The NHL announced every team’s King Clancy Trophy nominee for the 2024-25 season. 

This award goes “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.” Each team nominated a player.

The King Clancy Trophy will be voted on by a committee made up of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman as well as previous King Clancy winners and those who received the historic NHL Foundation Player Award. The committee will consider how a nominee positively benefits his community with inspiration, involvement and impact.

The player with the most votes will earn $25,000 to donate to any charity or charities they wish. Also, the winner can choose to have their team get up to $20,000 from the NHL to support an event for their humanitarian cause.

Last year’s winner was left winger Anders Lee of the New York Islanders. Lee’s been a leader for the Islanders on the ice and has also been heavily involved with the Jam Kancer in the Kan foundation and other initiatives to help cancer patients and families affected by cancer. 

Since the award was introduced in 1988, an Islanders player has won the King Clancy Trophy three times. The Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks have also taken the award home on three occasions. The Calgary Flames have won the King Clancy four times, the most of any team in the league. Their last winner was captain Mikael Backlund in 2022-23.

Here are the nominees for this season.

Anaheim Ducks: Radko Gudas

Boston Bruins: Charlie McAvoy

Buffalo Sabres: Alex Tuch

Calgary Flames: Jonathan Huberdeau

Carolina Hurricanes: Jordan Staal

Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Murphy

Colorado Avalanche: Devon Toews

Columbus Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski

Dallas Stars: Matt Duchene

Detroit Red Wings: Jeff Petry

Edmonton Oilers: Darnell Nurse

Florida Panthers: Aleksander Barkov

Los Angeles Kings: Kevin Fiala

Minnesota Wild: Frederick Gaudreau

Montreal Canadiens: Nick Suzuki

Nashville Predators: Ryan O'Reilly

New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes

New York Islanders: Matt Martin

New York Rangers: Adam Fox

Ottawa Senators: Brady Tkachuk

Philadelphia Flyers: Garnet Hathaway

Pittsburgh Penguins: Kevin Hayes

San Jose Sharks: Mario Ferraro

Seattle Kraken: Jaden Schwartz

St. Louis Blues: Colton Parayko

Tampa Bay Lightning: Victor Hedman

Toronto Maple Leafs: Mitch Marner

Utah Hockey Club: Alexander Kerfoot

Vancouver Canucks: Quinn Hughes

Vegas Golden Knights: Jack Eichel

Washington Capitals: Tom Wilson

Winnipeg Jets: Adam Lowry

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BUFFALO — The Toronto Maple Leafs will reward Max Domi with a second look alongside John Tavares and William Nylander as the club visits the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Tuesday.

Domi picked up a pair of assists in the third period while skating on Toronto's second line in the Maple Leafs' 4-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday and head coach Craig Berube hopes the forward's spring brings the right dynamic as they look to solidify their playoff roster.

45 for Will Ny The Scoring Guy 😎 pic.twitter.com/kgnHplhg6k

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 13, 2025

 "I wanted a little more speed in that line. They ended up getting a couple goals that line for us, but just the speed and his playmaking ability," Berube said of the change. (He) made some nice plays. Made two good plays. We scored two goals off it. I thought he did a good job.

"He's obviously a versatile player for us. (He) plays center, plays wing. He provides speed and ability to make plays."

The Maple Leafs need one point in their next two games to clinch first place in the Atlantic Division. With home-ice advantage for Round 1 of the post-season now secure, the Leafs are still looking for optimal lines through lines 2-4. 

In his first season with the Leafs, Domi primarily played center, but moved over to the wing regularly after an injury to Mitch Marner. Once Marner returned, Domi stayed on the wing alongside Auston Matthews and Tyler Bertuzzi for their 2024 first-round series against the Boston Bruins.

Maple Leafs Reveal Lower-Body Injury For Mitch Marner, Star Misses First Game Of 2024-25 NHL SeasonMarner hasn't been on the ice since scoring the game-winning goal in Toronto's previous game.

With players like Max Pacioretty possibly set to come be activated from long-term injured reserve, the next two games gives Berube a chance to see where things shake out.

Pontus Holmberg moved from wing to center to the third line with Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson. 

Toronto Maple Leafs Finally Find Their Upgrade On Max Domi With Scott LaughtonAs the market for centers slowly diminished throughout the week, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving finally found their middle-six center in Scott Laughton.

If the Leafs get a point tonight, they will have won a division in a full 82-game season for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. They'll also secure a date with the Ottawa Senators in the opening round.

"I understand it's been a while,  we're looking forwardto the playoff push," Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz said. "We don't care who we see, we're just excited to get that going."

The Leafs wrap up their regular season at home against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.

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NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings for the 2025 NHL draft.

Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer edged out Saginaw Spirit center Michael Misa for the No. 1 spot on the North American skaters list. On the international skaters list, Djurgarden teammates Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund lead the way. 

NHL Central Scouting lists are better viewed as a league-wide barometer rather than a distinctive ranking by an outlet. The NHL’s in-house bureau gives teams and fans rankings to serve as a guide.

Here are some initial reactions to the NHL draft skater lists.

North American Skaters

There is some notable movement on a few players on the North American skaters list, despite Schaefer remaining in first place.

OHL Brampton right winger Porter Martone dropped a couple of spots from fourth to sixth place. He may not be a top-five draft pick after being a virtual lock in that range previously.

WHL Brandon center Roger McQueen has spent much of the season on the sidelines with a back injury, and although he came back just before the playoffs, he missed the final two games of the team’s first-round series loss. His drop from fifth to eighth could be the start of teams becoming more concerned about his long-term health. 

Another interesting drop on the list was Haoxi ‘Simon’ Wang who fell from 23rd to 34th, signifying that teams likely see the tall but lanky Oshawa Generals’ defenseman as a possible second-round pick. He stepped into the OHL at the halfway point of the season after starting in the OJHL, where he generated a ton of buzz. 

On the flip side, Brantford Bulldogs center Jake O’Brien went from eighth to fourth after a great season, showcasing a blend of physical tools and size and some excellent playmaking ability. Radim Mrtka, the Seattle Thunderbirds' import defender, rounded out the top five, moving up a spot. Barrie Colts physical blueliner Kaswhawn Aitcheson finds himself in the top 10, moving up five spots. 

Mason West, a center playing Minnesota high school hockey, jumped from 50th to 27th. He’s worth watching as the NHL draft draws closer. 

West is a big forward who moves fairly well for his size and is finishing the season strong for the USHL’s Fargo Force. He has the package that so many NHL teams want, so it will take just one team falling in love and grabbing him in the late first or early second round.

2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Ferrari's Mid-Season Top 64It's 2025 NHL draft rankings time again as we're about to see the class playing some of its highest-level hockey.

International Skaters

The international list is always a bit more chaotic, and this iteration is no different. 

Although Frondell and Eklund simply flipped positions at the top, the mid-term No. 3 was Ivan Ryabkin, who moved to USHL Muskegon and saw his stock fall to 35th on the final North American list. Modo Jr. center Milton Gastrin moved from fourth to third, and Czech left winger Vojtech Cihar moved up a spot to fourth. 

One of the most interesting names on the final list is Russian right winger Alexander Zharovksy landing at No. 5 after not being on the mid-season list at all. 

Zharovsky has a very interesting package of tools, and he tore up Russian junior hockey with 50 points in 45 games for Ufa Jr. But after not being on the list all year, finding him in fifth place was a moderate surprise. 

Max Psenicka sat eighth in the midterm rankings, but he moved to the WHL to play for the Portland Winterhawks. With seven points in 24 games and four points in nine playoff games, he's only 40th on the North American skaters list. Maxim Agafonov (17th to 33rd), Dmitri Isayev (ninth to 21st), and Kirill Yemelyanov (15th to 31st) are among some of the names that fell notably. 

Swedish winger Arvid Drott went from 43rd to 25th, playing alongside Eric Nilson (No. 7) on many occasions for Djurgarden Jr. Max Westergard, a Finnish winger playing in Sweden, rose from 66th to 30th. 

You can find the full lists here.

Correction: Max Psenicka, who appeared on the international skaters midterm list, was on the North American skaters list for the final rankings.

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The Colorado Avalanche ended Gabriel Landeskog's conditioning loan early.

Their captain rejoins the NHL club on Tuesday after spending most of the past week with the AHL's Colorado Eagles, the Avalanche announced.

The 32-year-old hasn't played an NHL game since June 26, 2022, when his assist helped the Avalanche beat the Tampa Bay Lightning to win the Stanley Cup. He's had a right knee injury that involved cartilage transplant surgery in May 2023.

Landeskog has been on long-term injury reserve during his recovery. Under the collective bargaining agreement, the Avalanche could assign him on a conditioning loan to the AHL while he's on LTIR for up to the longer of six days and three games for the purpose of determining whether he's fit to play. Although it's been six days, Landeskog only participated in two games, while the Eagles have three regular-season games remaining.

Landeskog played his first professional games in almost three years on April 11 and 12 with the Eagles. While he was left off the scoreboard in his first game, he had a goal and assist in his second.

"Physically, I feel great," Landeskog told reporters after his first game. "Obviously, it's the first game in a long time, so I got plenty of things to work on and get better at, but it was a lot of fun."

Although the Stockholm, Sweden, native said he has a lot of things to improve on to get back into the flow, it was fun to be back.

"Obviously, there were times where I didn't know if it was ever going to happen, so it felt great being in the battle again and on the bench, in the room, on the ice, all of the nuances of a hockey game," he said.

Avalanche teammates Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Josh Manson, as well as former teammate Andrew Cogliano and Avs GM Chris MacFarland, attended the April 11 match to support Landeskog.

Landeskog could be back on the ice with his teammates for the first-round matchup against the Dallas Stars if his knee responded well to the game action. The Avalanche are currently using LTIR pool space to exceed the salary cap's upper limit by just over $6 million, according to PuckPedia. Landeskog carries a $7-million cap hit.

There's no salary cap in the playoffs, meaning the team wouldn't need to clear cap space to take him off LTIR.

In 738 career NHL games, Landeskog has 248 goals and 323 assists for 571 points.

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With only one game left in Lane Hutson’s historical rookie season, the Montreal Canadiens blueliner still leads all rookies in points, two ahead of San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini and five in front of Philadelphia Flyers’ Matvei Michkov. On Monday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, he finally beat Chris Chelios’s record and became the highest-scoring rookie defenseman in franchise history.

Three Takeaways As Demidov Took The Bell Center's Breath Away But The Hawks Took The Win
Canadiens: St-Louis On Ivan Demidov’s Linemates And Hughes On His Arrival
Jacob Fowler is Moving Up Laval’s Depth Chart

The 62nd overall pick at the 2022 draft has exceeded all expectations in his rookie season. While he dropped at the draft because of his small stature, he had taken to the NHL like a fish to water and is using his size to his advantage. The blueliner has so much speed and deceptive actions that other players struggle to hit such a tiny, fast-moving target.

With a single game left to play, it’s safe to say that Hutson will not break the league record that belongs to Larry Murphy, who put up 76 points with the Los Angeles Kings in 1980-81, but being the fifth-highest scoring defenseman in league history is no small feat. As things stand, only Murphy, Brian Leetch (71), Gary Suter (68), and Phil Housley (66) have scored more points in their rookie season. They all became fantastic offensive defensemen, playing significant roles in their team’s fate. Housley is the only one who didn’t win a Stanley Cup.

𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 · 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/qNi4DU5RKO

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 15, 2025

Among active blueliners, Quinn Hughes’s rookie season was the most productive, with 53 points (in 68 games), ranks 15th in league history. Moritz Seider and Cale Makar (in 57 games) had 50 points in their first seasons, giving them the 18th and 19th rank, respectively. Seider and Makar both won the Calder Trophy as the top rookie of the year, and Hughes probably would have done as well had he not played his rookie season the same year as Makar.

At this stage, the Canadiens’ standout should receive the honour and become the first Canadiens to win it since Ken Dryden in 1971-72. Only six Habs have won the coveted prize: Dryden, Jacques Laperriere, Bobby Rousseau, Ralph Backstrom, Bernie Geoffrion, and John Quilty.

Even if Hutson were to lose the rookie scoring race, considering how impressive and even historical his rookie season has been, he should still be crowned.

Super rookies 🦸‍♂️ #NHLAwards

Who do you think will take home the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year? 🏆

Read more from @NHLdotcom ➡️ https://t.co/s35qyF0CmDpic.twitter.com/Jipd9fdXn4

— NHL (@NHL) April 14, 2025

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The LA Kings shut out their playoff nemesis Edmonton Oilers 5-0 at Rogers Place on Monday night, clinching home ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs. Currently sitting at 103 points on the season with two games remaining, LA has a chance to eclipse the franchise record of 105 points, set by the 1974-1975 squad. That roster was filled with names like Butch Goring, Mike Murphy, and Rogie Vachon, so getting anywhere near the zip code of that team is a clear indicator that the 2024-25 Kings have had an outstanding regular season.

LA got the jump on the depleted Oilers (Draisaitl, Ekholm, and McDavid all out) at 2:55 of the first period with a goal from Warren Foegele, his 23rd of the year.

Warren Foegele (23) collects the bounce off the boards and scores on a wide-open net.

Assists:
Phillip Danault (34)
Trevor Moore (21)#GoKingsGo#LetsGoOilers#EDMvsLAKpic.twitter.com/79T9G9Ff78

— LA Royalty (@LARoyalty1967) April 15, 2025

Quinton Byfield would later make the Oilers pay on the power play with his 23rd goal of the year, adding to an already career season high for the 22-year-old centerman.  By the time defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov rippled the top corner twine at 18:45, the Kings would head into the intermission with a healthy three goal lead. Did you know that when scoring three or more goals this season, LA is an eye-popping 40-0-2?

Got a call coming in from Edmonton 🤙 pic.twitter.com/sJEKYk15MG

— x - LA Kings (@LAKings) April 15, 2025

Kevin Fiala joined in on the action with his team-high 35th of the season on the power play in the second period, and Adrian Kempe, not to be one-upped, tacked on his 34th goal of the year at 8:13 of the third period to close out the strangely officiated penalty fest. 

Loves a Kopi to Juice moment pic.twitter.com/m47LBPGxeG

— x - LA Kings (@LAKings) April 15, 2025

With his assist on Kempe's goal, captain Anze Kopitar is now just 29 points shy of franchise leader Marcel Dionne's 1,307 points, who managed to do that in just 921 games as a King.  Little Beaver's 1771 career points make him the highest scorer in NHL history to never win a Stanley Cup.

Normally a 5-0 victory against a hated division and playoff rival would be grounds for at least a mild euphoria but Darnell Nurse's cheap and dangerous cross-check to the back of Quinton Byfield's head surely led to tossing and turning from Kings' fans across the globe. The young star exited the game, and the team later announced that Byfield was suffering from an upper-body injury.

In a season that has seen the 2020 first round pick blossom as a talented two-way player capable of highlight reel goals on one end and solid defense on the other, losing Byfield for any length of time in the playoffs would be a huge blow for the Kings. 

Nurse, who has already been suspended three times in his career, is likely to receive a call from and perhaps an in-person meeting with the NHL's Department of Player Safety, and deservedly so. There is no place in the game for these types of hits, especially with all that we are learning about the devasting effects of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) linked to repeated blows to the head. 

This year the Kings have shown the ability to overcome adversity, as they missed the services of Drew Doughty for well over half of the season. Now they may have to figure out how to vanquish the Oilers in the playoffs without Quinton Byfield.

At the 2025 NHL trade deadline, the Nashville Predators acquired forward Michael Bunting and a 2026 fourth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defenseman Luke Schenn and forward Tommy Novak. Schenn was then quickly flipped by the Penguins to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.

The Predators bringing in Bunting was a bit surprising, as they were already out of the playoff race at that point of the season. However, he will also be more than a rental for them, as he is signed until the end of the 2025-26 season, carrying a $4.5 million cap hit. Thus, the Predators are hoping that he can be a key part of their forward group as they aim to turn things around next season.

Bunting's start with the Predators was quiet, as he had just four points in his first 13 games with the Central Division club. However, the 2014 fourth-round pick is heating up with the regular season nearing its conclusion.

Bunting is currently sporting a four-game point streak, where he has two goals, five points, and a plus-5 rating over that span. This includes scoring a goal in the Predators' most recent matchup against the Utah Hockey Club on April 14. 

Bunting has shown throughout his career that he can be an impactful offensive contributor when playing at his best, and the Predators are starting to see that. It will be fascinating to see if he can finish the season on a strong note in the Predators' season finale against the Dallas Stars on April 16 from here. 

Recent Predators News 

Predators Call Up Promising Prospect DefensemanThe Nashville Predators have announced that they have recalled defenseman Ryan Ufko from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. In addition, the team announced that Ufko will make his NHL debut during the Predators' April 14 contest against the Utah Hockey Club. Predators Top Prospect Is Heating Up In AHLNashville Predators prospect Joakim Kemell is considered one of the team's most promising youngsters. The 20-year-old forward is continuing to develop his game at the American Hockey League (AHL) level with the Milwaukee Admirals and is in the middle of a solid season that saw him play in the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic. Predators Sign Tough Guy To Contract ExtensionThe Nashville Predators have announced that they have signed forward Navrin Mutter to a one-year, two-way contract extension for the 2025-26 season. Former Predators Forward Done For The SeasonPittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan has announced that former Nashville Predators forward Tommy Novak will be out for the rest of the season. 

The regular season is almost over.

If you didn't know that already, you could tell from the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings' game on Monday night. The game was long on penalties and short on action, with just 16:48 of the first two periods occurring at five-on-five. The injury-depleted Oilers lost 5-0, officially ceding home-ice advantage to the Kings in their upcoming first-round series.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.

Key Player Grades

Calvin Pickard: B-

Five goals on 36 shots is obviously not good, but Pickard was in the trenches all night. The Kings went 2/8 on the powerplay, peering Pickard with at least ten shots in each period. Without him, this could have easily been an 8-0 game by the end of the second period.

Calvin Pickard keeps this a two goal game with this clutch save!

🎥: Sportsnet | #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/nVOXYJNJZ7

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 15, 2025

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Darnell Nurse: D

Nurse was fine in his limited ice time, but his night was cut short in the second period when he received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for this hit on Quinton Byfield:

Darnell Nurse was issued a major penalty and a game misconduct for cross-checking Quinton Byfield. pic.twitter.com/J7yFs492ce

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 15, 2025

With the game already out of hand and just one more remaining in the playoffs, a suspension-worthy hit is the last thing you want to see. Considering the laundry list of injuries on the Oilers' blueline, it's even worse. While it's hard to see the NHL suspending Nurse into the playoffs, I wouldn't put it past them to make an example of him ahead of what will be a heated playoff series.

Oilers' Scratches: A+

They didn't have to play in this mess of a game. Though the referees put their whistles away in the third period, the first two periods were a parade to the penalty box, with 16 minor penalties, two 10-minute misconducts, and Nurse's major-and-game combo. It wasn't the best game I've ever seen; let's put it at that.

Though Monday night was a dud, it does promise a hard-fought, nasty first-round series between these two teams. The Oilers have one more game, in San Jose on Wednesday, before they head to Los Angeles to kick off the playoffs this weekend.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets and the Philadelphia Flyers play the final game of their season series on Sunday. The Jackets are 1-1-1 against the Flyers this season.

With two games left, the Columbus Blue Jackets are still alive in the playoff race due to the Montreal Canadiens losing in OT to the  Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. 

We're not going to overcomplicate this preview - The Blue Jackets need to beat the Philadelphia Flyers in regulation on Tuesday. They have plenty of motivation to it. Just get it done. 

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 19.1% - 22nd in NHL
• Penalty Kill - 76.5% - 23rd in NHL
• Goals For - 258 - 10th - 3.23 GPG - 10th
• Goals Against - 266 - 25th - 3.33 GPG - 27th

Flyers Stats

• Power Play – 14.8% - 30th in NHL
• Penalty Kill – 77.8% - 20th in NHL
• Goals For - 228 – 23rd – 2.85 GPG – 23rd
• Goals Against – 275 – 9th – 3.44 GPG – 28th

Series History vs. The Flyers 

• Columbus is 11-13-3 on the road and 28-19-7 in 54 all-time games against the Flyers.
• The Jackets are 3-1-1 in the last 5 against Philadelphia. 

Who To Watch For The Flyers 

• Travis Konecny leads the Flyers in goals(24), assists(51), and points(75).
• Rookie Matvei Michkov has 24 goals on the season.
• Goalie Samuel Errson is 22-16-5 with a SV% of .882.
• Ivan Fedotov is 6-13-4 with a SV% of .880.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Flyers 

• Boone Jenner has 20 points in 32 career games against Philadelphia. 
• Zach Werenski has 17 points in 24 games.  
• Sean Monahan has 18 points in 21 games against the Flyers. 

Injuries

• Kevin Labanc (shoulder) is on Injured Reserve as of Feb. 21 and is out for the season (24 Games) 
• Elvis Merzļikins (upper body) has missed 3 games. 
• Jake Christiansen (upper body) has missed 2 games. 

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 318

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

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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The stage was set for the perfect Hollywood script on Monday night for the Montreal Canadiens. Ivan Demidov was making his debut, and the excitation was palpable in the Bell Centre, but the Habs needed to beat the Chicago Blackhawks to qualify for the playoffs, and they failed to do so. 

Canadiens: St-Louis On Ivan Demidov’s Linemates And Hughes On His Arrival
In Hainsight: Demidov’s arrival
David Reinbacher is Getting Closer To a Return

Who Needs Shielding?

Martin St-Louis said on Monday morning that it made sense to put Joel Armia, a defensively responsible player, on the ice with Ivan Demidov, but with 3:32 left in the first period, there was no Armia and Patrik Laine was with Demidov and Alex Newhook.

By then, the rookie had assisted on the game's first lamplighter and scored his first career goal, becoming the second youngest player in Canadiens history to score in his first game and setting the Bell Centre alight. It’s a small sample, but Demidov didn’t need shielding as he adapted immediately to the North American game. He was only on the ice for 3:25 in the first frame, but he certainly made the most of it.

Newhook scores on a Demidov assist, just his third shift #GoHabsGo 1-0 Habs @TheHockeyNews#THNpic.twitter.com/DVpFloBhAc

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) April 14, 2025

As for the game's physicality, in his very first shift, he nailed Frank Nazar by the boards, sending the Bell Centre crowd to its feet. He did, however, get his welcome to the NHL moment halfway through the first when Artyom Levshunov caught him in the offensive zone. That was the only time he was caught off-guard, lightyears away from the way Juraj Slafkovsky looked like a deer in the headlights a few times in his rookie season.

On his new player, the coach said:

I think he was great. If there’s one player that wasn’t worried about much and not stressed out it was him, but it’s almost naïve because he just got here, that’s why I wasn’t afraid to inject that kind of talent, he hasn’t gone through what these guys have gone through all year, he comes in and he plays.

- Martin St-Louis on Ivan Demidov

He finished his night with two points, a plus-one rating, three shots and one hit having spent close to 17 minutes on the ice. The sole blemish on his record was that he took a shot which was blocked and led to the Blackhawks' third goal, and he didn't exactly backcheck. 

Costly Penalties

The Habs were up 2-0 when they were assessed their first penalty, and a minute and a half later, their lead was cut in half. While Kaiden Guhle’s hits are often massive momentum makers, that one tonight, without Oliver Moore having touched the puck, started the Canadiens’ downfall. Asked to comment on the play, the bench boss explained:

I think you have to be near the line without crossing it. It was a play with the puck coming to him, but it wasn’t there yet. If he (Moore) had touched the puck, it would have been a good body check, but he never touched it, so that’s a penalty. It happens so quickly that the player is already all in on the play. He thinks the puck will get there faster. Those are the penalties we don’t need, but I understand the action and where he was coming from. It’s just a shame that it cost us.

- The coach on a bad penalty

Then, late in the second period, the Alexandre Carrier-Mike Matheson pairing couldn’t decide who was covering who, and as a result, the former was forced to trip Ilya Mikheyev. Five seconds later, the game was tied.

While Samuel Montembeault had only faced 18 shots by then, the two scored goals couldn’t be put on him. In fact, the Canadiens’ goaltender had to make a few big saves to keep his side in the game.

St-Louis On The Notion Of Urgency

In the final frame, with a playoff berth on the line, the Canadiens didn’t look like the team with something to win in that game. There was no urgency in their play, which was somewhat puzzling. Asked how he would describe his team’s urgency level, St-Louis replied:

I’d say it was a little average, but you know, playing with urgency and executing are two different things. Playing with urgency means being ready defensively and always in the right spot. You can’t daydream on the ice, but when you have the puck, can you be calm in a stressful moment? Because if you’re calm in a stressful moment, you’ll execute much better. Your reading of the game is a lot clearer when you’re calm. If you’re playing with urgency, want to succeed, and are working so hard, the wheel is spinning so fast that your read isn’t as good as when you’re more relaxed. We’ve got a young team right now. We have urgency, but sometimes it interferes with our reading. We know it’s so close, and we can almost touch it. It’s an experience you have to live; you can’t practice that.

- St-Louis on his young team and dealing with urgency

When Slafkovsky tied the game in the third frame, Lane Hutson got the secondary assist he needed to become the sole holder of the franchise’s record for the most points by a rookie blueliner with 65.

While Demidov passed his first test with flying colors, his performance hid the fact that the Canadiens didn’t play a good game. Perhaps the coach is right. However, the moment was huge, and his team is very young. On Tuesday night, the Columbus Blue Jackets will play the Philadelphia Flyers. A win from the Pennsylvania outfit would make Wednesday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes a lot less stressful as it would clinch the Canadiens' playoff berth.

Perhaps the most anticipated rookie lap in Canadiens history @TheHockeyNews#GoHabsGo#THNpic.twitter.com/yO8t6q8UIQ

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) April 14, 2025

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Draft pick scenarios for Bruins entering season finale vs. Devils originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The 2024-25 NHL season will mercifully come to an end for the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night when they host the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden.

The B’s were expected to be an Eastern Conference contender this season, but instead they have fallen to the bottom tier of the league standings.

The good news for the Bruins is they could have a top-five pick in the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft. Losing their final game to the Devils would help that cause.

In fact, the Bruins would clinch the fourth-worst record in the league and the fourth-best odds to win next month’s 2025 NHL Draft Lottery if they lose to the Devils in regulation on Tuesday.

If that happens, the Bruins would have the following odds in the draft lottery, per Tankathon:

• No. 1 pick: 9.5 percent chance
• No. 2 pick: 9.5 percent
• No. 3 pick: 0.3 percent
• No. 4 pick: 15.4 percent
• No. 5 pick: 44.6 percent
• No. 6 pick: 20.8 percent

A regulation loss Tuesday would give the Bruins a final record of 33-40-9 (75 points). The Devils have nothing to play for, though, so there is no clear incentive for them to try to win this game. They are locked in to third place in the Metropolitan Division and will play the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The two teams above the Bruins in the standings are the Seattle Kraken and Philadelphia Flyers. The Kraken have played 81 games and own a 35-40-6 record (76 points), while the Flyers have played 80 games and own a 33-37-10 record (76 points).

If the Bruins are tied with the Kraken at the end of the season, they will finish below Seattle in the standings (with better lottery odds) due to having fewer regulation wins. If the Bruins are tied with the Flyers at the end of the season, they would finish above Philly (with worse lottery odds) due to having more regulation wins.

The worst-case scenario for the Bruins is finishing with the sixth-worst record. This would require a win over the Devils, a regulation loss by the Kraken in their final game, and the Flyers earning one point (or zero) from their last two matchups.

Getting the best possible lottery odds is the last objective for the Bruins this season as they enter game No. 82. It’s been an awful season for the Original Six franchise, but there could be a reward coming soon depending on how the draft lottery shakes out in May.

The Calgary Flames (39-27-14) will host the Pacific Division champions Vegas Golden Knights (49-22-9).

After securing two points comfortably against San Jose, the Flames’ next mission is to topple the four-time Pacific Division champs. While the Calgary faithful will also be hoping for favorable outcomes in St. Louis’ and Minnesota’s final regular season games, the onus is on the Flames to beat the Knights in regulation.

HEADS 2 HEAD

That might be an uphill battle to climb considering Vegas has beaten Calgary in all three games so far, including shutouts in the first two.

Vegas is second in the power play, and are armed with the returning Tomas Hertl (who did not play in the Knights’ last game with the Flames) who has the sixth-highest power play goals in the league this season. It does bode in the Calgary’s favor that since March 26, they are first in the penalty kill, going 17-for-18.

The Knights also average 36.3 shots on goal per game to the Flames, which is the second-highest towards any team. At the same time, Calgary’s save percentage at even strength situations against Vegas is the eighth-worst in the league.

Dustin Wolf is in a fight of his life.

Meanwhile, the Knights’ save percentage is the second-highest against the Flames, who aren’t helping their case by averaging 23.3 shots of goal per game against Vegas, which is the second-lowest. Calgary’s power play has been the usual  disappointing story, and when put in numbers, they are 3-for-20 in April. In that same time period, the Knights' PK ranked 10th.

TALE OF THE TAPE (SKATERS)

TALE OF THE TAPE (GOALIES)

We're not going to sugarcoat this, but it's going to take a heck of a Herculean effort to pull out a win at the Saddledome over the Vegas Golden Knights. But for a team that has gotten victories over conference leaders Washington and Winnipeg this season, it is very much in the realm of possibility for Calgary to squeeze out another W.

The Vancouver Canucks’ young stars were out in full force tonight in the team’s 2–1 overtime win against the San Jose Sharks. Linus Karlsson and Jake DeBrusk scored for the Canucks, with the latter reaching a new career-high for goals in one season. Karlsson is one of the seven players in Vancouver’s lineup tonight who have played at least one game with the Abbotsford Canucks this season. Three of the seven made their NHL debuts within the past two games. One of these players is Nikita Tolopilo, who started his first NHL game tonight and made 15 saves on 16 shots against. 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

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Tolopilo has had a stupendous 2024–25 season with Abbotsford, starting 34 of the team’s 69 games so far this season. He has won 18 of his starts, four of which have been shutouts. In his past 10 games, he has stopped 256 of 280 shots against, putting up a .914 SV% and a shutout. In his NHL debut tonight, he had a .938 SV%. 

“I think it’s kind of a long journey to get my first initial start, but I’m really proud of myself and really thankful to all coaches, all teammates, to my agent, to my family, who support me all the way,” Tolopilo said about his first NHL start. 

Another Canucks prospect who made his debut tonight is Kirill Kudryavstev, a seventh-round gem in the 2022 NHL Draft. This season was his first with Abbotsford, as he’d previously spent the past three years with the Soo Greyhounds. In 63 games played with Abbotsford, he has scored five goals and added 21 assists. Tonight, he put up one shot and blocked three in 13:33 minutes played. He played relatively calmly in his own zone while adding pressure on the Sharks’ puck carriers to help Vancouver gain possession. 

"I haven't seen him since camp. I think there's something there. I think there's a good shot for him down the road, because some good feet, good brain, good stick. I thought he was really good," Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet said of Kudryavstev's performance tonight. 

Ty Mueller, who made his NHL debut the game before, suited up for his second game with Vancouver tonight. He had two good setups for linemate Jake DeBrusk early in the first and second periods that ultimately did not convert. While he didn’t get as many minutes tonight (9:39), he blocked two shots and made one hit. 

“I love to see them up here. They deserve it. They have both had a really good year down in Abbotsford. So no, I’m really happy for them, and they work hard. So it’s always fun to see guys taking that step and get a chance up here, because I think the guys in Abbotsford deserves that,” Karlsson said of his Abbotsford teammates making their way up to Vancouver. 

Around halfway through the first period, the Canucks were given a four-minute power play after Elias Pettersson (D) ended up on the receiving end of a high-stick. Despite not capitalizing on the opportunity, the team launched eight shots at Alexander Georgiev including a great chance by Pius Suter. Before tonight, Vancouver’s power play had scored five goals in the past 12 opportunities, taking place over the span of five games. Even with five power play opportunities, Vancouver was still not able to score on the man-advantage. 

One player who had a bit of a rough night was Victor Mancini, who took three penalties throughout the entire game. The second penalty that he took, for interfering with Tyler Toffoli while trying to clear him from Vancouver’s area, led to the game’s opening goal for the Sharks. With that being said, he also had a fast dash near the end of the second period to help set up a chance for Aatu Räty and Kiefer Sherwood. 

While the young players made an impact tonight, at the end of the game, the spotlight was all on Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes. He dominated the bulk of the extra frame and ultimately potted an assist on DeBrusk’s game-winning goal to tie Alex Edler’s franchise record in career points by a defenseman (409). With this, Hughes will look to break the record in the team’s final game of the season against the Vegas Golden Knights. 

"I was lucky enough to watch Edler break it. I think it was my first career game when he did. Very honoured. It’s been a blessing to play here," Hughes said postgame of tying the franchise record. 

"He's a pleasure to coach. He loves the game. He wants to win. He wants to keep getting better his game," Tocchet added of Hughes' season as a whole. "He's emerging every day as a leader. He's probably hurting more than anybody about not making the playoffs." 

All in all, tonight’s debuts were pretty solid for Kudryavstev and Tolopilo, while Mueller built on his first game by putting himself out there more offensively. Tonight’s game was not entirely about collecting points, but more-so about seeing what the Canucks’ future holds in the players who have succeeded in Abbotsford this season. 

Stats and Facts: 

• Drew O’Connor becomes the first player in Canucks history to play more than 82 games in one season 
• Canucks sweep season series against the Sharks, going 4–0–0 
• Quinn Hughes plays more than 30 minutes in one game for the sixth time this season
• Quinn Hughes ties Alex Edler’s record for most points by a defenseman in franchise history (409) 
• With his 28th of the season, Jake DeBrusk notches a new career-high in goals scored

Scoring Summary: 

1st Period: 

No scoring.

2nd Period:

4:20 - SJS: Macklin Celebrini (25) from Tyler Toffoli and Luca Cagnoni (PPG)  

3rd Period: 

9:02 - VAN: Linus Karlsson (3) from Teddy Blueger and Drew O’Connor 

Overtime: 

4:42 - VAN: Jake DeBrusk (28) from Quinn Hughes and Brock Boeser 

Up Next: 

The Canucks play in their last game of the season on Wednesday night at Rogers Arena for fan appreciation night. They’ll be taking on the Golden Knights, the current Pacific Division leaders. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT. 

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, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

Macklin Celebrini scored his 25th goal of the season but the San Jose Sharks lost the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 and now have a ten-game losing streak.

San Jose dealt with multiple injuries, which required three call-ups before the game. Luca Cagnoni, Jimmy Schuldt, and Danil Gushchin were all summoned from the San Jose Barracuda on short notice.

Injury-Riddled Sharks Turn to AHL Call-Ups to Fill Gaps vs. CanucksThe San Jose Sharks are dealing with multiple injuries and recalled three players ahead of their matchup against the Vancouver Canucks.

Alexandar Georgiev made 35 saves.

Jake DeBrusk scored the OT winner for the Canucks, who also got a goal from Linus Karlsson and Nikita Tolopilo made 15 saves in his NHL debut.

Celebrini gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 4:20 of the second period with a snipe on the power-play.

We've got MACKTION 🎬 pic.twitter.com/DTkZA0tqF5

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) April 15, 2025

Karlsson tied the game 1-1 at 9:03 of the third period with a backhand over Georgiev's pad after he gave up a rebound.

🚨VANCOUVER GOAL🚨

Go to the net and good things will happen! Linus Karlsson ties the game!

🎥: Sportsnet | #Canuckspic.twitter.com/qn7tbM2i1L

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) April 15, 2025

DeBrusk won the game late in overtime.

🚨VANCOUVER GOAL🚨

Jake DeBrusk scores his career high 28th goal of the season and it's the OT winner!

Quinn Hughes ties Alex Edler for the most points by a defenceman in Canucks history!

🎥: Sportsnet | #Canuckspic.twitter.com/OjsOdGyXjq

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) April 15, 2025

Ahead of their final game of the 2024-25 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have made a roster move.

On Monday, the Penguins waived 27-year-old forward Joona Koppanen, who was recently recalled to the NHL club on an emergency basis Apr. 2. 

The #Pens placed forward Joona Koppanen on waivers today. @InsideAHLHockey

— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) April 14, 2025

Koppanen, a native of Tampere, Finland, registered a goal in 10 games with Pittsburgh. Since he hit the 10-game threshold, he required waivers in order to be eligible for reassignment to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS).

In addition to the Koppanen move, it appears that defenseman Filip Kral is slated to be recalled from WBS and join the NHL club on an emergency basis for their final game of the regular season Thursday against the Washington Capitals. 

Kral - originally a fifth-round draft pick (149th overall) in 2018 by Penguins' GM/POHO Kyle Dubas during his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs - has registered seven goals and 29 points in 59 games with WBS this season.

WBS Penguins Sweep Crucial Weekend Back-To-BackWith just three games remaining on their regular season schedule, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins did themselves a few favors this past weekend in terms of their chances at better playoff positioning.

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