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

The Carolina Hurricanes might have only had Mikko Rantanen for just over a month, but without him and Martin Necas, they’re firing on all pistons.

Drama enveloped the Hurricanes at the March 7 NHL trade deadline regarding their failure in re-signing Rantanen after trading Necas in a package for him in late January. Despite that, the team went 8-2-0 in their last 10 games and won its last seven, which helps its Stanley Cup hopes.

If Carolina can maintain its dynamic play for the next month, the team will head into the playoffs as a threat with home-ice advantage, likely against the third seed in the Metropolitan Division – either the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers or Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Hurricanes look like they could still be a Stanley Cup contender. But there are still some areas of potential concern when the playoffs arrive. Their 18.1-percent power-play efficiency, which ranks 26th in the NHL, is one of them, but the bigger question mark is goaltending.

First thing’s first: the Hurricanes’ goaltending is nowhere near abysmal. Veteran netminder Frederik Andersen has a 2.16 goals-against average and .912 save percentage this season, while youngster Pyotr Kochetkov has a 2.37 GAA and a .908 SP this year. Those are solid numbers for the platoon.

Last season, Andersen had a 1.84 GAA and a .932 SP in 16 games, and Kochetkov had a .911 SP and a 2.33 GAA in 40 games – slightly better than this year. But those strong numbers did not translate into reliable goaltending in the post-season. Last playoffs, Andersen’s numbers dropped to a .895 SP and a 2.62 GAA in 10 starts. Kochetkov had a .880 SP after allowing three goals on 25 shots against the Rangers in last year’s second round. In six career playoff appearances, he’s put up a subpar .863 SP and a 4.01 GAA.

Andersen’s injury history is a bigger question mark. He already missed a sizable chunk of time this season due to knee surgery, appearing in only 14 games. He made 16 appearances last year after missing most of that campaign due to a deep-vein thrombosis diagnosis, which was unlucky. But he also had multiple injuries in 2022-23 that limited him to 34 games, and he missed the 2022 playoffs with a torn MCL.

There’s a clear cause for concern that Andersen might not be available to be counted on when the Hurricanes need him the most. When Kochetkov was injured at the same time as Andersen this season, Carolina had to turn to journeymen Dustin Tokarski and Spencer Martin. If a similar situation happens in the post-season, then a lack of reliability in net could sink the squad.

Things can always change for the better, of course. Both Carolina goalies are thriving this month: Andersen has a .932 SP and a 1.76 GAA in four games, while Kochetkov has a 0.99 GAA and a .960 SP in four appearances. Clearly, Carolina’s goalies are riding high with the rest of their teammates.

But from our standpoint, the Hurricanes’ netminding will be a nagging concern until their goalies prove otherwise. Andersen hasn’t guided his team beyond the second round of the playoffs since the 2014-15 campaign as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. And Kochetkov simply doesn’t have enough post-season experience to say with certainty how he will perform when games matter most. There’s room for reasonable doubt here.

We knew going into the season that Carolina had the overall depth to be one of the NHL’s best squads. But like all teams, the Hurricanes aren’t perfect. And if they do get flushed out of the first or second round of this year’s playoffs due to their goaltending, no one can say they didn’t see it coming.

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Belleville Senators forward Jan Jenik has been named AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Mar. 16

Jenik notched a goal and seven assists in two games for the Belleville Senators last week, propelling the team to wins in both games. 

The 24-year-old recorded a franchise-record tying five assists against the Bridgeport Islanders on Mar. 14 before scoring the game winner and adding two assists in the rematch on Mar. 15. 

The Nymburk, Cze., native has nine goals and 23 points in 38 games with Belleville this season. 

A third round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2018, Jenik is pointless in two games with the Ottawa Senators this season, he has four goals and six points in 24 career NHL games with Ottawa and Arizona. 

In 203 career AHL games with the Tucson Roadrunners and Belleville Senators Jenik has put up 55 goals and 143 points.

Jenik will be a restricted free agent at season's end. 

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

Before the 2025 NHL trade deadline, the Colorado Avalanche traded former Buffalo Sabres forward Casey Mittelstadt to the Boston Bruins. This was just one year after the Sabres dealt Mittelstadt to the Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram. 

Mittelstadt had trouble fitting into the Avalanche's system and had been the subject of trade rumors throughout this season. Thus, it was not necessarily surprising that the 26-year-old found a new home by the deadline. Early on, the change of scenery has benefitted Mittelstadt.

Mittelstadt has been off to a strong offensive start with the Bruins. In four games with the Original Six club since the trade, the 2017 first-round pick has one goal and two assists.

When playing at his best, Mittelstadt has the ability to be an impactful offensive contributor. He undoubtedly demonstrated this during his time with the Sabres, as he had 62 goals and 186 points in 339 games with Buffalo. This included a 59-point season in 2022-23 and Mittelstadt posting 47 points in 62 games with Buffalo before being dealt to Colorado last season. 

The Sabres will now look to slow down Mittelstadt when they face off against the Bruins at TD Garden on March 17. It will be interesting to see if they can do just that from here. 

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The Vegas Golden Knights wrapped up a road trip, losing three of the four games and, on the season, are posting just a 15-13-5 record away from T-Mobile Arena. 

The Golden Knights have been a dominant team in their home arena since their inaugural season and are doing so once again this year, posting a 24-7-3 record. Similar to the 2023-24 campaign, the Golden Knights have struggled to consistently pick up wins on the road. 

The season they won the Stanley Cup was their best road season, recording 26 wins, and just seven regulation losses and eight overtime losses. 

The Golden Knights recently concluded a four-game road trip, beating the Columbus Blue Jackets but losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime, the Buffalo Sabres in a shootout and were shut out by the Detroit Red Wings. 

The Golden Knights were outplayed by the Sabres and Red Wings, outshot 37-19 and 27-18. A common theme this season has been a lack of offence on the road. The Golden Knights lost the first five of their six-game road games to start the season, scoring three or fewer goals in each of them. 

Their current road struggles signify the importance of winning the Pacific Division and ensuring they have home-ice advantage in the first two rounds. Chasing down the Winnipeg Jets for first in the Western Conference is becoming nearly impossible, trailing by 12 points with 15 games remaining. At the moment the Golden Knights sit in third place in the conference, trailing the Dallas Stars by a point. 

With eight road games on the schedule, the Golden Knights have limited time to fix their struggles, but finding a solution will go a long way when the playoffs begin.

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

Kick off a new week with rapid-fire NHL and hockey discussions on The Hockey News Wraparound Show.

What's Most Concerning About The Maple Leafs Right Now? by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan and Michael Augello discussed in this episode:

0:00 What to make of Connor Bedard’s 10-minute misconducts in back-to-back games

3:41: Is Sam Bennett more likely to stay with the Florida Panthers or hit free agency?

5:41: Will the Panthers keep Brad Marchand or Aaron Ekblad this off-season?

7:42: What has been the most concerning part of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ recent slump?

10:10: Which goaltender in the 2025 free agent class will be the most sought-after?

12:48: What are the biggest changes NHL GMs will advocate for at the GM meetings?

15:41: Which NHL prospect traded at the deadline will fit best with their new organization?

18:12: How much money could Nikolaj Ehlers get on the open market this summer?

20:33: Even without Mikko Rantanen or Martin Necas, should the Carolina Hurricanes still be considered a Stanley Cup contender?

23:24: Could Jonathan Huberdeau’s resurgence signify great things to come for the Calgary Flames?

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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Goalie Darcy Kuemper has been named NHL 1st Star of the Week for his outstanding play during the week of March 10-16.

The 34 year-old native of Saskatoon went 3-0, including back-to-back shutouts against the Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators.  Kuemper stopped 78 of 79 shots during the week, good for an almost invisible to the naked eye GAA of 0.33.

In addition to helping the Kings gain ground on Pacific Division rivals Edmonton and Vegas, Kuemper also etched a place in LA Kings' history. 

Kuemper now has a home point streak of 13 games dating back to December 7th, which is the longest such streak since Kelly Hrudey's 12 game run in 1991.

A Stanley Cup winner in 2022 with the Colorado Avalanche, Kuemper's consistent excellent play for Los Angeles has the Kings within striking distance of Vegas for a Pacific Division banner. 

Although not really mentioned as a serious Vezina Trophy candidate, one wonders if he should be. Kuemper currently ranks second in goals-against average at 2.16 and is third in save percentage at .919.

Given backup goalie Dave Rittich's lackluster play in his last dozen starts, LA is counting on Kuemper to maintain this stellar level of goaltending well into the playoffs. 

Tomáš Klouček, a former pro hockey defenseman who played 141 NHL games, died from injuries sustained in a skiing accident on Sunday in his native Czechia at age 45, according to multiple Czech media reports.

The news was confirmed in an Instagram post by his wife, according to Hokej.cz.

“We were hit by sad news – Tomáš Klouček died following a tragic accident,” Oceláři Třinec, one of his former teams, tweeted on X. “The tough defenseman played a total of 90 games for us. We wish his family and loved ones a lot of strength. Our sincere condolences.”

According to reports, Klouček skied into a power pole on the edge of the slope and was pronounced dead on the scene. The incident occurred in Špindlerův Mlýn, a popular ski resort in the north of the country near the border with Poland.

Klouček was born in Prague and grew up playing for local club Slavia. He was drafted in 1998 in the fifth round, 151st overall, by the New York Rangers, then went overseas to play for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in the QMJHL.

Between 2000 and 2006, Klouček played 141 NHL games for the Rangers, Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers, scoring two goals and adding eight assists for 10 points with 250 penalty minutes. He spent the rest of the time playing for those teams AHL affiliates in Hartford, Milwaukee and Chicago.

A large, physical defenseman, Klouček was 6’4” and weighed 245 lbs.

From 2007 until his retirement in 2017, Klouček played in Czechia, in the KHL and in Slovakia, finishing with his last two seasons for Epinal in France.

NHL players moved at the trade deadline have now had more than a week to get accustomed to their new squads. Some players already dealt with switching teams not long ago, while other veterans underwent the big shift for the first time.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Jake Walman, Dallas Stars right winger Mikko Rantanen and Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson are three examples. Each player’s had a different storyline that caught the hockey world’s attention.

Walman, 29, was traded to the San Jose Sharks in June 2024 with a second-round draft pick from the Detroit Red Wings for future considerations. He recorded a career-high 32 points and provided offensive upside with smart defensive play with the Sharks, which received a 2026 first-rounder to trade him to Edmonton less than a year later. Walman’s endeared himself to his new teammates in five games.

"Nice addition for our team. Adds a lot of speed," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said on Sunday. "He's a great guy to get the puck and get it out of pressure. His mobility is as good as anyone for a defenseman."

Nelson, 33, spent more than a decade with the New York Islanders but was the subject of trade rumors for most of the season as the team struggled. He now has to adjust to a new team in a new conference during an intense playoff push.

It’s also closing in on a decade since the Avalanche drafted Rantanen. But the 28-year-old was shocked when Colorado traded the pending UFA to the Carolina Hurricanes in January. Without a contract extension, Rantanen went on the move again at the trade deadline to Dallas. He joined a contender that already has Jason Robertson, Matt Duchene, Wyatt Johnston and one of the best netminders in the NHL, Jake Oettinger, who is one of three goalies with 30 wins this season.

Avry Lewis-McDougall looks beyond the stats of each player since the trades and examines how they’ve fit in with their new clubs in a short time in his video column.

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

Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour has been named the NHL's third star of the week.

The 30-year-old recorded three goals and six points in three games, including the fastest goal to start any period in NHL history. His electric offensive week helped him tie his career-high in goals at 16, which he previously set in the 2022-23 season with the Florida Panthers.

Darcy Kuemper (@LAKings), Jesper Bratt (@NJDevils) and Brandon Montour (@SeattleKraken) have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” presented by GEICO for the week ending March 16.#NHLStats: https://t.co/VejWUtMZ1Upic.twitter.com/McEsDq2LuT

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) March 17, 2025

Montour's dominance also helped the Kraken finish the week with a 2-0-1 record, moving them within 10 points of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.

In a press release from the NHL, they said this about Montour:

"Montour totaled 3-3—6 across three appearances to lift the Kraken (29-34-5, 63 points) to five out of a possible six standings points. He tallied 2-2—4, highlighted by the winning goal four seconds into overtime (tied for the fastest goal from the start of any period in NHL history), in a 5-4 triumph versus the Montreal Canadiens March 14. Montour then scored once in a 4-2 victory against the Utah Hockey Club March 14 before collecting one assist in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets March 16. The 30-year-old Montour shares fourth place among NHL defensemen with 16 goals through 67 total contests this season (16-22—38), matching a career-high established in 80 games in 2022-23 (16-57—73 w/ FLA)."

Finishing as the first and second stars this week were Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper, recording a .987SV%, a 0.33GAA and two shutouts, and New Jersey Devils forward Jesper Bratt, scoring two goals and nine points in three games. 

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

At 23-3-4 at home this season, the Los Angeles Kings are the best team in that regard. However, at 13-17-2 on the road, many teams are operating at and above .500.

In fact, the Kings have the worst road record amongst playoff-positioned teams. Only the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference have less than a .500 winning percentage on the road (14-15-3). If my recent playoff hockey memory serves me correctly, it has burned them in recent years.

It's not something that consistently turns over year to year going into the playoffs; for the most part, being a good home team in the regular season amounts to a whole lot of nothing come playoff time. It's just an entirely different ball game. Even if it's a decade ago, does anyone recall the Kings-Blues series from 2012?

The best home team in the league was swept at home. These things happen.

Best records at home through the first 30 home games in the last 10 seasons

25-2-3 by 2022-23 Bruins
24-3-3 by 2021-22 Avalanche (won cup)
24-3-3 by 2016-17 Penguins (won cup)
23-3-4 by 2024-25 Kings@KingsMenPodcast@mayorNHL@LAKingsPR

— Blake Warye (@bwaryeofblake) March 16, 2025

Outliers aside, the Kings have a massive opportunity to return to a 'road warrior' mentality, a moniker of past Kings teams. There are six games left on the road, and if their record and play at home stand for anything, it shows they can operate at a .600+ winning percentage the rest of the way, barring anything drastic. These six games, however, are much-needed wins for a team that has a flair for toppling high-end competition but will also squeak out points or get cut down by the league's lower half. It's been done particularly while on the road.

The Kings have lost on the road nine times being outscored by three goals or more. A little over two weeks ago, the Chicago Blackhawks, a lottery team being built around Connor Bedard, dismantled the Kings 5-1 in their barn. A week later, on the second half of a back-to-back? They beat the Pacific Division Golden Knights 6-5 in a game where it should not have been that close. Where does this context position the Kings, who will play an excellent team in Minnesota and the same Chicago team that embarrassed this squad over two weeks ago on this quick road trip?

What team will show up for either game is that of suspect. Will the Kings that beat the league-leading Washington Capitals 3-0 and the Knights 6-5 come to play? Or is it the Kings that snoozed for 50 minutes against the Predators?

Is this a coaching issue, a leadership issue, personnel? A questioning attitude is an aspect of the game, just like it is in life. All of that vanishes with wins. Wins matter--that should probably be written down a few times. Just like the recent game against Nashville, or even the poor performance against the Islanders, wins erase all of the pessimistic language that could be used to describe either game. Live and you learn right?

It brings me back to these six games left. What have the Kings learned?

The lesson is simple: The Kings will absolutely need to take advantage of these games, as they are burgeoning with first place in the division, jockeying with Edmonton back and forth for second while Vegas finds itself scrambling to put grease on the wheels. Wins on the road while safeguarding their dominance at home could be the formula that unlocks home-ice and even, a first ever Pacific Division title.

Kings will have 2 games in hand on both teams by the end of the day. If you told me in September that this LA roster would have a viable shot at the division title, I may have reported you for harmful content. https://t.co/Um87XzULC8

— The Bannermen (@TheBannermenPod) March 16, 2025

The Kings' home record is strong and won't be going anywhere anytime soon. The team will, in fact, have the opportunity to expand its home excellence even further.

But taking care of business on the road for the rest of the season could be a key factor in building up the potential for this Kings team to finally do something they haven't done in a long time: damage in the playoffs.

Rg.org has done wonderful work interviewing former Russian NHLers recently, and their latest interview is with a former Montreal Canadiens player, Ilya Kovalchuk, even though he wasn’t with the team for long.

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While he played less than 1,000 games in the NHL, Kovalchuk was a great offensive talent who scored 876 points over the course of his career. He’s also one of those players who played in the NHL but felt the need to go home after a while; after signing a 15-year deal with the New Jersey Devils in 2010, he announced his retirement from the NHL in 2013 and walked away from the 77 million left on his contract.

After playing part of six seasons in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg, Kovalchuk decided to return to the NHL, signing a contract with the Los Angeles Kings. After 17 games in his second season in LA, he was traded to the Canadiens and played 22 games with the Habs during the 2019-20 campaign before being flipped to the Washington Capitals. He went back to Russia at the end of that season.

In his short tenure with the Canadiens, the left winger scored six goals and seven assists for 13 points, but he still made some highlight-reel plays that quickly made him a fan favorite. The "Kovalshow" brought in some light in an otherwise very bleak season for the Canadiens. 

In an exclusive interview with RG.org, the former NHL star was asked about Canadiens’ prospect Ivan Demidov and praised him, saying he was a bright and hard-working young man with a true passion for the game. He also mentioned that he’s heard he puts in a lot of extra work and is confident he will do well in Montreal.

Just like Andrei Kovalenko a couple of days ago, Kovalchuk emphasizes the importance of respecting the local culture and not being shy about speaking the language. He also agrees hockey is like a religion in Montreal, which comes with intense scrutiny, and that’s something he’ll need to be ready for.

Thankfully, the organization is well-aware of that fact, and any player joining the Canadiens has to complete a training and awareness program that prepares them for that reality, as France Margaret Belanger explained in a recent interview.

There are only three games left in SKA St. Petersburg’s regular season, and after a losing streak, Roman Rotenberg’s men have straightened the ship of late, winning their last four games. We’ll see if that translates to success in the playoffs.

---

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

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

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

Canadian defenseman Éric Gélinas, 33, has agreed to a one-year contract extension with Lukko Rauma, the Finnish Liiga club announced on Monday.

Gélinas joined the club in December and produced 17 points in 21 regular-season games. The 6-foot-4, 227-pound rearguard also had 12-penalty minutes and was a plus-2.

“One of the biggest reasons to continue here is that we have a really strong team,” said Gélinas. “When you reach a certain age, winning championships is what you play for.”

Indeed, Lukko is one of the top contenders to win it all in Finland this season after finishing first overall in the regular season. Lukko ended the regular season on a six-game heater, edging out Ilves Tampere for top spot by one point.

“In addition, the organization welcomed me with open arms, which has been great of course,” he continued. “We have a great atmosphere in the locker room and the chemistry works great, so the decision to continue with Lukko was quite easy.”

“Gélly came to Rauma in really good shape, and it didn’t take long for him to play when he was at full strength on the ice,” Lukko sports director Kalle Sahlstedt said about the defenseman’s mid-season arrival. “He immediately played at an extremely high level.”

Ex-Penguins Prospect Off To Hot Start In Finland Finnish defenseman Niclas Almari was the Pittsburgh Penguins fifth-round choice in 2016 and had three stints with their AHL farm team in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but has played for Lukko Rauma in Finland’s Liiga since early 2022. 

Born in Vanier, Ont. and raised in Saint-Jean, Que., Gélinas played junior hockey for the QMJHL’s Lewiston MAINEiacs, Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Saint John Sea Dogs, winning a Memorial Cup with the latter in 2011.

Chosen in the second round, 54th overall, by the New Jersey Devils in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Gélinas played 189 NHL games for the Devils and Colorado Avalanche between 2013 and 2017, recording 55 points and 92 penalty minutes. He was also NHL property of the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes.

Other than a nine-game AHL stint in 2021, Gélinas has played in Europe since 2018, with stops in Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland.

Gélinas has not played since Feb. 12 due to an undisclosed injury. Thanks to its finish in the standings, Lukko has a bye through the first round of the playoffs and will open at home in the quarterfinals next Wednesday, March 26 against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. Also to be determined is exactly when Gélinas will return to the lineup.

Antti Raanta Won’t Return To Geneva – Finland Next? Antti Raanta’s first season back in Europe after ending his NHL career had its ups and downs.

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features San Jose Sharks rookie Will Smith, who turns 20 years old on March 17.

Smith became the youngest player in Sharks history since Patrick Marleau to score multiple goals in a game when he netted his first two NHL markers.

Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media.  And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.