Jesper Wallstedt is giving the playoff-bound Wild a boost in goal, no matter how his name is spelled
Apr 14, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (30) defends the net against the Anaheim Ducks in the third period at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Matt Blewett/Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Jesper Wallstedt let in a goal on a power play against the Minnesota Wild in the first period, looked up at the scoreboard to quickly analyze the replay, and realized something wasn’t right.
The name on the back of his green jersey was misspelled: W-a-l-l-s-t-e-a-d.
“An April Fool’s joke,” Wallstedt said after beating the Anaheim Ducks, “but a little late.”
So he’s sure this was a classic rookie prank and not an honest manufacturing mistake?
“Yeah, 100%. I don’t know exactly who it is, but obviously I have a feeling of who it could be,” said Wallstedt, suggesting fellow goalie Filip Gustavsson was the culprit.
When Marc-Andre Fleury retired last spring, he left behind quite the legacy as a prankster. Though Fleury turned over the net to Gustavsson and Wallstedt on the ice, the 41-year-old with the second-most wins in NHL history has stayed around the team this season as a practice goalie and with an informal front office role as a player development advisor.
Was it possible Fleury found his way in on the joke too?
“Oh, I didn’t think that Flower could be involved,” Wallstedt said. “Then I definitely think it’s a team job. Well done for them. Yeah, I’d rather take it that way than having my car on cinder blocks or something. I’d rather have my name a little misspelled.”
For the record, Wallstedt had his proper spelling restored for the second period. He had 34 saves in the 3-2 win over the Ducks and finished his rookie season 18-9-6 with the NHL’s second-best save percentage (.915).
“I hope they threw that nameplate away,” Wallstedt said. “I have no idea where it went.”
Since starting his career 8-0-2 with four shutouts, Wallstedt has continued to give the Wild confidence in their tandem of Swedish Olympians — and a decision to make with the playoffs approaching.
Gustavsson has more experience and enjoyed plenty of strong stretches this season, but he’s only 2-4 in his last six starts with 25 goals allowed. Wallstedt might have forced his way into some type of rotation in the first-round series against the Dallas Stars.
“I like the way I’ve been playing lately, especially after the Olympics. I thought I was in a good spot going into the Olympics, too,” Wallstedt said. “Obviously I was a little bit bummed that I didn’t get to play anything there, and maybe that gave some extra motivation for the games after. And ever since, I’ve felt like I’ve been in a good spot and given our team a good chance to win.”
Chants of ‘1 more year’ follow Alex Ovechkin off the ice as retirement decision looms
Apr 14, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) salutes the fans as he leaves the ice after the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images
Russell LaBounty/Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Alex Ovechkin hasn’t decided if his final NHL game already happened.
If it did, the Russian superstar made sure he got on the scoresheet.
Ovechkin assisted on Jakob Chychrun’s go-ahead goal during the third period of the Washington Capitals’ 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“It’s pretty cool. We tried to win, and we tried to finish the season on a good note,” he said.
Ovechkin — who led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup in 2018 — is in the final season of his contract. He has continued to reiterate that he will take some time to ponder if he will retire after 21 seasons and 1,573 regular-season games.
“I’m going to stay a little bit in D.C. I don’t know when we’re going to fly (back to Russia). ... I’ll talk with Carbs (coach Spencer Carbery), CP (general manager Chris Patrick), my family and go from there,” Ovechkin said during his 3-minute postgame remarks.
A large contingent of Capitals fans made the trip to Columbus and chanted “One more year” and “Ovi! Ovi!” during the final minute. He also got a standing ovation as he left the ice.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. The fans who came here from D.C. and different spots to watch the game which was very nice,” Ovechkin said. “I could hear them cheering for me and screaming one more year.”
Ovechkin was on the ice for final 1:49 after the Blue Jackets pulled their goalie. His teammates tried to get him the puck for one final goal, but he was unable to control the puck when he had a clean look at the empty net.
“I wanted him maybe if this is it, to ice it with one more empty net. He had a good look at it. The puck just was rolling,” Carbery said.
If Ovechkin’s final game was against the Blue Jackets, it would be fitting. His NHL debut came on Oct. 5, 2005, against Columbus where he scored the first two of his record-setting 929 goals.
Washington got its third power play after Columbus’ Miles Wood was sent off for high sticking at 14:06 of the third period. Ovechkin had a couple chances for his favorite spot inside the left faceoff circle, but Blue Jackets’ goaltender Jet Greaves was able to make a great save on the first attempt.
The Capitals took the lead with 4:07 remaining on Chychrun’s shot from the slot. Ovechkin got the second assist, his 32nd of the season.
“It’s an honor. I think we all are trying to soak up everything we can all the time we have with him. We don’t know what’s in store, but it’s special to have these memories with him,” Chychrun said. “We all know what he does out there on the ice, but getting to know him off the ice has been even more special.”
On his opening shift, Ovechkin became the fifth player age 40 or older in NHL history to play in all 82 regular-season games. The last person to do it was Jaromir Jagr with the Florida Panthers in 2016-17. The others were Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom (2010-11), Anaheim’s Teemu Selanne (2011-12) and Tampa Bay’s Dave Andreychuk (2003-04). Jagr also did it with the New Jersey Devils in 2013-14.
It was the fifth time in 21 seasons Ovechkin has not missed a regular-season game.
Ovechkin led the Capitals this season with 32 goals and 64 points. He ended the season with a point in three straight games with one goal and two assists.
Washington finished two points shy of a playoff spot, the fifth time it has failed to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs since Ovechkin was the top pick in 2004.
For those hoping Ovechkin goes at least one more year, he did leave a glimmer of hope.
“I hope it’s not my last game. I don’t know how exactly it’s going to happen, so we’ll see,” he said.
Alex Ovechkin weighs NHL retirement: 'Hope it's not my last game'
Alex Ovechkin's 21st NHL season ended on Tuesday, April 14, when the Washington Capitals were officially eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs. Now, all anyone wants to know is whether this will be the end to Ovechkin's NHL career.
Immediately after Tuesday's regular season finale, the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer sounded open to scoring more goals and coming back for a 22nd season.
"I hope it’s not my last game," Ovechkin told reporters after the Capitals' 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, April 14.
Ovechkin, 40, reiterated his ultimate decision to continue playing in the NHL will occur this offseason, beginning with meetings after the season with coach Spencer Carbury, the Capitals' front office and owner Ted Leonsis. Ovechkin just completed the final season of a five-year, $47.5-million contract that he signed in 2021.
He told former Capitals teammate, T.J. Oshie during an ESPN interview before Tuesday's game, "It's going to be not an easy decision. Sometimes you want it, sometimes you don't."
This is the first time since 2023, and just the fifth time in Ovechkin's career, that the Capitals did not qualify for the NHL's postseason. Though Tuesday's finale had no playoff implications by the time the puck was dropped, Capitals fans in attendance in Columbus, Ohio in case it was Ovechkin's final game chanted, "One more year," and "O-Vi."
Ovechkin waved off the Pittsburgh Penguins when they attempted to do a postgame handshake line to honor their rival after the Capitals' home finale on Sunday, April 12.
"I don’t know what’s going to happen," Ovechkin told reporters on Tuesday, according to NHL.com. "The fans that came here from D.C. and from different spots to watch the game, it was very nice. I can hear their cheering for me and scream 'One more year!' So, that’s important, too. It shows lots of respect. So, thanks for the support."
Ovechkin appeared in all 82 games this season and once again led Washington with 32 goals and 64 points.
Carbury said there was a discussion in the Capitals' locker room Tuesday after the game about Ovechkin's uncertain future, but declined to discuss the details. Longtime teammate Tom Wilson got emotional while explaining Ovechkin has kept everyone in the dark at this point.
"He's doing his best job just to keep it normal," Wilson said. "He definitely doesn't want any extra attention. I mean, he's the man. However he wants to do it, I think he's going to let it go down. But right now, he's not tipping us. He's not telling us what's going on."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alex Ovechkin unsure about NHL retirement after Capitals finale
Montreal Canadiens Assign Forward Prospect To AHL
The Montreal Canadiens have announced that they have assigned forward Vinzenz Rohrer to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
Rohrer was selected by the Canadiens with the 75th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He has spent each of the last three seasons overseas with ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League. Yet, with this news, Rohrer is set to begin his AHL career with Laval.
Rohrer appeared in 41 regular-season games this season with the ZSC Lions, where he had four goals and 12 points. He also had one goal and 33 penalty minutes in nine playoff games for the club this spring.
Rohrer's best season with the ZSC Lions was in 2024-25, as he had 15 goals, 10 assists, and 25 points in 52 games.
Rohrer will now be looking to impress with Laval. The 21-year-old forward has good upside, and it will be interesting to see how he performs at the AHL level from here.
2026 NHL Playoff Bracket: Live Results, Full Schedule, Matchups & Format
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The quest for the Lord Stanley’s Cup is about to be renewed! The 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs promise to deliver heart-stopping drama, from overtime heroics to bracket-busting upsets that can alter the momentum of a series in a single shift.
Whether you're tracking every grueling first-round battle, checking the latest scores, or scouting the road to the Finals, our NHL playoff bracket hub has you covered.
Follow along for live updates, updated series schedules, and postseason format details to help guide your NHL picks and playoff pools.
NHL playoff bracket if the playoffs started today
Follow along with our up-to-date bracket below as we track each series through to the end of the Stanley Cup Final, and make sure you keep up on which teams have the bestStanley Cup odds. You can also track the progress of individual players with our Conn Smythe Trophy odds page.
2026 NHL Playoff matchups
Check back soon once all matchups have been confirmed for the 2026 NHL Playoffs.
2026 NHL Playoffs schedule
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| First Round | April 18-May 3 |
| Second Round begins | May 6 |
| Conference Finals begin | May 22 |
| Stanley Cup Finals | June 3-21 |
NHL playoff format
The NHL playoffs are a 16-team, four-round, best-of-seven tournament used to determine the Stanley Cup champion. Eight teams qualify from each conference: the top three teams in each division plus two wild-card teams in each conference.
In the First Round, the division winner with the better record in each conference plays the lower-ranked wild card, the other division winner plays the other wild card, and the second- and third-place teams in each division face each other.
The NHL uses a fixed bracket, so teams are not re-seeded after each round. First-round winners advance to the Second Round, then to the Conference Finals, and finally to the Stanley Cup Final, where the Eastern Conference champion plays the Western Conference champion.
Every playoff round is a best-of-seven series, and the first team to win four games advances or, in the Stanley Cup Final, wins the championship.
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Maple Leafs vs Senators Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Game
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What a difference a year makes.
The Toronto Maple Leafs sent the Ottawa Senators packing last spring in the first round of the playoffs, and now Toronto will call it a season following its game against Ottawa at the Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday, April 15.
Here are my top Maple Leafs vs. Senators predictions and NHL picks for their season finale tonight.
Maple Leafs vs Senators prediction
Maple Leafs vs Senators best bet: Senators -1.5 (+135)
The Ottawa Senators rested regulars during Sunday’s overtime loss, so I’m anticipating Wednesday’s tilt against the Toronto Maple Leafs to serve as a postseason tune-up.
Ottawa No. 1 goaltender Linus Ullmark has been solid down the stretch with seven wins, a .909 save percentage, and 7.21 goals saved above expected across his past 10 starts, and the Sens have beaten the Maple Leafs 5-2 in both prior meetings this season.
Toronto has also dropped six straight and has only covered the puck line in 11 of its past 25 games (-10.75 Units / -27% ROI).
Maple Leafs vs Senators same-game parlay
Ullmark’s highlighted strong stretch includes going 5-1-1 at home with a 2.26 GAA, and the Sens have also allowed the fewest expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 at the Canadian Tire Centre.
As a result, I’m anticipating Ottawa to batten down the defensive hatches again to do the heavy lifting in keeping this total Under the number.
Turning to the final leg of this same-game parlay, Toronto winger William Nylander has recorded three or more shots in five of his past seven games, for 25 on 51 attempts while logging a monster 21:32 of ice time per night.
Maple Leafs vs Senators SGP
- Senators -1.5
- Under 6.5
- William Nylander Over 2.5 shots
Maple Leafs vs Senators odds
- Moneyline: Maple Leafs +155 | Senators -180
- Puck Line: Maple Leafs +1.5 (-155) | Senators -1.5 (+135)
- Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-105) | Under 6.5 (-115)
Maple Leafs vs Senators trend
The Toronto Maple Leafs have only covered the puck line in 11 of their last 25 games (-10.75 Units / -27% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Maple Leafs vs. Senators.
How to watch Maple Leafs vs Senators
| Location | Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON |
| Date | Wednesday, April 15, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | Sportsnet |
Maple Leafs vs Senators latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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Getting to know the Flyers: How Philadelphia got to the playoffs
The Flyers ended a full-season six-year playoff drought and will play in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, where they lost to the Penguins in the first round. Simply getting back to the postseason is quite the accomplishment based on the past month when Philadelphia was sitting in sixth place in the division behind Washington, Columbus and the NYI Islanders on March 10th and well behind the playoff line.
Here’s a little more under the hood for the team from Hockeystats.com:
The biggest change from this season compared to last year is that the Flyers are out-scoring the opposition 163-149 at 5v5 in 2025-26. Last year that was at an ugly 166-195 deficit. That’s visible as the white bar in the top-right portion of the above graphic taking a dramatic turn upwards in the last season.
In that way, the two PA teams are alike in that new coaches helped change things up and spur improvement at 5v5. The Penguins were down at a 157-195 combined 5v5 score in 2024-25 that improved all the way up to 196-168 this season prior to last night’s game.
For the Flyers, defense has been the name of the game – doing well to limit expected and actual goals against at 5v5. Curiously that hasn’t applied to special teams where their PK is below average (and the power play is dreadful). Their overall goalie rating has been brought down by backup Samuel Ersson having one of the worst seasons at his position in the league this year, starter Dan Vladar has played to a much higher level, as profiled yesterday.
One of the Flyers’ best attributes which helped them get to the playoffs but won’t be of any use now was the ability to extend games to overtime. Philadelphia went 6-8 in games decided in 3v3 OT sessions and then did even better with a 10-4 record in games decided by the shootout gimmick to award an extra point. Part of Philly’s success (which, hey, credit to them for doing it) was simply having 28 out of the 82 games (34% of the season) go into gimmicky 3v3/penalty shot hockey, where they took an overall 14-12 record to find enough points to qualify for the playoffs despite having only 26 regulation wins — the third fewest RW in the 16-team Eastern Conference. The Flyers are just 27-27 in games decided in regulation, which might key some into the low win total but it’s also important to note it’s been difficult to put Philadelphia down within 60 minutes.
While the Flyers won’t get the benefit of having a shootout decide the outcome of an NHL playoff game to pad win totals, one area to consider as a potential positive is that the frequency of games played shows this team is used to being in closely contested games. They’re used to the pressure of playing in games where the score is tied and mistakes are heightened and probably won’t be panicking if the games don’t start out well. That should be second nature for them by now, given that they only rank 22nd in time spent ahead in games.
The Flyers aren’t usually a ‘take the lead, ride to a win’ type of team. They often have to claw back, in games as they did in the season in general from being in sixth place on March 10th. The Flyers have only scored the first goal in 32 games this season (tied for lowest in the NHL prior to yesterday). Falling in a hole by giving up the first goal hasn’t made a major difference, Philadelphia still has a .400 winning% (6th best in league) and 20-22-8 record when they fall behind in games 1-0. On contrast, the Penguins only have a .286 w% with a 10-18-7 record when they give up the first goal in a game this season. The Flyers are certainly a scrappy team that is used to not holding leads and having to keep working to try and make sure the score is at least tied up at the end of 60 minutes, which could present an interesting and unique challenge for a Pittsburgh team that has had many troubles this season converting leads into wins at times.
As of today, the Flyers aren’t a great team. There’s a reasonable case that they are at the bottom of the playoff teams in the East as far as strength goes. They didn’t win a lot in regulation. All of those items are true but that doesn’t necessarily mean an easy series is ahead for the Penguins. Philadelphia has been a strong team over the last month, building in confidence as they go. The Pennsylvania rivalry always brings out heated emotions and is prone to huge swings of games rocking from big leads by one team turned into a furious comeback by the other. On paper, you’d probably have to like the Pens chances, but their opponent is coming into this series with nothing to lose and a lot to prove. That should make for another worthy chapter to the storied history of the Penguin/Flyer rivalry.
The Stats Behind Game #81: Canucks 4, Kings 3 (OT)
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 4–3 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings.
The Kings were by far the better team from an analytics perspective. Los Angeles finished the night with a 30-18 even-strength scoring chances advantage while also winning the even-strength high-danger scoring chances battle 15-5. If not for Kevin Lankinen, this game could have been a blowout for the Kings.
As for the heatmap, it shows that good things come when teams crash the net. Five of the goals scored on Tuesday were from right outside the crease, including Jake DeBrusk's overtime winner. More traffic in front of the net should be a focus for the Canucks next season, as it has been a problem area for the organization at times.
To wrap the final home game of 2025-26 up, Nils Höglander led all of Vancouver's skaters with an even-strength xGF% of 46.37. Ultimately, Tuesday may have been Höglander's best game of the season as he also picked up an assist. While it has been a tough season for Höglander, it was a positive to see him put forth a strong effort on Tuesday night.
The Canucks will wrap up their season on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. This season, Vancouver has beaten Edmonton just once in three attempts. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 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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Breaking Down the Potential Candidates for Devils GM (and Pres. of Hockey Ops)
The New Jersey Devils are searching for a new general manager.
They also may be looking for a separate, new President of Hockey Operations.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Devils hire one person to handle both roles or if they’ll have two people work together as they restructure their leadership in the hockey ops department. Either way, the Devils will likely cast a wide net as they try to determine who the best person or people are to lead them moving forward.
Almost immediately upon the news of Tom Fitzgerald’s dismissal, Greg Wyshynski said on Twitter to expect to hear a lot of Brendan Shanahan to the Devils discussion. Pierre LeBrun reported that the Devils received permission to speak to Panthers AGM Sunny Mehta. Elliotte Friedman also linked Tyler Dellow, John Chayka, and Jamie Langenbrunner to the Devils.
Presumably, other candidates will become known as the candidates interview and want to make it known that they’re interviewing for the Devils job. Once they do, we can discuss their merits, what they bring to the table, and whether or not the Devils should consider hiring them.
For now though, I think its worth taking a look at the candidates that we do know about, their strengths, and their potential flaws.
Brendan Shanahan
Shanahan has deep ties to the Devils organization, as he was their 2nd overall pick way back in 1987. He wound up playing five of the 21 seasons of his Hall of Fame playing career in New Jersey, won three Stanley Cups as a player with the Detroit Red Wings, and was named one of the NHL’s 100 greatest players in 2018.
Since retirement, he has carved out an impressive career as an executive. He’s worked for the league as a senior VP and oversaw the Department of Player Safety prior to joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014 as their president, overseeing hockey operations.
Shanahan had a direct hand in Toronto’s last rebuild. After jettisoning the coaching staff and most of the front office, he brought in Mike Babcock as head coach, Lou Lamoriello as the GM, and Kyle Dubas as an assistant GM. It should also be noted that the Maple Leafs have one of the largest analytics departments in the NHL thanks in part to Shanahan. The Maple Leafs drafted Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Both players would become key core members of the Maple Leafs, along with 2014 8th overall pick William Nylander, 2012 5th overall pick Morgan Rielly, and prized free agent signing John Tavares in 2018.
Toronto returned to the playoffs in 2016-17 and became a consistent playoff team under Shanahan’s leadership right up until his departure from the organization after the 2024-25 season. The problem with Shanahan, and Toronto in general, was their inability to get over the hump. Toronto only made it to the second round twice.
It’s tough to say where the blame for Toronto’s playoff failures ultimately lies, and I would understand if one wanted to pin that on Shanahan as he ultimately oversaw everything. But I do think its worth looking deeper into their losses.
Toronto got knocked out of the playoffs three times by Boston, twice by Florida, and once by Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay won the Stanley Cup that year. Florida reached the Cup Final both times and won once. Boston reached a Cup Final in 2019. Even in the other years, the Leafs ran into a Montreal team that also reached a Cup Final, a Capitals team where Braden Holtby posted a .925 save percentage, and a Columbus team where Joonas Korpisalo posted a .956. I’m not saying that Toronto’s losses weren’t deserved as there were plenty of questionable games here and there throughout that run, but between getting goalie’d and simply running into better teams, I do think there’s some aspect of bad luck involved as to why they failed to get over the hump.
Toronto would wind up changing just about everything other than the core. Sheldon Keefe replaced Babcock. Craig Berube would wind up replacing Keefe. Lamoriello would leave for the Islanders job, which saw Dubas promoted. Dubas would ultimately be dismissed and replaced by Brad Treliving. The supporting cast around the core was consistently shuffled in and out. Futures were constantly traded for the sake of winning now, except Toronto never won now. Marner eventually became the one core member who was the odd man out, leaving this past offseason in a sign-and-trade with Vegas. And for what its worth, in Toronto’s first year post-Shanahan, the bottom fell out. Toronto missed the playoffs, Treliving has been fired, and Craig Berube is likely to follow.
Shanahan might have ultimately stuck with the Maple Leafs core too long, but part of me wonders how much of that was him personally being attached to them and how much of it was decision making coming from above him at MLSE. Part of me wonders how much being in the pressure cooker of the Toronto market and the subsequent dysfunction as a result impacted things with the team. It’s tough to say since its speculative, but between that and the lack of playoff success, its not a positive mark on his resume.
That said, I do think there’s a lot of good under Shanahan’s watch that can’t be ignored. The Leafs continued to hit on their fair share of draft picks over the years (whether or not they held on to said players is another story). Toronto went 408-214-78 between 2016-25, topping 100 points six times in nine seasons. The floor of what that team has been was high, and certainly higher than anything the Devils have done consistently since their run to the Cup Final in 2012. Shanahan has deep connections throughout the league between his time as a player and executive. I wouldn’t consider him personally to be analytically-driven, but I do think there’s something to the idea of knowing what you don’t know and hiring smart people. Kyle Dubas was one of Shanahan’s first hires and he’s gone on to help the Penguins return to the playoffs. I don’t know what the upside would ultimately be, but the Devils could certainly do a lot worse hiring a CEO-type than Shanahan, and I’ve yet to see a better alternative option in this cycle.
If the Devils hire Shanahan, they won’t have to build a core like he did in Toronto as the core is more or less already in place. He also won’t necessarily be as attached to the players as Fitzgerald might have been. I would suspect that Shanahan, the presumptive new President of Hockey Ops, would ultimately let whoever the GM is figure out what players to move on from and who they should keep to build around, but a lot of the legwork in terms of building the roster is already done.
Sunny Mehta
There probably isn’t a hotter candidate in this GM cycle than Panthers AGM Sunny Mehta.
Mehta, who was born in Michigan but grew up in Wyckoff, New Jersey, is a name that should be familiar to most Devils fans. He was hired in 2014 to as the Devils director of hockey analytics and created the first full-time analytics department in the NHL.
If you’re looking for a GM who can potentially find diamonds in the rough, maximize the draft, and win on the margins, Mehta is a strong choice.
While with the Devils in 2016, Mehta’s model had Jesper Bratt ranked as the #3 player in that year’s draft class. Fast forward a decade later and only four players from that class have had more points in the NHL than Bratt….#1 overall pick Auston Matthews, former lottery picks Matthew Tkachuk and Clayton Keller, and second rounder Alex DeBrincat.
Bratt went 162nd overall in the draft that season.
After leaving the Devils, he joined the Florida Panthers in 2020 and worked his way up through their organization to earn the title of AGM. Mehta, under Panthers GM Bill Zito, had a hand in them acquiring many of the players who ultimately became key contributors on the team that won back-to-back Stanley Cups. The key being most of those acquisitions being of the unheralded at the time variety. Gus Forsling? Waiver claim. Carter Verhaeghe? A pending RFA who was not tendered a contract. Sam Bennett? Acquired for a second-round pick and the rights to Emil Heineman. Sam Reinhart? A first round pick and Devon Levi. The Panthers have done a good job on buying low on players like Evan Rodrigues, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Nate Schmidt, Niko Mikkola, and Dmitry Kulikov where they just fit in and play well. Of course, people will point to the Matthew Tkachuk trade being the move that put Florida over the top, and they’re not wrong to do so, but Florida had a really good base off of which to work.
Bill Zito obviously deserves a ton of credit for what he has done in Florida, but it would be short-sighted to solely credit him. Mehta, along with the rest of the Florida braintrust, has had a big part in that as well. And everyone in Florida knows that. Paul Maurice has given Mehta his flowers, as has Zito. Mehta has earned the respect of that organization for his ability to present the data in a manner that is digestible for the players and coaching staff to understand. There’s a reason why he’s high on Toronto’s and Nashville’s lists as well to be their next potential GM.
Times were different back in the 2014-2018 window that Mehta was with the Devils, as they were transitioning from the end of the Lou Lamoriello era to the Ray Shero era, so its tough to say how much influence Mehta actually had with the Devils. I already mentioned the Jesper Bratt pick, but keep in mind, the Devils passed on him seven times in that draft. They took players like Brandon Gignac, Mikhail Maltsev, Evan Cormier, and Yegor Rykov over him. Knowing what we know now, that would never happen again. That said, hitting on late picks like that is what separates good teams from the great teams. The Devils did eventually take Mehta’s recommendation and make the pick, and Bratt is the last man standing from the Devils 2016 draft class that is still in the organization.
I don’t know how much I would read into the rumors that there was a ‘falling out’ with Mehta and the Devils and whether or not it even matters though. Ray Shero is no longer with us, Tom Fitzgerald is no longer with the organization, the Devils reportedly have a lot of front office staff on expiring deals, and Mehta would presumably bring in his own people that are more closely aligned with his vision.
The one potential knock I could see with Mehta is that he would be a first-time GM. Fitzgerald was a first-time GM and that really didn’t work out the way the Devils hoped. I think that matters to an extent but if it were a disqualifier, we’d run out of GM candidates really quickly as everybody is a ‘first timer’ at some point.
I’m not in the room, so its tough to say what exactly Mehta is doing when he’s not looking at his model or spreadsheets. But he strikes me as a sharp guy given his background and what we know about him. I’m sure he has built up some relationships around the league in his time as an AGM simply from working the phones and talking to people. I’m sure he knows who to call and what to do if he has to make a trade. I know I like to pretend I’m an expert but I wouldn’t know those things if I got hired as the GM tomorrow. Mehta has put in the time as an AGM and worked his way up for an opportunity like this.
I wouldn’t say the Devils should hire Mehta solely because he grew up in New Jersey as a Devils fan. I wouldn’t say they should hire him because he’s already worked here. I wouldn’t say they should hire him because he brought the Stanley Cup back to Jersey when he had his day with the Cup. But I do think he understands this market and this fanbase. He understands what the expectation is and he won’t be too attached to the pieces already in place to not make the changes he deems necessary.
Ideally, I’d prefer to pair him with an experienced President of Hockey Ops who has those relationships around the league, but that’s also not a dealbreaker…..you can accomplish the same thing with a good AGM hire. Either way, Mehta would be my #1 choice, barring an unforeseen candidate entering the fray.
Tyler Dellow
Of course, Mehta isn’t the only analytically-driven candidate with ties to the Devils that could be in the mix to be their next general manager.
Dellow was with the Devils for five seasons as their Senior VP of hockey strategy and analytics before leaving the organization two years ago to joins another data-driven executive in Eric Tulsky in Carolina as their AGM.
At least in the regular season, Carolina had been a successful organization over most of the last decade. The Hurricanes have reached the conference final three times since 2018-19 and have won a playoff round in seven of the last eight seasons. A lot of that predates Dellow, but seeing as the Devils have plucked from the Carolina tree a few times over the last few seasons in terms of players (Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Stefan Noesen), it wouldn’t be surprising if they did so again to “bring home one of their own”.
J.P Gambatese did a good breakdown on his Substack on Carolina’s transactions since Dellow has come aboard, and the two things that stand out to me are Carolina’s tendency to buy low on players and their track record of below market value contracts. Seeing as Dellow has been managing the salary cap for Carolina and we’re coming off of a Tom Fitzgerald regime where the cap was mismanaged, that actually matters a lot. Aside from Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who predates Dellow, I’m not sure there’s a bad contract on Carolina’s books.
Like with Mehta, it’s tough to say how much influence Dellow has had on transactions between his time in New Jersey and Carolina. Dellow was with the Devils when they pulled off trades like the acquisitions of Tyler Toffoli, Timo Meier, and John Marino. He was with Carolina when they acquired, and traded away, Mikko Rantanen.
I don’t view the Devils salary cap situation as dire, but I do think they need more flexibility in the coming years. Especially if they wind up extending Nico Hischier, if they intend on being players for Quinn Hughes, or both. They’ll get some cap flexibility organically after next season with seven players on the NHL roster slated for UFA, but those players will need to be replaced. In that respect, I appreciate Dellow’s work in getting some of Carolina’s key players to sign what will surely be below market value deals while simultaneously not overpaying their depth players.
Dellow would also be another first-time GM, so like with Mehta, I’d prefer to pair him with someone with a bit more experience if that were to be the direction that the Devils want to go in. I also think with Dellow, there’s a small added bonus of him being in Carolina. Given how the Hurricanes have owned the Devils the last few seasons, he probably has some insights as to why that’s the case, what Carolina (and other teams for that matter) is doing to slow the Devils down, and from a Devils perspective, what needs to be done to counter that.
Dellow isn’t my first choice, but I do think he’s a strong candidate and I would not be upset if that is the direction the Devils choose to go in.
John Chayka
Of all of the known candidates, the only one with actual experience as an NHL general manager is John Chayka.
Hired by the Arizona Coyotes back in 2016, the analytically-driven Chayka made the playoffs once in four seasons as their GM before abruptly resigning in 2020. His tenure was marred by the illegal draft workout scandal that saw Arizona docked a first round draft pick and Chayka suspended from the league.
I think when it comes to Chayka, its important to remember how bad the Arizona situation was in general. Arizona had the worst ownership in the league, the worst arena situation in the league, and a small but diehard fanbase. They did not have a long track record of success before he got there and haven’t had a ton of success since, although they’re doing much better under better ownership in Utah nowadays. But back then, Arizona was not a free agency destination for those reasons. That’s not to excuse Chayka for his transgressions with the draft workouts or any shortcomings as a GM, but its worth mentioning just to give additional context to what he was up against.
I do think Chayka deserves some credit though. Clayton Keller was a home run of a pick for them at 7th overall in 2016 and they added Jacob Chychrun nine picks later. Other notable draft hits under Chayka’s watch include Barrett Hayton, Kevin Bahl, Ty Emberson, and Matias Maccelli. He was there as the team oversaw the development of players like Lawson Crouse, Conor Garland and Adin Hill, among others. Chayka made the Dylan Strome for Nick Schmaltz trade. Arizona did go for it in 2020 with the acquisitions of Taylor Hall and Phil Kessel, but their ‘success’ in 2020 was short-lived and they wound up undergoing a multi-year scorched earth rebuild under his successor Bill Armstrong.
Of course, this isn’t the first time the Devils have tried to hire Chayka in some capacity.
There were reports a few years ago that Josh Harris and David Blitzer wanted to hire Chayka to oversee the analytics departments of all of the HBSE properties at the time, not just the Devils. Supposedly, Arizona didn’t want him to take his job and between that and the hammer coming down with the aforementioned draft workout violations, that was what led to Chayka stepping down as Coyotes GM.
Again, I don’t know that I necessarily hold it against Chayka that he was looking for an escape from Arizona. He knew the inner workings of that organization weren’t good, that they were operating as a floor team for much of his tenure, and that the deck was stacked against him succeeding. I can get looking for any competitive edge where he can find one, but I wouldn’t excuse the workout violations either. But he is a sharp mind and would certainly ‘fit’ what the Devils might be looking for when it comes to someone more data-driven. He has experience in knowing how the league operates. I also don’t think he should necessarily be blackballed for the draft workouts. Not in a league that is willing to welcome back Stan Bowman or Joel Quenneville with open arms for transgressions that are FAR worse.
I do think Chayka could be better the second time around as a general manager in an organization with a lot less ‘stuff’ going on in the background. For all of their critiques, the Devils have stable ownership that has shown a willingness to spend to the cap ceiling. They have a stable arena situation. They’re also not a barren cupboard in terms of win now players that one can build around and prospects coming down the road. He wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice for the Devils, and Gary Bettman would probably flip over a table the second a team tells him they want to hire John Chayka, but I could see him getting another shot again. I wouldn’t even rule out it being in New Jersey given how close HBSE might’ve been to hiring him in the past. That said, I prefer the other candidates in this article over him.
Jamie Langenbrunner
Another name with Devils ties that is in the mix is their one-time former captain turned Bruins assistant GM, Jamie Langenbrunner.
After retiring from the NHL in 2014, Langenbrunner joined the Bruins organization in 2015 and started working his way up the ranks on the management side. He worked as the head of player development and has since been promoted to AGM. He’s had a hand in helping develop prospects as long as identifying players who could help the Bruins if they were to get a larger role.
Those last few sentences are particularly notable as Langenbrunner has been in Boston for quite some time now. He got to work closely with David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy as they went from being former first round picks to players who ultimately reached their potential. Boston has been able to take guys such as Morgan Geekie off of the proverbial scrap heap and find another level to their game. They also identified players such as Marat Khusnutdinov and Fraser Minten who can thrive with a larger role. Obviously, Don Sweeney and new coach Marco Sturm deserve a lot of credit for Boston’s turnaround this year, but Boston has generally been one of the more successful teams in the league since 2015. They reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2019, set an NHL record for points in a season with 135 in 2022-23, and have made the playoffs 8 of the last 9 years before returning to the playoffs this season. Langenbrunner has been a part of their success to some extent.
Some longtime Devils fans might take issue with Langenbrunner given the way he ultimately departed the organization as a player. They’ll remember him having problems with legendary coach Jacques Lemaire. They’ll remember the dip in his production in 2010-11. They’ll remember a bunch of lifeless, lethargic performances from that season while he wore the captain’s “C”. They’ll remember him being one of the leaders of the Devils in the post-Scott Stevens and post-Stanley Cup winning teams era in general. Teams that ultimately came up short in the playoffs and particularly, the team that blew it in Game 7 against Carolina in 2009.
It’s not my place to tell you how to you should feel about something that happened over 15 years ago at this point, but I at least understand if people don’t want to deal with Langenbrunner’s “baggage” after how things ended here. Fans have long memories and Langenbrunner, fairly or unfairly, probably won’t get nearly as much goodwill going in as some other candidates might. I also don’t think it helps matters that Darren Dreger has mentioned that Martin Brodeur’s history with Langenbrunner is the connection to him being a candidate. Given that Martin Brodeur’s two biggest contributions to the Devils in his post-playing career are Dave Rogalski and the “Jersey” jersey, that doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
That said, just because Martin Brodeur has endorsed a bad goaltending coach and has shown to have terrible fashion sense with the third jerseys doesn’t necessarily mean he’s wrong when it comes to Langenbrunner. Langenbrunner is certainly as qualified as anyone interviewing for the position. He’s paid his dues on the player development side and worked his way up. He’s also a two-time Stanley Cup winning player who had a key role on two different championship teams by playing the game the right way. I’m generally not a fan of hiring your “team legends”, and using the term “legend” to describe Langenbrunner as it pertains to the Devils might be a bit of a stretch anyways. But he does know what it takes to win from his days as a player, and I don’t think that should be outright dismissed either.
3 Sabres Make Latest Top NHL Prospect Rankings
The vibes are great with the Buffalo Sabres right now. They have officially landed the No. 1 spot in the Atlantic Division standings and are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011 because of it.
Yet, as great as things have gone this season for the Sabres, they also have some promising youngsters in their system that have the potential to make them even better in the future.
Sabres prospects Radim Mrtka, Konsta Helenius, and Noah Ostlund were all included on Scott Wheeler's latest top 100 NHL drafted prospect rankings for The Athletic.
Mrtka was given the No. 22 spot on Wheeler's rankings. The 2025 ninth-overall pick undoubtedly has a lot of potential and should be a key part of Buffalo's blueline in the near future because of it. In 43 games this season with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, he had one goal and 34 points. He also has one assist in six AHL games for the Rochester Americans this season.
Helenius was given the No. 32 spot by Wheeler. The 5-foot-11 forward is undoubtedly one of Buffalo's most promising prospects and has taken a big step forward with his development this season. In 60 games with the Amerks this campaign, he has 20 goals and 61 points. He also had one goal and four points in nine games for Buffalo this season.
As for Ostlund, he was given the No. 38 spot. The 2022 first-round pick has had a strong rookie year with the Sabres, as he has recorded 11 goals, 27 points, and a plus-11 rating in 60 games. With this, he is cementing himself as a key part of Buffalo's roster, and at just 22 years old, he has plenty of time to get even better.
Maple Leafs Set For 5th Or 6th Best NHL Draft Lottery Odds
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ chances of retaining their first-round selection at the 2026 NHL Draft took another difficult turn on Tuesday night. The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Calgary Flames 3-1, eliminating any chance for the Maple Leafs to finish with fewer points than the Flames in the overall NHL standings.
As a result, the Leafs will finish with either the fifth or sixth worst record in 2025-26. That spot will determine their chances at the NHL Draft lottery coming up on May 5. The lottery will determine not only where the Leafs will pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, but whether they will have a selection at all.
The Maple Leafs dealt the pick to the Boston Bruins, along with forward prospect Fraser Minten, in exchange for veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo in March of 2025. However, the pick is top-5 protected. This ensures the Leafs keep the selection if it remains in that range following the lottery results.
The Maple Leafs visit the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday for their final game of the season. They currently hold a 32-35-14 record with 78 points and one game remaining. Meanwhile, the Seattle Kraken have two games left with a 34-35-11 record and 79 points. With Seattle holding the first tiebreaker over the Leafs, Toronto has a high likelihood of staying in the No. 5 position heading into the lottery—provided they do not pick up a win in Ottawa. If Toronto wins, they will need Seattle to pick up at least one point in their remaining two games to maintain that position.
Under the current lottery format, a team entering with the No. 5 best chances has just a 41.9 percent chance of picking in the top-5. That number is reduced to 15.4 percent if the Leafs enter the lottery in the No. 6 spot.
Matvei Michkov Was Clutch When Flyers Needed Him Most
Although his sophomore season was largely considered a lost cause just weeks ago, Philadelphia Flyers starlet Matvei Michkov has completely changed the tune on his year, and the Flyers' turnaround and playoff berth has coincided with that.
By now, we've probably heard it all. Coming into training camp out of shape, the left wing vs. right wing debates, the quality of linemates, and the lackluster skating.
Despite all the noise, Michkov, 21, has played his best hockey for the Flyers at the apex of the playoff push, and that is ultimately what matters most.
Since the Flyers returned from the Olympic break in late February, the Russian phenom was Philadelphia's most prolific player, scoring seven goals and 22 points over the final 26 games of the regular season despite ranking sixth in total ice time amongst Flyers forwards, per Natural Stat Trick.
Excluding the power play and 4-on-4, Michkov is still king, having produced four goals and 14 points to pace the Flyers down that same stretch.
Report: Top Flyers Prospect to Join NCAA PowerhouseAs it turns out, Porter Martone may not be the only first-round pick from the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> to head over to the NCAA to develop.
Penalties are and have been an issue for the youngster, yes, but Trevor Zegras actually took 14 minor penalties over the Flyers' last 26 games while being less productive offensively than his Russian counterpart.
For as much noise as there was around Michkov and the way he was being treated and utilized by Tocchet--which culminated in an impromptu media availability from GM Danny Briere--the kid wasn't fazed at all.
Michkov put his head down, worked with the tools he was given, and dragged his team to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in six years.
If we go back to the NHL standings from Feb. 22, the Flyers were 25-20-11, sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 3-4-3 record in their last 10 games.
Young Flyers Stars Dominate Season Finale vs. CanadiensThe Flyers, led by Martone, Michkov, and Bonk, are on fire at the best possible time.At that point, only the New York Rangers (151) and New Jersey Devils (146) had found the back of the net less than the Flyers (167) did among teams in the East.
Fast forward to today, and the Flyers wrapped up their season on a 7-3-0 run and are a more modest 10th in the East in scoring.
The late addition of Porter Martone helped, to be fair, but the rest was Michkov and his center, Noah Cates, strapping on their work boots and going for the gusto.
And with that, the debate is settled: 2025 training camp is a thing of the past, and Michkov is a star right winger in the making for the long haul.
The Flyers are a playoff team.
Canadiens Lose To The Flyers, Will Start Playoffs On The Road
Martin St-Louis and his Montreal Canadiens were wrapping up their regular season with an away game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night. While the Habs could still improve their chances of securing home-ice advantage, they chose to rest some players. Josh Anderson, Phillip Danault, and Mike Matheson all got the night off, allowing Brendan Gallagher, Joe Veleno, and Adam Engstrom to re-enter the lineup. For the alternate captain, it was his first game since April 5.
Meanwhile, there was nothing on the line for the host aside from two points. Rick Tocchet opted to rest a lot of his key players: Trevor Zegras, Dan Vladar, Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier, Travis Sanheim, Jamie Drysdale, and Cam York all had the night off. It meant that rookies Hunter McDonald and Oliver Bonk got to play their first NHL games, that Porter Martone kept up his tremendous start, and that former Noah Juulsen got to play for the first time since April 3.
4 Canadiens Make New NHL Top Skater Prospect Rankings
Big Battle Ahead As The Canadiens Will Play The Lightning In The First Round
Canadiens’ Hutson Has Had Two Fantastic Seasons
Good Old Gallagher
Despite not seeing a lot of ice-time, he had spent 8:38 on the ice after 40 minutes, and Gallagher made the most of his few opportunities. He opened the score for the Habs in the second frame, completing a good passing play from Alexandre Texier and Kaiden Guhle, cutting the Flyers’ lead in half. Then, later in the same period, he went to the front of the net as Arber Xhekaj was unleashing one of his booming shots. While he didn’t tip it, his simple presence created a diversion that led Samuel Ersson to let the puck escape his equipment, allowing Jake Evans to score thanks to his best Superman impression.
Gally termine un beau jeu de passes!
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 15, 2026
Gally finishes off a pretty passing play!#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/0zO5mozQM4
While there’s no denying that at times the game is too fast for the veteran, when he’s in the lineup, you know that he’s going to give you everything he still has at all times. Meanwhile, his linemate on the night, Joe Veleno, got an assist on Evans’ goal, his first point in 21 games. However, as he’s done very well in the last part of the season, he dished out five hits in the first 40 minutes.
Super Jake#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/aJECASJJdP
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 15, 2026
About Kirby Dach
As the Canadiens get ready to enter the playoffs, one has to wonder what role Dach actually plays on this team. His play since coming back from injury hasn’t been good enough to warrant him staying on the top-six, and he doesn’t play the kind of game that is suited to the bottom six.
Granted, at times, he can have some nice offensive flashes, but too often, he’s not noticeable at all in games. He may be a former third-overall pick and have the right pedigree, but the results are just not there. He’s six-foot-four and 221 pounds, but he doesn’t play like he is, and in the playoffs, you need to use your size and your weight. He spent 11:08 on the ice on Tuesday night and had no shots, no blocked shots, and no hits.
On The Road Again
The Canadiens will come back to Montreal before the start of the playoffs, but they’ll need to hit the road to start the first round in Florida against the Tampa Bay Lightning. That 4-2 defeat sealed the deal for the Bolts, who will finish in 2nd place in the Atlantic Division.
While much has been made about how important home-ice advantage can be in the playoffs, this is not a disaster for the Habs; they had the league’s second-best record on the road (24-7-8) and got 56 of their 106 points on the road and had a plus-19 differential away from the Bell Centre. Defenseman Lane Hutson was plus-35 away from home and only plus-one in Montreal.
Speaking about Hutson, he was held off the scoresheet on Thursday night. He was therefore unable to beat Larry Robinson’s record for most assists in a season by a Canadiens’ blueliner. Still, he put his name alongside Big Bird’s in the record book, and that’s still an amazing feat for such a young rear guard. In any case, it feels like it’s only a matter of time until he does it. As for Cole Caufield, he didn’t find the back of the net and therefore couldn’t catch Nathan MacKinnon in the race to the Rocket Richard Trophy.
Despite the 4-2 defeat against what could be described as the Flyers’ B or C team, the Canadiens end the season with a 48-24-10 record, and 106 points, eight more wins and 15 more points than last season. Furthermore, several players had career years, and numerous milestones were reached. Overall, the regular season was a resounding success. It remains to be seen if they’ll improve as much in the playoffs, given their limited experience, but Canadiens fans can’t be blamed for being optimistic.
Saison recrue ✅
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 14, 2026
Rookie season ✅#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/HOxwexU0Ti
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DitD & Open Post – 4/15/26: Disappointment Edition
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
The season, mercifully, is over. This mess of a campaign ends with a 4-0 loss to the Bruins. The Devils end the season with 87 points and a 42-37-3 record. [Devils NHL]
Nico reacting to this disappointing season: [Devils NHL]
“Fitzgerald wasn’t the worst GM you could have. There are worse; just look at the Vancouver Canucks or Rangers. Though he’s no longer the Devils’ GM, Fitzgerald did some good things in his time leading the front office. Unfortunately, the cons outweighed the pros. Let’s look back on his best and worst moves as Devils GM as the organization prepares to move into a new era.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
“Examining what John Chayka may bring as a possible candidate to take over the New Jersey Devils’ now-vacant General Manager position.” [Devils’ Advocates]
Hockey Links
“‘The Great 8’ skated off into the great unknown Tuesday. Alex Ovechkin insisted again that he’s unsure what the future holds for him following the Washington Capitals’ 2-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets in their season finale at Nationwide Arena. But the 40-year-old left wing seemed to leave the door open that this wasn’t the end of his NHL career.” [NHL.com]
Jonathan Quick is retiring:
“Columbus Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness questioned his players’ commitment to winning after an uninspired season-ending loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.” [ESPN]
“Before we turn the page to the playoffs for some teams and the offseason for others at the end of next week, The Athletic asked its NHL staff for the player who provided the very best on a nightly basis (our 2025-26 MVPs) and the player who emerged as most disappointing on each team this season. Here’s who our writers picked.” [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.