The Golden Knights will open their second-round series with the Edmonton Oilers at home on Tuesday at 6:30 pm (pacific).

Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday, also at T-Mobile Arena and again at 6:30 pm.

The Golden Knights-Oilers schedule: pic.twitter.com/k7JTxDXT5X

— WillieGRamireZ (@WillieGRamirez) May 4, 2025

The series shifts to Edmonton for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday, May 12.

If necessary, Game 5 will be back in Las Vegas on Wednesday, May 14.

Game 6 would be in Edmonton on Friday, May 16.

A decisive Game 7 would return to Las Vegas on Sunday, May 18.

This marks the second time the Knights and Oilers will meet in the postseason after the teams faced one another in 2023, the year the Knights won the Stanley Cup.

Vegas won that series in six games, going 2-1 at home and 2-1 in Edmonton, including the series-clinching win on the road.

In 32 all-time meetings, the Oilers lead the series 17-13-2.

The Knights are 8-7-1 all-time against the Oilers at T-Mobile Arena.

At the Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas, the series price is a pick'em, each team priced at -110.

NHL

Second Round

Series Prices

Carolina Hurricanes -155
Washington Capitals +135

Florida Panthers -180
Toronto Maple Leafs +160

Edmonton Oilers -110
Vegas Golden Knights -110

— Jeff Sherman (@golfodds) May 2, 2025

Vegas goes from facing Minnesota's scoring machine Kirill Kaprizov to Edmonton's double-dose of offense in Hart Trophy finalist Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid.

McDavid, who finished the regular season with the league's sixth-highest 100 points, leads all skaters in the postseason with 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists). Draisaitl is tied with three others with 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) this postseason.

"That'll be a fun series," veteran defenseman Brayden McNabb said. "They got the two-headed monsters who are two (of the top) players in the league, top five, whatever you want to categorize it, but it'll be a challenge for sure.

"I think they're a little bit more well-rounded than we saw them (in 2023), a little bit more depth for sure in all four lines, so we're gonna have to be on our game. We're gonna have to know who's on the ice and manage pucks, and it's gonna take everyone. We're gonna need everyone, use our depth. Hopefully, that helps us in the long run."

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With the 2025 NHL Entry Draft approaching fast, POHO and GM Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins have their work cut out for them. 

With a total of 30 picks over the next three drafts, including 11 this year - which could reduce to 10 if the conditional first-round pick from the New York Rangers defers to 2026 - there will be plenty of opportunity for the Penguins to add impact players. Of their 11 picks in 2025, six of them are in the first three rounds.

And, as of now, the Penguins will select ninth overall. The draft lottery will take place on May 5th - Pittsburgh has a five percent chance of getting the first overall pick - while the draft itself will be on Jun. 27-28.

Assuming they stay put at ninth, however, we have compiled a list of potential draft prospects that should fall around the Penguins' selection. 

We recently profiled center Jake O'Brien. Next up? That would be Swedish left wing Victor Eklund.

---

Victor Eklund

DOB: Oct. 3, 2006
Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Right
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 161 pounds
Team: Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan) 

There is a pretty decent chance that - assuming the Penguins remain in the ninth overall draft slot after Monday's draft lottery - one of the teams just above Pittsburgh in draft order will snag Eklund.

But if he does fall to ninth overall, this pick should pretty much be a lock for the Penguins.

The younger brother of San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund, the 18-year-old Victor registered 19 goals and 31 points in 42 games for Djurgårdens IF whilst playing in Sweden's second-tier league in a pool of grown men. He spent some time playing with fellow 2025 NHL draft prospect Anton Frondell, who is expected by most to be selected within the top-five.

His size certainly isn't going to jump out at you. But his offensive toolset sure is.

NEW: Victor Eklund 2024-25 Mixtape. Showing his shot, skill, skating, and ability to make defensemen tap out with his forechecking and physicality. Think Chris Kunitz but faster and with better hands. Really big fan. Spent awhile on this, hope you enjoy.https://t.co/cy88m60eZI

— Jesse Marshall (@jmarshfof) February 6, 2025

Eklund has a penchant for putting pucks in the back of the net, but his vision, playmaking, and ability to create something out of nothing is rivaled by few in his draft class. He creates space in all areas of the ice, using his hockey smarts to find the open man, position himself to make plays, and expose the danger areas of the ice. 

His skating is above average - which helps him a ton - and he's also relentless on the forecheck. Eklund isn't afraid to go to the dirty areas of the ice to win battles on the wall and gain positioning at the net front, and his high-energy style and motor is somewhat resemblant of ex-Penguin forward Brandon Tanev.

Eklund could use some work in his defensive details, but his style of play should foster some growth in that area.

Djurgarden Pair Leads NHL Central Scouting 2025 Final European Skater Rankings NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft on Tuesday and, among the international skaters, to no one’s surprise, the Djurgården pair of center Anton Frondell and right winger Victor Eklund top the list.

Similar to prospects such as Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty, Eklund's skills are translatable to the NHL level. He's someone who probably won't need as much time stewing at lower levels of professional hockey, especially since he's already been playing against adults in Sweden and thriving.

He's simply a step ahead than just about everyone else around him on the ice, and he has pretty surefire point-per-game potential at the NHL level. And pair him with someone like Sidney Crosby? There may be an even higher ceiling for him to reach.

Eklund has star potential at the NHL level. If he is still available at ninth overall, it's an opportunity that the Penguins simply cannot pass on.

Penguins Draft Prospect Profile: Jake O'BrienWith the 2025 NHL Entry Draft approaching fast, POHO and GM Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins have their work cut out for them. 

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Dallas Stars right winger Mikko Rantanen took revenge against the team he used to see a future with for the long term.

Time ticked away in Rantanen's season as the Colorado Avalanche led the Stars 2-0 early in the third period. Just about 20 minutes later, it was Colorado's season that ended, and Rantanen was the biggest part of that happening.

"The belief in the group, the whole team of ours, there was no quitting at any point," Rantanen told ESPN's Emily Kaplan on the bench post-game.

First, let's rewind.

Rantanen was with the Avalanche for parts of 10 seasons. They drafted him 10th overall in 2015, and they won a Stanley Cup together in 2022. He recorded two 100-point seasons for them.

As January arrived without a contract in place for the then-pending UFA, the Avalanche traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team blockbuster involving the Chicago Blackhawks. Rantanen told reporters in mid-March he never wanted to leave Colorado.

Rantanen didn't sign a new contract with the Hurricanes, so they traded him to the Stars at the NHL trade deadline. Rantanen signed an eight-year contract with a $12-million cap hit to stay in Dallas for the long term.

Fast forward to April, and Rantanen's Stars faced his former team, the Avalanche, in the first round.

Colorado struck first in Game 1. The Stars won the following two games.

Colorado tied it. Dallas took the lead again. Colorado tied it again.

During that time, Rantanen recorded two goals and eight points in six games. He already made a mark in the later stages of the series, with three points in Game 5 and four points in Game 6.

It all led up to a Game 7 on Saturday night, with less than 13 minutes left in the third period. The Stars were still not on the scoreboard.

Rantanen changed that.

He walked into the offensive zone and took a snapshot that beat Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, cutting the deficit to one.

His teammate, Matt Duchene, received a penalty for tripping Martin Necas, who went from Carolina to Colorado in the initial Rantanen deal. But Cale Makar got a tripping penalty to force 4-on-4 play and a Stars power play when Duchene hit the ice.

Rantanen once again took matters into his own hands. He skated around the net and scored on a wraparound while taking contact from Blackwood and falling to the ice. Just like that, it was a tie game, and Rantanen reignited the Stars crowd.

An all time revenge game from Mikko Rantanen 👏 pic.twitter.com/RaUOjb5wFB

— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) May 4, 2025

The game could have went to overtime for the third time in the series, but Avalanche center Jack Drury, who also went to Colorado from Carolina, got a holding penalty. Dallas went back to the power play.

With four minutes left in the third frame, Rantanen found Duchene in the bumper position beside Blackwood's left post. Duchene then passed the puck past Blackwood and two Avs defenders to Wyatt Johnston. The 21-year-old finished the tic-tac-toe by beating Blackwood to complete the comeback and take a 3-2 lead. Rantanen earned the secondary assist.

As the Avalanche pulled the goalie to try to score with the extra attacker, Rantanen got the puck with seconds remaining in the series to secure the hat trick, the first one in the third period of a Game 7 in NHL history.

The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Join The Chat As Stars Win Game 7, Plus Round 1 WrapWelcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the first round of the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

Rantanen's Stars looked like they were heading out of the playoffs. They're now sending the Avalanche home with their eighth straight Game 7 loss.

After the Stars celebrated, they shook hands with the Avalanche players. Rantanen called it an emotional moment.

"They're my brothers, you know?" Rantanen said. "I still love every one of them. Obviously, we were enemies in the series on the ice, but they're my dear friends off the ice."

The Stars now await the winner of Game 7 between the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues on Sunday. 

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Matt Coronato's blockbuster new contract extension with the Calgary Flames has made Tyson Foerster that much more expensive for the Philadelphia Flyers to keep.

Coronato, 22, signed a seven-year, $45.5 million contract ($6.5 million AAV) with the Flames Saturday, tying him down in Calgary through the 2031-32 season on the heels of a breakout 24-goal, 47-point campaign.

This was also Coronato's first full season in the NHL; last year, the Greenlawn, N.Y., native scored three goals and nine points in only 34 NHL games.

Coronato's contract, does, however, set the stage for the Flyers and Foerster, as the latter is a restricted free agent and due for a new contract on July 1.

Foerster, 23, is slightly older than Coronato, but with his 25 goals this season, Foerster has reached the 20-goal threshold in each of his first two full seasons in the NHL with room for plenty more.

Even despite Foerster's modest point-producing exploits (43 points in Year 2 vs. Coronato's 47 in Year 1), his elite defensive play and contributions on the power play and penalty kill make him equally valuable to the Flyers, if not more than Coronato is to the Flames.

Among the 13 forward lines in the NHL that played 500 or more minutes together, Foerster's line of himself, Noah Cates, and Bobby Brink allowed the fewest expected goals against per 60 minutes (2.17), per MoneyPuck.

Even better is that Foerster's line was dominant at both ends of the ice, controlling 58.3% of the expected goals. This ranked second among the 13 aforementioned lines, trailing Toronto's line of Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner (58.4%) by 0.01%.

While the Flyers' offensive production was modest (28.8 expected goals for, ninth out of 13), they still created roughly the same as New Jersey did with Ondrej Palat, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt (26.7 expected goals for) in 49 more minutes together.

For the sake of comparison, Evolving-Hockey last offseason predicted Winnipeg Jets forward Gabe Vilardi's next contract to be worth $21.94 million over four years ($5.485 million AAV), and Vilardi at the time was heading into the last year of a two-year bridge contract at a $3.437 million cap hit with a career-high 41 points.

After exploding for a career-high 27 goals and 61 points this season, Vilardi has made himself much more money after taking a bridge deal in 2023.

Last summer, Evolving-Hockey projected Foerster would receive a two-year extension worth $5.952 million ($2.976 million AAV), which is certainly out of the window now after the season he had.

If the Flyers want to preserve flexibility and opt to sign Foerster long-term now, they are very likely looking at something between Vilardi's old projection--roughly $5 million--and Coronato's new deal at $6.5 million.

Foerster might not have the same offensive ceiling as Coronato does, but his size, versatility, and two-way play are things the Flyers cannot readily replace. Plus, one must figure that Foerster's goal-scoring will drastically improve with a competent power play.

The Flyers' power play converted 15.6% of their opportunities this season, 12.2% of their opportunities last season, and 15% of their opportunities in 2022-23. 

The league average power play was 21.64% this season, 20.98% last season, and 21.31% in 2022-23.

That's a lot of goals Foerster and the Flyers are missing, but fortunately for the Flyers, it may help them save a heap of money on Foerster's next contract in the end.

Coronato has help set the bar, and it's now up to Foerster, his camp, and the Flyers to work towards an amicable middle ground for the future.

The NHL's off-season is nearly here, and that means fans and media will soon be speculating on which of the league's pending UFA players will wind up in certain markets. And Buffalo Sabres fans are probably dreaming about Buffalo spending to acquire some big-name talent. But now's your chance to weigh in -- in the comment section below -- and identify which soon-to-be-UFA players you want the Sabres to pursue.

To wit: do you think the Sabres should pursue Toronto Maple Leafs star right winger Mitch Marner? The 27-year-old is currently earning $10.9 million, and he's bound to get a major raise on his next contract. He had a career-high 75 assists and 102 points in 81 games, and that kind of production would be music to the Sabres' ears.

Meanwhile, what about Vancouver Canucks right winger Brock Boeser? The 28-year-old earned $6.65-million this season, and he's also going to be in high demand. Boeser generated 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games, and while there will be many interested parties in Boeser's services, perhaps there's a way the Sabres can lure him to Western New York.

Then there's Winnipeg Jets left winger Nikolaj Ehlers. The 27-year-old earned $6-million this year, and he posted 24 goals and 63 points in 69 games. Ehlers also will be hotly-pursued, and the Sabres will have to fend off other teams' advances for Ehlers, but Buffalo acquiring him isn't out of the realm of possibility.

Finally, there's veteran Dallas Stars center Mikael Granlund. The 33-year-old made $5-million this season, and while his offensive numbers (including 15 goals and 45 points in 52 games) aren't mind-blowing, his experience might be very valuable to Buffalo's cause. 

Should Sabres Follow Blues' Lead And File Offer Sheets To Blossoming Stars Like Leafs' Matthew Knies?The Buffalo Sabres are projected to have approximately $21.4-million in salary cap space to use this summer. Much of that money will have to go to the Sabres' RFAs, but Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams has an intriguing tool at his fingertips -- an offer-sheet for another team's up-and-coming young player.

The Sabres are projected to have approximately $21.4-million in salary cap space to use this summer. But they'll have to spend some of that money on RFA defenseman Bowen Byram, as well as the team's other notable RFAs. So unless Sabres GM Kevyn Adams moves out money on other fronts, it won't be easy for Buffalo to outbid other teams on the top free agents out there. 

But that shouldn't stop Sabres fans from dreaming, right? With that in mind, drop down into the comment section and let us know which players you want Buffalo brass to go after this summer. Your fellow Sabres fans will want to hear all about it.

For the New York Rangers, it was Mike Sullivan or bust in terms of their head coaching search. 

It was speculated that the Rangers could possibly take multiple weeks before naming a new head coach, but the second Mike Sullivan became available earlier this week, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury pounced on the opportunity. 

It was no secret among other tea’s around the NHL that the Rangers were heavily pursuing Sullivan. 

Rangers Officially Hire Mike Sullivan To Be Head Coach, Bringing ‘Championship-Level Presence’Mike Sullivan will officially become the New York Rangers’ 38th head coach. 

“Chris Drury is known for being pretty secretive, he keeps his cards close to the chest,” Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today said. “He’s known around the league for not really revealing what he’s thinking, but it was well known around the league that Mike Sullivan was at the very top of his coaching wish list, not just this year, but in previous years as well.”

Drury showed how much he believes in Sullivan by reportedly giving him the highest annual salary for a coach in NHL history according to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. 

There was a sense that if the Rangers weren’t able to land Sullivan that their coaching search would take a turn for the worst. 

“I think the Rangers would have considered it a failure and it would have been looked upon industry-wide as a failure if the Rangers hadn't convinced [Sullivan] to be their next head coach,” Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said.

There’s nothing to worry about now as the Rangers got their guy in hopes that he can help turn around the franchise.

Two years ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs walked into a second-round series against the Florida Panthers riding high from their first playoff series win since 2004. It was a long-awaited breakthrough for the franchise and the ‘Core Four,’ finally getting over the hump after years of early playoff exits. But the success was short-lived.

The Panthers made quick work of Toronto in that 2023 series, jumping out to a 3-0 lead and closing it out in five games. The Leafs had home-ice advantage then, as they do again this year, but couldn’t capitalize, dropping the first two games at Scotiabank Arena before eventually bowing out in overtime of Game 5.

Now, the two teams are set to meet again in the second round, this time in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Game 1 goes on Monday night in Toronto, and while the opponent is familiar, with certain similarities, the Leafs insist there are differences.

“I think it's always different,” said defenseman Morgan Rielly following Saturday’s optional skate. “They have different people over there. We have different people in here. So I think the playoff mindset in general remains the same, but I think there are differences with both teams and with structure and systems and whatnot. But the focus here over the next few days is going to be on us and doing what we need to do to get ready to play.”

The Leafs earned their spot in the second round after six games against the Ottawa Senators, closing out the series on Thursday. Compared to the emotional high of beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023 – their first series win in nearly two decades – this year’s result came with more composure and a business-first attitude. 

“I think it's a bit different but equally as important,” Rielly said. “If you look at that series, look at this past series. On paper, there's no difference. You're doing what you came to do, and you move on. But inside of that, there's always going to be little differences. But I think for a group, we're happy with our result. But we're going to focus on what's to come and try to get ready for that.”

Maple Leafs Dismiss Tkachuk’s Intel Moves Ahead of Panthers ShowdownFlorida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk will study extensively before the second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and part of that session includes getting intel from his brother, Brady, who just played Toronto in the first round.

One of those differences is the experience of having been through that Florida series for the first time. While it ended abruptly, the group looks to apply what they learned, especially about falling behind early in the series.

“Well, we lost the first two or first three, but the first two at home. So we'll look to improve on that,” Rielly explained. “But certainly we're going to look at everything. We're not going to leave any stone unturned. If you look at that series, going down early is not what you want, and so obviously we'll look to improve on that.”

That series in 2023 was also the beginning of Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup Final, where they eventually lost to the Vegas Golden Knights. A year later, the Panthers finished the job, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in seven games to capture their first championship in franchise history. Over the past two seasons, no team in the NHL has played more playoff games than Florida.

As the 31-year-old points out, the Leafs are equipped with three former Panthers in Anthony Stolarz, Steven Lorentz, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson – all of whom won the Stanley Cup with Florida last season. They all offer some insight into the Florida system ahead of the rematch. 

“I think that could help us for sure,” Rielly said. “Obviously, there's differences in both teams in every team year after year, but we'll take any advantage we can get to those guys playing over there,” Rielly explained. “It might offer some insight, but it's important that we take these next couple of days get focused and get dialed in on structure and just get ready to play.”

Maple Leafs Tap Ex-Panthers to Gain Mental Edge in Stanley Cup Round 2The Toronto Maple Leafs will leverage the experience of former Stanley Cup champions Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Steven Lorentz, and Anthony Stolarz when the club opens their second-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers on Monday.

In the regular season, Toronto went 1-3-0 against Florida. With another crack at the Panthers, it’s another opportunity to take the next step. This time, Toronto hopes the story ends differently.

Rielly finished with two goals, one assist, and three points against the Senators in the opening round.

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

Right winger Matt Coronato signed a seven-year extension with the Calgary Flames, the team announced on Saturday. 

Coronato will earn $6.5 million annually through the 2031-32 campaign on this next deal and has a 10-team no-trade clause in the final two years of the contract, according to PuckPedia.

This contract takes the 22-year-old through the beginning of his prime years as the Flames look to their youngsters to propel the team forward.

"Matt wants to be here long-term, and that says a lot about him and where this is kind of going, moving forward," Flames GM Craig Conroy said in a statement. 

Coronato had a breakout season with the Flames in the final year of his entry-level contract, scoring 24 goals and 47 points in 77 games. Only Flames veterans Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau had more points than him on the team. 

Coronato also ended the season on a high note with a seven-game point streak where he scored four goals and four assists for eight points.

Coronato was a crucial piece to Calgary’s late-season push to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, but the team missed out by a tie-breaker scenario that favored the St. Louis Blues.

This was his first full season in the NHL, as he made 34 appearances last season. 

He spent most of that campaign with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, where he had an impressive 42 points in 41 games, along with a solid playoff campaign with six points in as many games.

Although the Flames missed out on post-season this time, having Coronato signed until he’s 29 years old is just one step to having the younger players take charge and drive the team back into the playoffs in the long term.

Along with Coronato, Flames rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf led the way for Calgary and its young core. In 53 games, the Flames' netminder had a 29-16-8 record, a 2.64 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.

As part of Calgary’s young group of players, Zayne Parekh made his NHL debut in the final outing of the regular season. The ninth pick in the 2024 draft doesn’t require a new contract until the 2027-28 campaign, but he has the upside to join the young Flames’ core in the future.

Parekh scored in his debut against the Los Angeles Kings, clocking 20:31 of ice time and a plus-three rating. The 19-year-old came off a 107-point campaign with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, recording 33 goals and 74 assists in 61 games. He was the second defenseman in OHL/OHA history to score 30 goals in multiple seasons. Bobby Orr was the other D-man to accomplish that from 1964 to 1966.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Calgary Flames Could Face Another Busy SummerLast summer, the Calgary Flames were sellers, shipping out goaltender Jacob Markstrom and left winger Andrew Mangiapane after missing the playoffs. 

Left winger Joel Farabee and center Morgan Frost will also look to hit the ground running next season after recording six and 12 points with Calgary, respectively. The Flames acquired the 25-year-olds in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers in January.

After this signing, Calgary GM Craig Conroy has a handful more RFAs to deal with heading into next season, including Frost. Connor Zary could be next on the list, as he emerges to be a middle-six forward on the roster. He finished the season with 13 goals and 27 points in 54 games. 

Others RFAs include center Sam Morton, right winger Adam Klapka and defenseman Kevin Bahl.

The NHL has had some terrific hockey in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

There’s been the high pressure of the Maple Leafs and Senators showdown, the rollercoaster action of the Kings and Oilers battle, the drama of the Panthers and Lightning series and the high-octane competition of the Jets and Blues clash. 

The most exciting first-round series of the first round between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche has had all of that in a true heavyweight punch fest, which ends in Saturday's winner-takes-all Game 7.

In fact, the Stars and Avalanche series has had just about everything. They’ve had high-scoring games, including the Stars’ 6-2 win in Game 5 and the Avalanche’s 7-4 victory in Game 6.

They’ve had thrilling overtime games, including Dallas’ 4-3 win in Game 2 and 2-1 win in Game 3. 

They’ve had convincing victories, including Colorado’s 5-1 win in Game 1 and 4-0 win in Game 4. However you’ve liked your hockey, you’ve had a taste of it in this series.

On top of that, you’ve had high drama and then some between the Stars and the Avalanche. 

Dallas has pulled out gutsy wins despite not having injured star left winger Jason Robertson and star defenseman Miro Heiskanen.

Stars goalie Jake Oettinger has had some excellent performances and has narrowly outplayed Colorado's counterpart, Mackenzie Blackwood, who has the lone shutout. You’ve had a Stars team that has overcome losing the first game of the series – and the Avs tying the round in Game 4 – to take multiple series leads.

The Avalanche, meanwhile, have had life-and-death struggles when facing elimination in Game 6.

The Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar continue to live up to their superstar status, leading the way despite Colorado being down 2-1 and 3-2 in the series. And you’ve had one of the most bizarre goals ever scored in playoff history, when MacKinnon’s shot in Game 6 came to Stars center Sam Steel, who tried to clear the puck, only to have his clearing attempt go off of Dallas teammate Colin Blackwell and into the net for the game-winning marker.

Last but not least, there have been personal storylines making waves in the hockey world.

Star right winger Mikko Rantanen said in mid-March he never wanted to leave the Avalanche, which traded him in a blockbuster to the Carolina Hurricanes in January. The Stars then traded for him at the trade deadline and signed him to an eight-year contract extension. 

Rantanen’s now facing his former team and scored two goals, including a game-winner, and eight points in six games so far. It would be quite a moment for Rantanen if he could send the Avalanche packing in the early stages of his life without them.

Then, of course, you have Gabriel Landeskog.

'The Best Story In Sports': The Hockey World Reacts To Gabriel Landeskog’s First NHL Goal In 1,041 DaysColorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog grabbed the headlines with a storied goal against the Dallas Stars in Game 4 on Saturday.

The 32-year-old didn’t know whether he would ever get to play again after trying for three years to recover from a knee injury. The last time he played in the NHL was when he won the Cup with the Avalanche in 2022. As the playoffs approached, he had a trial run in the AHL.

In Game 3, he returned in front of a fan base that couldn’t be prouder, and he threw hits and made an impact in this series with a goal and four points.

At the start of the post-season, many pundits picked the Stars and Avalanche series as the key series to watch. Because of the elite skill and depth on each squad, the winner of this series has a great chance of going all the way. These teams lived up to the hype, creating one of the best first-round showdowns we have ever seen.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The Oshawa Generals defeated the Barrie Colts 8-4 in game four of the OHL Eastern Conference Final to sweep the series and win a rematch against the London Knights in the Final. It is the second year in a row that the Generals have won the Bobby Orr Trophy. 

"Every single guy dug deep and played hard," said Colby Barlow. "I'm so proud of everybody."

In the first three games of the Eastern Conference Final, Oshawa's offense seemed to be the difference maker. Stars like Beckett Sennecke, Colby Barlow and Luca Marrelli continuously scored big goals for the Generals, while at times the Colts struggled to get pucks behind Jacob Oster. 

In game four, the Colts' offense was firing on all cylinders. Thanks to Utah Hockey Club prospect Cole Beaudoin, they had the lead after the first period. They then scored a pair of goals in 33 seconds midway through the second period to undo what had become a 2-1 Oshawa lead. 

The adulation was short-lived, as Owen Griffin banked in a fluky goal on a partial breakaway to tie the game at three going into the third period.

Frontenacs GM Wins Jim Gregory AwardEarlier today, the OHL announced that Kingston Frontenacs GM Kory Cooper is the 2024-25 winner of the Jim Gregory OHL General Manager of the Year Award. 

The Generals answered the call in the third, scoring three unanswered goals in the span of a minute and a half to take a 6-3 lead.

While Barrie's Dalyn Wakely did score his seventh of the playoffs to claw one back for Barrie, the damage had already been done. The final score was 8-4 in favour of Oshawa. 

"It was a 20-minute hockey game," said Barlow. "All the guys put everything on the line and got the job done.

The stars once again provided for Oshawa. Luca Marelli scored a goal and added four assists to complete a five-point evening. Third-overall pick at the 2024 NHL Draft, Beckett Sennecke also tallied four assists in the game while Calum Ritchie scored a goal and added two assists. 

"A lot of these guys, it's their last year in this league," said Malone. "For them to have the opportunity to do what we're going to do, I am very proud of them, it's a great experience."

Undefeated Knights Advance To J. Ross Robertson CupLast night, the London Knights swept the Kitchener Rangers in the Western Conference Final of the OHL Playoffs. They now have the opportunity to win back-to-back OHL Championships. 

The win guarantees Oshawa's return to the J. Ross Robertson Cup Finals. They get an opportunity to get revenge against a London group that swept them in last year's finals. 

It will undoubtedly be a titanic clash between two squads that are incredibly deep and loaded with talent. A total of 19 NHL-drafted players will be featured in the final matchup, 12 of whom play for London and seven for Oshawa.

This is not the inexperienced and young Oshawa team London faced last year. The Generals are one of the most talented teams in the league offensively and a colossal D-corps that includes standouts like 6-foot-6 Simon Wang and the 6-foot-4 Nashville Predators prospect Andrew Gibson. 

The talented Generals group will do everything they can to dethrone the London Knights, who have been in the finals for the last three years. Buckle up, it's going to be a wild ride.

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The “Warhorse from Whitehorse” will have to wait until next season to get another taste of postseason hockey, as Dylan Cozens and the Ottawa Senators were eliminated by the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games after the Leafs 4-2 victory in Kanata, ON on Thursday. 

Cozens finished with two points (1 goal, 1 assist) in six games, with the highlight being his third-period short-handed goal in Game 5 that broke Toronto’s back and extended the series, but in the finale on Thursday, the former Sabre was on the ice for both Max Pacioretty’s game-winning goal and William Nylander’s empty-net insurance marker. 

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In other ex-Sabres playoff news, Zemgus Girgensons and the Tampa Bay Lightning went down in surprisingly easy fashion to the Florida Panthers in five games. The 31-year-old Latvian played mostly fourth-line minutes for the Lightning and had no points and three shots on goal in five games. 

The Minnesota Wild gave Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights a tough time in their first-round series before falling in six games. Former Sabre Marcus Foligno had an excellent series, scoring three goals in six games, Marcus Johansson had two assists in five games, while blueliner Zach Bogosian had one assist in five games. Eichel and the Golden Knights advance and will play Evander Kane and the Edmonton Oilers. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

Former Buffalo Sabres Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel each had good weeks. Reinhart and the Florida Panthers advanced to the second round after eliminating the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games, while Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights had a difficult time with the Minnesota Wild before eliminating them in six games. The pair of former second-overall picks also were nominated for awards by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Reinhart was nominated along with teammate Aleksander Barkov and Tampa’s Anthony Cirelli for the Selke Trophy for the league’s best defensive forward. Reinhart has been one of the league’s most consistent scorers and is also excellent defensively and as a penalty-killer. The Sabres top pick in 2014 had 81 points (39 goals, 42 assists), which includes five short-handed goals. 

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Eichel was nominated along with Tampa’s Brayden Point and Anze Kopitar of the LA Kings for the Lady Byng Trophy, awarded “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.” 

The Sabres 2015 top pick scored a career-high 94 points (28 goals, 66 assists) in 77 games (8th in NHL scoring), leading the Golden Knights to the Pacific Division title. Eichel had just eight penalty minutes during the regular season. Both forwards and their clubs face difficult second-round matchups, with Reinhar facing the Atlantic Division-winning Toronto Maple Leafs, while Eichel and the Golden Knights take on the reigning Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers.  

 

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There is no shortage of young players getting into their first NHL playoff action or taking another step in the post-season – and it’s only been the first round.

The first round of the NHL playoffs has always had some of the most exciting hockey in the sport. The intensity, speed, skill, and tenacity are all ratcheted up. It’s often where we see whether or not young players have the juice to compete and excel at the highest level of hockey. 

Let’s look around the NHL to see which under-24 players put their talents on display at the start of the playoffs. 

Matt Boldy, LW, Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wildwent home earlier than hoped in their series against the Vegas Golden Knights. That said, the play of Matt Boldy on the top line alongside Kirill Kaprizov was a big reason the Wild took a 2-1 lead in the series, leading to more excitement about the prospects of a Minnesota team at full strength. 

Boldy’s blend of power and speed, as well as his center-focused attack, led to many scoring chances for the Wild’s top line. His five goals and seven points lead all U-24 skaters.

Anton Lundell, C, Florida Panthers

In each of the Panthers’ last two deep playoff runs, Anton Lundell consistently found a way to be an effective player. He’s grown in each of their playoff runs, with 10 points in their first run to the final and 17 in last year's Cup-winning campaign. 

This year, he has been the centrepiece on the team’s third line with Eetu Luostarinen and Brad Marchand, providing a level of depth no other team can match.

Lundell has the two-way ability to match up against the best offensive players in the world, so even when Aleksander Barkov isn’t on the ice, the Panthers are more than capable of winning their minutes.

Tim Stutzle, C, Ottawa Senators

Although the Senators lost to the Leafs in six games, the first foray for Ottawa’s new core into the playoffs was a great showcase of their talent, Stutzle included. 

The dynamically skilled center was consistently one of the most dangerous players on the ice, attacking downhill and cutting laterally to change the angle of the defender and goalie. He was electric to watch at times, and the Senators should be extremely happy with the fact their emerging superstar is capable of stepping up when the lights get brightest. 

Whether it was Stutzle, Jake Sanderson or Brady Tkachuk, the Sens were a ton of fun in the post-season. 

Matthew Knies, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs

Although his stats don’t jump out at you with just three goals in the six-game victory over Ottawa, Matthew Knies brings functional physicality to the Toronto lineup that’s been sorely missing during the Core Four era. 

Knies is a bull in a china shop, barrelling through defenders with his strength and using his puck skill to keep up with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. 

Knies would make former Leafs GM Brian Burke proud because he embodies truculence. 

Lane Hutson, D, Montreal Canadiens

Everyone who watched Lane Hutson this season was in awe of his ability to generate offense, but there was always the question of whether he would be able to do it in the playoffs. 

While the Canadiens weren’t expected to get into the post-season this year, they surprised everyone and reached the playoffs, largely because of Hutson’s incredible play. 

When the pressure increased, Hutson showed the world that he was ready, recording five assists. 

His dynamism and skill never waned. He was still just as cerebral as ever, and it helped Montreal play some of the tightest and most entertaining games of the playoffs against Washington despite its series loss.

The Canadiens Are Saving Money On Lane Hutson, But They'll Pay For It This SummerNobody, not the Montreal Canadiens, not Lane Hutson and certainly not his agent, thought that this year would turn out the way it did for the rookie defenseman.

Thomas Harley, D, Dallas Stars

There was hope the Stars would see franchise defender Miro Heiskanen return from injury, but it wasn’t in the cards in the first round. That left a massive void for the Stars on the blueline.

While almost no one could fully fill his shoes, Thomas Harley has elevated his game and shown himself to be more than capable at both ends of the ice, recording two goals and two assists.

We’ve seen Harley leverage his skating and vision in every facet of the game. The Stars needed someone to step up to have any hope of getting past the Avalanche, and now they head into Game 7 with Harley being their stud on the back end.

Seth Jarvis, RW, Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes' biggest issue over the last few playoffs is struggling to score against top-end teams, but Seth Jarvis has helped turn that around this year with two goals and five points.

His pace-pushing offensive game allows him to break the opposing defense down, layering skill on top of his speed. His ability to change the game in an instant was key to the Hurricanes taking out the Devils handily.

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