Recalling McGroarty, Koivunen Right Move By Penguins' Management

Oct 4, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rutger McGroarty (2) reacts after being named a star of the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

In their last three games - all losses - against the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Buffalo Sabres, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been outscored, 17-7.

Even though they're not yet mathematically eliminated, this has, effectively, ended their season and any hopes of a playoff run.

And now, the organization turns to the future.

On Friday, the Penguins recalled top forward prospects Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) - Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate - to the NHL club, using up their final two call-ups of the season.

McGroarty - who turns 21 on Sunday, when the Penguins take on the Ottawa Senators at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh - has 14 goals and 39 points in 60 AHL games this season, including eight goals and 18 points in his last 19 games. The developmental process was there for him all along this season, and the production finally started to catch up in the latter half of the season. 

Koivunen - the 21-year-old Finnish forward who came over last spring as part of the Jake Guentzel trade - has registered 21 goals and 55 points in 62 AHL games this season, leading all rookies in scoring and sitting at sixth in overall AHL scoring. He also leads WBS in scoring this season. This is all quite impressive for a player's first season in North American professional hockey.

If folks haven't been paying attention, WBS is on quite the run this season. With one of the youngest rosters they have had in quite some time, the team clinched a Calder Cup playoff berth with a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over the Hartford Wolf Pack on Wednesday.

WBS Penguins Clinch Playoff Berth With Thrilling 4-3 Overtime Win Over HartfordWBS Penguins Clinch Playoff Berth With Thrilling 4-3 Overtime Win Over HartfordHeading into a massively important game against the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins had led the season series 5-0 and had outscored Hartford, 24-5.

What WBS is doing this season is special. They have scored more goals than anyone in the AHL other than the Colorado Eagles and the San Jose Barracuda. They are tied for sixth in the league in terms of points percentage at .645. And they are 5-2-3 so far this season against the Hershey Bears, the reigning Calder Cup champs who are currently atop the division.

After the trade deadline, Penguins POHO and GM Kyle Dubas stressed the importance of the organization's prospects building a winning culture and playing meaningful games together. And with the certainty of the Calder Cup playoffs a lock, that is still going to happen.

In other words, there is absolutely no hurt in calling up McGroarty and Koivunen to close out the regular season with the NHL club - and it was absolutely the right call.

Beyond the fact that the timeline adds up - Pittsburgh's regular season ends on Apr. 17 against the Washington Capitals and WBS's ends on Apr. 19 against the Cleveland Monsters, making it fair to assume both players will remain in the NHL through the end of the season - there is something to be said about the decision to reward two young prospects for their performance.

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

WBS will have a good shot at a long playoff run regardless, and both players will be back in time for that run. So this decision doesn't harm that mentality of the young players "winning together" that Dubas and the organziation values. But what it does do is signal to the young players that they will, in fact, be rewarded when they've earned it.

This isn't a small thing for an organization attempting a rebuild on-the-fly, especially with so many prospects on the verge of being NHL-ready. With several pending free agents on the NHL roster - unrestricted and restricted - it's reasonable to assume that some of these prospects will be vying for full-time spots on the NHL roster next season.

When factoring in guys like McGroarty and Koivunen, the Penguins will have a good mix of higher-end veteran talent, youth potential, and rostered placeholders to give youth a good amount of runway to learn and develop at the NHL level. Allowing these two players to remain on the roster for the final eight games of the regular season for the NHL club will give management - and fans - a bit of a preview of what to expect in 2025-26.

Sep 21, 2024; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson (23) watches as Pittsburgh Penguins center Ville Koivunen (41) tries to control the puck during the first period at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)

Of course, it would have been nice to see prospects like Owen Pickering, Avery Hayes, Vasily Ponomarev, and perhaps even Harrison Brunicke - who was re-assigned to WBS Friday after the conclusion of his junior season with the Kamloops Blazers - get a late-season NHL opportunity as well.

But, unfortunately, the Penguins had just two of their four post-deadline recalls remaining, and they prioritized those final two slots for two players who not only earned the opportunity but also figure to be a large part of the organization's rebuild plan moving forward.

Confidence is crucial for young players. It's important for them to feel like their hard work is being noticed and, again, getting rewarded. That is exactly what has happened here, and McGroarty and Koivunen will be better for it when they attempt to become full-time NHLers next season.


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Rookie Rosen Makes An Impression In Win Over Penguins

Sabres winger Isak Rosen registered his first NHL point in a 7-3 victory over Pittsburgh. 

The Buffalo Sabres continued to roll on home ice, flattening the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-3 in the finale of a brief two-game homestand at Key Bank Center on Thursday. The game featured a five-goal Buffalo offensive outburst that chased Pittsburgh starting goalie Tristan Jarry, the third win in a row from veteran goalie James Reimer, and contributions from Sabres youngsters getting an opportunity in the final month of the season.

Jiri Kulich scored the game-winner and added a second tally in the middle frame, fourth liner Tyson Kozak scored his third goal of the year and added a helper on Alex Tuch’s 28th goal of the year, and rookie Isak Rosen notched his first NHL point, assisting on Mattias Samuelsson’s fourth goal of the year. Rosen, who leads the AHL Rochester Americans with 27 goals, has been recalled on numerous occasions this season, but really has not been given much of a chance to make an impact with the big club, but on Thursday he played 19 shifts alongside Peyton Krebs and Tuch, and registered an assist in his 12th NHL game.

"I think Rosen made two or three plays that we haven't seen. I thought you skated well, and there was a lot to like about his game," Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said after the game. "I look at the play he made with maybe three or four minutes left, a play on the wall where he spun around and got a great exit to our guy in the middle of the ice. That's a play that says to me that he's committed to making the right play and feels comfortable with where that guy was on his back and to protect it and get it in the right place."

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The 22-year-old winger will have a large role for the Amerks in the Calder Cup Playoffs, but the Sabres will be looking for Rosen to show he is capable of stepping up in the final 11 games of the regular season to show that he can earn a spot on the NHL roster next year.

The club practiced on Friday before heading to Philadelphia for the first of a three-game road trip against the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday afternoon. Buffalo is playing back-to-back matinees and will take on Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Sunday, which means that starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will see his first action since a 4-1 loss to Minnesota last Saturday.

Sabres Prospect Update – 2023 Draftees – Part 1Sabres Prospect Update – 2023 Draftees – Part 1Here is a quick update on the players selected in 2023:

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

Buffalo Sabres Send Forward Down To AHL

Josh Dunne (© Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)

The Buffalo Sabres have announced that forward Josh Dunne has been re-assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. 

Dunne was just called up by the Sabres on March 25. Now, after a few days on the Sabres' roster, the 26-year-old forward is heading back to Rochester. 

Dunne played in the Sabres' March 27 contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins during his call-up. In the matchup, the 6-foot-4 forward had a minus-1 in 6:55 of ice time. 

Dunne has appeared in two games this season with the Sabres, posting zero points, five hits, and a minus-3 rating. With the Amerks this season, he has nine goals, 26 points, 44 penalty minutes, and a plus-11 rating in 58 contests. 

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Snuggerud Watch Is Official On For Blues

St. Louis Blues prospect Jimmy Snuggerud, at the 2022 NHL Draft after being chosen with the No. 23 pick, could sign his entry-level contract at any time now that his junior season at the University of Minnesota ended on Thursday. (Eric Bolte-Imagn Images)

ST. LOUIS -- The Jimmy Snuggerud watch, or when he will turn pro, is officially on for the St. Louis Blues.

The end result for the No. 23 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft wasn't what the forward envisioned when he returned to the University of Minnesota for his junior season, but Thursday's surprising 5-4 overtime loss to Massachusetts in the first round of the Fargo (N.D.) Regional ended the Gophers' -- and Snuggerud's -- season sooner than many, including themselves, had expected.

Now becomes the question of when -- not if -- will he sign his first pro contract and how quickly will he join the Blues?

Could it be as early as today? And will he be in Denver for Saturday's 3:30 p.m. game against the Colorado Avalanche and be in uniform? 

That's a lot to ask at this point, but it's not totally out of the realm of possibility since both general manager Doug Armstrong and GM-to-be Alexander Steen were in attendance to see the Blues' latest in high-end prospects.

Snuggerud scored twice, once to put the Golden Gophers ahead 1-0 in the first period, then again late in regulation to tie the game 4-4; he finished the season with 51 points (24 goals, 27 assists) in 40 games and 135 points (66 goals, 69 assists) in 119 games spanning three seasons.

Here's the point the Blues (39-28-7), who have won eight straight and are 15-2-2 the past 19 games, have to address: how do they handle the utilization of Snuggerud if/when he joins?

Do they insert him into the lineup immediately, or do they take how they're going with the Dalibor Dvorsky (No. 10 pick, 2023) route?

You see what the Blues are doing with Dvorsky, who did make his NHL debut last Sunday in a 4-1 win against the Nashville Predators. They played him, then have kept him on the sidelines the past two games to watch, grow and learn what being an NHL pro is all about.

Here's what Blues coach Jim Montgomery said on that on Thursday:

"Every day he can grow, he’s so young and learning just how to travel on the road, what this building looks like, how do you get here,” Montgomery said. “All those little things and then the extra work he gets to do and the pace of our practices is really going to benefit him.

“(He's) very inquisitive. He has a thirst for knowledge. It’s awesome.”

It would be very tempting to take Snuggerud and insert him and his dangerous offensive prowess, and his most dangerous attribute being his shot, into the lineup if the Blues were just plodding along. But they're not plodding along. They're roaring like a freight train, and will that mess with the chemistry in the room with the guys that have gotten them to this point if someone comes out and Snuggerud goes in? And how will the on-ice chemistry make an immediate impact without the 20-year-old (who will turn 21 on June 1) having any ice time with the current players?

These are all tough decisions that need to be made, and even though the Blues would be burning the first year of Snuggerud's entry-level deal when he signs once he plays, that will not influence whether/when he plays or not this season.

Alex Ovechkin Vs. Wayne Gretzky: The Tale Of The Tape In NHL Record Chase

Alex Ovechkin (Matt Krohn-Imagn Images)

Part of what makes Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goal-scoring record so compelling is that the two players are polar opposites in some ways yet stunningly similar in others. 

Gretzky played 1,487 career NHL games, finishing with 894 goals. After being held off the scoresheet in Minnesota on Thursday, Ovechkin has played 1,482. He’s at 889.

As far as the differences go — besides hailing from opposite sides of the world, Ovechkin is a mountain of a man at 6-foot-3 and 238 pounds, a big hitter as well as a powerful shooter.

Gretzky’s biggest asset was his brain. Slippery and cerebral, he checked in at six-feet and 185 pounds, often with an enforcer like Dave Semenko or Marty McSorley on his wing to help create open ice for him.

While Gretzky’s goal-scoring record has stood up for more than a quarter-century, scoring was really just a sideline for The Great One.

His true calling card was his setup ability. Gretzky’s 1,963 career assists are more than 50 percent higher than second-place Ron Francis (1,249) and nearly double the NHL’s active leader, Sidney Crosby (1,058), who’s currently 10th all-time. 

Here's more on the distinct paths that Ovechkin and Gretzky have taken up the NHL’s goal-scoring mountain.

Gretzky: Younger

After starting in the WHA as a 17-year-old, Gretzky was 18 years and eight months old when he made his NHL debut with the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 10, 1979.

He wrapped up on April 14, 1999, at 38 years and nearly three months. 

As for Ovechkin, his Sept. 17 birthday made him one of the oldest players in his 2004 draft class. He was born two days too late to qualify for the famed class of 2003. 

Then, the 2004-05 full-season lockout eliminated any opportunity for Ovechkin to play in the NHL as a 19-year-old. He was 20 years and two weeks old when he finally made his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2005 — almost two full years older than Sidney Crosby, who played his first game on the same day.

Ovechkin started this season at age 39 and is showing no sign of slowing down. His 36 goals rank him fourth in the NHL in 2024-25.

Ovechkin's Chances Of Breaking NHL Goals Record Against Crosby Are HighOvechkin's Chances Of Breaking NHL Goals Record Against Crosby Are HighAlex Ovechkin is nearly the NHL’s top goal-scorer ever – and the likelihood he cements that status against Sidney Crosby continues to grow.

Ovechkin: Quicker

Ovechkin introduced himself in his very first game, scoring twice in the Capitals’ 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. By the 15-game mark, he was already up to 12 goals and had five two-goal games. He finished his rookie season with 52 goals and won the Calder Trophy.

Gretzky’s reputation preceded him thanks to his 110-point year in the WHA, but he didn’t log his first NHL goal until his third game — a 4-4 tie against the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 14, 1979. 

His first multi-goal night came against the New York Islanders in his 10th game, and at Game 15, he was sitting at six goals. But Gretzky picked up steam as the year went on, finishing with 51 goals in 78 games and tying Marcel Dionne of the Los Angeles Kings for the league lead in points. Because he had already played a pro season, Gretzky was ruled to be ineligible for the Calder Trophy.

Gretzky: Streakier

In his third NHL season in 1981-82, Gretzky set the single-season record with 92 goals in 80 games. That record still stands, and the closest challenger was – Gretzky again, with 87 goals in 1983-84. Then comes Brett Hull at 86.

Gretzky’s goal-scoring slowed significantly in the later part of his career. He won five goal-scoring titles, all during his time with the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980s, and scored at least 40 goals in each of his first 12 seasons. 

After that, the closest he came was 38 goals in 1993-94. That’s the year he passed Gordie Howe with his record-setting 802nd goal. He played five more seasons before hanging up his skates at No. 894.

Ovechkin: Steadier

Ovechkin also peaked in his third season, with 65 goals – tied for 24th all-time. While he didn’t match Gretzky’s dizzying heights early in his career, he has only dipped below 30 goals once – and that was the 56-game 2020-21 season, his 16th year. 

All told, Ovechkin has 19 seasons with at least 30 goals, 13 with more than 40 goals, and nine goal-scoring titles. Both players have had five 50-goal seasons, but Gretzky cracked 60 goals five times, while Ovechkin only did it once.

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Pittsburgh Penguins Recall Ville Koivunen And Rutger McGroarty From AHL

© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they have recalled forwards Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen from their AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. 

Koivunen has 21 goals and 55 points in 62 games this season, leading all AHL rookies. 

The 21-year-old led Finland's Liiga in rookie scoring and won a silver medal at the World Junior Championship in 2022. 

A second round selection of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2021, Koivunen was acquired last season in a trade for Jake Guentzel. 

McGroarty has 14 goals and 39 points in 60 AHL games and is pointless in three NHL games in what is his first professional season. 

The 20-year-old made the Big Ten First All-Star Team and was a Hobey Baker Nominee for the University of Michigan Wolverines and won a gold medal with Team USA at the World Junior Championship last season.

The 2022 14th overall selection was acquired in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets in August for 2023 14th overall selection Brayden Yager. 

With the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins having clinched a playoff spot this will be a good chance for these two players to get NHL experience before returning for the Calder Cup Playoffs. 

Keep an eye on The Hockey News Pittsburgh for more updates. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.      

Line Combinations: Jets vs. Devils

Photo by Ed Mulholland/USA Today 

The 49-19-4 Winnipeg Jets are set to host the 38-28-7 New Jersey Devils from snowy Manitoba on Friday night.

Doused with 15 centimetres of snow over the past 24 hours, Winnipeg's Canada Life Centre will host the first game of the season that truly doesn't matter for the Jets' initial playoff chances.

We say 'initial' because every game matter in terms of final standings, finishing placements and season series', but as of Winnipeg's 3-2 overtime victory on Tuesday, the Jets are in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

They enter the night one point behind Washington for first overall, while having played the same amount of games as the Capitals. 

But more concerning for the Jets are the red-hot Dallas Stars who sit just four points behind Winnipeg, as well as the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues, who have combined for a 27-3-3 record in their last 33 games played, combined. 

With injuries to Gabe Vilardi and Rasmus Kupari, Alex Iafallo has positioned himself on the top line, while David Gustafsson draws back into the fold on the fourth grouping. The second and third lines have see some adjustments as well. Logan Stanley continues to dress on the blueline over Haydn Fleury.

Connor Hellebuyck will get the nod between the pipes as the Jets look to become the first team to hit 50 wins on the season.

Winnipeg Jets' expected line combinations for Friday, March 28 vs. New Jersey:

Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo

Ehlers-Lowry-Appleton

Niederreiter-Namestnikov-Perfetti

Gustafsson-Barron-Tanev

Morrissey-DeMelo

Samberg-Schenn

Stanley-Miller

Hellebuyck

Ex-Red Wing James Reimer Heating Up

James Reimer (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)

Goalies are the most critical players on the ice.

Scoring goals is nice – but it doesn't mean anything if your netminder is not up to snuff.

Former Detroit Red Wings goalie James Reimer has had a strange season. He started with the Buffalo Sabres, was put on waivers, claimed by the Anaheim Ducks, placed on waivers again, and finally claimed by the Sabres.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest newsgame-day coverage, and player features

Although Reimer hasn't played much this year, he's started four consecutive games. Despite starting the year terribly, things are turning around for him.

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He's posted a save percentage (SV%) of .900, .917, .938, and .920 with a 3-1 record in four consecutive starts.

He’s hovering around league average for the season. In 17 games, Reimer has a record of 5-8-2, a 2.94 goals against average (GAA) and a .901 SV%. 

Digging into MoneyPuck numbers gives us a few more observations. Reimer leads all Sabres goalies in Goals Saved Above Expected with 8.1. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi have GSAx of -5.6 and -8, respectively.

Cam Talbot (Tim Fuller-Imagn Images)

Amongst all NHL goalies who have played at least 15 games, Reimer ranks 26th in GSAx. The only Red Wings goalie who has done better in this metric is Cam Talbot, who ranks 22nd with 10.6. 

In his last season with the Red Wings, he had similar numbers. Reimer boasted an 11-8-2 record with a 3.11 GAA, a .904 SV%, and two shutouts.

While it wasn’t a mistake to let Reimer go, his recent hot streak is proof that he still has some game to bring to the table. But, just like all things, it probably won’t last very long.

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Former-Bruin Brad Marchand makes debut with Panthers in game against Utah

SUNRISE, Fla. — Brad Marchand has made his Florida debut.

The Panthers had Marchand — who, because of an upper-body injury, hasn’t appeared in a game with Florida since being acquired in a trade with Boston three weeks ago — in the starting lineup Friday night when the team played host to the Utah Hockey Club.

Marchand, who was greeted by plenty of fans around the ice during warm-ups and even flicked a puck into the stands toward one group as a souvenir, got the loudest reception of any of Florida’s skaters when the game-opening unit was announced.

It was the first time in 1,091 NHL games, 1,248 when adding in playoff contests, that Marchand took the ice in something other than a Bruins sweater. Marchand was on Florida’s second line with Sam Bennett and Mackie Samoskevich — who grew up in New England watching Marchand play for the Bruins.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Samoskevich said of playing with Marchand. “He’s such a good player. So silky. I feel like when he has the puck, he sees you — he’s got eyes in the back of his head. It’s a lot of fun. Excited for the future with him. He’s such a good guy off the ice, too.”

Marchand had 21 goals and 26 assists in 61 games with the Bruins this season, and Panthers coach Paul Maurice said when the deal got done that Marchand, he believes, helps fill what Florida will need in its playoff run and its quest to win a second consecutive Stanley Cup.

“He’s had an incredible career,” Maurice said. “He’s a Stanley Cup champion, 1,000 games, 1,000 penalty minutes, lots of points. I don’t want to see it all in one game. ... You know how tenacious this guy is, how physical he is, how hard he plays. Then you get him in practice and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, he’s got hands on him.’ And you start to realize how good the skill level is there.”

It may have been strange at first, with the former captain of the Bruins wearing Florida colors after those teams had tough playoff battles — both won by the Panthers — in 2023 and 2024. But by all accounts, Marchand has fit perfectly into the Florida mix.

“He brings a lot of energy to the locker room, a lot of compete on the ice,” Panthers defenseman Gus Forsling said. “A huge veteran that’s going to be big for us.”

Alex Ovechkin leads Capitals in tribute to Wild’s Marc-Andre Fleury with postgame handshakes

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Alex Ovechkin didn’t score for Washington, staying at 889 career goals and six away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record.

Ovechkin did initiate a memorable moment on the ice in Minnesota on Thursday night, though.

The three-time NHL MVP, who has been in the spotlight for months amid his pursuit of Gretzky’s career goal mark, hustled over toward the tunnel behind the bench after the horn sounded on Washington’s 4-2 loss to make sure all of the Capitals came back on the ice to shake hands with retiring Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Ovechkin was the first to greet Fleury at mid-ice as they shared a hug and a laugh.

Fleury, who’s in his 21st and assuredly final season in the league, was on the home bench all night while Filip Gustavsson manned the net.

Ovechkin mentioned to the team in the morning that it would be the last matchup against Fleury, who faced Ovechkin and the Capitals frequently over the first 13 seasons of his career with Pittsburgh. Ovechkin had 28 goals in 47 games against Fleury, his most against any goalie.

“He’s had so many battles with the Caps, with ‘O,’” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. “Pretty classy to be able to send him off and just say how impressive a career he had.”

Capitals center Dylan Strome played briefly with Fleury in Chicago.

“Everyone knows he’s one of the best people of all time in the game, so the little respect we can show him at the end of the game I think goes a long way,” Strome said.

The Wild were impressed by the gesture, even if they weren’t surprised.

“Every team we go to, you see the signs. Everyone loves him, and everyone loves playing against him,” Gustavsson said. “I think no one really would say anything bad about him.”

At some point soon, the Wild will likely find themselves doing their own internal tribute.

“It’s awesome to see. It’s fun for him, and I am happy for him,” defenseman Jonas Brodin said. “He’s a great person and one of the best I have ever played with, so it’s pretty cool. It’s special to have that when you quit hockey someday, that you played with that guy, for sure.”

Capitals sign defenseman Dylan McIlrath to a two-year, $1.6 million contract

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Washington Capitals signed defenseman Dylan McIlrath to a two-year, $1.6 million contract Thursday.

The 32-year-old McIlrath has two assists in 11 games this season. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

McIlrath captained Washington affiliate Hershey’s 2023 and 2024 Calder Cup championship teams in the American Hockey League. The 6-foot-6 defender has three goals and six assists in 86 career NHL regular-season games with Washington, Florida, the New York Rangers and Detroit.

Kelly Cup Champion Re-Signs With Everblades

Photo Courtesy of the ECHL

The Florida Everblades announced Friday they have agreed to terms with forward Josh Ho-Sang on a standard player contract (SPC).

The 29-year-old right-shot right winger won the Kelly Cup with the Everblades last season, posting one goal and 17 assists during the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Toronto native also provided two goals and 13 assists in 11 regular season games ahead of the 2024 playoffs.

Before the Everblades, the 6-foot, 174-pound Ho-Sang played 53 NHL games and 225 AHL games split between the New York Islanders, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, and San Antonio Rampage.

Ho-Sang scored seven goals and 17 assists in the NHL. The Kelly Cup Champion was drafted in the first round (28th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders from the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires.

Ho-Sang played 256 OHL games split between Windsor and the Niagara IceDogs, finishing with 82 goals and 210 assists.

The Everblades kick off the weekend with a big matchup in Estero against the Toledo Walleye. Puck drop is set for 7:30 Pm ET.

The Hockey News Big Show: How Well Will Brad Marchand Fit In With Panthers?

Image

Kickstart the weekend with The Hockey News Big Show, where we explore some of the biggest NHL and hockey topics.

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed in this episode:

How Well Will Brad Marchand Fit In With Panthers? by The Big ShowHow Well Will Brad Marchand Fit In With Panthers? by The Big Showundefined

0:36: The Philadelphia Flyers fired coach John Tortorella. What do we think of Tortorella’s comments on Tuesday and the subsequent decision by the Flyers to move on?

6:20: Who do we think should be the next coach in Philadelphia, and will Tortorella end up coaching elsewhere by next season?

8:14: The St. Louis Blues are on an eight-game winning streak. What has stood out about St. Louis during this run, and should teams be genuinely concerned about meeting them in the first round?

11:10: Brad Marchand is slated to make his debut with the Florida Panthers on Friday against Utah Hockey Club. Do we like Marchand on the second line with Sam Bennett?  

13:14: When Matthew Tkachuk returns to the Panthers’ lineup, who becomes a healthy scratch?

14:58: Alex Ovechkin is now just six goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record. Do general sports fans realize this is going on? Is the NHL doing enough to promote this Great Chase?

19:11: Day 1 of the NCAA men’s hockey national championship is in the books. These eliminations mean we have many players who could turn pro now that their seasons are done, but one of the biggest names to watch is MSU goalie Trey Augustine. Do we think Augustine will sign to go pro or return for his junior season at MSU?

20:51: What other prospects are you keeping an eye on now that their seasons are over?

23:17: We return to our weekly look at Ryan and Michael’s top eight Stanley Cup contenders. Starting with Ryan's list, which squad moved the most on his list and why?

24:55: Michael shares which team moved the most on his top eight Cup front-runners list and why.

29:10: What series in the Western Conference will be the toughest?

30:35: True or false: do we think Matvei Michkov is secretly happy Tortorella is fired?

32:52: Without looking, who has a better save percentage for the Dallas Stars: Jake Oettinger or Casey DeSmith?

34:22: Which fan base should be more concerned about their team next season: Boston or Detroit?

36:22: Is Kadri the Calgary Flames' best-ever free-agent signing? 

37:55: Sidney Crosby is the first player in NHL history to record 20 point-per-game seasons. Will anyone currently playing in the NHL ever beat this?

Watch the full episode here.   

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Top 2 Tiers of UFA Forwards Blackhawks Must Target

Nikolaj Ehlers (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)

The longer the Chicago Blackhawks suffer at the bottom of the standings, the worse it gets for some of the young players like Connor Bedard who is already at a higher level and is ready to start getting in the mix of a playoff chase. That being said, there has to be some upgrades externally. That is what is going to take this team with a lot of young and talented players to the next level.

The additions like Teuvo Teravainen, Tyler Bertuzzi, and even Ilya Mikheyev have done well for the Blackhawks, and there is lots more cap space to go use this summer, even factoring in that some of the young players will have to be paid.

Chicago needs to land at least one of the free agent forwards this summer in the top two tiers of UFAs. Let's dive deeper.

Mitch Marner is in a league of his own in terms of being the top UFA forward this summer after Mikko Rantanen was signed by the Dallas Stars. This means that many teams are going to do what they can to convince and target Marner if he hits free agency. The majority think that Matthew Knies is the player the Toronto Maple Leafs should be prioritizing, and I'm in agreement.

The Blackhawks will be able to take a good run at a UFA Marner as they have the funds, they are an Original Six team, and he will be able to play alongside Bedard. This might incentivize the Blackhawks even more to up the dollar amount and signing bonus to get Bedard a winger like this.

The next tier is interesting, but it also isn't that big. The Blackhawks can't put all of their eggs in one basket as Marner might re-sign in Toronto or go to a different team. If that's the case, Nikolaj Ehlers, Brock Boeser, and Sam Bennett have to be seriously looked at.

Five Questions That Blackhawks Must Answer In Final 10 GamesFive Questions That Blackhawks Must Answer In Final 10 GamesThe Chicago Blackhawks have ten games left. At 21-42-9, their playoff chances were gone by the time November started. That’s the reality for a team going through a long, grueling rebuild. 

Ehlers and Boeser would be top line, top power play right away for the Blackhawks while Bennett would give the team a solid number two centerman behind Bedard. I don't expect Chicago to pull a Nashville and be able to bring in or try to bring in multiple of these players, but one would get things rolling in the right direction.

All three of those forwards will be looking for bigger contracts than what they are currently signed to, but once again, the Blackhawks have the cap space to accommodate. We are patiently waiting for Chicago to take the next step in this new era.

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Utah HC Makes Roster Moves Ahead Of Game Against Panthers

© Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Utah Hockey Club has announced that they have recalled goalie Matt Villalta from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. In a corresponding move, they have sent down Jaxson Stauber to the Roadrunners.

Villalta, 25, has played in 41 games for Tucson, posting a record of 17-21-3. Along with that record, he has a .906 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.01 goals-against average (GAA).

He will now join the Utah Hockey Club and back up Karel Vejmelka, potentially even appearing in an NHL game. Although that wouldn’t be his first NHL game, it would be his first with Utah.

As for Stauber, the 25-year-old has had a bit of a rough go in the NHL this season. After getting off to an early start, he has struggled. In six games played, he has a record of 2-1-1 along with a .892 SV% and a 3.26 GAA. Unfortunately, he will report to the AHL but could be called up again before the end of the season.

With Connor Ingram out of the lineup due to personal reasons, the backup goalie position for Utah has a glaring hole. Vejmelka has been good this season but is likely a bit fatigued and needs a game or two off. Unfortunately, with no true backup goalie and Utah still mathematically in a playoff spot, it makes it hard for the coaching staff to not point to Vejmelka as the starter.

Sergachev's Tampa Homecoming Spoiled by Utah HC's Worst Loss in Franchise HistorySergachev's Tampa Homecoming Spoiled by Utah HC's Worst Loss in Franchise HistoryWhen Mikhail Sergachev was welcomed back by the Tampa crowd, where he won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Lightning, it gave the city a long-awaited chance to show its appreciation for him. Utah HC Recalls Forward From AHL Tucson RoadrunnersUtah HC Recalls Forward From AHL Tucson RoadrunnersThe Utah Hockey Club has recalled forward Kailer Yamamoto from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL. Dylan Guenther Records 100th Career NHL PointDylan Guenther Records 100th Career NHL PointUtah Hockey Club forward Dylan Guenther recorded his 100th career NHL point last night against the Detroit Red Wings. Andre Tourigny Among Many Supporting Ryan Smith and the New Utah OwnershipAndre Tourigny Among Many Supporting Ryan Smith and the New Utah OwnershipOn Monday, March 17, James Mirtle of the Athletic put out an article ranking every NHL owner from 1-32, based on surveyed responses from over 4000 readers, including fans of every NHL team.