Philadelphia Flyers captain Sean Couturier enters Tuesday with a three-game point streak versus the Toronto Maple Leafs

Tuesday night is the ultimate opportunity for NHL fans, with a loaded slate of thrilling matchups that fans eagerly anticipate.

The game that sticks out is one with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are looking to bounce back after blowing a 2-0 lead in their loss on Saturday to the Nashville Predators. They match up against a slumping Philadelphia Flyers, that has a league-worst 2-9-2 record over their last 13 games. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 7-2 record on our last nine picks and our 17-6 record on our last 23 underdog picks.

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

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Philadelphia Flyers Best Bets: 

• Flyers +1.5 (-128)
• Sean Couturier Over 0.5 points (+118)

The Flyers have certainly been struggling lately with five straight losses and not giving their fans anything to be happy about. To make things even worse, they are getting listed at fairly decent odds to cover every night yet they've barely managed a 7-8 record against the spread in their last 15 games. 

This appears to be another spot where people can count them out and bet against a slumping team while riding with a hot one in the Maple Leafs, who are coming off a bad loss that they would like to make up for.

More NHL:NHL Insider Hints to Stanley Cup Contender Getting Former All-Star Back From Injury

This is a classic Maple Leafs spot if you've ever seen one as they are expected to win a bounce back game against a seemingly weaker team but the NHL has parody and any team can win on any given night. 

Nick Piccone (@_piccone) on XCOOOOOOTS IN OVERTIME TIM SAUNDERS ON THE CALL (don't mind him calling every Flyers player on the ice Sean Couturier)

Philadelphia has a 5-2 record against the spread in their last seven games versus Toronto and this should happen once again with the help of captain Sean Couturier. The 32-year-old veteran centre has been decent during the team's rough stretch with seven points over his last 13 games. 

Couturier has a habit of playing his best against the Maple Leafs with 11 points in their last 14 matchups, including a three-game point streak heading into Tuesday. He should help propel a Flyers team that has won outright or stayed within a goal in five of their last seven trips to Toronto.

More NHL: Maple Leafs Closing Gap on Panthers in Atlantic Division Title Race

There are some exciting developments down on the farm for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

With more talent in the system than they've had in recent memory, the Penguins have several prospects of interest to keep an eye on. We will take a look at how some of the organization's top forward prospects are faring right now in our March prospects update.

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Rutger McGroarty

As we detailed in our February forward prospects update, McGroarty - after a brief NHL stint at the beginning of the season and a slow start to his AHL season - has finally seen his process meet expectations for production.

And that has continued in the month of March.

In 11 March games, McGroarty has five goals and nine points, picking up right where he left off in February. He does only have one point in his last four games, but the team - and his line - continues to roll.

Overall, McGroarty has 14 goals and 39 points in 59 games on the season. His second half should serve the WBS Penguins well as they vye for their first Calder Cup in franchise history, and his all-around game - adding in the production - is pretty much NHL-ready at this point.

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Avery Hayes

Hayes - part of that line with McGroarty and Vasily Ponomarev - has been one of WBS's best players this season. He has 19 goals and 37 points in 49 games, and his play earned him an entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins that he signed on Mar. 13. 

The undrafted forward has worked hard to find success in professional hockey, as his unconventional path required some extra steps and injuries led to some inconsistency in 2023-24. But, all of a sudden, the 22-year-old right winger has solidified a relatively consistent placement on a line with McGroarty and Ponomarev, arguably the two most NHL-ready prospects in the Penguins' system.

Given that the line has largely been together since the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo last summer, it's certainly working in Hayes's favor that he's developed chemistry with those two players in particular. 

He has four goals and seven points in the month of March.

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Ville Koivunen

Like McGroarty, Koivunen has slowed down a bit in his most recent set of games, having just two points over the last 7. He has four goals and eight points in the month of March.

However, his 20 goals and 54 points in 61 games is tied for seventh overall in AHL scoring and is tied for first among rookies in scoring. He is also tied for third in goals among rookies.

Although he is still working on rounding out some of the details of his game, Koivunen's development this season has been nothing short of spectacular. He has adjusted well to the pro game so far, and he should see some significant NHL ice time in 2025-26.

He is also chasing WBS's franchise record for points as a rookie, which is currently held by Toby Peterson (2000-01) at 67 points. There are 11 games remaining, so it's a longshot - but never say never.

---

Tristan Broz

Broz was out for a good while due to mononucleosis to begin the calendar year, returning on Feb. 7 and picking up right where he left off prior to his absence.

However, he has been a bit slow production-wise in the month of March. Broz has just two goals and four points in 11 March games, one point in his last seven games, and five points in his last 15 games.

That being said, he has continued to develop his two-way game and his positional versatility. There has been a bit of a rotation as far as the team's centers and their placement in the lineup, as Broz has spent time as both first- and second-line center, and even some time on the wing. 

Most of the time, he centers a line with Koivunen and Valtteri Puustinen. Puustinen has five goals and 11 points in March.

---

Vasily Ponomarev

After nearly getting to the point-per-game mark about a month ago, Ponomarev has gone cold production-wise. He has no points in his last six games and just two goals and four points in his last 14.

However, don't mistake this for Ponomarev playing poorly. He is still driving a decent amount of offense and playing responsibly on both sides of the puck. Like McGroarty was earlier this season, he is a bit snakebitten right now, but he's also been a bit more passive in terms of his own opportunities. 

The production will come for Ponomarev as long as he keeps playing strong all-zones hockey. He has a commitment to details that is advanced beyond most of his peers in WBS, and getting that monkey off his back will hopefully help him get his confidence back, too.

---

Tanner Howe

Howe began the season with the WHL's Regina Pats - as their captain - and was traded midseason to the Calgary Hitmen. 

And wherever he's been this season, he hasn't missed a beat.

In a regular season that has included skating for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship at the turn of the New Year, Howe had 18 goals and 46 points in 47 games between both teams. He will also be doing his best to lead Calgary to a CHL championship in their upcoming playoff run. 

The 19-year-old power forward - a second-round pick (46th overall) by the Penguins in 2024 - is developing a solid two-way game and certainly doesn't shy away from physicality. In fact, he uses phsyicality to gain positioning on opponents, which makes him a menace on the forecheck.

If his development continues on its current path, he could, conceivably, become an effective middle-six winger at the NHL level. He will presumably be playing in WBS next season, as his junior eligibility will be up.

---

Melvin Fernstrom

Fernstrom, 19, was acquired by the Penguins from the Vancouver Canucks as part of the Marcus Pettersson trade on Jan. 31. The right winger from Balsta, Sweden was a third-round pick (93rd overall) by Vancouver in 2024, and he was advertised as a raw prospect with a high ceiling.

His first full season in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with Orebro HK has been a bit of a mixed bag, as he has registered eight goals and 17 points in 48 games. But he's also playing against much more experienced players, and his showing for the J20 Nationell - against junior-level players - resulted in 11 goals and 18 points in 12 games.

Last season, Fernstrom's 31 goals led the J20 league. 

There is still some growth that has to happen for Fernstrom, but there is some promise there. And Penguins' management is pretty high on this guy. There is a good chance he plays in North American next season.

---

Mikhail Ilyin

Ilyin, 20, is currently playing for the Severstal Cherepovets of the KHL, and he is making progress in his third season with the team. He saw games in the KHL as an 18-year-old, and he has also been seeing top-line minutes since then.

The right winger has seven goals and 30 points in 64 games this year, and his contract with Severstal expires at the end of the season. A 2023 fifth-round pick (142nd overall) by the Penguins, there is a chance he could join the organization in North America next season.

Ilyin will have to develop his skating a bit more - as well as his level of production - if he is going to be a regular at the NHL level at some point. But his playmaking smarts, passing ability, and the details in his game fill a lot of the gaps that the other deficiencies in his game leave.

Ilyin is certainly a work in progress, but he is definitely making strides. If his game can translate to the North American game, he may be a pleasant fifth-round surprise for the Penguins. 

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Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

Former Ottawa Senators defenceman Jakob Chychrun has signed an eight-year, $72 million contract extension with the Washington Capitals.

Capitals general manager Chris Patrick made the announcement today.

"Jakob is a proven, dynamic defenceman in the prime of his career who has established himself as one of the premier blueliners in the NHL," Patrick said in club statement. "His work ethic, skill set, and ability to excel in all situations at both ends of the ice make him a valuable asset to our team. He is a perfect fit with our culture and vision for the future, and we couldn't be more thrilled that he will continue to be part of our organization for the next eight years."

Chychrun, 26, has a career-high 43 points in 65 games with the Capitals this season. But simply put, it's the kind of deal that wouldn't have made a lick of sense in Ottawa - not unless the Senators chose to move out the likes of Jake Sanderson or Thomas Chabot, who both bring similar styles on the left side. All three move the puck well and excel at creating offence from the back end.

Sanderson and Chabot both make in the vicinity of $8 million while Chychrun's AAV will be $9 million, which drives home why Senators GM Steve Staios was pro-active in moving Chychrun last summer for Nick Jensen in the great re-balancing act of 2024. Chychrun is a fine defenceman with heavy local ties, but for a team like the Senators, it wasn't wise to give up a first-rounder and two seconds to bring in a superfluous asset.

In Washington, it's been a perfect fit, especially with their top defenceman, 35-year-old John Carlson, now starting to approach his sunset years.

"It’s been a great fit for me personally," Chychrun told the media back in January during the Caps' visit to Ottawa. "I think I’ve really enjoyed my time (in Washington), and when you’re winning hockey games, it’s always a lot of fun. So, you know, we’ve got a great group that’s been playing well with one another, and we’re just doing our best to get better each day now."

As a big fan of consuming raw meat, Chychrun's health regimen remains as "alternative" as ever, at least according to teammate Dylan Strome.

“He has a new thing every day,” Strome said on the NHL Unscripted Podcast. “I heard yesterday that he’s 'no light bulbs.' He’s doing candle-lit in his house now. That’s what his thing was yesterday. So, he was on to beeswax candles is what I heard is great for you. So, now we’re all bugging him about beeswax candles.

"Like, there's lights everywhere (you go). What are you talking about with no light bulbs?"

Sounds like the same old Chyc. It's good to see he's finally found a nice fit in a new (dimly lit) NHL home.

By Steve Warne
Site Editor at The Hockey News Ottawa

Stay updated with the most interesting Ottawa Senators stories, analysis, breaking news and more at The Hockey News Ottawa. Tap the star here at Google News to add us to your favourites and never miss a thing.

Welcome to a new week of 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:

Who Is The NHL’s MVP Since The 4 Nations? by The Big Showundefined

0:59: The battle for first in the Atlantic Division is tight. Which team needs first place the most? 

3:19: Would Matthew Tkachuk actually want to play against his brother, Brady Tkachuk, if the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators meet in the first round?

4:19: Which team do you think will ultimately earn the top spot in the Atlantic division?

6:43: The Blue Jackets announced Monday they activated Sean Monahan and Erik Gubranson off injured reserve. How will their returns affec the Blue Jackets’ playoff push?

9:16: The New York Islanders’ potential game-winning goal was disallowed because of goaltender interference. Was there interference or not?

11:29: Since the 4 Nations Face-Off, the top scorers are Roope Hintz, Sidney Crosby, Nick Suzuki, Robert Thomas and Connor McDavid. Who has been the MVP for their team most during this run?

14:01: McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are unlikely to play in any of the Edmonton Oilers’ three games this week. Can the Oilers prove they are more than a two-man team?

16:43: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle is travelling with the team on their four-game road trip. If Guhle comes in, who should the Canadiens take out?

19:20: The Pittsburgh Penguins' latest hot streak has kept them out of a guaranteed top-five draft pick. Has this "hot streak" actually done more harm than good for the Penguins?

21:56: Which team needs to change coaches?

25:25: Speculation has circulated for a while connecting Gavin McKenna - the consensus No. 1 pick for the 2026 NHL draft - to the University of Michigan. The rumor on the street is that Michigan could be offering something upwards of $100,000 annually for him to join them. How would McKenna making this move reshape the future of junior and college hockey?

30:21: The NCAA men’s hockey tournament begins on Thursday. The top four teams are No. 1 Boston College, No. 2 Michigan State, No. 3 Maine and No. 4 Western Michigan. Is the national champion in this top four? Who is your pick? 

32:51: The Washington Capitals re-signed D-man Jakob Chychrun to an eight-year extension worth $9 million per season. Good or bad deal?

34:31: Gavin McKenna closed out his draft-minus-1 season with 129 points in 56 games. Sidney Crosby is the only CHL player to score more in a D-minus-1 season. Could McKenna be the best prospect since Sidney Crosby? 

36:42: ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that billionaire Dan Friedkin has gotten into the mix as an ownership option focused on bringing the NHL to Houston. Yay or nay to an NHL team in Houston? 

38:53: The referees robbed us all of a goalie fight between Darcy Kuemper and Jeremy Swayman on Sunday. Yes or no: should refs try to stop goalie fights to prevent injuries?

 Watch the full episode here.   

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

ST. LOUIS – Two of the hottest teams as of late in the NHL do battle on Tuesday when the St. Louis Blues (37-28-7), winners of six in a row, host the Montreal Canadiens (33-27-9) at 7 p.m. (Matrix-MW, Victory+, ESPN 101.1-FM).

The Blues are on their best heater of the season, which includes a 13-2-2 run and want to keep their firm grip on the second wild card in the Western Conference; they lead the Vancouver Canucks by three points, Calgary Flames by four points and Utah Hockey Club by six points but now have the Minnesota Wild, holders of the first wild card, in their sights, trailing the Wild by just four points.

The Canadiens 8-1-4 their past 13 games, are 3-0-3 their past six games.

“A lot of similarities,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said of the Blues and Canadiens. “Two good goalies, [Nick] Suzuki has been unreal like [Robert] Thomas has been unreal, the first line is leading like you want your team to lead and they’re playing real good, committed offense and defense in all three zones.”

- - -

Blues forward Dylan Holloway, fresh off being named the NHL’s third star of the week for the week ending March 23, continues to gain favorable impressions from teammates and coaches.

“I don’t think there’s an area that he hasn’t grown,” Montgomery said of Holloway, who had seven points (one goal, six assists) in four games last week and is on a seven-game point streak (three goals, eight assists). “He’s always had that dogged determination to win puck battles and stay on pucks. I think his physicality has improved, I think his offensive creativity has improved, his shot-first mentality, and defensively, I had him out there in a pulled goalie situation because his defensive habits have augmented so much that the trust level has gone (up). We can use him in those situations that he just has the physical tools that will enable you to have success when you’re short in that situation.”

- - -

Blues defenseman Colton Parayko skated on Tuesday morning, his first time skating with the team since injuring his left knee in a 3-2 shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 5 and having a knee scope.

“I got to be honest, I saw him twice,” Montgomery said. “When I’m out there, I’m focused on the team. I know he’s a long ways away. It’s great to have him out there. It’s just the first step in the recovery process towards becoming a player for us.

“I was just happy with the pace and execution of our team.”

- - -

Defenseman Nick Leddy and center Oskar Sundqvist will return after each missed Sunday’s 4-1 win against the Nashville Predators with an undisclosed maintenance day.

Leddy will replace Matthew Kessel and Sundqvist will replace Dalibor Dvorsky, who made his NHL debut on Sunday.

“I spoke to him before we went out,” Montgomery said of Dvorsky, who played 10:49. “We were really happy with his first game in the league, shows his hockey sense, shows his poise with the puck. Game management was beyond his years as far as he didn’t complicate the game, he didn’t force anything, allowed us to play to our identity. Today is an opportunity to be part of a morning skate, be part of a practice tomorrow, watch the game tonight and grow and learn about why we’ve had success here recently.

“It’s very tempting to keep him in, but I think as a coach, you’ve got to reward the guys that have gotten you here and those guys have battled hard and they’re all fresh and rested right now so we’re going to go with the horses that have gotten us here.”

- - -

Pavel Buchnevich (illness) remains out of the lineup, his third straight game missed tonight, but Montgomery said that the forward is getting better.

"Doing better, not a player yet," Montgomery said, who noted it's nothing related to the hit he took in a 4-1 win against the Predators on March 18. "It's something different."

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Jake Neighbours-Robert Thomas-Zack Bolduc

Dylan Holloway-Brayden Schenn-Jordan Kyrou

Mathieu Joseph-Oskar Sundqvist-Alexandre Texier

Alexey Toropchenko-Radek Faksa-Nathan Walker

Cam Fowler-Nick Leddy

Philip Broberg-Justin Faulk

Ryan Suter-Tyler Tucker

Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.

The healthy scratches include Dalibor Dvorsky and Matthew Kessel. Colton Parayko (knee) and Pavel Buchnevich (illness) are out.

- - -

Canadiens Projected Lineup:

Cole Caufield-Nick Suzuki-Juraj Slafkovsky

Joshua Roy-Alex Newhook-Patrik Laine

Josh Anderson-Christian Dvorak-Brendan Gallagher

Emil Heineman-Jake Evans-Joel Armia

Mike Matheson-Alexandre Carrier

Jayden Struble-Lane Hutson

Arber Xhekaj-David Savard

Sam Montembeault will start in goal; Jakub Dobes will be the backup.

The healthy scratch includes Michael Pezzetta. Kaiden Guhle (quad) is out.

Seattle Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans will skate in his 100th career NHL game tonight against the Calgary Flames.

The Kraken selected Evans in the second round (35th overall) in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, following a three-goal and 25-point campaign in the WHL with the Regina Pats. He played in just 28 games that season due to injuries and quickly followed that season with 14 goals and 61 points in 63 games.

Evans would spend the following season with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, where he further impressed the Kraken organization. In his rookie campaign, he scored six goals and 44 points in 71 games, but he took things to another level in the playoffs, recording five goals and 26 points in 26 games. 

The 2023-24 campaign saw Evans receive his first bit of NHL action, playing in 36 games. Now, in the 2024-25 season, the 23-year-old has established himself as a full-time NHL defenseman, averaging 19:24 of ice time.

In 63 games, Evans has scored five goals and 24 points. The Calgary, AB native took over the second power play duties while Vince Dunn was out with an injury and saw an uptick in his numbers. The production dropped off since Dunn returned, but his overall impact on the game never wavered.

His ability to defend the rush and efficiently move the puck has proved to be a valued asset, and he's continued to gain the trust of the coaching staff. Evans will be an RFA when the season concludes and is inline to get a pay raise. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

The South Carolina Stingrays announced Tuesday that goaltender Garin Bjorklund has been re-assigned from South Carolina to the Hershey Bears.

The 22-year-old Bjorklund is in his third season of professional hockey. He leads South Carolina's goaltenders with a 21-4-3 record, 2.02 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in 29 games played in 2024-25.

The 6-2, 174-pound Calgary, Alberta native is in the final year of an entry-level NHL contract with the Washington Capitals, who selected him in the sixth round (179th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft. He has yet to play an AHL game in his professional career.

In three ECHL seasons, Bjorklund has a 36-15-4 record with a 2.66 GAA and .905 SP in 57 games.

Before turning pro, Bjorklund spent parts of four seasons with the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers, appearing in 96 career WHL games.

With three wins last week, the Stingrays (46-14-3-2) extended their win streak to 11 games and currently sit in first place in the ECHL with 97 points. They are three points ahead of the Florida Everblades for the top spot in the league and need just two points to guarantee home-ice advantage in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

South Carolina will clinch home-ice advantage for the first round if the Jacksonville Icemen lose in regulation on Wednesday or if the Stingrays win on Friday in Kalamazoo.

This spring, the Stingrays are heading to the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the 29th time in the team’s 32 seasons of existence. They will attempt to win their fourth Kelly Cup Championship this season.

The Stingrays travel to Kalamazoo this week to take on the Wings on Friday. Puck drop is set for 7 Pm ET.

General Manager Kelly McCrimmon was a guest on the VGK Insider Show and mentioned that Shea Theodore will accompany the Vegas Golden Knights on their upcoming road trip and will play at some point on the trip.

Theodore has been out since the first game of the 4 Nations Face-Off after suffering what appeared to be a wrist injury. The initial timetable given on his status was week-to-week, and it appears he is inching closer to a return. In this morning's skate ahead of their matchup against the Minnesota Wild, Theodore practiced alongside his usual defence partner, Brayden McNabb.

Following the practice, HC Bruce Cassidy stated that Theodore is a game-time decision and the decision of whether he'll play or not is completely up to him. 

He's participated in multiple practices now, both without contact and with contact, signally the recovery process is going accordingly.

The Golden Knights recently welcomed back William Karlsson, who had also spent time on the long-term injury reserve. The pair of Original Misfits are essential to the Golden Knights' success, and allowing them time to revamp before the beginning of the playoffs could be vital.

Tomas Hertl exited Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning after he was hit awkwardly into the boards. The initial reports haven't been good, with McCrimmon stating that he will not make the trip with the team and is ruled out for the rest of the week. Hertl will undergo more tests to determine the severity of the injury. 

Losing Hertl at this time of the season is a major blow, but adding Theodore back into the line should, at the very least, help cushion it. Very few defensemen possess the offensive abilities Theodore has, scoring seven goals and 48 points in 55 games this season. 

The Golden Knights' road trip begins tonight against the Wild, followed by encounters with the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday and the Nashville Predators on Saturday, any of which could be the return game for Theodore. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

The Milwaukee Admirals and Nashville Predators announced they have signed an affiliation extension agreement that runs through the 2028-29 season. 

 The two teams have been affiliated since the Predators joined the NHL in 1998-99, the third-longest affiliation between an AHL and NHL team. 

215 players have appeared in games for both team including Roman Josi, Juuse Saros, and Filip Forsberg. Nine members of the admirals coaching staff have gone on to NHL jobs. 

Milwaukee have been one of the most successful and consistent teams in the AHL since their inauguration, making the playoffs in 23 of the 26 seasons in franchise history. 

It all starts in Milwaukee 🤝

We're proud to announce a multi-year affiliation extension with the @mkeadmirals through the 2028-29 season.

Full details » https://t.co/ICpTBlHKUopic.twitter.com/k4S5toCOKV

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) March 24, 2025

They defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to capture their one and only  Calder Cup in 2004. They also lost in the finals to the Hershey Bears in 2006. 

The Admirals have advanced to the AHL Conference Finals the past two seasons, losing both times to the Coachella Valley Firebirds. They clinched a spot in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs earlier this week.

Milwaukee consistently rank in the top-half of the AHL in attendance and it is great to see pro hockey stick in the city. 

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

The 48-19-4 Winnipeg Jets will host the 47-15-8 Washington Capitals from Canada Life Centre on Tuesday.

The highly-anticipated first vs. second affair will feature the league's No. 1 and 2 clubs squaring off for the final time this season. 

Washington's Alex Ovechkin will continue his chase for Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal scoring record, while Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck will be back between the pipes looking to shut down the Russian sniper.

While the Capitals are 9-1-0 in their last 10 games, the Jets have seen things take a turn for the worst over the past few days. Losses to the lowly Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres highlighted a lacklustre week of performance.

And that's all before the biggest piece of news from the Jets' loss to Buffalo. Star winger Gabe Vilardi suffered an upper-body injury and is now considered out week-to-week. His status for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs is also in question.

With Vilardi out due to injury, former Kings teammate Rasmus Kupari will draw in in place of Alex Iafallo (another Kings running mate) who has been promoted to Vilardi's spot on the top line. This adjustment will keep the second and third lines intact. 

The defence pairs will remain the same with Logan Stanley back in on the blueline as Neal Pionk continues to recovery from a lower-body injury that has him also listed as week-to-week.

Winnipeg Jets' expected line combinations for Tuesday, March 25 vs. Washington:

Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo

Ehlers-Lowry-Appleton

Niederreiter-Namestnikov-Perfetti

Barron-Kupari-Tanev

Morrissey-DeMelo

Samberg-Schenn

Stanley-Miller

Hellebuyck

Injured: Vilardi, Pionk

Healthy scratches: Fleury, Heinola, Gustafsson

The St. Louis Blues have announced that they have signed forward Adam Jecho and defenseman Lukas Fischer to three-year entry-level contracts.

Jecho, 19, was selected by the Blues with the 95th overall pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-5 center has appeared in 56 games this season with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL, posting 25 goals, 28 assists, and 53 points. This was after he had 23 goals and 47 points in 54 games with the Oil Kings this past campaign. 

Fischer, on the other hand, was selected by the Blues with the 56th overall pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-3 defenseman has appeared in 51 games this season with the Sarnia Sting, recording 15 goals, 22 assists, 37 points, and 81 penalty minutes. In 2023-24 with Sarnia, he had six goals and 34 points in 68 contests. 

Jecho and Fischer are two solid prospects in the Blues' system, so it is certainly a good thing that they have signed both of them to entry-level deals. It will be fascinating to see how much of an impact they make with the Blues later down the road from here. 

Recent Blues News 

St. Louis Blues Top Prospect Has Great Opportunity

Blues Big Winger Getting Hot At Right Time

Former Blues Fan Favorite Pat Maroon To Retire After Season

Former Blues Forward Breaks Single-Season KHL Goal Record

Blues Made Right Call Not Trading Brayden Schenn

Blues Coach Provides Encouraging Colton Parayko Injury Update

Blues Breakout Star Is Continuing To Thrive

Toronto has 12 more games left in the regular season, including Tuesday's matchup against the Flyers.

The Maple Leafs are changing things up with optional morning skates as the playoffs approach.

Normally, if Toronto holds an optional skate the morning before a game, certain players get on the ice and participate in a few drills. It's more or less so they can get a feel of the puck on the game day before warmups.

However, the plan changed last Wednesday before their 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Toronto held an optional skate, but only healthy scratches and injured players took to the ice. (Max Domi briefly skated to get a couple of puck touches in.)

Maple Leafs' Craig Berube Explains Why Entire Playing Roster Didn't Take The Ice For Optional Skate Ahead Of Game Against AvalancheFor the first time this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs held an optional morning skate and nobody from the playing roster took the ice.

A similar sequence occurred on Tuesday morning ahead of their game against the Philadelphia Flyers: only players who weren't playing were on the ice for the optional morning skate.

"A lot of travel and hockey, obviously. But a lot of travel with us in the last month, I'd say. A lot of travel. And we're heading out again tomorrow," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said on Tuesday morning.

"We had a good practice yesterday, 30 minutes or more. A pretty good pace, so I don't think there's any need for anybody to go on the ice this morning. Yeah, if they want to go touch [the puck], goalies like to get some shots, whatever. But we're going to need the energy tonight in the game."

Pontus Holmberg, Max Pacioretty, Philippe Myers, and Joseph Woll were the four players on the ice during Tuesday's optional skate. That means David Kampf, an extra at practice on Monday, is projected to be in the lineup against the Flyers, and Holmberg is out.

#leafs sticking to only players who are not playing taking the optional. Pontus Holmberg appears to be the odd man out with David Kampf remaining in.

Joseph Woll doing goalie work so Anthony Stolarz is the projected starter tonight.

⁦@BodogCA⁩ pic.twitter.com/fHAbTa5iqD

— David Alter (@dalter) March 25, 2025

Woll being on the ice means Anthony Stolarz is the projected starting goaltender against Philadelphia. Toronto's 4-3 win over the New York Rangers was Stolarz's first win since Feb. 28, also against the Rangers.

The 31-year-old has a 14-8-3 record and a .918 save percentage with the Maple Leafs this season. This will be his 11th game since returning from knee surgery on Feb. 6.

"It's huge. Anytime you're in a little bit of a skid, you want to break out of it," Stolarz said on Monday of his win against the Rangers. "As a goalie, the name of the game is winning games. My job is to stop more pucks than the guy down at the other end and that night I did.

"And like I said after that game, I liked my game, where I was at the last couple of games, it just boiled down to making that one extra save. And I think in New York, I was able to do that and keep it a two-goal lead for as long as possible. For me, it's just a building block and something I'm going to build on."

Toronto faces the Flyers on Tuesday before heading out on their California road trip on Wednesday, where they have three games in four nights against the San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Ducks.

The Maple Leafs are two points behind the Florida Panthers for first in the Atlantic Division, with one game in hand. 

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The Washington Capitals re-signed Jakob Chychrun to an eight-year contract at $9 million per season, the team announced on Tuesday.

Chychrun, 26, nearly doubles his current $4.6-million cap hit with what will be the longest contract of his career. The extension and his improvement on the scoresheet come almost nine months after the Capitals acquired him from the Ottawa Senators.

"Jakob is a proven, dynamic defenseman in the prime of his career who has established himself as one of the premier blueliners in the NHL," Capitals GM Chris Patrick said in a press release. “He is a perfect fit with our culture and vision for the future, and we couldn't be more thrilled that he will continue to be part of our organization for the next eight years." 

Washington traded defenseman Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick to the Senators for Chychrun last July 1. 

Jensen is more defensive-minded than Chychrun, although he also has fast puck-moving ability as a right-hand shot for the Senators. The 34-year-old has 19 points in 60 games.

Chychrun, however, almost has as many goals as Jensen does points.

In 65 games for Washington, Chychrun has 18 goals and a career-high 43 points this campaign. He’s third in the NHL in goals among D-men, sitting behind the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski (20) and Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar (26).

While the plus-minus rating never tells the full story, Chychrun’s plus-24 rating is by far the highest of his career, and he has a 52.15-percent Corsi-for percentage at 5-on-5, meaning the Capitals generate more chances-for than against when he’s on the ice. Only John Carlson’s 53.72-percent share is higher among Capitals defensemen.

Washington’s coaching staff has allowed Chychrun to focus more on the offensive side of his game rather than defense by pairing him with defensive defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk – and it’s worked for the team overall, considering its 2.54 goals against per game is the third-lowest in the NHL. Chychrun has started almost 61 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone at 5-on-5, compared to 49.84 percent with the Senators last season and 50.20 percent in 2022-23 between the Sens and Arizona Coyotes, according to naturalstattrick.com.

Jakob Chychrun On What Went Wrong For Him With The Ottawa Senators Last Year: 'I Don't Know, I Didn't Trade Myself'Chychrun returned to Ottawa this week as the top-scoring defenceman on the top team in the NHL and reflected on his time with the Senators.

The blueliner was one of the many new faces the Capitals added in the off-season, including Matt Roy on defense, Logan Thompson in net and Pierre-Luc Dubois at center. With their help, Washington leads the NHL by two points and has a game in hand over the second-place Winnipeg Jets.

Chychrun has 532 NHL games under his belt and is now under contract through the 2032-33 campaign. The Capitals were the first NHL team this season to clinch a playoff berth last Friday, which means Chychrun could appear in the post-season for just the second time in his career. He played nine games between a play-in round and the Western Conference quarterfinal with the Coyotes in the 2019-20 bubble playoffs, recording a goal in nine games.

- Jonathan Tovell contributed to this report.

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The Buffalo Sabres have announced that forward Isak Rosen has been recalled from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. In addition, forward Brett Murray has been re-assigned to Rochester. 

Rosen, 22, was just loaned to Rochester by the Sabres on March 18. Now, he is heading back to the Sabres' NHL roster, where he will look to make an impact. In three games this season with Buffalo, the 2021 first-round pick has zero points and a minus-2 rating. 

At the AHL level with Rochester, Rosen has been excellent. In 55 games this campaign, he has set new AHL career highs with 27 goals, 27 assists, and 54 points. This includes three points in his last three games with Rochester.

Murray, on the other hand, was called up by the Sabres on March 15. He appeared in his first three NHL games of the season during this call-up, posting zero points, three hits, and a minus-2 rating. 

Murray will now once be a key part of Rochester's forward group down the stretch following his demotion. In 55 games this season with the AHL squad, he has 23 goals, 40 points, and a plus-11 rating. 

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