For the second time since 2010, the London Knights are the winners of back-to-back OHL Championships. The Knights took game five of the OHL Final to hoist the J. Ross Robertson Cup on home ice. 

This year, the Knights took five games to defeat the Oshawa Generals, whom they swept in last year's finals. 

In an immediate divergence from last year, the Generals took game one on the road and started the series confidently. From there, the Knights dominated the series, winning three games in convincing fashion. 

While the Generals put up a fantastic fight in game five, they ultimately fell short, losing 5-2. 

Nashville Predators prospect Andrew Gibson got the scoring started in game five, firing a puck past Austin Elliott from the point. The big blue-liner was one of Oshawa's best players throughout the series, tallying multiple goals at crucial moments.

London's Kasper Halttunen, who scored a pair of goals in the game, got the Knights on the board in the final minute of the period to take things to the intermission tied at one.

#Handshakes 🤝

The best tradition in hockey! The @LondonKnights and @Oshawa_Generals meet at centre ice after a hard-fought series!🥰#OHLChampionship | @CHLHockeypic.twitter.com/cqyzABpHxw

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) May 16, 2025

Halttunen was awarded the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award, which is given to the OHL Playoffs MVP. He scored eight goals in the last three games of the series, recording back-to-back hattricks. He is the first European to win the award.

As was the case in games two through four, London dominated the second period, scoring a pair of goals to take a 3-1 lead. Anaheim Ducks prospect Beckett Sennecke found a big response at the end of the period to make it 3-2. 

London locked things down in the third period, stifling the talented Oshawa offense, which got 18 shots in the final frame.

Halttunen Hattrick Highlights London's Game Four WinThe London Knights won game four of the OHL Final in dominant fashion, defeating the Oshawa Generals 6-2. A pair of San Jose Sharks prospects factored heavily into the Knights' victory. 

Landon Sim scored a huge goal by following up on Ottawa Senators prospect Blake Montgomery's rush and batting the puck out of the air to make it 4-2. Easton Cowan scored an empty-net goal to make it 5-2. 

The win gave Head Coach Dale Hunter his fifth OHL Championship, tying him for the most in OHL history. 

The last time the Knights won back-to-back championships was during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. It takes a special set of players to win in two consecutive seasons. Notable members of the 2012/13 Knights included Islanders' star Bo Horvat, Leafs' forward Max Domi and Chris Tierney. 

Just like those teams, the 2024/25 Knights were loaded with talent. It feels like it will only be a matter of time before we see these young stars start to step into the NHL.

While the Knights will assuredly take some time to celebrate their victory, they still have unfinished business to attend to. They made it to the Memorial Cup Final last year, where they lost to the Saginaw Spirit. 

Sam Dickinson told The Hockey News earlier in the season that the Memorial Cup was the goal and the standard that this team held itself to. They want to return to that stage, and this time, potentially take home a trophy.

---

The Buffalo Sabres are heading into the off-season knowing they have some money to spend on free agents -- not as much money as some teams, but right now, they have approximately $21.4 million in salary cap space to use.

Some of that cap space will go to RFA defenseman Bowen Byram, but even with a healthy raise for Byram and Buffalo's other free agents, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams can acquire a veteran or two to help his team's playoff chances next season. But the big question is, who do they spend it on?

Now, please don't answer "Mitch Marner" for that question. Even if Marner does leave Toronto -- and we're now of the opinion that he is going to leave the Maple Leafs -- it's highly-unlikely he'll choose the Sabres as his next home. When you don't make the Stanley Cup playoffs for nearly a decade-and-a-half, you fall down the wish list of most high-end free agents.

So, the question then is, "who is a reasonable target for Buffalo this off-season?" And there are many options for the Sabres to try and lure with a lucrative contract offer.

For instance, would Chicago Blackhawks center Ryan Donato be a fit? He's had a terrific season, with 31 goals and 62 points for the Hawks. And he's earned just $2 million this season, so Buffalo would have to pay him considerably more. But what about Ottawa Senators center Claude Giroux make sense? He's a relative greybeard at 37 years old, but for the right amount of money, he might be convinced to leave the Sens for the Sabres.

As well, there's Carolina Hurricanes center Jack Roslovic to consider; he's just 28 years old, but he's had a solid year and would get a significant raise on his current $2.8-million salary. Finally, perhaps native Western New Yorker Patrick Kane could be persuaded to come home for the remainder of his NHL career; he's making $4-million this season with the Detroit Red Wings, so he may be a less-costly alternative.

Sabres Will Be Looking For Hockey Deal In Potential Byram Trade There are no certainties when it comes to the Buffalo Sabres this summer, and the speculation regarding defenseman Bowen Byram may simply result in a short-term bridge deal and the 23-year-old walking to unrestricted free agency in 2027, but if that chatter regarding the Sabres potentially trading him is true, the question before GM Kevyn Adams is what do you get back for him.

We could go up and down the list of UFAs, but check for yourself, and feel free to suggest other free agent targets for Buffalo this summer in the comments section below. Some player or another has to take the Sabres' money, but the challenge for Adams is to sell the organization to NHLers, whether they're up-and-comers, players nearing the end of their playing days, or someone in-between.

In any case, it will be fascinating to see what Buffalo can do with their cap space, because the way they spend it could be the difference between ending or extending their playoff drought.

Sabres Summer Dilemmas - Bowen ByramThe Buffalo Sabres have a number of roster dilemmas to address this summer, and the players whose contracts are up pose the biggest problem for GM Kevyn Adams. Defenseman Bowen Byram, who scored a career-high 38 points playing a good chunk of the season with Rasmus Dahlin, is someone with the talent to be a #1 defenseman, but may see his path to that role blocked by Dahlin and Owen Power. 

Highly touted prospect Alexander Nikishin is set to make his NHL debut tonight for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 against the Washington Capitals.

Defenseman Jalen Chatfield will miss tonight's game due to a lower-body injury.

Nikishin, 23, had long been considered one of the best prospects outside of the NHL, setting records and dominating the KHL.

The defenseman will have the chance to prove himself in a high-pressure situation as the Canes look to close out their second-round series in Washington.

The 2020 third-round pick is a towering figure and has all the tools to be successful.

Being paired alongside Dmitry Orlov should also help given the language barrier.

Let's see what the rookie's got.

---

Be sure to check out the Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub for all postseason stories!  

---

Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

As the postseason moves along, it seems as though the San Jose Sharks are focusing on getting some of their own things done this offseason as they look to improve on what was a rough 2024-25 campaign. In a recent report, it seems as though they will be signing Yegor Afanasyev for the 2025-26 season.

Per Artur Khairullin, Yegor Afanasyev will sign with @SanJoseSharks for the 2025-26 season.
His KHL contract was mutually terminated with CSKA.

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) May 15, 2025

Afanasyev, who is 24 years old, was acquired from the Nashville Predators in June of 2024, but signed in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) after becoming a restricted free agent (RFA). This season with CSKA Moskva, he scored seven goals and added 14 assists for 21 points through 53 games. 

Afanasyev was drafted in the second round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Predators at 45th overall after a strong showing in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, where he had 62 points in 58 games.

For the 2019-20 season, he joined the Windsor Spitfires in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he scored 31 goals and added 36 assists for 67 points through 62 games. He made the jump to the professional level in the 2021-22 season.

Through 19 games in the NHL over two seasons, he has one goal. Through 187 games in the American Hockey League (AHL), he scored 52 goals and added 61 assists for 113 points, which comes out to a 0.60 points-per-game average. 

There aren't any details on what a contract looks like for next season, but if the report is accurate, details should come out on his new contract soon.

Sharks Prospect Kasper Halttunen Dominating OHL PlayoffsSan Jose Sharks prospect Kasper Halttunen has been on fire during the OHL playoffs with the London Knights. Sharks' Defense Prospect Breaks Another London Knights Record San Jose Sharks defenseman Sam Dickinson continues to break records in the OHL. Sharks & Shakir Mukhamadullin Reportedly Close To Contract Extension AgreementWith the 2024-25 season gone and the San Jose Sharks having shifted their focus onto the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and the 2025-26 campaign, it sounds like they are closing in on a new contract with one of their pending free-agent defenders. Sharks Prospect Carson Wetsch Flipped In Blockbuster WHL TradeThe 2025 WHL Prospects Draft has now come and gone, and while there weren't many surprises or much news to report from those couple of days, there was one massive trade that caught some attention.

Two years ago, former Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights eliminated the Edmonton Oilers in the second round on their way to their first Stanley Cup championship, but history did not repeat itself in the second-round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the Oilers turned the tables on Vegas and eliminated them in five games with a 1-0 overtime victory in Game 5.

Kasperi Kapanen scored at 7:19 of the extra frame to give Edmonton the win and advance them to their second straight Western Conference Final to face the winner of the Winnipeg-Dallas series, in which the Stars lead 3-1.  Eichel led the Golden Knights in scoring with 10 points (1 goal, 9 assists) in 11 games, while ex-Sabre Victor Olofsson finished his first post-season appearance with four points (2 goals, 2 assists), and Brayden McNabb had four assists in 11 games. 

Other Sabres Stories

Is Peterka In Prime Position For Big Payday?

Sabres Summer Dilemmas - Bowen Byram

Sabres Facing An Off-Season Of Change

How other Sabres did in the playoffs on Wednesday:

Evander Kane (EDM) 17:22 TOI, 3 SOG, 7 Hits

Jeff Skinner(EDM) Did Not Play

Florida - 6, Buffalo - 1, Panthers lead 3-2

Sam Reinhart(FLA) 2A,+2, 17:27 TOI, 6 SOG

Evan Rodrigues(FLA) Did Not Play

Dmitri Kulikov(FLA) 1G, +2, 17:57 TOI, 2 SOG, 2 Hits

Jake McCabe(TOR) -1, 19:00 TOI, 1 SOG, 1 Hits

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

What we know about the NHL conference finals so far originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Two teams are on the doorstep of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.

The Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes have advanced to the conference final round of the NHL playoffs.

The Oilers, last year’s Stanley Cup runners-up, are back in the Western Conference Final as they eye the franchise’s first championship since 1990. Connor McDavid and Co. dropped their first two games of this postseason, but have only suffered one loss since.

Edmonton, the Pacific Division’s No. 3 seed, overcame a 2-0 first-round series deficit against the No. 2 Los Angeles Kings with four straight comeback wins before taking down the No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights in five games. McDavid and co-star Leon Draisaitl have combined for eight goals and 25 assists across 11 playoff contests.

The West final could be a rematch from last year, when the Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars in six games. Dallas currently holds a 3-1 second-round series lead over the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are making their second Eastern Conference Final appearance in three years. Carolina, the Metro Division’s No. 2 seed, needed just five games to bounce both the No. 3 New Jersey Devils and the East-leading Washington Capitals. Frederik Andersen has been stellar between the pipes for Carolina, boasting a 1.36 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage in nine playoff starts.

Now, the Hurricanes need to get past either the defending champion Florida Panthers or the Toronto Maple Leafs in order to reach their first Cup Final since the franchise’s lone championship triumph in 2006. Florida has a 3-2 series edge over Toronto after losing the first two games.

So, when will the conference finals start and who has home-ice advantage? Here’s what to know:

When do the NHL Eastern, Western Conference Finals start?

The NHL hasn’t yet announced when the conference finals will get underway. This story will be updated as schedule details emerge.

For what it’s worth, the final second-round game that’s currently scheduled is a possible Game 7 between the Jets and Stars on Monday, May 19.

What are the NHL Eastern, Western Conference Final matchups?

• Eastern Conference Final: Carolina Hurricanes vs. winner of Florida Panthers-Toronto Maple Leafs
• Western Conference Final: Edmonton Oilers vs. winner of Dallas Stars-Winnipeg Jets

Who has home-ice advantage in the Eastern, Western Conference Finals?

The team with the superior regular-season record gets home-ice advantage in the conference final round.

The Oilers won’t have home-ice regardless of opponent, as both the Jets and Stars finished ahead of them in the standings. The Hurricanes will have home-ice advantage if they face the Panthers, but will start the conference final on the road should they see the Leafs.

What to know for the NHL conference finals: Matchups, schedule, where to watch originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Four teams are on the doorstep of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers will square off in a Western Conference Final rematch in the 2025 NHL playoffs, while the defending champion Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes meet in the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in three years.

The Panthers, the Atlantic Division’s No. 3 seed, have reached the conference final for the third straight year, with a chance to make a third straight Cup Final. Florida has kept its repeat bid alive by beating the No. 2 Tampa Bay Lightning in five games and the No. 1 Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games. The Panthers, who can join an exclusive group of back-to-back Cup winners, overcame a 2-0 series deficit against the Leafs and won Game 7 on the road in emphatic fashion.

The Hurricanes are looking to avoid a repeat of the 2023 conference final, when they were swept by Florida. Carolina, the Metro Division’s No. 2 seed, needed just five games to bounce both the No. 3 New Jersey Devils and the East-leading Washington Capitals. Frederik Andersen has been stellar between the pipes for Carolina, boasting a 1.36 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage in nine playoff starts.

Now, the Hurricanes need to get past the defending champs in order to reach their first Cup Final since the franchise’s lone championship triumph in 2006.

The Oilers, last year’s Stanley Cup runners-up, are also eyeing a return trip to the Cup Final in search of the franchise’s first championship since 1990. Connor McDavid and Co. dropped their first two games of this postseason, but have only suffered one loss since.

Edmonton, the Pacific Division’s No. 3 seed, overcame a 2-0 first-round series deficit against the No. 2 Los Angeles Kings with four straight comeback wins before taking down the No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights in five games. McDavid and co-star Leon Draisaitl have combined for eight goals and 25 assists across 11 playoff contests.

The Stars are playing in their third straight conference final and fourth since 2020. But Dallas has been eliminated from this round the last two postseasons, most recently falling to Edmonton in six games in 2024.

Dallas, the Central Division’s No. 2 seed, first outlasted the No. 3 Colorado Avalanche in a seven-game thriller and then bounced the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets in six games. Trade deadline acquisition Mikko Rantanen has racked up a playoff-high 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) as he attempts to help deliver the Stars their first title since 1999 and second overall.

So, when will the conference finals start and who has home-ice advantage? Here’s what to know:

What are the NHL Eastern, Western Conference Final matchups?

• Eastern Conference Final: Florida Panthers vs. Carolina Hurricanes
• Western Conference Final: Edmonton Oilers vs.Dallas Stars

When do the NHL Eastern, Western Conference Finals start?

The conference final round begins with Panthers-Hurricanes on Tuesday, May 20, followed by Game 1 of Oilers-Stars on Wednesday, May 21.

Who has home-ice advantage in the Eastern, Western Conference Finals?

Dallas and Carolina have home-ice advantage due to their superior regular-season records.

What is the Oilers vs. Stars Western Conference Final schedule?

• Game 1: Oilers at Stars — Wednesday, May 21, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
• Game 2: Oilers at Stars — Friday, May 23, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
• Game 3: Stars at Oilers — Sunday, May 25, 3 p.m. ET, ABC
• Game 4: Stars at Oilers — Tuesday, May 27, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
• Game 5 (if necessary): Oilers at Stars — Thursday, May 29, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
• Game 6 (if necessary): Stars at Oilers — Saturday, May 31, 8 p.m. ET, ABC
• Game 7 (if necessary): Oilers at Stars — Monday, June 2, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

Where to watch, stream the Oilers vs. Stars Western Conference Final

The West Final will air across ESPN and ABC, and can be streamed live on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.

What is the Panthers vs. Hurricanes Eastern Conference Final schedule?

• Game 1: Panthers at Hurricanes — Tuesday, May 20, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
• Game 2: Panthers at Hurricanes — Thursday, May 22, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
• Game 3: Hurricanes at Panthers — Saturday, May 24, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
• Game 4: Hurricanes at Panthers — Monday, May 26, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
• Game 5 (if necessary): Panthers at Hurricanes — Wednesday, May 28, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
• Game 6 (if necessary): Hurricanes at Panthers — Friday, May 30, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
• Game 7 (if necessary): Panthers at Hurricanes — Sunday, June 1, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV

Where to watch, stream the Panthers vs. Hurricanes Eastern Conference Final

Panthers-Hurricanes games will be shown on both TNT and truTV. They can also be streamed live on TNTDrama.com, the TNT app and Max.

Editor’s note: The original version of this story was published on May 15.

The Ottawa Senators brought on veteran NHL center Sam Gagner for the next phase of his hockey career.

Gagner is now the director of player development for the Senators after a 1,043-game NHL career.

“Sam had an incredible career as a player, and we look forward to launching his next chapter,” Senators GM Steve Staios said in a news release. “A true character individual, Sam has contributed to the success of his organizations, both on and off the ice.”

Gagner recently played for the AHL’s Belleville Senators in the 2024-25 season after signing a professional tryout with the team. He made 19 appearances and recorded 10 assists for Belleville up until the NHL trade deadline.

The 35-year-old has played 1,043 games in the NHL across 17 years. He played for the Edmonton Oilers, Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets.

He spent most of his career with the Oilers, which selected him sixth overall in the 2007 NHL draft. He played 10 seasons with Edmonton in three different stints. Gagner’s first seven years in the NHL were with Edmonton, followed by another two seasons from 2018 to 2020. 

He also played his last NHL season with his draft team in 2023-24, featuring in 28 games, scoring five goals and 10 points.

Gagner’s career high in points came in the 2016-17 season with the Blue Jackets, when he had 18 goals and 32 assists for 50 points in 81 games. He also has seven 40-point campaigns in his career.

While Gagner only appeared in 11 NHL playoff games in his career – six games with Philadelphia in 2015-16 and five with Columbus the following year – he does have some championship hardware. 

In 2012, Gagner won the Spengler Cup with Team Canada, recording three assists in four games. He was part of a star-studded Canadian squad that year during the 2012-13 NHL lockout, playing with Matt Duchene, Patrice Bergeron, John Tavares, Jason Spezza, Tyler Seguin and more.

Gagner also won gold with Canada at the 2006-07 world juniors, the same season he made the CHL’s all-rookie team with 118 points in 53 games on the OHL’s London Knights.

The Senators also hired Matt Turek as the new GM for Belleville. He’s been a GM and scout in the OHL for the last decade, and he was an amateur scout for the Montreal Canadiens from 2017 to 2022.

Turek played a key role in the former Hamilton Bulldogs’ OHL championship wins in 2018 and 2022 as the director of player personnel before becoming their GM from 2022 to 2025, including during the squad’s move to Brantford.

Senators owner Michael Andlauer owned the Bulldogs up until midway through this season, when he sold the team to the family of Edmonton Oilers left winger Zach Hyman. The Bulldogs announced Thursday that Spencer Hyman will take over as GM.

“Matt has managed a successful Ontario Hockey League team, and he has gained a critical management skills and experience at that level,” Staios said. “In addition to his experience, Matt will bring passion and leadership to our organization.”

These additions come after the Senators parted ways with associate GM Ryan Bowness earlier in May.

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Shaw reportedly not returning to Flyers' coaching staff originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers will pretty much have a whole new coaching staff next season.

Brad Shaw will not be back with the Flyers, according to a report Thursday by Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports. Per the report, it was Shaw’s decision.

The 61-year-old was in Philadelphia for three seasons, mostly as the Flyers’ associate coach. He served as the club’s interim head coach for the final nine games of this season after John Tortorella was fired.

Shaw had an uphill battle at landing the Flyers’ full-time job. This was a huge decision for general manager Danny Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones. It was their first head coaching hire, one that could define their rebuild, so it felt likely that they would ultimately bring in their handpicked guy.

They did so Wednesday by landing Rick Tocchet.

The Flyers went 5-3-1 with Shaw running the bench and scored an impressive 3.89 goals per game. But they also allowed 3.56 per game.

As Tortorella’s right-hand man, Shaw was in charge of the back end and penalty kill. A number of the Flyers’ defensemen improved under Shaw’s watch, while the team’s penalty kill was a top-five unit in 2023-24 and scored an NHL-leading 16 shorthanded goals.

“He has meant so much to my game personally,” Travis Sanheim said at his end-of-the-season press conference. “I think a lot of guys on the D core could probably say the same thing. We don’t know what’s going to happen, time will tell. In saying that, I’m just super thankful for where he has taken my game and I really enjoyed my time working with him, so it would obviously be a disappointment if I didn’t get to continue that.”

A little over three weeks ago, the Flyers parted ways with three assistants, including power play coach Rocky Thompson. Goaltending coach Kim Dillabaugh, who isn’t on the bench for games, was not among the subtractions.

The Vegas Golden Knights were shut out by the Edmonton Oilers in Games 4 and 5 as their season ended disappointingly. 

Offence was hard to come by against the Oilers despite the high-scoring opening-round series they played against the Los Angeles Kings. In five games, the Golden Knights scored just 10 goals and gave up 16. In back-to-back must-win games, the Golden Knights managed just 47 shots. 

“Discipline. We only had one power play, that can usually get you going,” said HC Bruce Cassidy about what made the Oilers so difficult to score on. “Both teams checked well, not easy to get the the front of the net, so second chances were at a premium. We’re not a team that shoots first anyways. I think that cost us a little bit last year as well in lack of production. We’ll have to look at changing our mindset.”

Although the final results were far from what Cassidy and the Golden Knights were expecting, he felt the team played well and liked their game yesterday.

“I liked our game,” said Cassidy. “I thought we competed hard physically, we wanted to win puck battles, we wanted to take care of the puck, and we knew we couldn’t give up any easy goals. That’s going to take away some of your offence in the risk part, but it’s getting inside, getting second chances that was tough for both teams, and they got one in the end."

It's hard to avoid facts, and the most obvious one is that the Golden Knights roster has multiple key players over the age of 30. Outside of Jack Eichel, Pavel Dorofeyev, Noah Hanifin and Shea Theodore, many of their players showed fatigue or signs of aging.

William Karlsson and Mark Stone are both effective players, but have dealt with numerous injury issues that have hampered them at important times of the season. Alex Pietrangelo took another step back, dealing with injuries, but also looked a step too slow, creating several turnovers. 

Other contributors over the age of 30 include Tomas Hertl, Brayden McNabb, Brandon Saad, Reilly Smith and soon, Ivan Barbashev. The Golden Knights have maintained their stance that they can continue to add talent to their roster, but the fear was always that they could run into this problem. 

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"Show up and put your best foot forward"; Golden Knights Head Into A Must Win Game 5 With A Clear MindsetIt's been a poor display by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the playoffs, and now they find themselves on the brink of elimination, trailing the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 in the series.

The Ottawa Senators didn’t take long to replace Ryan Bowness as their AHL General Manager in Belleville.

Senators GM and president of hockey operations Steve Staios announced on Thursday that the club has hired former Brantford Bulldogs GM Matt Turek to take over the same role with the AHL's Belleville Senators. He’ll also oversee a player personnel role with the Sens organization.

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Turek is part of that Hamilton/Brantford connection, working for Staios and former Bulldogs owner Michael Andaleur.

Turek joined the Bulldogs during the 2015-16 season as a scout. He moved up in the organization and took on the role of director of player personnel ahead of the 2018-19 season. He took over as the club’s GM in 2022 when Staios left for a hockey ops job with the Edmonton Oilers. 

After three seasons at the helm, Turek left the Bulldogs late last month, which started the rumour mill turning that he might reunite with Andlauer and Staios. When Bowness parted company with the club 11 days ago, that added more fuel to the fire. 

“Matt has managed a successful Ontario Hockey League team and he has gained a critical management skills and experience at that level,” Staios in a club press release. “In addition to his experience, Matt will bring passion and leadership to our organization.”

As for the Bulldogs, now owned by Oilers forward Zack Hyman and his family, they announced on Thursday they've replaced Turek with Zack’s brother, Spencer Hyman. Former NHL player Gary Roberts also joined the Bulldogs as one of their directors of player development.

Meanwhile, his stop in Belleville has turned out to be the swan song for Sam Gagner.

Gagner has ended his long NHL playing career and was named Ottawa's director of player development. Gagner has a fine connecton to Staios as well. They were teammates in Edmonton for three and a half years. Staios was even teammates with Sam father's, Dave, during their time with the Vancouver Canucks.

Bowness’ Reported Departure Marks Big Shift In Staios’ Vision For Ottawa’s Front OfficeFive days after the Ottawa Senators were eliminated from the postseason, significant changes are already on the horizon for the organization's hockey operations department.

“Sam had an incredible career as a player and we look forward to launching his next chapter,” Staios said in the release. “A true character individual, Sam has contributed to the success of his organizations, both on and off the ice.”

Gagner played 1043 NHL games and is the only man in the past 36 years to score 8 points in a single NHL game. 

Steve Warne, Site Editor
The Hockey News Ottawa

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As we continue to consider potential offseason reinforcements for the Detroit Red Wings, two compelling candidates had their fingerprints all over the Florida Panthers 6–1 demolition of the Maple Leafs in Toronto.  That would be Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand, both of them pending unrestricted free agents.

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The broad case for acquiring each player is the same.  Both Bennett and Marchand could bring hard skill and championship experience.  Whether in February for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off or this spring in the playoffs as the Panthers fight toward a second straight Stanley Cup, both players clearly have the skillset and mentality to thrive in hockey of the highest stakes.

Bennett can play at center or on the wing.  He's an excellent defender.  Marchand is the league's most infamous agitator but also a gifted playmaker, adept at pulling pucks off the wall and snapping them into dangerous areas.  Like everything else about Paul Maurice's Panthers, both are perfectly suited to playoff hockey.

That's clearly what the Red Wings are after this summer, at least in part.  The challenge is that those are two profiles every team in the NHL would also covet.  Both players fit the mold of July 1 UFA overpays, especially if Florida can pull off another Cup run, the price tag will only go up.  As it stands, AFP Analytics projects Marchand at a two-year, $5.1 million AAV contract and Bennett at a six-year $6.64 million a year deal.

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There is some reason for doubt about splurging on either player.  With Bennett, it's fair to wonder whether a player with a career high of 51 points ought to command such a robust contract.  Meanwhile, at 37, Marchand is not just on the back nine of his career but a long way through it.  Presumably he will be signing his last contract this summer.

However, there's ample reason to see past those drawbacks.  In Bennett's case, value obviously stems from a lot more than just scoring (which could be acquired more cheaply elsewhere in the free agency), and Marchand is clearly showing that his scoring touch remains potent in a complementary role.

Both would be worthy free agent targets to help Detroit, if Steve Yzerman can get them at the right price.

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What we know about the NHL conference finals so far originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Two teams are on the doorstep of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.

The Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes have advanced to the conference final round of the NHL playoffs.

The Oilers, last year’s Stanley Cup runners-up, are back in the Western Conference Final as they eye the franchise’s first championship since 1990. Connor McDavid and Co. dropped their first two games of this postseason, but have only suffered one loss since.

Edmonton, the Pacific Division’s No. 3 seed, overcame a 2-0 first-round series deficit against the No. 2 Los Angeles Kings with four straight comeback wins before taking down the No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights in five games. McDavid and co-star Leon Draisaitl have combined for eight goals and 25 assists across 11 playoff contests.

The West final could be a rematch from last year, when the Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars in six games. Dallas currently holds a 3-1 second-round series lead over the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are making their second Eastern Conference Final appearance in three years. Carolina, the Metro Division’s No. 2 seed, needed just five games to bounce both the No. 3 New Jersey Devils and the East-leading Washington Capitals. Frederik Andersen has been stellar between the pipes for Carolina, boasting a 1.36 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage in nine playoff starts.

Now, the Hurricanes need to get past either the defending champion Florida Panthers or the Toronto Maple Leafs in order to reach their first Cup Final since the franchise’s lone championship triumph in 2006. Florida has a 3-2 series edge over Toronto after losing the first two games.

So, when will the conference finals start and who has home-ice advantage? Here’s what to know:

When do the NHL Eastern, Western Conference Finals start?

The NHL hasn’t yet announced when the conference finals will get underway. This story will be updated as schedule details emerge.

For what it’s worth, the final second-round game that’s currently scheduled is a possible Game 7 between the Jets and Stars on Monday, May 19.

What are the NHL Eastern, Western Conference Final matchups?

• Eastern Conference Final: Carolina Hurricanes vs. winner of Florida Panthers-Toronto Maple Leafs
• Western Conference Final: Edmonton Oilers vs. winner of Dallas Stars-Winnipeg Jets

Who has home-ice advantage in the Eastern, Western Conference Finals?

The team with the superior regular-season record gets home-ice advantage in the conference final round.

The Oilers won’t have home-ice regardless of opponent, as both the Jets and Stars finished ahead of them in the standings. The Hurricanes will have home-ice advantage if they face the Panthers, but will start the conference final on the road should they see the Leafs.

The Hockey News Big Show is here to look around the NHL playoffs and beyond with former NHL player Drew Shore providing some unique insight.

Is The Maple Leafs' Core Four On Its Last Legs – Again? by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and Shore discussed in this episode:

1:03: After the Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 5, how do the Leafs go about forcing a Game 7? 

3:15: How do you block out a booing home crowd as a player?

4:44: If the Maple Leafs lose this series, does something drastic have to happen to the Core Four?

7:51: Would you make any changes to the Leafs' lineup in Game 6?

8:16: As a player, do you know when a series is all but over?

9:43: Is this Panthers team better than last year's Cup-winning squad?

11:47: How important is it for the Edmonton Oilers to have scoring depth and not rely on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for all offense?

14:02: Should a team in win-now mode use more third- and fourth-round draft picks in trades?

16:34: Is there an alternate universe where the Maple Leafs have Mikko Rantanen?   

17:31: Does Andrei Svechnikov still go second overall in the 2018 NHL draft, and how is his play this playoffs?

20:20: Is Carolina's recent play too much for Washington to handle? 

21:10: Hypothetically, who wins in the Eastern Conference final between Carolina and Florida? 

22:16: Have you ever seen a goalie or skater be so different on the road versus at home, as is the case with Connor Hellebuyck right now?

23:08: How much does Miro Heiskanen impact Dallas' chances of winning the Cup? 

24:48: Did the Vancouver Canucks make the right move by hiring Adam Foote? 

28:25: Is Rick Tocchet a good fit for the Philadelphia Flyers? 

31:17: Agree or disagree: will Jonathan Toews land with an NHL team, and if so, which one?

35:36: Should being a Long Island native influence the Islanders' decision to select James Hagens with the No. 1 pick?

39:07: Evan Bouchard or Matthew Knies, if you are a GM, who do you offer a contract to and why?

41:38: Would you rather have Florida's Finnish players or Dallas’ Finnish Mafia? 

42:46: Who's to blame for the Leafs this playoffs: Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner?

43:43: Will a Canadian team win the Cup this year?

 Watch the full Episode here 

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May 15th, 2025, marks 99 years since the city of Chicago was awarded a team in the National Hockey League. That marks the berth of the Chicago Blackhawks. 

The 2025-26 season will be the centenial season for the Blackhawks and they are ready to celebrate in a big way. 

It started with an informal revealing of a new logo that features their traditional "Chief Blackhawk" with a gold trim around it. There is also a secondary logo with the years 1926 and 2026 over a big 100 sign and of course, the new look Chief Blackhawk. 

In addition to this, the Blackhawks announced that they are finally going to have a "Blackhawks Hall of Fame". This is long overdue. Two players will be inducted via a vote each year. 

The players who have their numbers retired will automatically be put in. That includes Glen Hall, Pierre Pilote, Keith Magnuson, Chris Chelios, Bobby Hull, Denis Savard, Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito, and Marian Hossa. 

The players who can be voted in for 2025-26 will come from one of two ballots. The Modern Era Ballot includes players who completed their Blackhawks career in 2000-01 or later. They must also be three years removed from retiring from the NHL. 

This year, the Modern Era ballot includes Tony Amonte, Brian Campbell, Corey Crawford, Eric Daze, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp, Andrew Shaw, Steve Sullivan, Jocelyn Thibault, and Alexei Zhamnov. 

The other is the Heritage Era Ballot. It includes Ed Belfour, Doug Bentley, Johnny Gottselig, Dirk Graham, Dennis Hull, Cliff Koroll, Steve Larmer, Chico Maki, Mush March, Pit Martin, Bill Mosienko, Troy Murray, Eric Nesterenko, Jeremy Roenick, and Doug Wilson. 

Fans can go to these by visiting Blackhawks.com/HOF. Some of the greatest players in franchise history are going to get the recognition they deserve. 

With the slogan "Always An Original", the Blackhawks are going to have four chapters of celebration throughout the 2025-26 season. That will culminate in the fall of 2026 with a fan event which will go with the 100th anniversary of the first game in franchise history. The schedule of themes, chapters, celebrations, and giveaways will come shortly after the schedule is released. 

The Blackhawks are set to connect with generations of fans as they celebrate their 100th birthday in the coming year. 

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