What does the future hold for Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane?
He hit multiple career milestones this season, including scoring his 500th career goal, becoming the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history, and, on Monday evening, picking up the 1,400th point of his Hall of Fame career.
He's also a pending unrestricted free agent.
Following Monday's game, Kane made it sound as though he absolutely plans on playing next season.
"I haven’t really thought about it too much. I’ll definitely be playing," Kane said. "I think there’s more in the tank, and excited to see what level that can be at."
Detroit would be hard-pressed to replace the offense that Kane has provided to them this season. While he missed chunks of the season with injury, Kane has still scored 16 goals while adding 41 assists. He's also currently sporting a plus-two rating.
The chances of the Red Wings re-signing Kane are likely good, considering his friendship with forward Alex DeBrincat and the friendship of their young sons with one another.
Kane has spoken glowingly of playing for the organization and living in the Metro-Detroit area, and it would be difficult to see him opting to move his family elsewhere for what could potentially be his final NHL season.
While the Red Wings ultimately finished on the outside looking in at the postseason race, Kane's efforts down the stretch were especially noticeable, having scored at over a point-per-game pace during the last 24 games.
"Happy with the way I finished, especially after the Olympic break," Kane said. "Felt really good. Definitely feel like there’s more gas still in the tank."
In each of the last two offseasons, Kane has signed a one-year extension to remain with Detroit. Don't be surprised to see history repeat itself for a third time this summer.
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ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 3: Alexey Toropchenko #13 of the St. Louis Blues and Kris Letang #58 of the Pittsburgh Penguins battle for the puck on April 3, 2025 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Rovak/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Few players in NHL history have had as long a career as Anže Kopitar. The Los Angeles Kings captain made his debut during the 2006-07 season and has since skated in over 1,500 regular-season games. During that time, he has won multiple Stanley Cups and a few NHL Awards, while also being a significant pain for the Vancouver Canucks.
Of Kopitar's 1,519 regular-season games, 73 have come against the Canucks. In those games, he has recorded 62 points and picked up five game-winners. Kopitar was also part of the Kings team that upset Vancouver in the 2012 playoffs, which is the same year he would go on to capture his first Stanley Cup.
"He's gifted," said Adam Foote ahead of Kopitar's final game against the Canucks on Tuesday. "He's a true pro. A big, heavy player, consistent. That's what I've talked about, the process. He just comes to work every day, and you do it and grind, and things fall into place for you. That's what a pro does. He was able to win a cup leading that way, and he's been consistent, and that's why he's played the 1500. He takes care of his body. It's no fluke. He put the work in."
One player who has faced off against Kopitar plenty in his career is defenceman Marcus Pettersson. The two have battled 17 times in the regular season, with Kopitar holding a 10-2-5 record against Pettersson. At morning skate on Tuesday, Pettersson took some time to talk about what made Kopitar such a difficult player to match up against.
"Yeah, it's been a huge honour, said Pettersson. "He's one of those guys, where anybody you talk to throughout the league respects him and loves what he brings to the game. And he's got a reputation around him for being one of the best people in the league, too. I know some of the guys in their team, like (Adrian) Kempe, played a couple of worlds with him and stuff like that. And just to be able to talk to him, and every time you bring his name up, it's been spoken about in such a high regard. Whether it's as a person or as a player. I was actually fortunate enough to see him during, I think it was a 2013 lockout when he was in Sweden playing. Saw him one time there. And yeah, just the poise that he has. The heart that he brings on the ice, and the leadership that he exemplifies, is something I think everybody in this league can try and follow. Huge congrats to him, and would be happy to see him go for another long run."
Vancouver's final home game of the season is scheduled for Tuesday night. While the Canucks are locked into their standings position, Los Angeles is fighting for playoff positioning. Game time at Rogers Arena is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Mar 26, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (24) and defenseman Tom Willander (5) watch as Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar (11) redirects a puck on goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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The good news for the Los Angeles Kings is that they clinched a playoff spot following their win against the Seattle Kraken on Monday. That secured their ticket to the post-season for the fifth straight year, despite a far-below-average start to the campaign.
The bad news is that they are in line to play against the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs if L.A.'s position in the standings doesn't change.
So, with how impressive and dominant the Avs have been all season long, how do the Kings match up against the league leaders?
This also doesn't help their case, but the Kings lost all three meetings against the Avalanche during the season. The last game on March 2 ended 4-2 in favor of Colorado.
Alex Laferriere (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
In terms of the playoffs, the last time the Kings played against the Avalanche was in the 2001 post-season. The two teams met in the Western Conference semifinals, and Colorado got the best of Los Angeles, taking the series 4-3.
The Avalanche went on to win the Stanley Cup for the second time in franchise history.
Looking at the Avs of this year, they could very well go on to win another Cup. The power and skill of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Martin Necas, Devon Toews, Brock Nelson, Nazem Kadri, and others is more than the Kings can handle on paper.
Los Angeles isn't going to beat Colorado player-for-player in terms of talent, and interim head coach D.J. Smith knows that.
However, in the playoffs, there's more to each contest than beating your opponent in a skills competition. And that's where the light can shine on the Kings.
Since coach Jim Hiller was replaced by Smith, the Kings have been one of the most physical teams in the league. From March 1, Los Angeles has the fifth-most hits at 525 in 22 games.
Hitting isn't everything, but when a team is physically imposing on the opposition and heavy on the forecheck, like the Kings have been since Smith stepped in, that can wear on the Avalanche's stars.
Another aspect in which the Kings can hang around with the Avalanche is their ability to shut down their opposition.
In addition to the Kings being fourth in the NHL in fewest goals against, they have the fifth-most shutouts this season with six on the year. Though the Avalanche are slightly above them in those categories, too, it's key that the Kings print out the details on how to stop Colorado's stars.
Even Necas is tied for seventh in scoring and is just one point away from notching his first career 100-point campaign.
And for Makar, not much needs to be said about how dynamic and how much of a revelation he's been among defensemen in the NHL.
Of course, the Avalanche are heavy favorites in this series if there is no change in the NHL's seeding from now to the end of the week.
But as they say about the Stanley Cup playoffs, you just need to get in. After all, the Kings did win the Stanley Cup in 2012 as the eighth seed in the Western Conference, a comparison to this year's team.
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Unger Sorum, 20, has made quite the jump in his second year in North America, more than tripling his point production from his rookie year in the AHL.
The Swedish winger led the Chicago Wolves in scoring with 16 goals and 63 points in 69 games.
The 2023 second-round pick is a cerebral playmaker who excels with the puck on his stick. He has tremendous vision and is able to create time and space with ease.
While not the biggest player, he's unafraid of going into the corners either and has proven that he's capable of elevating his game in North America.
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ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild (45-24-12) is back in action tonight for its final game of the regular season against the Anaheim Ducks (42-32-6).
Minnesota dropped its last game 6-3 in St. Louis on Monday. In that game, the Wild rested eight regulars.
The Ducks have two more games left in the season and are just one point up on the Los Angeles Kings for the third spot in the Pacific. They are also only three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for first in the Pacific and one point back of the Edmonton Oilers for second.
Although the Ducks have clinched a playoff spot, they still have a lot to play for, like home ice in the playoffs.
The Wild, on the other hand, don't. It is already official that they will face the Dallas Stars in round one, with the first two games being in Dallas.
On that note, the Wild will again use this game to rest the same guys.
Kirill Kaprizov, Ryan Hartman, Mats Zuccarello, Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy, Quinn Hughes, Brock Faber, Marcus Foligno and Jared Spurgeon.
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One week ago, defenseman Jake Livanavage was suiting up for the University of North Dakota at the Frozen Four in Las Vegas.
And now, he will be suiting up to take NHL ice for the very first time.
On Tuesday, Livanavage will make his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the final game of their regular season. Pittsburgh will take on the St. Louis Blues, which will be the team's last opponent before facing the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound left blueliner may not be eligible for the postseason - he was a UFA who signed after the trade deadline and was not on the Penguins' reserve list - but he put together a nice enough season at North Dakota for the Penguins to outbid some other suitors for his services. He registered five goals and 25 points in 39 games to go along with a plus-15, and his mobility and offensive instincts are hallmarks of his game.
When you are cutting the Jake Livanavage tape and you come across a sequence so good you have to stop and tweet it pic.twitter.com/KrTrDwRB03
But, all that aside, Livanavage grew up a Penguins' fan, so debuting with the team he rooted for as a kid is a full-circle, dream come true.
"Being part of this organization is a dream come true and something that I'll never take for granted," Livanavage told Penguins' reporters after Tuesday's morning skate. "So, it's been awesome so far."
And he looks forward to getting that first NHL game under his belt, even if it will be his only game this season.
"I'm sure they'll be nerves and a lot of emotions going on," Livanavage said. "But just trying to enjoy it and be a part of this group for tonight and try and help the team win."
Blackhawks prospects Anton Frondell (No. 6), Roman Kantserov (No. 16), Sam Rinzel (No. 34), Nick Lardis (No. 41), Oliver Moore (No. 48), Kevin Korchinski (No. 54), Vaclav Nestrasil (No. 71), and Marek Vanacker (No. 94) all made the cut.
When noting that all these players have good upside, it is not difficult to understand why they have each been featured on Wheeler's rankings. They all have the potential to be important parts of the Blackhawks' future as they continue to develop.
Frondell is already showing his skill at the NHL level, as he has three goals and nine points in 11 games since joining the Blackhawks. This is undoubtedly encouraging to see from the 2025 third-overall pick, as he is making an impact immediately.
While Frondell is the Blackhawks' top prospect at this stage, the other youngsters on this list also could become high-impact players for the Blackhawks soon. It is certainly an exciting time for Blackhawks fans, and it will be fascinating to see how well these prospects develop their games from here.
Scott Wheeler has released his latest top 100 drafted NHL prospect rankings for The Athletic. With the Montreal Canadiens having one of the strongest prospect pools in the league, it is not surprising in the slightest that four of their prospects have made the cut: Michael Hage, Alexander Zharovsky, David Reinbacher, and Bryce Pickford.
Hage was given the No. 11 spot by Wheeler, and it is not difficult to understand why. The 2024 first-round pick had a spectacular sophomore season with the University of Michigan, as he recorded 13 goals and 52 points in 39 games. With numbers like these, there is no question that the 6-foot-1 center has the potential to become a high-impact player for Montreal.
Zharovsky landed the No. 17 spot on Wheeler's rankings. The 19-year-old winger's placement also makes sense, as he had a big rookie year in the KHL with Salavat Yulayev Ufa this season. In 59 games with the KHL club, he had 16 goals and 42 points.
Reinbacher picked up the No. 35 spot on Wheeler's rankings. The 2023 fifth-overall pick has the potential to become a nice part of the Canadiens' blueline in the future and has shown promise this campaign. He recorded an assist in his recent NHL debut for Montreal and has five goals and 24 points in 57 AHL games with the Laval Rocket this season.
As for Pickford, he just made Wheeler's rankings by picking up the No. 98 spot. The 2025 third-overall pick had a special regular season with the Medicine Hat Tigers, as the 6-foot-1 defenseman had 45 goals and 83 points in 55 games. He also has five goals and eight points in eight playoff games.
The Buffalo Sabres capped off a remarkable turnaround with their 50th victory of the season and clinching top spot in the Atlantic Division with a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. Tage Thompson scored twice and reach the 40-goal mark for the third time in four seasons, and with the victory, Buffalo will have home-ice advantage in the first and second round, and could have it in the Eastern Conference Final if they play anyone other than the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Sabres first round opponent is as yet undetermined, as the Boston Bruins lead the Ottawa Senators by a point with one game to go. The Bruins play the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden on Tuesday, and with a win of any kind would clinch the top wildcard spot and Buffalo as their first round opponent. If the fall to the Devils in regulation, overtime, or a shootout, the Senators could jump over them into the first wildcard with a victory at home over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
Buffalo lost three of four matchups against Boston this season, 3-1 in Boston on October 11, 4-3 in overtime at TD Garden on October 30, and 4-3 in overtime at KeyBank Center on March 25. The Sabres only win, 4-1, came at home on December 27. Against Ottawa, Buffalo went 2-1; an 8-4 win at home on October 15, and a 3-2 overtime victory in Kanata on December 23. Their only loss, 4-1, came earlier this month at Canadian Tire Center.
It means a lot. Division champions from where we came from in December, I'm going to enjoy this hat for one day. I'm going to work on the next hat.
What got you to this point?
I think the leadership of all our guys, you start with (Dahlin), (Thompson) and (Tuch) and all those guys. You look at a game like tonight with Tommer getting a couple and Tucky getting a big goal, and then the (penalty) killing. The season has been a total team effort. We've got a guy that blocked a shot laying on the ice, and he's almost stacking his legs trying to block another shot while he's trying to get off the ice. It's been that willingness to do whatever you can to win a hockey game.
What does home-ice advantage and the level of excitement in Buffalo for Game 1 mean to you?
It's been a long time coming. It's been too long but to have home ice secured. I think we talked a lot about being a playoff team. We didn't talk much about winning a division or winning our conference, but to be division champions, and we get to start at home, (it's) great for our guys, great for our team, great for our fans and awesome for the city.
When did you think that this turnaround was for real?
I think that 10-game winning streak (in December) put a lot of confidence in the team that we could win a lot of hockey games and get back in it. I think that was the start of it. The fact that we bounced right back after a loss and put a lot of wins together again right after that. Just playing good hockey for a long period of time from December on.
What did you like about Tage Thompson’s game?
Everything about his game, (he's had) a little struggle of late. I think there's been a few games where the energy has been a little bit low, but I thought tonight we got his A plus game, and I think his energy level is back to where it needs to be. We know what he can do when he's at the top of his game……He went through a couple weeks of the Olympics and big celebration after, and then he joined us right away in Florida. I've talked to him several times. I think just a lot of that caught up. That was part of him not practicing a couple of those times. I said, 'whatever you need to take off to get the energy back where it needs to be. If you didn't take a game off. Well, go get your game off.' But he wanted to play, and I think he's worked his way through it.
The Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres have met eight times in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and these teams have given hockey fans plenty of memorable moments.
Brad Park’s series-winning goal in Game 7 of the 1983 Adams Division Final and Brad May’s thrilling OT goal to eliminate the B’s in the 1993 Adams Division semifinals (with Rick Jeanneret’s legendary call) are just two examples of the thrilling hockey this rivalry can produce.
The latest chapter will be written over the next few weeks when the Atlantic Division champion Sabres battle the Bruins (first wild card team) in a best-of-seven first-round series.
The Sabres are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2010 (when they lost to the B’s in Round 1), ending the NHL’s longest postseason drought. The Bruins saw their eight-year playoff appearance streak end last season, but it only took one year for them to be back in the tournament.
Which of these teams has the upper hand in this first-round matchup? Check out our full preview below.
Series schedule
Game 1 at Buffalo: TBA
Game 2 at Buffalo: TBA
Game 3 at Boston: TBA
Game 4 at Boston: TBA
Game 5* at Buffalo: TBA
Game 6* at Boston: TBA
Game 7* at Buffalo: TBA
*If necessary
Regular season head-to-head
Oct. 11 at Boston: Bruins 3-1
Oct. 30 at Boston: Bruins 4-3 in OT
Dec. 27 at Buffalo: Sabres 4-1
March 25 at Buffalo: Bruins 4-3 in OT
Tale of the Tape
Here’s how the Bruins and Sabres compare in several important stats (all from even-strength play, except the power play and penalty kill) from the regular season. NHL rank in parentheses.
Note: The Sabres’ final regular season game is Wednesday, April 15.
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The Bruins win the series if…
All four lines contribute.
The Bruins can’t be a top-heavy lineup and expect to beat a Sabres team that has loads of scoring depth.
The Sabres had 13 players score 10-plus goals and 10 players reach 40-plus points. The B’s had 10 players score 10 or more goals and seven players hit 40-plus points.
The Bruins have been a little more reliant on the top of their lineup, specifically David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie, to score goals and create scoring chances for teammates. The B’s don’t need to worry about Pastrnak showing up. He has scored 11 goals with five assists in 21 games over his last three first-round series. He also has scored in each of his last three Game 7s. He has 87 points in 90 career playoff games.
The question is whether the B’s will get enough offensive production from their bottom-six forwards. Before the final two games of the regular season, many of these bottom-six guys hadn’t provided much offense since the Olympic break in February.
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The Bruins need two or three of these players to provide a bit of a spark offensively in Round 1. Maybe one of those players is James Hagens, the team’s top prospect, who played well over the final two games of the regular season.
Stepping up in the playoffs is a lot to ask of a 19-year-old rookie, but Hagens has an elite offensive skill set and could make a positive impact scoring-wise, both at even strength and the power play.
The Sabres win the series if…
Buffalo’s PK remains elite.
The key matchup in this series might be the Bruins power play versus the Sabres penalty kill. Both of these teams ranked top 10 in even-strength goals scored. Therefore, an effective power play could be enough to tip the scale in either team’s favor.
The Bruins power play showed tremendous improvement for the first five months of the season and ranked third-best in the league entering the Olympic break. But since the Olympic break, the B’s have converted on just 16.2 percent of their man-advantage situations, which ranked 27th among 32 teams over that span.
The Sabres have a top-tier penalty kill that ranked fourth-best in success rate this season. If that unit can shut down the Bruins power play, Buffalo will have a strong chance to win the series.
Players to watch
Morgan Geekie, left wing, Bruins
Geekie led the Bruins with a career-high 39 goals, and he recently ended a 17-game scoring drought with a hat trick against the Hurricanes on April 7. He has five goals in his last four games.
Can he keep up that pace in Round 1? Is his slump officially over? It’s hard to imagine the Bruins winning this series if Geekie is close to a non-factor offensively.
McAvoy took his performance to another level this season with a career-high 61 points (10 goals, 51 assists) in 69 games. He also led the team with 24:28 time on ice per game, while playing the second-most power-play time and most penalty kill time.
McAvoy drives offense at a high rate and shuts down the opposing team’s top forwards. He also sets the tone with crushing hits, and he’s never afraid to put his body on the line to block shots. A huge series for McAvoy would go a long way in helping the Bruins get to Round 2.
Tage Thompson, center, Sabres
Thompson is a force offensively at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds. He leads the Sabres with 40 goals and 81 points. He’s also played well against the Bruins in his career with 18 points in 31 career games, including five points in four matchups versus Boston this season.
Thompson has not scored in five of his last six games. Can he engineer a turnaround against the Bruins? The Sabres really need it.
Dahlin is the Sabres captain and one of the best players at his position. You could even make a case he deserves to win the Norris Trophy. Dahlin is an excellent defensive player, he battles, he plays in all situations and he defends against the opponent’s top players. His offensive skill is elite, too, evidenced by his 74 points (sixth-most among all defensemen).
Buffalo’s top pairing of Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson ranked ninth in goals scored percentage (61.3) among all pairings with 350-plus minutes together, per MoneyPuck.
Dahlin will be asked to create scoring chances and shut down Pastrnak’s line. If he’s successful at both, the Sabres will advance to Round 2.
Goalie breakdown
Jeremy Swayman, Bruins
Even though Swayman has struggled a bit of late, he was one of the best goalies in the league this season and could be a Vezina Trophy finalist. He went 31-18-4 with a .906 save percentage and a 2.76 GAA. He ranked No. 2 in both goals saved above expected (26.4) and wins above replacement (4.40), per MoneyPuck. Swayman is the No. 1 reason why the Bruins made it back to the playoffs.
He is the best and most experienced goalie in this series. The last time we saw Swayman in the playoffs was 2024 when he posted a league-best .933 save percentage in 13 games through two rounds. He dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs in his most recent first-round series.
Swayman played a lot down the stretch, but overall he had a normal No. 1 goalie workload of 54 starts.
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Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Sabres
Luukkonen and Alex Lyon both played really well for the Sabres this season and helped Buffalo rank eighth in even-strength save percentage. Lyon has been dealing with a lower body injury and hasn’t played since April 4.
Luukkonen has played six of the last eight games and put up better stats than Lyon this season, so he could get the start in Game 1. Luukkonen tallied an impressive .910 save percentage and a 2.52 GAA in 36 appearances. But unlike Swayman, Luukkonen has zero playoff experience.
How will he handle the pressure of the postseason? Luukkonen did play well against the B’s this season, earning a 1-0-1 record and a .907 save percentage in two starts.
Prediction
Bruins in six games.
There’s no doubt the Sabres have a ton of talent and depth. Buffalo having home-ice advantage is meaningful as well, and the atmosphere at KeyBank Center for the Sabres’ first playoff series in 16 years will be electric.
Boston’s advantage in postseason experience and goaltending is a huge factor, though. Swayman was arguably the league’s top netminder this season, and we’ve seen him play at a very high level in the playoffs before. The Bruins’ two best skaters — David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy — have a combined 181 career playoff appearances.
This will be a very intense, physical and exciting series. If the Bruins steal one of the first two games, they should be in good shape.
The Flyers had to like what they saw from their youngsters Tuesday night in a 4-2, regular-season finale win over the Canadiens at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Porter Martone, Oliver Bonk, Matvei Michkov and Alex Bump provided the team’s goals. All four players are 22 years old or younger. Martone, Bonk and Michkov were first-round picks.
“It just kind of shows the growth and the youth movement here,” Martone said. “What we’ve got in the prospect pool and down in the AHL in Lehigh and the players contributing up here in the NHL. It’s awesome to see that youth, but that youth doesn’t grow without the veterans in this room and what they do to help us get to the NHL.”
Bonk and Hunter McDonald each made their NHL debut and had an assist.
Bonk made it 2-0 in the first period when he uncorked one. The righty-shot blueliner celebrated with a big fist pump.
“I’m just trying get better every single day, a little bit better,” Bonk said. “I definitely can say I’ve taken some strides since I was practicing here, but there’s still a lot to do. Definitely happy with the result today, though.”
McDonald made a good read and hit to keep the puck in the offensive zone before Bonk’s goal. The 6-foot-4 defenseman had a plus-3 rating.
“That’s what I want to bring to this team and this league,” McDonald said. “Obviously I can keep getting better out there, but I think I showcased [my game].”
Fans also got their first look at David Jiricek in a Flyers jersey. The 22-year-old defenseman came to the Flyers in the Bobby Brink trade. He went scoreless, but he did show his powerful shot in the second period.
Martone continued to impress. He has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in nine games with the Flyers. He assisted Bump’s goal, which gave the Flyers third-period insurance.
Bump is a legit shooter. His ability to find the back of the net has been promising.
“I said to [president of hockey operations Keith Jones] after the game, ‘Man, I’ve got to get this guy in the lineup somehow,'” Tocchet said. “He’s going to get in; we’ve just got to figure when. But I really enjoyed his game tonight.”
• Samuel Ersson converted 27 saves on 29 shots.
The 26-year-old was super reliable after the Olympic break, giving the Flyers six wins in seven starts.
“I think the whole team, we put on a good run during that time,” Ersson said. “That was huge. It felt like we almost played the playoffs up until this point. Every game was so huge for us. I think we’ve got a lot of good feelings, good confidence, we’ve got some momentum going in here.”
The Flyers never trailed in this one. Montreal twice cut the deficit to one, but the Flyers responded each time.
Ersson made a sharp glove save on Oliver Kapanen a little over halfway through the third period to keep the Flyers in front.
“I’ve noticed since the break, he really looked big in the net, calmer,” Tocchet said. “I think he’s worked on not only the physical aspect of his game, but the mental.”
Canadiens netminder Jakub Dobes stopped 21 of the Flyers’ 25 shots.
• Michkov had two assists to go along with his goal.
“I think he’s just getting information and he’s starting to understand it and apply it,” Tocchet said. “I think early on, he maybe didn’t understand it as much and maybe got frustrated. … I think the communication’s a lot better, too, with the language barrier and stuff like that. It’s helping.”
The Flyers were 11-0-0 this season when Michkov recorded a multi-point game. No doubt he is an X-factor in these playoffs.
• The Flyers now get set for a first-round matchup with the Penguins.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs kick off Saturday. We’ll see if that’s when the Flyers and Penguins get underway in Pittsburgh. The schedule has not yet been announced.
With nothing left in the standings to play for, the Detroit Red Wings traveled to the Sunshine State for their two final games of the 2025-26 NHL regular season.
In their penultimate game of the campaign, they suffered a 4-3 overtime setback against the Tampa Bay Lightning after Nikita Kucherov scored just 27 seconds into the extra session.
The Red Wings, who trailed 3-1 at the beginning of the third period, rallied with goals from Marco Kasper and Alex DeBrincat, but despite outshooting the host Lightning, they weren't able to pick up the winning goal.
Not only did Detroit outshoot Tampa Bay, but they also refused to lie down and stop competing, which head coach Todd McLellan noticed.
"I thought they were prepared and willing to play from minute one on through, and if it wasn't there, I don't think you'd see us come back," McLellan said. "I give them credit for competing hard and playing to the end."
Even though Monday's game against the Lightning and their regular season finale against the Florida Panthers both mean nothing in the standings, McLellan gave the club credit for playing hard rather than mailing it in with nothing left to play for.
"I'm not gonna sit here and say the guys were all full of piss and vinegar early in the morning; it is what it is right now," said McLellan. "You have to play out the schedule, and there's always concern our guys will play safe, but they were real competitive and I give them credit for that.
"When you're in the thick of it, and you're playing for your lives, the intensity is different, and the pressure is different," he continued. "But when you're done, and you have six periods of hockey left, it changes quickly."
The Red Wings will face the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night in their 82nd and final game of their centennial campaign.
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Porter Martone, Oliver Bonk, Jack Nesbitt, Jett Luchanko, David Jiricek, and Denver Barkey were all featured in Wheeler's rankings.
Martone was given the No. 2 spot in Wheeler's rankings, and it makes sense when noting that he has the tools to become a star power forward in the NHL. The 19-year-old forward has three goals and eight points in games since joining the Flyers.
Bonk was ranked at the No. 65 spot. The 21-year-old defenseman has had a solid first year with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, posting six goals and 19 points in 44 games. It is what helped him land a call-up to Philly's NHL roster for their season finale.
Nesbitt was ranked at the No. 80 spot in Wheeler's rankings. The 2025 first-round pick had another good year in the OHL with the Windsor Spitfires, recording 25 goals and 58 points in 55 games.
Luchanko was given the No. 81 spot and had another solid regular season in the OHL this year. In 38 games split between the Guelph Storm and the Brantford Bulldogs, he recorded seven goals and 43 points.
Jiricek was right after Nesbitt and Luchanko at the No. 83 spot. The right-shot defenseman has had trouble cementing himself as a full-time NHL defenseman, but has thrived with the Phantoms since being acquired by the Flyers at the deadline. In 13 games with the Phantoms, he has two goals and 13 points.
As for Barkey, he just made the cut at the No. 91 spot. The 20-year-old forward has shown promise during his first NHL season with the Flyers this campaign, as he has five goals and 17 points in 42 games. He also had seven goals and 16 points in 26 AHL games this season with Lehigh Valley.
There may only be a couple of games left in the 2025–26 season for the Vancouver Canucks, but this doesn’t mean they’re excused from any arising injury issues. Evander Kane has yet to play since Vancouver’s game on April 4 against the Utah Mammoth, and it appears the forward will remain out until the end of the season.
“He’s not going to play unless we get walloped with some injuries. So we’re going to keep going with the group we have,” Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote said after Vancouver’s morning skate on Tuesday ahead of their matchup against the Los Angeles Kings in their final home game of the season.
Kane’s recent appearances in Vancouver’s lineup have been sporadic. The forward skated in enough games to put him at the 1000th NHL-game mark on March 30 against the Vegas Golden Knights, but did not play again until the 4th due to injury. Against the Mammoth on home-ice, Vancouver celebrated Kane’s career-milestone. He has not played in a game since then.
With Kane’s current contract up at the end of the season, the forward will become a UFA by the start of July unless the Canucks opt to sign him to an extension. Through 71 games played this season, the forward has scored 13 goals and 18 assists.
Mar 30, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vancouver Canucks left wing Evander Kane (91) warms up before a game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
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Red Wings’ Late-Season Collapse Matches Rare Mark Not Seen Since 1970The Detroit Red Wings became just the second team in NHL history and the first since 1970 to achieve a dismal mark. 
