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The Vancouver Canucks hit the road tonight to take on the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena, with puck drop scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET. 

Filip Hronek's playmaking is at a high level, and my Canucks vs. Kings predictions are eyeing him to collect another road apple tonight.

Read more in my NHL picks for Thursday, April 9. 

Canucks vs Kings prediction

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. 

Canucks vs Kings SGP

• Filip Hronek Over 0.5 assists
• Jake DeBrusk Over 2.5 shots on goal
• Elias Pettersson Over 1.5 shots on goal

Canucks vs Kings odds

• Moneyline: Canucks +220 | Kings -275
• Puck Line: Canucks +1.5 (-110) | Kings -1.5 (-110)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-125) | Under 6.5 (+105)

Canucks vs Kings trend

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

Canucks vs Kings latest injuries

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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

Jesper Boqvist – Eetu Luostarinen – A.J. Greer

Tomas Nosek – Cole Schwindt – Noah Gregor

Cole Reinhardt – Luke Kunin – Vinnie Hinostroza

Gus Forsling – Mike Benning

Tobias Bjornfot – Seth Jones

Donovan Sebrango – Mikulas Hovorka

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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)

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.

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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

Jets vs Blues latest injuries

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The Toronto Maple Leafs hit the ice against the reeling New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Thursday, April 9.

With Toronto playing the second leg of a back-to-back and New York entering the Pete DeBoer era, my top Maple Leafs vs. Islanders predictions and NHL picks are calling for this game to go Under the number.

Maple Leafs vs Islanders prediction

Maple Leafs vs Islanders best bet: Under 6.5 (-120)

This is a horrible schedule spot for the Toronto Maple Leafs after a 4-0 home loss on Wednesday, because the New York Islanders have been sitting on a four-game losing streak since Saturday.

New York has also dropped from a postseason position and hired a new coach, so I’m anticipating a motivated bunch in front of star goalie Ilya Sorokin.

Sorokin is second in goals saved above expected for the season, and I’m anticipating him shutting the door Thursday night on home ice to lead the way in this total going Under the number.

Maple Leafs vs Islanders same-game parlay

Toronto winger William Nylander was held to a single shot on Wednesday despite recording five attempts, so I’m expecting a better conversion rate from the top-line star tonight.

He’s pacing the club in shots per 60 minutes since the NHL Trade Deadline, after all, and the Islanders have allowed a healthy 31.5 shots per game during their highlighted losing streak.

As a result, Matthew Knies also has my attention because he’s skating with a pair of pass-first forwards in Max Domi and Matias Maccelli, and Knies has collected two shots in consecutive games while logging 18:50 per with 3:16 on the power play.

Maple Leafs vs Islanders SGP

• Under 6.5
• William Nylander Over 2.5 shots
• Matthew Knies Over 1.5 shots

Maple Leafs vs Islanders odds

• Moneyline: Maple Leafs +210 | Islanders -260
• Puck Line: Maple Leafs +1.5 (-115) | Islanders -1.5 (-105)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+100) | Under 6.5 (-120)

Maple Leafs vs Islanders trend

The Islanders have won 16 of their last 25 home games for +5.60 units and a 19% ROI. Find more NHL betting trends for Maple Leafs vs. Islanders.

How to watch Maple Leafs vs Islanders

Maple Leafs vs Islanders latest injuries

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Jake Sanderson is averaging the highest per-game output of his career when it comes to generating assists.

My Panthers vs. Senators predictions and NHL picks expect his playmaking to be on full display against a Florida team struggling to keep the puck out of the net.

Panthers vs Senators prediction

Panthers vs Senators best bet: Jake Sanderson Over 0.5 assists (-105)

Jake Sanderson has missed a chunk of games due to injury, yet sits second on the Ottawa Senators in assists, trailing only Tim Stutzle.

He facilitates a ton of offense from the back end and should be heavily involved against the Florida Panthers.

When rested, Sanderson has feasted on Bottom-16 defenses this season. He's picked up an assist in 12 of 18 games following one day of rest, including five of the last six.

The Panthers rank 31st in save percentage. They haven’t had the goaltending to clean up defensive breakdowns, and Sanderson should benefit from that.

Panthers vs Senators same-game parlay

Brady Tkachuk has generated 3+ shots on goal in 10 consecutive games against the Panthers, recording 4+ on eight different occasions. A lot of his volume comes from prime scoring areas, and the Panthers are struggling to get saves, making him a likely candidate to find the net.

The Senators are one win back of the league lead over the last 25 games and have posted very strong underlying numbers. They should make relatively quick work of a Panthers team that has shut down a batch of key players and punted on the season.

Panthers vs Senators SGP

• Jake Sanderson Over 0.5 assists
• Brady Tkachuk anytime goalscorer
• Senators moneyline

Panthers vs Senators odds

• Moneyline: Panthers +215 | Senators -270
• Puck Line: Panthers +1.5 (-110) | Senators -1.5 (-110)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 | Under 6.5

Panthers vs Senators trend

The Panthers have cashed the moneyline in just two of their last 15 road games for -12.55 units and a -73% ROI. Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Senators.

How to watch Panthers vs Senators

Panthers vs Senators latest injuries

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The Vancouver Canucks (22-47-8) start their final California road trip on Thursday as they take on the Los Angeles Kings (32-26-9). While the Kings are fighting for a playoff spot, the Canucks are looking to snap a three-game losing streak. As for the last 10 games, Los Angeles is 4-2-4 while Vancouver is 1-9-0. 

One of the biggest questions heading into this game is whether the Canucks and Kings will head to overtime. Los Angeles has needed an extra period 32 times this season, which leads the NHL. These two teams have already gone to overtime once this season, and very well could be headed there again on Thursday night. 

Something to monitor when it comes to Vancouver is the number of shots the Canucks can generate. Vancouver finished Tuesday's loss with just 11, which is the second-lowest total for a home game in franchise history. The Canucks will be looking for a stronger effort on Thursday, which should mean a significantly higher shot total against the Kings. 

Players To Watch:

Max Sasson: 

Max Sasson continued his career year by picking up his 13th goal of the season on Tuesday. The 25-year-old has been a bright spot for Vancouver this season as he sits with 19 points in 64 games. If Sasson continues his strong play, he should be able to reach the 15-goal mark before the end of the campaign.

Brandt Clarke:

Brandt Clarke has developed into a solid top-four defenceman in the NHL. The 23-year-old has 39 points in 77 games while averaging 19:48 per game. Clarke is going to be a pain in the Canucks side for years to come as he can impact the game at both ends of the ice. 

Vancouver Canucks (22–47–8): 

Points: 

Elias Pettersson: 15–33–48

Filip Hronek: 8–38–46

Brock Boeser: 21–23–44

Jake DeBrusk: 19–19–38

Linus Karlsson: 15-19-34

Goaltenders: 

Kevin Lankinen: 9–26–5

Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1

Nikita Tolopilo: 5–10–2

Jiří Patera: 0–1–0

Los Angeles Kings (32–26–19): 

Points: 

Adrian Kempe: 32-37-69

Quinton Byfield: 20-24-44

Kevin Fiala: 18-22-40

Brandt Clarke: 8-31-39

Alex Laferriere: 19-19-38

Goaltenders: 

Darcy Kuemper: 19-14-14

Anton Forsberg: 13-11-5

Pheonix Copley: 0-1-0

Game Information: 

Start time: 7:30 pm PT 

Venue: crypto.com 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.

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After 64 games in his rookie season with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, Luke Haymes is set to make his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday against the New York Islanders.

The 22-year-old will enter the lineup for Bo Groulx, who's being sent back down to the AHL so he doesn't have to go through waivers ahead of the Marlies' playoff run later this month.

Craig Berube says Akhtyamov is coming up for the trip tomorrow. So will Villeneuve and Haymes.

Berube confirms that Haymes will make his NHL debut tomorrow since Groulx has to go down for waiver-count purposes. @Ozoon_CA

— David Alter (@davidalter) April 9, 2026

Haymes was recalled by the Maple Leafs on Tuesday and practiced with the team before returning to the Marlies on Wednesday for their school-day game against the Utica Comets, which Toronto won in overtime.

The Ottawa, Ontario-born forward has been a center in the Marlies' middle six for most of this season, tallying 17 goals and 32 points in 64 games, and has adjusted well to the pro game after leaving Dartmouth College last spring.

Haymes signed a two-year contract with the Maple Leafs just over a year ago, with this season being the first year of the deal.

"He's got skill. He seems like an intelligent player to me," said Craig Berube on Tuesday after Haymes' first practice with the club.

"I haven't watched him a ton down there, but he's gotten better and better, I know that. He plays in all situations down there, but he's a guy that, I'm not sure where he'll fit in when he does (play), but like I said, he's got ability, he's got skill, and he's got a pretty good mind for the game."

Haymes will likely slot in as the fourth-line center against the Islanders. Jacob Quillan, with whom Haymes spent the majority of his season with on the Marlies, could move up to Groulx's spot on the third line.

"He's a really good player," said Quillan of Haymes following Toronto's 4-0 loss to the Washington Capitals. "A lot of speed. He's having a lot of success with the Marlies, and he can shoot the puck. Looking forward to seeing what he can do."

"He came in, and you can tell, he tried to feel out how fast the game would be in the AHL level, and he adjusted to it pretty well," Groulx added on Wednesday night. "A really smart player. He's really good on faceoffs, and he started scoring a lot for the Marlies the past two months. It's good to see."

Report: Maple Leafs Hire Firm For Head Of Hockey Operations SearchThe Maple Leafs hope to have a head of hockey operations in place by late May or early June.

Artur Akhtyamov will start for the Maple Leafs against the Islanders on Wednesday night after Joseph Woll played a majority of Tuesday's matchup following Anthony Stolarz's departure from the game.

It will be Akhtyamov's first start at the NHL level. (He made his NHL debut on Dec. 13 against the Oilers, coming in for the relief of Dennis Hildeby and playing 10:32.)

William Villeneuve will also be recalled for Thursday's game, Berube said, after Brandon Carlo left with a lower-body injury against the Capitals. It's unknown if he'll make his NHL debut alongside Haymes on Long Island.

The Maple Leafs Are Loading Up Their Marlies Roster With ATOs Ahead Of The AHL PlayoffsDespite the players not being on the AHL roster at the trade deadline, both are eligible to play in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

With four games remaining in the season, the Maple Leafs should do everything to play their prospects, especially someone like Villeneuve, who's been in the organization for four years but has yet to play at the NHL level.

"I always think there's value in getting young guys a game or two," Berube said on Tuesday. "I don't think it hurts; it gets them a taste of the NHL."

The New York Islanders' season is on the brink as they return to action against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night for Pete DeBoer's first game behind their bench.

Not only is Toronto on the second of a back-to-back after the Washington Capitals shut them out 4-0 on Wednesday, but they will be turning to Arthur Akhtyamov, who will be making his first career NHL start. 

Anthony Stolarz needs imaging.

Akhtyamov makes his first NHL start on Long Island tomorrow.

Haynes and Villeneuve getting called up. Groulx going back down.

— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) April 9, 2026

Drafted by Toronto in the fourth round (No. 106) of the 2020 NHL Draft, the 24-year-old has made one NHL appearance, when he stopped all five shots in relief against the Edmonton Oilers back on Dec. 13. 

In 36 AHL appearances with the Marlies, Toronto's AHL affiliate, Akhtyamov went 20-12-4, with a 2.90 GAA and a .903 SV% and one shutout. 

With four games to go, the Islanders find themselves three points back of the second wild-card Ottawa Senators and the Philadelphia Flyers, who are currently holding the third seed in the Metropolitan Division.

The Islanders essentially have to run the tables with four games to go and get some help. 

However, like always, it's a one-game-at-a-time approach, and they'll need to make life as uncomfortable as possible for the young 6'2 tendy, especially early. 

Puck drop between the Islanders and Maple Leafs comes your way at 6:45 PM ET. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets are in Western New York to take on the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center.

Buffalo Sabres - 48-23-8 - 104 Points - 5-3-2 in the last 10 - Won 2 - 1st in the Atlantic

Columbus Blue Jackets - 39-27-12 - 90 Points - 3-6-1 in the last 10 - Won 1 - 4th in the Metro  

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

• Columbus began a three-game road trip with a 4-3 SO win at Detroit on Tuesday. The club concludes its road portion of the regular season at Buffalo on Thursday and Montreal on Saturday.

• The team has earned points in 11 of its last 15 road games, ranking fourth-T in the NHL in points pct. since Jan. 11 (10-4-1, .700).

• The Jackets have also earned points in 26 of their past 34 contests overall since Jan. 11 (21-8-5, 47 pts.). The club ranks third in the league in goals-against per game (2.62) and fourth-T in points pct. (.691) over that stretch.

• The Blue Jackets play all four of their games this week against the Atlantic Division. The club has earned points in 19 of its last 23 games against the division dating back to Apr. 8, 2025 (14-4-5) following the win at Detroit.

• Columbus leads the NHL with a franchise-record 58 goals scored by defensemen in 2025-26 (58-135-193, 78 GP).

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

• Adam Fantilli notched the tying goal on Tuesday with 17 seconds remaining and has set single-season career highs in assists and points with 23-33-56 in 78 contests.

• Jet Greaves, who turned aside 34-of-37 shots faced in regulation and overtime in the win at Detroit, has earned points in 16 of his last 20 starts since Jan. 11 (13-4-3, 2.37 GAA, .914 SV% in 21 GP), ranking fifth among NHL goaltenders in GAA and sixth in SV% over that stretch (min. 6 GP).

• Kirill Marchenko has posted assists in four of the past five games (1-5-6) and is the fifth player in Blue Jackets history with 25-plus goals in consecutive seasons (31 in 2024-25; 26 in 2025-26).

• Mason Marchment has collected assists in each of his past four outings (1-5-6) and has 2-6-8 in his last seven games. He ranks second on the team in goals since making his CBJ debut on Dec. 20, 2025 (14-15-29 in 35 GP).

• Zach Werenski set a new single-season franchise record with his 26th multi-point effort on Tuesday (1-1-2). He has recorded 22-58-80 in 71 games in 2025-26 and became the third American-born defenseman in NHL history with consecutive 80-point campaigns (Brian Leetch, 1990-91 - 1991-92 with NYR; Phil Housley, 1991-92 - 1992-93 with WPG).

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 19.6% - 21st in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 75.9% - 28th in the NHL
• Goals For - 238 - 17th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 239 - 19th in the NHL   

Sabres Stats

• Power Play - 20.4% - 18th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 82.0% - 6th in the NHL
• Goals For - 270 - 22nd in the NHL
• Goals Against - 236 - 12th in the NHL

Series History vs. TheSabres 

• Columbus is 29-16-1-3 all-time, and 15-8-0-3 all-time in Buffalo.
• Columbus has won three-straight and four of the past five meetings. The club has also earned points in 18 of the last24 meetings in the series dating back to Mar. 28, 2017 (15-6-3).
• CBJ have earned points in nine out of their last ten games at KeyBank Center since Mar. 31, 2019 (6-1-3).
• The teams have combined for seven or more goals in six of the past eight games at KeyBank Center.
• Three of the last four meetings overall and five of the past seven have been decided by a single goal. Each of the past three contests at KeyBank Center have been one-goal decisions.
• The Blue Jackets have had a perfect penalty kill in the last three games at Buffalo (4-for-4) and seven games overall (16-for-16).
• The Jackets have scored a power play goal in four of the past six meetings of the series (4-for-10; 40.0 pct.).

Who To Watch For TheSabres 

• Tage Thompson leads the Sabres with 38 goals and 78 points.
• Rasmus Dahlin leads Buffalo with 52 assists.
• Goalie Alex Lyon is 20-10-4 with a SV% of .907.

CBJ Player Notes vsSabres 

• Boone Jenner has 15 points in 26 games vs. the Sabres.

• Zach Werenski has 19 points in 21 games.
• Charlie Coyle has 24 points in his career against Buffalo.

Injured Reserve & Other Injuries

• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 40 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
• Damon Severson - Missed 6 Games - Upper Body - OUT FOR THE SEASON
• Dmitri Voronkov - Missed 5 Games - Upper Body - Week-to-week
• Mathieu Olivier - Missed 4 Games - Upper Body - OUT FOR THE SEASON

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 202

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play. 

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DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche return home Thursday night with little left to prove in the regular season — but plenty of momentum.

Already locked into the Central Division title and the Western Conference’s top seed, Colorado opens a two-game homestand against the Calgary Flames in the second of three meetings between the clubs this season. The Avalanche dominated the first matchup, a 9–2 win in Denver on March 30, with one more meeting scheduled next week in Calgary.

Colorado Bounces Back

The Avalanche clinched their position atop the conference with a 3–1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. Valeri Nichushkin scored twice, including a shorthanded goal, while Martin Necas added his 37th of the season. Scott Wedgewood turned aside 18 of 19 shots to secure the win.

Colorado’s top-end production continues to drive its success. Nathan MacKinnon enters the matchup leading the NHL with 51 goals while sitting among the league leaders in both assists and total points. Necas has also emerged as a consistent contributor, ranking among the NHL’s top scorers this season.

In net, Wedgewood has quietly been one of the league’s most efficient goaltenders, posting elite numbers in both save percentage and goals-against average among regular starters.

Flames Looking To Regroup

Calgary arrives in Denver following a 4–3 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, a game in which they surrendered a two-goal third-period lead. Wyatt Johnston completed the comeback for Dallas with the overtime winner.

Offensively, the Flames have leaned on a balanced group. Morgan Frost leads the team in goals, while Matt Coronato and Mikael Backlund are among several players clustered near the team lead in points.

Matchup Trends

Historically, Colorado has held the edge in this matchup, owning a winning record across more than 130 regular season meetings. The Avalanche also won the only playoff series between the teams, taking a five-game set in the 2019 Western Conference First Round.

Recent form suggests another difficult test for Calgary. Colorado has been dominant on special teams down the stretch, operating with one of the league’s top penalty-kill units over the past month, while continuing to generate offense at one of the NHL’s highest rates.

With postseason positioning already secured, the Avalanche enter the final stretch focused on maintaining rhythm. Calgary, meanwhile, continues to play for pride and consistency as the regular season winds down.

The Game

The Avalanche (51-16-10) face the Flames (32-36-9) at Ball Arena, with coverage set to begin at 7 p.m. local time.

• The Matchup: Pittsburgh Penguins (40-22-16) @ New Jersey Devils (40-35-3)
• The Time: 7:00 pm EST
• The Broadcast: MSGSN, Devils Hockey Radio

Last Devils Game

After Tom Fitzgerald deservedly lost his job on Monday, fans wondered if the team might come out with some new found pep in their step for their Tuesday night game against the Philadelphia Flyers. After all, as of Tuesday afternoon, the Devils still mathematically had a chance to possibly make the playoffs with a regulation win. As with much of this season however, the Devils, or more accurately, Jacob Markstrom came out flat and disappointed the fans, letting up a goal on the second shot he faced, leading the Devils to an eventual 5-1 loss. The loss against the Flyers coupled with a victory that same night by Ottawa means that the Devils have been officially eliminated from playoff contention.

Jacob Markstrom started in net for the Devils, his second game in a row, and did what he has done so well all season. He showed yet again how consistently inconsistent he is in his level of play. Coming off of his first shutout of the season against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, he let up 2 goals less than 4 minutes into the first period. As he’s done numerous times this season, he dug a hole for the Devils early, making their path to victory much more difficult than any supposed NHL starting goalie ever should do this frequently. Trevor Zegras scored two goals in the first period to put the Flyers up 2-0 before Cody Glass got the Devils to within 1 at 12:12 of the first period. Markstrom would strike again in the 2nd period however, allowing 2 more goals to Tyson Foerster less than 5 minutes into the 2nd period, to effectively end any chance the Devils had at a comeback and the playoffs. Nick Seeler scored an empty net goal in the third period, and that was all she wrote for the night and 2025-2026.

Last Penguins Game

Way back on Sunday, the Penguins defeated the Florida Panthers by a score of 5-2. Sidney “I never seem to get old or slow down” Crosby showed yet again, that Father Time has not come for him yet, scoring 1 goal to go with 2 assists on the night. He’s up to 72 points in 66 games this season and at age 38, appears to have a lot left in the tank. The Penguins have not officially locked up a playoff spot yet, but the victory, their 2nd in a row against the Panthers and 4th in their last 5 games, helped give them a comfortable cushion. Now at 96 points on the season, they sit comfortably in 2nd place in the Metro, 4 points ahead of the Flyers and 6 points ahead of 4th place Columbus Blue Jackets. As an additional note here, with the Penguins victory over the Panthers on Saturday, the Florida Panthers were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

Arturs Silovs started in net for Pittsburgh, the 2nd game in a row, and his second win in 2 nights against Florida. Florida was never in command of the game at any point. The Penguins took a 3-1 lead in the first period on goals from Elmer Soderblom, Sidney Crosby, and Rickard Rakell. Rakell added his second goal of the night in the 2nd period to send the two teams into the 3rd period with the Penguins up 4-1. Bryan Rust officially turned out the lights and shut the door with his 28th goal to put the Penguins up 5-1, and Florida scored a meaningless power play goal at 14:15 of the third to end the game at 5-2.

Injuries, Roster for Tonight, Yada, Yada, Yada.

With the Devils now officially eliminated from playoff contention, one would assume that the Devils, or more specifically, Sheldon Keefe, will not feel the need to the start Jacob Markstrom in back to back games. Will Jake Allen split the remaining 4 starts with Markstrom? Will the big club give anyone else from the AHL a chance to show what they bring to the table as they play out the final 4 (no, not that final four)? Time will tell. I am sure though, that I hope the final four games of this season, represent the last few games we are subjected to seeing Jacob Markstrom in net for the Devils.

Grimace’s Prediction and 2025-2026 Record Tracker

Grimace wanted to be here, but like the Devils will be on April 15th, he’s playing golf. We had a custom set made for him, and maybe if he’s in a good mood, he’ll let me share a picture on here. He did ask me to relay a message to all of you, which I’ll share here. “Dear fellow Devils Nation members, I’m sorry I let you down with my predictions and that I stunk as bad as the Devils did this season. I promise to try and do better next season. For now though, FORE!”

Grimace’s 2025-2026 Season Prediction record currently stands at 13-14-0.

Your Take

As I’ve written many times over the past few weeks, “what’s left to say” at this point. The Devils have been eliminated from the playoffs for the 11th time in the last 14 seasons. The fact that any fans are surprised by the frustration of other fans, when looking at that stat, will never stop being confusing to me. I suppose if anyone is looking for something interesting to focus on over these final four games, here you go. Jack Hughes currently sits at 72 points on the season. His current 2nd highest point total in a single season is 74 points, back in 2023-2024. If he can manage 3 points in his final 4 games, he can have a new 2nd best point total of his career. Yay, I guess. Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below and thanks for reading!

In a shameless bit of non hockey related self promotion (approved by Chris – thanks Chris), I wanted to plug my brand new podcast on here, if any of you are interested in listening. We have a light hearted, fun discussion about any movies, music or video games mostly from the 1980s and 1990s. Please feel free to listen to us on any of the formats below and any feedback is welcome (positive and negative). Also, please follow us and subscribe, even if you think we stink. 🙂

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Sometimes all you need is an opportunity, and for Russian goaltending prospect Artur Akhtyamov, that time is now. The goaltender will make his first NHL start for the Toronto Maple Leafs when the club visits the New York Islanders on Thursday.

This was clearly not the plan for the Leafs, but they arrived at this situation quickly. Anthony Stolarz sustained a lower-body injury early in the Leafs’ 4-0 loss to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, forcing Joseph Woll into a busy night. Stolarz’s season could be over; the goaltender, who has already been sidelined twice this year, requires imaging on his latest ailment.

Dennis Hildeby has had some success with the Leafs as the No. 3 option in these types of situations. He played in 19 games while one or both of Stolarz and Woll were unavailable for various reasons, posting a 5-6-4 record with a .912 save percentage. However, Hildeby played for the Marlies earlier in the day, helping the AHL club clinch a playoff berth with a 4-3 win over the Utica Comets.

So, rather than exposing either Woll or Hildeby to starts on consecutive days, the Leafs will turn to Akhtyamov, a player Head Coach Craig Berube is eager to evaluate.

Berube confirms Akhtyamov will make his first NHL start tomorrow.@Ozoon_CA

— David Alter (@davidalter) April 9, 2026

“I really liked him right from camp,” Berube said. “He’s backed up a couple of times this year and just has a great personality. He's played well down there. He's a competitor, he’s got fast reflexes, and he's competitive as hell. I like the kid a lot”.

Akhtyamov has posted a 20-12-4 record this season with the Marlies alongside a .903 save percentage. Selected in the fourth round (106th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft, the goalie from Kazan signed a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $900,000. The last two years of that deal are one-way.

Why The Maple Leafs Extended Goaltending Prospect Artur AkhtyamovThe Maple Leafs now have four goaltenders under NHL contract beyond this season.

“He’s a really good goaltender, really dialed in,” Leafs forward Bo Groulx said of Akhtyamov. “Really, a mentally strong goalie. If he gets scored on or a bad goal goes in, he’s not fazed by it. And he takes on the challenge to be better. I think that’s his greatest strength".

With Woll and Stolarz both unavailable earlier this season, Akhtyamov made his NHL debut in relief on Dec. 13. He stopped all five shots he faced in 11 minutes of action during a 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

The Chicago Blackhawks had three players participate in the NCAA Tournament, but none of them reached the Frozen Four. John Mustard, Julius Sumpf, and Providence were eliminated by Quinnipiac during their Regional Semi-Final, and Adam Gajan's Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs were defeated by Michigan in their Regional Final.  

Gajan, a goaltender, played a key role in stopping Gavin McKenna from advancing further in the tournament. Now, McKenna is next in line to be the number one overall pick in the NHL Draft. 

Scott Powers of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Mustard is going to return to Providence for another year in 2026-27. He then speculated that he could sign and get in some NHL games at the end of the same season. Sumpf's future is still to be determined. 

Blackhawks forward prospect John Mustard plans to return to Providence for his junior season. There was a chance he would turn pro after his college season ended. I imagine he's a candidate to sign late next season and play in some NHL games.

— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) April 8, 2026

As for Gajan, he signed with the Blackhawks shortly after his season ended in a somewhat surprising transaction. He is going to play in the AHL for a while in an attempt to earn his first NHL look. 

Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Denver remain and will play their semi-final games on Thursday. 

Wisconsin will battle North Dakota at 4 PM CT while Michigan takes on Denver at 7:30. These games will take place at T-Mobile Arena, home of the Vegas Golden Knights. 

With no Blackhawks involved, scouts will have their eyes focused on other things. The most important player for them to keep an eye on is Keaton Verhoeff of North Dakota. He is the only player on any of the four teams projected to be a top-five draft pick, which is where the Blackhawks are likely to end up. 

Potential decisions made with some of their current defensemen will influence whether or not a skilled right-shot blue-liner will be high on their draft board, but this is a chance to watch him on the biggest stage. Kyle Davidson and his staff need to leave no stone unturned.  

Although his backwards skating could use some work, he moves well for a player of his stature (6'4", 212 lbs). He has an accurate shot (wrist or slap) and has a high-end hockey IQ that allows him to make smart decisions with the puck. 

When Verhoeff reaches the NHL, it may not be long before he is able to quarterback a top power play unit. The Blackhawks have a few "solid" players who can do so, but they have had better success with five forwards for a reason. A defenseman like Verhoeff may allow them to have success with a more traditional top unit. 

If North Dakota finds a way to beat Wisconsin, which is a wonderful story in their own right, that likely means that Verhoeff played over 20 minutes, used his puck skills to his advantage, and played well enough when forced to defend. 

Like most offensive defensemen at this age, Verhoeff does have some work to do in his own end, especially on the rush. The pro game will teach him how to take the defensive side of the game to create offense with his skillset, in other words, "playing the right way". 

The winner of this North Dakota vs Wisconsin will play the winner of the high-octane Michigan squad and this Denver team, which is on the precipice of becoming a college hockey dynasty.

Blackhawks scouts must also be watching to see which other players show something, in case the chance to draft or sign them comes along. Collin Graf was undrafted back when Quinnipiac won the National Championship, and the San Jose Sharks nabbed him. Now he is a 20-goal scorer in the NHL. Is another version of Graf out there? The Frozen Four will give insight into that on the big stage. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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 Montreal Canadiens announced on Wednesday that the Professional Hockey Writers Association had selected Mike Matheson as the team’s candidate for the Bill Masterton Trophy. The Pointe-Claire native has proven incredibly important to the Habs while completely redefining his role and still excelling.

When the Canadiens first acquired the 6-foot-2 and 216 lb defenseman in the (first) Jeff Petry trade, he was counted on to be the power play quarterback, and his mobility made him the team’s most offensive defenseman. That allowed him to register a career-high 62 points in 2023-24, but then the rebuilding Canadiens started to get prime reinforcements on the blueline, namely Lane Hutson last season and Noah Dobson this year.

Flat Canadiens Find A Way To Overcome Depleted Panthers
Zharovsky Picked Canadiens’ Prospect Who Had The Most Promising Season
Hage Likely To Play In Frozen Four Semi-Final

Their arrivals had a huge impact on Matheson’s role, who went from being the quarterback of the first wave of the man-advantage to the second wave last season to having no power play time this year. He didn’t sulk or moan; he handled the situation like a real professional, embracing his new role because that was in the team's best interest.

From an offense-first player, he became a penalty-killing specialist for the Habs while remaining a minute muncher. He currently leads the Canadiens in time on ice with an average of 24:13, which is also the 18th highest mark in the league.

He has shown perseverance and dedication in the way he handles the metamorphosis of his role, leading by example on this young Montreal side. The alternate captain, whose contract was going to expire at the end of the season, agreed to sign a five-year contract extension with a $6 million cap hit, arguably less money than he could have gotten had he tested free agency this summer, given how the salary cap will be rising in the coming years.

Despite the change in his role, he still has 37 points this season, only one of which came on the man-advantage, up from 31 last season, when he had 10 on the power play.

Each year, the Bill Masterton Trophy is awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The winner is selected with a poll among the 32 chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season.

A Canadiens player has won the award six times, the last one being Carey Price in 2021-22. Max Paccioretty, Saku Koivu, Serge Savard, Henri Richard, and Claude Provost are the other five recipients from the team.

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