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

The Chicago Blackhawks have a number of defensemen that they have to figure out what to do with ahead of next season. While the team hasn't pulled out of the rebuild yet, more than enough young talent is flooding the NHL and deserving of playing time.

This makes it so the Blackhawks have some tough decisions to make. There is room for seven defensemen on the roster and Chicago has 10 who have played NHL games and can play more as soon as next season.

This list includes Alex Vlasic, Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov, Kevin Korchinski, Wyatt Kaiser, Connor Murphy, TJ Brodie, Ethan Del Mastro, Nolan Allan, and Louis Crevier.

Three don't have to go, but 1-2 may be on their way out.

The first and most likely on his way out is Brodie. He wasn't utilized in the latter half of the season and his game has fallen off from his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He ended the season with 54 games played, had two goals and 10 points, was a -18, and logged 15:38 per game. The only d-man on the Blackhawks who averaged fewer minutes per game in the NHL this season was Allan, and he's 21 years old and still played 43 games of better hockey than the veteran.

Brodie will have to go via a buyout. As the Blackhawks are a team other teams would look at to take on bad contracts, it doesn't make sense for them to waste an asset moving the final year of the veteran's contract when cap space isn't a concern. Buying Brodie out wouldn't be a difficult thing to do at all. The only other way I can see this going is if the Blackhawks just bury him in the minors, but he'll take up playing time over a young defenseman if they do that.

The Blackhawks can't have zero veterans left on the team with Alec Martinez already announcing his retirement. That should mean there is a good chance Murphy is kept around through at least the first half of the season. He has one year left on his deal and if the Blackhawks were to trade anyone at the deadline next season, it would be him. That would make 23-year-old Vlasic the veteran on defense, but we've seen that kind of look on the back-end with the Buffalo Sabres this season. It's better to play the young players than to have to move them or lose them.

3 Standouts in the Blackhawks' Pipeline Have Already Debuted This SeasonNear the end of January of this year, general manager Kyle Davidson mentioned six prospects playing outside of the NHL/AHL that caught his eye and stood out. This list of talented young players in the Chicago Blackhawks' organization included Nick Lardis, Sacha Boisvert, Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel, Roman Kantserov, and Ryan Greene.

Vlasic, Levshunov, and Rinzel are seemingly untouchable at this time, but I wouldn't say the same for Kaiser, Del Mastro, Allan, and Korchinski. I think Korchinski, being drafted as high as he did and still so young, deserves a much longer look and leash. All four should be safe for now and rotated into the lineup. That leaves Crevier.

He is a RFA, the only one on defense, is 23 years old, and is a former seventh rounder. I don't just write off players drafted that late, but if there is an easiest player to go out of the young bunch, it would be him. The other way to look at it is that the Blackhawks don't have anyone else coming on defense, so Crevier could be brought back and played here and there or used as a depth body.

Tough decisions do have to be made and sometimes the wrong ones are made with so much young talent coming in all at once. You can never be certain who is going to pop off and who is going to fizzle out so early in their pro careers. Fortunately, major decisions don't have to be made for the Blackhawks yet.

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

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

Why Now was the Right Time for the Ducks to Part with Cronin

Just one week later, on April 26, the first sizable news around general manager Pat Verbeek’s coaching search surfaced, a somewhat surprising development considering Verbeek’s statements alluding to casting a wide net and being open to any coach at his media availability following Cronin’s firing.

“It’s much like the way I took the approach last time,” Verbeek said. “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.”

On Saturday morning, 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 later, James Murphy of RG Media reported that a “well-connected NHL source” told him the Ducks offered Quenneville their open head coaching job.

“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.”

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.”

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.

The Ducks have stated that they are not going to confirm or deny each report and rumor on candidates.

UPDATE

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 on Saturday.

“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.”

Carlsson, Lundeström to Represent Sweden at 2025 Betano Hockey Games, World Championship

Pair of Former Ducks Defensemen Come up Big in Game 3

Friday night’s game was full of twists and turns at the Bell Centre; nine goals were scored, and four goaltenders were used, a rare feat. Emergency backup goaltender Patrick Chevrefils ended up on the Montreal Canadiens’ bench, wondering if he would be called into action, but the goalie hemorrhage stopped after the starting netminders.

Canadiens: If Montembeault Isn’t Good To Go
Canadiens: Home Sweet Home

On Saturday afternoon, Martin St-Louis said Samuel Montembeault was still being evaluated, and Spencer Carbery, the Washington Capitals coach, said he expected to get an update on Logan Thompson later in the day. It was no great surprise. Show me a coach who’s an open book about their lineup or injuries during the NHL playoffs.

However, judging by how Thompson exited the ice without putting any weight on his left leg on Friday, he’s going to need to be Wolverine to heal in time, but that’s not unheard of. We’re talking about a hockey player here, not a footballer. As for Samuel Montembeault, he was seen gingerly going up some stairs after the game, and that’s not a good sign either.

Logic dictates that on Sunday night, Capitals backup Charlie Lindgren will be taking on the team that gave the undrafted free agent his first chance in the pro ranks at the end of his third season in the NCAA with St. Cloud State in 2015-16.

The 31-year-old has never faced the Canadiens in postseason action, but he has a 3-1-0 record against them in the regular season with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage.

As for Jakub Dobes, it’s not far-fetched to believe he’ll be back in the net after being credited with the win on Friday night. That was the first time he had faced the Capitals, or any other team in the playoffs. He gave up one goal on eight shots and finished his night with a .875 SP. The young netminder also beat Washington once in the regular season when he backstopped the Habs to a 3-2 win in D.C. in early January.

Up front, the Capitals will have to keep a close eye on the Canadiens’ top line. Cole Caufield put up two points last night, Jurja Slafkovsky scored a big goal, and across three games, the former has a staggering 19 shots on goal while the latter has 14. Rookie wonder Lane Hutson has three points in three games about Ovi and co.

As for the Habs, they’ll have to know where Alex Ovechkin is at all times. The Capitals’ captain has 14 points in just 10 games against the Canadiens, followed by Dylan Strome, who has five in three games.

Exceptionally, the game is set for 6:30 PM. Make sure not to tune in late; the intensity is ramping up quickly in this series, and who knows what could happen early.

---

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Though the warmup shenanigans ahead of Game 3 in the Battle of Ontario led to disciplinary fines, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz says he didn’t even notice the sideshow despite being at the center of it.

Following Toronto’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators in Game 4, the 31-year-old was asked for the first time about the much-discussed warmup incident involving Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins. His response was surprising, considering his role in the matter.

“I mean, I didn't even notice, to be honest,” said Stolarz post-game.

The league certainly noticed.

On Friday, the NHL fined Cousins $2,083.33 – the maximum allowable under the CBA – for “unsportsmanlike conduct” during warmups. The Senators organization was also hit with a $25,000 fine for their involvement.

Nick Cousins, Senators Issued Fines For ‘Unsportsmanlike Conduct’ In Game 3 Warmups Against Maple LeafsThe NHL has officially handed out disciplinary fines following a pre-game incident in Game 3 of the Battle of Ontario first-round playoff series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators.

The fines stem from an incident ahead of Game 3 in Ottawa. During pre-game warmups, Cousins and members of the Senators sent pucks directed at Stolarz and into the Maple Leafs’ half of the ice, making it all the more surprising that he hadn’t even noticed.

The situation escalated enough to prompt an NHL investigation. A video clip, circulated on social media Friday morning, appeared to show Cousins intentionally targeting Stolarz.

Here’s what NHL is looking at from last night. “Friend of Bieksa” Nick Cousins shoots puck at Stolarz. NHL not crazy about pre-game stuff…also clamped down on funny Scheifele/Hofer standoff in Blues/Jets series pic.twitter.com/ZF08AZwdO4

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) April 25, 2025

Despite the headlines, both teams have somewhat dismissed the controversy. Senators head coach Travis Green downplayed the situation when speaking to reporters Friday, suggesting Cousins was simply trying to rattle an old teammate and throw him off his game. 

"Nick Cousins and Stolarz have played together. I don't know. Yeah, he's probably trying to either laugh at him or make a joke or get him off his game, and it is what it is,” said Green. 

Stolarz appears to agree with the popular opinion and the same sentiments as Green.

The goaltender shared locker rooms with Cousins during stints with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers, and most recently during their Stanley Cup-winning run with the Florida Panthers last season.

“It's one of those things. Obviously, I know Cousy; I played with him for a number of years. So, I'm sure he didn't mean any malicious intent by it,” Stolarz explained. 

'It's An Active Investigation': How Senators Players Are Reacting to the Maple Leafs Puck Warmup DramaKANATA, Ont. — Ottawa Senators head coach Travis Green had some fun when asked about the NHL's investigation over a pre-game incident involving his club firing pucks at Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz during warmup.

When asked if he and Cousins had spoken about the incident, Stolarz offered a simple, “No.” While the league’s fines served as a message against pre-game antics, it appeared to have the desired effect. Prior to Game 4, both sides kept their distance during warmups with no issues.

Both teams have turned the page with Game 4 in the books, and for Toronto, the focus remains on closing out the first-round series. Despite Saturday’s loss, the Leafs hold a 3-1 series lead and will have a chance to finish the job again on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena.

“Just keep doing what we're doing,” said Stolarz. “Like I said, I thought we played a really good game tonight. We were boxing out really well. We were getting pucks in, kind of going low to high on them. I just think if we continue that, it will be the recipe for success.

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

Eventually, a home team will win a game in this series, right?

The Florida Panthers had a chance to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their opening round series with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon in Sunrise, but it was the Bolts who got the best of their hosts.

Tampa’s 5-1 victory got them on the board in the series, which Florida now leads 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Monday night.

Despite the loss, there is still an opportunity for the Panthers to take control of the series if they can earn a split of their two home games.

There are a few things the Cats will need to address if they want to see a better result than they did in Game 3.

Let’s get to the takeaways.

COULDN’T BUILD ON FAST START

The Panthers were all over Tampa Bay in the early stages of Game 3.

A goal by Matthew Tkachuk and a healthy shot and possession advantage had the Cats and their fans feeling good about Game 3.

Then Brayden Point scored late in the first period, and things gradually began going better and better for the Lightning.

“We just went flat for a while,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “I liked our start, at 1-1 straight through to 2-1, misconnections on a bunch of stuff, not that far off it, but the energy was there, the drive, we tried to make some plays that didn't go for us, but even with that, there's nothing going on in really the game, it was just a quiet block of the game. They got a couple of knucklers on you and you’re down 3-1 and chasing it a little bit.”

PUCK MOVEMENT WAS LACKING

One area of their game that Florida is generally quite sharp is when it comes to taking care of the puck.

The Panthers have always been very mindful of how they move around the ice with the puck, making smart plays and limiting opposing transition opportunities.

Whether it was something Tampa was doing differently or just an off night for the home team, Florida had a hard time making some plays that they generally making, particularly in the offensive zone.

“I thought we stopped moving the puck as well as we can in close proximity to some things that didn’t get connected,” said Maurice. “That's not a hands thing, for me, that's more of an emotional thing. You start looking for something a little better, and it slowed our game. I thought how we moved the puck slowed our game down.”

"THIS WAS GOING TO BE A GRINDER"

During the first two games in Tampa, the hockey gods were smiling on the Panthers.

The majority of the bounces went Florida’s way, particularly around the net, which helped fuel their two series-opening wins.

Things changed significantly on Saturday, as Tampa picked up a couple goals on funky plays that swung the momentum in their favor and kept them ahead of the game for much of the night.

They also get spectacular goaltending from Andrei Vasilevskiy, who finished with 33 saves, including an eye-popping 14 high danger stops.

“I don't think we were great,” Maurice said. “I think offensively we probably generated more tonight than we did and any of the other games, at 5-on-5 from an even strength perspective. We've got lots of room to get better, I'm sure they do too, so I'm not feeling today like there's an aberration to how I thought this would go. This was going to be a grinder straight through.”

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Brock Nelson's first playoff point with the Colorado Avalanche was a memorable one!

The former New York Islander carried the puck down ice before finding Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who fired it past Jake Oettinger for his first NHL goal since June 20, 2022:

Former #Isles Brock Nelson off the rush sets up #GoAvsGo captain Gabriel Landeskog for a magical moment in the Mile High City. pic.twitter.com/Ss8EJdyySJ

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) April 27, 2025

This was Colorado's third goal of the night as they blanked Dallas 4-0.

Landeskog returned to NHL action on Wednesday, playing his first game in 1,032 days following a knee injury.

Once feared he might never play professionally again, he has now scored a goal in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

With the series now tied at 2-2, Nelson and the Avalanche will return to Dallas for Game 5 on Monday night at 9:30 PM EST.

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

The Ottawa Senators will live to fight another day.

Jake Sanderson’s overtime goal at 17:42 of the extra period gave the Senators a 4-3 victory, staving off elimination and forcing a Game 5 in Toronto on Tuesday. Sanderson played a key role, contributing both a goal and an assist for the Sens, who were outshot 35-22.

In OT, the Senators survived Drake Batherson’s double minor for high-sticking in the offensive zone. Batherson had already made one major overtime  mistake back in Game 2, so that successful kill was probably the longest four minutes of his life.

Tim Stützle, Shane Pinto, and David Perron scored for Ottawa. John Tavares, Matthew Knies, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson had the Toronto goals.

The Senators struck first midway through the opening period with a brilliant power-play goal as Stützle unleashed a one-timer from the top of the right circle. The opportunity came after Max Domi caught Shane Pinto in the head with the end of his stick during a face-off, sending the Senators to the power play. They made the most of it, taking a 1-0 lead.

Just four minutes later, David Perron nearly scored during a goalmouth scramble. However, he got a little too aggressive in the ensuing scrum and ended up taking a penalty. But the PK was on a roll in this one. Pinto broke free for a shorthanded breakaway, and he made no mistake, slipping the puck through Anthony Stolarz’s legs to give the Senators a 2-0 lead.

Toronto responded late in the second period when Tavares was left unchecked to the right of Linus Ullmark. Tavares redirected a shot from William Nylander past Ullmark, cutting the Senators’ lead to 2-1 as the teams headed into the final frame.

In the third period, Knies caught Sanderson and Zub flatfooted on a puck that dribbled out the Toronto zone up the middle. He blew past them to tie the game at 2.

Perron restored the one-goal lead on a perfect pass from Artem Zub. Standing at the right post, Perron directed the puck into the open net, much like the Tavares goal, to make it 3-2. But Toronto quickly answered again. Nylander, playing the setup man for a second time, delivered a perfect cross-ice pass to Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who fired a quick shot under Ullmark’s glove to tie the game at 3.

In overtime, after the huge four minute penalty kill, Sanderson hustled to keep the puck in at the left point along the boards and lofted a wrist shot through traffic that beat Stolarz high to the glove side to end the game and keep the Sens alive.

So, the Senators will not go gentle into that good night, but down 3-1, the road back remains long. Game 5 is on Tuesday in Toronto. 

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, provide updates on the rest of the night's NHL slate and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Michael Augello and Andrew McInnis react to the Ottawa Senators defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs4-3 in overtime to keep the series alive.

Playoff Live Frenzy - April 26, 2025 | 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 look around the NHL as the first round continues.

Check out the show right now and share your opinions in the live chat and in our comment section.  

ST. PAUL - For the fifth time in franchise history, the Minnesota Wild have failed to turn a 2-1 series lead into a 3-1 series lead. In 2022, the Wild had a 2-1 series lead over the St. Louis Blues. In 2023, the Wild had a 2-1 series lead over the Dallas Stars. 

They lost both those series in six games. They also had 2-1 series leads in 2008 and 2015.

But this team feels different. The way the Wild have played this season, it doesn't seem like this is the team that is capable of blowing a 2-1 series lead. 

"Yeah, I mean, I like our group. I liked the experience that we have from those previous playoff rounds. We’re right there, right? We had the lead and penalties. It is what it is," Marcus Foligno said. "We worked really hard tonight, and the way we answered and came back after their goal was the mental toughness that we've been showing all year. So, 2-2 doesn't scare us."

Shea Theodore got Vegas on the board early in the first after he scored on the power play. The goal on the power play was a result of a Vinnie Hinostroza high-sticking penalty on Brett Howden. 

The penalty came five seconds after Hinostroza was dumped into the boards from behind by Howden. Vegas got the power play and scored. 

Marco Rossi scored just a few mintues later to tie it. It was his second goal in back-to-back games. Rossi scored in game 3 and now in game 4. 

Despite that, Rossi only played 4:40 in the first two periods. He did not play the last 13 mintues on the secod period. 

Wild head coach John Hynes was asked why Rossi's line played only 4:40 in two periods and if it is something Rossi is doing to warant no ice time. 

"No, I think some of it goes into special teams and comes into matchups," Hynes said. "In different situations. So, we'll take it game by game here."

The Wild got the lead in the second period after Marcus Foligno scored his third of the playoffs. Mats Zuccarello fired a shot on net and Foligno grabbed it out of the air and down to his feet. 

The puck trickled to the point and Hartman fired a shot on net before Foligno banged home the rebound. 

FOLIGNO MADE THE LEAPING CATCH THEN SCORED ON THE REBOUND 😱 pic.twitter.com/5bMK9WBFoV

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 26, 2025

Vegas got a power play chance in the third period after Zeev Buium caught Mark Stone up high with his stick. Stone was bleeding bad and Buium was given a four mintue penalty for high-sticking. 

The Golden Knights had a few chances but couldn't convert. Later, Jake Middleton was defending Tomas Hertl in front of the net. Nicolas Roy then came in and hit Middleton in the face. Middleton was slow to the bench after taking Roy's stick to the chomps.

No call. 

Moments later Roy scores on the power play to tie the game 2-2.

About five mintues later, Hartman and Hertl were in a wrestling match out in front of the net. Hertl then falls on top of Hartman and Stone fires a shot off the two and into the back of the net. 

Mark Stone just pinballed? the puck off Hertl and Hartmann, who were wrestling in front pic.twitter.com/Qa3FaktVJr

— Shayna (@shaynagoldman_) April 26, 2025

"That’s something we talked about, wasted energy there," Wild captain Jared Spurgeon said on the non-calls. "Nothing we can really control. If we get frustrated with that, it bleeds into your game. To be able to just let it be as it is and work through it is something we’re trying to do."

But just 54 seconds after the Roy goal, Spurgeon scored on a wraparound goal to tie the game at 3-3. 

After a back-and-forth overtime, Ivan Barbashev was able to captilize on a mistake by the Wild in the defensive zone. 

Middleton got the puck behind the net and tried to clear the puck. He put it on the stick of Reilly Smith who found Barbashev in the slot. Game over. 

VEGAS HAS TIED THE SERIES! ⚔️

Ivan Barbashev wins Game 4 in @Energizer overtime for the @GoldenKnights! #StanleyCuppic.twitter.com/DQGSoCldst

— NHL (@NHL) April 26, 2025

Say what you want about the penalties that were and weren't called in the game. Could the Wild have gotten a few more power plays then they did? Sure. But that doesn't stop the fact that they were out-shot 46-32.  

"Yeah, I didn't have to do much. I mean, our guys are dialed in," Hynes said on non-calls. "We’ve got strong belief in how we're playing and nothing really rattles us whether you win a game, lose a game, you know our team’s been resilient all year. One of the main reasons why we're here is because a) we’ve got a great team and b) we’re resilient. We just play. And that's part of what it is, so we'll move on."

The Wild have won in Vegas already. They will have to win at least once in Vegas to move on to the second round. 

"It gives us a lot of confidence," Foligno said on winning in Vegas before. "I mean, we got to understand that we got to play the same way and play like we did in spurts of game one and majority of game two. So, yeah, we have a have a chance to go there. And, the road doesn't faze this team."

It is hard not to think about the last two playoff rounds the Wild have had a 2-1 series lead that turned into a 2-2 series lead and eventually two more wins for the oppenets.

That being said, this is a different team then the one in 2022 and in 2023. At least the Wild think so. 

"We all mature as a group, right? So those guys gain confidence after years like that, and understand," Foligno said. "The way Kirill and Bolds have been playing, it's just who they are as players. And the reason why they're top elite players. So, yeah, we're in a great series. We got our guys going. And, yeah, we feel confident going into game five."

Hynes added: "Oh man, we're in a good spot. Hard-fought battle, played well again. The game was right in our hands. Both teams competed hard. We knew it was going to be a hard series. Love where we’re at. I mean, we knew it was going to be a hard-fought series, really like our game, you know? We're here, man. We'll just keep grinding."

During this past off-season, the Carolina Hurricanes traded Jake Guentzel's UFA signing rights to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 2025 third-round pick. Quickly after, the star forward signed a seven-year, $63 million contract with the Lightning. 

Given how well Guentzel played during his time as a rental with the Hurricanes, their hope was to keep him around. However, they could not come to terms on a deal, so they got an asset for him rather than losing him for nothing in free agency.

Guentzel had plenty of success in his first regular-season with the Lightning in 2024-25. In 80 games with the Atlantic Division squad, he posted 41 goals, 80 points, and a plus-18 rating. Now, he is making an impact for Tampa Bay in the playoffs.

Guentzel had a big performance in the Lightning's Game 3 matchup against the Florida Panthers, as he recorded one goal, two assists, and a plus-4 rating. The Lightning undoubtedly benefited from Guentzel's strong night, too, as they defeated the Panthers by a 5-1 final score.

Guentzel's multi-point game came at a great time for the Bolts, too. If the Lightning had lost this matchup against the Panthers, they would have been down 3-0 in the series. Instead, they are now only down 2-1 in the series after this win and have the chance to tie it up again in Game 4. 

Guentzel showed during his short stay with the Hurricanes that he is a star offensive talent. In 17 regular-season games with the Hurricanes this past season, he had eight goals, 25 points, and a plus-16 rating. He then followed that up with four goals and nine points in 11 playoff games for Carolina.

Recent Hurricanes News

Hurricanes Are Still In Good Spot Despite Game 3 LossThe Carolina Hurricanes had an opportunity to extend their series lead to 3-0 in their Game 3 matchup against the New Jersey Devils. Unfortunately, the Hurricanes fell short in their attempt to achieve this, as they lost to the Devils by a 3-2 final score in double overtime. With this, the Devils now have the chance to tie the series back up at home in Game 4.  Former Hurricanes Forward Has Big Game With New TeamFormer Carolina Hurricanes forward Warren Foegele signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings this past off-season. This was after the 29-year-old winger posted 20 goals and 41 points in 82 games with the Edmonton Oilers in 2023-24. Hurricanes' Taylor Hall Continues To Be Great AdditionThe Carolina Hurricanes acquired Taylor Hall from the Chicago Blackhawks back in late January. The 33-year-old forward had been the subject of trade rumors during the season because of his pending unrestricted free agent status and the Blackhawks being out of the playoff race early. Thus, the Hurricanes brought him in, and it's a move that continues to benefit them. 

Top Philadelphia Flyers forward prospect Jett Luchanko is coming into his own during his first postseason experience as a pro player.

Luchanko, 18, is far from a finished product, especially offensively. It may very well take him until his mid-20s to reach his ceiling in that department, but we'd be remiss to ignore the very obvious flashes the Flyers' 2024 first-round pick is displaying in the Lehigh Valley Phantoms' Calder Cup playoff run.

Believe it or not, Luchanko has made the OHL playoffs with the Guelph Storm before. Twice, in fact. The first time was his D-1 season in 2022-23, and the second was in his D0 (draft year) season in 2023-24. 

The 18-year-old had only 14 points in 46 games in the 2022-23 season, which was his first season in the OHL. Luchanko and the Storm lost to the Sarnia Sting in six games in the first round, wherein the then-fledgling had one assist.

The Storm allowed no fewer than four goals in five of the six games, and lost the first three games by scores of 5-0, 5-4, and 8-4. And, it is worth noting that Luchanko went without a shot on goal in each of the last three games of the aforementioned series against the Sting.

Despite the two wins, it was really not much of a competition.

Last year, Luchanko's Storm saw the Soo Greyhounds come in and sweep them in four games, notwithstanding Luchanko's three assists in three games to start the series.

Now, after having already made his NHL debut with the Flyers, Luchanko is in the midst of his first real playoff experience. One where Luchanko and the Phantoms have something to play for, and where games flat-out mean more for everyone.

Many of these AHL players, on the Phantoms and on other teams, are fighting for jobs. Those jobs may be in the NHL or the AHL, but they are jobs.

Luchanko himself is a candidate to make the Flyers outright again next season, but he, like his teammates, has to earn that and fight for that. This Calder Cup run is the best place for the Flyers' top forward prospect to strut his stuff before the real fun begins in training camp a few months from now.

So far, the London, Ontario, native is taking advantage in a big way.

In two playoff games with the Phantoms, Luchanko has racked up four assists, hastily surpassing the three assists he had in nine prior AHL regular season games.

Sure, the eight penalty minutes in two games is a minor issue, but everyone would rather Luchanko be involved in plays than not, for better or for worse.

Aside from his readily apparent blazing speed, Luchanko has consistently flexed his playmaking chops.

In a 5-2 Game 1 win against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on April 23, Luchanko showed one of the many things he can do at the peak of his powers.

Picking off a Penguins defensive zone turnover at his offensive blueline, Luchanko took possession of a loose puck and wheeled down the right wing boards, eventually gaining the zone 1-on-4. 

After using his speed to circle deep into the zone and behind the net, Luchanko pulled up at the left circle, whipping a pass through five Penguins defenders and teammate Garrett Wilson to find Anthony Richard at the right circle for a one-timer goal.

JETT LUCHANKO OH MY GOODNESS. WHAT A CROSS ICE FEED TO ANTHONY RICHARD.#LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/icv5wbWgMF

— Flyers Clips (@Flyers_Clips) April 24, 2025

This element of Luchanko's game has been a strength of his since the Flyers drafted him in June, but the two question marks that need the most work are his shooting and consistency.

In 15 professional games between the Flyers and Phantoms, Luchanko has yet to find his first pro goal to complement his seven assists.

For instance, Luchanko failed to record a shot on goal in the Game 1 against the Penguins referenced above despite recording two assists on the evening.

In Game 2, Luchanko picked up another two assists, including the secondary helper on the game-winner scored by defenseman Helge Grans, while also adding three shots on goal.

Before this, Luchanko had gone three games in a row without a shot on goal.

Good or bad, this is all useful information for the Flyers. The more Luchanko plays, the easier it will be to pick up on his habits and pick things out to improve or continue.

In Game 2, for example, Grans enters the zone on his own before executing a drop pass to a trailing Luchanko. After pivoting inside, Luchanko makes a nice heads-up play to find Richard cutting to the back post.

Some players might opt to pull up and shoot a puck through heavy traffic, but it is clear that Luchanko's first offensive instinct is to defer and look for another pass.

Grans backhand no look game winner from HIS KNEES?! Are you SERIOUS?!#RallyTheValley | #LVvsWBS | #LVPhantomspic.twitter.com/2wIGAEq6hy

— Lehigh Valley Phantoms (@LVPhantoms) April 26, 2025

This works out for Luchanko, as he has the skill to pull off such a high-difficulty pass to create a big scoring chance for his teammate. He gets bonus points for the assist, as Grans was able to turn around and swat a juicy rebound into the goal to win the game.

At the NHL level, Luchanko will have to add more wrinkles to his game to thrive on the stat sheet, but at the AHL level, his vision, speed, and passing abilities are too hot for the average player to handle.

Luchanko's processing speed and decision-making have shown clear progress, and perhaps the Flyers' top forward prospect is willing himself to an even higher gear in these playoff games.

These are the kind of things a Flyers organization starved of playoff hockey wants to see from its up-and-coming players. Which players want to be here and want to succeed here? Who can push themselves and their teammates to another gear when the stakes are raised?

Right now, it looks like Luchanko is indeed a prospect capable of accomplishing this in Philadelphia, and that has to be an encouraging feeling for this Flyers front office.

After their first two games of the first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the defending-champion Florida Panthers, the Tampa Bay Lightning were on their heels and on the ropes, having dropped both games at home to the Panthers.

However, in Game 3 Saturday afternoon, the Lightning punched back, and did so convincingly, beating Florida by a 5-1 score. And the Bolts were able to win their first game of the series thanks to big-time contributions from a first-year Lightning member, as well as a proven Tampa Bay legend.

The first-year-Bolts member who thrived Saturday was left winger Jake Guentzel, who posted a goal – his second of the post-season – and two primary assists in the Game 3 win. And the proven Lightning legend was goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who stopped 33 of 34 Panthers shots, frustrating Florida at just about every turn.

Guentzel now has a pair of goals and four points in the series, while Vasilevskiy has overcome a sub-par Game 1 performance – where he allowed six goals on 17 shots – to get increasingly better as the series has gone on, putting up a .955 save percentage in Game 2, and a .971 SP in Game 3.

As Saturday’s game unfolded, the Panthers grew especially ornery at their inability to solve Vasilevskiy, lashing out multiple times and giving the Lightning five power plays. Tampa Bay failed to score on any of their man advantages, but the Bolts killed off all four power plays the Panthers had. It was a measure of the Lightning’s determination that, slowly but surely, Tampa Bay grinded down on Florida at equal strength, overcoming the Panthers’ 1-0 lead in the game to battle back with five unanswered goals.

The Lightning also got a solid performance on offense from star right winger Nikita Kucherov, who put up three assists in the win. But it was Tampa’s defense that was the biggest factor in Saturday’s win.

The Bolts had only 21 shots on Panthers goalie Serge Bobrovsky, but they made them count, particularly in the third period, where Tampa Bay scored three times to put the contest well out of reach. And Florida’s shots on Vasilevskiy were mostly low-quality, allowing Vasilevskiy to methodically square up to most of them and prevent second and third-chance opportunities.

Panthers star left winger Matthew Tkachuk did make an impact right away by scoring the first goal of the game – and his third of the playoffs – at the 2:43 mark of the opening frame. But Tkachuk also was undisciplined, taking an unsportsmanlike minor penalty in the second period, then getting penalized for a five-minute interference major penalty on Guentzel at the 15-minute mark of the third period.

Tkachuk’s hit on Guentzel, which was extremely late, is almost certainly going to result in supplemental discipline. So, Tkachuk has hurt not only himself, but his team by taking liberties with Guentzel. We’re guessing Tkachuk will be suspended for Game 4 on Monday, and Tkachuk has no one but himself to blame for it.

Matthew Tkachuk has been given a 5-minute major for this hit on Jake Guentzel before Tampa's ENG pic.twitter.com/gDHny5h8z2

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 26, 2025

In any case, the Lightning have now cut the Panthers’ series lead in half, serving notice that they’re not going to roll over simply because Florida won the first two games.

From our vantage point, we believe Tampa Bay is likely to extend the series to at least six games. And you can bet the other teams still active in the Eastern Conference playoffs – we’re looking at you, Toronto Maple Leafs – are elated to see the Lightning and Panthers beating up on each other. Because the longer this series goes, the harder it will be for Florida or Tampa Bay when they eventually take on their second-round opponents.

That said, right now, the second round seems very far away for the Lightning and Panthers. Florida had the chance to take a commanding 3-0 series lead over Tampa Bay with a victory Saturday, but the Bolts battled back – and now, the heavyweight bout between two recent Stanley Cup champs looks like it’s going to be increasingly brutal with every game that takes place. 

The Lightning aren’t going to go into the off-season without a fight, and the Panthers now understand their challenge against the Bolts is not going to be a cakewalk. Tampa has pushed back against Florida, and all of us who foresaw a long first-round series for the two teams are feeling good about that prediction.

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The Carolina Hurricanes had an opportunity to extend their series lead to 3-0 in their Game 3 matchup against the New Jersey Devils. Unfortunately, the Hurricanes fell short in their attempt to achieve this, as they lost to the Devils by a 3-2 final score in double overtime. With this, the Devils now have the chance to tie the series back up at home in Game 4. 

The Hurricanes showed heart in this contest, however. After Devils forward Dawson Mercer made it a 2-0 score in the third period, Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho each scored goals to tie it up and force overtime. Yet, the Hurricanes could not beat Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom in overtime before Devils defenseman Simon Nemec scored the overtime winner. 

While this was a tough way to lose, there is no question that the Hurricanes are still in a good spot right now. The Hurricanes still have the advantage in the series and can extend their lead to 3-1 with a victory in Game 4. That would be massive for the Hurricanes, as it is never easy for teams to come back from 3-1 deficits. 

The Hurricanes will now be looking to pick up a much-needed win in Game 4. If they lose, it would undoubtedly make things more stressful for the Hurricanes. We will need to wait and see if they can secure a victory against the Devils from here.

Recent Hurricanes News 

Former Hurricanes Forward Has Big Game With New TeamFormer Carolina Hurricanes forward Warren Foegele signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings this past off-season. This was after the 29-year-old winger posted 20 goals and 41 points in 82 games with the Edmonton Oilers in 2023-24. Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs HubThe Carolina Hurricanes have made a seventh consecutive playoff berth and will be taking on the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Battle of Ontario could end in a sweep, as the Ottawa Senators host the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Canadian Tire Center on Saturday night.

The Leafs took a commanding 3-0 lead in the series with a 3-2 victory on Thursday, courtesy of an overtime goal from defenseman Simon Benoit. Toronto has had a distinct advantage on special teams and the edge in goal with Anthony Stolarz outdueling Linus Ullmark, but Ottawa has been the better of the two clubs at even-strength.

Toronto will not make any lineup changes for Game 4, while the Sens held an optional skate on Saturday and any changes will not be revealed until just before gametime.

This story will be updated throughout the game. Make sure you refresh the page so that you are receiving the up-to-date version of this story, and join the conversation in the comment section at the bottom of the article.

Also, be sure to check out our post-game Playoff Frenzy Live stream, where Michael Augello and Andrew McInnis break down Game 4.

Overtime

4:37 - Drake Batherson with a high-sticking double-minor on Chris Tanev. No John Tavares available. 

Jake Sanderson OT Winner at 17:42 

Sens 4, Leafs 3 

Third Period

7:32 - Sens 3, Leafs 2 - Nylander nearly puts Toronto in the lead, Holmberg gets leveled by Tkachuk, and Ottawa goes the other way and takes the lead on a David Perron tip-in. 

14:31 - Sens 3, Leafs 3 - Ullmark makes a big save on Pacioretty, but moments later, Nylander feeds Oliver Ekman-Larsson cross-ice for the tying goal and his second of the series. 

SOG - Toronto 7, Ottawa 3

After 60 - Toronto 25, Ottawa 14

Second Period

4:47 - Leafs had the advantage of chances during a 4-on-4, but Tavares takes a tripping minor to give the Sens the man advantage. 

6:06 - Sens PP abbreviated by Jake Sanderson interference call. 4-on-4 for 41 seconds followed by a Toronto PP.

10:12 - Sens 2 - Leafs 2 - Matthew Knies wins a race for the puck, and on a delayed penalty beats Linus Ullmark to tie the game. 

SOG - Toronto 9, Ottawa 2

After 40  - Toronto - 18, Ottawa 11

First Period

8:00 - Ottawa not showing as much energy as Game 3, both clubs being cautious in the opening eight minutes of the game, but Max Domi takes a careless penalty in the faceoff dot to give the Sens their first power play.

9:03 - Sens 1 - Leafs 0: Domi's penalty comes back to bite the Leafs, as Tim Stutzle scores on the PP to give Ottawa the opening goal. 

13:26 - David Perron nearly scores, but Jake McCabe prevents it from going over the goal line, he then gives a Leaf player a facewash and takes a roughing minor. Leafs PP has been lethal in this series. 

14:11 - Sens 2 - Leafs 0: Shane Pinto with a short-handed breakaway, and his shot leaks through Stolarz's pads. 

19:06 - Sens 2 - Leafs 1: Nylander shoots from just inside the blueline and it is deflected by John Tavares to get Toronto on the board. That has to be deflating for the home club. 

SOG - Toronto - 9, Ottawa - 9

Last night, the Oshawa Generals defeated the Barrie Colts 3-1 in the opening game of the Eastern Conference Final. This is the first time during the 2024-25 playoffs that the Colts have failed to win on home ice. 

"It's a game of inches, and it just didn't go our way tonight," said Colts' Head Coach Marty Williamson. " There is going to be no quit in this team, we will come back and get the bounces to go our way." 

Both Williamson and team Captain Beau Jelsma expressed dissatisfaction with the way Barrie started the game. Though the game was scoreless through 20 minutes, the Generals outshot the Colts 14-8. 

Late in the second period Oshawa's Owen Griffin scored the opening goal of the game on a play where defender Simon Wang saved a goal at one end of the ice before Griffin raced down the ice and fired a puck past Sam Hillebrandt. 

"He [Wang] has been a big piece on the back end," said Oshawa Head Coach Brad Malone. "It was a very athletic play to bail out Oster, and then we go the other way and Griffin cashes it in."

Dickinson Leads Knights To Victory In Game OneJust days after winning the Max Kaminsky Trophy, San Jose Sharks prospect Sam Dickinson scored four points to help London overcome Kitchener 5-2 in game one of the Western Conference Finals. 

Initially, no one realized the puck had gone in, and so the game continued until the buzzer and a review confirmed the goal.

Owen Griffin's development into an elite scoring threat started in the second half of the OHL season and has come to fruition in the postseason. In 13 playoff games, he's scored 12 goals and added eight assists for 20 points.

That kind of scoring pace would result in 104 points would have resulted in a 104-point season, more than doubling the 51 points he scored in 62 games during the 2024-25 regular season.

San Jose Sharks Prospect Named OHL Defenseman Of The yearEarlier today, the OHL announced that San Jose Sharks prospect Sam Dickinson is the 2024-25 winner of the Max Kaminsky Trophy, which is awarded to the OHL Defenseman of the Year. 

Griffin is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft, and his improvement has been noticed by NHL Central Scouting. In their recent rankings, he moved up to 70th amongst North American Skaters. That's more than 100 spots higher than the 197th overall ranking he received when NHL Central Scouting released their midseason rankings. 

"I'm just playing with more confidence this year," said Griffin. "My linemates have been great, setting me up and me setting them up ... it's been good."

Shortly after grabbing the 1-0 lead, Matthew Buckley scored on the power play to solidify Oshawa's control over the game. Malone mentioned during the postgame that he felt Buckley has had a fantastic year, though, similar to Griffin, it hasn't always manifested on the stat sheet. 

Kitchener Completes Reverse Sweep To Advance To Western Conference FinalsOttawa Senators prospect Luke Ellinas scored in overtime of game seven to win the series for Kitchener and complete a reverse sweep of the Kitchener Rangers. It is the first OHL reverse sweep since the Guelph Storm achieved the same feat during the 2019 playoffs. 

The Colts stabilized in the third period, going toe to toe with the talented Generals squad. Anthony Romani scored the lone goal for Barrie in the game, with the assist going to fellow trade deadline acquisition Owen Van Steensel. 

New York Islanders prospect Calum Ritchie sealed the win for Oshawa by potting an empty-net goal with just over a minute remaining in the game. 

At the end of the night, both goalies had solid performances. Hillebrandt had the busier night, making 36 saves on 38 shots, while overage goalie Jacob Oster made 27 saves on 28 shots for the Generals. 

Both teams will reset for game two in Barrie tomorrow evening. Puck drop will be at 6:00 p.m. inside Sadlon Arena.

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