The Hockey News' main site has revealed players 21 to 40 for their latest top 100 NHL-affiliated prospects rankings. A notable Philadelphia Flyers prospect made the cut this time around, as defenseman Oliver Bonk was given the No. 38 spot.
Bonk is a prospect who the Flyers are hoping will be a major part of their blueline in the future. This is because the 2023 first-round pick has the tools to blossom into a high-impact defenseman at the NHL level.
Bonk is currently in his first season at the American Hockey League (AHL) level with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. In 37 games this campaign with Lehigh Valley, he has recorded five goals, 11 assists, and 16 points. This is after he had 11 goals and 40 points in 52 games during the 2024-25 season with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Bonk also had a big year for the Knights in 2023-24, as he posted 24 goals, 43 assists, and 67 points in 60 games. With numbers like these, there is no question that the right-shot defenseman has good upside.
Bonk will certainly be a Flyers prospect to watch for the remainder of the season and onward. It will be interesting to see how he continues to grow his game from here.
The 2025–26 season hasn’t been very kind to the Vancouver Canucks, but it has been to some of the organization’s former players. One such player is none-other than Bo Horvat, former Canucks captain and now 30-goal scorer for the fourth time in his NHL career.
Horvat’s first career 30-goal season came as a member of the Canucks back in 2021–22, during which he scored 31 goals in 70 games. The season after that remains his career-high, as he scored 31 goals in 49 games with Vancouver before being traded to the New York Islanders and adding seven more to his overall total in 30 games. He has since scored 30+ goals in two of his three other seasons with New York, with his lone sub-30 goal season being the 2024–25 season. He scored 28 goals in this particular year.
Horvat has enjoyed quite the season in his third full-year with the Islanders, having scored his 30th goal of the season in his team’s 2–1 win against the Dallas Stars on Thursday night. This goal extended Horvat’s current point streak to five straight games, with this being the second time this season he’s had a point streak of that length.
Throughout the month of March, 13 games so far, Horvat has scored six goals and five assists, going pointless in only three of his team’s games. This came only a few weeks after he suited up for his first Winter Olympic Games with Team Canada, during which he scored two goals in six games.
Mar 7, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (14) scores the game-winning goal against San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (30) in the overtime period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Prior to sustaining a couple of injuries in December and January, Horvat had scored 19 goals in 31 games with the Islanders this season, putting him at a goals per game pace of .612. While his 30th goal of the season now ties him with Zach Hyman and Connor Bedard for 27th-most in the NHL, had he been healthy through the whole season, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if he ranked much higher.
Horvat and the Islanders are currently deadlocked in a stiff battle for the Eastern Conference’s wildcard spots. While the Islanders currently occupy the final spot with 87 points in 73 games, the Ottawa Senators are only a point behind them with a game in hand.
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With the 20th overall pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets selected goaltender Pyotr Andreyanov. The Blue Jackets are hoping that the 19-year-old will be a big part of their roster later down the road, as he certainly has the potential to become a very good NHL goalie.
Because of his good upside, Andreyanov was given the No. 77 spot on The Hockey News' latest Top 100 NHL-affiliated prospect rankings.
When looking at how well Andreyanov has played in Russia, it is understandable that he is being viewed as one of the NHL's best prospects. The 6-foot goaltender had a 13-8-3 record, a .919 save percentage, and a 2.59 goals-against average in 26 games with CSKA Red Army Jr. of the MHL this season. He also had a .918 save percentage and a 2.13 goals-against average in the VHL with HC Zvezda this campaign.
Andreyanov also had a 1.75 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage in 37 MHL games in 2024-25 with CSKA Red Army Jr.
With all of this, there is no question that Andreyanov has shown plenty of promise. It will be interesting to see how he continues to grow his game from here.
The Montreal Canadiens have announced that they have signed defenseman Owen Protz to a three-year entry-level contract, which kicks in during the 2026-27 season.
Protz was selected by the Canadiens with the 102nd overall pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-2 defenseman appeared in 64 games during this regular season with the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL, where he had five goals, 18 assists, 23 points, 84 penalty minutes, and a plus-45 rating.
Protz is a defenseman with size who plays a very heavy game. With this, he is undoubtedly an intriguing prospect in the Canadiens' system, and they will be hoping that he can become a nice part of their blueline in the future.
Protz has continued to show promise at the junior level, too. During the 2024-25 season with the Bulldogs, he had five goals, 27 assists, 32 points, and a plus-11 rating. He also had one goal and six points in 11 playoff games for Brantford last year.
Overall, there is a lot to like about Protz's game, and it will be fascinating to see how he continues to develop his game from here.
The Hockey News' main site revealed players 21 to 40 for their latest top 100 NHL-affiliated prospect rankings. A Pittsburgh Penguins prospect had made the cut this time around, as defenseman Harrison Brunicke was given the No. 26 spot.
Seeing Brunicke make THN's rankings is not difficult to understand, as he has plenty of upside. The 19-year-old defenseman had a strong 2025-26 regular season with the Kamloops Blazers, as he recorded two goals, 22 assists, and 24 points in 24 games. This was after he had five goals and 30 points in 41 games with Kamloops back in 2024-25.
Brunicke also played in his first nine career NHL games this season with Pittsburgh, where he had one goal and six penalty minutes. He also had four assists in five games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season.
With all of this, there is no question that Brunicke has shown plenty of promise this season. The young defenseman has the tools to become a big part of the Penguins' roster in the near future.
It will now be interesting to see how Brunicke continues to build on his game. The Penguins could have found something special in the 2024 second-round pick.
This weekend, the NHL is hosting its fourth annual Hockey Day in Finland celebration.
It should come as no surprise that the Florida Panthers will be at the center of those celebrations.
Florida, when healthy, boasts one of the more Finnish-heavy rosters in the NHL. It’s why the Panthers were featured by the NHL in last season’s Global Series games against the Dallas Stars in Tampere.
The Hockey Day in Finland festival takes place on Friday and Saturday in Kuopio.
As part of the festival, there is an NHL alumni game featuring several Finnish legends, including a pair of 5-time Stanley Cup winners in Jari Kurri and one-time Panther Esa Tikkanen, as well as Jere Lehtinen, Valtteri Filppula, Kimmo Timonen and Ossi Vaananen.
All the fun will culminate with a watch party of the primetime national broadcast of Saturday’s game between the Panthers and New York Islanders.
You can bet there will be a ton of Sasha Barkov jerseys at the festival, but it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, Niko Mikkola or even Tuomo Ruutu or Olli Jokinen represented by some of the hockey-crazed fans in Finland.
Fun fact: Only two NHL franchises have had more Finnish nationals play for them than the Panthers’ 24. They are Dallas/Minnesota (34) and Edmonton (29).
Photo caption: Dec 21, 2022; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen (27) celebrates his goal against the New Jersey Devils with center Anton Lundell (15) during the second period at FLA Live Arena. (Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images)
At the surface level, it was straightforward: the Flyers beat a weaker team, scored five goals, and handled their business after a disappointing loss earlier in the week. In a playoff race, the ability to bank those points without overcomplicating the night is part of the job.
But the more useful reading is less about the score and more about the way the Flyers produced it. On the surface, it's a comfortable win over a rebuilding opponent. But it was also a game that showed how Philadelphia wants to attack, and which parts of its current success are real enough to trust.
1. The Flyers Are Scoring in a Way That Should Travel
The biggest tactical difference in this game was where the offense came from. Against Columbus, the Flyers spent too much time chasing cleaner looks than the game offered. Against Chicago, they stopped waiting.
They attacked the middle of the ice earlier and put pucks to the net without overhandling them. They created offense from inside the dots instead of trying to work everything into the perfect passing lane.
A team that relies on perimeter possession can look productive without being dangerous. A team that gets to the interior creates rebounds, scrambles, and second chances. That was the Flyers’ better version here.
Rick Tocchet’s comment about “playing interior” was the key phrase. It's not just coach-speak. It describes a measurable shift in how the Flyers are trying to win games. They are getting pucks on net quicker, occupying the crease more consistently, and forcing defenses to collapse instead of getting to sit and shape the play.
That is a real adjustment, and it is more meaningful than a simple five-goal result against a team at a different stage of its cycle.
2. Alex Bump’s Night Says More About Depth Than Fireworks
Alex Bump’s first multi-point game was perhaps the most encouraging individual development of the night, but not because it means he is suddenly going to singlehandedly drive a playoff push. It matters because of what it says about the Flyers’ options.
Bump has six points in 10 NHL games, which is a solid start for a young winger adjusting to a very different level of pace and decision-making. More important is how he is producing. He's not floating through shifts waiting for play to find him. He's active on retrievals, quick through touches, and willing to make the next play without trying to force the ideal one.
Philadelphia Flyers forward Alex Bump (20). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
That is relevant in a bigger roster sense. The Flyers have been trying to build enough forward depth that they can absorb lineup churn and still generate offense without leaning too heavily on one line. Bump’s emergence helps in that regard, but it also clarifies something: the organization is beginning to find real NHL contributors in roles that do not require huge minutes to matter.
That is not nothing. Teams with playoff ambitions rarely get far without at least a few young players who can enter the lineup and not look out of place.
Bump looked like that on Thursday.
3. The Flyers Are Getting More From Their Middle
Christian Dvorak’s goal and assist showed not only his continued individual contributions to the offense, but also how the Flyers are getting more consistent production from the second and third layers of the lineup.
When teams get to March, the first line can still drive play, but it can't realistically carry every game. Philadelphia’s recent stretch has shown more contributions from players like Noah Cates, Dvorak, Luke Glendening, and Garnet Hathaway than it did earlier in the year. That creates something the Flyers did not always have: the ability to keep pressure on when the top players are off the ice.
Cates has become a particularly important part of that profile. His 16th goal tied his career high, but the more meaningful number is his 14 points since the Olympic break. That is not a small stretch; that is a middle-six player actually influencing the shape of games.
4. A Useful Test in Net-Front Control
The Blackhawks may not be a league benchmark, but that does not make this result any less important. If anything, lower-end opponents are often more revealing in one specific area: whether a team can impose its preferred style without forcing it.
The Flyers did that here by controlling the net-front battle. Tocchet’s note that the team had “good presentations” and that players were “always around the net” is backed up by the structure of the scoring itself. The Flyers did not depend on point shots and hope. They got inside and stayed there. That's a mature approach, and it's also one the Flyers had not always consistently embraced.
Rick Tocchet didn’t discredit the Flyers’ win just because they did it against Chicago, who have been struggling this season. Said they have to stay even keel and not get caught up in the rollercoaster of games b/c every opponent is one they need to lock in against.
A 5–1 win over Chicago doesn't tell you the Flyers have solved the season. It doesn't prove they are a finished playoff team. It doesn't erase the structural questions that still exist around their offensive consistency, their home-ice struggles, or the degree to which their recent success depends on playing a cleaner brand of hockey than they were earlier in the year.
What it does tell you is that the message is getting through.
The Flyers are no longer relying on hope or a single line to produce all of their offense. They're getting better at playing to the game in front of them instead of the game they wish they had. They're using their depth more effectively, and they're generating offense from more areas. And when they face a team they are supposed to beat, they are not making the night harder than it needs to be.
That sounds simple. In practice, it's not.
Teams in the Flyers’ position often win and still leave the game feeling unresolved, because the process doesn't match the result. This was different. The process and the scoreline lined up.
That is the useful takeaway—not simply that the Flyers blew out the Blackhawks.
It is that they looked like a team that understands what it needs to do to keep winning games like this. And at this point in the season, that is the kind of lesson that actually matters.
The New York Rangers look to snap a six-game losing streak when they host the Chicago Blackhawks at Madison Square Garden tonight.
My top Blackhawks vs. Rangers predictions and NHL picks call for Chicago rookie Anton Frondell to pick up a point for the third consecutive game.
Find out more in my NHL picks for Friday, March 27.
Blackhawks vs Rangers prediction
Blackhawks vs Rangers best bet: Anton Frondell Over 0.5 points (-110)
The Chicago Blackhawks have forward Anton Frondell jumping onto the top line and No. 1 power-play unit alongside superstar Connor Bedard, and he hasn’t disappointed, recording a point in consecutive games.
With the New York Rangers losing six straight while allowing 4.0 goals per game, I’m expecting the Bedard and Frondell connection to have success again tonight.
Frondell was the third overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, and he’s also the first 18-year-old to record 20 goals in the SHL since Daniel Sedin in 1998-99.
Blackhawks vs Rangers same-game parlay
Sticking with the Chicago duo, Bedard has found the scoresheet in seven of his past 10 games, tallying five goals and five assists.
In addition to Frondell recording a pair of assists through two NHL games, he’s also racked up six shots on 11 attempts. Meanwhile, the Rangers have allowed a healthy 31.7 shots per game during their highlighted skid.
Chicago has won eight of its last 20 road games (+4.75 Units / 24% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Blackhawks vs. Rangers.
How to watch Blackhawks vs Rangers
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Friday, March 27, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Chicago Sports Network, MSG Sportsnet
Blackhawks vs Rangers 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.
Could Peter Chiarelli be the next general manager of the Nashville Predators?
According to Darren Dreger, that could be possible as he reported on Friday that "Chiarelli is a candidate in Nashville's interview process" after leaving the St. Louis Blues as their Vice President of Hockey Operations.
Chiarelli had been in the position since September 2021, but had interviewed for GM positions outside of the organization before. In 2022, he interviewed for the Chicago Blackhawks' general manager position before the organization selected Kyle Davidson.
Chiarelli landed his first GM job with the Boston Bruins and held the position from 2006 to 2015, notably building the rosters that led the Bruins to a Stanley Cup in 2011 and a Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 2013.
The @StLouisBlues front office is changing with Kevin Maxwell and Peter Chiarelli leaving the club to pursue other opportunities. Chiarelli is a candidate in Nashville’s interview process and Maxwell is expected to return to the New York Rangers in a management role.
In his time in Boston, he signed Zdeno Chara from the New York Islanders, traded Andrew Raycroft for Tuuka Rask and drafted Brad Marchand, Tyler Seguin and Phil Kessel.
At the end of the 2014-15 season, after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs by two points and trading Johnny Boychuk to the New York Islanders, which took a hit at the Bruins defensive depth, Chiarelli was fired.
Less than two weeks later, Chiarelli was hired by the Edmonton Oilers as their new GM and selected Connor McDavid first overall in the 2015 NHL Draft.
He'd also notably sign Leon Draisaitl to an 8-year, $68 million contract.
A season after Chiarelli took over as GM, the Oilers qualified for the 2016-17 Stanley Cup playoffs, the first time they had played in the postseason in a decade. Edmonton made it to the Western Conference Semifinals before losing to Anaheim in six games.
The Oilers missed the 2018 playoffs, and after a near-.500 start to the 2018-19 season, Chiarelli was fired.
He joined the Blues as a senior advisor during the 2019-20 season before being promoted to Vice President of Hockey Operations.
The Predators' GM search began in February after Barry Trotz announced he'd retire once a replacement was found.
The Chicago Blackhawks have 10 games remaining in their 2025-26 season. It’s been an up-and-down year, but there has been plenty of growth within the organization, which was all they wanted coming in. Their off-season was an indication that this year would be another developmental year, and sure enough, it was.
On Friday night, the Blackhawks will be at Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Rangers. This is the third game out of four on Chicago’s current road trip on the East Coast.
Scouting New York
The New York Rangers are having a tough year. They came in hoping to bounce back from a down year in 2024-25, but it became even worse in 2025-26. Right now, they are the only team in the Eastern Conference mathematically eliminated from postseason contention.
Ahead of the Olympic break, the Rangers traded their superstar, former Blackhawk Artemi Panarin, to the Los Angeles Kings. He was a pending unrestricted free agent, but has since signed an extension in LA.
Although many believed that more names would be moved ahead of the deadline, the Rangers did little else.
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Without Panarin, Alexis Lafreniere has been the go-to scoring winger. The former number one overall pick has had some ups and downs in his career, but he's been hot since the Olympics. If the Rangers keep him long-term, his success will be a key to them turning things around.
Down the middle, Mika Zibanejad, J.T. Miller, and Vincent Trocheck are an outstanding 1-2-3 punch. Their place in the standings doesn't make much sense when looking at this trio at center, especially with the goaltending they get, but the reality is that they haven't scored enough, especially at home.
Their number one defenseman, Adam Fox, is still elite, but it's been a down year for him on a personal level, too. He missed out on playing for Team USA as a result. Fox has a big summer ahead of him as he looks to get back on track.
Gabe Perreault, the former Boston College and USA World Junior hero, is a strong rookie finally getting some playing time with the Rangers. He is a clutch player that the Blackhawks must be keeping an eye on when he's out there with the top line. Alex Vlasic and Wyatt Kaiser are sure to see a lot of this line.
For Drew Fortescue, this is going to be his NHL debut as a member of the Rangers. As a New York native, making his debut against another Original Six team at MSG is sure to be exciting.
Igor Shesterkin, one of the best goalies on Earth, is going to be on the bench for this one. The Blackhawks will face Dylan Garand, who is on the roster in place of the injured Jonathan Quick.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks are in the second half of a back-to-back. The first game was a blowout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. Everything about that game was forgettable, besides the NHL debut of Sacha Boisvert and Connor Bedard scoring his 30th goal of the season, assisted by Anton Frondell.
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Spencer Knight started in goal against the Flyers. He gave up five goals in the loss. He faced 42 shots, and the team in front of him provided no help, so it was hardly his fault. Still, you can expect Arvid Soderblom to get the start against the Rangers.
Louis Crevier took a skate-blade to the face in Philadelphia. It was a scary-looking situation, but he is going to be okay. There is no indication that he won't be back in the lineup on Friday in New York.
Other than Soderblom going in for Knight, the lineup is likely to be the same at the start of the game. Having less than a day to move past that game in Philly is good for this group.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it is available on CHSN locally. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 6:00 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 below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
There are 10 games left in the Nashville Predators' regular season, and six of them are on the road.
Hanging onto the second Wild Card spot by a point after Thursday's loss to the New Jersey Devils, there are a handful of teams waiting for the Predators to slip up and take over that coveted final spot.
While there's a maximum six-point gap between the Predators and the lowest-ranked team in the Wild Card race, these past weeks have proven that a few losses and wins here and there could change the entire landscape of this race.
These are five teams that are the biggest threat to the Predators' playoff hopes.
Los Angeles Kings
Dec 21, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (84) battle for the puck during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Points: 76 PTS, 1 point behind Predators
Saturday opponent: vs. Utah Mammoth at 8 p.m. CST
The Kings have been a cheat code this season, taking advantage of the consolation point awarded during an overtime loss.
Los Angeles has lost 18 overtime games, tied for the NHL record for the most post-regulation losses in a single season. On the season, the Kings have one more regulation win than an overtime loss.
However, despite losing, the Kings have been able to ride various point streaks throughout the year. They're on a three-game point streak currently despite posting a 1-0-2 record. From Jan. 14 to Jan. 27, the Kings won just half their games, but rode a six-game point streak.
With LA on Nashville's heels and facing them twice in a four-day period (April 2 and 6 in LA), the Predators need to get it done in 60 minutes. This is the one team Nashville cannot give freebie points to.
The Predators met the Kings earlier this season, and, as expected, it was a 5-4 shootout win for Nashville.
They have a key home matchup on Saturday against the Utah Mammoth. A win and a Predators loss puts the Kings in the Wild Card spot, where a loss could allow Nashville to rebuild a three-point lead in the final playoff spot.
Seattle Kraken
Mar 10, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Nicolas Hague (41) and Seattle Kraken forward Matty Beniers (10) battle for the puck during the second period at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Points: 74 PTS, 3 points behind Predators
Saturday opponent: at Buffalo Sabres at 4:30 p.m. CST
The Kraken were the team that Nashville surpassed to take the Wild Card spot. Seattle had lost to Nashville twice in a nine-day period and then lost to Columbus, allowing the Predators to surpass it in points.
Things have been really rocky for the Kraken when they've needed to win, with a 4-7-1 record in March. That run included two four-game losing streaks.
While the Kraken have been able to stop the bleeding a bit on Thursday, picking up an overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning, they have one of the hardest schedules to close out the season.
It has Buffalo, Edmonton, Vegas, Colorado, Minnesota and Winnipeg all on the road, five teams that are divisional leaders and one that is battling for a Wild Card spot. In addition, they host Utah and Los Angeles, two games with valuable points on the line.
If Seattle doesn't turn things around, it will quickly be out of this playoff race.
Winnipeg Jets
Points: 72 PTS, 5 points behind Predators
Saturday opponent: at Colorado Avalanche at 6 p.m. CST
While five points may seem like a wide gap, Winnipeg has been surging as of late and has inserted itself back into the Wild Card race.
The Jets have gone 4-2-2 over their last eight, but have picked up 10 points in that run, which includes massive wins over Vegas and Colorado.
This week's stretch could make or break the Jets as they are on the road against Colorado, Dallas and Columbus. If they come out of these three games with even two wins, expect more chatter in Winnipeg down the stretch.
San Jose Sharks
Mar 24, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) blocks the shot of San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg (3) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Points: 71 PTS, 6 points behind Predators
Saturday opponent: at Columbus Blue Jackets at 4 p.m. CST
The Sharks' playoff hopes are slipping fast as they've been passed by Nashville, Winnipeg and likely St. Louis in the standings over this past week.
They've lost six straight, which included a 6-3 thrashing by the Predators on Tuesday and a 2-1 overtime loss to the Blues on Thursday. Another loss to Columbus on Saturday could eliminate the Sharks from the playoffs.
San Jose could easily string some wins, or even just points, together and get back into this race, but the task becomes steeper and steeper. Over the next week, it will see Columbus, Anaheim and Nashville, all teams it's struggled against.
St. Louis Blues
Points: 71 PTS, 6 points behind Predators
Saturday opponent: vs. Toronto Maple Leafs at 6 p.m. CST
Same point total as the Sharks, but in a different position on the up and up.
The Blues have won five of their last seven and another win could start some playoff chatter around them. Two of those victories have been against divisional leaders in Carolina and Edmonton.
With Toronto and San Jose up next, and the Blues playing well, a pair of wins puts them possibly two points outside of the Wild Card spot. However, that's only if everyone in front of them loses.
“We’re looking more like we’re playing a playoff game, like things matter,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch after the Edmonton Oilers picked up an overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night. It's the team's second straight win, and unlike some of the past two-game streaks, these most recent victories have the Oilers looking like a team that's found something.
“We’re paying attention to detail, we’re simplifying our game. It’s nice to see. The games are so important right now that everyone seems like they’re dialled in and know the urgency to play right.”
Then again, the Oilers have tried to win three in a row several times this season, and the same thing almost always inevitably happens -- the team puts up a stinker.
Coming back home on Saturday afternoon to face the Anaheim Ducks, the Oilers can't afford to keep that tradition alive. That matinee game is as important as any game the Oilers have had on their calendar this season. The Ducks lead the Pacific Division and are five points up on the Oilers. If Edmonton wants any shot at catching them, this four-point swing (should Edmonton win in regulation) is critical.
The good news is that the Oilers can feel good about their recent efforts. In past instances where three in a row was on the table, the Oilers had pulled out some wins they arguably didn't deserve. This time, both victories against Utah and Vegas were well earned.
Even when the Oilers bent on Thursday -- allowing Vegas to tie the game three separate times -- they didn't break. Edmonton didn't allow the Golden Knights an opportunity to ever hold the lead. There are valuable lessons to be taken from that experience.
There were solid lessons learned on this short road trip overall.
“It’s a great road trip, two massive wins against two potential playoff opponents,” said Zach Hyman. He scored his 30th of the year on a great play, stripping the puck from a Vegas player in their zone and finishing it for a beautiful third goal. “I thought we played well defensively. Everybody contributed, which is so important at this time of year; everybody feels a part of it. We were rolling the lines, and everything went well. It was a huge road trip.”
Goaltender Connor Ingram said after the win: “We’ve found a way to play that’s given us success. Now it’s not being stubborn and sticking with it. Playing simple. We’re a good enough hockey club we’re going to get our chances. As long as we don’t give them that many, we’re going to be just fine.”
The Most Impressive Part About Thursday's Win?
The Oilers’ penalty kill was spot on Thursday night. Perhaps the most impressive part of the game was their 4-on-3 kill in overtime. Edmonton fought it off, then Evan Bouchard got the game-winner.
It was a solid defensive effort, the team's second in a row. During Tuesday’s win over Utah, the Oilers kept the Mammoth to a limited number of shots, blocking almost double the amount of even-strength shots as usual.
This team has found a playoff gear that they've shown no signs of having all season. The trick now is continuing to put forth that effort and not get stuck in their bad habits. The more they can win without Leon Draisaitl, the more they'll be ready to roll when he gets back.
1. ALLAN STANLEY: The big defenseman cost the Rangers the equivalent of four minor league players worth $40,000 right after World War II. Although fans wanted Allan to play a tougher game, that wasn't his style. The Rangers failed to give Stanley enough time to mature and foolishly traded him to Chicago on Thanksgiving Day eve, 1954. So good was Al that he's now in the Hall of Fame and winner of four Stanley Cup rings – as a Maple Leaf.
2. DAVE KERR: One of the NHL's best goalkeepers during the late 1930's, Davey was so good that he had the honor of being the first NHL player to have his picture on the cover of Time Magazine. After his Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1940, Kerr asked boss Lester Patrick for a $500 raise. When Lester refused –still in his prime – Kerr quit hockey and never returned.
3. MIKE BOSSY: A four-time Cup-winner with the Islanders, Mike could have been a Ranger. In the 1977 Draft, the Blueshirts had the eighth and thirteen picks. First they went for Lucien DeBlois and then Ron Duguay, The Isles happily snatched Bossy at Number 14.
OTTAWA, CANADA - MARCH 26: Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores the game-winning, shoot-out goal against Linus Ullmark #35 of the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on March 26, 2026 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Penguins have had their struggles this season with the shootout, though the worm has turned in the past week with two straight victories in the game deciding gimmick. The problem has been two-fold in that their goalies can’t keep the puck out of the net (opponents are scoring a dreadful 54.2% this season) and their shooters, as of a week ago were only scoring on 24.2% of their attempts. That’s a losing formula on both ends.
As we wrote before, it was as simple as expecting the shootout woes to continue until Pittsburgh found better shooters than they had. Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust are a combined 5-for-19 on the year (26.3%) and that low rate of converting isn’t going to lead to results, regardless of the goaltending woes on the other side. The last week has been aces, the Pens have scored four times on six attempts and only allowed one goal on five opponent tries. Much of the success has been in shaking up the shooters, Ben Kindel took only his second shootout try of the season last night. Newcomer Egor Chinakhov is 3-for-7 on the year with the Pens (42.8%) about doubling up the rest of the team’s percentage. They’ve found better players to take the shots and are now starting to win shootouts (it’s only two in a row, but hey that’s a start compared to the 1-10 record in shootouts at the start).
Kindel is now 2-for-2 this season on shootouts. The TSN feed caught him smiling as he took his attempt last night. This is the type of loose confidence and swagger you need from a shootout player. Pittsburgh should be using Kindel as a shooter every game at this point. He won’t score on all his attempts forever but he’s a lot better of an option than the veterans who have been coming up empty recently.
I don’t often use the Game Score impact card due to how it can be misconceived or analyzed but the one from last night was telling due to how it matched what I saw and how it ties into some ongoing trends. Rickard Rakell has been awesome lately with 14 points in his last 11 games. Erik Karlsson is pulling the wagon to a huge degree. The “fourth” line (even though they’re not deployed or given typical fourth line ice time) is making positive impacts. Bryan Rust is a reliable performer. Stuart Skinner had a great game keeping the team afloat. Kris Letang is struggling, Sam Girard is too while trying to find his way coming back from injury and still relatively new to the team and system. Tommy Novak didn’t grade well last night but has been better recently. All of this was on display last night and has been going that way for a while, reflected nicely by
At this point the team has to seriously question Ville Koivunen’s place in the lineup for this important stretch of the season. Out of 441 forwards across the NHL who have played at least 250 minutes, Koivunen ranks 439th in points/60 with a dreadful 0.45 rate that is below Ryan Reaves and just about everyone else in the league. On the rink Koivunen looks tentative, slow, is muscled off pucks regularly and barely supports play, often hinders it. He does little good away from the puck and has not been able to generate virtually anything with it, which ought to be his strength. The Penguins are in a tough spot given the injuries to Evgeni Malkin, Blake Lizotte and now maybe Sidney Crosby but it’s probably time (or past time even) to consider other options than Koivunen, who just doesn’t look the part right now of an NHL caliber player for a team pushing to make the postseason.
Here are the fastest teams ranked in terms of 20-22 mph bursts. I also included 22+ mph bursts in the 2nd column.
Boston is slowest in East while Calgary is the slowest in the NHL by significant margin. pic.twitter.com/2q9l271M5m
This ties into the above, but dropping Koivunen might make the Pens faster too, which they could probably stand to gain some team speed. Koivunen only has 11 bursts of 20+ mph in his 35 games this season, per NHL Edge. He plays on a line with Justin Brazeau, who himself only has 33 bursts of 20+ in his 54 games. That makes for one of the less explosive lines a team could create. Being fast doesn’t always mean being good and lacking burst doesn’t necessarily tie into an ineffective player, just a matter of all the pieces coming together in the big picture that present opportunities for the team to improve, especially seeing the Pens on the same rink as speedy teams like Carolina, Colorado and Ottawa in recent games. (And Rutger McGroarty, if you were wondering, has 24 bursts in his 20 NHL games).
Now shifting gears to an even worse topic, the dreaded goalie interference drama.
Friedman attempts to explain about how the league thought Karlsson lost a battle with Morgan Barron, creating the goalie contact and why that goal stood. That’s one interpretation, though as always application of rulings is ever inconsistent — for the Penguins and across the NHL.
Personally, I think the bigger issue is Justin Brazeau’s recently disallowed goal against Colorado versus Claude Giroux’s non-interference in last night’s Ottawa game. Both were similar, and if anything Giroux had less of a case of obstructing the goalie than Brazeau (who was dealing with some contact from a defender). It’s difficult if not impossible to make sense of the NHL’s conclusions.
One area worth taking notice about is the frequency of coach Dan Muse’s challenges. The Penguins’ nine goalie interference challenges lead the league by a wide margin, no other team has challenged for GI more than five times.
no one has challenged for goalie interference more than the Penguins this year — Boston, Calgary, Chicago, and Ottawa are tied for second with five challenges this year.
Behind the Penguins -9 in these challenges, the Panthers are second-worst after going 0-4
Is Muse, as a rookie, over-eager to try and reverse a call? He obviously sees things he thinks is interference, yet the league hasn’t agreed a single time. Not sure if the correction is to limit challenges to the most ‘obvious’ of cases, with the caveat being that it’s a major issue to know what even is ‘obvious’ these days. Credit Muse for having the conviction to keep challenging when he disagrees even though at some point internal choices might have to be adjusted given how it’s been going. Just some food for thought, since basically no one can provide logical answers at this point.
St. Louis Blues pro scout and AHL GM Kevin Maxwell and VP of hockey operations Peter Chiarelli are leaving the club to pursue other opportunities, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports.
According to Dreger, Maxwell is expected to return to the New York Rangers in a management role, while Chiarelli is one of the candidates to replace Barry Trotz as GM of the Nashville Predators.
Maxwell has been with the Blues organization since 2022. He’s worked as a pro scout and the GM of the Springfield Thunderbirds since his arrival. Prior to joining the Blues, Maxwell was the long-time director of professional scouting and a pro scout for the Rangers, spending 14 seasons with the club.
The 65-year-old has worked in scouting departments with NHL teams since 1988.
As for Chiarelli, he’s been with the Blues since 2019, starting as a senior advisor for two years before shifting into his role as VP of hockey operations for the past five seasons.
Prior to joining the Blues organization, Chiarelli was the GM of the Edmonton Oilers, but his time there went south fairly quickly, as he was fired before the end of his fourth season.
Before joining the Oilers, Chiarelli was the GM of the Boston Bruins, leading them to the Stanley Cup in 2011.
The 61-year-old has worked in the NHL since 1999, starting with the Ottawa Senators.
With Doug Armstrong becoming the full-time president of hockey operations and Alexander Steen as GM, moves within the front office were anticipated, but now the Blues will need to undergo plenty of housecleaning.
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