The Chicago Blackhawks were routed by the Philadelphia Flyers by a final score of 5-1. It was a bad game from the start. They were losing 2-0 before the game was three minutes old, and never recovered from there.
This game began with some excitement. Sacha Boisvert made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks after a week of waiting for his work visa to clear with the United States government.
That makes it two top Chicago prospects to debut in 48 hours. Now, the Blackhawks have the youngest roster in the NHL.
From the early stages of the game, the Blackhawks didn't have the jump that they needed to keep up with the Flyers. Only so much of it can be blamed on their youth, especially since Frondell and Boisvert were not the problem.
That is especially true for Frondell, who was one of the best forwards in the Blackhawks lineup.
In the second period, Frondell made a backhand pass through the slot to find Connor Bedard, who scored his 30th goal of the season. This is the first time that Bedard has reached 30 goals in his NHL career.
Bedard became just the third player in Blackhawks history to reach the 30-goal plateau before turning 21 years old. Jonathan Toews did it in 2008-29, and Eric Daze did it in 1995-96.
The silver linings from the game pretty much end there. Based on effort and execution, it was one of the worst performances that the Blackhawks put on display all season. This is one to throw away and move on from after a film session.
A scary moment took place late in the game as Louis Crevier took a skate blade to the facial area. Whenever a blade comes that close to someone's face or neck, it is a cause for concern. Crevier left and didn't return.
In the post-game press scrums, Connor Bedard said that Crevier was in the locker room and was talking. Jeff Blashill confirmed this report: "Louis is going to be just fine".
In addition to the potential seriousness of an injury like that, Crevier is also someone that the Blackhawks rely heavily on from a hockey point of view. His offense comes and goes, but he is a big body who defends well in all situations.
In Boisvert's debut, he finished with 9:03 of ice time (15 shifts), one shot, one hit, and one penalty taken while playing on the fourth line with Teuvo Teravainen and Landon Slaggert. It won't be long before he is one of the team's top physical presences.
Moving forward, this group will focus on acclimating their newly added young players while finishing strong as a team. 10 games remain before heading into an important off-season.
The Chicago Blackhawks will be back in action again on Friday night when they visit Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Rangers. This will be the third of four games on their current East Coast road trip.
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.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby left Thursday night's game at Ottawa early in the second period with a lower-body injury, barely a week after he returned from a lower-body injury sustained at the Olympics with Team Canada.
Crosby took a 38-second opening shift in the second period, before heading through the tunnel toward the locker room. The Penguins later announced he would not return to the game, and coach Dan Muse said afterward he had no update on Crosby's condition.
Crosby had also headed through the tunnel following his last shift of the first period after appearing to get his left leg tangled up in a collision. He finished with one shot on goal in nine shifts in Pittsburgh's 4-3 shootout win over the Senators.
The 38-year-old center missed 11 games for the Penguins after he was injured in an Olympic quarterfinal game on Feb. 18. Crosby returned to action at Carolina on March 18 with a goal and an assist, and he had an assist in each of Pittsburgh's last three games. He leads the team with 28 goals and 64 points in 61 games.
The Senators' four-game winning streak is over following a 4-3 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday night. Former Senator Erik Karlsson was in on all the regulation scoring with a goal and two assists.
While Carter Yakemchuk's NHL arrival has been the talk of Ottawa this week, it was his former Calgary Hitmen teammate Ben Kindel who delivered the death blow, scoring the winner in a shootout, grinning as he began his attempt.
Drake Batherson scored twice in the game and once in the skills competition for the Senators, while Linus Ullmark made some outrageous saves in the game and especially in overtime. He and Stuart Skinner were both outstanding as the Penguins outshot the Sens 38-29.
The shot count drove home a very obvious point for the Senators. It was one of their loosest defensive performances in weeks.
Batherson opened the scoring for the Senators at 4:28 of the first period taking a gorgeous feed from Brady Tkachuk and burying a one-timer. Tim Stützle picked up an assist on the goal, and in doing so, became the youngest player in Senators history to reach 400 points.
The Senators quickly had a pair of chances from Dylan Cozens, who couldn’t capitalize, which would be the story of his night. He was credited with three shots but he had twice as many great opportunities that just didn't pan out for him.
The Penguins tied it at one on a goal by Rickard Rakell, who also had three points on the evening. Senators defenceman Tyler Kleven tried a long bank pass to send Michael Amadio and Nick Cousins free on a two-on-one, but it was stopped at the blue line by Erik Karlsson who fed Rakell for a successful one timer from 35 feet out.
Early in the second period, Sidney Crosby headed down the tunnel after his first shift. It was unclear how Crosby got injured, though it may have come after contact with Nick Cousins along the boards.
Shortly after Crosby left, Cousins then made it 2–1 for the Senators. On a two-on-one, he tried to get it over to Michael Amadio, but the puck bounced back to him and he tucked it into the empty net.
Karlsson tied it again with another goal from distance, with a screen in front of Ullmark to make it 2–2.
The Senators spent much of the rest of the second period just surviving in the defensive zone. Pittsburgh generated sustained pressure and created several good chances. Ottawa did manage a few looks of their own but couldn’t capitalize.
The Penguins struck early in the third on a 5-on-3 power play as Karlsson connected with Rakell yet again for another on- timer to give the Penguins the lead 1:43 into the final period. But it didn't last long.
Batherson struck again too, tying things a couple of minutes later cramming home a puck at the side of the net. The Pens challenged for goalie interference but the goal eventually stood.
The Sens came to life in the late going, generating several good chances, and it was interesting to see how much ice time rookie Carter Yakemchuk got in the late going of a tie game that was so important.
The third period was loaded with more big opportunities with shooters on both sides looking skyward. While Ullmark had some help from his posts in this game, he was unreal in a number of situations. His best saves were probably his lunging, old school poke check and then an outstretched pad save on a Penguins breakaway by Thomas Novak late in overtime.
Batherson scored on the first shot in the shootout, leading to hopes of a two point evening, especially after the Penguins missed on their first attempt. But while Stutzle and Pinto were both stopped, Egor Chinakhov and Ben Kindel both scored to send Ottawa fans home disappointed.
The Senators do get a point out of it, but with the Islanders victory on Thursday, the loss costs them their playoff position... for now. The Sens now head south to face Tampa Bay Saturday afternoon at 1pm.
ELMONT, NEW YORK - MARCH 26: Bo Horvat #14 of the New York Islanders is congratulated by Emil Heineman #51 and Matthew Schaefer #48 after scoring a goal against the Dallas Stars during the first period at UBS Arena on March 26, 2026 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The New York Islanders needed this one after an extremely disappointing game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night. There was some bad blood between the Islanders and the Stars after Mikko Rantanen knocked out Alexander Romanov for the season the last time these two teams played, but with Rantanen dealing with an injury of his own, that won’t be resolved this season.
Instead, Bo Horvat opened the scoring early and Cal Ritchie picked up the game winner early in the third, and of course Ilya Sorokin was instrumental in keeping the Islanders in the game even as the Dallas Stars had their chances.
Matthew Schaefer’s two assists tonight further put him into legendary territory, as he scored his 53rd and 54th points of the season to pass Vladimir Malakhov’s 52 points as a rookie and tie Denis Potvin’s 54 to put him 2nd all time in rookie scoring for an Islanders defenseman. He only trails Stefan Persson, who scored 56 points in the 1977-78 season.
The scoreboard was also moderately kind to the Islanders: the Montreal Canadiens beat the Columbus Blue Jackets, but the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators went to a shootout that Pittsburgh won. All of that shakes out to the Islanders remaining in the second wild card spot for now, tied in points with Columbus but with an extra game played.
Continuing the trend of the last few games, the Islanders were the more dangerous team to start early on. Emil Heineman nearly opened the scoring, but it would be Bo Horvat who made it 1-0 five minutes in on the Islanders’ second shot of the game. Matthew Schaefer picked up an assist on the goal, bringing his point total to 53 on the season.
The Islanders went to the power play after Adam Erne was called for slashing Schaefer, but the biggest chance of the power play was a shorthanded one for the Stars that Ilya Sorokin made the save on.
Dallas started to take over more in the second half of the period, but Sorokin made the saves he needed to to keep it 1-0 Islanders.
Second Period
Carson Soucy almost got one off a set up from Simon Holmström, but the pass didn’t connect by the post.
Casey Cizikas went to the box for slashing Esa Lindell, and Sorokin made a huge save on Matt Duchene to help kill the penalty.
Bo Horvat put a dangerous shot off the post and Emil Heineman had a shot saved by Jake Oettinger, and then JG Pageau missed another dangerous shot.
Wyatt Johnston took a penalty for holding Holmström, but the Isles couldn’t convert on the man advantage.
Horvat nearly set up Marc Gatcomb, but Oettinger made the save.
Third Period
Just a couple of minutes into the third, it appeared that Schaefer scored, tying Brian Leetch’s rookie record, but it actually went off Cal Ritchie’s left skate to make it 2-0.
Schaefer’s second assist of the night gave him 54 points, tying him with Denis Potvin’s rookie point total.
Thomas Harley took a holding penalty, giving the Islanders another power play, but the Stars killed it despite some good looks.
Oettinger stopped a Kyle MacLean shot cross crease, and Sorokin made a big save on Miro Heiskanen.
Then, Adam Boqvist, filling in for Tony DeAngelo, took a holding penalty, and the Islanders killed that.
Sorokin made a bunch of saves in the last 5 minutes of the period, and then the Islanders had a 3 on 1 opportunity with Dallas’ net empty, but Schaefer fell and couldn’t get it past Harley on a diving play. That set up the Stars to go the other way and Duchene scored to make it 2-1 with just under 3 minutes left.
They put Oettinger back in for a little bit, but then pulled him again, and the Islanders were able to hold on for the 2-1 win.
Up Next
Next, the Islanders host the Florida Panthers at 1pm EST on Saturday, March 28th. The Panthers, despite their pedigree, sit in 15th place in the Eastern Conference, and so the Islanders will need to pick up two points as the playoff race keeps getting tighter.
OTTAWA, CANADA - MARCH 26: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his first-period goal against the Ottawa Senators with teammates Parker Wotherspoon #28, Ryan Graves #27 on March 26, 2026 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Pregame
The Penguins had called up forwards Avery Hayes and Joona Koppanen during the day, but Anthony Mantha is able to play so the lineup of skaters remains the same with Stuart Skinner in net.
Not the best of starts, Erik Karlsson is quick to the penalty box for tripping. With Karlsson unavailable to kill penalties, Parker Wotherspoon and Sam Girard are on the ice and they do a lot of watching as the Senators work the puck low and Brady Tkachuk fires a cross-ice pass to the undefended Drake Batherson. Batherson quickly wires it to the back of the net. 1-0 Ottawa.
Pittsburgh stabilizes after that and stacks a few good shifts. They tie the game when Erik Karlsson steps up and knocks down a stretch pass attempt and sends a pass to the middle for Rickard Rakell. Rakell whips a shot from distance that hits its mark. 1-1 with 6:14 to play in the period.
Shots end up 10-10 after 20 minutes, one goal aside.
Second period
Sidney Crosby starts the period but then leaves to the lockerroom. It didn’t take long into the second period before the team’s PR wing announced Crosby would be out for the remainder of the night.
Cousins gets redemption for his lost chance in the first with some good luck in the second period for a goal. Cousins tried to pass the puck on a 2-on-1 that gets created after Kris Letang is out of position to stop a long stretch pass. Cousins’ pass hit Girard’s skate and bounced right back to Cousins to guide into the open net. 2-1 Ottawa.
Egor Chinakhov hits a post right after the goal. The Pens are playing well.
Pittsburgh gets their first power play late in the period when Dylan Cozens bowls over Wotherpoon. Noel Acciari is out there to take the power play faceoff in Crosby’s absence and almost scores from in tight. Then Anthony Mantha follows that shot up with Ullmark sprawled out and the shot hits the goalie’s helmet and stays out seconds before the buzzer.
Shots are 15-6 PIT in the second period, they play a strong period but aren’t able to cash in on the scoreboard. 2-2 game heading into the final frame.
Third period
The Pens get a golden opportunity when Artem Zub clears the puck into the stands, granting 1:27 of a 5v3 power play. Karlsson gets a few shots, Mantha gets one, then Karlsson sets up Rakell to hammer a shot that glances off of Ullmark and into the net. 3-2 Pittsburgh gets their first lead of the night with 18:17 to go.
Ottawa answers soon after. Drake Batherson sneaks behind the defense, finds a rebound and slams it home. The Pens’ staff takes a look and makes a dreaded goalie interference call. Claude Giroux did back into Skinner and made some contact with Skinner’s stick. They take a look and deem it a good goal, because of course they do. Pens to the PK.
Luckily Pittsburgh kills off the penalty but the tenor of the game has tilted back to Ottawa being the dominant team.
Bryan Rust is the latest Penguin to leave for the lockerroom with about two minutes left, but only briefly.
Tim Stutzle gets extremely lucky his lifted puck hits the very top of the glass to narrowly avoid a delay of game penalty with a minute to go, this game heads for extra time.
Overtime
Kindel-Novak-Karlsson start OT for the Pens, Ottawa gains puck possession immediately. Later Karlsson and Brady Tkachuk race up the ice, Tkachuk wins and the Sens get it back the other way for a Stutzle breakaway. Skinner stops the backhand deke attempt.
Rust gets a chance spoiled by Ullmark aggressively diving to poke it away. Back at the other end Skinner makes another stop on Cozens and then Tkachuk.
The goaltending exhibition continues, Skinner makes more stops, Karlsson springs Novak on a breakaway that Ullmark stretches a leg out to stop.
Tkachuk gets one more chance as the clock nears 0:00, Skinner fights off the shot with his arm.
Shootout
Batherson opens up the shootout, Skinner gets a big piece of the backhand shot but the puck rolls over the goalie’s pad and into the net.
Rakell starts for the Pens, runs out of room and Ullmark stops him from in tight.
—
Stutzle takes the next turn, Skinner stays with him and shuts it down.
Chinakhov is the second shooter of the second round, his five-hole shot beats Ullmark. 1-1 in the SO.
—
Shane Pinto leads off Round 3, Skinner stones him.
Kindel is up with the chance to win the game. His low shot takes care of business, shootout win!
Some thoughts
Crosby’s status will obviously be a huge development moving forward. He left for the locker-room late in the first period after getting tangled up with a Senator and then flexing his left leg (Crosby injured the right knee during the Olympics).. He came out and played the first 38 seconds of the second period then left again, this time for good. Never know what’s what in the heat of the moment but it sure didn’t look good for the team to announce basically right away that he was done for the night, the big question now is how long that might be. Didn’t look to be that violent or bad of contact but it’s troubling to see the captain leave a game like that.
It was quite the surprise when Parker Wotherspoon came out of no where to be a legitimately good first pair defender and hold that level for a long time. Now the surprise is that Wotherspoon’s level of play is slumping back towards the journeyman/replacement-type of player he was for a while. Very troubling development there, it can kind of be taken for granted how great Wotherspoon has been and as an individual his exceeding of expectations is right up there with anyone as a reason for why the Penguins are in a playoff chase and not among the dregs of the league like all the preseason prognostications had them.
It was also not a banner night for Letang, as has been his norm lately. His play on the second goal was another poor decision, after getting crunched by Cousins in the second period Letang would misplay the puck a couple times and narrowly avoided being the culprit for another goal thanks to Skinner. You could give him the benefit of the doubt for playing in pain if it wasn’t about the norm anyways.
Ottawa should trade those red third jerseys to Vegas, very gaudy.
Dealing with no Malkin and then no Crosby, the Pens needed players to step up. Karlsson did, as he has so often this season. Nice to see Rakell keep things going with a pair of goals and an assist too. Chinakhov was dangerously close multiple times to scoring.
Muse falls to 0-for-9 at challenging goalie interference. He doesn’t know what it is because no one really knows what it is. I guess this one was borderline worth it, there was a decent case but not exactly a conclusive one. Maybe for now Muse should leave challenges only for blatant stuff. Of course he has to challenge when he thinks it’s there but for one reason or another his (and his staff’s) definition of GI doesn’t match the officials and that probably has to be addressed internally for “could they actually reverse it?” instead of the default of “was there something there”.
Out of town, the Islanders beat the Stars (boo) and the Canadiens beat the Blue Jackets (yay). That meant for a few minutes at the end of the game the Penguins could have had the range of outcomes to leave the night in second place in the division with a win or OTL or below the playoff line completely had they suffered a regulation loss. Fortunately for them, it ended up being the former, though both CBJ and NYI are a single point back.
You almost never see an OT with 10 shots on goal the quality of what happened tonight and no goals. Great action and some thrilling 3-on-3. All OT isn’t fun but this one was super entertaining and somehow couldn’t find a conclusion due to the caliber of goaltending at both ends of the ice.
On that note, Skinner was outstanding, particularly in overtime but he also answered the bell and made several high quality saves. All Ottawa got were basically ones he had no chance in via defensive miscues and a tough bounce. The Sergei Murashov chatter around the internet will never go away because the prospect goalie is always the most popular guy on the internet, if nothing else
Two shootout wins for the Penguins in the last five days! To take a line from Dodgeball: do you believe in unlikelihoods?
The Penguins played well in this game, as good as they’ve looked in quite a while. It wasn’t perfect by any means but a well-earned victory on the road against a very hot opponent is a solid accomplishment. The cloud that remains hanging will be hearing the status of Crosby after this one.
NEW YORK (AP) — Ilya Sorokin gave the New York Islanders the type of elite goaltending they needed, facing one of the NHL’s top teams while in the thick of a playoff chase, making 26 saves to beat the Dallas Stars 2-1 on Thursday night.
Sorokin was locked in from the drop of the puck, denying Colin Blackwell on a shorthanded breakaway 10 minutes in and making a handful of other 10-bell saves on quality scoring chances in the first period alone. He was perfect on a pair of penalty kills, one each in the second and third periods, and allowed only one goal on a 6-on-5 with three minutes left to Matt Duchene.
Bo Horvat scored his 30th goal of the season five minutes in and Calum Ritchie later picked up the 11th of his rookie year to provide enough offensive support. Matthew Schaefer, the face of the franchise at 18 years old, assisted on each to reach 54 points and tie Hall of Famer Denis Potvin for the second most by a rookie defenseman in Islanders history.
Despite allowing Horvat’s goal off the rush and Ritchie’s when it went in off his left skate, Jake Oettinger was excellent in his own right. Oettinger stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced as Dallas lost a third game in a row and for the fourth time in five games.
This was a better defensive effort for the Stars than their sloppy defeat Tuesday night at home against New Jersey. They have already clinched a playoff berth, are likely to face Minnesota in the first round and are spending the remainder of the regular season trying to get their team's game in order.
The Islanders are clawing to get in as part of a fierce Eastern Conference race of seven teams vying for five spots.
Up next
Stars: Make the second stop on their four-game trip Saturday at Pittsburgh, when Mikko Rantanen could return from the injury that has sidelined him since the Olympics.
Islanders: Host two-time defending champion Florida on Saturday.
The Islanders seemed to run the gamut Thursday, playing one of those games that showed all the reasons they could be a dangerous playoff team and all the reasons they might not make the tournament — all at once.
At the end of it, they had a 2-1 win over the Stars that did indeed inch them above the playoff cutline at the close of business, and yet another point of evidence in Ilya Sorokin’s Vezina Trophy campaign.
There have been games, plenty of them, in which Sorokin was leaned upon more heavily than he was Thursday and in which Sorokin’s teammates did far less for him than they did Thursday.
Islanders players celebrate after a goal by center Cal Ritchie during the third period of their 2-1 win over the Stars at UBS Arena on March 26, 2026. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
After the Islanders prevented anything from going on goal after Matt Duchene got Dallas within 2-1 with 2:59 to go, blocking four shots in the final 53 seconds, Sorokin joked that he owed his teammates dinner.
Really, though, this night, like so many others, came down to the goaltender, whose 26 saves and total command of his crease were decisive in a game his team needed.
“At this point, we’re not really surprised,” Simon Holmstrom said. “He’s proven night in and night out that he’s by far the best goalie in the league.”
This was a low-event match in which the Islanders were pushed repeatedly and stood up to the test. They were far from perfect — the power play still frustrating, the breakouts still a challenge for stretches — but the way they held a lead for 55 minutes while rarely allowing Dallas to build momentum shift over shift counted as something to build on. So too did their work in killing off two penalties against the league’s second-ranked power play.
“Sometimes it might not be pretty the whole time,” Ryan Pulock said after skating 20:53 in his return from a lower-body injury. “You just gotta work through it. I thought tonight we did a lot of that. Important blocks, important times of getting the puck out, getting the puck in. I thought the forecheck at times was really good, created a lot for us.”
Ilya Sorokin makes a save in front of traffic during the second period. Heather Khalifa for New York Post
Bo Horvat’s 30th goal of the season, his second time in three seasons hitting that mark with the Islanders, was the difference heading into the third, with Sorokin’s heroics having kept the Stars from tying it on the power play midway through the second.
The Islanders, though, were not going to win this game by sitting on a 1-0 lead for 55 minutes, and of course it was the kids who have defined this season who made sure they would not.
Matthew Schaefer made a brilliant heads up play 2:19 into the third, throwing the puck into traffic in front of the net, where it banked off Cal Ritchie’s skate and past Jake Oettinger to make it 2-0.
Bo Horvat (right) scores a first-period goal during the Islanders’ home win over the Stars. Heather Khalifa for New York Post
It was a second straight match in which Ritchie has scored using his body in front of the net, and a second straight match in which Schaefer has missed out on tying the rookie record for goals by a defenseman due to an assist on a puck redirected in front. The 18-year-old, needless to say, will happily take it.
Sorokin was 2:59 away from a franchise record-setting eighth shutout this season when Duchene beat him at six-on-five to pull the Stars within one for the lone blemish on his night. Otherwise, there was no beating him.
There was the backdoor stop on Duchene, the Miro Heiskanen shot he got high in his crease to defend, the two Dallas power plays where he was the Islanders’ best penalty killer.
“Everyone understood it’s a big moment in the season,” Sorokin said. “Everybody knows what we should do. Every game is like the last game. But in the end, we should enjoy the game. If we enjoy the game, we show our best game.”
The Islanders enter a crucial — is it redundant to use that word when it applies to every game? — stretch of three games in four days, beginning Saturday against Florida, that includes a massive Monday night home match against the Penguins. Their superpower this season is the way they have avoided any kind of spiral, with their longest losing streak being three games and back-to-back losses a rarity.
It was on display Thursday, two days after a dispiriting loss to the Blackhawks.
“It was hard to sleep, I will admit,” coach Patrick Roy said. “It was pretty quiet in my car going home that night. But after that, you put it behind [you].”
The Pittsburgh Penguins have dealt with a whole lot of injury adversity this season, especially in terms of injuries to their best players.
And, unfortunately, their best player has gone down yet again.
Nearing the end of the first period of a crucial game between Pittsburgh and Ottawa Senators on Thursday, Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby went down the runway after appearing to be injured during the prior play. He came back onto the ice for the second period for one shift before heading down the runway for good, and the Penguins declared him out for the rest of the game.
Penguins' head coach Dan Muse later specified that Crosby sustained a lower-body injury, and a collision along the boards with Nick Cousins appears to be what may have caused the injury.
Mark Scheifele has long been synonymous with the Winnipeg Jets franchise, and on Thursday night he added another milestone to his already historic career.
In a matchup against the Colorado Avalanche, Scheifele skated in his 951st career game with the Jets, surpassing Thomas Steen for the most games played in franchise history.
Drafted seventh overall at the 2011 NHL Draft, Scheifele has been a cornerstone of the Jets lineup ever since. Through 951 games, the Kitchener, Ontario native has recorded 368 goals and 522 assists for a total of 890 points, along with a plus-80 rating that reflects his consistent impact at both ends of the ice.
A two-time NHL All-Star, Scheifele has established himself as one of the league’s most reliable offensive players. He has recorded at least 49 points in all but one of his 13 full NHL seasons and has surpassed the 60-point mark in 11 consecutive years. He has also produced eight seasons with a point-per-game average above 1.00, further solidifying his status as an elite forward.
While not known primarily for physical play, Scheifele has contributed in other areas as well. He ranks 13th in franchise history with 699 hits and sits 11th in blocked shots with 567, demonstrating a willingness to compete beyond the scoresheet.
Scheifele has consistently expressed pride in representing the city of Winnipeg, and with his contract running through 2031, he remains committed to bringing a Stanley Cup to the organization and its fans.
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.
While the Pittsburgh Penguins are in the midst of a playoff push, one young defensive prospect finds himself on the outside looking in.
But all the while, he's taking care of business in the Western Hockey League - and he's leadong the charge of his team into a playoff push of their own.
Penguins' top defensive prospect Harrison Brunicke has been having his way as of late for the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL, as he registered two goals and 15 points in the final 11 games of his team's regular season. The 19-year-old blueliner from Johanessberg, South Africa finished his 2025-26 regular season at point-per-game with the Blazers, putting up 24 points in 24 games in what will be his final junior season.
The 6-foot-3, 203-pound Brunicke - one of the Penguins' top prospects - broke the Penguins' NHL roster out of training camp, and he registered his first NHL goal in his second NHL game, which came against the New York Islanders - the team chasing the Penguins in the Metropolitan Division standings. Brunicke's defensive game left a bit to be desired, though, so after nine NHL games, an AHL conditioning stint, and an appearance at the World Junior Championship, Brunicke was sent back to Kamloops in January.
And, there, he has become the Blazers' most relied-upon shutdown defenseman, playing at all strengths and being deployed in key situations. Brunicke's defensive game is something the Penguins' organization wanted him to work on upon being sent back to junior hockey, and they've kept a close eye on his progress in that area, which has been tangible.
Brunicke turns 20 in June, so he will be AHL-eligible next season. He also figures to make a serious push for a full-time spot on the NHL roster next season.
However, there is a small chance Penguins' fans may get to see him sooner. Should Kamloops be eliminated while the AHL and NHL seasons and/or playoffs are still going on, Brunicke is eligible to be recalled or loaned to the AHL. If he were to appear in one more NHL game in the regular season or the playoffs this year, it would be his 10th, meaning his entry-level contract would be triggered.
The Vancouver Canucks have been presented with an interesting opportunity over their final 12 games of the 2025-26 season. On Thursday, the Canucks will face the Los Angeles Kings, who are desperate for points as they fight for a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Thursday is not the only time Vancouver and Los Angeles will play three more times before the end of the regular season.
In a way, the Canucks hold the Kings' playoff fate in their hands. With Los Angeles currently three points plus the tie-breaker below the playoff bar, the Kings will need to take all six points for Vancouver over the next few weeks. Even one slip-up could mean the end of their playoff hopes, as Los Angeles only has 11 games remaining on their schedule.
Overall, the Kings have struggled as of late, which is why they have dropped below the playoff bar. Los Angeles is 3-3-3 in its last 10, but has picked up a single point in three of their previous four games. Ultimately, the Kings should be motivated heading into all three games against the Canucks, which means Vancouver must be ready for the opening puck drop if they want to play spoiler this season.
After Thursday, the next meeting will be in Los Angeles on April 9. As for the final meeting, that will be held at Rogers Arena on April 14. So far this season, the Canucks and Kings have played once, with Los Angeles picking up a 2-1 overtime win in November.
Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Vancouver Canucks center Aatu Raty (54) celebrates a goal that was called back for offsides during the first period against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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 Detroit Red Wings are once again facing a critical juncture in their ongoing rebuild, with the team teetering on the edge of missing the playoffs and potentially extending their postseason drought to a decade.
Frustration among the fan base has been building for years, as many feel that Steve Yzerman’s careful, long-term approach has taken far too long to bear fruit. That sentiment is starting to be echoed by NHL insiders as well.
On Wednesday, David Pagnotta told Daily Faceoff’s The Sheet that this offseason could be pivotal for Yzerman’s job security.
“This is a, I don’t wanna say last kick at it, but this is a you-know-what or get off the pot here for Steve Yzerman this offseason,” Pagnotta said.
David Pagnotta: Re Red Wings: This is a, I don't wanna say last kick at it, but this is a you-know-what or get off the pot here for Steve Yzerman this offseason - The Sheet (3/25)
Since taking over the GM role in the 2019-20 season, Yzerman’s teams have gone 221-245-60, the seventh-worst record in the NHL over that span. Critics point to the slow pace of the rebuild, though it should be noted that Yzerman inherited a franchise in rough shape.
He has also drafted a series of highly touted prospects, including Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, Simon Edvinsson, Sebastian Cossa, and Marco Kasper, with hopes that 2025 first-round pick Carter Bear will continue that trend.
Finding draft gems has historically been the foundation of Detroit’s Stanley Cup success, with past cornerstones like Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg emerging outside of the first round.
While Yzerman has shown skill in the draft, he hasn't been able to find gems like Red Wings teams of the past with Yzerman's best find in recent years being 2023 seventh round pick Emmitt Finnie. Minimal additions at the deadline like Justin Faulk and David Perron this season, have limited Detroit’s depth at the most important time of the season as injuries struck key players like Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp.
Despite these challenges, the rebuild appears to be nearing its finish line. The Red Wings are just a piece or two away from becoming a legitimate playoff contender and potentially a dark horse for the Stanley Cup.
What remains uncertain is whether that push will happen under Yzerman’s leadership or if the organization will look for a new voice to guide the team forward. Time, performance, and the upcoming offseason will likely determine the next chapter for the Motor City franchise.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
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.
On Thursday, ahead of their game against the Calgary Flames, the Anaheim Ducks announced they’ve recalled center Nathan Gaucher from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL.
This call-up comes on the heels of an upper-body injury sustained by Ducks forward Jansen Harkins, who left Tuesday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks after just 2:05 TOI.
Gaucher (22) is in his third full season in the AHL and has produced a career-best 26 points (12-14=26) in 57 games. After scoring just eight points (4-4=8) through the first 36 games in 2025-26, Gaucher’s offense has turned a corner, and he’s tallied 18 points (8-10=18) in his last 21 games, including a hat trick and five points (3-2=5) in his last two.
Dating back to his draft year, Gaucher (22nd overall in 2022) never projected as a traditional top-six producer or contributor, but instead, displayed more of a traditional middle-six, 200-foot center skillset.
He assumed similar duties on back-to-back Canadian World Junior Championship teams, winning gold medals in 2022 and 2023 and scoring a total of six points (2-4=6) in 14 games.
Throughout his professional career, and even dating back to his final year in the QMJHL, Gaucher has suffered injuries or slow starts, potentially hindering his development.
This season, he’s taken on a larger role with the Gulls, earning more ice time at 5v5 and playing a key role on their penalty kill.
Once a pure force of nature with an NHL-ready frame and motor, Gaucher has now refined many of the details in his offensive and defensive games alike. He now recognizes how to efficiently pressure, engage, and utilize his 6-foot-3, 227-pound frame to win pucks on the forecheck or in his end.
Offensively, with his powerful stride, he’s causing turnovers, winning races to loose pucks, and is becoming more calculated and confident with the puck on his stick, letting plays develop before effectively continuing a cycle. Much of his recent stretch of goalscoring has come off clever off-puck reads to find soft ice on the weak side or cutting into the slot to make himself a premium passing option.
If he were to find himself in the Ducks’ NHL lineup in any of their games down the stretch, one could expect him to provide much of what Harkins brought to the fourth line: energy, tenacity, and a disruptive forechecking presence. He can add layers of defensive impact with his open-ice speed, positioning, and willingness to physically engage opponents.
His play style is endearing to teammates, fans, and coaches alike, and he fits the mold of an important piece to the bottom six of a championship team should he continue building on his recent form.
The Ducks spent a relatively high pick on him in 2022, a pick acquired as part of a package in exchange for longtime Anaheim defenseman Hampus Lindholm, with the expectation that he would become a complementary player to the supreme offensive talents they would soon come to acquire when the team was eventually in playoff contention.
That time has now come for the Ducks, and at 22-years-old, Gaucher seems to have marinated in the AHL enough for the front office to be comfortable giving him an opportunity to earn his way onto the ice down the stretch, given the state of their current roster and position in the standings.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - FEBRUARY 13: Timo Meier #28 of the New Jersey Devils celebrates his goal against the Nashville Predators during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on February 13, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Matchup: New Jersey Devils (36-32-2) at the Nashville Predators (34-28-9)
The Rules: If you have been a reader here, you already know the rules. But for the rest, a reminder: please do not swear in the comment section, and keep comments relevant to the hockey game going on. Beyond that, do not attack any other commenters, and do not ask for or pass along illegal streams on this board.
OTTAWA, CANADA - MARCH 26: Tyler Kleven #43 of the Ottawa Senators skates up ice with the puck against Erik Karlsson #65 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period on March 26, 2026 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
