The Carolina Hurricanes defended home ice in Game 3, smashing the Washington Capitals 4-0 at Lenovo Center Saturday night.

Frederik Andersen and the Hurricanes' depth scoring proved the difference, in what could have been a game that went the other way fast.

In what was nearly a mirror of Games 1 and 2, the Canes were the worse team in the opening frame, getting outchanced and outshot by the Caps, but Andersen came up huge with save after save.

Perhaps the biggest was on Alex Ovechkin who got loose off of a faceoff win for Washington and found himself all alone in front. 

Andersen made an acrobatic save, kicking the leg out to get a toe on that Ovechkin redirect.

Frederik Andersen has been massive for the #Canes through the first 15 minutes.

Washington's gotten off to a quality start, but thanks to Zilla, they haven't broken through yet. pic.twitter.com/whc31weRsA

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) May 10, 2025

"Clearly that was the key to our win tonight," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "That first period, where clearly they were on their game and we were on our heels. It's what goaltending does. It kept us in the game. I thought we got to it a little bit in the second half of the game, but it could have been a lot different if we're chasing it.

"That might have been one of the better games he's played for us just with the actual magnitude of the game, what it means and how his performance impacted it with the way he played."

But following that same reversed blueprint, it was the Hurricanes who actually struck first despite it all, as Andrei Svechnikov jumped into the dot on a faceoff loss and ripped a quick shot by Logan Thompson.

Andrei Svechnikov opens the scoring for the @Canes! 🚨 #StanleyCup

🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctFpic.twitter.com/VsN1A7bljF

— NHL (@NHL) May 10, 2025

He hit the post earlier in the game, his third of the series, but he wasn't going to be denied this time.

"After every faceoff, we have a plan kind of, but to be honest, that one wasn't planned," Svechnikov said. "I just saw the puck was loose and made the move to get closer to the puck and shot it.

"Just getting the lead, 1-0, I think is huge, especially when it's 0-0 in a tight game."

And once they got that first one, the team got rolling.

"The second half of the game we got rolling a little better, but obviously that Svech goal was huge," Brind'Amour said. "Nothing going on, and obviously a won faceoff for them, but he ends up jumping in and sometimes you need those individual efforts. We had that tonight."

And toward the end of the second period while on the power play, Jack Roslovic got his first goal of the postseason, cleanly beating Thompson shortside from the left circle.

Canes are cooking 🫣

Jack Roslovic's on the board making it 2-0 pic.twitter.com/xnp8O9Donm

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 10, 2025

It was a big game for Roslovic, who found himself as a healthy scratch after Game 3 of Round 1.

Not only did he score that second period tally, but he also picked up an assist on Eric Robinson's first of the postseason.

"It's a deep team, a really good team so it's nice to come back and try to help the guys out as best I can," Roslovic said. "I don't really want to get too deep into it. But like I said, just always be ready and try to help the team win."

After Carolina killed off a phantom penalty to Jordan Staal, the team started rolling again and Robinson blew by John Carlson on the left wing and absolutely wired one top corner past Thompson.

"You always want to contribute in the playoffs when moments are bigger so it was nice to get one to go in," Robinson said.

Eric Robinson makes it 3-0 in the third! 😳 #StanleyCup

🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctFpic.twitter.com/XL061aaYRS

— NHL (@NHL) May 11, 2025

From there, the Hurricanes just buried the Capitals as the team begin to forecheck and skate them into the ground. You could tell that Washington just had nothing left in the tank and were playing out the string in that period as the Canes just kept coming.

"That was textbook Hurricanes hockey," Andersen said. "Long shifts in their end, making it tough on them to break out and obviously that sets up the next line to kind of continue to do the same. It's tough to change that momentum when you're kind of in it as the defending team. Obviously huge to protect the lead and build on that."

The lead ballooned to four late in the game as Carolina grabbed a second power play goal, as Blake picked up a missed shot off the end boards and got it to after quickly putting it on net.

The Hurricanes now take a 2-1 series lead with another game in Raleigh slated for Monday night.

---

Be sure to check out the Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub for all postseason stories!   

---

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

EDMONTON – It takes a team to win.

Even though the Edmonton Oilers have superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at their disposal, they need a full roster of players pulling on the rope to make a Stanley Cup Championship happen.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

So far in the 2025 Playoffs, they are well on their way.

It’s peculiar how much a person can learn in one year. Better yet, it’s incredible how much a team can grow in that same year.

Trending Oilers Stories

Oilers Evander Kane & Fiancee Make Big AnnouncementEDMONTON – Bringing a baby home is a joyous occasion.

GAME 3 LIVE BLOG: Oilers Must Now Overcome Vegas' Storm

'Remarkable': Messier On How Unique Oilers' McDavid & Draisaitl Really Are

Former Oilers' Pat Maroon Announces New Gig

Oilers Calvin Pickard Reaches New & Unique Milestone

Oilers Are Surging Towards A New NHL RecordEDMONTON – This playoff run is turning into a Cinderella story.

Experience helps us grow, and it's no different for NHL hockey players. 

The Oilers have learned a lot since last year's playoff run. And in this year's postseason, more Oilers are pushing the team along offensively. 

Their playoff goal differential without their dynamic duo is quite an impressive statistic. When McDavid and Draisaitl aren't on the ice, the Oilers have outscored their opponents 14-8.

oh my god pic.twitter.com/4cK07sS7NK

— Sid 🇨🇦 (@NHL_Sid) May 9, 2025

Every single Oilers forward (except Jeff Skinner) has scored at least one goal in the playoffs. Ty Emberson, John Klingberg, Brett Kulak, and Josh Brown join that list of Oilers who haven't recorded a goal. 

Throughout their entire 2024 postseason, the Oilers only scored 12 goals when McDavid and Draisaitl weren't on the ice. Derek Ryan, Vincent Desharnais, and Sam Carrick were the only players to not score.

Let's see what the rest of the year has in store for this Stanley Cup hopeful team.

Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

It’s been a lively second-round playoff series between the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs so far.

Entering Sunday’s Game 4, the Maple Leafs hold a 2-1 series lead over the Panthers after winning the opening two games in Toronto.

Florida has since battled back, picking up a big overtime win in Game 3 on Friday night.

Going back to last week for a moment, there was a play that occurred during Game 2 that left players, coaches and fans alike all confused and scratching their heads.

The play in question was a hit from behind by Scott Laughton on Evan Rodrigues that left the latter in pain on the ice and immediately led to an on-ice scrum.

After the dust settled, the officials announced the penalties from the whole hullabaloo, and this is where the shock came in.

Among the calls, Rodrigues was penalized for embellishment on the play.

When the announcement was made, Rodrigues was already in Florida’s locker room receiving treatment for the hit.

Eventually, Rodrigues returned to the game.

Afterwards, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said that he received no explanation from any of the officials on the ice.

He has since poked fun at the call, clearly as flabbergasted as the rest of us as to the reasoning behind such a penalty.

On Saturday in South Florida, Rodrigues spoke to the media for the first time since everything went down three days ago at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

“I didn’t find out until after the game, to be honest,” Rodrigues admitted. “I didn’t have a clue. I figured there were coincidental roughing (penalties).”

Embellishment penalties, at least for some, are a sore spot, but for a different reason.

It’s simply because embellishment never seems to be called without a corresponding penalty, so apparently the only time a player embellishes to get a call is when an actual penalty takes place, which seems silly.

That wasn’t the case here, though.

There was no call on Laughton for the hit on Rodrigues, according to the NHL’s official game sheet.

The calls on the play, all minor penalties, were Rodrigues for embellishment, Nate Schmidt for roughing Laughton, and Laughton received two minors for roughing Schmidt.

So not only was Rodrigues called for embellishing a hit that sent him to the locker room with an injury, but the hit itself was never penalized.

By the time the dust had settled from the game, there was nothing to do about the play other than watch the video with your mouth hanging half open wondering what the officials were thinking.

Not that we’ll find out, as the NHL is the only of the four major sports that doesn’t make its officials available to a pool reporter after the game.

And for those wondering, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who met with the media Friday in Sunrise before Game 3, said that he doesn’t see any reason why that should change.

Which means all of us, just like Rodrigues, have to soldier on and wait for the next battle.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Rodrigues said. “My bother texted me and I was shocked, but the game was over at that point, so you just move on and get ready for Game 3.”

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Panthers Hit Home Run With Brad Marchand Trade

Three takeaways: Panthers finally play to their identity, savvy lineup changes pay huge dividends

All 4 lines contribute as Panthers get back in series with Game 3 OT win over Toronto

Panthers Make Lineup Changes For Game 3 Against Maple Leafs

The Hockey Show: Steve Levy talks Stanley Cup Playoffs, Barry Melrose, This Is SportsCenter commercials

EDMONTON – Keep the pedal to the metal.

The Edmonton Oilers want to put the Vegas Golden Knights on the ropes with another victory on Saturday night. After two come-from-behind victories, they will seek to put a stranglehold on the series as they play their first game in front of a home crowd in the second round.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.  Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

Stuart Skinner will be the Oilers' starting goaltender. Olivier Rodrigue will back him up. Once again, Adin Hill is the Golden Knights' starting goalie. 

This is arguably the most crucial game of the series for the Oilers. Without the goalie they have ridden to this position, they will need to tighten up defensively. The Golden Knights will come out like a storm, attempting to avoid putting themselves in a 0-3 hole.

Trending Oilers Stories

Oilers Have Massively Better Team This YearEDMONTON – It takes a team to win.

Oilers Are Surging Towards A New NHL Record

Why Oilers Will Start Stuart Skinner Now

Former Oilers' Pat Maroon Announces New Gig

Oilers Calvin Pickard Reaches New & Unique Milestone

'Remarkable': Messier On How Unique Oilers' McDavid & Draisaitl Really Are

---

Oilers Game 3 Recap

The Oilers fought back from a 3-2 deficit to tie the game late. Connor McDavid scored a great goal to tie the game, but ultimately, it was not enough.

Too many mistakes, too many breakdowns to withstand the Golden Knights.

First Period

The crowd is very lively at Rogers Place in the opening minutes of the game.

18:12 - Stuart Skinner stops his first shot of the game and the crowd cheers for him.

16:14 - Draisaitl just turned over the puck in the Golden Knights end with an intercepted pass.

13:36 -Skinner with a quick flurry of saves.

GOAL (12:41) - Corey Perry scores the game's first goal against the Golden Knights. John Klingberg with the breakout pass before the two-on-one rush. 1-0 Oilers.

12:16 - Kane goes off for an "illegal check to the head." 

10:57 - Skinner makes an incredible pad save on the penalty kill.

9:38 -Whitecloud goes off for interference. The Oilers will go on the power play.

Oilers successfully kill off the first penalty of the game. Moments later, Draisaitl rings the puck off the Golden Knights' crossbar.

GOAL (8:48) - Scorey Perry gets another one, this time on the powerplay. He tips a Bouchard shot from the point. 2-0 Oilers.

5:02 - Some pushing and shoving after an offside call. Kane is in the mix for the Oilers.

GOAL (4:43) - Roy scores for the Golden Knights. Roy banged a rebound past Skinner.

GOAL (3:49) - Smith gets a goal past Skinner, and it's a 2-2 game now.

Oilers get a great chance from their second line.

0 - Some pushing and shoving at the final buzzer for the first period.

---

Second Period

Back and forth action so far to kick off the first five minutes of the middle period.

12:15 - Golden Knights are getting some zone time and quality chances. Nothing materializes. 

11:49 - Oiler had a great rush chance between Arvidsson and Janmark.

11:04 - Vegas gets a few good looks, then the Oilers get called offside.

10:09 - Skinner comes up with a huge save on Hertl.

8:51 - Slashing penalty against the Golden Knights. Barbashev goes to the penalty box.

6:50 - Bouchard knocks down the puck to get another scoring opportunity. A few shots get on net but it's still 2-2.

5:10 - Diving save by Skinner on a Hertl wraparound.

GOAL (2:55) - Karlsson puts the puck past Skinner on an ill-timed line change. 3-2 Golden Knights.

1:54 - Hyman called for goalie interference. Golden Knights go on the powerplay.

McDavid gets a few shifts on the penalty kill and creates some chances. Golden Knights finish the period with a 3-2 lead.

---

Third Period

McDavid, Hyman, and Nugent-Hopkins reunited to start the third period.

17:10 - Bouchard gets a shot on net from the slot. 

16:16 - McDavid was convinced that he beat Pietrangelo to the puck to negate the icing call.

14:30: Golden Knights spending some time in the Oilers end. Draisaitl, Kane, and Perry on the ice as a line.

10:37 - Podkolzin gets his stick on that shot, which deflects out of play.

8:12 - Skinner flashes the leather. Probably the most important save of Skinner's night.

8:00 - Turnover leads to a quick shot by the Golden Knights.

6:55 - Golden opportunity for Draisaitl, who hits the net.

3:18 - Icing on Golden Knights after several glorious opportunities for the Oilers.

GOAL (3:02) - McDavid scores on a ridiculous angle, it deflects off of McNabb's skate and in. 3-3 score.

GOAL (0.4 Seconds) - Puck goes off Draisaitl's stick to get a goal and win 4-3.

---

Back again with another NHL 25 Hockey Ultimate Team Fantasy update, this week we have new NHL and PWHL Playoff cards. 

Eight new NHL and four new PWHL Fantasy Hockey cards were added this week and are available to build now, we broke down that release here.

Given there have been less game there have not been many updates, Blayre Turnbull and Shiann Darkangelo both scored in the opening game of PWHL playoffs and are up to 94 overall. 

Adam Lowry and Anton Lundell are now up to 96 overall while Mark Stone is now 95. Sam Bennett, Evander Kane, and Tom Wilson are now 94 overall. 

All upgrades and new cards are pictured in the video above. 

For more NHL 25 news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed. For gaming discussion check out our forum.    

As the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs continue to unfold, the odds of a Canadian team winning it all seem to get better and better.

In Toronto, the Maple Leafs are in a strong position against the defending Cup-champion Florida Panthers, leading their second-round series two games to one. In Winnipeg, the Jets have pushed back against the Dallas Stars, evening up their series at one game apiece. And in Edmonton, the Oilers are in firm control of their series with the Vegas Golden Knights, leading it two games to none. 

For the first time in a long time, there’s a very real sense that multiple Canadian teams can get at least as far as their respective conference final – and maybe, just maybe, one of them can be the first Canadian team to win the Cup since the Montreal Canadiens did so in 1993. And what a time to achieve that goal. 

Indeed, given recent world events, there’s a soaring sense of national pride among Canadians. We have started to put aside our regional differences in the name of seeing Canada rewarded for our tenaciousness and resilience on the ice, and having a Canadian team win hockey’s ultimate trophy would make Canadians ecstatic. Heck, when Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, is an old hockey goalie, you can see how the stars could be lining up to make some memorable magic with the country’s favorite game.

You don’t have to take our word for it – just take a look at a recent poll that investigated the degree of national pride among Canadians. You’ll learn that a growing number of Canadians want to see a Canadian Cup-winner, and the closer we get to seeing one crowned, the more of a sense of excitement there is going to be in hockey’s homeland.

Canada is a vast country with many different people and lifestyles, but when it comes to Canada’s favorite sport, we’re clearly ready, willing and able to support whatever Canadian team gets to the Cup final.

And really, what could be better for Canada at the moment than an all-Canadian-team Cup final? It would take the Leafs winning the Eastern Conference, and either the Oilers or Jets winning the Western Conference. But as it stands, that’s not a pipe dream by any stretch. A Toronto/Winnipeg or Toronto/Edmonton final would more or less shut down the country as Canadians pick sides, but that type of matchup would be one for the ages.

When you think about it, we’re not far away from such an event coming to pass. The Maple Leafs and Oilers are six wins away from the Cup final, and the Jets are seven wins away. A lot will have to go right for the three teams to get to that point, and all three Canadian teams could still be eliminated in Round 2. But the way Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton have performed thus far, it’s far from a longshot to see two of those three teams getting to the final.

There could come a day, sooner than later, when other Canadian teams get to where the Leafs, Oilers and Jets are today. The Canadiens and Ottawa Senators are up-and-coming teams, and the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames may only need a few additions to put them back into the playoff mix. But it should shock no one that any or many of the aforementioned teams could be thriving soon.

If and when one or two of those teams do arrive in the Cup final, Canadian nationalism may not seem as vigorous and widespread as it is right now. Or who knows – maybe it’ll be just as heightened, if not more heightened than it is at the moment. But in the days and weeks immediately ahead, it seems like a perfect meeting between Canadian pride and Canadian team skill that has Canadian hockey fans so stoked. 

The Cup drought in Canada could be coming to a close. And if that happens, the true north strong and free is going to be an especially exciting place to be.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The Texas Stars defeated the Grand Rapid Griffins in three game and the Abbotsford Canucks knocked off the defending Western Conference champion Coachella Valley Firebirds in four games.

The Stars are the first team to advance to the Central Division Finals on the back of six points each from Cameron Hughes and 2025 AHL Rookie of the Year Justin Hryckowian in three games, including an overtime winner in the second overtime of game three from Hughes.

Texas goaltender Remi Poirier stopped 64 of 70 shots against before Magnus Hellberg came in in relief in the third period of game three and stopped all 18 shots against. 

Dallas' AHL affiliate will take on the winner of Milwaukee and Rockford in the next round.

The Canucks eliminated the back-to-back defending Western Conference champion Coachella Valley Firebirds in four games after Arturs Silovs made 29 saves and secure a 2-0 game four victory.

Abbotsford were led by Silovs, who has a 5-1 record, two shutouts, and a .935 SP in seven playoff appearances. 

Veterans Sammy Blais and Phil Di Giuseppe lead the Canucks in scoring with eight and seven points respectively. Kirill Kudryavtsev and Akito Hirose have been essential to Abbotsford's solid defensive play and will need to keep it up in the next round. 

Vancouver's AHL affiliate will take on the Colorado Eagles in the next round, with the series set to begin Friday May 16. 

Check out The Hockey News' Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks team sites for more updates on Texas and Abbotsford. 

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

For months now, the notion of NHL expansion hasn’t been on the league’s front burner, but don’t take that to mean expansion won’t be happening in the next few years. Under commissioner Gary Bettman, the league has always been coy when it comes to the movement or creation of teams.

The NHL is very good at keeping high-end secrets, but Bettman’s comments Friday in Sunrise, Florida certainly did nothing to extinguish long-standing rumors that the league would soon-enough be growing, most likely, by two teams.

The favorite to be the first city to land a team remains Houston, but picking up steam of late is the prospect of the NHL returning to Atlanta for the third time in league history. And it’s safe to say the league is on track to eventually expand by two teams, one of which would be an Atlanta team. 

For proof, consider Bettman’s glowing appraisal of Atlanta Friday night.

“It’s a different place than when the Flames and the Thrashers left, in terms of how big the city is, how robust it is, the sporting interest,” Bettman said. “I don't think the prior two (Atlanta teams) have any bearing on whether or not we would go back – if all the other pieces that are referred to were put together.”

When the league looks at a potential expansion team, the pieces they’re looking for are (a) a market that can support another major-league team, (b) well-established and reliable business-people at the helm of ownership, and (c) either a deal in place to develop land into a new arena, or an arena already standing. That’s what gives Houston the edge right now, as they would likely play in the Toyota Center. 

Atlanta doesn’t have an NHL-caliber rink just yet, but Sportsnet spoke to Georgia businessman Vernon Krause, who is leading a group that intends to put a team in Forsyth County, Ga., which is part of metropolitan Atlanta. Krause revealed that his group is close to putting all its financial ducks in a row – including building a new arena – and presenting an expansion pitch to Bettman and the 32 team owners.

“The next step is for us to go up to (NHL headquarters in) New York and meet with the commissioner of the NHL and show them what we have in place with the county in hopes that they vote for expansion,” Krause said. “There’s certain criteria that we have to meet to even apply for an expansion franchise. And that was purchasing land, getting the zoning that we needed. Both of those have been accomplished. Once we got the (Forsyth) county vote, getting definitive documents done, which our lawyers are working on, that we can present to the NHL, talking with our investors that we’ve been talking with over the last couple of years, being able to present what I would call a completed package to the NHL.”

The NHL doesn’t have a firm timetable for expansion, but THN.com believes that when the league does expand again – and to be sure, we don’t have a doubt that expansion is coming – it will expand by two teams and not, say, by one team one year, and another team in a subsequent year. The competitive imbalance that would occur if only one expansion team materialized would give an advantage to the conference that stays at 16 teams while the other conference grows to 17 teams. And players and team owners won’t want to deal with that imbalance.

It makes much more sense, then, that the NHL will expand with its 33rd and 34th teams – Houston in the Western Conference and Atlanta in the Eastern Conference – at the same time. That would leave 17 teams in each conference, and while the league’s playoff process would probably have to be tweaked to guarantee a fair competitive balance, that won’t stop them from adding teams and putting a couple billion dollars per expansion franchise in the league’s coffers.

If expansion were not in the cards for the NHL, Bettman would’ve firmly shot down any and every rumor to the contrary. Instead, he only stoked the fire of expansion speculation with his comments Friday, and those breadcrumbs of information will almost assuredly lead to a path ending with the league growing to 34 teams. 

You may not like the prospects of expansion, but you should get used to it. Because, absent some unlikely development, expansion is on the horizon for the NHL, and it gets closer to reality with every passing day. And Houston and Atlanta are now firmly leading the pack in landing a new team.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

A junior coach and former Briere teammate linked to Flyers' job originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

As the Flyers search for a new head coach, we’re looking at potential candidates to fill the vacancy.

“Communication and teaching are probably two things that will be at the forefront of our next coach,” general manager Danny Briere said April 19 at his end-of-the-season press conference. “When you have a young team in place, I really think those two attributes are extremely important.”

We’ve profiled Mike Sullivan (hired by the Rangers), Rick Tocchet, Pat Ferschweiler, Brad Shaw, Jay Woodcroft, Ian Laperriere and Jeff Halpern. Next up in our series is Jay McKee, the head coach of the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs.

On the 32 Thoughts podcast a little over a week ago, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that McKee “could be on Philly’s radar.”

Why McKee would be a fit

The 47-year-old is coming off a 44-19-5 season in Brantford. He captured the 2022 OHL title with the Bulldogs, leading a club that put up 107 points in the regular season (51-12-5) and won 16 of its 19 playoff games.

McKee has been a head coach in the OHL for parts of eight seasons and was an assistant for a 2014-15 Erie Otters team that featured Connor McDavid. His time working with prospects might have appeal to the Flyers, whose roster has consistently gotten younger.

Some quality former and current coaches took paths from the OHL to the NHL. Jacques Martin, Peter DeBoer, Sheldon Keefe and Kris Knoblauch all went through the OHL and eventually climbed to an NHL bench.

McKee has a connection to Briere. The two were teammates for parts of three seasons with the Sabres. Their prior relationship could make for a seamless GM-coach fit.

As the 14th overall pick in the 1995 NHL draft, McKee had a 14-year career between three teams. The former defenseman played 802 games in the NHL and had Shaw as an assistant coach for three seasons with the Blues.

McKee’s wisdom on the back end could potentially benefit the Flyers’ young blue-line picture.

Terry Wilson/OHL Images

Why McKee would not be a fit

Do the Flyers want more of a household name?

Considering McKee is such an under-the-radar candidate, he may not move the needle with the fan base. If a coach is the right coach, the Flyers won’t be super worried about outside perception, but it does matter to a degree.

The Flyers have gone five straight seasons without a playoff berth, matching the franchise’s longest drought. Their decision on the next head coach has a chance to reinvigorate the fan base a bit and set expectations for a critical 2025-26 season.

McKee’s inexperience coaching at the pro level would elicit some concern. He has never coached in the NHL and has one season as an AHL assistant, which was 13 years ago.

By Bill Hoppe, Features Writer

Jimmy Carson is on the phone chatting about his exploits as the greatest teenage goal-scorer in NHL history, and he’s doing a little research at the same time.

He can’t remember when he learned that the 92 goals he scored for the Los Angeles Kings – 37 as a rookie in 1986-87 and a whopping 55 in 1987-88, the highest total by a U.S.-born player at the time – are the most by a player under 20.

The affable, down-to-earth Carson, the No. 2 overall pick in 1986, is pretty sure he had no idea at the time. He thinks perhaps he heard about it in 2013 when TSN aired a feature on his career to mark the 25th anniversary of that little trade he was involved in that sent Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles. “At some point, someone said, ‘You know, you have the most goals in the history of the NHL as a teenager,’ ” Carson said.

Carson never looked into it until now. “I’ve been led to believe that’s an accurate record,” he said. “Is ‘record’ the right word?”

Record. Achievement. Distinction. Whatever you want to call it, Carson owns it.

From Oct. 11, 1986, when he scored a power-play goal in his second NHL game, until March 30, 1988, when he tallied four times and broke Bobby Carpenter’s record for most goals in a season by an American player, he compiled 92 regular-season goals before he turned 20 on July 20, 1988.

Carson is so curious about his accomplishment – he wants to double-check he’s really first – he types “most goals in NHL history by a teenager” into an internet search engine. “Let’s see what comes up,” said Carson, now 56 and working as a personal financial representative in suburban Detroit.

Click here if you agree that Nathan MacKinnon is the best player in the NHL right now.

Top 💯: https://t.co/smKk3NQdgQpic.twitter.com/qw9yHoNCLI

— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) April 20, 2025

First, he finds another one of his records: most goals in a single season by a teenager, 55. After adjusting his search, he finds what he’s looking for. The legendary names behind Carson on the list of the top teenage scorers – Dale Hawerchuk, Gretzky, Sidney Crosby – illustrate how dynamically he performed. Hawerchuk (85) had the second-most goals, followed by Patrik Laine (80), Gretzky and Brian Bellows (76 each) and Crosby (75). No one else has hit 70.

So, how has Carson’s mark lasted for 37 years? For starters, most youngsters don’t play two full seasons as a teenager. Gretzky turned 20 about halfway through his second season with the Edmonton Oilers. Ditto for Connor McDavid, who broke his clavicle as a rookie en route to 16 goals in 45 games.

The high-scoring era Carson played in certainly buoyed him. In 1986-87 and ’87-88, the NHL averaged 7.3 and 7.4 goals per game. In 2023-24, games averaged 6.2 goals. In 2024-25, the average was 6.0 goals.

While some teenagers possess the talent and maturity to produce in a demanding league, it usually takes years. McDavid and Connor Bedard are often called generational talents. Bedard, who turns 20 on July 17, scored 45 goals over his first two seasons with two awful Chicago Blackhawks teams.

Several other factors (most notably talent) contributed to Carson’s unique place in history. He used his speed and lethal shot to make an immediate impact. “He had an explosive first few strides,” said Morris Lukowich, one of the linemates Carson played with as a rookie. “He had huge legs. That was one thing that was tremendous about him. When he got the puck, he’d be gone.”

JIMMY CARSON

But Carson, the NHL’s youngest player during his rookie season, also found himself in the right place at the right time in Los Angeles. The Kings immediately expressed their belief in him, putting him in situations to succeed and showcase his high-end skill set. Like the rest of the Smythe Division in the late 1980s, they played an up-tempo style. Carson was teammates with respected veterans – Marcel Dionne, one of his childhood heroes, Dave Taylor and others – who welcomed him. He also adapted to the NHL alongside Luc Robitaille, another special rookie.

If Carson’s hometown Detroit Red Wings, who owned the No. 1 pick in 1986, had drafted him, he wouldn’t have enjoyed the same early success. The Wings selected Joe Murphy, who, coincidentally, was traded for Carson in 1989. “In hindsight, it was a real blessing for me, I believe, that I was not picked by Detroit, because they had a whole different style of play, and the Norris Division was much more clutch-and-grab,” Carson said. “Who knows if I would’ve made the team or if I would’ve been sent to the minors or back to juniors? Would I have had as good of a start? You never know how those things develop.”

Carson, who scored 70 goals and 153 points for the QMJHL’s Verdun Junior Canadiens in 1985-86, learned early in his first training camp just how much the Kings valued him. “I had a pretty good training camp,” he said. “And then, we started some exhibition games, and I was told, ‘You’re making the team, and we expect you to be an impact player right away.’ ”

The news filled the durable Carson, who played all 160 games over his first two seasons, with confidence. If he had a poor shift or a weak game, he never felt like he would be demoted. While he admits he was raw, he produced from the get-go on a line between Lukowich and Taylor. “Wherever I played, I could put numbers on the board and score,” he said. “It just kind of started translating right away.”

As a rookie, Carson never went more than eight games without a goal. He enjoyed his hottest stretch in late March, scoring nine times in seven games to hit 37 goals. Meanwhile, Robitaille, a ninth-round pick from 1984 who was always exceeding expectations, scored 45 goals.

Having entered the league together, Carson and Robitaille are often linked. They developed a close friendship off the ice and displayed special chemistry on it when they became linemates in 1987-88. “We were both kind of finding our way around,” Carson said. “But Luc always exerted such enthusiasm and love of the game and a very strong offensive nose. We had a lot of fun off the ice. We had a lot of fun on the ice. And we were putting some good numbers up.”

Carson – whose 186 points as a teen rank fourth behind Crosby, Gretzky and Hawerchuk – remembers watching the 1987 Canada Cup with Robitaille during their second training camp in Victoria, B.C. When Gretzky and Lemieux combined to score their legendary tournament-clinching goal against the Soviet Union – Lemieux, a right-handed shot, moved the puck to Gretzky, a lefty, on the left wing before completing a 2-on-1 – Carson, a righty, and Robitaille, a lefty, looked at each other and said, “Wow!”

“We’re like, ‘We’re going to have to use that play this year,’ and I’ll never forget, we actually did a few times,” Carson said. “I think we called it ‘The Mario’ or something. I remember a few times, right in the middle of a game, we would see the play develop, and one of us would yell, ‘Mario!’ ”

Carson scored his 50th during a three-goal performance on March 26, 1988. He scored four times four days later, reaching 92 goals as a teenager. Robitaille, who turned 22 that season, scored 53 goals.

Then, four months after Carson scored five goals in five games in the 1988 playoffs, the Kings sent him to Edmonton in the massive deal that landed them Gretzky. But even before he was a major part of the biggest trade in sports, Carson had secured his place in hockey history. His early success might never be duplicated. “It’s very hard to compare eras,” Carson said. “Am I surprised? I’ve never really thought about it.”

---

This article appeared in our 2025 Top-100 NHLers issue. This issue focuses on the 100 best players currently in the NHL, with the Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon sitting atop the list. We also include features on Alex Ovechkin finally beating Wayne Gretzky's goal-scoring record, and former CFL running back Andrew Harris' switch to semi-professional hockey. In addition, we provide a PWHL playoff preview as the regular season nears its end.

You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.

The Buffalo Sabres announced a few days ago that they have fired Eric Staal. He will serve as the special assistant to the General Manager Kevyn Adams. 

The former Wild forward recorded 111 goals, 129 assists, and 240 points in 311 games with Minnesota. In his first season with the Wild, Staal led the team in goals with 28 and was second in points behind Mikael Granlund. 

In his second season, Staal became the first Wild player to score 40 or more in a single season since Marian Gaborik did in 2007-08. He was the second player in Wild history to have 40 or more goals at the time. Kirill Kaprizov has had three 40-goal seasons since Staal. The three are the only Wild players to record 40-goal seasons in franchise history.

He joined Gordie Howe as the only players in NHL history to have 40-goal seasons at least nine seasons apart with none in between.

His 76 point season in 2017-18 ranked as third-best in franchise history at the time. He has now been passed by Mats Zuccarello, Kevin Fiala, and Kaprizov (twice). 

Staal, 40, has been living in Minnesota since he retired from the NHL after the 2022-23 season. He recorded 455 goals, 608 assists, and 1,063 points in 1,365 games in 18 NHL seasons.

The Wild traded him to the Sabres in 2021 for Marcus Johansson. He played half the year with the Sabres after being traded to the Montreal Canadiens. The following year, Staal recorded one goal and three assists as Canada's captain in the 2022 Olympics. He finished the year with the Wild's American Hockey League affiliate in attempt to keep his career going. 

Staal then signed a PTO with the Florida Panthers before eventually signing a one-year contract. He recorded 14 goals, 15 assists, and 29 points in 72 games for the Panthers in his last NHL season. 

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

Wild Related News

Wild's Jonas Brodin Scores Big Goal For Team SwedenIn a game that Austria looked to hang on and upset Sweden in the World Championships, Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin took charge.  Wild To Have Multiple Players In 2025 Men's World ChampionshipsST. PAUL, Minn - Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin confirmed on Tuesday that the club team will have a few players in the 2025 Men's World Championships. 

The Vegas Golden Knights will be without two veteran players in Brayden McNabb and Brandon Saad, but will welcome back two youngsters by way of Pavel Dorofeyev and Kaedan Korczak.

McNabb and Saad are considered day-to-day after sustaining injuries in a 5-4 overtime loss in Game 2. McNabb's injury has come with a lot of controversy. No call was made on the infraction, and instead of the Golden Knights heading onto the power play, Leon Draisaitl ended the game 17 seconds later. 

Saad's injury is undisclosed at the moment, and he'll be replaced by Dorofeyev, who will make his series debut after suffering an injury against the Minnesota Wild in Game 5.

Replacing McNabb will be Korczak, who will return to the lineup after playing in Game 1. In Game 1, the 24-year-old played 13:04 of ice time, throwing one hit and blocking one shot. 

The Oilers will be making one lineup change as well. Calvin Pickard was announced as day-to-day and will be replaced in net by Stuart Skinner. Skinner has recorded an .810 SV% and a 6.11 GAA in two playoff games this season. 

The Golden Knights are in massive need of a win, looking to avoid going down 3-0 in the series. The Golden Knights lost both games at home, but recent memory provides evidence that the Golden Knights have what it takes to win back-to-back road games. Just last season, the Golden Knights beat the Dallas Stars in Games 1 and 2 on the road. 

Going down 3-0 all but wraps up the series, meaning today's game is virtually a must-win. 

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.

Golden Knights' Nicolas Roy Will Have A Hearing For His Cross-Checking Penalty In Game 2Vegas Golden Knights forward will have a hearing with the Department of Player Safety for his cross-check on Edmonton Oilers forward Trent Frederic.

The Carolina Hurricanes will face off against the Washington Capitals on May 10 in Game 3 of the second round. The Hurricanes' goal will be to bounce back after losing to the Capitals by a 3-1 final score in Game 2.

Unfortunately, the Hurricanes are expected to be without one of their key bottom-six forwards again. While speaking to reporters, including NHL.com's Walt Ruff, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour announced that forward Mark Jankowski is "doubtful" for the matchup

Jankowski, 30, was injured during the Hurricanes' Game 1 matchup against the Capitals and was sidelined in Game 2 because of it. Now, with this update from Brind'Amour, it's likely that Jankowski will also not be good to go for Game 3, which is less-than-ideal news for Carolina.

Since being acquired from the Nashville Predators at the trade deadline, Jankowski has become a solid part of the Hurricanes' roster. In 19 regular-season games with the Canes following the move, he posted eight goals and a plus-4 rating. In three playoff games thus far, he has one assist and a plus-1 rating.

Recent Hurricanes News 

Former Hurricanes Forward Fined By NHL Player SafetyNHL Player Safety has announced that former Carolina Hurricanes forward Nicolas Roy has been fined $7,812.50 for cross-checking Trent Frederic during the Vegas Golden Knights' Game 2 matchup against the Edmonton Oilers. Former Hurricanes Winger Can't Stop Scoring GoalsFormer Carolina Hurricanes forward Mikko Rantanen was the main reason why the Dallas Stars defeated the Colorado Avalanche in the first round. With the Stars down 2-0 in Game 7, Rantanen scored a hat trick and recorded an assist in the third period to secure them a 4-2 win over the Avalanche. Former Hurricanes Forward Is Absolutely Thriving In PlayoffsBack in October, former Carolina Hurricanes forward Max Pacioretty signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. This was after the veteran winger joined the club at training camp on a professional tryout (PTO). 

Today, the great Johnny Gaudreau was named to the NHL's Quarter Century Team, celebrating the best NHL players of the last 25 years. 

Gaudreau was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the 4th round of the 2011 NHL Draft as the 104th overall pick. 

Johnny played 9 years in Calgary to start his career. He scored 210 goals and totaled 609 points for the Flames. 

In the summer of 2022, Johnny shocked the entirety of the hockey world when he decided to leave Calgary and sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

With Columbus, he played 161 games and totaled 134 points. 

For his NHL career, he scored 243 goals, had 500 assists, and totaled 743 points in 763 games. 

Johnny Hockey 💙❤️

Johnny Gaudreau has been named to the @NHL Quarter-Century Team! #NHLQCTeam | #CBJpic.twitter.com/7RdBc2C1UT

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) May 10, 2025

Johnny ❤️

#13 has been named to the #NHLQCTeam 🔥 Congratulations to the Gaudreau family - we’re sending our love from Calgary! pic.twitter.com/17HEUgYBRH

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) May 10, 2025

Long Live Johnny Gaudreau! 

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story. 

Much was made of who would be the Montreal Canadiens’ first pick at the 2024 draft. Picking fifth overall, the Habs’ pick was highly dependent on what the first four teams would do, but Montreal being the hockey mad market it is, it didn’t stop the press and fans alike from speculating who would be available when Kent Hughes and co. finally took to the podium.

Canadiens: The Grades Are In – Goaltending Edition
Canadiens: The Grades Are In – Kent Hughes
Canadiens: Yet More Reinforcements For The Rocket

While most advocate that a team should always take the best player available, the fact that the Canadiens have a glaring need down the middle made picking Cayden Lindstrom a possibility. The 6-foot-4 supersize center had a lot of attributes that could have made him attractive for Montreal, but the one concern was a tricky back injury that had limited him to 32 games in his draft year.

Still, 46 points in 32 games is a more than respectable output, and had he been available at number five (and if Ivan Demidov had already been taken), the Habs’ brass might have wanted to roll the dice on him.

As we now know, however, he wasn’t available at number five. The Columbus Blue Jackets claimed him at number four after the San Jose Sharks picked Macklin Celebrini at number one, the Chicago Blackhawks took Artyom Levshun at number two, and the Anaheim Ducks caused a surprise by claiming Beckett Sennecke in third place.

🚨 Andrew Basha
🍎 Cayden Lindstrom

First game back for both to open the scoring in the WHL Championship.pic.twitter.com/5ezcZ8AnB0

— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) May 10, 2025

Since the draft, Celebrini has made his NHL debut and is a Calder Trophy nominee. Levshun skated in 18 NHL games, picking up six assists, and spent the rest of his season in the AHL. Sennecke dominated in the WHL, putting up 86 points in 56 games.

What did Lindstrom do? He nursed his back injury and finally skated in his first game since the draft last night, in the OHL final. His Medicine Hat Tigers signed a 4-1 win over the Spokane Chiefs, and the center registered an assist. Hopefully, this is the first of many games for the youngster, but at this stage, Canadiens fans can thank their lucky star that Columbus decided to pick Lindstrom and not Demidov.

---

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.