The Montreal Canadiens made some significant changes to their forward lines for their matchup against the Florida Panthers.
First, Canadiens rookie Oliver Kapanen has been dropped from the second line to Montreal's fourth-line right wing spot. This is notable, as the 22-year-old forward has been a key part of the Canadiens' top six this season. His 22 goals and 37 points in 77 games this season show that.
However, Kapanen has also been experiencing a cold streak down the stretch. Heading into Montreal's matchup against the Panthers, the 2021 second-round pick had zero points and a minus-3 rating over his last five games.
With Kapanen moving down to Montreal's fourth line, Alexandre Texier has added to the Canadiens' second-line left wing spot, forming a trio with Alex Newhook and Ivan Demidov.
Texier had been sidelined with a lower-body injury since March 24 against the Carolina Hurricanes. Yet, now the 26-year-old forward is getting a big chance with the Habs in his return.
In 38 games with the Canadiens since signing with them earlier this campaign, Texier has eight goals and 19 points. This is after he had one assist in eight games with the St. Louis Blues before mutually terminating his contract with the Central Division club.
The Chicago Blackhawks traded away multiple of their former pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) this season. Nick Foligno (Minnesota Wild), Connor Murphy (Edmonton Oilers), and Jason Dickinson (Oilers) were all dealt by Chicago ahead of the deadline. With the Blackhawks being out of a playoff spot and still rebuilding, it made sense that they moved on from these veterans.
However, the Blackhawks did not trade pending UFA forward Ilya Mikheyev at the deadline. When noting that the 31-year-old forward has been having another solid season for the Blackhawks, he certainly could have been a nice player for a contender to add to their roster. Yet, the Blackhawks kept him, and now they have a clear move to make with him.
With Mikheyev finishing the season with the Blackhawks, they absolutely should not let him leave for nothing through free agency this summer. He has been such a key piece of the Blackhawks' penalty kill and forward group this campaign. Thus, if they can keep him around on a short-term extension, that would be great news for the Blackhawks.
In 73 games this season with the Blackhawks, Mikheyev has recorded 16 goals, 17 assists, and 33 points. This is after he had 20 goals and a career-high 34 points in 80 games for Chicago this past season. With this, he has been a valuable piece of the Blackhawks' roster, and it would sting to lose him this off-season.
The NHL world has been rocked by the two recent coaching changes.
With just eight games remaining to go in the 2025-26 season, the Vegas Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy and hired John Tortorella.
With just four games left, the New York Islanders fired head coach Patrick Roy and replaced him with Peter DeBoer.
Mike Sullivan, who went through a change of his own last summer, departing the Pittsburgh Penguins after 10 years with the organization to join the New York Rangers as their new head coach, feels that the parity of the NHL has shifted team’s philosophy in how long to keep a coach for.
“All these circumstances are unique,” Sullivan emphasized. “It would probably be irresponsible for me to even weigh in on it because I'm not familiar with the circumstances. It's a competitive league.
“There's more parity in the league than there's ever been. There's such a fine line between winning and losing, and it's hard to make the playoffs. I think the parody in the league, at the end of the day, is the biggest aspect of it. Those are the pressures that we all deal with. Those of us that are part of this business, that's what we deal with every day. It's what we sign up for.”
Sullivan has been coaching in the NHL for over 20 years, so while these two moves may shock other people, Sullivan remained unfazed by the noise surrounding these coaching changes.
“I'm not gonna say it surprises me. No, it doesn't. Nothing surprises me in today's professional sports,” Sullivan said. “What I try to do and my position is I really don't get overly concerned about that stuff. You just try to focus on what's in front of you and your job, and you try to do it to the best of your ability.”
As the Ottawa Senators get ready to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night at Canadian Tire Centrer, the Atlantic Division leaders have run into late-season injury issues.
The Lightning are on a back-to-back after a loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. So fatigue, along with some key injuries and absences, may begin to take its toll in Ottawa.
Tampa will again be with star defenseman Victor Hedman. On Thursday, he was placed on long-term injured reserve following a March 25 announcement that he would be taking a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons.
Forwards Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli, who were both named to Canada's Olympic roster in February, are listed as day-to-day and not expected to play on Tuesday night. Both were out of the lineup on Monday night vs Buffalo.
Pontus Holmberg, Hedman's Olympic teammate, is also out after colliding headfirst into an unlatched penalty box door as a Sabres player was about to leave the sin bin.
“I don't know who's working the penalty box over there," head coach Jon Cooper told the media after the game. "But I don't know if they should keep their job after what happened there. Like... leaving the door open.”
The Lightning have responded by calling up Syracuse forwards Conor Geekie, Jakob Pelletier and Dylan Duke to the active roster. They also reassigned Mitchell Chaffee to Syracuse. Geekie and Pelletier are both expected to play in Ottawa.
Another Olympian, Brayden Point, is probably feeling a bit sore after slamming hard into the Buffalo goal post on Monday night. But he finished the game and had a full media session afterward, so there's no reason to think he won't play.
Both Nikita Kucherov and Nick Paul, who didn't play against the Senators in Tampa on March 28, are now back in the Tampa lineup, so that offsets things quite a bit. The Lightning won that game over the Senators, 4-2.
The last time the Sens faced a tired team in a back-to-back that was this banged up was exactly one week ago against the Florida Panthers. Not only did the Senators fail to take advantage of their opponent's troubles, but they were also destroyed by the Panthers, falling behind 5-0 in the first period.
So even though the Bolts won't have Hedman, Hagel, Cirelli, or Holmberg (they'll also trot out their backup goalie, Jonas Johansson), the Sens' recent history serves as a reminder that every NHL team, no matter what state they're in, has a chance to be a big problem for them.
Teddy Blueger wandered back to the Vancouver Canucks’ locker room around an hour after practice concluded on Monday afternoon. The rest of the stalls around his were draped with used gear.
The forward stayed out late to get some faceoff work under his belt, among other things, despite winning 70% of his draws in the previous game and averaging a win rate of 54.69% through the past five. It’s something that speaks to the forward’s desire to improve — something that mirrors his desire to remain in Vancouver, regardless of the position the team currently occupies in the NHL’s standings.
Ahead of the 2025–26 NHL Trade Deadline, Blueger spoke to Sportsnet on how he’d “love to stay” in Vancouver if things work out that way. When the deadline passed, Blueger remained a Canuck. This doesn’t mean things are completely settled when it comes to his future. Decisions will need to be made once the off-season hits, as Blueger’s contract will expire if not renewed by the Canucks by July 1.
If you look at all of the noise surrounding the Canucks — past locker room intrigue, 32nd place, and many other things — it’s likely players approaching in free agency may be tempted to turn and run the other way. But if you ask Blueger about his thoughts on staying, you’ll hear the exact opposite.
“[Staying] for however long I want, that’d be nice,” he joked during an interview with The Hockey News after practice on Monday. “Obviously, it’d mean a lot. I think we’ve been through a lot [...] and to continue to be part of this journey, and get an opportunity to have this down period, and to have an opportunity to see it through and come out on the other side, on top, and be able to compete for something and be a part of a playoff run here again, would be very, very special.”
There’s an irony to Blueger’s words on this particular topic, given the fact that when he said this, only a room or two away was the team that he once won the Stanley Cup with — the Vegas Golden Knights — back in 2022–23. Blueger has found success in this league before, with a team much, much stronger than the Canucks. But when reflecting on why he would want to stay with Vancouver long-term, it’s the thought of blue and white orca flags waving through the city or a packed building with white towels waving that first comes to mind.
“That playoff run we had a couple years ago, it was an incredible time. I think throughout the city, you just felt the energy and felt the people behind you. That’s something I think you don’t get everywhere. To be able to get to experience that again would be something special. Obviously, when you look at a group like this, you just see so much potential and so many good things that could happen here. Nothing’s guaranteed, and there’s a lot of work that needs to be put in. It’s not going to be a steady increase, like a steady climb. There’s going to be ups and downs still, but along the way. To have the opportunity to be a part of success here would be really special.”
Jan 23, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Teddy Blueger (53) and forward Drew O'Connor (18) celebrate Blueger’s goal against the New Jersey Devils in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
In some ways, gutting it out through a tough period to emerge successful makes victory taste even sweeter. The best possible example comes just down the highway where, a little less than a year ago, a gutsy Abbotsford Canucks team battled their way to the 2025 Calder Cup. If you want to win, you have to work for it, and that’s something Blueger acknowledges will be the case as the team settles into rebuild-mode.
“I think it takes some time for the group to kind of mold a new identity, a new kind of dynamic in the locker room. And I think there’s some leadership holes that have kind of gotten filled. [Filip Hronek], Marcus [Pettersson], and Brock [Boeser] have done a great job of that, and kind of trying to get everyone on the same page. I think there’s kind of a period of time where we have to develop some camaraderie, develop some unity, get to know each other better, a lot of new faces, a lot of change. So I think it’s taking time, but I think it’s gotten better. I think guys are getting along really well. We’re in that transition period of trying to build on something here.”
The Canucks have undergone so much change through the past couple of seasons that it becomes slightly shocking to realize that Blueger has only been with the team for three years now. Boeser (225), Hronek (218), Elias Pettersson (214), and Nils Höglander (184) are the only active Canucks to have played in more games than Blueger through the past three seasons. Having said that, these past three years, Blueger says, haven’t come without their lessons.
“I think especially this year, the past couple months since, guys like Myesy and Gar have gotten traded. I think it’s a lot. You really take a different perspective on the team, like all of a sudden, you look around and I’m the second oldest on the team, and I think you take into account team dynamics more. Just making sure we’re all on the same page, making sure everyone feels a part of it, and addressing the things that we feel like we need to improve as a group, some details, accountability, things like that, and trying to build on a certain set of values by which we all abide by. So I think you take a wider angle view, I guess, of not just taking care of yourself, but I think you have to involve everyone in team activities, make sure guys are being heard when something’s going on, and trying to mesh everyone together a little bit.”
For a player who, depending on how things go in the coming months, may not even be with the team by the time they finally find the success that so many hope for them to, Blueger certainly speaks with the commitment level of a long-tenured leader. He may not wear a letter on his chest, but as evidenced in his appearance on the leadership panel during Evander Kane’s 1000th NHL game celebration, the team clearly thinks of him as a leader. As the forward says, nothing is guaranteed — and that includes his role with the team moving ahead.
But maybe some things should be.
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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Over the past month, as they’ve battled for NHL playoff positioning, the Ottawa Senators have had almost historically bad luck in the injury department.
Because of that, 12 different defencemen have suited up for the club during that stretch, but lately, the news has started to turn.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss Toim Stutzle's incredible goal on Sunday evening.
After the return of their number-one defenseman, Jake Sanderson, last week, there was another encouraging development on Tuesday. Thomas Chabot was back on the ice, skating with the team at its morning skate ahead of a massive game at Canadian Tire Centre against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Chabot underwent surgery after taking a cross-check to the forearm from J.T. Miller of the New York Rangers on March 23. At the time, Chabot was expected to miss four to eight weeks, so seeing him on the ice barely two weeks later comes as something of a surprise.
"Nice to see him on the ice," head coach Travis Green said. "Anytime a guy gets out there in a morning skate, you know he's not far off. And hopefully he's back soon."
But will he back back sooner than Green anticipates?
"It's definitely going to be sooner, whenever it is," Green said.
Chabot isn’t known as a particularly physical player, and he’s certainly not a fighter, but that doesn’t mean he lacks toughness. Getting back on the ice this quickly says plenty about his willingness to push through for his team at a critical time.
"He's one of the toughest players that I've coached or played with when it comes to playing through injuries," Green said. "It's quite amazing to be honest."
Chabot has certainly had practice, playing through a wrist injury for two seasons and change before finally getting it fixed surgically once and for all.
Sens defenseman Dennis Gilbert, who would also represent an upgrade in the Sens' bottom pairing, returned to practice Monday, and Green said he's getting close to returning as well. But then there's this...
TSN 1200 on Twitter
Despite that end-of-practice note, Green didn't mention any change in Gilbert's return-to-play status.
One other player to watch will be Tim Stutzle, who was in obvious pain and having his left shoulder worked on during Sunday's game.
With just five games remaining in the regular season, the Senators are clinging to the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 90 points. They sit one point ahead of the New York Islanders, with a game in hand, while both the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets are just two points back.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
Following the announcement that Main Street Sports Group LLC would cease operation, which owns the FanDuel Sports Network, the Nashville Predators have announced a new broadcast partner for the 2026-27 season.
The Predators have signed a multi-year broadcast deal with Scripps Sports to broadcast games free, over-the-air to viewers in the Middle Tennessee region. This includes preseason, regular season and first-round playoff games.
Scripps also owns WTVF NewsChannel 5, but plans to broadcast Predators games on its second station, WNPX or The Spot – Nashville 28.
We’ve partnered with @ScrippsSports to become the TV and streaming home of #Preds hockey, beginning next season.
Fans across our broadcast region will be able to watch games for free on a new local station, “The Spot – Nashville 28.”
Alongside local access, games will also be available via the team’s soon-to-be-released live-streaming app and the Tablo over-the-air DVR and streaming platform.
The new broadcast deal also includes "a direct-to-consumer experience where fans can livestream games throughout the local broadcast territory."
“Scripps Sports could not be more pleased to become the broadcast partner for the Nashville Predators. Nashville is a hockey town, and this partnership makes Predators games available to the widest possible local audience,” said Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports, in a press release.
“The combination of broadcast television and streaming guarantees that all Preds fans can follow the action wherever they choose to watch, on whatever device they choose.”
The Predators are the fifth NHL franchise to partner with Scripps Sports, joining the Vegas Golden Knights, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Utah Mammoth.
TINLEY PARK, Ill. (AP) — The United States Hockey League on Tuesday unveiled a standard player development agreement that introduces benefits, including support for travel and secondary education and reimbursements for training and career-ending injuries.
The agreement enhances academic support, strength and performance resources, host family housing, mental wellness services and coaching already in place, and the U.S.-based Tier I junior league says it ensures players receive consistent development across all 16 teams.
“The standard player development agreement reinforces that structure by creating clarity and consistency for players and families while supporting the environment that continues to produce more NCAA Division I players and NHL draft selections than any single league in the world," USHL President and Commissioner Glenn Hefferan said. "This is about strengthening a pathway that already works.”
The USHL has partnerships with USA Hockey and the NHL. It says the agreement reaffirms the league's longstanding player-first approach to help athletes pursue participating in Division I college hockey and beyond.
That approach requires a 2-1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 90% of games played on weekends. U.S. Olympic gold medal-winners Auston Matthews, Kyle Connor and Jeremy Swayman are among the USHL products who reached the NHL.
The Carolina Hurricanes were announced as one of the two teams that will be going abroad next season for the NHL Global Series in Helsinki, Finland.
While it was certainly an exciting announcement for Canes fans, especially international ones, you can count Hurricanes alternate captain Sebastian Aho as one of those most excited about the news.
The Finnish centerman has played the last 10 seasons in the NHL, and while he goes back home every offseason, he hasn't played in an actual game back in Finland since 2016.
Now though, he'll have the chance to once again play in front of a crowd of Finns.
"Obviously it's gonna be somewhat weird because not every person is either a Kraken or Canes fan, right?," Aho said. "They're watching good hockey and hopefully rooting for the Finns. But I'm sure it will be a good atmosphere."
Aho said that he and his wife have been taking time on some of the off days since returning from the Olympics to go through all the potential people they'll be wanting to invite for the games.
"There's a lot," Aho said. "Been trying to figure out how many tickets and all that I'm gonna get for the game, so we've been asking the close friends and family if they're available for those dates and most of them will be coming, which is awesome. There's a lot of important people who will see me play who have not necessarily always been able to come here at all. It's awesome. It's probably gonna be a little expensive, but we'll see what we'll be able to work out."
It isn't everyday that you get an opportunity like this, so I'm sure Aho won't be too worried about losing out on a game check or two.
The Hurricanes star said he was actually informed about the event right before the Olympic break by team general manager Eric Tulsky.
"Eric came to the locker room and broke the news for me and within the next five minutes, every guy in the locker room knew pretty much," Aho said. "We kept it pretty tight though. They told us not to spoil it yet, but it was very exciting."
Aho did however discuss the upcoming event with some of his fellow Finnish Olympians, most notably Seattle Kraken forward Kaapo Kakko, who will be facing off against Aho and the Hurricanes in Finland.
The Canes alternate captain said that Kakko joked with him that he was "gonna make reservations at every single restaurant that weekend," so that the Hurricanes wouldn't have anywhere to go.
"We'll have to be quick to get some reservations at the best spots there because I'm sure they want to do the fun stuff too," Aho said. "But I'm sure I'll be able to find something good for the boys."
Aho didn't want to get into what he's planning for the team, saying that he doesn't want to "spoil too much," but he did say that there will for sure be a sauna experience as well as a bit of salmon soup and reindeer.
"I'm sure the boys will enjoy it," Aho said. "Those are probably the things that are a must, but there's plenty of good restaurants in the city and also overall just hanging out as a group. I think it's a great way to bond. Obviously it's a different, long road trip, but hopefully we're gonna have a good time."
Carolina head coach Rod Brind'Amour made the trip with the Hurricanes over 15 years prior, back then as the director of player development, and it's that sort of team bonding that he remembers so well.
"We went over there how many years ago now, I mean it's been a while, but it's a great memory and that's what it is. An opportunity to make memories" Brind'Amour said. "Obviously the games are going to be important, but there's a bigger takeaway too: Going somewhere where you wouldn't normally go and all that stuff. That's the exciting part."
Funny enough, that game 15 years ago was also one of Sebastian Aho's first tastes of the NHL, as the then 13-year-old was actually in attendance to see the Hurricanes take on the Minnesota Wild.
Those game featured a few big name Finns such as Jussi Jokinen, Tuomo Ruutu, Joni Pitkanen, Mikko Koivu, Niklas Baskstrom and Antti Miettinen. Oh and future teammate Brent Burns as well.
"Back then, I had no clue I was gonna play in the NHL or for the Canes, so it's a pretty funny coincidence there," Aho said. "I enjoyed the game. Thought it was cool, something definitely unique. 15-20 years ago, I wasn't paying that much attention to the NHL then. But from there, with all the technology and everything, they started having prime time games, easy access with YouTube and all that, so it was kind of easier to follow the NHL from that point. It was cool. A big show obviously when the NHL comes to Finland. I enjoyed it and hopefully I'll have a good time as a player too."
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In their second-last home game of the 2025-26 season, the Vancouver Canucks will take on the Vegas Golden Knights at 7:00 pm PT. The Canucks last played the Golden Knights on March 30 in Vegas, dropping that game by a score of 4-2. Tonight, they'll hope for a different outcome. Here are the lineup notes for April 7, 2026.
During yesterday's practice, Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote confirmed that forward Evander Kane and goaltender Kevin Lankinen are currently day-to-day. Kane played in Vancouver's afternoon matchup on Saturday, during which the team celebrated his 1000th-career NHL game. Lankinen also missed this game as he was not well enough to back-up. As a result, Nils Höglander and Curtis Douglas will play tonight, while Jiří Patera will back up Nikita Tolopilo. Ty Mueller will not be in tonight's lineup.
Tonight’s matchup is also projected to see the reunion of the Liam Öhgren — Marco Rossi — Brock Boeser line after a few games apart. The last time these three played together in-game was on March 26, during which Vancouver lost to the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 4-0.
Mar 2, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander (21) shoots against the Dallas Stars in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Projected Lineup:
O’Connor-Pettersson-DeBrusk
Öhgren-Rossi-Boeser
Sasson-Blueger-Karlsson
Höglander-Räty-Douglas
Buium-Hronek
M. Pettersson-Willander
E. Pettersson-Mancini
Tolopilo
Patera
Game Information:
Start time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
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.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Ducks are entering the homestretch of the regular season, with each game another opportunity to grab a vital two points and solidify their spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2018. However, the Ducks are currently experiencing one of their worst runs of the season. A five-game losing streak in which they've been outscored 14-24 and gained just one point has also featured two third period collapses against the Toronto Maple Leafs and the San Jose Sharks.
Their opponent, the Nashville Predators are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. The Predators have won seven of their last 11 games and are just one point back of the second Wild Card spot. The Kings reclaimed that spot with their win on Monday.
Due to their poor run of play, the Ducks have dropped to second in the Pacific, with the Edmonton Oilers holding the top spot despite the teams being tied in points, thanks to the tiebreaker rules. The Vegas Golden Knights are one point back of both the Oilers and Ducks and could jump to first with a win and Oilers/Ducks losses on Tuesday.
Apr 3, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks play against the St. Louis Blues at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Dropping out of the playoffs completely remains an unlikely scenario for Anaheim. However, they must win at least two of their remaining five games to prevent that from becoming a reality. Four points currently separate the second Wild Card and second in the Pacific.
"Just trying to view these last five games as a round of playoffs," Troy Terry said. "That's truly what it is for us right now."
“Let’s incentivize ourselves,” head coach Joel Quenneville said. “Play this game like it's a playoff game, that’s the meaning and the purpose. We get to find out about guys knowing that with everything at stake, you rise to the occasion. But, you’ve got to earn it in this business in this situation as well. Let’s go get it.”
"This time of year, it's just important to win those games," Jackson LaCombe said. "I think every point matters throughout the year, so I wouldn't say we're looking into (the standings) too much, but you want home ice and everything else that comes with that. I think we're just trying to focus on playing our best hockey."
“I think we just want to play a little more simple,” Mason McTavish said. “I think we are really going to focus on not giving up as much, whether it's keeping our shifts shorter and being more fresh and thinking a little more clearly out there. I think that's something that we can control, and we're going to really look to focus down the stretch with these games meaning so much. It’s a great test for our team, and I know everybody's really excited.”
Apr 4, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish (23) during the second period against the Calgary Flames at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
Anaheim's leading goalscorer Cutter Gauthier has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. He left the game in the first period on Mar. 30 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and has not played since. He will not play against the Predators, missing a fourth consecutive game.
Captain Radko Gudas will also miss this game with a lower-body injury. He returned to face the Leafs, but has not played since.
Defenseman Pavel Mintyukov has also missed the past three games with a lower-body injury, but will return to the lineup against the Predators. He is playing in his 200th NHL game.
“Play hard and simple,” Mintyukov said on the focus for the team after their recent poor run of play. “No stupid mistakes.”
-Cutter Gauthier (upper-body) had a light skate on Tuesday and is targeting a return on Sunday, Mar. 12 against the Vancouver Canucks, per Quenneville.
-Radko Gudas (lower-body) is “closer than he was before,” but has no projected timeline. “(If) he gets in a practice or two with the guys, could be playing right after that,” Quenneville said.
-Ross Johnston (lower-body) is entering week three of his initial projected three to four-week timeline. Quenneville said Johnston is progressing well and that he’ll start skating soon. “Tough to say, but we’ll keep with that forecast.”
Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville speaks to the media after their morning skate at Honda Center.
Ducks Projected Lines
Mikael Granlund - Leo Carlsson - Beckett Sennecke Chris Kreider - Ryan Poehling - Troy Terry Alex Killorn - Mason McTavish - Jeff Viel Frank Vatrano - Tim Washe - Ian Moore
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba Pavel Mintyukov - John Carlson Tyson Hinds - Drew Helleson
Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)
Predators Projected Lines
Steven Stamkos - Ryan O'Reilly - Zachary L'Heureux Filip Forsberg - Matthew Wood - Jonathan Marchessault Tyson Jost - Erik Haula - Luka Evangelista Reid Schaefer - Fedor Svechkov - Joakim Kemell
Brady Skjei - Roman Josi Adam Wilsby - Nick Perbix Ryan Ufko - Justin Barron
The Chicago Blackhawks have four games remaining in 2025-26, and all of them will take place at the United Center. They close out with games against the Carolina Hurricanes, St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, and San Jose Sharks.
All of those teams are either in a playoff spot or desperately pushing to try and get in, so it won't be an easy task in any of these matchups.
The Blackhawks will be solely focused on themselves as they try to finish the season strong. Every player on the roster is pushing to show what they can do ahead of next season, where they will be expected to take another step.
There are a lot of different storylines to keep an eye on when it comes to this team's final handful of games. These are the four that stick out with four games remaining.
1. The five-forward power play is starting to work well.
Over the last handful of games, Jeff Blashill has been using five forwards on the power play. Against the San Jose Sharks on Monday, this looked like a strong group that skated and moved the puck well with the man-advantage.
When asked if he would go back to this strategy next season, Blashill had a response that you would expect following a game where everything seemed to click:
"I’d have to be crazy not to," Blashill said on considering five forwards again in 2026-27. "I have no issue with five forwards. It doesn’t matter if it’s a forward or a [defenseman] back there. That doesn’t dictate whether or not you give up shorthanded chances. To me, it’s about the responsibility of the group. What it does is get the puck in Bedsy’s hands, and he’s the guy you want with the puck in his hands."
With five forwards on the ice, the defensive responsibility (assuming they allow the short-handed unit to get the puck and hang onto it) would be on whoever is playing at the point.
Things usually aren't negative for the Blackhawks when Connor Bedard has the puck on his stick. He is the best offensive player on the team, so getting him touches with the extra man out there is important.
Against the Sharks, Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell couldn't stop shooting the puck from the flanks, which was largely created by Bedard dancing around. In Chicago's case, it might be better to go with that instead of a defenseman at the top of the zone.
2. Kevin Korchinski's development is showing as the season comes to an end.
Kevin Korchinski was called up ahead of Matt Grzelcyk and Artyom Levshunov, who were ruled out for the season. In that stretch, he has shown great signs of development.
"He's not over-complicating it," head coach Jeff Blashill said of Korchinski. "He's using his feet to beat pressure, but then he's moving the puck to the open people. When he does that and defends with his feet, he's been a really good player."
When Korchinski was the 7th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, the Blackhawks envisioned him as a high-end skating defenseman with great puck skills. It wasn't clicking at the NHL level early on, but he showed those skills in the AHL on a nightly basis.
Now, at 21 years old, he is starting to prove the scouting staff correct. It takes time, especially at this position with his skill set. It doesn't happen overnight. Heading into the summer, especially if he finishes strong over these four games, Kyle Davidson and his staff must work on getting him extended (RFA).
3. Anton Frondell and Sacha Boisvert are looking to have strong finishes to a wild season.
Anton Frondell and Sacha Boisvert were both inserted into the Chicago Blackhawks lineup late in the season. They have wildly different skillsets, but are each capable of contributing to the team in the long-term.
Boisvert, the 18th pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is a scrappy bottom-six forward who can play center or wing. In addition to playing a physical game (that includes fighting), he has a knack for goal scoring. As he adapts to the pro game, he should find success reaching the high-danger areas more frequently.
As for Frondell, he was the third overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft for a reason. Whether it's his two-way dominance, elite one-time shot, or tenacity in all three zones, he already fits into a top-six NHL role.
Whether he plays wing with a dynamic center or drives his own line as a center in the future remains to be seen, but the Blackhawks will certainly do their due diligence to figure out a great plan for him.
Going into the final four games of the season, expect both of them to skate like the wind. It's been a wild season for each of them, and they'd like to finish it strong.
4. Good Draft Lottery Odds are awaiting the front office.
The Chicago Blackhawks enter the final four games with the second-fewest amount of points in the National Hockey League. The Vancouver Canucks have locked in the best odds, but the Blackhawks could finish anywhere in the bottom five.
With some incredible teams rolling through town in the next few days, there is an opportunity for them to remain with the second-fewest amount of points. They have already improved their totals from a year ago, so one more year in the top three won't hurt them in any way. In fact, they would be guaranteed to add an elite prospect.
If they stick with the second-best odds, they will enter the lottery with a 13.5 percent chance of winning the first overall pick in the 2026 Draft. Picking first or second likely means one of Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg. Dropping outside of the top two could mean anything, as this is a deep draft with some big decisions yet to be made.
Although the young Blackhawks have no interest in dropping any of their final four games, every result will have the hockey world checking the standings at the bottom.
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Game 77 tonight against the St Louis Blues can be a big one for the Colorado Avalanche, as not only could they secure first in the Central Division and lock up first place in the Western Conference, but they could also secure the Presidents' Trophy, with the help of some other teams, of course.
If they want to win the Central Division and finish first as West #1, the stipulations for tonight are as follows:
- A win versus St. Louis Blues (regulation or overtime, need the two points) -OR; One point versus the Blues and the Dallas Stars lose to the Calgary Flames (in any fashion) -OR: Stars regulation loss versus Flames
It's as simple as that for the Avalanche: secure a point against the Blues and hope the Flames don't pull off an upset against the Stars, who are starting Jake Oettinger tonight.
Granted, the Flames are 6-3-1 in their last ten, and the Stars are 3-5-2 in their last ten, so both teams are both hot and cold going against each other tonight. Though the last time each faced each other was back on March 3, where the Stars took a massive 6-1 victory over the Flames.
Presidents Trophy Stipulation
Now this is where the Avalanche start to rely on more than just one team if they hope to secure the Presidents' Trophy tonight. Here are the stipulations needed if the Avalanche wants to secure the 2025/26 Presidents' Trophy:
- Avalanche regulation win against the Blues, AND Carolina Hurricanes lose in regulation to the Boston Bruins -OR; Overtime/shootout win versus the Blues, Hurricanes regulation loss to the Bruins, AND the Tampa Bay Lightning don't secure a regulation win against the Ottawa Senators.
It's a bit more congested for the Avalanche if they want to secure the Presidents' Trophy tonight, as the stars need to align perfectly for them, which is hard with that many stipulations.
The Hurricanes have already clinched a playoff spot, but the Bruins are currently holding the top wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference with 95 points, and the teams below them are not too far away from reaching their point total.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have already clinched a playoff spot, but they're fighting for first in the Atlantic against the Buffalo Sabers, who are tied with them in points, both with 102.
The Ottawa Senators are fighting to keep that last wildcard spot, as there are four other Eastern Conference teams creeping up on them, ready to take that spot with just a matter of one win.
The Avalanche are in a comfortable spot to secure both. Will they get both tonight against the Blues? Time will only tell if all stipulations fall their way.
The video game overlords were a bit kinder to the Colorado Avalanche this time around.
Nathan MacKinnon scored in overtime to lift the Avalanche to a 2–1 win over the St. Louis Blues. Brett Kulak also found the back of the net for Colorado, while Scott Wedgewood turned aside 32 shots.
Jordan Kyrou scored the lone goal for St. Louis, and Jordan Binnington made 25 saves in the loss.
First Period
At the 3:23 mark, Gabe Landeskog teed up a one-timer from the top of the left circle, but his blistering shot was gloved down by Binnington.
Through the opening five minutes, St. Louis jumped out to a 7–1 edge in shots, with Wedgewood forced to keep Colorado afloat early.
The first half of the period was sloppy on Colorado’s end, as repeated turnovers in the defensive zone put Wedgewood in several dangerous situations. However, just past the midway point, the Avalanche broke through. Joel Kiviranta found Kulak in the slot, and his quick wrister slipped just over Binnington’s blocker to give Colorado a 1–0 lead.
Landeskog had another look from the same spot with under two minutes remaining, but Binnington turned it aside with the blocker.
Second Period
Just past the midway mark, Brent Burns made a terrific read, intercepting a pass to break up a prime scoring chance that could have tied the game for St. Louis.
After two periods, the Avalanche held a 1–0 lead, though the Blues carried a 24–17 advantage in shots.
Third Period
Colorado ran into penalty trouble early in the period when Landeskog was called for interference on Theo Lindstein.
The Avalanche killed off the penalty, but the Blues still managed to tie the game shortly after. Kyrou wrapped the puck around the net and tucked it in, with Nick Blankenburg in pursuit but unable to prevent the equalizer.
Moments later, Colorado received its first power play of the night when Jimmy Snuggerud was called for cross-checking Kiviranta.
Burns ripped a slap shot 50 seconds into the man advantage, but Binnington came up with a strong glove save. The Avalanche generated multiple Grade-A chances, including a dangerous one-timer from Necas that was turned aside, but couldn’t regain the lead.
Sam Malinski then put the Blues back on the power play with a cross-check on Dylan Holloway. And of course, it wouldn’t be an NHL video game without a Frostbite glitch—Malinski briefly turned into O.J. Simpson and sent his stick through Holloway’s chest… yet somehow avoided any additional charges.
Regulation solved nothing, sending the game to overtime.
Overtime
This time, Colorado flipped the script.
On a 2-on-1 rush, MacKinnon fed Necas, who blasted a slap shot that deflected off Binnington’s elbow and bounced right to MacKinnon at the backdoor. The puck caromed in off his chest, sealing a 2–1 Avalanche victory.
If the Avalanche score the real-life triumph, they'll finally, at long last, clinch the Central Division.
While the Toronto Maple Leafs have added some youth from the Toronto Marlies, it remains unknown whether a few of them will get a taste of NHL action.
Since the trade deadline, the Maple Leafs have recalled three Marlies who've seen regular game action: Jacob Quillan (18 games), Bo Groulx (12 games), and Michael Pezzetta (six games).
For what could be the team's second-last full practice of the season, Villeneuve was lined up alongside Ekman-Larsson while Haymes was an extra forward.
Both Hames and Villeneuve have been integral parts of the Marlies this season. As a rookie center, Haymes has tallied 17 goals and 32 points in 63 games. Meanwhile, Villeneuve leads all Marlies defensemen with 28 points in 58 games.
Neither has played an NHL game yet, though.
In a season that's lost for the Maple Leafs, it's worth seeing what the organization has in both players. Villeneuve, especially, given that he's been with the Maple Leafs since the beginning of the 2022 season, four years ago.
But by the sounds of it, there isn't a plan to play either of the two just yet.
"Yeah, I don't know," said head coach Craig Berube, when asked if there's a plan for the two players. "I think we're just dealing with some, not injuries, but stuff where it could keep guys out, so it's nice to have them guys up here to get acclimated to things and, if we need them, we'll get them up here."
Berube admits there's some benefit to having younger players get into a game at this point of the season, though, again, he doesn't confirm whether either of Haymes or Villeneuve will play.
"I always think there's value in getting young guys a game or two," Berube said. "I don't think it hurts; it gets them a taste of the NHL. So, no, I don't see it hurting anything."
The Maple Leafs have five games left in their season. Let's see if either player makes their NHL debut before the year ends.
