Mar 24, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri (91) warms up against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Charles LeClaire/Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
DENVER — Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri will miss “some games” because of a finger injury, Colorado coach Jared Bednar said.
Bednar added the Avalanche hope to work him back into the lineup before the playoffs. The Avalanche have five games remaining.
Colorado already has clinched the Central Division and the top seed in the Western Conference. A win over Calgary wraps up the Presidents’ Trophy, which goes to the squad with the best NHL record.
Kadri was hurt in a 3-1 win over the Blues in St. Louis. He has four goals and five assists in 16 games since being acquired by Colorado as part of a trade deadline deal with the Flames on March 6.
The 35-year-old Kadri helped Colorado to a Stanley Cup title in 2022.
In addition to Kadri, the Avalanche are without defenseman Cale Makar because of an upper-body injury. Makar skated with the team in a red, non-contact sweater. Makar is set to miss his fifth straight game.
The Vancouver Canucks will take on the Los Angeles Kings for the second-last time this season tonight. Vancouver last faced Los Angeles on March 26, during which the Canucks lost by a score of 4-0. The Canucks will play the Kings one more time this season after tonight on April 14 at home. Here are the lineup notes for April 9, 2026.
Vancouver is not expected to change their lineups too much today, meaning that Ty Mueller will sit out of his second-straight game. The forward was called up last Wednesday and played in two games before being healthy-scratched on Tuesday against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Nikita Tolopilo will start in net for the Canucks tonight, with this being the goaltender's third consecutive start since Kevin Lankinen was held out of the lineup on a day-to-day basis. In his last start, Tolopilo stopped 27 of 29 shots faced for a .931 SV%.
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: 7:30 pm PT
Venue: Crypto.com Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
Apr 7, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo (60) in the net against the Vegas Golden Knights in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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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With only three more games on the Blueshirts slate – all away – it's time now to compare two of the NHL's most contrasting teams and understand which went up and which went down.
And more importantly why the Blueshirts are a sorrowful mess while the Sabres could win The Stanley Cup.
RELATIVE VALUE: The Rangers are valued at $4.5 BILLION. Sabres at $1.5 Billion. Blueshirts have a $3.0 Billion lead and look how it "helped" them. (DIDN'T!)
OCTOBER 2025: At the start of the season, The Hockey News Yearbook picked the Rangers to finish fourth in the Metropolitan Division. Buffalo was picked seventh in the Atlantic. Blueshirts are in the non-playoff pits -- again. The Sabres are now among the NHL's elite.
STARS: The Rangers have one – Igor Shesterkin – who is supposed to "carry" the team. Here are just a few aces who've carried the Sabres to the top: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch.
GM: Chris Drury it is to laugh; Jarmo Kekalainen merely turned the Sabres into winners.
Coach: Mike Sullivan is hell bent to miss the playoffs for the fourth straight year; Lindy Ruff is in the process of pulling off one of the miracle bench jobs in NHL history.
Anyone who doubts the above should merely check the standings.
After signing top center prospect Jack Berglund, the Philadelphia Flyers received quite a big organizational boost at the forward position, aiding them both now and in the future.
Berglund, 19, signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Flyers on Thursday morning, which will take effect starting with the 2026-27 season.
For now, the 6-foot-4 Swede will join the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms for their Calder Cup playoff push, and he should be able to immediately establish himself as a top-nine forward on the team in the absences of Denver Barkey and Alex Bump, who are now full-time NHL players.
The Flyers have brought aboard a number of forwards for the Phantoms in recent weeks, with players like Noah Powell, Cole Knuble, and Riley Thompson preceding Berglund's signing.
Berglund's place in the depth chart depends greatly on whether or not the Flyers see him as a center at the NHL level; his development plan will change accordingly.
In the future, and accounting only for players under contract or team control, Berglund should slide in comfortably as the sixth center behind draft classmate Jett Luchanko, Trevor Zegras, Christian Dvorak, Noah Cates, and Sean Couturier.
Veterans like Rodrigo Abols, Jacob Gaucher, Lane Pederson, and Boris Katchouk are all on expiring deals, and RFA Karsen Dorwart has yet to meaningfully insert himself into the NHL conversation.
Berglund, who turns 20 on Friday, will be granted every opportunity to make the Flyers out of training camp in the fall.
If he doesn't, the expectation is that he'll be sent back to Farjestad BK of the SHL on loan, as he has one year remaining on his contract overseas. In that case, Berglund's debut in the Orange and Black will wait until this time next year.
The Flyers' winger logjam is well-documented at this point, Alex Bump, Barkey, and Porter Martone overtaking NHL roles combined with the team already having Matvei Michkov, Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny, Tyson Foerster, and the injured Nikita Grebenkin, who is due for a new contract this summer.
With that in mind, it is difficult right now to see Berglund with the Flyers as a left wing, unless he does so in a complementary fashion alongside someone like Zegras.
The Karlstad native has produced seven goals, five assists, and 12 points in 40 SHL with Farjestad as a teenager, which ranked fourth amongst all D+2 skaters in Sweden's top hockey league.
Only Lucas Pettersson (20, Anaheim), Valter Lindberg (17, undrafted), and Leo Sahlin Wallenius (13, San Jose) were more productive than Berglund in that aspect.
By next spring, should he not just make the Flyers outright, Berglund will be towards the top of Philadelphia's list of potential call-ups, given his size, skill, and pro experience.
He's well past many of his peers in the organization and will be in the NHL in no time at all.
It's a big game for the Penguins, who have an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot for the first time in four years. A win in any fashion gets them in, but they can also clinch with one point against the Devils and a Columbus Blue Jackets loss to the Buffalo Sabres in any fashion.
Even if the Penguins lose in regulation, they'd still get in with a Toronto Maple Leafs win over the New York Islanders and a Blue Jackets regulation loss.
The @penguins will clinch a playoff berth tonight if any of the following events happen:
- The Penguins win tonight in any fashion OR - The Penguins get one point versus the Devils AND the Sabres defeat the Blue Jackets in any fashion OR - The Maple Leafs defeat the Islanders in… pic.twitter.com/z1trVVcmoP
The easiest way to clinch is to win, and they'll have a chance to do that against a team that is already eliminated from playoff contention. The Devils got eliminated on Tuesday following a 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. The loss came one day after general manager Tom Fitzgerald was dismissed.
Even though it's been a miserable 2025-26 season for the Devils, they still have some players who can score at will. Jack Hughes, who scored the Golden Goal for Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics, has 25 goals and 72 points in 57 games this year. He's been on fire as of late, racking up nine points in his last four games.
Jesper Bratt has also been great this year with 20 goals and 68 points in 78 games. Nico Hischier is still a really strong two-way center with 26 goals and 62 points in 78 games.
Don't forget about Timo Meier, Dawson Mercer, Cody Glass, and Connor Brown, too. They have 24, 18, 18, and 17 goals, respectively, this year.
Jake Allen will start in goal for the Devils. He has a .906 save percentage and a 2.70 goals-against average this year.
The Penguins are expected to keep their lines the same for this game. Here's a look at the projected lineup:
Forwards
Chinakhov-Crosby-Rust
Novak-Rakell-Malkin
Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau
Soderblom-Dewar-Acciari
Defensive pairs
Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Girard-Letang
Shea-Clifton
Stuart Skinner will start in goal for the Penguins after missing Sunday's game with an eye injury.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
The Chicago Blackhawks are back at the United Center for a four-game homestand to close out their 2025-26 season. They will not be going to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but there is still plenty to play for over the final handful of games.
The Hurricanes clinched the Metropolitan Division last time out against the Boston Bruins, and now they have their eyes on winning the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Scouting Carolina
The Hurricanes brought up a few players from the Chicago Wolves, including Skyler Brind'Amour, Bradly Nadeau, Josiah Slavin, and Charles Alexis Legault.
Are they going to rest players to stay fresh for their pending trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Maybe, but they still have something to play for with the seeding. Matching up against whoever sneaks into the 8th seed may be more favorable than playing the Boston Bruins in Round 1.
Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis
Hall-Stankoven-Blake
Ehlers-Staal-Martinook
Carrier-Jankowski-Deslauriers
Slavin-Gostisbehere
Miller-Chatfield
Nikishin-Walker
Bussi
Andersen
This was their lineup from the overtime win over the Bruins before inserting any of their AHL players, which won't be known until closer to the game.
If he plays, Sebastian Aho is the one who drives this Hurricanes offense. He doesn't change games the way that some of the highest-tier players do in the league, but he is one tick below. With star wingers right beside him in Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov, they form an A+ top line.
Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall play together on the second line with Jackson Blake. Stankoven and Hall were both involved in trades that included Mikko Rantanen during the 2024-25 season.
Carolina's third line with Jordan Staal, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Jordan Martinook is one of the best shutdown lines in the NHL. Staal has never won the Selke Trophy, but he is in the mix year after year. It is a trip that could also put the puck in the net when they get opportunities.
On defense, the Hurricanes are loaded. It starts and ends with Jaccob Slavin, who is the best pure defender in the NHL on the back-end. His lack of offense, although he scored the overtime winning goal against Boston earlier this week (his first goal of the season), keeps him from being known as a true number one in the NHL, but he is an elite player nonetheless.
Shayne Gostisbehere does cheat for offense from time to time, which is okay, playing on the top pair with Slavin. With K'Andre Miller and Alexander Nikishin on the middle and bottom pairs, they get plenty of offense from their defense.
In goal, whether it's Brandon Bussi or Frederik Anderson, the Hurricanes play a style that gives them a chance to win regardless of who is in net. It is the most physically demanding system in the NHL, led by head coach Rod Brind'Amour, but it works for them. It is a group that's in shape, which is a must for systems like this.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks will need their skating legs in a matchup like this. If they don't have them, they might be run out of their own building by the Hurricanes.
Teravainen-Bedard-Lardis
Bertuzzi-Frondell-Mikheyev
Donato-Nazar-Burakovsky
Mangiapane-Greene-Slaggert
Vlasic-Crevier
Kaiser-Rinzel
Korchinski-Del Mastro
Knight
Soderblom
There is more experimenting going on with Jeff Blashill and his lineup, especially with the forwards. It is likely to be another game with Connor Bedard, Anton Frondell, and Frank Nazar down the middle in the top nine, while Ryan Greene will be the fourth line center.
Andre Burakovsky will be back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch in the last game. Andrew Mangiapane, who was inserted for Burakovsky, will also play, likely meaning that Sacha Boisvert will be the healthy scratch.
Boisvert has yet to play a home game since signing with the Blackhawks, but that is likely just how the schedule works out with the Blackhawks wanting him to take one game off after every one or two played. With every game remaining being at home, he'll have his chance to skate in front of a United Center crowd.
Spencer Knight did not attend the optional skate for the Blackhawks on Thursday, and Arvid Soderblom did. That means that Knight is going to get the nod in goal against the Hurricanes. Coming off his Masterton Trophy nomination, he is ready to have a strong finish to a great year.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it is available locally on CHSN. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:30 PM CT.
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 on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.
The Florida Panthers will be without Seth Jones tonight against the Ottawa Senators as the veteran defenseman suffered a break in his foot against the Montreal Canadiens.
Jones has now suffered a break in his foot, which will likely end his 2025-26 campaign. Jones missed 26 games earlier this season when he was hit in the face with a puck during the Winter Classic. In 52 games, the 31-year-old’s season finishes with seven goals and 32 points, averaging 23:42 of ice time, a full minute more than the next closest player.
With Jones and Kulikov now out of the lineup, Ludvig Jansson and Marek Alscher will make their NHL debut.
Jansson is a 22-year-old defenseman who the Panthers selected in the fourth round (125th overall) in the 2022 NHL draft. The six-foot, right-handed defenseman has notched three goals and 10 points in 29 AHL games in his rookie season.
Alscher is also a 22-year-old defenseman who the Panthers selected in the third round (93rd overall) in the 2022 NHL draft. The 6-foot-3, left-handed defenseman has posted three goals and 11 points in 51 games in his second AHL season.
The Panthers take on the red-hot Senators tonight, and it will be a tough task for these young rookies to slow down the Sens offense.
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The NHL's playoff makeover continues on Thursday, April 9 with three teams possibly clinching after missing the postseason in 2024-25.
The Edmonton Oilers, who went to the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons, could also clinch. They could be joined by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins and Utah Mammoth.
The Bruins last made the playoffs in 2024 and the Penguins have missed the last three seasons. The Mammoth technically are a second-year franchise but the players who came over from the Arizona Coyotes last made the playoffs in 2020.
The division, wild-card and Presidents' Trophy races also are in play on Thursday.
The Vegas Golden Knights (88) and Anaheim Ducks (87) will look to narrow their gap against the idle Pacific-leading Oilers (90).
In the race for the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot, the leading Ottawa Senators (92) are playing, as are the Columbus Blue Jackets (90), Detroit Red Wings (89) and New York Islanders (89). Peter DeBoer will make his debut as Islanders coach. The Blue Jackets could move into third place in the Metropolitan Division with a win and a Philadelphia Flyers regulation loss.
In the race for the West's second wild-card spot, the leading Nashville Predators (84), Los Angeles Kings (83), San Jose Sharks (82), Winnipeg Jets (80) and St. Louis Blues are playing. The Jets and Blues face each other.
Also, the Colorado Avalanche have another chance to clinch the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. The Minnesota Wild, two points behind second-place Dallas in the Central Division, visit the Stars on Thursday in a preview of their first-round series.
Here's what to know about the NHL standings, including the latest playoff bracket, clinching scenarios and the tiebreaker procedures for the 2025-26 season:
Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?
Eastern Conference: Carolina, Tampa Bay, Buffalo, Montreal
Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota
Who can clinch an NHL playoff berth today?
The Pittsburgh Penguins will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Devils or if they get one point and the Blue Jackets lose or if the Islanders lose and the Blue Jackets lose in regulation.
The idle Boston Bruins will clinch a playoff berth if the Islanders, Red Wings and Blue Jackets lose in regulation.
The idle Edmonton Oilers will clinch a playoff berth if the Sharks lose, the Predators lose in regulation and the Jets fail to win in regulation.
The Utah Mammoth will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Predators in regulation and the Sharks lose.
The Colorado Avalanche will clinch the Presidents' Trophy if they beat the Flames or if the Hurricanes lose in regulation. They'd also clinch if they get one point and the Hurricanes lose.
Today's NHL games (Thursday, April 9)
All times p.m. ET
Toronto at N.Y. Islanders, 6:45
Columbus at Buffalo, 7
Tampa Bay at Montreal, 7
Florida at Ottawa, 7
Philadelphia at Detroit, 7
Pittsburgh at New Jersey, 7
Winnipeg at St. Louis 8
Carolina at Chicago, 8:30
Minnesota at Dallas, 9
Calgary at Colorado, 9
Nashville at Utah, 9
San Jose at Anaheim, 10
Vegas at Seattle, 10
Vancouver at Los Angeles, 10:30
NHL playoff standings
NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26
After April 8 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.
Metropolitan Division
y-Carolina Hurricanes (106)
Pittsburgh Penguins (96)
Philadelphia Flyers (92)
Atlantic Division
x-Buffalo Sabres (104)
x-Tampa Bay Lightning (102)
x-Montreal Canadiens (102)
Wild card
Boston Bruins (96)
Ottawa Senators (92)
Sitting out of playoff position: Columbus Blue Jackets (90), Detroit Red Wings (89), New York Islanders (89), Washington Capitals (89), z-New Jersey Devils (83), z-Florida Panthers (78), z-Toronto Maple Leafs (78), z-New York Rangers (75)
NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26
After April 8 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.
Central Division
y-Colorado Avalanche (112)
x-Dallas Stars (104)
x-Minnesota Wild (102)
Pacific Division
Edmonton Oilers (90)
Vegas Golden Knights (88)
Anaheim Ducks (87)
Wild card
Utah Mammoth (88)
Nashville Predators (84)
Sitting out of playoff position: Los Angeles Kings (83), San Jose Sharks (81), Winnipeg Jets (80), St. Louis Blues (78), Seattle Kraken (75), z-Calgary Flames (73), z-Chicago Blackhawks (70), z-Vancouver Canucks (52)
NHL playoffs if they started today
NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 8:
Carolina (M1) vs. Ottawa (WC2)
Pittsburgh (M2) vs. Philadelphia (M3)
Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)
Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card
NHL Western Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 8.
Colorado (C1) vs. Nashville (WC2)
Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
Edmonton (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
Vegas (P2) vs. Anaheim (P3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card
NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?
If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:
Regulation wins
Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
Total wins
Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded. When more than two clubs are tied, the percentage of available points earned in games among each other (and not including any odd games) shall be used to determine standings.
Goal differential
Total goals
When does the NHL regular season end?
The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.
When do the NHL playoffs start?
The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 18.
The Montreal Canadiens host the Tampa Bay Lightning in an Atlantic Division heavyweight bout on Thursday, April 9.
This potential playoff matchup is perhaps the most important game of the season for both teams, with the division title up for grabs.
My Lightning vs. Canadiens predictions and NHL picks suggest that Cole Caufield, laden with the ever-looming 50-goal plateau, will find other ways to hit the scoresheet in front of the Bell Centre faithful.
Lightning vs Canadiens prediction
Lightning vs Canadiens best bet: Cole Caufield Over 0.5 assists (+100)
The elephant in the room regarding Cole Caufield has overshadowed a particularly generous stretch for the Montreal Canadiens' 25-year-old.
He's racked up three assists in three games since his latest tally, and 10 over his last 12 games. This plus-odds pricing is perhaps as egregious as his Olympic omission.
Caufield's natural goal-scoring ability outshines his playmaking, but he’s tied his career-high assist total and has been playing at a 68-assist pace since mid-March.
Lightning vs Canadiens same-game parlay
Rookie sensation Ivan Demidov is quickly becoming a focal point of the Canadiens' stacked offense, only one year removed from his contract signing late last season.
The 20-year-old has a point in seven of his last eight games, notably racking up a power-play point (+215) in four of them. He leads all rookies with 61 points.
On the topic of red-hot Habs rookies, Jakub Dobes has been the best goaltender in the league over the last month. He's won six straight games and boasts an astounding 28-8-4 record.
Dobes has allowed three goals or fewer in 11 consecutive starts, holding Tampa to a lone goal as he stopped 36 of 37 shots on March 31.
The Over has hit in three of the last four head-to-head meetings. Find more NHL betting trends for Lightning vs. Canadiens.
How to watch Lightning vs Canadiens
Location
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
Date
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
The Spot, TSN2
Lightning vs Canadiens latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ELMONT, NY -- On Wednesday afternoon, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that some New York Islanders players were getting "fed up" with Patrick Roy bringing up his Stanley Cup wins.
"There's so much talk about his Stanley Cups and the Stanley Cups he won," Seravalli said on 'Frankly Hockey'. 'Players are really tired of hearing that. It's a great relic to hang onto, and it's a nice flex to have on your resume, but you haven't won as a coach. And you're not a goaltender anymore, even though you're in the Hall of Fame. You're just a head coach, and you have to be able to park that. Players told me that they were tired of hearing that from Patrick Roy."
Seravalli has not been in the Islanders' locker room once this season nor attended a game.
"That couldn't be more untrue," Islanders forward Mathew Barzal said. "If anything, we love hearing stories about the teams that he was on that won the cups, especially his team in Montreal. He'd always bring up just how they were underdogs all year, and that kind of stuff fueled us.
"So that report is just, it's completely ridiculous.”
The Hockey News asked team captain Anders Lee for a comment on the report:
"I don't even know what to say," a dumbfounded Lee said. "We're definitely not frustrated with Patty talking about that kind of thing. When he did, it was very relevant to the situation, and only him trying to help and tell a story.
"No one was walking away with those feelings.”
Roy's time on the island came to a close on Sunday when he was relieved of his duties after four straight losses, with the Islanders falling out of a playoff spot.
General manager Mathieu Darche and the players made it clear that Roy never lost the room, with the first-year general manager citing that the hiring of Pete DeBoer was about what was best for the team going forward.
The Islanders continue their push for the playoffs on Thursday night againt the Toronto Maple Leafs, with puck drop at 6:45 PM ET.
The Calgary Flames are in Denver to take on a Colorado Avalanche team that has only played to the Over in six of their last 25 games.
With both teams dealing with recent departures and/or key injuries, my Flames vs. Avalanche predictions expect that trend to continue.
Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Thursday, April 9.
Flames vs Avalanche prediction
Flames vs Avalanche best bet: Under 6.5 (-125)
The Colorado Avalanche have been surprisingly generous to Under backers this season, posting an O/U record of 33-42-2.
Five of their past seven games have featured six goals or fewer, including three straight. That may be a common theme down the stretch with offensive dynamo Cale Makar sidelined, not to mention former Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri.
The Flames traded multiple key weapons prior to the deadline (Kadri, Rasmus Andersson) and lost Jonathan Huberdeau to injury, making them more reliant on preventing goals than scoring them.
That sets up well for a reasonably low-scoring matchup.
Flames vs Avalanche same-game parlay
The Flames traded multiple minute-munching defensemen and lost a couple more to injury, opening the door for others to take on expanded roles.
Yan Kuznetsov has blocked multiple shots in 15 of his last 20 games, and two of three since returning from injury, while Olli Maatta has stepped in the way of at least a couple of pucks in seven of his past 10.
Colorado plays fast and shoots a lot, which should create plenty of opportunities for these blueliners to pile up the blocks.
The Colorado Avalanche have hit the Game Total Under in 15 of their last 25 games (+8.70 Units / 32% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Flames vs. Avalanche.
How to watch Flames vs Avalanche
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Puck drop
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
SNW, ALT
Flames vs Avalanche latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Canucks vs Kings best bet: Filip Hronek Over 0.5 assists (+115)
Filip Hronek has been the Vancouver Canucks’ top facilitator this season, leading the team with 38 helpers. Twenty of those assists have come on the road, and the Czech native has cashed the Over in four of his last five appearances.
Hronek has already notched four assists in April, and he’s also hit the Over in three contests in a row on the road. Hronek also plays on PP1 with the likes of Marco Rossi, Brock Boeser, and Elias Pettersson, three of the team’s best finishers.
Six of his last seven assists were on the power play, and the Kings are struggling immensely without a man, ranking 30th in power-play kill percentage.
Canucks vs Kings same-game parlay
Jake DeBrusk had a quiet night against Vegas on Tuesday with just one SOG, but he did cash the Over in six of his previous seven games before that. DeBrusk is averaging 2.61 SOG per contest this season.
Los Angeles is 11th in SOG allowed, but they just gave up 31 shots on target to the Predators, and DeBrusk has cashed the Over in three of his last four road outings.
Elias Pettersson is averaging 1.73 SOG this season, and he’s averaging exactly 1.5 SOG against the Kings this season.
The Swede has hit the Over in two of his last four on the road, and again, this Kings penalty kill is poor. If the Canucks get a few power plays, Pettersson can easily collect a couple of SOG with the man advantage alone.
The Vancouver Canucks have hit the 2P Game Total Over in 6 of their last 10 games (+6.05 Units / 54% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Canucks vs. Kings.
How to watch Canucks vs Kings
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Puck drop
10:30 p.m. ET
TV
SNP, FDSN-W
Canucks vs Kings latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The end of the road is nearing for the Florida Panthers, both literally and figuratively.
Florida will play their final two road games of the season this week, starting on Thursday night when they face the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Center.
It’s been a challenging season for the Panthers, who have been dealing with major injuries to key players since the start.
The injured list has only grown in recent weeks, with defenseman Dmitry Kulikov becoming the third player over the past two weeks to suffer a season-ending broken finger, joining Evan Rodrigues and Aaron Ekblad after the latest fracture occurred during Tuesday’s shootout loss in Montreal.
As a result, Florida brought up young defensemen Ludvig Jansson and Marek Alscher from AHL Charlotte on Wednesday.
Jansson is playing in his first pro season in North America after signing his three-year entry-level contract with Florida back in May.
The 22-year-old Swede has played 29 games with the Checkers, accumulating three goals and 10 points while racking up 12 penalty minutes and skating to a plus-1 on-ice rating.
As for Alscher, he's played 104 AHL games over the past two seasons, accumulating five goals and 21 points while earning the trust of the Checkers coaching staff with solid defensive play, but both he and Jansson have yet to make their respective NHL debuts.
Looking at the standings, Florida and Ottawa are in very different situations as they near the finish line of the regular season.
The Senators currently hold the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, two points head of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the first team out of the playoffs looking in. Both teams have four games remaining.
Florida, meanwhile, hold the seventh-worst record in the league, which is significant because if the Panthers finish in a position that gives them a top-10 selection in this summer’s NHL Draft, they get to retain the pick despite including it in last year’s Trade Deadline deal with Chicago that brought Seth Jones to Sunrise.
The team currently with the tenth-worst record, the San Jose Sharks, are three points ahead of Florida with one more game remaining (five) than the Cats (four).
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Thursday’s visit to Ottawa:
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Mackie Samoskevich
Photo caption: Jan 10, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot (72) clears the puck after a save by goalie Leevi Merilainen (1)) in the second period against the Florida Panthers at the Canadian Tire Centre. (Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images)
Apr 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) skates with the puck during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Alberti-Imagn Images | Mark Alberti-Imagn Images
Checking in with some random Pittsburgh Penguins thoughts ahead of Thursday’s win-and-in game against the New Jersey Devils.
1. The math is very simple
Win and in.
Just two points.
That is it.
It could be two points on Thursday. It could be two points on Saturday. It could be two points on Sunday. It could be two points early next week against the St. Louis Blues. Whenever they get them, whoever they get them against, it does not matter.
Just two more points. One more win.
It certainly brings a big-game feel to Thursday’s game.
There areother clinching scenarios as early as Thursday. An overtime loss, combined with a Columbus Blue Jackets loss to the Buffalo Sabres would also do it.
If the Penguins lose in regulation, a New York Islanders loss (in any fashion) to the Toronto Maple Leafs and a Blue Jackets regulation loss would also do it
But why rely on others when you can just do it yourself?
2. Penguins recent history in New Jersey is better than I realized
The Prudential Center always seems like one of those places where the Penguins always seem to struggle, and it never seems like they win there. Kind of like Boston. Kind of like Long Island.
But a brief look at recent history suggests it is not quite that bad.
They lost their first regular season game there this season in a shootout.
They split two games there in each of the past two seasons.
They did lose both games there in 2022-23.
But they swept the Devils in New Jersey in 2021-22, won three of four in 2020-21, and then split two games in each during the 2019-20 and 2018-19 seasons.
It is not great. It is also not as bad as I remember it being. This is not a Boston situation here.
3. Additional benefit to clinching as early as possible
While any win in any of the four remaining games will get the Penguins in the playoffs, there are a lot of positives that can come from clinching as soon as possible. The biggest of those positives, aside from getting ready of the anticipation and removing all doubt about a playoff spot: Getting a chance to rest some people.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are in their late 30s and have both battled injuries this season. They could use a break.
Parker Wotherspoon has played more minutes than he ever has in his NHL career, and it has been starting to show in recent games. He could use a break.
The same goes for Ryan Shea.
Ben Kindel, as great as he has been this season, has started to hit another rookie wall in recent games. He could probably use a break.
It might also give the Penguins a reason to give Sergei Murashov a look in some more games at the NHL level just to see what he can do. Maybe he impresses. Maybe he plays his way into a Matt Murray type-situation where he just runs with a late-season opportunity and never gives it back.
The biggest thing though is the potential for some rest.
4. Can Elmer Soderblom keep his roster spot when everybody is back?
What Blake Lizotte returns he is going to have a spot in the lineup. That is a given. He is too good on the penalty kill, too much of a spark plug on that fourth line to not be in the lineup. The problem then becomes who do you take out of the lineup?
Elmer Soderblom seems like the obvious candidate, but how do you take him out of the lineup given the way he has played recently? He is not only chipping in more offense, he has become a physical presence and beast with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone. He has earned a lineup spot.
But if you keep HIM in, who do you take out in HIS place?
A couple of games ago I would have said Tommy Novak given how much his game had fallen off. But he has started to get back to his previous level and seems to have a great chemistry with Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell.
Noel Accairi seems like a given to stay in given his face-off ability and penalty killing ability?
Connor Dewar?
Could he replace Justin Brazeau, whose production has fallen off a bit in the second half of the season (as expected)?
At the end of the day it is a good problem to have, and a testament to how deep the forward lineup is. With Soderblom, Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen (I am still a fan) and Avery Hayes they have 16-17 forwards that are all NHL caliber that can play, and play well, right now. That is important. The forwards are, in my mind, good enough and deep enough to contend for a Stanley Cup right now. It just comes down to whether or not the defense and goaltending can do enough.
The Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues are two of the hottest teams in the league because of their defensive play ahead of their meeting at the Enterprise Center on Thursday, April 9.
I’m not expecting much to change with both teams still not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, so my top Jets vs. Blues predictions and NHL picks call for a low-scoring game between the Central Division rivals tonight.
Jets vs Blues prediction
Jets vs Blues best bet: Under 5.5 (-110)
It took a while, but the Winnipeg Jets are finally stringing together wins in a postseason push with an active 11-5-2 record while allowing just 2.67 goals per game and the seventh-fewest expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5.
On the opposite bench, while the St. Louis Blues are all but mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, they’re also playing an excellent brand of hockey with an 11-3-3 record during the same stretch.
And, similarly, the Blues have allowed a league-low 1.88 goals per game and the fifth-fewest expected goals per 60 at 5-on-5.
This game goes Under the number.
Jets vs Blues same-game parlay
As well as St. Louis has played, this is a must-win game for Winnipeg, and I expect the Jets to do just that. The Blues have the highest team save percentage at 5-on-5 during the highlighted 11-3-3 stretch, so look for a splash of statistical correction tonight.
Turning to the final leg of this same-game parlay, Winnipeg center Mark Scheifele has recorded two or more shots in six of his past eight games for 20 total on 39 attempts while logging a monster 22:13 per night.
Jets vs Blues SGP
Jets moneyline
Under 5.5
Mark Scheifele Over 1.5 shots
Jets vs Blues odds
Moneyline: Jets -110 | Blues -110
Puck Line: Jets -1.5 (+220) | Blues +1.5 (-275)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-110) | Under 5.5 (-110)
Jets vs Blues trend
The Winnipeg Jets have hit the Under in 16 of their last 25 games (+7.35 Units / 27% ROI), and the St. Louis Blues have played to the Under in 15 of their last 20 games (+11.75 Units / 54% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Jets vs. Blues.
How to watch Jets vs Blues
Location
Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO
Date
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
TSN3, FDSN-MW
Jets vs Blues latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
