. The closest they got to that spot was six points. Heading into Friday’s trade deadline, they were seven back with 21 games left to play after not capitalizing on significant opportunities against the lowly Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 25 and Mar. 1 as well as a Vancouver Canucks team they had been chasing on Mar. 5.

The Ducks only had three pending unrestricted free agents on their roster heading into the deadline period: Brian Dumoulin, Robby Fabbri, and Brock McGinn. McGinn and Fabbri remain on IR, so the likelihood of trading them was slim to none. With not much to sell and no reason to buy, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek pulled the trigger on a somewhat expected Dumoulin deal and made a couple smaller acquisitions on the fringes.

Recap

Out: Brian Dumoulin (50% contract retention) $1.575 million

In: 2025 second-round pick (the better of Edmonton’s or Winnipeg’s), F Herman Träff (19), D Oliver Kylington, G Ville Husso

Patrick

Given the number of teams still firmly in playoff contention and that the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft is projected as one of the weaker ones, this market set up well for sellers. Verbeek said he held on as long as he could, but after losing to the Canucks on Wednesday, he made the decision to trade Dumoulin.

Pat Verbeek Speaks Following Trade DeadlineAnaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek addressed the media following Friday’s trade deadline. Friday was quiet for the Ducks, who didn’t get any deals done, but were active on Thursday when they shipped Brian Dumoulin to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick and prospect Herman Traff (91st overall in 2024). They also brought in depth defenseman Oliver Kylington from the New York Islanders for future considerations.

Dumoulin was acquired for a fourth-round pick on July 2, so getting 61 games out of him and flipping him for a second-rounder and a player drafted in the third round in 2024 is a quality return. Dumoulin plays a position that isn’t one of the most sought after and the most substantial boost it gives the Ducks is the long-overdue relief of the defensive logjam.

Kylington is a nice addition as a seventh defenseman who can seamlessly be inserted in the lineup should the need present itself. Husso was a San Diego Gulls-driven move, but has talent and NHL experience if he’s needed in a pinch.

Derek

From speaking with several players, it’s clear that Dumoulin had a significant impact on and off the ice, even in such a short time with the Ducks. The trade that sent him to the Devils was a mutually beneficial transaction, with Dumoulin getting to play closer to home again and his departure opening up the ability for head coach Greg Cronin to deploy all three of his young left-handed defensemen (Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger) on a regular basis. The return package for Dumoulin also surpassed what Verbeek initially gave up to acquire Dumoulin this past summer, making this deal a home run.

Kylington, a mobile, puck-moving defenseman was added at zero cost to be the seventh defenseman. Similar to William Lagesson last season, the left-handed Kylington can play both his strong and off-side and seems like a better fit for Cronin’s system than Lagesson was.

Husso struggled during his nearly three-year tenure with the Detroit Red Wings, but has righted himself in the AHL. He was acquired to solidify the San Diego Gulls’ goaltending depth after Calle Clang went down with an MCL injury, but he’s been getting well-accustomed to heading up and down I-5 thanks to multiple recalls and reassignments.

Trevor Zegras and John Gibson Stay

“I took calls on John Gibson, so there’s an active market for him,” Verbeek said on his recent episode of “The Beeker” on the Ducks Stream Podcast Network. “At the end of the day, we have probably (a) top-five goaltending tandem in the league. Unless it makes sense for me and for our organization to improve the team, it doesn’t make sense for us to move John Gibson at this time.”

Patrick

For fans worried they’d perhaps seen the last of John Gibson and/or Trevor Zegras in a Ducks’ sweater, fear not. And for opposing fanbases thinking they’re “buy-low” candidates and hoping to acquire each or either of their services at a bargain, it likely isn’t in the cards.

Verbeek didn’t answer any questions on Zegras’ future with the organization, but stated Gibson wouldn’t be on the move unless it made sense for the organization. The Ducks are in a position where the need to trade either isn’t prevalent, so if a team is interested, Verbeek seems to be sending a message that they would have to make a substantial offer.

Derek

Once it became clear that the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes—two teams heavily rumored to be interested in acquiring Gibson—were not going to pay the high price set by Verbeek, any chance of Gibson being anything but an Anaheim Duck past the 2025 trade deadline became zero. There isn’t any incentive for Verbeek to move Gibson—who’s signed for two more years after this season—for anything lower than the price he’s set. Lukáš Dostál and Gibson have formed a dynamic duo in net that has been a large reason why the Ducks are even in the (fleeting) playoff conversation.

For a player that so many talking heads and socialites claim is a “TikTok merchant” and “washed”, so many fans sure are interested in their teams acquiring Zegras. The player has worked hard to improve his two-way game, an initiative given to him by both Verbeek and Cronin. While the point totals haven’t been there lately, it’s clear that his overall game has improved and that the team is better whenever he’s in the lineup.

Ducks Not Involved in Bigger Names on the Market

“There’s a lot of talk,” Verbeek said when asked if he had any other moves he’d been working on. “Nothing ever got to where I would consider serious and start negotiating. Really, nothing.”

Patrick

Signs have been pointing toward, and reiterated by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman specifically, Verbeek and the Ducks’ desire to make a splash at some point soon. Mikko Rantanen was the big name on the move this deadline period, which seemed like a long shot at best for the Ducks. Elias Pettersson’s future seems up in the air in Vancouver, but he remains with the team for the time being at least.

Dylan Cozens, Josh Norris, and Brandon Carlo were also impact players with term beyond this season that moved and could have been seen as fits for Anaheim, but if talks were started, they didn’t go anywhere. We’ll just have to see if that awaited splash is in the cards at the draft or in free agency.

Derek

It would have made more sense for the Ducks to make a splash or add if they were right in the thick of the playoff hunt. They’re on the fringes with this season being the first time in a good while that games in March have mattered to them for something more than a high draft pick. Verbeek is still seeking a top-6 forward, which could come as soon as this summer. (Mitch Marner, anyone?)

Toronto sent Minten, plus a first and fourth-round pick, to Boston in exchange for Brandon Carlo.

John Tavares and his two sons will surely miss Fraser Minten.

The 20-year-old lived with the Tavares family at the beginning of the 2023-24 season after Minten had made the Maple Leafs out of training camp. Throughout last season, Tavares mentioned how much his two boys, Jace and Axton, enjoyed having Minten around.

However, on Friday, Toronto shipped Minten (plus a first and a fourth-round pick) to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Brandon Carlo, who will help the Maple Leafs on the back-end. Although Tavares hasn't been home, he's spoken with his kids several times, but hasn't brought up the news about Minten.

"Actually, I haven't told them yet," Tavares said on Wednesday with a grin.

"We'll get there. I think I'm just happy to get home and to see them. And usually when I call home during the road, they're not too interested too long. So, I'm trying to grab as much attention with them as I can. So, yeah, we're not there yet."

Toronto selected Minten in the second round (38th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. Since then, he's played 19 NHL games with the Maple Leafs, registering two goals and two assists for four points.

Coming up in the organization, Minten spent a lot of time with Toronto forward Matthew Knies. Knies is two years older than Minten, but admitted on Wednesday that he was "a little upset" when he heard the news.

Marner, Minten, Knies and Woll at the Kygo concert this week 🎤 pic.twitter.com/RL0NP3gkuO

— katie (@itsmitchmarney) January 26, 2025

"Obviously, he was around here. He was a younger guy. Got to know him pretty well," Knies said. "I'm excited for him that he has an opportunity to play. I think he's going to have a good chance there to play in the NHL. It's really sad to see him go."

Minten spent most of his playing time this season with the Toronto Marlies. He centered their second line and scored six goals and seven assists in 26 games. The forward was on track to soon be a strong bottom-six forward for the Maple Leafs.

"Amazing person, first and foremost. Tremendous maturity and (it's) part of the game, part of the business," Tavares said.

'He Talks Really Like A Vet On The Bench': How Fraser Minten Is Impressing Maple Leafs Early In Young NHL CareerMinten had a goal, five hits (the third-most on Toronto) and played 13:05 of ice time in the Maple Leafs' win over Chicago.

"Obviously, a team like us that's trying to set ourselves up for, obviously, a deep spring and to do something special and bring people in with their experience and their pedigree and the type of skill sets that they have.

"Sometimes, you lose prospects or obviously players that have tremendous potential. So, obviously, you're going to miss them. But it's obviously part of it (the business)."

Minten will debut with the Providence Bruins on Wednesday against the Marlies at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto.

---

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Dig a little deeper into Nathan MacKinnon’s arrival at the NHL's 1,000-point plateau, and some impressive details stand out.

When only 100 players in the NHL’s entire 108-year history have reached that milestone, it’s incredible that while MacKinnon is already in his 12th NHL season, he’s also still in his 20s. He has plenty of runway left in what’s already a Hall of Fame-level career, and he may not even have peaked yet.

This season, MacKinnon was named MVP at February’s 4 Nations Face-Off. He’s also on track to win his first-career scoring title. That puts him in the pole position to become the first back-to-back Hart Trophy winner since Alex Ovechkin in 2008 and 2009.

With a Sept. 1 birthday, MacKinnon was one of the youngest players in his draft class when the Colorado Avalanche selected him first overall in 2013 — more than two months before he turned 18. That didn’t stop him from seizing an NHL roster spot in his first training camp, skating in all 82 games, and winning the Calder Trophy with 130 of 137 first-place votes after leading all rookies with 63 points.

MacKinnon’s fierce focus and phenomenal wheels were obvious from the jump, but the level of success he’s achieved was far from guaranteed.

He went through a classic sophomore slump, with 38 points in 64 games before a broken foot ended his second season ended in March 2015. That year, the Avalanche also missed the playoffs for the first of three-straight seasons. By 2016-17, Jared Bednar’s first year as coach, Colorado had slid to last place in the NHL with just 48 points.

That’s just one point more than the San Jose Sharks managed last year, and 11 fewer than the Chicago Blackhawks collected when they won the 2023 NHL draft lottery. So MacKinnon was truly speaking from experience earlier this week when he offered a vote of confidence to Connor Bedard.

Nathan MacKinnon Has Intense Confidence In Connor BedardThe Chicago Blackhawks took on the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night and they played a solid game. The difference in the game, besides Scott Wedgewood in the net for Colorado, was the playmaking of Nathan MacKinnon. 

“He’s a 19-year-old kid, and he’s close to a point a game,” MacKinnon told Mark Lazerus of The Athletic. I’d have killed for that when I was 19. I had like 30 points. He’s doing great.”

While Bedard is the centerpiece of the Blackhawks’ offense, MacKinnon ranked fourth in scoring on his team as a rookie behind Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog and Ryan O’Reilly — all just a few years older. Jarome Iginla’s arrival in his second season provided coach Patrick Roy with another dangerous offensive weapon and power-play option.

“I wasn’t the guy by any means,” MacKinnon said to The Athletic. “There was a lot of learning, a lot of difficulties, obviously. Everything was new and everything was different. It feels like another career, honestly, it’s a long time ago now. But I remember it really well. I had a lot of fun, but there were so many things that I did wrong. So many things.”

There were also some successes in those early days. Skating with his friend and mentor Sidney Crosby, he won a gold medal at the 2015 World Championship, where Canada went undefeated. And at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, MacKinnon was a standout for the U-23 Team North America — the group whose speed, skill and drive formed the template for the style of game that we see in today’s NHL.

In his fifth NHL season at age 22, MacKinnon figured everything out. In 2017-18, he exploded for 97 points and led the league with 12 game-winning goals. The Avalanche returned to the playoffs, and he finished second to Taylor Hall in a tight Hart Trophy race.

He was a Hart finallist two more times before he lifted the Stanley Cup in 2022, at age 26. In 2023, he logged his first of three-straight 100-point seasons. In 2024, he pulled off the double by winning the Hart and the Ted Lindsay Award, voted by the players. And this year, he currently holds a five-point lead over Leon Draisaitl in the Art Ross race. 

MacKinnon is the second player this season to hit the 1,000-point milestone, after Connor McDavid became the fourth-fastest (659 games) and fourth-youngest (27 years, 306 days) to reach the mark on Nov. 14, 2024. 

MacKinnon needed 856 games, ranking him 24th. But at 29 years and 190 days, he’s the 12th-youngest to get there and the second-youngest active player behind only McDavid. He got there three days quicker than Crosby, who was 29 years and 193 days old when he hit the mark in his 757th game on Feb. 16, 2017. 

McDavid blew us all away when he needed just 58 games and 10 months to get from 900 points (Jan 3, 2024) to 1,000 (Nov. 14, 2024) — the fourth-fewest games in NHL history.

MacKinnon needed barely five months — and 64 games — to hit 1,000 on March 10, 2025. He started the season with his 900th point in Colorado’s season opener against the Vegas Golden Knights back on Oct. 9, 2024, so that’s the sixth-fewest games in NHL history. He falls just behind Marcel Dionne (63 games) and ahead of Steve Yzerman and Mark Messier (both 65 games).

Is Oilers' Leon Draisaitl The Runaway Hart Trophy Winner? (What About The Selke?)Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch doesn't have a say in the matter, but if he did he knows which player would receive his vote for the Hart Trophy this season.

The 1,000-point club should also welcome more new members next season. 

Brad Marchand is currently at 976 points, Nikita Kucherov is at 965, and Leon Draisaitl and Jamie Benn are both at 947. Kucherov and Draisaitl are on pace to get there in fewer games played than MacKinnon, but both will be into their 30s. The Tampa Bay Lightning sniper is currently at 786 games, while the Edmonton Oilers ace is at 783.

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Matthew Knies didn’t waste any time settling the score with Zach Whitecloud on March 5.

Just four seconds into the Toronto Maple Leafs' last matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, the 22-year-old forward dropped the gloves for the second time in his career, throwing a series of heavy left-handed punches before both players hit the ice.

right off the bat

Knies vs. Whitecloud pic.twitter.com/K3CUItPP6S

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) March 6, 2025

Returning home after a three-game road trip, Knies had the chance to reflect on the fight following Wednesday’s practice. 

He explained that the decision to engage Whitecloud was premeditated, stemming from a hit he took back on November 20 that forced him to miss two games with an upper-body injury. His head hit the ice after being on the receiving end of a high hit from the Golden Knights defenseman.

Matthew Knies Leaves Maple Leafs Game And Didn't Return After Getting Hit By Golden Knights Defenseman Zach Whitecloud, Review Deems Hit CleanKnies appeared dazed after his head hit the ice as he came down from the hit.

“I think it just kind of lined up perfectly that we were both starting, and I thought I'd ask him and kind of get it out of the way early,” Knies said. “I just kind of earned some respect there, and I just wanted to get back at him a little bit for the hit.”

The fight was one that his teammates and head coach fully supported.

Mitch Marner also revealed post-game that Knies had informed team members beforehand that he intended to square off with Whitecloud if the opportunity presented itself.

And it did. 

“He told us he was going to see if he could get that, obviously with the hit that happened the last time that we played them,” Marner explained. “He kind of gave us the heads up, so we didn’t know if it was going to happen or not. Great fight by Kniesy.”

With that, he's sent a clear message to opponents to be ready to answer the bell.

Craig Berube, a former enforcer in his playing days, also commended Knies for standing up for himself.

“I think going back to that hit, he wanted some redemption,” said Berube. “I give him a lot of credit to do that and get it out of the way early and then go play hockey.”

‘He Wanted Some Redemption’: Maple Leafs React To Matthew Knies Dropping The Gloves With Zach Whitecloud In Meeting With Golden KnightsMatthew Knies wasted no time making a statement on Wednesday night.

Knies said after practice at Ford Performance Centre that although he has not been paying attention to fan reactions to the fight, he was pleased to hear it was well-received.

“No, I haven’t. Not really, no,” Knies admitted when asked if he had seen the response. When told it was rather beloved by fans, he responded, “That’s good to hear.”

Knies continues to establish himself as a crucial part of the Maple Leafs' future, growing into a physical, two-way presence with the ability to make an impact in all areas of the game. At 6-foot-3 and 227 pounds, Knies has embraced the power forward style of play, quickly molding into his own.

In his second full season with the organization, the Phoenix, AZ., native has 24 goals, 19 assists, and 43 points in 60 games.

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David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period revealed the four teams Mikko Rantanen was willing to sign an extension with and named the Vegas Golden Knights as one of those teams. 

Along with the Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars, Rantanen was open to discussing an extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers. The 28-year-old played the first 619 games of his career with the Colorado Avalanche, scoring 287 goals and 681 points. 

After ongoing disputes about contract extensions with the Avalanche, GM Chris McFarland shocked the hockey world, sending Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes. Rantanen would go on to play just 13 games with the Hurricanes before they too moved him after he informed them he would not re-sign.

Reports had stated the Golden Knights could be an option for Rantanen, but no formal deal or proof has shown the Golden Knights went out trying to acquire him. Alongside the Stars, both the Panthers and Maple Leafs submitted offers, with the Maple Leafs reportedly having a deal in place with Rantanen and an offer the Hurricanes gave serious thought to. 

The Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers, two Pacific Division rivals, both had high hopes of working out a deal, but Rantanen expressed no desire to join those clubs. 

Rantanen is a tremendous player who would have provided the Golden Knights with a massive offensive boost. Finding the assets to give up and making space in the salary cap would have been incredibly difficult, but it would have been another franchise-altering move, similar to acquiring Jack Eichel. 

The 10th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft had been a thorn in the Golden Knights' side during his time with the Avalanche and will be for the next eight seasons he spends with the Stars. 

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ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Wild (37-24-4) entered Tuesday's game against the Colorado Avalanche (39-24-3) without having a win on home ice against the Avs since March 29, 2022. 

It had been 1,078 days since the Wild last beat the Avs on home ice and were 2-7-1 in their last ten games against the Avs in the last three seasons. 

The Wild also entered Tuesday's game coming off a loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins. They had lost five of their last seven games before Tuesday. 

Against a red-hot Avalanche team that had won six in a row coming into Minnesota, the Wild were able to limit the Avs to one goal and walked away with a shootout win. 

“It’s huge, not only for the standings but our confidence, too,” said defenseman Jake Middleton. “We played a solid game. We definitely deserved two points.”

Mats Zuccarello opened the scoring for the Wild after a nice play by his linemates. Matt Boldy forced a turnover and got it to Marco Rossi who dropped it off for Zuccarello for a mini-breakaway. 

Zuccy top shelf 😛 pic.twitter.com/ygeyjqYU95

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) March 12, 2025

The veteran forward flipped it over the glove of MacKenzie Blackwood to give the Wild a 1-0 lead in the second period. That trio has actually been one of the best lines in the NHL in terms of generating offense. 

The Boldy-Rossi-Zuccarello line ranks 21st in the league in xGoals Against, according to Moneypuck. They also rank 32nd in xGoals for and 18th in xGoals for per 60 minutes. They also lead the Wild in xGoals and are second in goals for with two goals behind the Kaprizov-Rossi-Zuccarello line.

Colorado was able to score a goal in the third period to force extra time but the Wild were able to finish it off in the shootout.

Zuccarello went first for the Wild and scored. Filip Gustavsson then stopped Nathan MacKinnon on his attempt and Boldy sealed the deal with a goal on his move.

Some BOLD moves from Matt Boldy 🤭 pic.twitter.com/APuOrQNMmq

— NHL (@NHL) March 12, 2025

Gustavsson then stopped Martin Necas to end the game. The Wild picked up two huge points and, most importantly, some confidence.

“There’s so many different components to win the game, right?” Wild head coach John Hynes said after the game. “Scoring is a big part of it. Killing two penalties is a part of it. Getting timely saves is a big part of it. Being strong and attention to detail when you don’t have the puck, to check the right way. Those are all important aspects of the game, and I think that for the most part we’ve been pretty good at those areas, but then you need to find ways to win and tonight we found a way to win by playing a detailed, highly competitive game.” 

The Vancouver Canucks (29-24-11) wrap up their back-to-back on Wednesday when they take on the Calgary Flames (20-23-10). This will be the final regular season meeting between these two clubs, with Calgary holding a 2-1 series lead. Wednesday will be a must-win in regulation for both the Canucks and Flames, as they are two of the four teams battling for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Abbotsford Canucks’ Linus Karlsson Breaks Franchise Goal Record

Canucks Penalty Kill Ranked First In The NHL Since The Start Of February

How Does The Canucks’ Power Play Stack Up To The Rest Of The NHL?

While nothing is official until puck drop, it looks like Vancouver will be getting a massive boost as Quinn Hughes could be making his return to the lineup. Hughes has missed the last four games with an injury and has only played in three games since the beginning of February. If Hughes is cleared to play, it will be a massive boost to the lineup, both at even strength and on the power play. 

Player to Watch:

Nils Höglander:

Despite the low goal total, Nils Höglander has been very impressive over the past month. He had a strong game Tuesday against the Montréal Canadiens and played a key factor in the Canucks first goal of the game. If Höglander can be his energetic and chaotic self, he could be set for a big game against Calgary.

Dustin Wolf:

Goals will be at a premium on Wednesday, in large part due to the play of Dustin Wolf. The Flames goalie is in the Calder conversation and is coming off a shutout against the Canadiens. With already one win against Vancouver in his NHL career, Wolf could make Wednesday a frustrating night for fans in Vancouver. 

Vancouver Canucks (29-24-11):
Last 10: 4-6-0

Quinn Hughes: 14-46-60
Conor Garland: 16-23-39
Brock Boeser: 18-20-38
Elias Pettersson: 13-24-37
Jake DeBrusk: 22-14-36

Calgary Flames (30-23-10):
Last 10: 4-3-3

Nazem Kadri: 22-24-46
Jonathan Huberdeau: 22-24-46
MacKenzie Weegar: 7-29-36
Matthew Coronato: 16-16-32
Blake Coleman: 12-18-30

Game Information:

Start Time: 6:00 pm PT
Venue: Scotiabank Saddledome
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650

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