The Senators don't have their 2026 first-round Stanley Cup playoff schedule yet, nor do they know who their first-round opponent will be.

But we do know when playoff tickets are going on sale, and as always, membership has its privileges.

The Senators announced on Monday that first-round playoff tickets would go on sale beginning Thursday at 10 a.m., exclusively for season ticket holders, who will be able to purchase up to four tickets per game for all three possible home games in the first round. 

Sens Insiders will also have an inside track on the general public. On Friday at 10 a.m., they'll be emailed a link to access tickets for Games 3 and 4. They can also purchase up to four per game. 

After season ticket holders and Sens Insiders have had their fill, the general public can purchase tickets for Games 3 and 4, also with a limit of four per game. There will be a rush for tickets, but how fierce the rush will be depends largely on the Sens' opponent.

They have just one game left in their season, at home on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, their first-round opponent last year. This year's opponent could still be any one of the Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, or the Tampa Bay Lightning. Obviously, Montreal and Buffalo fans would be far more likely to try to jump on tickets.

On Monday night, the Carolina Hurricanes can wrap up the Eastern Conference title, and the Buffalo Sabres can clinch the Atlantic Division title. If those two things happen, then Montreal and Tampa would be removed as possible Sens' opponents in round one.

The Sabres will clinch the Atlantic if they beat Chicago in regulation and Tampa Bay fails to beat Detroit in regulation. If the 'Canes end up as the top seed in the East, and then Boston beats New Jersey tomorrow, the Sens would face Carolina in round one.

The sixteen teams in the 2026 NHL playoffs could be finalized as early as Monday night. The Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings all have Monday paths to claim the 14th, 15th and 16th spots, although Dallas vs Minnesota is the only matchup set in stone.

The Senators clinched a playoff spot on Saturday night after a ferocious charge in the final third of the season, closing out the year with a 20-6-3 record since late January.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:  

Senators Officially Clinch Playoff Spot For Second Straight Year
Why Shane Pinto Should Be One Of The Favourites For The Selke Trophy
Ullmark Describes Masterton Trophy Nomination As Bittersweet
'A Superstar Moment:' The Senators Goal Everyone Is Talking About
Great Opportunities: The Rise Of Senators Defenseman Jordan Spence

The Utah Mammoth let a critical opportunity slip away Sunday night, dropping a 4–1 decision to the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome in a game that exposed a lack of urgency at the worst possible time.

With the loss, Utah remains just three points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for the top Western Conference wild card spot—but the margin feels thinner with Los Angeles holding a game in hand and momentum beginning to shift.

Calgary Sets The Tone Early

From the outset, the Flames dictated the pace with a sharper, more determined approach. Utah struggled to match the intensity, particularly in the opening period, where puck battles and positioning tilted heavily in Calgary’s favor.

The breakthrough came midway through the first when Matt Coronato capitalized on a costly misplay behind the net, converting a wraparound after a failed clearing attempt. Moments later, Connor Zary doubled the lead during a chaotic net-front sequence, with the puck deflecting in off his skate to give Calgary immediate control.

Utah never fully recovered from the early surge.

Flames Pull Away As Utah Falters

Calgary extended its lead in the third period through veteran Mikael Backlund, who cleaned up a loose puck at the top of the crease after a collision left Utah’s goaltender out of position. A challenge for interference failed to overturn the goal, further stalling any hope of a comeback.

Brayden Pachal delivered the decisive blow soon after, wiring a one-timer through traffic for his first career three-point performance. Rookie Aydar Suniev recorded his first NHL point with the primary assist, adding another bright note for a Flames team snapping a three-game skid.

Dustin Wolf was steady throughout, turning aside 28 shots and controlling rebounds effectively, while Vitek Vanecek stopped 19 at the other end but received little support during Calgary’s decisive stretches.

Late Response Not Enough

Lawson Crouse finally broke through late in the third period, finishing a clean look from the right circle off a setup by Clayton Keller. The assist extended Keller’s point streak to eight games, one of the few positives for Utah on an otherwise frustrating night.

Still, the goal served more as consolation than catalyst, as the Mammoth failed to generate sustained pressure when it mattered most.

Injury Concerns Add To Pressure

Utah’s lineup was also impacted by the absence of starting goaltender Karel Vejmelka, who was sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Vanecek drew the start, with Matt Villalta recalled from AHL Tucson earlier in the day to serve as backup.

Elsewhere, the loss marked the end of productive runs for Dylan Guenther and Mikhail Sergachev, both of whom saw their seven-game point streaks come to a halt.

With matchups against the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues looming, the Mammoth now face a defining stretch. The standings still offer a cushion—but after a performance like this, it’s clear that cushion is anything but comfortable.

The video game overlords have been kind to the Colorado Avalanche as of late.

In our latest NHL 26 bug-ridden, glitch-infested experience, the Avalanche picked up a 4-0 shutout win over Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice while Gabe Landeskog and Logan O'Connor also picked up goals for Colorado. Scott Wedgewood made 26 saves.

Tristan Jarry made 32 saves for Edmonton.

First Period

About six minutes into the game, Brent Burns fired a slap shot on Jarry, but the goaltender made the stick save. During the same sequence, Colorado went on an early power play after Connor Murphy wiped out Ross Colton near the boards when the puck wasn’t in play, earning an interference minor.

The Avalanche nearly struck on the man advantage off the draw when Devon Toews ripped a slapper from the point that was deftly redirected by Brock Nelson in front, but it clanged off the post before Jarry scooped it up.

After the failed power play, Martin Necas found MacKinnon off the rush. His backhander deflected into the air, and Jarry sprawled across the crease, somehow catching it in his glove while lying on the ice.

But on the following faceoff, Jarry’s lucky charm sank straight into the North Saskatchewan River. Following a draw win by Jack Drury, Burns fired from the point and O’Connor redirected it home to make it 1-0.

At the end of the first, Colorado held a 1-0 lead, while Edmonton’s edge in shots (12-11) felt more like a participation ribbon than anything meaningful.

Second Period

At 1:51 of the second, Colorado doubled its lead when Toews carried into open ice and fed Landeskog cross-crease for an easy tap-in.

Colorado continued to lock things down defensively, though Edmonton’s depth tried to claw back. Adam Henrique snapped a shot from a tough angle, but Wedgewood turned it aside.

Moments later, MacKinnon battled Henrique to recover the puck, fed Colton, and headed to the bench. Colton broke in alone but was denied by Jarry’s glove.

After 40 minutes, Colorado led 2-0 and held a 22-19 advantage in shots.

Third Period

Embarrassment is the only way to describe the third for Edmonton.

After a routine save on MacKinnon, Jarry played the puck to Mattias Ekholm, who instead knocked it into his own net, making it 3-0—and handing MacKinnon another goal.

Midway through the period, Parker Kelly got a look in the slot, but Jarry came up with a highlight-reel blocker save as Murphy delivered a big hit nearby.

Edmonton pushed back briefly as Henrique led a rush and dropped it for Matthew Savoie, but Wedgewood shut the door again.

From there, Colorado kept piling on. MacKinnon turned on the jets, beat Jarry five-hole, and made it 4-0 for his second of the night.

Nic Roy nearly made it five late, but his wrister rang iron and ricocheted away.

Real Life

The Avalanche will square off against the Oilers at 7:30 p.m. local time in Denver, with the matchup taking place at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

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For the 10th consecutive season, the Detroit Red Wings will not play beyond the 82nd game of the regular season.

Their fate was sealed Saturday evening with a 5–3 loss to the New Jersey Devils at Little Caesars Arena. Not only were they unable to protect three separate leads in a must-win situation, but they also surrendered the game-winning goal late in the third period, extinguishing any hope of their first playoff appearance since 2016. 

And unfortunately, once the calendar flipped to March, the ghosts of seasons past came back to haunt the franchise once again. 

For the third straight year, the Red Wings began faltering in both March and April, losing what was a comfortable playoff cushion and eventually tumbling out of the postseason race. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

And yet, perhaps the most shocking statistic illustrating just how badly the Red Wings unraveled is a mark that had stood for 56 years - until Saturday evening.

The Red Wings became the first NHL team to have accumulated at least 69 points through their first 53 games and still miss the playoffs. The last team to hold that unfortunate distinction was the 1969–70 Montreal Canadiens. 

The Red Wings are 2nd team in NHL history to have 69+ points in the first 53 games and miss the playoffs. The Canadiens did it in 1969-70 (also 69 points) https://t.co/3apoh7M9oW

— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) April 12, 2026

To put that in perspective - in April 1970, The Beatles were going through their highly publicized split, Richard Nixon was just 15 months into his presidency, and Neil Armstrong had become the first man to walk on the moon nine months earlier. 

Considering that the Red Wings were tied for first place in the Eastern Conference in late January, it was a startling fall from grace. 

For a fan base that had grown used to winning during Detroit's glory years, most understood that their 25-season playoff streak came with a price and that there would be a downswing. 

However, in 2016, few would have likely believed the Red Wings were about to go an entire decade without a playoff appearance, or that they would now own the NHL’s longest active postseason drought.

As the final seconds ticked down in regulation Saturday evening, a loud chorus of boos rained down from the fans in attendance. Even as the players gathered at center ice for one final salute, fully aware their playoff fate had been sealed, they were met with continued boos. 

Todd McLellan Addresses Red Wings' Mental Fortitude After Officially Missing PlayoffsDetroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan spoke about the club's mental fortitude after they were officially eliminated from postseason contention.

Head coach Todd McLellan, who was behind Detroit’s bench as an assistant under Mike Babcock during the club’s most recent Stanley Cup win in 2008, acknowledged the fans’ passion and said the boos were justified given the result the team delivered - or failed to deliver.

“Well, this is Detroit, this is Hockeytown,” McLellan said. “I’ve been lucky enough to be on the other side of it when they couldn’t stop cheering for this team, and they’re dying for that. They crave that. That’s what they want.

And I don’t even know if they want a Stanley Cup championship anymore. They just want a team that’s gonna come and give them something to cheer about." 

Red Wings fans will once again have to wait until next year in the hope that Stanley Cup Playoff hockey will finally come to Little Caesars Arena, which opened in the fall of 2017. 

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CHICAGO (AP) — Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar lost two of his top front teeth when he was hit by a puck in the second period of Saturday’s 5-3 loss to St. Louis.

Nazar planned to play Monday night against Buffalo with a protective cage over his face.

“Got it pretty good, but could be a lot worse,” Nazar said. “So pretty thankful.”

The 22-year-old Nazar was sidelined for a month after he broke his jaw when he was hit in the face by a puck during a 6-4 loss at Ottawa on Dec. 20. He returned on Jan. 22 at Carolina.

Nazar, a first-round pick in the 2022 draft, has 15 goals and 26 assists in 64 games in his third NHL season. He agreed to a $46.2 million, seven-year extension with Chicago in August.

Defenseman Ethan Del Mastro also is expected to play against the Sabres. The 23-year-old Del Mastro was scratched on Saturday because of an unspecified injury.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

New York Rangers goalkeeper Jonathan Quick is calling it a career after 19 NHL seasons and three Stanley Cup championships — with 16 of those seasons and two championships as a member of the Kings.

The 40-year-old goalie told reporters Monday that he would be playing in his final game that night when the Rangers visit the Florida Panthers. It will mark Quick's 921st game appearance, counting playoffs.

"Tonight will be my last game in the league, and I am looking forward to it," Quick said following the morning skate ahead at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. "My wife flew down with the kids, my parents will be here. I am looking forward to this last one, try to get one more win here."

Read more:Anze Kopitar honored after Kings beat nemesis Oilers during regular-season home finale

He added of his decision: "It just felt right. Felt like the right time. I put some thought into it."

Selected by the Kings in the third round of the 2005 draft, Quick became a fixture in front of the net for L.A. during the 2008-09 season. He was a key member of the Kings' Stanley Cup champion teams in 2012 and 2014, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs with a 16-4 record, a .946 save percentage and 1.41 goals-against average.

Quick won a silver medal as a backup goaltender for the U.S. at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, although he did not see any playing time. At the 2014 Sochi Games, Quick went 3-2 as the starting goalie for the fourth-place U.S. team.

By March 2023, Quick was the Kings' leader among goalies in the categories of total games (743), wins (370) and shutouts (57). At age 37, however, he had also lost a step or two. The Kings traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who turned around and dealt him to the Vegas Golden Knights the next day.

Read more:Elliott: Kings players and fans pay homage to Jonathan Quick and his legendary L.A. career

Quick saw a decent amount of playing time down the stretch in the regular season because of injuries to the Golden Knights' goaltenders. He didn't make it into any games during the team's championship run in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

After spending the last three seasons in New York, Quick is set to make his 70th and final start with the Rangers and add the final numbers to a stat line that currently includes 20,315 saves (18th most all time), 410 wins (12th most) and 65 shutouts (17th).

“He earned the respect of his teammates, coaches and staff members through his work ethic and dedication to his craft,” Rangers general manager Chris Drury said in a statement posted on social media. “Jonathan is a special person and player, and the entire Rangers organization wishes him — along with his wife, Jackie, and three children, Madison, Carter and Cash — all the best in retirement.”

The Rangers are 33-38-9 and will miss the playoffs for the second straight season. They finish the year Wednesday night at Tampa Bay.

Another key member of the Kings championship teams, Anze Kopitar, also is retiring after this season, following 20 years in the NHL, all with L.A.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Jonathan Quick’s retirement announcement will have a profound impact on Dylan Garand. 

With Quick set to retire at the end of the 2025-26 season, the New York Rangers’ backup goaltending position moving forward is up for grabs, and there’s no doubt that Garand is the best positioned to land the job. 

As Quick served as Igor Shesterkin’s backup over the past three seasons, Garand was making a name for himself in the American Hockey League with the Hartford Wolf Pack, emerging as the Rangers’ top goalie prospect. 

Since being selected by the Rangers in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Garand has played in 165 AHL games. 

He established himself as one of the premier goaltenders in the AHL, to the point where he was named to represent Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden.

“I’ve spent a lot of time in the American League. I’ve played a lot of games down there,” Garand said. “They say if you play more than 100 games in the American League, that’s a good amount of experience, and I’ve played 165, so that helped me just keep developing, and not rush my development, and be more ready for the transition when that time comes. 

“It's the second-best league in the world, so to spend a lot of time down there, and the World Championship, was a really good experience for me too. My experience for sure has helped.”

The Rangers recalled Garand from the Hartford Wolf Pack on March 20 since Quick was dealing with an upper-body injury, as he finally got his first taste of NHL action. 

The 23-year-old goaltender has started in two games, posting a 1-0-1 record, 1.44 goals against average, and .954 save percentage. 

While two games are a short sample size, Garand showed his readiness to take on an NHL role in the future. 

Garand hasn’t started a game since notching his first NHL win on March 27 against the Chicago Blackhawks, but the Rangers have still opted to keep him around despite not giving him any more starts, which has raised some confusion. 

Dylan Garand Hoping Time He Puts In With Rangers Now Will Help Him In The FutureWill Dylan Garand play another game for the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> this season?&nbsp;

Quick’s retirement announcement puts all the pieces together, and it explains why the Rangers decided to keep Garand around. 

“Obviously, I want to be here, and that's got to be earned,” Garand said. “It's been great to get an opportunity. Like I said, I've been waiting a long time for it. It’s been great to be here right now, kind of getting familiarized with the guys, with the coaching staff, and things like that. Hopefully that helps me move forward.”

The Rangers could still realistically go out and sign another goaltender in the offseason to serve as the backup, but Garand has perfectly positioned himself to take over that role, and he should be given an opportunity to earn a spot on the roster come training camp.

The Colorado Avalanche head north to Alberta for a tightly packed back-to-back, opening Monday night against the Edmonton Oilers in what will be the final regular season meeting between the clubs.

The season series has already delivered extremes. Colorado dismantled Edmonton 9–1 on November 8, only to fall 4–3 on home ice on March 10. Monday offers a rubber match—but it arrives under less-than-ideal circumstances for the Avalanche.

Head coach Jared Bednar will not travel with the team after suffering facial fractures and a corneal abrasion during Saturday’s loss. While surgery isn’t required and a full recovery is expected, his absence leaves assistants Nolan Pratt and Dave Hakstol to guide the bench through both games of the trip—a subtle but meaningful disruption at a critical point in the schedule.

A Game That Slipped Away

Colorado’s 3–2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday felt like one that lingered.

They had stretches of control. They generated enough offense. But small lapses—one missed coverage, one lost puck battle—proved costly.

Devon Toews opened the scoring on the power play, and Nick Blankenburg—in his first goal with Colorado—helped pull the game back to even in the second period. In net, Mackenzie Blackwood was steady, turning aside 25 shots.

But against elite teams, “steady” isn’t always enough.

Jack Eichel ended it at 1:19 of overtime, finishing a rush chance that felt inevitable the moment it developed.

The Engine Still Runs

For all the turbulence, Colorado still leans on one of the most dominant players in the sport.

Nathan MacKinnon continues to drive everything—leading the NHL with 52 goals while sitting near the top of the scoring race with 126 points. His production against Edmonton has been just as reliable: 39 points in 30 regular season games, plus another five in the playoffs.

Alongside him, Martin Necas has quietly built one of the league’s most productive stretches, sitting just shy of the century mark in points and piling up offense at an elite rate since late February.

And while his role has evolved, Gabriel Landeskog remains a factor in this matchup historically, with consistent production against Edmonton across both regular season and playoff play.

Edmonton’s Counterpunch

Of course, any conversation about the Oilers begins with Connor McDavid.

He leads Edmonton in every major offensive category—goals, assists, and points—and remains the most dangerous player on the ice any given night. Behind him, Evan Bouchard continues to evolve into a high-end offensive defenseman, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins provides secondary scoring depth.

Still, Edmonton enters this one coming off a flat 1–0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings—a game where chances were limited and frustration built as the night wore on.

Trends Beneath the Surface

There are signs Colorado is still trending in the right direction, even if the results haven’t always followed.

Since March 1, their power play has clicked at over 27 percent—one of the better marks in the league over that stretch. More recently, their team save percentage has surged, sitting among the NHL’s best since early April.

And then there’s Necas, whose 37 points since late February place him among the most productive players in hockey during that span—a reminder that Colorado’s offense isn’t a one-man show.

What to Watch

This game isn’t just about talent—it’s about response.

How does Colorado handle adversity without Bednar behind the bench?

Can they tighten the defensive details that cost them against Vegas?

And can they slow down McDavid long enough to let their own stars dictate the pace?

Because when these two teams meet, it rarely settles quietly—and the stakes, even in April, tend to feel a little bigger than the standings suggest.

The 35-32-12 Winnipeg Jets are in Vegas for a test against the 37-26-17 Golden Knights on Monday night.

Now, more than ever, the Jets will need losses across the board.

A.) for the Jets' hockey club itself, to maintain a better position in the draft lottery for the NHL Draft this June.

B.) in case the Jets are able to win out the remaining three games of their schedule, they would need all of Los Angeles, Nashville and San Jose to also lose each of their remaining games, to allow Winnipeg a chance at the final wild card playoff spot.

There will be a number of changes to the Jets' lineup on Monday.

Nikita Chibrikov will return to Winnipeg's roster for the game since being sent down following injury recalls in the earlier stages of the season. While Brayden Yager will make his long awaited NHL debut - skating with Chibrikov and Nino Niederreiter.

Neal Pionk, Alex Iafallo and Vlad Namestnikov will all sit out due to injury - likely for the rest of the season, pending a miracle.

Connor Hellebuyck will get the start in goal for the first test of the back-to-back.

Winnipeg Jets' expected line combinations for Monday, April 13 at Vegas:

Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi

Perfetti-Lowry-Lambert

Koepke-Toews-Rosén

Niederreiter-Yager-Chibrikov

Morrissey-DeMelo

Samberg-Miller

Fleury-Bryson

Hellebuyck

Jonathan Quick, who announced his retirement on Monday, will be most remembered for the 16 years he spent with the Kings.  He’ll be remembered for the two Stanley Cups he helped bring to Los Angeles, and for the Conn Smythe he won in 2012. He’ll be remembered for signing with his boyhood team, for being part of the group that won the fourth Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history, and for retiring as a New York Ranger. He’ll be remembered for becoming the winningest American-born goaltender of all time, and for the sheer longevity of his career.

The cup of coffee Quick had in Sin City will be little more than a footnote in his story. But during his brief tenure with the Vegas Golden Knights, he made his presence felt, leaving his mark on both his teammates and on the Stanley Cup.

“[Quick was] one of the best guys ever, in my short time [as his teammate],” said Keegan Kolesar. “Just such a giving guy. I’ve got nothing bad to say. I don’t think anyone can ever say anything average about the guy– he’s just such an above-average human being… It’s hard for me to muster up the words to describe how great a person he is, ‘cause like, I could go on and on.”

The Kings dealt Quick, their all-time leader in wins, to the Columbus Blue Jackets ahead of the 2023 Trade Deadline. As the Blue Jackets weren’t on track to make the postseason, they flipped Quick to the Vegas Golden Knights the very next day.

Despite having his world flipped upside down, Quick was a pro’s pro in Vegas. He played just 10 games in a Golden Knights sweater, but his teammates complimented his presence both in the locker room and on the ice.

“He was quiet,” Kolesar remembered. “He had a calm demeanor, but he was so funny. He would say things at the perfect time, where I would just be giggling to myself the whole time. There were a lot of funny instances that I can’t even talk about when we were partying that I’ll always remember.”

Brayden McNabb, who played with Quick both with the Kings and the Golden Knights, also raved about his former teammate.

“Oh, he’s the best,” said McNabb. “I was lucky, I had him for three years in LA and got to know him. When I heard he was coming here, I knew he would be perfect for this team, for the locker room.

“And I mean, that’s just talking about his character; his on-ice play speaks for itself,” McNabb continued. “I got to see him in LA, and it was pretty remarkable, some of the things he was able to do. And good for him, playing at… 40? As a goalie, that’s super impressive. So, super happy for him, and congratulations to him.”

Quick didn’t play during the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup run, dressing as the backup goaltender in 15 of the 22 postseason games. But it was Quick’s character and wisdom that most impacted his teammates, who still speak highly of him to this day.

Congratulations to Jonathan Quick on his retirement!! What an incredible career and we are honored to be a part of it!! 🏆🏆🏆 #VegasBornpic.twitter.com/CEkEIBTDct

— x - Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 13, 2026

“He was great,” said McNabb. “He worked hard, worked so hard. In the room, he was always positive. He always knew what to say. He wasn’t super loud, but he could understand when something needed to be said, and he was very good with that– he knew how to handle it and deal with it. And his presence was huge, and a big, important reason for us winning.”

A former division rival of the Vancouver Canucks has announced his retirement. After 19 seasons, goaltender Jonathan Quick will be hanging up his pads, as he is set to make his final start on Monday. Quick spent the majority of his NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings and has been a thorn in the Canucks side for the last two decades. 

Of Quick's 828 regular-season games, 46 came against Vancouver. The Stanley Cup champion posted a record of 21-21-4 with a save percentage of .924. Quick also recorded six shutouts against the Canucks, which is tied with the Arizona Coyotes for the most against a single franchise during his career. 

Quick also had success against Vancouver in the playoffs. He backstopped Los Angeles to a massive upset in 2012, as the eight-seeded Kings defeated the Presidents' Trophy-winning Canucks in five games. During that five-game series, Quick was virtually unbeatable, allowing only eight goals and finishing with a .953 save percentage. 

Longtime Kings, Rangers Goalie Jonathan Quick To Play Final NHL GameJonathan Quick told reporters he's wrapping up his NHL career with his final start for the New York Rangers on Monday. The longtime Los Angeles Kings goalie is a three-time Stanley Cup winner.

As mentioned, Quick's final scheduled start will come on Monday when the New York Rangers battle the Florida Panthers. The 40-year-old enters his final game with a 410-306-90 regular-season record, which includes 65 shutouts. Quick ranks first all-time in wins by an American goaltender and will most likely be elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the future. 

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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SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann will miss the team's final three regular-season games with a lower-body injury.

The Kraken (34-34-11) were already eliminated from playoff contention ahead of Saturday's 4-1 win against the Calgary Flames. McCann can now get a head start on preparing for the 2026-27 season.

McCann, 29, has appeared in 52 games and scored 20 goals, tied with Matty Beniers for second-most on the team. The regular in Seattle's top six has scored at least 20 goals in each of his five seasons with the Kraken, who acquired McCann in the 2021 NHL expansion draft when Seattle started as a franchise.

McCann was a particularly impactful player for the Kraken in the 2022-23 season, which was the only year Seattle has made the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Kraken advanced to the second round, losing to the Dallas Stars in seven games, and McCann scored a career-high 40 goals during the regular season.

McCann, a first round pick in the 2014 NHL entry draft, is entering the final season of a five-year, $25 million contract.

___

This story corrects the Kraken record to 34-34-11, and the date of the win over the Flames to Saturday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Montreal Canadiens have had an exceptional season, whichever way you look at it. Getting 106 points, so early in a rebuilding process, and qualifying for the playoffs two years in a row is nothing short of exceptional. While Martin St-Louis and his staff accomplished tremendous work, there’s another factor that helped the Habs along the way: their core players remained healthy. Nick Suzuki didn’t miss a single game, just like Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, and Lane Hutson. Cole Caufield only missed one, Mike Matheson three, and Noah Dobson none, until Sunday.

Unfortunately, nobody is immune to the injury bug, and it finally caught up with the Habs at the worst of times. Just when the Canadiens managed to turn one of their weakness, their goaltending, into a position of strength by putting all their chips on Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler, their defense was attacked by the Injury Ninja. First, Alex Carrier went down to an upper-body injury, and the Habs announced he would be out for two to four weeks. Then, on Saturday, Dobson, who leads the NHL in blocked shots, appeared to block one with the inside of his hands, and unsurprisingly, also went down to an upper-body injury. At this stage, there is no set timetable for his return; the Canadiens only said that he will be reevaluated in two weeks. Thankfully, Kaiden Guhle was able to return to action on Sunday.

Canadiens Bury The Islanders With 4-1 Win
Two Canadiens Prospects Are National Champions
Canadiens Announce Dobson Is Out And Call Up Reinbacher

But that still leaves St-Louis in quite a pickle. Both injured blueliners are right shots, the Canadiens’ only two right-shot defensemen. As a result, Montreal called up David Reinbacher, who was thrown into the deep end with no safety vest for his NHL debut, with the team playing very high-stakes hockey, fighting for home-ice advantage in the playoffs. The youngster responded very well in the limited ice time he received; he played 11 minutes and change and even got his first point, but clearly, the coaching staff was shielding him and not putting him in the tougher situations.

The intensity is only going to go up from here, though, with the playoffs right around the corner, and while it looked like Carrier might have struggled to get his spot back on the roster when everyone was healthy, the Habs need him to return as soon as possible. Having three left-shot blueliners play on their off-side is not a winning formula.

As things stand, Guhle is playing alongside Mike Matheson, Hutson is playing on the right with Jayden Struble on the left, and Reinbacher is playing on the right alongside Arber Xhekaj. At least those were the combinations on Sunday, and they are likely to stick for the last game of the season since Carrier didn’t make the trip with the team.

When Carrier is ready to return, the coaching staff will need to reassess. Do you take out Reinbacher because of his lack of experience and pair Carrier with Xhekaj? That has not been a winning formula in the past. Do you keep the rookie in? Then you still need someone to play on their off-side, and you have to take for granted that Reinbacher is not ready for top-pairing duty. But Carrier shouldn’t be on the top pairing either, and nor should he play with Hutson, as that would make for one very undersized pairing.

For now, at least, Guhle seems to be the most suited to play alongside Matheson. Since Carrier with Hutson wouldn’t be a pairing cut out for the playoffs, that probably means Struble stays in the lineup, which would lead to Carrier playing on the third pairing with either Xhekaj, Adam Engstrom or Reinbacher. If it’s the latter, it means that one of the two defensemen must play on his off-side. Engstrom’s last three games haven’t been all that convincing…

Whichever way you look at it, this is quite a headache for St-Louis and his staff. Dobson has been playing such an important role for this team that he’s going to be incredibly hard to replace, especially if it turns out to be lengthy.

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The Anaheim Ducks entered Sunday’s matchup against the Vancouver Canucks with a chance to clinch a playoff berth and end their eight-year playoff drought. They controlled their destiny and needed two points to clinch, but only got one, as they lost in overtime.

On the positive side, the Ducks saw the return of their top goalscorer, Cutter Gauthier, who had been sidelined for the previous five games with an upper-body injury. Gauthier (22) entered with 65 points (38-27=65) in 73 games for the Ducks this season.

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Overtime Loss to the Vancouver Canucks

Anaheim Ducks Goaltender Lukas Dostal Nominated for King Clancy Memorial Trophy

He notched his 39th of the year early in Sunday’s game and added his 40th on the power play, in the third period, to bring the Ducks within one goal, as they mounted their comeback effort.

Gauthier’s 40th goal marked the 11th time an Anaheim Ducks player has reached that achievement, and he was the fourth player in franchise history to get there, joining Teemu Selanne (five times), Paul Kariya (three times), and Corey Perry (twice). Perry was the last to reach that milestone in the 2013-14 season, where he scored 43 in 81 games.

Gauthier is the second-youngest of the bunch (Paul Kariya) to score 40 goals in a season, and he now has 17 goals in his last 21 games, heading into the final two of the regular season.

“It’s a huge milestone and something I’m very proud of,” Gauthier said after Sunday’s overtime loss. “I couldn’t have done it without all my linemates and teammates. It was fun to get that, but that’s not why I’m playing hockey. I’m playing hockey to win games and eventually win a Stanley Cup.”

Gauthier has solidified himself as one of the Ducks’ cornerstone pieces to build around. The Philadelphia Flyers selected him (5th overall in 2022) four years ago, and he was acquired by the Ducks in Jan. 2024 in exchange for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick (Jack Murtagh).

Gauthier signed his ELC after his sophomore season at Boston College and played one game to finish out the 2023-24 season, notching his first career point, an assist. He scored 44 points (20-24=44) in 82 games during his rookie season, and upon the addition of a new head coach, Joel Quenneville, in the 2025-26 season (his second full season in the NHL), he gained experience, comfort, and confidence in the NHL. Gauthier is becoming everything that had been hoped for when he was brought to Anaheim.

He’s found and continues to find new ways to unleash his shot on the rush, on the cycle, in movement, at a standstill, through traffic, from distance, and off either leg. He’s found ways to utilize his speed, streaking down the wing, forechecking, and finding soft ice to present himself as a passing option.

Gauthier has a rare ability to beat NHL goaltenders from distance and provide instant offense in any scenario throughout any game. At his size (6-foot-2, 205 pounds), he can protect pucks in open ice and along the walls, and his 200-foot game is rounding out as well. Ideally, his strengths project to amplify in the playoffs, when games tighten up and matter most.

“We’ve never played in the playoffs before, so we don’t know what to exactly expect,” Gauthier said of looking forward to his first potential playoff experience this season. “We’ve played in some big games growing up, and the things I’ve learned from those games is to keep your emotions even keeled and not get too high or too low.

“It’s a very emotional stage, with the fans and everyone playing their hearts out, trying to win the Stanley Cup. The more we can stay even keeled and go with our game plan that Q has set, all of our coaches have set, and what we believe in the locker room, it’s going to benefit us.”

The Ducks will hope to either have clinched or clinch a playoff spot by the time their game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday evening concludes in St. Paul. Gauthier will look to provide a substantial impact when it comes to making any kind of noise beyond the 82-game regular season and moving forward into future playoff appearances for his Ducks team.

His ELC expires on July 1, and he’s currently eligible to sign an extension. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek now has a track record of taking his RFAs coming off ELCs into training camp with negotiations. However, ideally, he has his young 40-goal scorer locked up to a long-term deal well before then.

Takeaways from the Ducks 6-1 Win over the Sharks

Ducks Goaltender Ville Husso Nominated for Masterton Trophy

Being first in the NHL is all fun for most of the season. Goal scoring, good defense, stable goaltending, all things clicking all at the same time, that shows that this team really can make a deep run into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, that's, until you win the Presidents' Trophy.

Avalanche Defeat Flames, Clinch Presidents’ Trophy for Fourth TimeThe Colorado Avalanche have claimed home-ice advantage for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Despite your hard work all season, the collective of fans and media online now hit you with “since you won the Presidents Cup, you're not going to win, you have the curse”, but is it really a curse? What is the stipulation that, for so long as the best regular-season team doesn't win the trophy because of some “curse”?

The Originations Of The Curse

You can say the curse really “started” in the 2013 playoffs, where the last team that won the Presidents' Trophy was the Chicago Blackhawks, who ended up beating the Boston Bruins in the finals. Since then, no team that has won the trophy has gone on to win the Stanley Cup, especially notable teams that looked destined to win it all but lost in the finals or earlier rounds.

The 2010-2011 Vancouver Cancucks, league high 54 wins, but ended up losing in Game seven of the finals, and is known for what happened after the loss. The 2018-2019 Tampa Bay Lightning tied the NHL record for wins (62) but were swept in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets. More recently, the 2022-2023 Boston Bruins broke the NHL records for wins and points in a season, but lost in the first round to the eventual champions, the Florida Panthers.

In the 2022 post-season, where the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup, the Florida Panthers won the Presidents' Trophy but lost in the first round to the Washington Capitals in six games.

The season before that, when the Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy, they lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round in six games. All these accumulated losses just fuel the fire that regular-season success doesn't translate into playoff success.

Best Opportunity In A Long Time

It's safe to say that, compared to the last three Colorado Avalanche teams we have seen enter the playoffs, this is by far the best. Forward depth, defensive depth, and a strong goaltending tandem give flashes of the 2022 championship team, with how stacked their lines are.

Nathan MacKinnon’s Leadership Redefines the Avalanche Power Play in Bednar’s Evolving Tactical SystemNathan MacKinnon’s willingness to reshape his role has become the catalyst for a Colorado Avalanche power play resurgence, underscoring Jared Bednar’s experimental system and the team’s rapid post-Olympic evolution.

Though it raises certainty that this team's window is now, management knows it and is capitalizing on it. All the trades made by the deadline, how the teams' caps look for the next three to four seasons, people don't get younger, and chances with how well everyone is playing need to be capitalized on. With three games remaining, they could match their 2021-2022 season total of 119 points or even beat it.

An Ace Up Their Sleeve?

If there is a “cancellation”, “divert”, or even a “dispel” on this President's Trophy curse, is that the Colorado Avalanche won a Stanley Cup the same season they won the Presidents' Trophy, back in the 2000-2001 season.

Beating the New Jersey Devils in seven games, led by Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, and Milan Hejduk, they helped the Colorado Avalanche secure their second Stanley Cup in franchise history, while finishing the regular season with a league-best 52-16-10-4 record (118 points). 

If there is anything that could negate this “curse,” it's the history of the Avalanche's past coming to help them, but that all depends on whether you believe what people say about this “curse”. Despite a strong start to the season, the Avalanche have shown flashes of weakness that they will need to either cover up or protect come the playoffs.

It has been an excellent season, with success coming from different players in every game. It should be one to be remembered, but like all sports, it's not a successful season if you don’t win the championship, and that's going to be a story to tell if they don’t win it all.

BREAKING NEWS: Jared Bednar Suffers Facial Fractures, Will Not Travel With TeamAvalanche coach Jared Bednar is on the injury report after suffering facial fractures in a freak bench-side incident Saturday night at Ball Arena and will not travel with the team on its upcoming road trip.