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

The Chicago Blackhawks are in the market for a head coach. One option that was presented to the league last week, Mike Sullivan, is already off the board. Not even a week after being fired by the Pittsburgh Penguins, he has been hired by the New York Rangers. 

Sullivan will be the 38th head coach in New York Rangers history and will be the highest paid bench boss in NHL history. The fact that it happened this quickly makes you wonder if he was ever even available to anybody else. The Blackhawks likely never even had a chance. 

New York Rangers (@NYRangers) on XThe 38th Head Coach in #NYR history. Welcome (back) to Broadway, Sully!

With David Carle pulling his name out of the consideration hat, that is two top coaching candidates off the board. That does not mean that that the Blackhawks can’t make a good hire. It does mean that the hunt for the next great coach in franchise history continues. 

What is it that Sullivan would have brought to the table? Well, the thing that makes him the most unique out of every option is his championship pedigree. Coaches with multiple Stanley Cups don’t come around too often. 

With that said, the Blackhawks just need someone right now that will get the most out of young players. The search continues as Kyle Davidson is out there putting his best foot forward to make the right hire. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

The Bill Masterton Trophy is awarded “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” 

The finalists for this year are Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog and Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan. All three of these players had a storied journey before and during this season. 

Fleury wrapped up a memorable NHL career on Thursday as Minnesota was eliminated from the playoffs by the Vegas Golden Knights. Toward the end of last season, he made it clear that the 2024-25 campaign would be his last.

The 40-year-old featured in 26 games for the Wild this season, earning a 14-9-1 record. He posted a 2.93 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage. The three-time Stanley Cup champion also appeared in one last playoff game to sub in for an ill Filip Gustavsson.

It was an emotional farewell tour for ‘Flower’ throughout the season, but Thursday’s game hit the hardest as he left the ice in tears, saluting the crowd as they gave him a standing ovation.

 “The always-jovial Fleury is one proud athlete, yet at age 40, he signed for one final year and accepted his role as (Filip) Gustavsson’s backup to prioritize team success over personal accolades despite being on the cusp of retirement,” Michael Russo wrote in the Athletic.

Landeskog, meanwhile, had been on a mission to return to the NHL and was finally able to play in Colorado’s first-round series against the Dallas Stars. 

After three years of training, rehab, and recovery, the Avalanche’s captain was back on the ice, making his season debut in Game 3 of the series. He dealt with a knee injury that he suffered in 2020, when he was accidentally sliced by a skate blade above his knee. While his availability was inconsistent, he was able to feature over the next two seasons and hoisted the Cup with Colorado in June 2022. However, he didn’t play again after the 2022 Cup final until this year.

Landeskog scored his first goal since the injury in Game 4, and the 32-year-old preached about his perspective after the game. 

“I didn't know if I was ever going to get to score again,” he told reporters.

His perseverance and dedication to hockey pushed him through the injury and got him back to where he wanted to be. 

Monahan’s first season with the Blue Jackets didn’t go how he or anyone expected it to go. On Aug. 29, not long before training camp, Blue Jackets left winger Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, were killed.

Monahan was close friends with Johnny Gaudreau, and playing with him again was one of the big reasons he wanted to join Columbus in 2024 free agency. The NHL community and the Blue Jackets leaned on each other to mourn the loss of the Gaudreau brothers.

Gaudreau was honored with pre-game ceremonies multiple times in the regular season. The most memorable ones were during their home-opener on Oct. 15 and when the Calgary Flames (Johnny Gaudreau and Monahan’s former team) hosted Columbus on Dec. 3.

Monahan scored in Columbus’ home-opener against the Florida Panthers and pointed up to the sky in honor of his old teammate and friend.

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Former Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Mike Sullivan has a new home. After a decade with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sullivan has agreed to become the next head coach of the New York Rangers. While details of the contract have not been released, it is rumoured to be a five-year deal that will make Sullivan the highest-paid coach in the NHL. 

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Due to his ties with the Canucks, Sullivan's name did come up when discussing who should replace Rick Tocchet. As mentioned, Sullivan did spend time as an assistant coach with the organization during the 2013-14 season and was named interim head coach during John Tortorella's six-game suspension. Sullivan also has ties to Jim Rutherford, as the two won multiple Stanley Cups with the Penguins.

Since his days in Vancouver, Sullivan has become one of the most successful coaches in the NHL. His regular-season record is 479-311-15-112, which ranks 32nd all-time. Sullivan was also named Head Coach of Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off and is projected to be behind the bench for the Americans at the 2026 Winter Olympics. 

With Sullivan off the board, the Canucks must turn their focus to other available coaches. While it was unlikely that Sullivan would have come to Vancouver, potentially adding him to the organization would have been a significant moment. Overall, it is a smart hire by the Rangers, who like the Canucks, are looking to get back into the playoffs in 2026. 

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Marc-Andre Fleury’s NHL playing career is over.

The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Minnesota Wild 3-2 in Game 6 to eliminate them in a back-and-forth series. While it was tough for all of Minnesota to get eliminated from the playoffs, it may have stung a little harder for Fleury.

When Fleury signed a one-year contract extension with the Wild in April 2024, he announced the 2024-25 season would be his last. Now that his team is out of the playoffs, his memorable career has ended.

During the traditional handshake line after the series, opposing players spent a little more time with Fleury. After that, the four officials congratulated him on his long career, before he saluted the fans giving him a standing ovation.

One last time. 🌸

After 21 seasons, Marc-André Fleury has officially retired from the NHL. 🥲❤️ pic.twitter.com/KR85TDsxyb

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 2, 2025

After the game, left winger Kirill Kaprizov touched on the honor of being Fleury’s teammate for a short time.

“It was nice to play with him… a couple of seasons together. You can learn so much stuff from him,” Kaprizov told reporters. “I don’t know what to say, unbelievable career… one of the best goalies in the world, all-time.”

Fleury played 1,051 games over 21 years in the NHL. He spent most of his time with the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning three Stanley Cups over 13 years. The Penguins made sure to congratulate him and to thank him for his time with them.

“Congratulations to Marc-Andre Fleury on a phenomenal NHL career. We've been privileged to be a part of it,” the team said on social media.

The NHL also released a video on its socials, with several old teammates and star players praising him and his prolonged career. The video consisted of messages from former teammate Sidney Crosby, along with Jack Eichel, Connor McDavid, Jeremy Swayman and Macklin Celebrini.

"Fleury's been doing it for so long," Eichel said. "The model of consistency, and I don't think I've ever spoken to a player or staff member, really anybody who's had a bad thing to say about the guy."

Wild defenseman Brock Faber was also in the video message and couldn’t say enough about Fleury. 

“As a young player in this league, there isn’t a single guy, probably ever, that could be a better role model,” he said. “The way he treats his teammates, his family, how hard he works, it’s a complete honor to be able to share the same sweater as him.”

'Flower' ends his career with the second-most wins and second-most games played by a goaltender in NHL history, behind Martin Brodeur in both categories. 

The 40-year-old from Sorel, Que., signs off with a 575-339-2-95 record, with a 2.60 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage and 76 shutouts. He also won the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017, the Vezina Trophy and the William M. Jennings Trophy in 2020-21.

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Well, it's official.

After just four days on the open market as a head coaching option, ex-Pittsburgh Penguins bench boss Mike Sullivan has offically been named the 38th head coach in New York Rangers history.

The announcement came Friday morning via Rangers general manager Chris Drury.

New York Rangers Hire Coach Mike Sullivan: 'Mike Brings A Championship-Level Presence'The New York Rangers named Mike Sullivan their new coach on Friday.

“Mike Sullivan has established himself as one of the premier head coaches in the NHL,” Drury said in a statement. “Given his numerous accomplishments throughout his coaching career - including two Stanley Cups and leading Team USA at the international level – Mike brings a championship-level presence behind the bench.

"I’ve gotten to know Mike very well over the years, including as teammates in the 1997 World Championships, when he coached me as a player in New York and through our shared time working together with USA Hockey. As we began this process and Mike became an available option for us to speak with, it was immediately clear that he was the best coach to lead our team.”

After a decade at the helm, the Penguins and POHO/GM Kyle Dubas parted ways with Sullivan on Monday. In those 10 seasons with Pittsburgh, the team won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017 and went 409-255-89 during the regular season. He is the winningest coach in Penguins' franchise history and is 15th all-time in coaching wins with a single franchise.

Sullivan was also head coach of the Boston Bruins from 2003-06, and he held subsequent assistant coaching gigs with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Rangers, and Vancouver Canucks. Prior to joining the Penguins organization in 2015, he was also a player development coach for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Sullivan's international experience aided in his hire, too, as he led Team USA during the 4 Nations Face-off tournament in February and will be the head coach of the men's hockey team at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy. 

“I would like to welcome Mike back to the Rangers organization,” said James L. Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO of MSG. “Mike’s track record and success in the NHL and internationally speaks for itself, and I look forward to seeing him behind the Rangers bench.”

According to a report by ESPN's Emily Kaplan, the contract is a five-year deal with the highest average annual value awarded to a head coach in NHL history.

'I Started To Think That It May Just Be Time': Takeaways From Kyle Dubas's Press Conference Regarding Departure Of Mike SullivanOn Monday, Pittsburgh Penguins’ president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas shook the hockey world when he announced that head coach Mike Sullivan would not be returning to coach the Penguins in 2025-26.

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The Anaheim Ducks parted ways with head coach Greg Cronin on April 19, following his second season behind the Ducks’ bench.

“It’s much like the way I took the approach last time,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said when asked about the upcoming hiring process during his media availability following Cronin’s firing. “The net’s going to be cast wide. I’m not going to really eliminate any options as far as my approach to the next coach.”

Eight teams are in need of a new head coach behind their respective benches heading into the 2025-26 season, and a laundry list of available candidates with a wide range of experience are on the market.

“Am I looking for some sort of specific coach? No,” Verbeek said. “I’m going to go through the interview process and I will probe and poke and ask questions (about) certain things that I think our group needs and see how it all shakes down.

“I’m open to any type of coach at this point. I’m not shutting anything down. Now, timeline. We’re going to start the search and start to make a list immediately. I really don’t have a timeline on it. I’m going to look to hire the best candidate for this team and what it needs moving forward.”

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4-26-25

Just one week later, on April 26, the first sizable news around general manager Pat Verbeek’s coaching search surfaced.

ESPN’s John Buccigross sent a cryptic post on social media of side-by-side images of controversial (to say the least) three-time Stanley Cup-winning head coach Joel Quenneville and a family of Ducks.

Nearly four hours after Buccigross’ post, James Murphy of RG Media reported that a “well-connected NHL source” told him the Ducks offered Quenneville their open head coaching job, a very surprising potential development considering Verbeek’s statements alluding to casting a wide net and being open to any coach.

“The job is his if he wants it, and I’d be stunned if he doesn’t take it,” Murphy’s source relayed to him. “I’d say it’s 99.999999 percent he becomes the next head coach in Anaheim.”

The Ducks later confirmed that Murphy’s report was false and that interviews will continue.

Roughly an hour and a half later, PHWA President Frank Seravalli from DailyFaceoff.com slightly contradicted Murphy’s report, confirming the Ducks interviewed Quenneville, but stated the team is early in their process.

“Joel Quenneville recently interviewed for the (Ducks) head coaching vacancy,” Seravalli reported on social media. “He is a strong candidate but it’s still early in the process, multiple interviews to come in Anaheim.”

4-27-25

The IIHF U18 World Championship is underway in Frisco, Texas, the final big on-ice draft event of the season. Making up most of the attendance numbers are NHL coaches, scouts, media, and family members of players.

Sean Shapiro of DLLS Sports and Elite Prospects offered an update on the Anaheim coaching search via social media.

“Chatter at U18s from some in the NHL coaching circles is that Anaheim has interviewed, but not offered the job to anyone,” Shapiro said.

Elliotte Friedman from SportsNet is one of the NHL's premier insiders. He gave his thoughts on Monday’s rendition of his “32 Thoughts” podcast.

“The way I understand it, he’s definitely a serious candidate there, and we’ll see if he ends up being the guy. But he’s definitely a serious candidate. I don’t think that’s the only team that’s interested in him.

“I think the Ducks are very serious about it from a hockey perspective. You’ve heard Pat Verbeek say that they want to make the playoffs next year, and that’s why I think he’s looking at Quenneville, and Quenneville is a possibility. And I think the two of them met face-to-face last week.

“The bottom line is the Ducks are considering him, and he is a very serious contender for their job.”

4-30-25

TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on the latest installment of “The Ray & Dregs Hockey Podcast” that the Ducks are expected to interview Quenneville a second time.

“Some wanted to connect Joel Quenneville to (Rangers GM Chris) Drury because of their Colorado days,” Dreger said. “I know that Q is—he’s expected to get a second interview with the Anaheim Ducks, so we’ll see how things play out there.”

5-1-25

Pierre LeBrun from TSN, one of the NHL’s premier insiders, reported on social media that the Ducks have contacted several coaches in regards to filling their head coaching vacancy while confirming they intend to interview Quenneville a second time.

“Hearing Ducks have interviewed Jay Woodcroft,” LeBrun said. “Also hear Ducks GM Pat Verbeek recently met with David Carle. Believe Anaheim has also made contact with Mike Sullivan. As reported by others, Joel Quenneville will soon get a second interview. Other names in mix. Wide search by Ducks.”

Less than one hour later, Vince Mercogliano, who covers the New York Rangers for USA Today, reported on social media the Rangers were heading toward hiring Sullivan as their next head coach. 

"The (Rangers) haven't confirmed or announced anything officially yet, but it sounds like things are getting close and very much trending toward Mike Sullivan becoming the 38th head coach in franchise history." 

5-2-25

To make it official, early on May 2, the Rangers announced they hired Sullivan as their head coach, making him the first coaching hire of the 2025 offseason and eliminating him from contention for the Ducks' job.

Linked Names

Joel Quenneville: Quenneville (66) sits second on the NHL’s all-time wins list for head coaches with 969. He hasn’t coached a game since Oct. 28, 2021. He resigned from his position as head coach of the Florida Panthers following the results of Jenner & Block’s investigation into the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks.

David Carle: Carle (35) recently withdrew himself from the running for head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. He is possibly the most clamored-for coach on the market. Carle has coached the University of Denver to two NCAA championships and Team USA to back-to-back World Junior Championship gold medals.

Jay Woodcroft: Woodcroft (48) was relieved of his position as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers just 13 games into 2023-24 and after assuming the position in the middle of 2021-22. He has a 79-41-13 record in 133 games behind an NHL bench, and the Oilers, months after parting ways, made it to game seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

Mike Sullivan (Hired-New York Rangers): The Pittsburgh Penguins let Sullivan (57) go on April 28. He won two Stanley Cups with the Pens in 2016 and 2017 as their head coach, and his appearance on the market immediately made him one of the most desirable targets for one of the eight franchises in need.

This piece will see continued updates as new information surfaces

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Every Spring in recent memory, the Toronto Maple Leafs make the playoffs, and their fan base thinks that this could be the year. It’s hard to blame them, considering they have an excellent “Core Four” or five, but they fall short every year.

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Before Thursday night, they could only get to the second round once when they dispatched the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2022-23. That year, they thought it would be for sure; not only had they made it to the second round, but the Florida Panthers had taken care of their nemesis, the Boston Bruins, in the first round.

Toronto fans went from chanting “We want Florida! We want Florida!” to lamenting yet another defeat when the Sunshine State outfit eliminated their favourite in just five games. Then, last year, they had to take on the Bruins one more time, and after Boston took a 3-1 lead, the Leafs managed to claw their way back in the series. Unfortunately, they dropped game seven 2-1 in overtime, and it was back to the drawing board.

They did not make that many changes. The Core Four stayed. They resigned Max Domi and brought in Max Pacioretty on a professional tryout contract. The former Montreal Canadiens captain won his gamble and made the team, and on Thursday night, he saved the team.

The Connecticut native was drafted 22nd overall by the Habs in the 2007 draft and spent 10 years playing for the Canadiens. He acted as captain for three seasons and scored 448 points (30th in franchise history) in 626 regular-season games. Pacioretty made the playoffs with the Canadiens four times and scored 19 points in 38 games.

The relationship with the Canadiens didn’t end well, but he will forever be remembered as the player who got the Habs their current captain, Nick Suzuki. Seven years after the trade, he’s become a cornerstone of Montreal’s team while the former captain plays for a fourth team.

For the fifth year in a row, Pacioretty struggled with injuries and could only suit up for 37 games, putting up 13 points in the regular season. In the first round series against the Ottawa Senators, he only suited up for four games in the Battle of Ontario, but he made an impact.

With the score tied at 2-2 and just over five minutes left, the former Canadiens’ captain scored the game-winning goal with assists from another Hab in Domi and Pontus Holmberg. William Nylander then sealed the deal with an empty-netter, and just like that, for the second time in three years, the Maple Leafs moved on to the second round.

MAX. PACIORETTY.@Rogers | #LeafsForeverpic.twitter.com/f14XvAE272

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) May 2, 2025

They’ll now be taking on the Canadiens’ first-round opponent, the Washington Capitals, and it will be interesting to see how the Leafs’ skilled forwards react to the Caps' tough, punishing brand of hockey. Will Pacioretty remain in the top six alongside John Tavares and Nylander? Time and Craig Berube will tell.

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The New York Rangers named Mike Sullivan their new coach on Friday.

Sullivan, 57, joins the Rangers four days after he and the Pittsburgh Penguins parted ways. Sullivan spent parts of 10 seasons with the Penguins, logging a 409-255-89 record and two Stanley Cup championships. He'll now coach their Metropolitan Division rival, which won the Presidents' Trophy last season but missed the playoffs this season.

“Mike Sullivan has established himself as one of the premier head coaches in the NHL,” Rangers GM Chris Drury said in a news release. “Given his numerous accomplishments throughout his coaching career – including two Stanley Cups and leading Team USA at the international level – Mike brings a championship-level presence behind the bench.”

The Rangers fired coach Peter Laviolette on April 19. Their coaching search lasted just under two weeks. 

“As we began this process and Mike became an available option for us to speak with, it was immediately clear that he was the best coach to lead our team,” Drury said.

Sullivan was an assistant coach with the Rangers from 2009-2010 to 2012-2013, when John Tortorella was the bench boss. The Rangers even drafted him as a player in the fourth round of the 1987 NHL draft. He ended up playing 709 career NHL games for the San Jose Sharks, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins and Phoenix Coyotes.

Sullivan coached Team USA to second place at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and he was an assistant coach for the Americans at the 2006 Winter Olympics and 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He was also named Team USA's coach for the men's hockey team in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Rangers defenseman Adam Fox spoke about Sullivan's coaching style at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

"He wants to give us kind of a semblance of the structure," Fox told Taylor Hasse of dkpittsburghsports.com. "But at the same time, it's not being too hands on, and letting us play hockey. (Sullivan has) been great."

Fox and the Rangers finished fifth in the Metropolitan Division this season, five points ahead of the seventh-place Penguins and six points out of a playoff spot. Their 3.11 goals-for per game ranked 12th in the NHL, while their 3.11 goals against per game ranked 19th. The 17.6 percent power-play success rate was fifth-worst in the league, while the 80.3 percent penalty-kill rate ranked 11th.

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The AHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, the Rockford IceHogs, advanced to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs with a 2-0 sweep over the Chicago Wolves. Thanks to some outstanding Blackhawks prospects playing in the AHL, this IceHogs team has the talent to make a run. 

On Thursday, they began their next series on the road against the Milwaukee Admirals. Milwaukee is the AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators. They won the Central Division with a record of 40-21-5 (91 points), so the IceHogs are being presented with a challenge in this series. 

At the start of Game One, the Admirals looked every bit like the team that dominated the regular season. After no scoring in the first period, Milwaukee came out firing in the second. Before a minute passed in the middle frame, the Admirals had a 2-0 lead thanks to two goals in 15 seconds. Being outshot 14-5 and outscored 2-0 didn’t look good. 

However, Rockford didn’t think they were out of it for one second. In the third period, they found a way to get it tied. Just after the halfway point of the final frame, Paul Ludwinski put the IceHogs on the board. Under five minutes later, Gerry Mayhew evened it up. 

Overtime was needed to decide this intense game. Of course, the Blackhawks would love to see one of the call-ups make an impact. They got their wish when Colton Dach scored the winner just :12 into the extra frame. The brilliant shot put Rockford up 1-0 in the best-of-five series. 

Kevin Korchinski, who has been good in the playoffs so far, assisted on the goal, which is another call-up contribution. These guys, along with the veterans, all need to be on top of their game if they want to continue this run. 

Rockford’s next playoff game will again be in Milwaukee as they look to take a 2-0 lead. This match will occur on Saturday at 6 PM CT. 

It isn’t every year that an NHL franchise can expect its AHL affiliate to make a run in the Calder Cup Playoffs. It happens when a great farm system turns a bunch of players pro at the same time, and solid veterans complement them. Through one game of the second round, things are trending up.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

The Rangers are hiring Mike Sullivan as the 38th head coach in franchise history. 

Sullivan had long been rumored as one of general manager Chris Drury’s top candidates to take over behind the bench for Peter Laviolette if he were to become available this offseason. 

That became a reality earlier this week as he and the Penguins decided to part ways after their aging core and rebuilding roster failed to reach the postseason for the third consecutive year. 

“Mike Sullivan has established himself as one of the premier head coaches in the NHL,” Drury said in a news release. “Given his numerous accomplishments throughout his coaching career - including two Stanley Cups and leading Team USA at the international level – Mike brings a championship-level presence behind the bench. I’ve gotten to know Mike very well over the years, including as teammates in the 1997 World Championships, when he coached me as a player in New York and through our shared time working together with USA Hockey. As we began this process and Mike became an available option for us to speak with, it was immediately clear that he was the best coach to lead our team.”
Added MSG executive chairman and CEO James Dolan:

“I would like to welcome Mike back to the Rangers organization. Mike’s track record and success in the NHL and internationally speaks for itself, and I look forward to seeing him behind the Rangers bench.”

Sullivan has plenty of ties to the Rangers organization. He was selected by the Blueshirts in the fourth round of the 1987 NHL Draft but elected to stay at Boston University until 1990 -- when he signed with the Sharks and began his 11-year playing career.

He spent four years behind the Rangers’ bench as an assistant under John Tortorella -- a handful of which Drury served as the captain -- and the two are plenty familiar from their BU ties and overlap with USA Hockey. 

He was also the head coach for a United States squad during this year’s 4 Nations Face-Off that had Drury in the assistant GM role and a handful of key Rangers filling out the roster.

Sullivan will now be tasked with turning things around after the Rangers underperformed mightily during Laviolette’s second year at the helm -- becoming just the fourth team in league history to miss the playoffs the year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy.

He has plenty of experience under his belt -- having reached the playoffs eight different times during his 12-year coaching career. He’s also the only American-born coach to win the Stanley Cup twice and currently owns the record for the most wins in Penguins history (409).

When your team doesn’t perform, firing the coach is typically the first move in a GM’s arsenal.

And the offseason is the next best time to fire off your underperforming coach into the sun.

Luckily, the Colorado Avalanche have a Stanley Cup-winning coach at the helm. Jared Bednar isn’t going anywhere, but someone who once played for the Avalanche (who now coaches) is on the move.

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And they are a dark horse option for several head coach openings.

Adam Foote served on Rick Tocchet’s coaching staff with the Vancouver Canucks. He served in that position for two years and change.

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With Tocchet moving on from the Canucks, Foote’s future is not being called into question. According to a Daily Faceoff report, Foote is being considered for multiple head coaching vacancies and is expected to interview for a few.

Before then, Foote spent one year as the head coach of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. He posted a 29-28-6 record that year in 2019-20.

Foote had a long playing career as a hard-nosed defender. He spent the majority of his 20-year career with the Avalanche. He played nearly three years wit the Columbus Blue Jackets as well. 

He played 1154 games and recorded 1534 penalty minutes over his career. Foote won two Stanley Cups as a player.

It’s a long offseason but long-time Avalanche fans will be keeping their eyes and ears peeled on where Foote goes.

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Since being traded to the Colorado Avalanche in January, former Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas has undoubtedly had plenty of success. In 30 regular-season games following the trade, the 26-year-old forward recorded 11 goals, 28 points, and a plus-1 rating in 30 games. Now, he is only continuing to make a big impact during the post-season.

In a win-or-go-home Game 6 for the Avalanche, Necas delivered in a big way for the Central Division club. The former Hurricanes star had a big night for the Avalanche, as he scored a goal and recorded an assist in Colorado's 7-4 win over the Dallas Stars. With this, the Avalanche have now forced a Game 7 and will look to defeat the Stars in it from here.

For his assist, Necas made a nice pass to Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar. From there, Makar one-timed Necas' feed, and Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen put home the superstar blueliner's rebound.

As for his goal, Necas received a perfect feed in front of the net from Makar and one-timed it past Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger. This goal gave the Avalanche a 3-2 lead in the second period.

With this impressive performance from Necas, he now has one goal and four points in his last two games alone for the Avalanche. The Canes' 2017 first-round pick is certainly heating up, and it is coming at the perfect time for Colorado. It will be interesting to see how he builds off it in Game 7 from here.

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The Ottawa Senators finished their season on home ice in front of 19,007 people in attendance.

That number wasn't all Sens fans, with the blue and white jerseys of their rival visible in parts of the crowd. But the team's prioritization of season ticket holders and newsletter followers in its ticket sales seems to have paid off.

Although the Senators couldn't come back from 3-0 down in their first-round series to force a potentially historic Game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Sens crowd gave a standing ovation and chanted "Go Sens Go" after the game for a team with lots to look forward to.

The fans also chanted "Brady, Brady, Brady" in honor of Ottawa's captain, Brady Tkachuk, who scored his fourth goal of the series Thursday night to cut the Leafs' lead to 2-1. David Perron tied the game in the third period before Leafs left winger Max Pacioretty retook the lead in an eventual 4-2 Toronto victory.

The #Sens season comes to an end.

Ottawa’s crowd was chanting “Brady” and now “Go Sens Go” while giving a standing ovation as the teams shake hands.#GoSensGopic.twitter.com/dHEN0ZRafu

— Claire Hanna (@clahanna) May 2, 2025

Tkachuk led the Senators in scoring in the series with seven points, one for every season the team missed the playoffs as it went through a full rebuild and worked its way back up with a new core.

The 25-year-old captain remarked on the crowd's support at the end of the game and over the years.

"It's been a long eight years for them, and to experience it, honestly, I don't really realize the impact that it's made on me and this team," Tkachuk told reporters in the dressing room post-game. "Just really want to do it for them. They were absolutely amazing, and I know it sucks right now, but I really can't wait for what the future holds."

Tkachuk was Ottawa's first player drafted when the rebuild unofficially began. Only two players have been with the organization for longer, including defenseman Thomas Chabot, who was drafted 18th overall in 2015.

While Chabot played his first NHL game in 2016-17, he did not play in the Senators' run to the Eastern Conference final that campaign. This year was his first time on the ice experiencing Stanley Cup playoff hockey.

"It was f-----g unbelievable, to be honest," Chabot told reporters. "The fans, everybody, the city, everyone. Get off the plane the other night from the airport, there's about 30, 40 people there waiting at whatever on a Tuesday night at 1 a.m. You don't get that anywhere else. 

"We have said it all along, even in the tough years, we do have the best fans in the league, I believe. They've been there all eight years that I've been... I think that's what hurts the most right now is we thought for sure coming back home, we were going to pull it off for them."

The Senators drafted seven players in between their playoff appearances who played for them against the Maple Leafs this post-season. They include Tim Stutzle (five points in the round), Jake Sanderson (overtime-winner in Game 4), Shane Pinto (shorthanded breakaway goal in Game 5) and Drake Batherson (scored the Senators' first playoff goal since May 2017). 

Ottawa also made trades and free agent signings to strengthen the squad as it looked to take the next step. On came Claude Giroux, Linus Ullmark, David Perron, Dylan Cozens and more.

"I'm really happy with the way that we have taken strides to become a better, a more stable team, that's going – hopefully, for a long time going to always be up there and battle for the playoffs and the Stanley Cup," goaltender Ullmark said to reporters.

Toronto nearly swept the Senators in the Battle of Ontario, but Ottawa won Game 4 at home and Game 5 in enemy territory to raise questions about whether the Leafs could finish the job. The Senators could have become the 11th team in NHL history to tie a series 3-3 after trailing 3-0. The stat that the Leafs have been 1-13 in closeout games since 2018 circulated all week long.

The Leafs are now 2-13 in closeout games during that span. The top seed in the Atlantic Division will now face the defending Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. 

That matchup should remind everyone how challenging the Atlantic Division can be. The Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning have won the Stanley Cup a combined three times in five years. The Leafs have the longest active playoff streak. The rebuilding Montreal Canadiens even made the playoffs. The Boston Bruins earned a record-breaking 135 points in 2022-23 and only dropped out of the playoff race this year, opening a spot for Ottawa to take.

That means for the team and its fan base to see more progress and playoff hockey, there's still much work to do.

"Crazy thing is, it's not going to get easier – next year is going to get harder to get back in the same position," Perron said to the media. "If we asked the team over there, that's what they would tell you. You make one step, and then the next step is a little bit even harder to win one round, win two rounds, all that. But I'm proud of these guys, the way we worked all year to get better and put ourselves in this situation."

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Well, all those Toronto fans who keep chanting “We want Florida” are going to get their wish.

The Florida Panthers, who eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games on Wednesday night, spent less than 24 hours waiting to find out their second-round opponent.

Thanks to their 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, the Toronto Maple Leafs punched their ticket past round one and will face the Panthers for the second time in three postseasons.

Back in 2023, Florida knocked out the Leafs in five games en route to their first of two straight appearances in the Stanley Cup Final.

Toronto, who won the Atlantic Division this season, will host Florida for the first two games of the series.

Florida will host Game 3, Game 4, and, if necessary, Game 6.

During the regular season, the Panthers went 3-1-0 against Toronto, winning both games in Sunrise while splitting the two up north.

Panthers fans will see some familiar faces wearing blue in this series as there are not one, not two but three current Maple Leafs who won the Stanley Cup with Florida last season.

Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and forward Steven Lorentz are all enjoying strong seasons with the Leafs and will be doing everything they can to knock out their former teammates.

The series could begin as soon as Saturday or as late as Monday, according to Pierre LeBrun, depending on how things shake out in the Western Conference.

Stay tuned.

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For the fourth time in as many years, the Kings’ season came to an end with a first-round playoff loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The coup de grace came Thursday in a 6-4 Oilers win at a raucous Rogers Place, which has become a house of horrors for the Kings.

Edmonton got goals from Adam Henrique, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Darnell Nurse, Trent Frederic and Connor Brown. For the Kings, Quinton Byfield, Brandt Clarke, Jordan Spence and Anze Kopitar scored.

The Kings haven’t beaten the Oilers in the postseason since 1989, but this loss may be the most painful of the nine playoff series they’ve dropped to Edmonton. The Kings tied franchise bests for wins (48) and points (105) and won a team-record 31 times at home this season, finishing ahead of the Oilers in the Pacific Division for the first time in seven years.

Read more:After 44 seasons, Nick Nickson's retirement will mark end of an era for Kings

They seemed primed for a long playoff run, but once again, they couldn’t beat Edmonton.

“Having the season that we had, the group of guys in this locker room, to come up short again, it sucks. It's frustrating,” Kopitar said. “This one, this one hurts a little more.

“Having home ice and getting off to a good start with the first two games, winning the first two games. And then just not able to close games out. It cost us ”

The Kings went out like warriors though, carried out on their shields after a wild end-to-end Game 6 in which the teams combined for at least 10 goals for the third time in the series. There were 51 total goals, an average of 8.5 per game.

So much for conservative playoff hockey.

“We believe we could have won the series,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “We believe we should have won the series. We didn't. So that's the bottom line.

“They outplayed us, in my mind, one game. And the [Game 4] overtime. We lose the series.”

With their backs against the wall the Kings set the frenetic pace early, with Byfield scoring 79 seconds into the game, one of four goals in a manic and exhausting first 5 minutes 55 seconds. Only one potential Stanley Cup elimination game in the last 60 years featured the first four goals scored more quickly.

Byfield’s goal, his third of the series, came on a breakaway in which he beat Leon Draisaitl up the slot, deked Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard to his left, then slipped the puck behind him and into the net. It was the second-fastest goal to begin an elimination game in franchise history, trailing only Wayne Gretzky’s score in the first minute of Game 7 versus Edmonton in 1989.

That should have been a good omen since that was the last time the Kings beat the Oilers in the deciding game of a playoff series. It wouldn’t happen again Thursday.

Edmonton evened things on Henrique’s deflection in traffic less than two minutes later, but Clarke needed just 33 seconds to put the Kings back in front on a snap shot from inside the right circle. That lead was short-lived too, with Nugent-Hopkins equaling things for the Oilers on a wrister from the edge of the left circle less than six minutes into the period.

Hyman then put the Oilers ahead for good with their third goal on a play that began innocently enough, with Nugent-Hopkins sending the puck off the boards after a faceoff in the Kings' end. The carom found Nurse at the point and he sent a one-timer toward the goal that Hyman redirected into the net.

Nurse, given plenty of space in the high slot, doubled the advantage on a wrist shot that got just under the crossbar late in the second period; Frederic made it 5-2 just 96 seconds later on a tip-in from the crease at the end of an Oilers breakaway.

But still the Kings would not quit, with Spence scoring two minutes before the second intermission to keep the score close. The Kings pulled Kuemper for an extra attacker with 4:18 left and were rewarded when Kopitar scored with 53.3 seconds to play, but the Kings got no closer thanks to Brown's empty-net goal, Edmonton’s fourth of the series, in the final two seconds. That left the Kings to begin focusing on next season while the Oilers moved on to play Vegas in the second round.

“We felt like we were the better team,” forward Adrian Kempe said. “We couldn't close out the games that we should have. So that came back to bite us.

“It's tough. It sucks when you play that well over five or six games like this.”

Read more:Kings must overcome power of rabid Edmonton Oilers fans after faltering in Game 3

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.