The Anaheim Ducks announced on Wednesday that the Ducks’ chapter of the PHWA has nominated goaltender Ville Husso for the 2025-26 Bill Masterton Trophy. The Masterton is annually awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

The winner will be selected at the end of the 2025-26 by all 32 chapters of the PHWA.

“It’s a couple of injuries a couple of years ago, and it took me a while to feel good and feel confident in net again,” Husso said on his journey to this nomination. “Ever since I came here, in Anaheim and San Diego, it’s been good stuff, and just trying to enjoy it.

“The hockey goes fast. Seasons go fast. So, just try to enjoy every day, every moment, and just have fun.”

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-0 Loss to the Predators

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-3 Loss to the Flames

Husso (31) was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings ahead of the 2024-25 NHL trade deadline, on Feb. 25, in exchange for future considerations. He had the remainder of the season on his contract and was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025.

He was brought in as a veteran third-string option for the Ducks who could receive NHL minutes, which was necessary down the stretch last season, given John Gibson’s nagging ailments at the time.

General manager Pat Verbeek and the Ducks’ front office were impressed enough with his performance that they signed Husso to a two-year contract extension with a $2.2 million cap hit.

“It’s very nice to be a part of the Ducks right now, and we’re in a good spot as a team too,” Husso said. “The team is going in the right direction and playing meaningful games this time of year. It’s what you want as a hockey player.”

Husso had a breakout season with the St. Louis Blues in 2021-22, ending the season with a 25-7-6 record, a .919 SV%, and three shutouts. That offseason, his signing rights were traded to the Detroit Red Wings for a third-round pick. He assumed the role as Detroit’s apparent starter of the future, and they signed him to a three-year contract with a $4.75 million AAV.

In his first season with Detroit, he started 56 games, notched a 26-22-7 record, an .896 SV%, and four shutouts. In his next two seasons in Detroit, he dealt with injuries, unfavorable results, and was eventually passed on the Red Wings depth chart by goaltenders like Alex Lyon, James Reimer, and Cam Talbot.

He started the 2024-25 season on waivers, went unclaimed, and was eventually traded to the Ducks’ organization. His Detroit tenure ended with 84 games played, a .892 SV%, and four shutouts.

Husso’s game was reinvigorated after his trade in late Feb. 2025, both with the San Diego Gulls in the AHL and Anaheim Ducks in the NHL. To finish his campaign, Husso played nine games with the Gulls, posting a 7-2-0 record, a .907 SV%, and two shutouts.

He was recalled to Anaheim on two occasions last season, and finished with a 1-1-1 record in four games and a stellar .925 SV%.

He began the 2025-26 season in the AHL, where he was excellent again and was recalled to Anaheim for good when it was announced that then-backup Petr Mrazek would be unavailable for the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury.

This year, in one of the NHL’s worst on-ice environments for goaltenders, the Ducks’ tandem of Lukas Dostal and Husso backing him up has been a stabilizing presence and is one of the more significant factors to their rise to playoff contention in 2025-26.

“The guys have been very nice here, and it’s nice to be a part of this group,” Husso continued. “A guy like Dosty, following him every day, makes you even five percent better, too. Very nice to be part of this organization and team.”

With four games remaining on the Ducks’ schedule, Husso, thus far, has started 18 games, made 19 appearances, notched a 9-8-2 record, an .887 SV%, and has saved -.87 goals above expected.

Though the numbers are unspectacular, Husso grabbed hold of an opportunity in Dec, when Dostal was sidelined with an upper-body injury, offering a steadying performance at a time when the Ducks’ season could have been derailed.

When he’s in net, he does all one can ask of a backup goaltender: he makes the saves he has to and gives the team in front of him a chance to win. He’s not the most athletic goalie in the NHL, nor is he the best game manager. However, his knowledge of his angles, puck tracking, and decision-making on when to challenge or make an aggressive effort shines when he’s in net.

Husso has one more year on his contract with Anaheim that carries a $2.2 million cap hit, and will likely remain Dostal’s backup for the 2026-27 season.

Ducks Recall Tyson Hinds to NHL, Assign Lucas Pettersson, Damian Clara to AHL

Takeaways from the Ducks 6-2 Loss to the Blues

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Loss to the Sharks

Matthew Schaefer’s march toward history keeps on rolling.

Schaefer scored his 23rd goal of the season Thursday to tie Brian Leetch’s single-season record for a rookie defenseman, giving the Islanders a 3-2 lead they never relinquished in an eventual 5-3 win over the Maple Leafs.

“You don’t really think about that stuff much, but when it gets brought up, it’s crazy to think [about],” Schaefer said. “It’s definitely an honor to see some of those guys and what they’ve done. I don’t really worry about that. We just gotta worry about the games and winning games.”

Schaefer had been on something of a scoring drought, with his last goal back on March 21, though he did have seven assists in the seven games since then.

The UBS Arena crowd chanted Schaefer’s name for a few minutes straight after his goal Thursday, and the scoreboard acknowledged that he’d tied Leetch’s record.

Schaefer waved to the crowd and smiled despite himself.

“How can you not smile when you have the best fans in the league chanting your name?” Schaefer said. “It’s a team game and they’re always behind us every step of the way.”

Mathew Barzal firmly denied a report that the Islanders had grown tired of hearing Patrick Roy talk about his Stanley Cup titles in the run-up to Roy’s firing on Saturday.

“That couldn’t be more untrue,” Barzal said before the Islanders faced Toronto on Thursday. “If anything, I loved hearing the stories, and us as a group loved hearing stories about the teams he [played on] that won the Cup. Especially his [1986] team in Montreal, he’d always bring up how they were an underdog all year. That kind of stuff fueled us.

“So that report, it’s completely ridiculous.”

Insider Frank Seravalli said on his “Frankly Hockey” podcast that he’d heard the sentiment from Islanders players.

“There’s so much talk about his Stanley Cups and the Stanley Cups he won,” Seravalli said Wednesday. “Players are really tired about hearing that. It’s a great relic to hang onto, and it’s a nice flex to have on your résumé, but you haven’t won as a coach. And you’re not a goaltender anymore, even though you’re in the Hall of Fame. You’re just a head coach and you have to be able to park that. Players told me they were tired of hearing that from Patrick Roy.”

Tony DeAngelo returned from a lower-body injury that had kept him out six games, skating 20:33 and recording two assists.

“It was a good game to come back for,” DeAngelo said.

Isaiah George came out of the lineup as a healthy scratch to accommodate DeAngelo, with the defense pairs resetting to the same configuration that had been constant prior to the injury.

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche have once again positioned themselves atop the NHL hierarchy, securing the Presidents’ Trophy with a composed and clinical 3–1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night at Ball Arena.

In a performance that reflected both depth and star power, Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas each had a goal and two assists. For MacKinnon, it was his 52nd goal of the season, which marked a new career-high. Gabriel Landeskog also added a tally of his own. Mackenzie Blackwood bounced back with a great performance tonight with 28 saves on 29 shots.

The result not only capped off another elite regular season in Denver but formally clinched home-ice advantage throughout the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs, which are tentatively set to begin April 18.

This marks the fourth time in franchise history that Colorado has captured the Presidents’ Trophy, further cementing its status as one of the league’s premier organizations across multiple eras. Their first came in 1996–97, a season that followed their inaugural Stanley Cup triumph, though it ultimately ended in a Western Conference Final exit.

The most iconic instance arrived in 2000–01, when the Avalanche converted regular-season dominance into a championship run, highlighted by Ray Bourque lifting the Stanley Cup in his final NHL game—an enduring image in hockey history.

More recently, Colorado claimed the award in 2020–21, only to fall short of expectations in the second round against a Vegas Golden Knights squad coached by Pete DeBoer.

This year’s group, however, appears more complete—blending experience, health, and high-end talent at a level that suggests unfinished business. The Presidents’ Trophy may symbolize regular-season excellence, but for a team with championship aspirations, it is merely a prelude.

Tyson Gross scored the lone goal for the Flames and it was a big one as it was his first career NHL goal. Dustin Wolf made 38 stops.

First Period

Colorado wasted no time generating quality scoring chances. Brett Kulak orchestrated a deflection in front of the net, forcing Wolf into a quick reaction save.

Gabe Landeskog narrowly missed putting one on the board, coming within inches of a goal, while Brock Nelson hammered a shot off the far right post.

Nathan MacKinnon set the tone early with his aggressive play. After losing the puck to Calgary’s Yegor Sharangovich, MacKinnon immediately hustled back, crushing Sharangovich against the boards on the backcheck.

The Avalanche earned their first power play with 1:23 left in the period when John Beecher was penalized for hooking. The game to this point was a fast-paced, back-and-forth battle—quite the contrast to the teams’ previous meeting. Colorado edged Calgary in shots, 11-9.

The Avalanche capitalized on the man advantage with just 1:16 left in the first. MacKinnon threaded a pass to Landeskog, who ripped a one-timer into a wide-open net by the far right post to give Colorado a 1-0 lead.

Colorado carried that momentum and the lead into the intermission, aiming to secure the President’s Trophy with a victory.  

Second Period

MacKinnon was penalized at 4:33 for slashing Zach Whitecloud while simultaneously colliding with Artturi Lehkonen in the process. Both players were okay. However, the penalty kill only lasted 13 seconds as Parker Kelly and Jack Drury each had quality opportunities at punching in a shorthanded goal. However, Matt Coronato slashed Drury to create some 4-on-4 action.

Some silky mitts on display here by Martin Necas! 🧤 pic.twitter.com/QqvxEo39Zl

— NHL (@NHL) April 10, 2026

Necas potted his 38th goal of the season with just over five minutes to go in the period when he took a pass from MacKinnon, closed in on Wolf, and deked him out of his pants before snapping a top shelf wrister to give the Avalanche a 2-0 lead.

The Colorado Avalanche are one period away from claiming the Presidents Trophy for the fourth time in franchise history.#goavsgo@thehockeynews#flames

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) April 10, 2026

And at the end of 40 minutes, the Avalanche were just one period away from claiming the Presidents Trophy.

Third Period

Tyson Gross scored for the Flames with 2:52 left in regulation. About a minute later, Gross, who signed an entry-level deal with the Flames on March 12, found the net again. However, the goal was overturned on an offside challenge.

MacKinnon finished it off with an empty-net goal with 55 seconds left to complete the 3-1 win. 

MONTREAL (AP) — Cole Caufield is the first Montreal Canadiens player to score 50 goals in a season in more than three decades.

Caufield scored his 50th against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night to hit the mark last reached by Stephane Richer in 1990, 35 seasons ago.

"Whenever he has a chance to shoot it, there’s a high chance it’s going in," captain Nick Suzuki said last week. “He’s just playing the right way, doing the right things and he’s getting rewarded for it.”

The 25-year-old from Wisconsin is the seventh player in franchise history to score 50 goals. Guy LaFleur did it six times, Richer twice and Maurice Richard, Steve Shutt, Bernie Geoffrion and Pierre Larouche once each.

Caufield is right there with Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon in the NHL goal-scoring race for the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. His 86 points in his first 77 games were already 16 clear of his previous career high, and his play is helping Montreal cruise into the playoffs.

“We’re focused on our team game and winning games, and I think individual stuff comes with that,” Caufield said, echoing a refrain from coach Martin St Louis, a Hall of Fame player. “But doing the right things, you get more chances and opportunities.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Colorado Avalanche extended their Frostbite winning streak with a 3–2 win in their latest NHL 26 simulation.

Goals from Gabe Landeskog, Josh Manson, and Martin Nečas powered Colorado, while Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 22 shots. Adam Klapka and Matt Coronato scored for Calgary.

To reiterate, this was not real. A video of the actual simulation is here.

First Period

Valeri Nichushkin stayed red hot early, skating end-to-end before circling the net and finding Manson for a one-timer from the top of the right circle to open the scoring at 3:54.

Connor Zary drove much of Calgary’s offense in the opening frame, generating multiple chances, but Blackwood held firm with a series of strong saves. He denied Zary with a blocker stop midway through the period, then flashed the glove moments later on a chance from John Beecher.

The Flames eventually broke through. After an offensive-zone faceoff win, Yegor Sharangovich tied up Brock Nelson, allowing Klapka to jump on a loose puck from the right wing. He fired a backhand on goal and buried his own rebound to tie the game.

After one period, the score was 1–1, with Calgary holding a 12–10 edge in shots.

Second Period

Colorado came out flying in the second, firing three quick shots to start the frame, but Calgary’s defense and goaltending held up.

The Avalanche took a hit at 2:57 when Sam Malinski blocked a shot and was forced to leave the game with an apparent injury, later ruled out for the remainder.

Parker Kelly was assessed a cross-checking penalty, giving Calgary its first power play, but Colorado’s penalty kill stood tall.

Blackwood delivered one of his best saves of the night shortly after, robbing Ryan Strome with a spectacular split save and blocker stop.

Despite Colorado outshooting Calgary 10–3 in the period, the game remained tied 1–1 heading into the third.

Third Period

Calgary grabbed the lead just 1:14 into the third when Coronato capitalized on a broken play. He held the puck patiently before beating Blackwood top shelf to make it 2–1.

Colorado responded after Yan Kuznetsov was sent to the box for holding. On the ensuing power play, Nečas finished off a setup from Nathan MacKinnon, who won a race to the boards and slipped a quick pass into the slot for the tying goal.

The Avalanche controlled much of the play down the stretch but struggled to break through—until the final moments.

With just 35 seconds remaining, Landeskog scored on the backhand to give Colorado a 3–2 lead, sealing the win.

P.S. 

Sam Malinski's character model on NHL 26 looks nothing like Sam Malinski at all. 

The Vancouver Canucks will be missing Evander Kane when they begin their three-game California road trip on Thursday. After morning skate, Head Coach Adam Foote confirmed that Kane did not make the trip and said, "He's going through some stuff. He's been fighting through it. Along with that, and us wanting to go with some young guys."

While Foote has mentioned a few times that Kane has been dealing with an injury, no specifics have been released. This includes what the injury is and when exactly Kane suffered it. Kane has missed three of the last four games for Vancouver and has skated in 71 of the team's 77 games this year. 

With Kane out for the road trip, the question now is whether or not he will play again this season. The Canucks have only five games left, with the final regular-season game scheduled for April 16. Kane is an unrestricted free agent this season and ranks sixth on Vancouver's roster with 31 points. 

The Canucks kick off their California road trip on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings. Thursday is a must-win game for the Kings, as they look to secure a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm PT. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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The Calgary Flames would more than likely prefer to forget what happened the last time they met the Colorado Avalanche.

The 9-2 final score painted the picture of a blowout loss, but a closer look reveals that the Avalanche scored five goals in the first five minutes of the game, so just calling it a blowout kind of comes up short.

Well, the theme of the regular season has been the revenge game, and Calgary has a chance to follow the rule and steal one from Colorado at Ball Arena.

Can they pull off the upset, or will the Avalanche once again be too much for the team from Cowtown?

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche have won the West and Central Division while still seeking the Presidents’ Trophy, but will their home-ice struggles come back to bite them yet again?

Colorado is 3-1-6 at home since returning from the Olympic break, which is kind of ironic, considering the Avalanche’s reward for regular-season success is home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Avalanche will be without Nazem Kadri, who left during the second period of Colorado’s victory over St. Louis. Just when they finally got to ice their full arsenal of forward talent.

Projected Lineup:

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Gabriel Landeskog — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton — Nicolas Roy — Joel Kiviranta
Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Logan O’Connor

Devon Toews — Sam Malinski
Brett Kulak — Josh Manson
Nick Blankenburg — Brent Burns

MacKenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Calgary Flames

The Flames still have problems scoring; in fact, Nazem Kadri’s 41 points (while in Calgary) would still be tied for the lead on the roster.

The Flames did test the Dallas Stars their last time out but fell 4-3 in OT. This does display a capability to steal one, and after what we saw from Colorado on home ice against Vancouver on April Fools Day, anything is possible.

Projected Lineup:

Yegor Sharangovich — Mikael Backlund — Matt Coronato
Joel Farabee — Morgan Frost — Matvei Gridin
Connor Zary — Ryan Strome — Aydar Suniev
Victor Olofsson — John Beecher — Adam Klapk

Yan Kuznetsov — Zach Whitecloud
Olli Maatta — Hunter Brzustewicz
Brayden Pachal — Zayne Parekh

Dustin Wolf
Devin Cooley

CHICAGO (AP) — Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield was scratched for Thursday night's game at Chicago because of an unspecified injury.

Chatfield took just two shifts in the third period of Tuesday night's 6-5 overtime victory over Boston. He has two goals and a career-high 15 assists in 71 games this season.

“You're always concerned when guys are missing,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “I hope it's not anything that's going to drag on, but put it this way, he's not 100 percent so he's not playing.”

The Hurricanes clinched the Metropolitan Division title with their win against the Bruins. They were on top of the Eastern Conference going into Thursday's action, two points ahead of the Buffalo Sabres.

Defenseman Jaccob Slavin and forwards Jordan Staal, Jordan Martinook, Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov also were scratched for the matchup with the Blackhawks. The reasons for their absences were undisclosed.

“We got a couple guys (that) got nicked up the other night," Brind’Amour said before the lineup was announced.

Defenseman Charles Alexis Legault and forwards Skyler Brind’Amour, Bradly Nadeau and Josiah Slavin were active one day after they were recalled from Carolina's American Hockey League affiliate.

Skyler Brind’Amour is the coach's son, and Slavin is the younger brother of Jaccob Slavin. Skyler Brind’Amour scored a goal in two games with the Hurricanes last April, and Josiah Slavin had an assist in 15 games with the Blackhawks during the 2021-22 season in his only previous NHL action.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Flyers have little go right in lopsided loss, but a key game goes their way originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers had a messy Thursday night in Detroit, one they’ll hope is just a blip on the radar and not a concerning sign of things to come.

Rick Tocchet’s club fell to the Red Wings, 6-3, at Little Caesars Arena.

Dan Vladar was pulled in the second period after Detroit scored its fourth goal.

Christian Dvorak, Porter Martone and Luke Glendening provided the Flyers’ goals.

For a sixth time this season, the Flyers (40-27-12) failed to win four games in a row. They haven’t won more than three straight in over two years. The last time they did it was Feb. 6-12 of the 2023-24 season.

With some help, though, the Flyers stayed in playoff position Thursday night (more on that below).

The Flyers dropped two of three games to the Red Wings (41-29-9) this season. After winning the first matchup, 5-3, in Detroit, the Flyers were outscored 10-5 over the final two meetings.

• With three games to go, the Flyers still hold the final playoff spot (third place) in the Metropolitan Division.

The Blue Jackets were blanked Thursday night by the Sabres, 5-0, so the Flyers remained two points ahead of Columbus. However, the Islanders beat the Maple Leafs, 5-3, to climb within one point of the Flyers.

The Flyers are three points up on the Capitals, who were not in action.

Tocchet’s club entered Thursday with a 66.7 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to Hockey-Reference.com’s probabilities report. That will drop Friday morning, but the Flyers do still control their destiny.

• Vladar finally had a subpar effort.

He had been lights out in the Flyers’ three-game win streak, giving up just three goals and recording a .954 save percentage.

Against the Red Wings, he surrendered four goals on eight shots. The Flyers didn’t help him at all. Three of the goals came on Detroit’s power play and the other came when the Flyers were on their power play.

The shorthanded goal ended Vladar’s night. Dylan Larkin scored on a breakaway after Tyson Foerster had a pass get blocked. It was the second goal of a hat trick for the Red Wings’ captain.

Martone, Matvei Michkov, Rasmus Ristolainen and Owen Tippett had penalties that hurt the Flyers.

Martone and Ristolainen were hit with ones that could have been evened out by Detroit penalties. At the end of the first period, Martone and Lucas Raymond were tied up and penalized. Ristolainen swooped in to defend Martone, but then became entangled with Larkin. However, only the Flyers’ defenseman was handed a penalty.

In the opening 1:50 minutes of the second period, a 1-1 game turned into a 3-1 deficit for the Flyers.

Moritz Seider took advantage of a 5-on-3 situation after Tippett was whistled for crashing into Red Wings netminder John Gibson. Larkin struck on the power play 1:18 minutes later with his first of the night.

Samuel Ersson denied 12 of 14 shots in relief. Larkin and Patrick Kane put the game away in the third period.

Gibson stopped 13 of the Flyers’ 15 shots before exiting with an undisclosed issue. One has to wonder if he was shaken up from Tippett’s interference penalty.

Cam Talbot took over in the second period when Detroit was up 4-2. He finished with 11 saves on 12 shots.

• Martone had an assist to go along with his goal, giving him six points through his first six games.

Dvorak matched his career high of 18 goals; he’s up to 50 points on the season. Trevor Zegras set a new career high of 66 points with an assist on Martone’s power play goal.

• The Flyers play their final road game of the season Saturday when they visit the Jets (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

Talk about the game with Pens fans here!

Drew Fortescue signing his three-year, entry-level contract in March has allowed the New York Rangers to see what they have in the young defenseman. 

After three seasons playing at Boston College, Fortescue decided to make the jump to professional hockey and immediately go from the NCAA to the NHL. 

Through seven games, Fortescue has seemed to adapt well to the NHL, impressing Mike Sullivan in the process. 

“I've been really impressed with his puck poise, his vision,” Sullivan said of Fortescue. “He keeps the play simple, but he's not just an off-the-glass-and-out guy. He's looking to go tape-to-tape. He has the composure and the confidence to find the middle play, say, on a breakout. He doesn't just play safe hockey. He plays smart hockey. He doesn't play reckless hockey. There's a difference between those three, and I like the fact that he's trying to play smart hockey.”

Through most of his time with the Rangers thus far, Fortescue has been paired alongside Braden Schneider. 

Sullivan believes that playing with a steady defenseman like Schneider benefits Fortescue, who is still finding his footing at the professional hockey level.

“Schneids is a bona fide, legit, solid NHL defenseman, who defends well,” Sullivan said. “He has good mobility. The lefty-righty combination is something that we liked. Schneids can help him as a stabilizing partner. Schneids is very predictable, you know where he is going to be, he’s in the right spots, those kinds of things, which I think is important for a young defenseman that is trying to find his way.” 

The 20-year-old defenseman has recorded two assists, while averaging 14:58 minutes per game.

During the stretch after Adam Fox first returned from long-term injured reserve following the Olympic break, head coach Mike Sullivan was controlled when asked about the Rangers’ star defenseman.

His production, Sullivan said March 18, was getting better. Fox, he added, was building his game again. The ceiling for a point-per-game, Norris Trophy-winning member of the blue line had already been established, but Sullivan acknowledged it would take time for Fox to return to that point due to his extended absences this season.

But Wednesday night, from the bowels of the Garden during his postgame press conference, Sullivan didn’t hesitate when asked about Fox, who’d just recorded a multipoint game for the third consecutive match. His goal and assist against the Sabres gave Fox 15 points in his past eight games, 24 in his past 22 and 52 in the 52 contests he has skated in this season.

“Well, I think he’s captured his game that he started the season with,” Sullivan said.

There’s no question the Rangers are a better team with Fox in the lineup, but with the offseason lingering after a three-game road trip to close the season, the future of the defenseman remains one of their most pressing questions. His cryptic comments from late February, when asked about whether he wants to remain with the Blueshirts through their retool, still loom. And that remains their dilemma: Fox, in the most injury-plagued season of his career, has once again shown his peak value, but what happens if he wants out?

“When you miss a stretch of time, it could take a little bit,” Fox said after Wednesday’s game when asked about his eight-game point streak, “but I think over the last month or so, I feel really good about my game.”

The uncertainty with Fox stemmed from an answer following the Rangers’ Feb. 26 game against the Flyers when, after another loss in his first game back from injury, Fox fielded a question about his thoughts on The Letter 2.0 — which president and general manager Chris Drury dropped during his time on long-term injured reserve.

Fox said he felt “a little helpless” after seeing the public commitment for a retool, but when asked if he wanted to remain with the Rangers through this next stage, Fox, in part, said, “I think that’s a conversation when we’re done playing games.”

In a normal Rangers season, there wouldn’t even be a doubt about Fox’s future with the team. He’s a Long Island native who never masked his desires — or dreams — to play on Broadway. He’s a defenseman regarded as one of the top power-play quarterbacks in the league. His contract lasts through the end of the 2028-29 season, and the Blueshirts’ top priority last offseason involved signing left-handed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to pair with Fox.

And the benefits of having Fox in the lineup have once again become apparent. The Rangers have collected the most power-play goals in the NHL since Feb. 28 (20) — a stretch beginning the game after Fox returned — and are tied for the league lead in power-play percentage (33.3) since that juncture, according to the team. They have the No. 3 power play this year after watching their constant strength crater to the No. 28-ranked unit in 2024-25.

“He obviously is an elite player offensively,” Sullivan said of Fox. “He sees it so well. The poise he has with the puck. He drives offense in so many ways.”

The Rangers didn’t have that luxury for a chunk of their season. Fox skated in just three games between Nov. 29 and Feb. 26, with a pair of stints on long-term injured reserve surrounding the midseason break — the Olympics that Fox wasn’t selected to participate in for Team USA — to create the prolonged absence. He’d never played in fewer than 70 games across a full 82-game campaign. This year, if he appears in all of the Rangers’ remaining games, he’ll log just 55.

But after recording just 61 points in 74 games last season, Fox has again matched the production level that made him an annual part of the Norris conversation. If there were concerns about injuries contributing to a production drop-off, he eliminated those worries. The Rangers, though, still need to figure out if they can depend on it for next season.

Even a vintage production tear from Fox isn’t enough to change that reality.

The Florida Panthers could very easily lose a pair of their assistant GMs this off-season, and that process is already beginning.

On Thursday, the Panthers granted the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New Jersey Devils permission to speak to assistant GM Sunny Mehta, according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. 

On Saturday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Mehta would be a major factor in the Maple Leafs’ GM search, given his background and current involvement in the Panthers’ analytics department. 

MLSE CEO Keith Pelley felt the Maple Leafs were underutilizing their resources. With Mehta’s success with analytics, he could likely be considered a favorite to land the Maple Leafs job. 

But in came the Devils, who fired their GM, Tom Fitzgerald, on Monday. Mehta received his first NHL gig with the Devils, where he worked as an analyst for four years, from 2014-18. 

In addition to Mehta, Lebrun mentions Brett Peterson, who has been involved in interviews for the Nashville Predators vacancy. LeBrun wonders whether the Maple Leafs and Devils will approach Peterson as part of their process, but at the moment, they haven’t. 

Panthers Assistant GMs Reportedly Garnering Plenty Of Interest Around The NHLThe Nashville Predators and the Toronto Maple Leafs have emerged as teams that could sweep away Florida Panthers assistant GMs Brett Peterson and Sunny Mehta.

With the Panthers’ recent success, it’s no surprise that teams around the NHL want to pry the Panthers’ management group away. 

If the Panthers lose both Mehta and Peterson, they’ll need to look for assistant GMs to join Bill Zito and Gregory Campbell’s staff. 

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Sabres goalie Alex Lyon could miss the start of the playoffs due to a strained lower-body muscle.

Coach Lindy Ruff provided the update on Thursday, a day after Lyon was hurt during the team's pre-game skate ahead of Buffalo's 5-3 win at the New York Rangers. Ruff said the initial prognosis is the goalie missing a week, while adding there is a chance he won't be available for the start of the playoffs, which are scheduled to open April 18-19.

The Sabres, who host Columbus on Thursday night, are contending for the Atlantic Division title after clinching their first playoff berth in 15 seasons.

The 33-year-old Lyon has gone 20-10-4 in his first season in Buffalo while sharing the starting duties with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Buffalo is carrying a third goalie, Colten Ellis, who was scheduled to face Columbus in his first start since a 31-save outing in a 4-3 overtime loss at Tampa Bay on Feb. 3.

Ellis entered the day with a 7-4-1 record, and would serve as Luukkonen's backup while Lyon is sidelined.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Carolina Hurricanes have just four games left to play on their 2025-26 regular season schedule and with their division and playoff spot already locked up, it seems like certain guys will start getting a bit of rest.

The Hurricanes made four AHL callups on Wednesday, recalling forwards Bradly Nadeau, Skyler Brind'Amour, Josiah Slavin and defenseman Charles Alexis Legault from the Chicago Wolves.

Every team is allowed to make just five non-emergency, AHL callups following the trade deadline and with one already burned a few weeks ago in Montreal, Carolina was only able to recall these four players.

Nadeau and Legault have already seen NHL action this season, with both playing in eight games, but neither Brind'Amour nor Slavin have been recalled this year.

Brind'Amour made his NHL debut last season, scoring his first NHL goal in Montreal. Slavin has played in the NHL before, but that was back in 2022, appearing in 15 games for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Nadeau led the Wolves in goals again this season, scoring 26 goals along with 27 assists, in 51 games.

Brind'Amour was third on the team in goals (16 goals, 34 points in 66 games) and Slavin, who captained the Wolves this year, had six goals and 25 points in 66 games.

Legault had three goals and seven points in 22 games with the Wolves and saw limited action due to a hand injury he suffered while up with Carolina.

There's no confirmation yet on who will come out of the lineup, but the Hurricanes have plenty of bodies to throw in to give some of their top guys rest. 

We've already seen Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook get a game off earlier in the week, so look to them to perhaps draw out.

Jalen Chatfield was also injured on Tuesday so I wouldn't expect him to play and we may also see Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis sitting as well due to their importance to the team.

But again, we'll just have to wait and see.

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