Ahead of the Saturday night game between the Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks, defenseman Alec Martinez told Darren Pang that he would be retiring at the end of this season while talking to him live on CHSN. 

Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) on XAlec Martinez officially tells @Panger40 that he will be retiring at the end of the season. This will be his final NHL game. #Blackhawks

This game was already a send-off for Patrick Maroon, who announced his retirement earlier this season. Both Martinez and Maroon will finish their careers in this game as neither will go against the Montreal Canadiens or Ottawa Senators next week. Both players were in the starting lineup for Chicago. 

Martinez is a three-time Stanley Cup champion. Two of them came with the Los Angeles Kings and one with the Vegas Golden Knights. Throughout his 862-game NHL career, Martinez scored 88 goals and had 101 assists for 289 points. 

For having a fair amount of offensive production, Martinez was primarily a stay-at-home defenseman who played his role well. Being a shut-down guy on an elite team was his forte back in the day. 

Before joining the Blackhawks this season, Chicago had a bad taste in their mouth about Martinez due to his success against them. One of his many battles against Chicago in the playoffs with Los Angeles ended with him scoring in overtime of a Western Conference Finals game seven. 

Two weeks later, Martinez scored an overtime series winner against the New York Rangers to capture his second of three cups. Again, not bad for a defensive-minded guy. There is no doubting his clutch gene. 

Martinez should be incredibly proud of what he accomplished in the National Hockey League. For his style of play and the skills he brought to the table, he got the most out of his career. 

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

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists and the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated New York from playoff contention, beating the Rangers 7-3 on Saturday.

Jalen Chatfield, Jackson Blake, Mark Jankowski, Jordan Staal, Jordan Martinook and Logan Stankoven also scored for the Hurricanes. Pytor Kochetkov made 28 saves.

Adam Fox, K’Andre Miller and Will Cuylle scored for New York, and Igor Shesterkin stopped 21 shots. The Rangers have lost four of their last five.

Chatfield and Jarvis gave Carolina 2-0 lead in the first period. Jarvis scored his 25th goal at home this season to match the most since the franchise moved to North Carolina in 1997.

Takeaways

Rangers: New York was swept (0-4-0) in the season series for the first time since 1987-88, when the Hurricanes were the Hartford Whalers.

Hurricanes: New York knocked the Hurricanes out of the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2022 and ’24, so there was a small measure of payback for Carolina on Saturday. The Hurricanes’ first-round matchup in the Stanley Cup playoffs with the New Jersey Devils is already set.

Key moment

Artemi Panarin had a wide- open net with 7:27 left in the second period and the Rangers trailing 3-0. Instead of cutting into Carolina’s lead, he hit the right post and Jankowski made 4-0 just 26 seconds later.

Key stat

Kochetkov had lost four of his previous five starts and given up 21 goals in the process.

Up next

The Rangers are at Florida on Monday night. The Hurricanes host Toronto on Sunday.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were down to their final three games. Despite no opportunities to play spoil in the season's final week, they showed they are still a prideful bunch as they rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to emerge victorious 4-2 against the New Jersey Devils on Friday night.

The Penguins must win their final two games to finish with a .500 record while several players chase individual milestones. Some of them inched closer on Friday. Let's discuss. 

Crosby is a Certified Legend

Only five players in NHL history scored 90 points after their 37th birthday. With a goal and an assist against New Jersey, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is now just one point shy of becoming the sixth player and two points short of Mario Lemieux's team record of 91 points at age 37 in 2002-03.

Penguins' Crosby On Pace To Become Sixth Player To Score 90 Points At 37 Or OlderPittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is on the cusp of NHL history (again). With 87 points in 77 games, he's just three points shy of 90 for the season, possibly three consecutive seasons of reaching the plateau.

In a classic down-on-one-knee goal, Crosby gave Pittsburgh their first lead in the third period, the only lead they'd need after falling behind 2-0. As many people have pointed out, no one can ask a group of 20 professional hockey players to "tank," and with Crosby continuing to pile up the points at 37, he's too prideful to give up opportunities to further cement his legacy as one of the game's greatest.  

Rust's Career Year Overshadowed by Missed Playoffs

Fans outside of Pittsburgh may not know that Bryan Rust set a career-high with 29 goals and, with two games left on the schedule, could become a 30-goal scorer for the first time. 

Rust Sets New Career-High As Penguins Defeat Devils, 4-2In a season full of lows for the Pittsburgh Penguins, there have been some bright spots.

Until 2022, Rust never missed the playoffs, but 2024-25 will mark the third consecutive year he'll miss the postseason, which is a shame considering he's on the cusp of 30 goals and surpassed 60 points for the first time. 

The 2010 Penguins draft pick scored his 200th goal this year and now has over 400 points, ranking in the top 15 in franchise history. However, with no shot to win another Stanley Cup, Rust will have to settle for a career year during a season ending with a potential sub-.500 record for the first time since 2005-06.

Jarry Rebounds After Horrific Start

Tristan Jarry has been one of the Penguins' strongest players in the past month, but there are still a few wrinkles in his game that need ironing out—like giving up a goal on the first shot.

Penguins' fans must have buried their heads in their hands when Jarry gave up a goal 15 seconds into the game, then surrendered another six minutes later to put his team in a deep hole. 

Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winding down their 2024-25 season and will miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season, a first in Sidney Crosby's 20-year career. However, there is plenty to play for in the final weeks.

However, Jarry responded to guide Pittsburgh to a win, making 26 saves after giving up those two goals early. Since returning in early March, the 29-year-old is quietly 8-3-2dsexW with a .904 SV%. No one would believe it, especially after recent back-to-back pulls, but he's proven that he's still capable of being a top goalie when the system in front of him is also working. 

When defenseman Matt Grzelcyk made the decision to sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins last summer, he did so with the mindset that he'd come in and simply be given some opportunity to re-find his game.

But consistent top-four minutes and running the top power play weren't exactly what he had in mind from the jump.

“I think I’ve been given a lot of opportunity, which is all you can ask for as a player," Grzelcyk said. "I wasn’t really expecting to, maybe, play as much or be on the power play, but obviously, I welcomed that with open arms."

And he has not only welcomed that opportunity, he's made the most of it.

Fast forward nine months after signing a one-year, $2.75 million deal with the Penguins last summer, and Grzelcyk has enjoyed a career year. After a two-point effort in a 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils Friday, he has a career-high 38 points, which includes 15 power play points as a result of quarterbacking a top unit with the likes of Sidney Crosby and other future hall-of-fame players on a rotating basis. And those numbers surpass previous career-highs of 26 and seven, respectively, from his eight-year tenure with the Boston Bruins. 

His work on the power play is a big reason why the unit has catapulted itself from bottom-three in the league last season to top-seven this season. And his overall progression throughout the season has not gone unnoticed.

Rust Sets New Career-High As Penguins Defeat Devils, 4-2In a season full of lows for the Pittsburgh Penguins, there have been some bright spots.

"He certainly has done a really good job on the power play," said assistant coach David Quinn, who coaches both the defense and the power play. "It's not an easy situation to step into, but I think he's had a heck of a year. He had a really good career in Boston. Last year was a little bit of a down year for him, but health had something to do with it.

"I think he's really done a great job taking advantage of the situation that he's been presented with here, and he's earned everything he's gotten. Obviously, he's done a really good job on the power play, he's played big minutes for us, and I think, defensively, he's gotten better and better as the season has gone on. So, we're fortunate to have him. He's really done a good job here."

Grzelcyk's puck-moving ability and the simplicity in his game have certainly endeared him to his teammates and to the coaching staff.

"I think he's fit in real well," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "We love his ability to move the puck, and that's an important element of our team game is getting back to pucks on retrievals and being able to advance the puck to get out of our end. That's his biggest attribute, his biggest strength, and I think he's brought that to this team."

The offensive side of his game is something he has been able to fully unleash in Pittsburgh, as the system is inherently more catered toward offense as opposed to Boston's defense-heavy system. Pittsburgh focuses a lot on generating chances off the rush and from the transition game. 

And that adjustment systems-wise has been pretty seamless for Grzelcyk - especially given the elite, offense-first players he has been sharing the ice with for most of the season.

"Not that we don’t value defense here," Grzelcyk said. "But with the caliber of players, the way that they create off the rush and get open in the o-zone… I’m just taking some time to pick their brains, seeing certain face-off plays or how they see the ice a little bit."

And when he's been deployed with those players - as he has all season long - it lends to an uptick in his offensive game, which has shown in the results. But he's also still working on some of those defensive details that were a huge part of his game prior to his stint in Pittsburgh. 

"Offensively, I'm playing in more situations, getting more o-zone starts," Grzelcyk said. "Defensively, I think there’s still some things that I want to sharpen up on and continue to improve there... have good gaps, things like that. But I feel like I have a better understanding of how things work here now."

And Sullivan also believes that he has made the most of his opportunity, especially given the fact that his deployment and minutes exceeded what even the coaching staff - not just Grzelcyk - anticipated when the blueliner was first brought in. 

"I think he's quietly had a very solid season for us," Sullivan said. He's played in the top-four all year long. I don't know that we anticipated playing him in the top-four when we first signed him, but he's earned his way in there based on the group that we have. I think, in those terms, it would be hard to sit here and say he hasn't had a solid contribution for us. I think he's quietly had a really good year for himself."

After staying put past deadline day, Grzelcyk is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. There's no telling what will happen this summer, as the team can go in multiple different directions as far as its approach to next season's roster construction.

But Grzelcyk has enjoyed his time in Pittsburgh, a city he was drawn to initially when deciding where to land last summer. And he hopes to stick around.

 “I would love to come back," Grzelcyk said. "You never know how it’s going to shake out, especially after the deadline. But it’s obviously been a very positive experience for myself, and I love the city. I got drafted here in 2012, played my first game. So that kind of just started pulling me in this direction a little bit, and then just talking with the coaches and things like that in the offseason and how it fit in.

"It’s felt pretty comfortable from the start, and the guys have been super welcoming. It was a pretty seamless transition, and I’m super thankful for the opportunity I’ve been given.”

Like Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipOn Sunday, the hockey world got to witness Alexander Ovechkin - The Great “8” - surpass The Great “One” for the most goals in NHL history.

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The Buffalo Sabres are playing out the string of another playoffless season, but with four games left in the on the schedule, the club will have a big say on who will win the Atlantic Division and have home-ice advantage in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

The Sabres take on the Florida Panthers in the first of back-to-back weekend games in the Sunshine State on Saturday and will start James Reimer in goal. The Panthers are in third place in the Atlantic with 96 points. They would move into a tie for second place with Tampa Bay and come closer to locking up one of the top three spots in the division, moving six points ahead of the Ottawa Senators with a win over Buffalo.

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On Sunday, the Sabres play in Tampa against the Lightning, who have 98 points. Depending on the outcome of the Toronto - Montreal game on Saturday, the Lightning could move into a tie with the Leafs for first place entering the final week of the campaign. Tampa has stumbled in the last few games, with overtime losses to Toronto and Detroit, so on the eve of a critical match against the Panthers on Tuesday, they will need to get two points with Buffalo likely starting Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

The Maple Leafs make their final visit to Buffalo on Tuesday, with potentially a lot riding on the outcome. The Leafs have 100 points and will use up their game in hand on Tampa on Saturday. If they win over the Habs and on Sunday in the second of back-to-back games in Carolina on Sunday, a win at Key Bank Center could conceivably clinch the division, but with the Sabres 13-2-0 in their last 15 games and 22-14-3 overall this season at Key Bank Center and their traditional good fortune against Toronto at home, Buffalo could very well strike a blow to their hated rival’s division-winning aspirations. 

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LAS VEGAS -- Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said Saturday after morning skate that he is not concerned long-term with an injury that's kept Alex Pietrangelo out of the lineup.

The veteran defenseman who has missed six of the last nine games, including the last two, will miss Saturday night's home finale against the Nashville Predators, as the Golden Knights look to clinch the Pacific Division.

Star forward Jack Eichel will also miss his third straight game.

Despite their absences, the Golden Knights come into Saturday night winners of three of their last four (3-0-1) while riding a 9-2-1 win streak.

"It's good to have depth, guys that can get in when you're injured, and that's how you end up in first place sometimes, when you have injuries, right?" Cassidy said. "You don't lose a beat because other guys are ready to go."

Pietrangelo, who has missed only nine games all season, is a key part of the Knights' defensive pairings, who Cassidy hopes to have back in time for the playoffs, which start in one week.

The 35-year-old is ninth on the team with 33 points, while his 29 assists are tied for fourth.

Cassidy confirmed it is not the same issue that kept Pietrangelo from participating in the Four Nation's Face-Off two months ago.

"If he was able to play, he would," Cassidy said. "Right now, he's dealing with something, and he's getting better. He's skating, but he's not ready to go in the lineup.

"He's one of the, probably the most competitive guy in there. The Four Nations, I think he addressed that. There was some stuff that he had to take a little time off to be better for us. He came back in the lineup after that. Unfortunately, he's dealing with something different now that should be good to go. I just can't give you an exact date."

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The New York Islanders will not reach the 2025 Playoffs following their 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

This is just the second time the Islanders have missed the playoffs in the past seven seasons.

Islanders Eliminated From Playoff Contention After 4-3 Shootout Loss To FlyersThe New York Islanders staved off elimination on Saturday afternoon after a 4-3 shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Now, attention shifts towards the offseason, with the first major event being the lottery for the 2025 NHL Draft, which will be held on either May 5 or May 6.

The Islanders currently sit at 80 points through 79 games, leaving them as a borderline bottom-10 team in the NHL.

While they have three games remaining on the season, we have a decent idea of what their lottery odds will be following Game 82.

Currently, the Islanders could finish with the sixth-best odds to land the first pick, but that is an unlikely scenario.

If the Islanders win their three remaining games, they could enter with the 14th-worst record in the NHL, but this is also quite unlikely.

The most likely scenario for the Islanders is ro finish with around the 10th-best odds to land the first overall pick.

With this, they would have just over a 7% chance of landing a top-two pick: 3.5% for No. 1 and 3.7% for No. 2.

The format of the draft was changed in 2022, allowing teams to move up no more than 10 picks in the draft.

So, the Islanders must finish in the bottom 11 in the standings to have a chance at first overall.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bobby Brink scored the only goal of the shootout, beating Marcus Hogberg to the glove side on the fifth try to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-3 victory over the Islanders on Saturday.

The loss eliminated New York from the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Tyson Foerster scored two goals in the victory — including a go-ahead goal at the 10:39 mark of the third that gave Philadelphia a 3-2 lead. Foerster now has 24 goals on the season, including five in his last two games. Jakob Pelletier added the Flyers other goal while Samuel Ersson recorded 37 saves in picking up his 22nd win of the year.

The Islanders would tie the game with just 1:01 left to play when Bo Horvat’s wrist shot snuck through a maze of bodies and beat Ersson between the pads.

Anders Lee had New York’s first goal. Hogberg recorded 19 saves in the loss.

Takeaways

Islanders: New York owned puck control for the first two periods, but seemed to fade for most of the third. They are 2-5-3 in their last 10 games — a big reason why they faded out of the playoff picture in the East.

Flyers: With Foerster, Travis Konecny and Matvei Michkov now developing as wingers, general manager Daniel Briere can now look at acquiring a top-line center to help steady the Philadelphia offensive attack.

Key moment

The Flyers tied the game early in the third on a nifty passing set from Ryan Poehling to Owen Tippett to Pelletier, who squeezed it past Hogberg to flip the momentum of the game.

Key stat

Philadelphia is now 5-1 since John Tortorella was fired as coach on March 27.

Injuries

Islanders: New York forward Pierre Engvall had to be helped off the ice late in the third period with an apparent knee injury suffered in the Philadelphia defensive zone.

Up next

The Islanders visit New Jersey and the Flyers head to Ottawa for Sunday afternoon matinees.

By Ryan Clark, The Hockey News intern

With the end of the NHL regular season within sight, two things are on people’s minds: who will make the playoffs, and who will take the season’s coveted awards?

The Selke Trophy is a bit of an odd award, as the criteria aren’t as defined as other awards. The other skater awards usually come down to a combination of points, goals and team records, while goalie awards often hinge on wins, save percentage and a few of the publicly available advanced stats.

The Selke Trophy, on the other hand, is a bit of an outlier, as we have seen offensive superstars get votes as well as gritty fourth-liners. There are lots of players who are in the running for the Selke, and with defense being difficult to quantify sometimes, it’s hard to keep up. Here are the main contenders for the award, ranked in tiers.

Tier 1: The New Bergeron?

Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida Panthers

It’s not a question of whether the Panthers captain will win another Selke, it’s how many more he’ll win. Even with a couple of weeks of missed time, Barkov is the front-runner for this award.

Tier 2: The Probable Top Five

Sam Reinhart, C, Florida Panthers

We’ll let you in on a little secret: Reinhart has been the NHL’s best defensive forward this year. He’s been even better than Barkov at suppressing quality chances and is also second in the league in shorthanded goals.

Nico Hischier, C, New Jersey Devils

The Devils are beat down and limping into the playoffs, with injuries everywhere on the roster. It’s a good thing Hischier has been as good as he has, keeping the team afloat with his excellent two-way play. 

Anthony Cirelli, C, Tampa Bay Lightning

Cirelli has finished in the top five in Selke voting in the past, but his lack of offensive production led to him being glossed over in the race. Now that he’s put up career highs, could he earn a nomination?

Mitch Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs

Let’s talk about steals. Marner sits fourth in the league in takeaways, an impressive feat. Even more impressive is the fact that the rest of the top 10 in the stat is made up of defensemen. 

Tier 3: You Might be Familiar With Their Other Work

Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

He hasn’t been quite as solid in his own end this season as some others on this list, but he’s still really tough to play against. 

Matthew Tkachuk, LW, Florida Panthers

He has the second-best Corsi and Fenwick percentages of any forward with 500 minutes played, per moneypuck.com. In other words, the Panthers almost always have possession when he’s on the ice.

Leon Draisaitl, C, Edmonton Oilers

It’s impressive to see how far Draisaitl has come in his own end. From being a perceived liability to now showing up on a list of Selke contenders. And his coach, Kris Knoblauch, seems to agree.

Tier 4: Fun Long-Shot Candidates

Brandon Hagel, LW, Tampa Bay Lightning

He’s been one half of one of the league’s deadliest penalty-killing duos (with Cirelli) and has been a 5-on-5 fiend. If he were a center, perhaps he’d be viewed as a top contender.

Joel Eriksson Ek, C, Minnesota Wild

He’s finished in the top 10 in Selke voting in each of the past three seasons, and with how he’s played this year for a contending Wild team that’s been plagued by injuries, he deserves to keep the streak alive.

Seth Jarvis, C, Carolina Hurricanes

He’s seemingly become everyone’s new favorite player, and for good reason. Despite his smaller size, Jarvis’ motor and hockey IQ make him one of the more underrated players in the defensive zone. He’ll get his Selke recognition one day.

Tier 5: Legendary Long Shots

Jordan Staal, C, Carolina Hurricanes

He’s earned many Selke votes throughout his career, finally getting the nomination last year. While he took a step back this season, he’ll likely still find himself on a few ballots.

Anze Kopitar, C, Los Angeles Kings

You can’t have a Selke story without talking about Kopitar. If it wasn’t for playing at the same time as Pavel Datsyuk and Patrice Bergeron, perhaps he’d be viewed as the best defensive forward of the modern era. Kopitar probably won’t get much attention for the award this year, but his legacy, combined with the Kings’ success, could earn him a few votes.

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Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith talk often.

They happened to be talking when Smith found out he was returning to Vegas in a trade with the New York Rangers.

"I was so happy for him, because I know how it is to leave there, and he left in a worse way," Marchessault said. "We just won, and 10 days later, he's in a different organization. So that was, honestly, awful. He's had a rocky year and a half, and now he's back where he had the most fun. So I was so happy for him and Karly (William Karlsson) to get back together."

They were also talking Friday, when the two discussed the highly anticipated tribute video in Vegas' regular-season finale, when the Nashville Predators visit Vegas for the Golden Knights' home finale Saturday night.

"He said he's probably gonna have tears just dripping down his face," Smith said after Saturday's morning skate."

It'll be an emotional night for not only Marchessault, but Smith and William Karlsson, the "Original Misfit" trio, who will skate on the same ice for the first time since they all shared one of the most joyous occasions in the history of sports in Las Vegas, the 2023 Stanley Cup championship.

"A little reunion," Karlsson said. "Unfortunately, he's not in our colors."

🎥 Karlsson on the fans: It's been a fun eight years, and every time you get to play at home, it's always a lot of energy. You get spoiled... I feel very fortunate. pic.twitter.com/fn3RMwAvNH

— x-Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 12, 2025

The three had been linemates the first six years of the organization's existence, but were broken up when Smith was dealt to Pittsburgh less than two weeks after hoisting the Cup. Following last season, Marchessault signed with Nashville as a free agent.

"He was part of this team for seven years, and he had great success," Karlsson said. "He was a very loved member of the team. And the town's gotten to love him, so there's gonna be a lot of emotion coming into tonight, and it'll be fun to see the tribute."

Eliminated from the postseason, the emotions are sure to spill into the stands as the tribute video plays overhead in front of what's sure to be an exuberant, sold-out crowd on Fan Appreciation Night. The Knights have been known to produce their fair share of heart-clutching "welcome back" videos, but this one might top them all.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the tribute, he's earned it," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "He's probably one of the most popular guys that ever played here. So good for him, give him his due."

Over his seven years with the organization, Marchessault has been witness to many of the heartfelt video tributes, including the likes of Marc-Andre Fleury, Ryan Reaves, Gerard Gallant and even Smith, when he came back with the Penguins.

Now it's Marchessault's turn, and after speaking with former Knight Will Carrier, who is now with the Carolina Hurricanes, it's a moment he said he's ready to embrace.

"He told me it just builds you up inside," said Marchessault, the 2023 Conn Smythe winner. "I'm definitely really excited to go back, to just to see the Fortress, the arena, the roads that you take to go to the rink, and all that kind of stuff. It was home for me. It's still a part of me, is part of home a little bit. It'll be definitely weird, but I'm definitely excited to just go back and see the fans, the arena, the city, the lights. Just a great atmosphere and the great juju that's over there. Definitely just super excited to go back."

'LIKE I NEVER LEFT'

The first two times the Knights visited Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, "it was like I never left, the guys are awesome," Marchessault said.

Moments after Vegas' 3-1 on March 29, a quick 10-minute reunion full of laughter took place in an enclosed area that separated the locker rooms, as many of the Knights made sure to say hello before catching their flight.

"You get to see those guys seven years in a row, you feel so much like brotherhood," Marchessault said. "So it was really good to spend time with them and see them. Just love seeing the guys ... all the trainers, going to see the coaches and stuff. It was just great to see everybody."

And as the Predators get ready for the offseason, and the Knights prepare for another quest through the postseason, Marchessault said he's being patient with himself in his new surroundings and looking forward to spending time with his wife and kids, but also preparing for the 2025-26 campaign after "the toughest mental health year" he's ever endured.

"I mean, all the change; you got to readjust to new teammates, new team, new organization," he said. "You got to readjust (to a new) system, you got to readjust a lot. Yeah, it's been more challenging mentally this year. But I've had slumps in the past with Vegas, too, and I'm just a guy that's hard on myself, so at the end of the day, I'm never satisfied, and I want to get over my slump as fast as possible.

"That's what I built my career off, is taking it one game at a time and helping my team win a hockey game and staying humble and all that. Right now, I'm definitely getting a humbling process. Maybe it's just a sit-back year to get healthy mentally and physically, get ready to go again, and there's no doubt in my mind I'll be back on top of my game again."

The St. Louis Blues enter their penultimate game of the 2024-25 season still unclear yet whether their season will extend beyond Tuesday or not.

Things became quite clear on Saturday after the Calgary Flames once again decided they aren't going any where in this Western Conference wild card race after a 4-2 win against the Minnesota Wild on Friday.

So the scenario is that the Blues (43-30-7), who face the Seattle Kraken (34-40-6) in their final road game of the season, the place where they opened the season Oct. 8 and won 3-2, are tied with the Wild with identical records and identical points (93). Each has played 80 games and each plays on Saturday.

The Wild currently hold the tiebreaker edge on the Blues with regulation wins (33-31) and if the season were to end on Saturday, would hold the first wild card while the Blues hold the second.

Meanwhile, the Flames (38-27-14) have three games remaining, a game in hand on each the Blues and Wild, could play spoiler in this if they continue to win their games.

While the Blues are playing the Kraken, the Wild will be facing the Vancouver Canucks at the same time; the Flames host the San Jose Sharks on Sunday and finish their season Thursday, two days after the Blues and Wild conclude theirs.

If the Blues win out, and the Wild slip up anywhere, they could get the first wild card and face the Vegas Golden Knights. Whoever finishes in the second wild card will get the Winnipeg Jets, who ended the Blues' franchise-record 12-game winning streak on Monday.

The Blues have followed up that 12-game winning streak with two straight losses, including Wednesday's 4-3 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers when Edmonton scored with 20.7 seconds remaining in regulation to steal what could be at least one precious point for St. Louis, which has to regroup and forge on trying to secure that first playoff spot since 2021-22.

- - -

One bit of good news on the injury front for the Blues is defenseman Colton Parayko, who has been out since March 5 after injuring his left knee and needing a scope.

Hearing that Tuesday's season finale, at home against Utah Hockey Club, if all goes well and there aren't any sudden setbacks, is when Parayko will get back into the lineup.

However, the Blues announced that defenseman Philip Broberg returned to St. Louis due to a personal matter and will be unavailable for this game, and Matthew Kessel will jump into the lineup.

Aan updated lineup will be available in pregame warmups.

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jordan Kyrou

Jake Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Jimmy Snuggerud

Mathieu Joseph-Oskar Sundqvist-Zack Bolduc

Alexey Toropchenko-Radek Faksa-Nathan Walker

Cam Fowler-Nick Leddy

Ryan Suter-Justin Faulk

Tyler Tucker-Matthew Kessel

Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Philip Broberg (personal) and Dalibor Dvorsky. Colton Parayko (knee), Dylan Holloway (lower body) and Alexandre Texier (upper body) are out. Torey Krug (ankle) is out for the season.

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Kraken Projected Lineup:

Jaden Schwartz-Chandler Stephenson-Jordan Eberle

Jared McCann-Shane Wright-Andre Burakovsky

Eeli Tolvanen-Matty Beniers-Kaapo Kakko

Michael Eyssimont-John Hayden-Ryan Winterton

Vince Dunn-Adam Larsson

Ryker Evans-Brandon Montour

Josh Mahura-Jamie Oleksiak

Philipp Grubauer will start in goal; Joey Daccord will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Cale Fleury and Tye Kartye. The Kraken report no injuries.

With the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs just around the corner and five Canadian teams currently holding postseason positions, the Leafs could be in line to match up against another team north of the border.

But for Steven Lorentz and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the bigger picture doesn’t matter. Their focus remains strictly in-house on winning the Atlantic Division and setting themselves up for success.

"I know people want to see another Canadian team in the playoffs, but we don't care about another Canadian team in the playoffs,” Lorentz said following Saturday’s optional skate at Scotiabank Arena. “We care about our team, and that's it... It's our job to not let that happen."

Steven Lorentz, beauty: "I know people want to see another Canadian team in the playoffs, but we don't care about another Canadian team in the playoffs. We care about our team, and that's it.... It's our job to not let that happen."

— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) April 12, 2025

The Leafs are set to host the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, with both teams looking to earn points in a tight race in the Eastern Conference. As it stands, the Ottawa Senators, who defeated the Canadiens on Friday night, 5-2, are slotted into the first wild-card spot as the Canadiens trail by five points sitting in WC2. The Canadiens, however, can clinch a playoff spot with a regulation win on Saturday in Toronto.

As Lorentz, a native of Waterloo, Ont., native mentioned, it’s the Leafs’ job to not let that happen. Ahead of the game, Lorentz, who grew up a Maple Leafs fan, said there is an added “flair” to these types of games.

“Well, I mean, I've lived it my whole life, but now that I've been able to partake in it a little bit, it's special,” he said. “I think it's a privilege every time we get to play against these guys. There's always that extra flair. There's a little bit more to those games. You can obviously tell. There's just a little bit more intensity and a little bit more of that – you take things a little bit more personally against guys or teams like this. Ottawa, the same thing when it's nice and close to home like this. There's always a little bit more at stake.”

As of Saturday morning, five Canadian teams – the Leafs, Canadiens, Senators, Jets, and Oilers – sit in playoff spots with a maximum of four games left in the regular season. It’s a Canadian storyline at the moment, particularly given that no team from the country has hoisted the Stanley Cup since the Canadiens did it in 1993. But for a Leafs team chasing the Atlantic Division title and in search of a deep postseason run of their own, they are paying attention – yet keeping everything internal – as Lorentz attested to Wednesday.

“Yeah, we're paying attention,” Lorentz admitted. “I didn't really watch a whole lot of it. I saw the start that Ottawa got off to. I think I watched a bit in the first period. But after that, I don't even know what happened or how it really finished,” he added, referring to Ottawa vs. Montreal on Friday. 

“Again, I've said it once, I've said it before, we're focused on what's going on in this locker room. It's definitely huge being able to clinch a top spot. But wherever we finish, we need to be able to be at the top of our game for a round of playoffs.”

‘I Want To Keep Everything Internal’: Why Maple Leafs' Steven Lorentz Didn’t Visit His Former Panthers Teammates In Return To FloridaToronto Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz is drawing the line in the sand ahead of the club’s clash with the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. 

Toronto, already locked into the postseason for a ninth consecutive year, is aiming to finish strong and secure the best possible matchup. 

The only team they're concerned about is their own.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have their final home game of the season on Saturday night. They will take on the Central Division-leading Winnipeg Jets to close things out for the year. The Jets, who have the inside track on the NHL's Presidents' Trophy, are always a tough challenge. 

This is more than just the last home game for the Blackhawks. It will be the final game in the wonderful career of Patrick Maroon. 

Maroon will skate in his 848th career game and 68th with the Blackhawks. He also spent time with the Anaheim Ducks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, and Boston Bruins. 

The man known as "The Big Rig" made an impact on all of those teams in different ways. For Chicago, it was about being a great leader for a group of young kids. 

During the 2024-25 season, Maroon was wonderful for everyone. There are countless ways he helped the less experienced players, but one memory will always stick out.

That is when he took Lukas Reichel with him to St. Louis to be with his family for the holidays, when Reichel had nowhere else to go. Gestures like that are what made Maroon as special a person off the ice as he was on the ice. 

Maroon was named as the Blackhawks' nominee for the Masterton Trophy for his work this year. This award is presented annually to the player who most demonstrates perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. 

Throughout his NHL career, Maroon was a scrappy fighter who made the bottom-six forward group of his team better. He also scored over 100 goals and had over 300 points. This included a 27-goal season when he was a member of the Oilers in 2016-17. 

When Maroon was with his hometown St. Louis Blues, he scored an overtime winning goal in game seven of the second round against the Dallas Stars. Eventually, they won the Stanley Cup. 

Maroon followed that up by winning the Stanley Cup in each of the next two years to make it three in a row. These came as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning as they went back-to-back. 

Maroon won't travel with the Blackhawks as they close out the year in Montreal and Ottawa. He is going to end his career right where he made his NHL debut, the United Center. Where it started as a member of the Anaheim Ducks, it will end as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. 

Chicago is sure to send Maroon out feeling good about himself. He's been a good warrior at every stop, which made him a fan favorite in just about every city he's played. 

From being drafted in the 2007 NHL Draft to not being a full-time NHL player until the 2013-14 season, tons of AHL time in between, and eventually becoming a three-time Stanley Cup champion, there is no doubting Maroon's love for the game. He is proof that a little bit of dedication and hard work can get you to where you want to go.

This won't be the last we see of Maroon in the coming years. Whether it is in media or as a part of an organization in hockey ops, he will be around. For now, he will be celebrated in his final game of a memorable career. 

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

After arriving in Toronto on Thursday night, Ivan Demidov was given a day to rest on Friday. He waited for his Montreal Canadiens teammates to join him after their game against the Ottawa Senators. While the Habs were in Ottawa, Demidov and his girlfriend did what every hockey-obsessed person does in their first time in Maple Leafs’ land: they visited the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Canadiens: Demidov Has Landed And May Be Perfect For St-Louis
Canadiens Have Another Opportunity To Punch Their Playoff Ticket
Three Takeaways From A Missed Opportunity

On Saturday morning, though, it was time to get to work for the Russian wonder. The Canadiens didn’t have a proper morning skate, which made sense since they will be playing the second part of a back-to-back tonight, but there was an optional skate, which is when Demidov skated for the first time in full Canadiens gear.

He got on the ice with Joshua Roy, Arber Xhekaj, and Emil Heineman, which likely means that none of them will be inserted in the lineup for the duel with the Maple Leafs, despite the 5-2 loss in Ottawa.

Demidov as he enters the ice as a member of the Montreal Canadiens for the first time, welcomed by Arber Xhekaj #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/eyQ2Q8M26g

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) April 12, 2025

As for Demidov, Martin St-Louis already confirmed on Friday that he wouldn’t be making his debut in Toronto. This means that he’ll likely get to play on Monday night as the Canadiens welcome the Chicago Blackhawks to the Bell Centre.

Giving him a bit of action before the playoffs start, which the Canadiens now have a 98% chance of making, according to Moneypuck. I win in regulation against the Toronto Maple Leafs would make that a certainty and would be a welcome development, which could allow the coach to rest some of his older or injured players before entering the Spring dance.

Demidov in his first practice with the Canadiens, it was only an optional so there weren’t many players there #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/mxhtRqrjPM

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) April 12, 2025

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Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube has not decided if he will use a forward on defense as the club dresses an undermanned lineup against the Montreal Canadiens and Scotiabank Arena on Saturday. However, he did say it was a possibility.

"I don't have a lot of guys with experience that have played back there other than Mitch (Marner)," Berube said following the club's optional morning skate.

The Maple Leafs will be forced to dress only five defensemen due to a combination of injuries and a lack of salary cap space. With a long-term injured reserve exception not possible due to how late injuries to Jake McCabe and Oliver Ekman-Larsson occurred and with no salary cap space, Toronto has to play one game short before they are allowed a call-up exception under article 50.10 of the NHL's collective bargaining agreement.

Why The Maple Leafs Will Dress 5 Defensemen Against The Canadiens On SaturdayThe Toronto Maple Leafs will likely dress one player short when they host the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.

Marner is the obviously choice to play some minutes on defense given, that the player occupies the role on the club's top power-play unit.

 "I heard he's played it a couple of times throughout and looked pretty good. So, yeah, I think he would be the pick," Maple Leafs forward Scott Laughton said.

During the club's pre-game meeting there appears to be no shortage of volunteers that would move up to play on the back end.

"It seems like they want to play D," Steven Lorentz revealed. " I've played some D in my career too over the years, just trying to, again, fill in at times. And I think I've been exposed a few times, so hopefully I'm not back there for too long. But, no, if that were to come up, then I'd feel comfortable doing that. But there are a few guys that are more incapable of filling in for a few shifts, I think."

Marner is the only player who played in NHL games on defense via a true experiment.

Following the training camp discussions ahead of the 2022-23 NHL season, then-head coach Sheldon Keefe he had indeed used Marner on defense late in games when the team was chasing a lead.

While Marner did help on the offensive end of things, there was one instance when Marner lost a one-on-one battle with New Jersey Devils forward Nico Hischier, resulting in a quality scoring chance against.

He stated that Marner "delivered as good of a scoring chance and puck delivery to the net as we had all period" and that his puck touches were crucial in breaking out of the defensive zone. Keefe explicitly noted, "He's not out there to defend; he's out there to spark our offense". While acknowledging a defensive breakdown occurred on Marner's shift (a one-on-one against Nico Hischier). Keefe attributed it mistake more to a lack of backchecking support from the other forwards rather than Marner's individual defending. 

On Feb. 29, 2024, veteran defenseman Mark Giordano suffered an injury, leaving the Maple Leafs with only five defensemen. To manage the workload, Marner was called upon to take shifts on the blueline. Keefe revealed post-game that the possibility of using Marner on defense had been discussed before Giordano's injury. The Leafs had dressed a lineup with six left-shot defensemen due to Timothy Liljegren being out, creating an imbalance. The pre-game consideration involved using Marner, a right shot, to provide a different look on the back end even before the injury forced their hand.

The Leafs quickly rectified this by acquiring right-handed defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin ahead of the trade deadline.

Report: Maple Leafs to Re-Acquire Defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin From Ducks For Draft PicksAccording to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Leafs are acquiring the Russian defenseman with 75 percent of his salary cap hit retained in exchange for third and sixth-round draft picks.

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