The Vegas Golden Knights were tied 4-4 in overtime of Game 2 against the Edmonton Oilers, but due to a missed call, instead of finding themselves on the power play, they exited T-Mobile Arena down 2-0 in the series. 

The Golden Knights had just killed a five-minute power play after Nicolas Roy bizarrely cross-checked Trent Frederic in the face while trying to knock the puck out of the air. With momentum on their side, the Golden Knights continued their pursuit of finding the game-winner. When the puck was dumped into Brayden McNabb's corner, he shielded off Victor Ardvinsson, but an errant stick tripped McNabb, sending him into the boards.

It took the 34-year-old a couple of seconds to gather himself and skate to the bench after the collision with the boards. He went directly to the locker room and did not return. Almost unbelievably, no call was made on the play and on the ensuing shift, Connor McDavid set up Leon Draisaitl for the game-winner. 

MCDAVID TO DRAISAITL 🚨

Connor McDavid makes a beautiful move to set up Leon Draisaitl for the @Energizer overtime winner in Game 2! #StanleyCuppic.twitter.com/DkMXp2kuhw

— NHL (@NHL) May 9, 2025

"He blew it, he missed the call, I don't know what else to say," said HC Bruce Cassidy. "It's a can-opener trip, it's a dangerous play, it's all those things, but it didn't get called, so you've got to keep playing."

Cassidy wasn't the only member of the Golden Knights to be outraged, as his emotions were reciprocated by the team's captain. 

"Pretty clear it's a penalty," said Mark Stone. "His stick is between McNabb's legs, he sends him head first into the boards, pretty clear cut penalty in my eyes and I think everybody's eyes."

Although the Golden Knights felt they got the short end of the stick in overtime, already down in the series, they needed to find a way to remain focused and pull out the win. The opposite was done. Just 17 seconds later, an ill-advised pinch by Nicolas Hague put Jack Eichel in a one-on-one situation with McDavid, where he was beaten easily. 

"Nabber is one of our guys, probably one of the most popular teammates in the room, so that is a tough part of playing through it," said Cassidy. "It's not as easy as it looks, we're human, but at the end of the day, that's the task in front of you when those things happen or don't happen."

Cassidy did not have any updates on the health of McNabb following the game. 

With the series shifting to Edmonton, some may feel the series has already slipped out of the grasp for the Golden Knights. The Oilers are on a six-game winning streak, which includes a perfect 3-0 record at home in the postseason. But just last season, the Golden Knights stole two games back-to-back on the road from the Dallas Stars.

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The St. Louis Blues head into their off-season with management facing decisions regarding two key players.

Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic believes they must decide whether Jordan Kyrou fits into their long-term plans before his no-trade clause kicks in on July 1.

The 27-year-old right winger had one of his best all-around seasons, netting 36 goals and 70 points. However, Rutherford noted that he had only three goals in seven playoff games and was on the ice for five goals-for and five against.

Kyrou has six years left on his contract with an average annual value of $8.125 million. Rutherford wondered if he matches the club's vision of the future, specifically that of “GM-in-waiting Alex Steen.”

Rutherford also wondered if management might revisit trade discussions with team captain Brayden Schenn. At the trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators were reportedly interested in the 33-year-old center, but he insisted on staying in St. Louis. 

Schenn is signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $6.5 million. He has a full no-movement clause, but it reverts to a 15-team no-trade list on July 1. Teams that fail to land one of this summer's top free-agent centers could look into his availability.

NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest On Marco Rossi, Patrik Laine And Drake BathersonMost of the focus for Minnesota Wild followers will be on the club's efforts to re-sign left winger Kirill Kaprizov. 

Turning to the Colorado Avalanche, Corey Masisak of the Denver Postwondered who would fill their second-line center role. 

Trade deadline acquisition Brock Nelson is UFA-eligible on July 1. If he departs, free agent options could include Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers and John Tavares of the Maple Leafs. 

Masisak noted the Avalanche have sufficient cap space to re-sign Nelson or bring in a replacement. He speculated they could also move a contract to free up additional room, suggesting Martin Necas as a trade chip if they really want to shake things up.

Necas was acquired in January's blockbuster trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes. He has a year left on his contract with a $6.5-million cap hit and lacks no-trade protection. 

It's unlikely that the Avalanche would trade the key player they got from Carolina in the Rantanen deal. However, few folks expected the Hurricanes would trade Rantanen to Dallas mere weeks after acquiring him from Colorado.

Will The Colorado Avalanche Benefit Long-Term From Depth Over A $12-Million Rantanen? The Colorado Avalanche began and ended the 2024-25 NHL season on a low note. 

In Vancouver, the Province's Ben Kuzma thinks the Canucks should include their 2025 first-rounder (15th overall) in a trade package to acquire a second-line center.

There is concern about whether struggling Elias Pettersson is a true first-line center. Questions also linger over the health of frequently sidelined center Filip Chytil. 

Kuzma suggested targeting someone like Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings. The 28-year-old center recently expressed his unhappiness over the club's lack of significant movement at the trade deadline to improve their roster down the stretch. However, there is no indication that he wants out of Detroit.

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After a disappointing first-round loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs ended their Stanley Cup playoff hopes last week, a pair of Ottawa Senators are turning their attention to a new goal on Friday.

Centre Shane Pinto and defenceman Nik Matinpalo will begin their pursuit of gold medals on day one of the World Hockey Championships in Sweden and Denmark.

Pinto and Team USA will open Friday at 2:20 p.m. against the host Danes at Jyske Bank Boxen Arena.

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In 70 regular-season games with the Senators this season, Pinto had 21 goals and 37 points, which was probably a little shy of his expectations. But he also had less than half the power-play time he was given two years ago.

Pinto is about to enter the second half of his two-year contract at $3.75 million per season. From his perspective, rather than lock in long-term last summer, this was probably a bridge deal to potentially earn a larger contract in 2026.

But based on this season's stats, though Pinto’s value to the Senators is far more than just offence, his $3.75 million cap hit seems about right. Perhaps this tournament can be a confidence boost and a springboard to offensive improvements next season. 

But ice time won't come easily at this tournament because the Americans are loaded with talent. They have 12 first-round NHL Draft picks, and more than 5,500 games of NHL experience.

Former Senator Joey Daccord will suit up in goal for Team USA, along with Jeremy Swayman, Linus Ullmark’s old running mate in Boston. Ullmark says he wanted to play for Sweden, especially since they’re one of the tourney co-hosts, but the team decided to go in another direction, choosing Jacob Markström, Samuel Ersson, and Arvid Söderblom.

Summer Breakups: Senators GM Steve Staios Prepares For Another Rebalancing ActThe Ottawa Senators held their seasonal exit meetings last Saturday, the final assignment for a fine young NHL club that took a huge step forward this season, forcing their way into the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

Meanwhile, Matinpalo and Team Finland will open the tournament in Sweden with the first game against Austria at 10:20 a.m. Friday at Avicii Arena. Like the U.S.A. opener, this one is likely to be a mismatch.

It’s been a whirlwind calendar year for Matinpalo, who, as recently as December, didn't really seem to be in Ottawa's NHL plans. Since then, he's become an NHL regular, got to play in the 4 Nations Face-off in February, and signed his first one-way NHL contract this week.

What a difference five months can make.

For you early birds, Canada will open on Saturday morning against Slovenia at 6:20 a.m. ET. The Canadians are stacked this year with big names, including Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon.

Senators winger Drake Batherson trains with both of those superstars in Nova Scotia every summer. And after Batherson's uneven performance in round one of the playoffs, it would have been nice if he'd been able to have a chance to shake that off at this tournament and head into the summer on a positive note.

Here's how the tournament works (from IIHF.com):

The 16 teams are divided into two groups for the Preliminary Round, played in a single round-robin format.

The top four teams in each group advance to the quarter-finals, which will be played cross-over style: 1A vs. 4B, 2A vs. 3B, 1B vs. 4A, and 2B vs. 3A.

Since goal differential and goals scored play a key role in the tiebreaking process, this tournament frequently sees its fair share of blowouts, but it will also deliver some compelling matchups and rivalries, and some outstanding hockey over the next couple of weeks.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News-Ottawa

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EDMONTON – This playoff run is turning into a Cinderella story.

The Edmonton Oilers were down 0-2 when they hopped on the plane back to the City of Champions in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings.

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Then came the wins.

Four consecutive wins to send their divisional rival to the fairways for (yet) another year. However, winning those games in a come-from-behind fashion is unprecedented. Or at least, it’s getting really close.

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They have the most comeback wins in NHL playoff history, and that record could soon include the regular season.

The Oilers are tied for the second-most comeback victories in NHL history, whether in the regular season or the playoffs. Seven is the magic number for comeback wins.

This Oilers team can’t shake the comeback victory. They know the importance of scoring the first goal and have gone on record detailing how they want to start games better.

On Thursday night, it was the same script but a different movie. The Oilers were down 1-0 after the opening period. But no quit was to be found in their game.

They stormed back with three unanswered goals from Jake Walman, Vasily Podkolzin, and Darnell Nurse to take a commanding 3-1 lead over the Vegas Golden Knights. 

A squandered lead would force the game to overtime, where Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid worked their magic. 

So on Saturday night, when the Oilers defend their home turf, don’t worry if they find themselves in a similar position to the previous six games.

They would love to flip the script, but like the Marvel Universe, they can’t help but create a sequel.

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Former Cleveland Monsters goalie Calvin Pickard is "The Hot Goalie" right now and has the Edmonton Oilers rolling. 

Pickard, drafted 49th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2010, has his Oilers up 2-0 in the second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights after winning 5-4 in overtime last night. Pickard made 28 saves as Edmonton stole home ice away from Vegas and will now look to go back to Rogers Place to finish off the power house Golden Knights. 

Pickard replaced Stuart Skinner in a first-round loss to the LA Kings on April 23rd and hasn't looked back. Since replacing Skinner, the Oilers have done a few things that have the hockey world buzzing. 

First off, they've now won six straight games, which include four straight to put out the Kings, and the first two games of the second-round series against the Knights. Secondly, all six games in a row they've won have come after giving up the first goal of the game. So, not only are they battling from behind, but they're getting stellar goaltending from Calvin Pickard. Pickard is keeping them close enough to be able to come back and win huge playoff games. 

Pickard hasn't been perfect, but he's doing just enough for the powerful offense to come around in each game. 

Pickard is well-known to long-time Monster fans, and up until last season, was widely considered the best goalie to have ever played for Cleveland. Jet Greaves has since replaced Pickard as the best goalie ever. 

Calvin Pickard is second among all Cleveland goalies in games played(142), wins(60), losses(54), TOI, saves, and goals against. He also has 10 career shutouts to his name. 

Pickard's last season for Cleveland came in 14-15, just one season before the AHL affiliation with the Columbus Blue Jackets started. He would remain with the Avalanche organization for one more season before his journey to Edmonton started. 

Let us know what you think below.

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

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2025 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: Dante FabbroThis summer, Spencer Lazary and I will continue our series with more potential free agent targets that could be on the market on July 1st.    Johnny Gaudreau’s Mom & Dustin Wolf Share Special Moment On Social MediaThe Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau tragedy never fails to bring tears to people’s eyes. Yesterday on Twitter/X, there was another emotional moment—this time between Jane Gaudreau, the mother of Johnny and Matthew, and Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf. 2025 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: Aaron EkbladThis summer, Jason Newland and I will continue our series looking at potential free agent targets who could be available on July 1.

The Carolina Hurricanes couldn't pull off yet another third-period comeback, falling 3-1 to the Washington Capitals in Game 2 at Capital One Arena on Thursday.

The game looked like it was going to be following the same blueprint as Game 1: the Canes have a strong first period, then the Caps strike first early in the second, but it didn't end the way that one did.

Instead, the Capitals scored twice before the Hurricanes found their first, and the Canes were then just unable to overcome that deficit with the way Washington was defending (the Caps were credited with 32 blocks once again).

"We certainly weren't great, that's for sure," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "I think you have to give Washington credit. I mean, they played a much better game. We have to be better, that's for sure. We knew it was going to be hard. Having said that, we were still right in the game

The biggest issue for Carolina though is that they just haven't been getting the bounces so far this series (the team hit the frame two more times to put their total up to seven for the series) and Washington's first goal was another prime example of that. 

Sean Walker went to flip a puck into the Capitals end from the neutral zone, but it wound up hitting his partner Shayne Gostisbehere in the throat and the puck fell right to Connor McMichael who got loose for a breakaway.

"Obviously it was unfortunate. Just trying to get the puck in their end and then it hits Shayne [Gostisbehere] in the neck, kinds of stuns him there for a sec and then they get a fast break and score," Walker said. "It's part of it. Just move on."

And you could immediately tell that that goal gave Washington some juice as they started to look much more like themselves through the second period.

"That [first] goal was a tough one just because of the way it happened," Brind'Amour said. "Nothing going on and then all of a sudden, it's a breakaway because we banged it off of our own guy. Then that got them going for sure.

The Canes struggled to muster a lot in that middle frame and when they did get their looks, they were either passing up looks, double clutching or shooting off the mark.

But despite the struggles, they were still only down by one heading to the final frame.

That was until Brent Burns turned the puck over in the neutral zone, and wound up taking a hooking penalty less than two minutes into the third.

On that man advantage, Washington's third crack on the power play in Game 2, the Capitals finally broke Carolina's perfect penalty kill as John Carlson snuck in from the blueline and slammed home a pretty pass by Tom Wilson.

"I thought our first was good and then the second period was just no good," said Jordan Staal. "Even the first half of our third was not great. We were playing in our end a little too much and just turning over one too many pucks and not really getting through the neutral zone and getting on them and all the stuff that we do. Took a penalty and obviously the PK would love to have the kill. Obviously our 5v5 game wasn't great and it kind of trended toward them getting an extra goal."

The Canes were in a 2-0 hole, but they were finally able to break through on the power play not too long after themselves as Gostisbehere answered back, putting home a rebound from the wing.

GOSTISBEHERE! Shayne Gostisbehere trims the Carolina deficit to 1 midway through the third!#RaiseUp | #StanleyCuppic.twitter.com/bUlldqhny8

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) May 9, 2025

The Hurricanes were back in it, and they definitely pushed hard that period, but the team just couldn't find that extra gear and second goal.

"When we're playing our game, I think we really controlled the momentum of the game and had a lot more time in their zone and created a lot more, for sure,." Walker said. "We'll look at it tomorrow, but I think we know we got away from our game there a little bit and they capitalized and took away from our momentum. We'll look at it and move on."

Wilson, who was far and away the best player on the ice in Game 2 with his physicality, offensive impact and defensive blocks, sealed the game with the empty netter.

Despite the loss, the Canes are in a good position as they now head back to Raleigh with a 1-1 series split and a chance to take a strong lead in the series if they can stay hot at home.

"Always nice to be in front of our fans and we're going to have to take that momentum back and use our fans to do it," Staal said. "We'd love to be up two, but it's a good team and we're going to have to start fresh at home here and take it to them again.

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

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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. 

Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Katie Gaus, Emma Lingan and Michael Augello react to the Washington Capitals beating the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 to tie the second-round series at 1-1.

Capitals vs Hurricanes Game 2 - Playoff Frenzy | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

They also discuss Game 2 between the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights.

Share your thoughts in the comments, and the hosts may discuss your message during the stream.

Check out the show right now.

This year’s Canadian team for the 2025 men’s World Championship is star-studded. 

There are many name-brand, Grade-A talents on Team Canada, which will play in Stockholm, Sweden.

Hockey Canada officially announced the addition of Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon and star Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. That said, the team also added St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, Blues captain Brayden Schenn and Los Angeles Kings center Philip Danault.

Compare that lineup to last year’s Canadian lineup, where Tampa Bay Lightning left winger Brandon Hagel and Washington Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois were among the top players. With due respect, those players aren’t on the same level as this year’s Canadian group. The common factor in the change in roster quality is the superstar we haven’t mentioned yet: Pittsburgh Penguins icon Sidney Crosby.

It wouldn’t be surprising if the Crosby effect attracted more star power to the tournament. It’s not like he went to the Worlds the last two years the Penguins missed the playoffs. And many of the same NHL teams that were out of the playoffs by last year’s Worlds are out again.

World Championship: 10 Must-Watch NHL Players From Canada, USA And MoreThe 2025 IIHF men’s World Championship is just around the corner. 

NHL players are no different than we are when appreciating top talent. It’s one thing to encounter Crosby as an opponent in hockey’s top league or watch him from afar, but knowing he’s playing with you – well, that’s a very rare thing you should take advantage of.

We might also be seeing more talented players at the World Championship in part because there’s a higher overall quality of the NHL teams. Even some teams eliminated in the first round have some good and great players, such as MacKinnon, Schenn, Danault and Binnington.

We don’t blame any elite player for not choosing to play in the Worlds. They have a long and taxing season, and rest and recuperation must be used for their body’s benefit. 

But there’s no question Crosby makes the Worlds a must-see event. He’s now 37 years old, reuniting with his longtime teammate in Fleury, and preparing for what could be his final Olympics in 2026. Being part of that squad is a no-brainer for some star Canadian players.

The Hockey News' Remy Mastey is in Stockholm to cover the World Championship from May 9 to 25. Also check out Derek O'Brien's coverage on The Hockey News' international hockey site at THN.com/international.

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Earlier today, the Ontario Hockey League announced Denver Barkey as the recipient of the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the OHL Humanitarian of the Year.

"It's such an honour to receive this reward," said Barkey. "It's really special for me, my family and the fan club to see so many kids and their families get a chance to play and watch the game we love." 

The Barkey's Buds program, named for the Philadelphia Flyers prospect, partnered with the London Knights Fan Club to bring more than 1,500 pieces of hockey equipment to children with learning, emotional and social disabilities through the George Bray Sports Association. The organization also provided more than 500 tickets to London-area families could come and watch Knights games.

In addition to his work with Barkey's Buds, the London Knights captain went on monthly visits to the Victoria Hospital & Children's Hospital in London. He also spoke at schools on several occasions and attended minor league hockey practices where he acted as a mentor for younger players.

"Ever since I came to London as a 16-year-old, the support and passion from the fans was something I noticed right away," said Barkey. "To be able to start Barkey's Buds and give back to the community that has treated me and my teammates so well was the least I could do."

On the ice, the fourth-year veteran had a fantastic year, scoring 25 goals and 82 points in 50 games. In the playoffs, he recorded 20 points in the Knights' opening two series before sustaining an injury that has kept him out of the lineup. 

These kinds of numbers are nothing new for London Knights fans who have seen Barkey routinely amongst the highest scorers on some stacked Knights' rosters. In the 228 games he's played in the OHL, the dynamic forward has averaged above a point-per-game, scoring a total of 258 points.

Barkey follows Mason Vaccari of the Kingston Frontenacs, who won the trophy last season, while Dalyn Wakely received the honour for his work during the 2022-23 season when he was a member of the North Battalion. 

"It's a proud moment for Denver and his family and the London Knights organization," said London GM Mark Hunter. "Denver is a high-character young man, and for him to take on this community service is something we take pride in."

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The Colorado Avalanche began and ended the 2024-25 NHL season on a low note. 

They came out of the gate 13-12-0 and ended their year losing to the Dallas Stars in a first-round Game 7 where they held a lead for much of the game. But in between those competitive valleys, the Avalanche remade their roster about as radically as any team this season.

Although the Avalanche got burned in Game 7 by the star they traded away, right winger Mikko Rantanen, Colorado’s president of hockey operations, Joe Sakic, spoke out about the trade on Tuesday and defended the move.

“You look at where we were the last few years, we weren’t good enough – we weren’t deep enough,” Sakic told media Tuesday. “This stings not because Mikko is on the other side, it stings because…we were close…We felt we had the team to move on and really compete.”

It’s difficult to argue with Sakic’s rationale for the Rantanen trade. The Avalanche could’ve been a top-heavy team, with three highly paid stars in Rantanen, center Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar. 

Instead, Colorado wound up with very good right winger Martin Necas, center Jack Drury and trade deadline acquisitions Brock Nelson, Ryan Lindgren and Charlie Coyle. Considering that the Avalanche went 21-10-2 after the Rantanen trade, you can see why Sakic and Avs GM Chris MacFarland chose to move Rantanen and make their roster deeper.

Heading into next season, the Avalanche have a projected $8.7 million in salary cap space. Now that Rantanen has signed an extension with Dallas at $12 million per season, that amount of Avs cap space would’ve been significantly less had he remained in Denver. That would’ve led to a top-heavy Colorado team that had to flesh out its roster with league-minimum players.

Rantanen, McDavid Or Nylander: Who Are The Early Conn Smythe Favorites?The Conn Smythe Trophy does not get awarded in the first or second round of the playoffs. But less than three weeks into the post-season, it's already clear that some players have emerged as early MVP favorites.

The Avalanche aren’t the only team forced into this kind of financial crossroads, and other teams have chosen to build their team differently. Certainly, the Toronto Maple Leafs have famously built around their ‘Core Four’ of star forwards Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander. And consequently, they’ve had no choice but to pay much of the rest of the roster a relative pittance to stay under the cap ceiling. 

The moves have led to the Maple Leafs getting into the second round of this year’s playoffs, but if Toronto gets eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the rest of the second round, there will be calls for Leafs management to abandon their current team structure and go the way the Avalanche have gone with their financial pyramid.

The Avalanche’s cap space this summer will permit them to potentially bring back Nelson or Lindgren and pay another mid-tier player or two to fill out their lineup. That means Sakic and MacFarland made the right move, and with a full season of a more balanced roster and the return of captain Gabriel Landeskog, the Avalanche may have a better record next year. That may lead to a longer playoff run for them next spring.

If that’s the way it plays out for them in 2025-26, it will be because Avs management had the stones to swing big in the trade department this year. The Rantanen deal didn’t work out perfectly, but in the long-term picture, moving away from a top-heavy lineup was the best thing for the Avalanche to do.

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The Vatican conclave to elect a new Pope has officially concluded, but there are other conclaves generating buzz around the National Hockey League.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are one of six teams in search of a new head coach, and with a wide pool of options to choose from, the NHL coaching conclaves should be interesting to follow. 

But as for the Penguins specifically, who should be annointed the new bench boss? Penguins' POHO and GM Kyle Dubas wants to put a focus on development, and with highly coveted David Carle out of the picture, there are still some good names out there who aren't exactly NHL re-treads, either.

Here are five Cardinals - erm, candidates - who should top the list during the Penguins' coaching conclaves.

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Todd Nelson

We've discussed Nelson as a possibility before, and without Carle in the running, he should be the name at or near the top of the candidacy.

Nelson is currently the head coach of the AHL's Hershey Bears, which is the affiliate of the Washington Capitals. He was hired prior to the 2022-23 season and immediately led the team to back-to-back Calder Cup championships - with, potentially, a third on the way, as the Bears won the Atlantic Division title and are currently battling Lehigh Valley in a five-game divisional semifinal series. 

At the AHL level, he has also coached the Chicago Wolves and Grand Rapids Griffins. He also has some experience at the NHL level with now-defunct Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars, and Edmonton Oilers.

Oh, and Nelson was drafted by the Penguins in 1989, appearing in only one NHL game with the organization. But, hey, that's some prior experience nonetheless.

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Jay Woodcroft

Even if a "re-tread" isn't the most desirable option, experience is important.

And, honestly, Woodcroft is barely a re-tread, anyway. In February 2022, Woodcroft was promoted from the Bakersfield Condors to become the interim head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, and he led them to the Western Conference Finals. He then led the Oilers to a 50-23-9 finish the following season before getting shown the door - perhaps, prematurely - after a rough start to the 2023-24 season. 

He's been out of the picture since then - at least, aside from some international experience with Team Canada as an assistant coach at Worlds in 2024 - but his work with young players is well-respected, and he was also well-liked in the Edmonton locker room.

He was passed on for the Anaheim Ducks' coaching vacancy despite getting interviewed, so it's entirely possible that he is already in the mix for other teams as well.

Highly Coveted Coach Officially Out Of Running For Penguins' JobAfter the Pittsburgh Penguins parted ways with former head coach Mike Sullivan last week, Penguins' POHO and GM Kyle Dubas gave some hints as to the type of coach they might be looking for to replace him.

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Mitch Love

Another Capitals connection, Love, 40, has a great track record in developmental leagues and helped aid Washington to the best regular season finish in the Eastern Conference this season as their defensive coach.

He started coaching as an assistant in 2011 with the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and was there until 2018, when he moved on to the Saskatoon Blades as a head coach. He led the Blades to the playoffs in his first season and put together a .665 win percentage in his three seasons there.

After that, he was brought on as head coach of the Stockton Heat, which was the Calgary Flames' AHL affiliate before they relocated and became the Calgary Wranglers. He led the team to the ninth-best finish in AHL history during his first season and won back-to-back coach of the year awards in 2023 and 2024.

Love has the winning track record - and the reputation in developmental leagues and with young players - to be a prime choice for the Penguins' search.

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Jessica Campbell

Campbell, who made history this season as the first woman to be behind the bench of an NHL team, is another candidate who has climbed the ranks of developmental leagues.

After a successful playing career on the collegiate, professional, and international stages, she ran JC Powerskating and worked with NHL player and Olympic clientele. She then moved on to become an assistant coach for the Nurnberg Ice Tigers of Germany's premier ice hockey league, Deutsche Eishockey Liga, and she was also an assistant for the German men's national team.

Campbell was then brought on as an assistant coach for the Coachella Valley Firebirds - AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken - in 2022 before being promoted to an NHL assistant for the Kraken prior to the 2024-25 season.

Campbell's specialization in development, work with young players, and diverse resume should give her some consideration for the Penguins' head coaching position, should she choose to pursue the opportunity despite getting retained as an assistant in Seattle.

Kraken Retaining Jessica Campbell Shows Faith In Early Positive SignsThe Seattle Kraken parted ways with Dan Bylsma after just one season as the head coach, and while many thought Jessica Campbell may have followed, the organization is rewarding her with another season after some early positive returns.

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Mike Hastings

Another name we've already thrown out there, Hastings has all the makings of the kind of developmental track record Dubas and the rest of his staff should be looking for.

No, he doesn't have any NHL coaching experience - unlike everyone else on this list - but that's not necessarily a bad thing. 

Hastings began his coaching and management career in the USHL program, which he helped bolster as a whole significantly during his 14-year tenure as a head coach and general manager there - winning USHL Coach of the Year twice for the Omaha City Lancers and General Manager of the Year five times.

He then went on to coach in the NCAA, helming the Minnesota State Mavericks for more than a decade and leading them to the Frozen Four in 2021. He was also named an assistant coach for the 2022 U.S. Men's Olympic team before the NHL backed out of the games. 

Now - having been with the Wisconsin Badgers for the last two seasons - Hastings has earned a stay at the NHL level, and his "self made-ness" should interest Dubas and the Penguins in their search for the organization's next Po - erm, coach - to oversee the team through their rebuild onward to contention.

8 Possible Replacements For Mike Sullivan As Penguins Head CoachWith the shocking news that the Pittsburgh Penguins and longtime coach Mike Sullivan have mutually agreed to part ways, it comes as no surprise that one of the first talking points is who will be the one replace him.

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Matvei Michkov did all he could to become the first player in the Philadelphia Flyers’ history to win the Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s rookie of the year.

The 20-year-old right winger had more goals (26) than any rookie in the NHL, and he also topped the Flyers in that category.

In addition, he led rookies in even-strength points, and he played with Bobby Clarke-like passion and drive.

Yet, he was not one of the three Calder finalists in voting by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Instead, the writers made Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (rookie-leading 66 points), San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (63 points) and Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf (2.64 goals-against average, .910 save percentage) the top three rookies.

Wolf, 24, played 17 games the previous season but was still considered a rookie this year based on NHL qualifications.

Michkov, who started this season at 19, came in cold. He spent 48 games in the KHL in 2023-24. The Hockey News contacted three members of the Flyers’ front office. None returned calls or texts about Michkov being overlooked.

Back In The Day

Bill Barber knows all about being snubbed in the rookie of the year voting.

In 1972-73, the left winger finished second to the New York Rangers’ Steve Vickers. Barber lost despite having better stats than Vickers.

All these years later, Barber said it “never felt disappointing” because he was focused on team goals. But he added a kicker.

“If anything, it gave me more incentive to do better,” he said.

Like Barber, Michkov has downplayed the Calder Trophy. Earlier this year, he said he was aware of the Calder race, but his concentration was on winning games.

Overcame Obstacles

The Calder finalists have strong qualities, but it’s difficult to understand how all three were placed ahead of Michkov.

Fact is, Michkov, a Russian, had more obstacles to overcome than the other three — he had to adjust to the bigger NHL rinks while learning a new language. And he played for an ultra-demanding coach (John Tortorella) for most of the season. Tortorella limited Michkov’s ice time and even benched him for two games.

When Tortorella was fired and Brad Shaw was named the interim coach late in the season, he took off the leash. Michkov got lots more playing time (19:36 per game compared to 16:41 under Tortorella). In nine games under Shaw, Michkov had 12 points (six goals, six assists).

Michkov, who was tied for second among rookies with 63 points, answered most of the questions about his ability this season, though his defense was sometimes a challenge. He finished at minus-18. Celebrini finished at minus-31.

How 'Proficient' Are NHL Calder Finalists Hutson, Celebrini And Wolf?The NHL’s Calder Trophy race this season led to a rare scenario.

From here, Michkov deserved to be a finalist. He and Hutson were the two best rookies. It would not have been a disgrace to finish second to Hutson, who tied an NHL record for a rookie defenseman with 60 assists. Hutson helped Montreal reach the playoffs, and he deserves the Calder.

Meanwhile, Michkov can take solace in the fact that legends like Barber and Eric Lindros had great rookie seasons for Philadelphia but didn’t win the Calder, either. Those players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

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The Ottawa Senators held their seasonal exit meetings last Saturday, the final assignment for a fine young NHL club that took a huge step forward this season, forcing their way into the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

After seven months of battling, they said their goodbyes, not knowing for sure if they'll ever play together again. Most of them will. Some will not. It's always the way.

For GM State Staios, some major choices lie ahead, and for every roster addition he considers, there's at least one other move required to accommodate it.

So let's begin with the Senators taking care of their own to see how much money they have to go shopping with.

Staios has several NHL players on expiring contracts. They include unrestricted free agents Claude Giroux, Nick Cousins, Adam Gaudette, Matthew Highmore, Travis Hamonic, Dennis Gilbert, and Anton Forsberg.

With Nik Matinpalo now taken care of, the list of NHL-calibre restricted free agents includes defenceman Tyler Kleven, winger Fabian Zetterlund, and goalie Leevi Merilainen.

At the moment, according to Puckpedia, the Senators have $17.57 million in cap space to work with for next season. Conservatively, it’s fair to expect the three RFAs to absorb around $5 million of that, bringing their spending room down to $12.5 million.

In all likelihood, the Senators won’t re-sign Hamonic, Gilbert, or Forsberg. With the emergence of Kleven and Matinpalo, Hamonic and Gilbert watched from the press box in the playoffs. Acquired in the Josh Norris trade from the Buffalo Sabres, Gilbert played just four regular-season games with the Senators.

Forsberg is a solid backup and a great teammate, but with a younger and less expensive option in Leevi Merilainen ready and waiting in the wings, the Sens will likely welcome the cap savings. Mads Sogaard is also in play, armed with a one-way deal for this fall.

But we're banking on Merilainen, so our summer spending money is still at roughly $12.5 million, which brings us to Giroux, Cousins, Gaudette, and Highmore. The Giroux of ten years ago might have take all that remaining cap space.

But you don’t have to dig deeply into Giroux’s stats to see that his decline has begun. Age eventually gets everyone. He missed only one game total in his last three seasons in Ottawa, and his point totals have declined every year:

2022–23: 79

2023–24: 64

2024–25: 50

It should be noted that Giroux got 48 fewer power-play minutes this season than he did the previous one.

But he remains a valuable asset, loaded with intangibles and leadership. Giroux said on Saturday that he hasn’t spoken with the team about a contract yet, but it’s clear to everyone that he wants to stay. The Sens want him to stay. The fans want him to stay. It’s impossible to believe the two sides won’t work something out on a one- or two-year deal.

Expect Giroux to pull roughly another $3.5 million out, leaving the Sens with $9 million in their allowance. If Giroux's ask is much more than that, and we doubt it will be, then that conversation might change.

Gaudette, Cousins, and Highmore were useful players who saw plenty of action this season. None of them cost more than a million dollars, so it wouldn’t take much to lure them away. By the same token, the Sens aren’t so smitten with them that they’d overpay to keep them.

In glass-half-full scenarios, since Gaudette and Highmore have finally found their way back to regular and semi-regular NHL status, they may not want to mess with a good thing. Cousins, who’s on his sixth team in as many years, may be hoping to put some roots down—with a two-year-old in tow and a baby boy on the way this month.

As long as they’re not asking for meaningful raises, it’s easy to see at least a couple of those guys coming back. But even if they all leave, their replacements will probably come in, also hovering near the NHL’s version of minimum wage, or roughly $2.5 million total.

Thanks to the league's $7.5 million hike in the cap, the Sens still have money to play with at $6.5 million. While it’s easy for us to say, we’ll assume that Michael Andlauer is willing to continue spending to the max, now $95.5 million in 2025–26.

Right now, if it goes as outlined above, the roster looks like this:

Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux*
Perron-Cozens-Batherson
Greig-Pinto-Amadio
Cousins*-Gaudette*-Zetterlund*
Highmore*

Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Jensen
Kleven-Matinpalo

Ullmark
Merilainen*

* No contract yet for 2025-26

That’s not a great deal of change from this year’s entry. Granted, the team should be naturally better through playoff experience and being another year older, although the theory that getting older is good doesn't apply to the five veterans who are well north of 30. 

But the Senators can’t just rely on internal maturing because it probably won’t be enough. There also isn’t a single prospect in the system that’s a slam dunk to make the team this fall, let alone be an impactful NHL player.

To be considered a Cup contender, they’ll probably need two more top-nine forwards and another defenceman who can play with a hard edge at playoff time.

It will be hard to find even one of those assets with $6.5 million in cap space, so someone has to go. Fans should expect a body or two (and their contracts) to head out the door, and that's beyond the obvious UFAs who won’t be retained.

It's not dramatically different than last year when, for various reasons, Sens fans bid farewell to useful players like Jakob Chychrun, Mathieu Joseph, and Mark Kastelic. 

But there’s really no other option. Whether you look at things financially or athletically, “Steady Steve” still has some rebalancing to do this summer, and to make it happen, we're betting that his list of untouchables isn't very long.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

The Vegas Golden Knights are attempting to level the series at one win apiece tonight against the Edmonton Oilers, but will once again do so without Pavel Dorofeyev and possibly Alex Pietrangelo.

The first game of the series saw the Golden Knights jump out to a quick 2-0 lead before allowing four unanswered goals to lose Game 1. Tonight, the Golden Knights must be aware that no lead is safe from Connor McDavid and the Oilers.

"There's always some good in there, but we got to get better," said HC Bruce Cassidy of tonight's game.

Cassidy has elected to make several changes to his lineup, reverting to the lines the Golden Knights used frequently throughout the regular season. If Pietrangelo cannot play, Kaedan Korczak will remain in the lineup, skating alongside Nicolas Hague as he did in Game 1. Victor Olofsson will slide in beside Brandon Saad and Tomas Hertl, hoping to fill the vacant role of Dorofeyev.

The Oilers will stick with the lines that have brought them success recently, as they are currently on a five-game win streak.

"This is our home ice, and look to get it all even, squared up. Another big opportunity to go out and play a full 60, play well, and play well in front of our fans," said Zach Whitecloud.

"We want to take it one shift at a time tonight, big game for us. We want to go back to how we want to play," Nicolas Roy said. 

A fast start is needed, but more importantly, a full 60 minutes needs to be played. If the Golden Knights find themselves ahead, taking their foot off the gas and playing passively will not serve them well against the Oilers, a hard lesson they've already learned. 

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A former Florida Panthers head coach is back in the NHL.

Joel Quenneville was hired by the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, the team announced.

The Stanley Cup winning bench boss now joins his fifth NHL franchise as a head coach.

"This is the organization I wanted to restart my career with and am truly grateful for this opportunity," Quenneville said in a statement released by the team. "The Ducks have incredible ownership, management and passionate fans. In nearly four years away from the game, I have learned from my prior mistakes and realized it will be actions over words that demonstrate my commitment to being a better leader."

Quenneville coached Florida from 2019 until seven games into the 2021-22, when he resigned from the Panthers following the fallout of the investigation into the Chicago Blackhawks treatment of Kyle Beach.

An independent report that was completed in October of 2021 outlined the failures by the Blackhawks organization in addressing allegations made by Beach regarding sexual assault at the hands of Chicago's then-video coach, Brad Aldrich.

The allegations were made as Chicago was embarking on their Stanley Cup run in 2010.

Eventually, the NHL ruled that three members of the Blackhawks, former GM Stan Bowman, former executive Al MacIsaac, and Quenneville, were essentially banned from working for any teams in the league.

The Blackhawks organization was also fined $2 million.

Less than three years later, in July of 2024, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman lifted the ban, with the league saying in a statement:

“While it is clear that, at the time, their responses were unacceptable, each of these three individuals has acknowledged that and used his time away from the game to engage in activities which, not only demonstrate sincere remorse for what happened, but also evidence greater awareness of the responsibilities that all NHL personnel have, particularly personnel who are in positions of leadership. Moreover, each has made significant strides in personal improvement by participating in myriad programs, many of which focused on the imperative of responding in effective and meaningful ways to address alleged acts of abuse."

That same month, Bowman was hired to be the next general manager of the Edmonton Oilers.

Quenneville had been overseeing the start of the Panthers ultimate turnaround, as he and Florida General Manager Bill Zito had begun reshaping the team with veteran additions like Patric Hornqvist and Radko Gudas to surround their core of Sasha Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Jonathan Huberdeau and Sergei Bobrovsky.

Following Quenneville's resignation, Florida briefly handed the keys to one of Quenneville's assistants, Andrew Brunette, and the Panthers went on to win the Presidents' Trophy that season.

That offseason, however, Zito and his staff decided to take their gritty, skilled team and shift ideologies, hiring a defensive-minded head coach who had been in the league for three decades in Paul Maurice.

It's worked out nicely for the Panthers, who have reached the second round of the playoffs in four straight seasons and won the Stanley Cup in their second of back-to-back trips to the final in each of the past two postseasons.

We'll see how things work out for Quenneville, now 66 years old, with his new team out west.

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