Author: NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

The 1986 post-season will go down as another unforgettable run in Calgary Flames history.

For starters, it was a whirlwind of a regular season for the Flames, who went 23-12-6 after overcoming a then-franchise record eleven-game losing streak from Dec. 14, 1985 to Jan. 7 1986.

Their efforts resulted in a second-place finish in the Smythe Division, second only to provincial rivals, the titanic Oilers, led by Wayne Gretzky who scored 215 points that season (remember this).

Gary Suter won the Calder Memorial Trophy as best rookie of the season. 

The Flames swept the Winnipeg in the first round and then beat the Presidents' Trophy-winning Edmonton with the Hart Memorial Trophy winner Gretzky (yes, that 200+ point scoring guy) in seven games.

Rookie of the year Suter had a team-high five assists. His seven points were the second-highest in the series alongside teammates Hakan Loob, Joe Mullen and Oilers’ Glenn Anderson, trailing only The Great One’s 13 points.

This was a big moment in league history as this team, that came second to Edmonton in the Smythe Division by a mammoth 30 points, took down the big and mighty Oilers, and stopped them from potentially pulling off a historical Stanley Cup five-peat for the greatest player in hockey. Edmonton had won the Stanley Cup the two years before (1984, 1985), and would go on to win in the two years after (1987, 1988). 

Sadly, this is the only flex Flames fans can have over Oilers fans as Calgary has never beaten Edmonton in any playoff series since.

The Flames then beat St. Louis in seven games to win the franchise's first Clarence S. Campbell Bowl as Conference champions and advance to the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals. Al MacInnis and Paul Reinhart led the series with 10 and eight points respectively.

The Flames became the first team from Calgary to reach the Finals since the Calgary Tigers of the WCHL in 1924.

Unfortunately, after winning their first game, Calgary got topped by the Prince of Wales Conference champions Montreal Canadiens in four consecutive games to lose the series 4-1.

While the Flames did not claim Lord Stanley’s Cup that season, they produced a memorable season that resonates with Flames fans, and be remembered for years as the squad that denied immortality status for Gretzky.

The only team in NHL history that has won the Stanley Cup five years in a row are the 1956-60 Montreal Canadiens.

Fortunately, Calgary would have to wait only three more years to finally reach the mountain top in 1989. Nine of the Flames’ players from the 1986 Finals would go on to lift the cup.

These finals were also against the Canadiens that consisted a lot of the 1986 Finals' roster, so a bit of payback was rightfully due.

The Winnipeg Jets trail the Dallas Stars 3-1 in their second-round series after losing Game 4, 3-1.

The Jets outshot the Stars 10-5 after the opening frame but exited the period trailing 1-0. A Dylan DeMelo holding the stick penalty gave the Stars a power play, which Mikael Granlund took full advantage of, scoring his second of the postseason. 

Nikolaj Ehlers scored as the Stars' penalty expired, tying the game at 1-1 with a sharp-angle shot. A poorly timed pinch from Neal Pionk awarded the Stars a man advantage, which Granlund once again made the Jets pay. 

Granlund continued his dominance of Game 4 by recording a hat trick and extending the Stars' lead to 3-1.  An ill-advised penalty by Jamie Benn gave the Jets a power play opportunity with less than five minutes remaining, but the Jets could not capitalize. With the goaltender pulled, the Jets threw the puck on goal as many times as they could but were unable to sustain pressure, failing to score. 

Jake Oettinger was stellar once again, turning away 31 of the 32 shots he faced. Hellebuyck allowed three goals on 24 shots, making key saves when called upon. 

The Jets have now lost all five road games in the 2024-25 playoffs and are on the brink of elimination. The series returns to Winnipeg on Thursday for a must-win Game 5.

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The Dallas Stars entered this season as a Stanley Cup contender, but some injuries put their championship hopes in question.

Now, the Stars are virtually back at full strength, and that should terrify the Winnipeg Jets and the rest of the NHL teams still in the playoffs.

If there were any reason to believe Dallas wasn’t going to go far in the playoffs, it was injuries to key members Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson. The two veterans missed the first round of the playoffs as the Stars took on the Colorado Avalanche. 

Dallas still found a way to win in seven games and move on to its second-round showdown against the Jets. After their Game 3 victory over Winnipeg, the Stars lead the series 2-1.

The Stars’ incredible depth allowed them to ease Robertson and Heiskanen back into the lineup without any pressure on them to do the heavy lifting. 

Robertson returned to action in Game 1 against Winnipeg. He finally got on the scoreboard in Tuesday night’s Game 4, and it’s just a matter of time for him to produce points more often.

That said, the bigger impact will be Heiskanen returning to the lineup. The blueliner came off long-term injured reserve and played Game 4. 

To say Heiskanen will have a positive impact on the Stars’ playoff hopes would be a gigantic understatement. We’re talking about one of the NHL’s top-five D-men who can play upwards of 25 minutes per game with few, if any, errors. 

The ripple effect and calming influence of Heiskanen’s return should make Dallas the favorite to win it all – at least in our view.

What’s truly amazing about the Stars is they’re already super strong before mentioning their top players up to this point in the playoffs: goalie Jake Oettinger and right winger Mikko Rantanen. 

Oettinger had a .911 SP and 2.71 GAA heading into Game 4 – numbers more than sufficient to allow Dallas’ offense to put up enough goals to win games.

Rantanen is far and away the best acquisition at the NHL trade deadline, and the Stars couldn’t be more pleased. 

Rantanen leads all playoff players in points, with nine goals and 18 points in only 10 games. In the race to decide the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, Rantanen has to be considered the favorite. He came into this post-season with a championship pedigree, and his sense of urgency and determination set the tone for his Stars teammates.

As for Heiskanen and Robertson, the two longtime Stars are looking for their first career Cup win, and there may be no better opportunity to win one than now. 

The Stars need all hands on deck if they’re going to beat the Jets and square off against either the Edmonton Oilers or Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference final. They now have nearly all their players back, except for Nils Lundkvist, who’s out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. 

Still, the Stars have the talent and depth at every position to go far and win their second Cup in franchise history.

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Late last month, Rick Tocchet announced that he was moving on from the Vancouver Canucks. With this, the Canucks are now looking for a new head coach, and a former Carolina Hurricanes forward is reportedly one of the favorites for the job.

According to The Province's Patrick Johnson, former Hurricanes forward Manny Malhotra and current Canucks assistant coach Adam Foote are the frontrunners for Vancouver's head coaching gig. Johnson also added that Malhotra is the "slight favourite" in the race. 

Hearing that Malhotra is getting serious consideration for the Canucks' head coaching job is understandable. The 44-year-old is currently the head coach of the Canucks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks and led them to a 44-24-2-2 record this season. Abbotsford is also set to play the Colorado Eagles in the Pacific Division Final.

If the Canucks end up going with Malhotra, it will be the Mississauga, Ontario native's first NHL head coaching job. However, he has experience as an assistant coach at the NHL level, as he previously held the role with the Canucks (2017-18 to 2019-20) and Toronto Maple Leafs (2020-21 to 2023-24). 

Malhotra spent the 2013-14 season as a member of the Hurricanes, where he served as an alternate captain. In 69 games with the Metropolitan Division club, the 1998 seventh-overall pick posted seven goals, 13 points, 82 hits, and an even plus/minus rating. His time with the Canes ended when he signed a one-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens during the 2014 NHL off-season. 

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The NHL playoffs have already provided a fair share of players reaching another level, but for some high-profile names, the spotlight's not flattering.

Based on their regular-season results or post-season expectations, these five NHL players are underachieving when it matters most. While some of them simply have another gear they can reach in the second round, others are just not good right now.

Mason Marchment, LW, Dallas Stars

Mason Marchment enjoyed a solid regular season with more than 20 goals but has vanished in the playoffs for the Dallas Stars, contributing just one goal and three points. 

Worse, his growing frustration boiled over when he tapped an official with his stick – a move widely condemned by broadcasters. 

“You can’t make contact with an official under any circumstances,” said Sportsnet’s Kelly Hrudey.

Added ESPN’s Ray Ferraro: “I don’t know what the hell he was thinking.” 

Marchment’s emotional edge, often an asset, has become a liability in the post-season. While he should feel fortunate that he escaped supplementary discipline, he’s taken five penalties and only drawn two. Combined with his low scoring, he’s not living up to the moment right now.

Darnell Nurse, D, Edmonton Oilers

Credit should go to the Edmonton Oilers and their blueline, which has stepped up in the absence of the injured Mattias Ekholm. 

That said, Darnell Nurse struggles as often as he is useful in the playoffs, and this year is no different.

As the Edmonton Journal’s David Staples pointed out, in nine games, the Oilers’ highest-paid defenseman made major mistakes on nine even-strength goals against. 

With Ekholm sidelined, Nurse was elevated to play alongside Evan Bouchard, but playing alongside a top-tier defenseman hasn’t changed Nurse’s underlying numbers. 

Perhaps the most obvious of mistakes came in Game 3’s collapse against Vegas, which saw Nurse caught on his knees during critical goals.

Mitch Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs

Mitch Marner has excelled at times during this year’s playoffs with 12 points in 10 games. However, the Toronto Maple Leafs' pending UFA should achieve even more.

Marner has just two goals in the post-season, including zero shots in his last two games against the Florida Panthers. If Marner wants his next cap hit to be around Auston Matthews’ $13.25 million on his next contract, he can’t lack another gear when the Leafs had a chance to take a stranglehold on the second-round series.

Marner and Auston Matthews have now played four more games than Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, but they have combined for as many goals as their first-round opponent, with four.

It’s tough to complain about Marner recording 12 points, the sixth-most in the NHL, but a fellow right winger whose contract expires this summer is showing how it’s done. 

The Stars’ Mikko Rantanen, who signed an eight-year contract extension worth $12 million per season, has nearly as many assists as Marner’s 10, with nine. The biggest difference is that Rantanen has nine goals, including two hat tricks, two game-winners and 12 even-strength points, double Marner’s six.

One X user put it bluntly: “Marner when it comes time to negotiate his contract: ‘Pay me like Rantanen.’ Marner when it comes time to play like Rantanen: ‘LMAO I’m not Rantanen.’ ”

Can Someone Please Tell Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews There's A Playoff Series Going On?Can someone please let the Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews know that there’s a playoff series going on that desperately needs his help.

Pierre-Luc Dubois, C, Washington Capitals

Pierre-Luc Dubois is an interesting case study of how a player can be hot and cold throughout an NHL career. His playoff woes continue after a productive 66-point regular season.

Dubois has yet to score in the post-season and has just three assists. Now with his fourth NHL team, Dubois’ reputation for disappearing remains a problem.

With the Washington Capitals on the verge of elimination now, Dubois is a key reason the team has struggled despite being one of the hottest clubs this season.

Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets

Connor Hellebuyck’s playoff numbers are staggering – and not in a good way. 

With a .848 save percentage and 3.51 goals-against average, the Hart Trophy finalist has been a liability on the road, going 0-4 with a .772 SP and 6.65 GAA. 

Outside of a Game 2 shutout, he’s failed to look anything like the goalie most expect to be a shoo-in for the Vezina this season. Not only that, but the Winnipeg Jets are now two losses away from elimination, and he must win a game in Dallas to avoid the Jets going down 3-1 in the series.

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The New York Islanders jumped ten spots to select first in the 2024 NHL Draft by winning the first lottery. The Utah Hockey Club jumped from 14th to 4th by winning the second. That left the San Jose Sharks with the second overall pick and the Chicago Blackhawks at third. 

There is a lot of speculation about who each team in the top four will take. It will shape how the rest of the draft goes from there, as there is no clear-cut order that any of these top prospects could go in. 

Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman, is considered the number one prospect in the draft. Right behind him is forward Michael Misa. After that come names like James Hagens, Porter Martone, and Anton Frondell. 

Hagens, however, is a native of Long Island. This may make the Islanders think twice about passing on him. They already had one number one overall pick leave on them to go home. Hagens would already be home. 

If the Islanders wanted to select the hometown kid, the Blackhawks could help them while also helping themselves. With Connor Bedard, a smaller offensive-minded center, already in the mix, they would likely rather have Misa. 

Swapping with the New York Islanders would cost Chicago, as they’d be moving up two spots and getting a player that everyone deems to be better. They have plenty of other draft picks in 2025 and 2026 to offer, and they also have a cupboard loaded with outstanding prospects. 

It has been a long time since the number one overall pick in the NHL Draft has been traded. If there were a year that the streak would end, it would be this one. There isn’t a generational talent coming out, there isn’t even a sure-fire number one guy. There are plenty of great players, however, that will make teams take a pause. 

This wouldn’t be the first time that these two organizations swapped first-round picks, either. In fact, it has happened within the last year. On May 24th, 2024, the Islanders took an extra 2024 second-round pick from the Blackhawks to swap their 2024 first and second picks. 

Some new people are (and will be) in charge of the Islanders this time, but the organizations have worked well together many times before. If Kyle Davidson feels that Misa (or Schaefer) is his guy, he should be on the phone with the Islanders daily. 

The risk is there, considering the Islanders could take Hagens first overall without trading down. He did come into the year as the projected number one guy. However, trading up guarantees the guy that the Blackhawks want, and it stops other teams from potentially trading into that spot. Anything can happen. 

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The Winnipeg Jets currently trail their second-round series to the Dallas Stars, 2-1 and are looking to regain home-ice advantage with a win in Game 4. 

The Jets were once again defeated on the road in Game 3. They imploded in the third period, allowing five goals for the fourth consecutive road playoff game. The game brought its own bit of controversy, but ultimately, the Jets did not do enough to warrant a victory. 

Tonight, things will become increasingly difficult. The Stars will welcome Miro Heiskanen back into their lineup and have elected to run 11 forwards and seven defensemen. It'll be Heiskanen's first game since Jan. 28 after suffering a lower-body injury. 

Despite his absence, the Stars have still won a plethora of hockey games and are in a great spot. While he was gone, the Stars ranked 31st in the NHL in 5-on-5 shots and expected goals against. They rank second and third-worst respectively by those metrics in the playoffs. His addition will help sure up their backend.

It's been a struggle for Connor Hellebuyck on the road, but also for Mark Scheifele. When away from the Canada Life Centre, HC Scott Arniel can't move Scheifele away from the opponent's top defensive line because he doesn't have last change. The only opportunity for him to provide Scheifele with a matchup advantage is on icing calls. In three road games, the 32-year-old is yet to record a point. 

Despite that, the Jets need more from their 39 regular-season goal scorer. 

The Jets have received inconsistent play from each line throughout the playoffs, but they still remain just one game shy of tying the series. If they are provided with consistency in their middle six, the top line should be able to feed off of it and cause damage offensively. 

The difference between heading back to Winnipeg tied, or trailing 3-1, is extreme, and the Jets need to play with a level of urgency that shows that.  

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Line Combinations: Game 4 - Winnipeg Jets at Dallas StarsThe Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars are set to do battle from Texas in Game 4 of the second round playoff series that currently sees the Stars up 2-1.

Shane Pinto is eligible for a contract extension this summer. As with every deal, the Ottawa Senators would like to be sure they're getting what they pay for.

But identifying the height of Pinto's ceiling as an NHL player isn't an easy task. On one hand, he's been an NHL regular for four seasons. On the other, between injury and suspension, he's missed 118 of a possible 328 games.

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If the Senators believe Pinto has already reached his full NHL potential as a classic third-line defensive center who can chip in with secondary offense, then there's really no rush to get something done. Pinto already makes $3.7 million, which is at least in the vicinity of fair market value for a player like that.

But if the Senators think he can and will be more than that in the future, then it's in their best interest to buy low right now and get an extension done long-term.

At the moment, the Senators believe they're set at centre with Tim Stützle and Dylan Cozens anchoring the top two lines.

But Pinto is the perfect plan B if Cozens isn’t what they hope he'll be. And that’s not based on random negative thinking. That’s based on the long-suffering Buffalo Sabres watching Cozens for four and a half seasons and then being willing to trade the 24-year-old for Josh Norris, one of the most injury-prone (and well-paid) players in Senators history.

Cozens will get every chance to fully establish himself in the number two slot next season, primarily because he has five years and $35.5 million left on his contract. Cozens has done some nice things in his early days as a Senator and finished the year with 16 points in 21 games.

But he also had some stretches where he wasn't noticeable, and the defensive side of his game was hit and miss. Some of that can be blamed on coming to a new team and a lack of familiarity with the system, but it's already easy to see he's not quite in Pinto's class on the defensive side of the puck.

Offensively, at least in the past couple of years, there hasn't been much to separate them. Cozens finished with 47 points for a second straight year. Meanwhile, despite missing 12 games, Pinto finished with 37 points—just 10 shy of Cozens. Cozens also had the advantage of over 200 power-play minutes, 122 more than Pinto.

When asked about his power play minutes, Pinto didn’t deny he'd like to see more action.

"I'm a competitive guy," Pinto said. "I don't think you get here without wanting to be the best. Obviously, I want to be on the power play, but yeah, that's out of my control. I think that's the thing I learned—sometimes you can't control some of the things that happen to you.

"At first I was a little bit bummed, but I had to play a different role for our team to win, and I tried to embrace that. Hopefully, in the future, they see me as a little bit more of an offensive guy. But like I said, I got put into a role this year where I tried to do my best to embrace it. It's going to be a new year next year, and we'll kind of see where it goes."

If all things were equal (spoiler: they're not), Pinto might enter training camp in September with a chance to battle Cozens for the number two role. For now, he's the plan B and provides excellent depth in the event of injury. And there's likely to be a premium that needs to be paid for that. The Senators now have to figure out what that’s worth, and whether an extension can wait or not.

As for Pinto, he's all for considering something long-term.

"Yeah, obviously, I love being here, love the boys. We're building something special. And I wouldn't be opposed to staying here for a long time."

Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa

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‘Tis the season

While the big dogs play in the playoffs, everyone else has the opportunity to tweak their lineup and organization.

The Colorado Avalanche are doing that by letting go of Ray Bennett. The (now) former Avalanche assistant coach was in charge of running the team’s powerplay.

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The Vancouver Canucks parted ways with Rick Tocchet earlier in their offseason. Now, several reports indicate two frontrunners for the vacant position.

Thomas Drance and I both reporting, Adam Foote is still very much in the mix in the Canucks head coaching job.

— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) May 13, 2025

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Manny Malhotra and Adam Foote are the two candidates still in the running for the head coaching position. Malhotra has been an NHL assistant coach for both the Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs. This season, he was the head coach for the Canucks AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks.

On the other hand, Foote is a former Avalanche defender who was on staff with Tocchet. Before that, he coached in the WHL as the head coach for the Kelowna Rockets.

According to one of these reports, Malhotra is the Canucks' "slight favorite." However, the team has not announced anything at the time of this writing.

📷
Patrick Johnston on Bluesky

Echoing and extending on what Dhali and Drancer have put together: sounds like Canucks' head coaching job is coming down to Adam Foote or Manny Malhtora, with Malhotra the slight favourite.

— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) May 13, 2025

The fluidity of these situations is not surprising. Much thought needs to be given to the individual tasked with running your team, and management must take extreme care in choosing the right individual.

Both candidates make sense for different (but similar) reasons. Malhotra is familiar with the AHL team and has more experience as a coach, while Foote is more familiar with the players' strengths and weaknesses with the NHL team.

Nevertheless, this story will be interesting to follow, especially for long-time Avalanche fans.

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Last year, the Anaheim Ducks surprised the NHL draft floor in Las Vegas when they selected Oshawa Generals right winger Beckett Sennecke third overall.

Sennecke himself was visibly (and famously) surprised, and while I can't say I predicted him going in the top five, some scouts had told me late in the season they saw his stock dramatically rising.

One year later, the Ducks are looking pretty smart. Sennecke has helped his Generals to the OHL final, where he has been one of the top playoff scorers in the league while playing a robust physical game.

That got me thinking: who could be this year's Sennecke?

The draft always holds surprises, and while there are some great candidates to go in the top five this season – Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, Porter Martone, Anton Frondell and James Hagens – there are also some names that could jump up into that range. Here are three candidates.

Brady Martin, C, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)

Martin will come into the draft hot, having scorched the field at the World Men's U-18s with Canada and winning a gold medal in the process. He didn't have much talent surrounding him in the Soo this year but still put up solid offensive numbers.

He's physical, he's a leader, and when it comes to off-ice training, the small-town Ontario farm boy hasn't even begun his ascent.

"Martin is right in there with the top OHL guys," said one scout. "When media guys do their redrafts in a few years, he'll be considerably higher. The way he plays, he might end up being one of the best pros. You've got a kid who has never done power skating or summer skill camps; he's just a hockey player. His compete level is off the charts. He plays both ends of the ice and in all the hard areas."

Roger McQueen, C, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

The knock on McQueen this season has been the injury that sidelined him for most of the campaign. Scouts suspect a back problem, and given what happened to Columbus Blue Jackets first-rounder Cayden Lindstrom, there is some reticence. However, Lindstrom just returned from his back injury and is playing for Medicine Hat in the WHL final.

On merit, McQueen is a 6-foot-5 center who skates well, has a great shot and hunts down pucks.

"Ability-wise, he's top-five, potentially even top-three," said one scout. "The injury, and being on the heels of Cayden Lindstrom not playing, I expect him to slide."

Having said that, it only takes one team to believe in McQueen and his long-term upside.

2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Ferrari's Post-Lottery Top 64One week after the NHL’s draft lottery decided which franchise received the first-overall pick, it’s time for a new round of draft rankings. 

Jake O'Brien, C, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

When draft day actually arrives, the same thing happens every year: teams picking high go for centers or size or both.

O'Brien is a 6-foot-2 center who will only get stronger once he bulks up from his current 170 pounds. He's coming off a 98-point season with the Bulldogs and plays at both ends of the ice.

"He's in the Wyatt Johnston mold that thinks the game well," said one scout. "He's very elusive, but he's not going to run you over like Porter Martone. He'll steal pucks by lifting sticks or jumping pass routes. He's another guy who people will say 'you picked that guy over him?' in a few years. He has that potential."

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One of the developing stories around the Montreal Canadiens this offseason will be how the situation in net evolves. For now, at least, Samuel Montembeault is the Habs’ number one goaltender, and it looks like the backup role will be Jakub Dobes’ to lose.

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Newly signed prospect Jacob Fowler will need at least one season of full-time action in the AHL before the organization can even consider bringing him into the NHL. Meanwhile, Connor Hughes has already announced that he’ll be heading back to Switzerland, and Cayden Primeau will be a restricted free agent once more.

Joe Verbatic, drafted in the seventh round in 2022, has yet to be signed to an ELC, and unless he is by June 1, the Canadiens will relinquish their rights to him. Emmett Croteau, who was a sixth-round pick in 2022 will still be plying his trade with Dartmouth in the NCAA, fifth-round pick at the 2024 draft Mikus Vecvanags will move from the QJMHL to the NCAA with the University of Maine, Quentin Miller who went from the Quebec Remparts to the BCHL since he was picked 128th overall at the 2023 draft will also be moving to the NCAA with the University of Denver.

But there’s another goaltending prospect who will still be skating in the KHL: Yevgeni Volokhin. We’ve not heard much about him so far, but on Tuesday. RG.org published a lengthy interview with the netminder who was picked in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, and clearly, he has his sights set on the Canadiens and the NHL.

While we’ve not heard much about him this season, compared to, say, Ivan Demidov, whose every move was on social media, the Canadiens are keeping close tabs on him. Nick Bobrov calls or texts him every two to three weeks, and every time there’s something important. The Canadiens' co-director of amateur scouting provides advice on his game and/or mental preparation.

According to the interview, Volokhin plans to attend the development camp this Summer, and it will be interesting to see what he can bring to the table. While most people believe Fowler will be the Canadiens’ number one when the team is ready to contend, it’s worth remembering that there are other options in the depth chart.

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In a recent article published by Sheng Peng with San Jose Hockey Now, it seems as though two members of the San Jose Sharks' organization want to play in the NHL next season, but may not get that shot with the Sharks.

Danil Gushchin and Andrew Poturalski played the 2024-25 season with the San Jose Barracuda in the American Hockey League (AHL) and weren't given too much of an opportunity to make a name for themselves at the NHL level. 

Poturalski only played three games, notching one assist with the Sharks, but had 73 points through 59 games with the Barracuda. Gushchin played 12 games with the Sharks, notching one assist, but had 51 points through 56 games with the Barracuda this season.

Poturalski admitted it was frustrating not to get more of an opportunity with the Sharks this season. It's also important to mention that he did not directly rule out the possibility of heading to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) next season.

While neither of them flat-out said they would be leaving or would try to pursue other opportunities, they hinted that they would prefer to get a real shot at playing in the NHL, and it doesn't sound like that opportunity would come with the Sharks next season.

Sharks Sign Defense Prospect To Entry-Level DealThe San Jose Sharks signed defense prospect Mattias Hävelid to a three-year entry-level contract on Saturday. Sharks Prospect Carson Wetsch Flipped In Blockbuster WHL TradeThe 2025 WHL Prospects Draft has now come and gone, and while there weren't many surprises or much news to report from those couple of days, there was one massive trade that caught some attention. Celebrini Calls Playing With Crosby “Dream Come True”With the 2025 IIHF World Championships starting tomorrow, the NHLPA sat down with San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini.

1. Edmonton's oft-reviled goaltender Stu Skinner proved Rangers GM Emile Francis had it right when he said, "Hockey is a slippery game; it's played on ice."

2. A couple of nights ago Skinner's blunder on Vegas' game-winning goal had Oilers fans demanding that Stu be shipped somewhere South of Pago-Pago.

3. Undaunted, Skinner took the crease last night and fooled his critics as only a haunted goalie could – with a shutout.

4. Meanwhile, Toronto's backup netminder Joseph Woll will be in goal tonight, hoping to stop the surging champion Panthers. 

5. Despite the Leafs loss in Game Four, Woll was somewhere betweenbrilliant and amazing. It wouldn't surprise me if Woll pulls off a Skinner type shutout.

6. Cup-winning coach Paul Maurice on the Blueshirts: "They have some world-class players, but they have to show up!"

7. More Maurice: "The Rangers were too often uninspired and were reacting too much and not initiating. There was not enough putting the puck in, chasing it and going to the net." (Quick! Show this to Mike Sullivan before it's too late!)

8. Gary Bettman on the Winnipeg Jets: "The hockey team has brought the people of the city together and that's all good."

9. Dallas coach Peter DeBoer on Mikko Rantanen's hot scoring: "It's the best performance I've witnessed from a guy on my team for this extended period!"

10. Neil Smith on his NHL Roundup podcast with Vic Morren: "The Rangers need more players like Will Cuylle." (By the way Cuylle was drafted by Jeff Gorton.)

11. John Tortorella's future remains cloudy. He still has a year on his current contract so he really does not have to work.

12. Until proven otherwise, Juuso Parssinen's nickname will be "Useless."

13. Unsolved remains the mystery of former Rangers trainer Jim Ramsey – one of the all-time best – and why he was fired. (And now thriving with the Canadiens.)

14. Maven Prediction via Jess Rubenstein: The Rangers will try to move K'Andre Miller, "rather than risk having to go to arbitration with him."

15. How many remember that Marv Albert once was the Rangers radio play-by-play man? (And that Marv once wrote a book called "Ranger Fever?)

A Florida Panthers minority owner has been suspended indefinitely by the NHL.

Doug Cifu, who owns a minority stake in the team and is listed as vice chairman, partner and alternate governor, was suspended on Monday night from any participation or involvement with the team.

The news was first reported by the Toronto Sun.

“The NHL has concluded that Mr. Cifu’s X posts were unacceptable and inappropriate,” the league said in a statement posted by the Sun. “As a result, Mr. Cifu has been suspended indefinitely from any involvement with the Club and the NHL.”

The decision came after Cifu posted a series of messages on social media Sunday evening that could be considered vulgar and offensive.

Responding to a post from a user on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter, Cifu was commenting on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

In his messages, Cifu also referred to Canada as the 51st state, something first brought up by President Donald Trump that did not resonate well with Canadiens, and understandably so.

Cifu has since deleted hit account. Screenshots of the interactions can be seen in the embedded posts below, which are from the account Cifu was interacting with.

Panthers owner tilted LFG 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/qhk0DFCYOg

— Dr. Grizzo (PhD, MD, BA, MBA, 7'4 240 IQ) (@mrgrozz) May 12, 2025

LMFAOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/Q33jRFHM2P

— Dr. Grizzo (PhD, MD, BA, MBA, 7'4 240 IQ) (@mrgrozz) May 12, 2025

The back and forth came after Florida’s 2-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series.

On Tuesday, Cifu provided a statement to Florida Hockey Now, which read:

“Two days ago, I posted regrettable and inflammatory comments on social media. My behavior does not reflect the standards of the Florida Panthers organization and the Viola family. I sincerely apologize to all those affected by my comments. I am committed to working with the NHL to amend my actions.”

This is not an isolated incident, as Cifu has had an active social media presence, often not holding back when making his opinions known.

On this occasion, though, it appears his verbiage was enough to warrant the league to step in.

There will an in-person meeting between Cifu and the NHL at a later date, the league has said.

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Farjestad BK of the SHL announced they have signed Belleville Senators defenseman Filip Roos to a two-year contract beginning in the 2025-26 season. 

Roos recorded 17 assists in 68 games for Belleville this season. 

Originally an undrafted free agent, Roos signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks in May 2022.

The 26-year-old appeared in 21 career NHL games for Chicago and picked up one goal and two assists. 

🌹 Tillbaka i SHL!

✍️ Efter tre år i Nordamerika och 21 matcher i NHL så är Filip Roos, 26, tillbaka i Sverige. Backen har skrivit på ett tvåårskontrakt med @farjestad_bk.

🔗 https://t.co/KNty2G19czpic.twitter.com/fqXCOgouHr

— SHL.se (@SHLse) May 12, 2025

A native of Goteborg, Swe., Roos played in 166 career AHL games with Belleville and the Rockford IceHogs, he scored five goals and added 39 assists.

Roos spent the 2021-22 season with the SHL's Skelleftea AIK, he will join a solid Farjestad team that lost in the Quarterfinals of the SHL Playoffs this season. 

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