The Pittsburgh Penguins may not be participating in the Stanley Cup playoffs this season.

But a whole lot of ex-Penguins are.

There are only three playoff teams - the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Los Angeles Kings - that are not employing a former Penguin (who was on Pittsburgh's NHL roster at some point) on their playoff rosters. But the remaining 13 teams have at least one, and in many cases, several.

Pens fans: Here is your ultimate guide to help you distinguish which ex-Penguins to root for - or root against.

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Carolina Hurricanes

-  F Jordan Staal: Staal played for the Penguins from his draft year in 2006 - he was late former Penguins GM Ray Shero's first draft pick (2nd overall) with the Penguins - through the end of the 2011-12 season, winning the only Stanley Cup of his career with Pittsburgh in 2009. He was, primarily, the team's third-line center during that time.

-  F Mark Jankowski: Jankowski was with the Penguins for one season in 2020-21, playing in 45 games and registering four goals and 11 points.

Dallas Stars

-  G Casey DeSmith: DeSmith played NHL games for the Penguins from 2017-23 as, largely, their primary backup goaltender, and he was dealt in the summer of 2023 to the Montreal Canadiens as part of the blockbuster Erik Karlsson trade.

-  D Cody Ceci: Ceci spent one season in Pittsburgh - a solid one - in 2020-21 before signing a four-year, $13 million free agent contract with the Edmonton Oilers during the summer of 2021. 

-  F Mikael Granlund: Granlund was acquired by the Penguins and former GM Ron Hextall at the 2023 NHL trade deadline, and... let's just say it didn't work out. 

Edmonton Oilers

-  F Kasperi Kapanen: Kapanen - originally drafted 22nd overall by the Penguins in 2014 before being traded to Toronto and then brought back to Pittsburgh - played parts of three seasons with the Penguins from 2020-23 before getting waived, recording 29 goals and 82 points in 162 games. 

Florida Panthers

-  F Evan Rodrigues: Rodrigues spent parts of three seasons on Pittsburgh's NHL roster from 2019-22 and was a solid depth piece. He was traded to Toronto as part of the deal that brought Kapanen back to Pittsburgh, and then he signed with the Penguins as a free agent for the 2020-21 season.

-  D Dmitry Kulikov: The veteran defenseman had a brief stint with the Penguins post-trade deadline in 2023, but he only played in six games total - registering one point - due to injury.

Even In Passing, Shero Leaves Legacy On Penguins OrganizationIt's hard to talk about the Sidney Crosby-era Pittsburgh Penguins without talking about former general manager Ray Shero.

Minnesota Wild

-  F Frederick Gaudreau: Gaudreau, 31, spent parts of one season in 2020-21 with the Penguins, as he was back-and-forth between Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate. He posted two goals and 10 points in 19 games with the NHL club that season.

-  F Vinnie Hinostroza: A bit of a journeyman, Hinostroza was with the Penguins' organization in 2023-24 and played in only 14 games at the NHL level, registering a goal and three points. 

-  G Marc-Andre Fleury: Beloved to the Pittsburgh faithful, Fleury was drafted first overall by the Penguins in 2003 and went on to help the team win three Stanley Cup championships. He was selected first overall in the 2017 expansion draft by the Vegas Golden Knights, ending his long Pittsburgh tenure. Fleury plans to retire once the 2024-25 season concludes for the Wild.

Montreal Canadiens

-  D Mike Matheson: A smooth-skating, puck-moving, high-risk defenseman, Matheson came to Pittsburgh from Florida in the Patric Hornqvist trade and played two seasons with Pittsburgh from 2020-22. He was traded to the Habs in a package for defenseman Jeff Petry in the summer of 2022.

New Jersey Devils

-  F Cody Glass: Glass was brought to Pittsburgh from the Nashville Predators last summer, along with a couple of draft picks. He was dealt to the Devils at the trade deadline.

-  F Daniel Sprong: Sprong was drafted in the second round (46th overall) by Pittsburgh in 2015, and he never quite panned out in parts of his first three NHL seasons with the Penguins. He was traded to the Anaheim Ducks during the 2018-19 season.

-  D Brian Dumoulin: 'Dumo' was a key contributor to the Penguins' back-to-back Stanley Cup runs in 2016 and 2017 as an elite shutdown presence. He was mostly paired with Kris Letang during his 10-year tenure with the Penguins from 2013-23.

Penguins Defenseman Kris Letang Has Surgery To Repair Hole In HeartIt appears the Pittsburgh Penguins will be down one more man for their final game of the season on Thursday against the Washington Capitals.

Ottawa Senators

-  F David Perron: Perron was with the Penguins for parts of two seasons from 2014-16 before being dealt to the Ducks, recording 16 goals and 38 points in 86 total games.

St. Louis Blues

-  F Oskar Sundqvist: An oft-injured Sundqvist played in 28 total games for the Penguins from 2015-17, posting only a goal and four points.

Tampa Bay Lightning

-  F Jake Guentzel: Guentzel enjoyed a spectacular Penguins' career for eight seasons as, primarily, Sidney Crosby's best winger. He scored 219 goals and put up 466 points in 503 games with Pittsburgh before being dealt to the Hurricanes as a rental at last season's trade deadline.

Vegas Golden Knights

-  F Tanner Pearson: Pearson came to Pittsburgh during the 2018-19 season when forward Carl Hagelin was sent to Los Angeles, and that was his only season with the Penguins. He registered nine goals and 14 points in 44 games.

-  F Reilly Smith: Smith came to Pittsburgh from Vegas prior to the 2023-24 season and showed little interest in being there, was traded to the New York Rangers in the 2024 offseason and showed little interest in being there, then got what he wanted all along and was traded back to Vegas at the 2025 trade deadline.

Washington Capitals

-  F Lars Eller: Eller was a reliable third-line center for the Penguins for parts of two seasons from 2023-24 with 19 goals and 38 points in 99 games. He was dealt to the Capitals in November this season after some brutal losses by the Penguins.

Like Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipOn Sunday, the hockey world got to witness Alexander Ovechkin - The Great “8” - surpass The Great “One” for the most goals in NHL history.

-  F Anthony Beauvillier: After a rough season where he was traded three times, Beauvillier found his inner New York Islander again in Pittsburgh this season before - you guessed it - getting traded, this time, to the first-seeded Capitals. Not a bad outcome for him this time.

Winnipeg Jets

-  F Brandon Tanev: After spending two solid seasons as a bottom-six piece for the Penguins from 2019-21, 'Turbo' was, unfortunately, a casualty of the 2021 expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken. He was well-liked in Pittsburgh.

-  D Luke Schenn:He wasn't in Pittsburgh for a long time (48 hours), and he certainly wasn't there for a good time (he wanted to play for a contender instead).

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While the final week of the regular season is fan appreciation week in Montreal, it turned into Brendan Gallagher appreciation week this season. The Montreal Canadiens’ alternate captain lost his mother in early March, and since then, the fans have rallied around him to offer support and condolences.

Mission Accomplished, The Canadiens Are Back In The Playoffs
Canadiens: Last Chance Saloon
Josh Anderson Wins An Award

Two fans went above and beyond, though. Artist Jessica Boudreau (jb_artmtl on Instagram) painted a picture of the right winger hugging his mother on his wedding day. When Gallagher saw it on Instagram, he asked to meet her in person to thank her and receive the painting. The meeting happened on Wednesday at the Bell Centre.

Later, after the Canadiens had finally clinched their playoff berth, Gallagher met Lucie Lachance on the red carpet. The Gatineau fan who had won his Hockey Fights Cancer lavender jersey in an auction in 2022 had offered to send it back to him after Della Gallagher’s passing, as he had dedicated it to her, but Gallagher replied he wanted to do a jersey swap on the final night of the season with her.

Lachance went a bit further, bringing the player gifts for his daughter Everly, who was born days before his mother's passing. Gallagher gave her a signed jersey and a signed stick as well, along with what looked like a long thank-you note.

Chanceux d’avoir des partisans comme vous 💜

Habs fans are the best#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/Iv15JaL4ym

— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 17, 2025

Montreal Canadiens fans may be intense and willing to drive to the airport to get a glimpse of a 19-year-old’s arrival in the country. Still, their intensity also shows in how they support their players in sickness and health until death do them part, and even beyond that. Who doesn’t remember the funerals of Jean Beliveau and Guy Lafleur?

The fans' love for this team knows no end, making Montreal an actual hockey city. In this market, hockey is so important that electoral campaign debates are moved to ensure fans won’t prioritize hockey over politics. After all, politics and religion should never be mixed and for some, the Sainte-Flanelle is more than a hockey team, it is a religion. 

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Win or lose on Thursday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins (33-35-12) will have their first losing season since the 2005-06 campaign, when the club was 22-46-14.

That season was memorable for so many reasons. Mario Lemieux retired after 26 games, and Sidney Crosby debuted, finishing second in the Calder Trophy to future long-time rival Alex Ovechkin. 

Meanwhile, the NHL had only 30 teams; Jaromir Jagr was on Broadway, Martin Brodeur was still chasing the all-time wins record, Wayne Gretzky owned all the scoring records, and Joe Thornton became the only league MVP in North American sports history to be traded mid-season. 

Ultimately, the NHL was quite a different place in 2006, the last time the Penguins failed to win more games than they lost. Here are 25 fascinating facts about the league 20 years ago.

25 Fascinating Facts About The NHL In 2005-06, The Last Time The Penguins Had A Losing Season

25. The Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings played in the Western Conference.

Both clubs moved to the Eastern Conference for the 2013-14 season.

24. The Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, Seattle Kraken, and Utah Hockey Club did not exist.

The Jets relocated in 2011, while the Golden Knights joined the NHL in 2017, followed by the Kraken in 2021, and the Utah Hockey Club became a new franchise in 2024.

23. The Phoenix Coyotes and Atlanta Thrashers were still active clubs.

Atlanta would move to Winnipeg in 2011, while the Coyotes would change their name from Phoenix to Arizona and fold operations in 2024.

22. The Boston Bruins hadn't won the Stanley Cup in 34 years.

Boston's drought would reach 39 seasons before a title in 2011.

21. The Toronto Maple Leafs' Stanley Cup drought was only 39 years old in 2006.

The Maple Leafs haven't played in the Stanley Cup Final since 1967.

20. The Chicago Blackhawks were in their 45th year without a championship.

The Blackhawks would win three Stanley Cup titles in 2010, 2013, and 2015.

19. Neither the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, nor the Florida Panthers had won the Stanley Cup yet.

All these clubs have won the Stanley Cup in the past 20 seasons, including the Ducks in 2007, the Kings in 2012 and 2014, the Capitals in 2018, the Blues in 2019, and the Panthers in 2024.

18. Martin Brodeur had only 446 wins in 813 games with 80 shutouts.

Brodeur would go on to set the NHL records for wins (691), games played (1,266), and shutouts (125).

17. Macklin Celebrini wasn't born yet, and Connor Bedard was turning one.

The Penguins' final game of the 2005-06 season took place on Apr. 18, 2006. Celebrini was born on June 13, 2006, while Bedard was born on July 17, 2005.

16. Connor McDavid was only nine years old.

McDavid was born on Jan. 13, 1997.

15. Mark Messier ranked second all-time in points (1,887).

Messier now ranks third all-time behind Jaromir Jagr (1,921).

14. 2006 Hart Trophy winner Joe Thornton had only 189 goals, 347 assists, and 546 points in 590 career games.

Thronton would finish his 24-year career with 430 goals, 1,109 assists, and 1,539 points.

13. The Detroit Red Wings had the fifth-best season in NHL history.

In 2005-06, the Red Wings were 58-16-8 with 124 points, the fifth-best single-season performance in NHL history. Since then, the Tampa Bay Lightning (2019) and Bruins (2023) have surpassed their totals.

12. Steve Yzerman was a few weeks away from retirement.

Yzerman played his final game on May 1, 2006, and ranked sixth all-time in NHL scoring with 692 goals, 1,063 assists, and 1,755 points at the time of his retirement. 

11. Six active players were in the NHL during the 2005-06 season.

According to statistics at NHL.com, only Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Corey Perry, Brent Burns, Ryan Suter, and Marc-Andre Fleury were around to see the last Penguins' losing season.

10. Mark Recchi had one Stanley Cup ring when the Penguins traded him in March 2006, winning his second with the Carolina Hurricanes in June.

Recchi won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 1991, another ring with the Hurricanes in 2006, and a win with the Bruins in 2011. 

9. The Civic Arena was 45 years old.

Built in 1961, the Civic Arena was still four seasons away from closing its doors in 2010.

8. Mike Sullivan had only 164 games of head coaching experience, going 70-56-15-13 with the Boston Bruins.

The winningest coach in Penguins history has compiled a record of 408-254-89 in 751 games behind the Pittsburgh bench in ten seasons, including championships in 2016 and 2017.

7. Jaromir Jagr had 591 goals and 1,432 points in 1,109 games with only three teams.

Jagr is the second-highest scorer in NHL history, with 766 goals and 1,921 points in 1,733 games.

6. Mario Lemieux played his last NHL game on Dec. 16, 2005, five months before the season ended.

Lemieux played 26 games during the 2005-06 season, skating alongside rookie Crosby. 

5. Marc-Andre Fleury was 21 with 17 career wins in 71 games.

Fleury will retire at age 40 after the 2024-25 season, winning the second-most games (575) and skating in the second-most games (1,051).

4. Evgeni Malkin (1,212 games) and Kris Letang (1,161 games) hadn't made their NHL debuts.

Malkin ranks third all-time in Penguins history with 1,346 points, while Letang owns all the team's defensive scoring records. 

3. Alex Ovechkin had only 52 goals in 81 games.

In April 2025, Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky's goal record with his 895th career goal.

2. Sidney Crosby had 39 goals, 63 assists, and 102 points as an 18-year-old.

As the Penguins' all-time assist leader with 1,061, Crosby is chasing down Lemieux's goal (690) and points (1,723) records with 624 goals and 1,685 points.

1. The Penguins were a perfect 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Penguins have played in the Stanley Cup Final four times since 2006, losing in 2008 but winning in 2009, 2016, and 2017 to improve to 5-1 in the championship series.

Most of the speculation regarding the Philadelphia Flyers has focused on their potential replacements for fired coach John Tortorella. 

Candidates range from interim coach Brad Shaw and the University of Denver's David Carle to Vancouver Canucks bench boss Rick Tocchet.

As the off-season approaches, there is growing conjecture over their roster plans. GM Daniel Briere is reportedly open to using one of his three first-round picks in this year's draft as trade bait to acquire an established young player. 

Kevin Kurz of The Athletic wondered if Briere might consider going the offer-sheet route this summer. He pointed out the Flyers GM isn't afraid to make bold moves during the off-season.  

Kurz suggested Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks, Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild and Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs as potential offer-sheet targets. However, there's no certainty that those pending RFAs will be open to entertaining offers from other clubs.

McTavish could be an intriguing possibility. Anaheim has a projected cap space of $38.6 million with 16 active roster players under contract for next season. Kurz points out that the rebuilding Ducks usually don't spend to the cap ceiling, noting they must ensure they have sufficient long-term space for rising stars Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier.

Kurz believes fixing their goaltending should be the Flyers' priority. Their team save percentage (.879) and goals-against per game (3.43) are among the league's worst.

The Flyers could stick with Samuel Ersson as their starter and have Ivan Fedotov as their No. 3. Aleksei Kolosov is reportedly returning to Belarus following this season. 

Kurz suggested Jake Allen of the New Jersey Devils and oft-injured Frederik Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes could be the best option in a thin free-agent market for goaltenders. 

Trade options could include John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks. Thatcher Demko might be available if the Canucks decide to part with him after signing Kevin Lankinen to a contract extension. 

Briere could also be in the market for a young prospect with another club who could soon be NHL-ready. 

The Hockey News' Jonathan Bailey suggested the Flyers' seven picks in the first two rounds of this year's draft could help them make a competitive bid for Isaac Howard if the Tampa Bay Lightning decide to trade the 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner.

Correction: Marco Rossi is the Wild's pending RFA.

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The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (39-23-7-1) played their 70th game of the season on Wednesday night, dropping a tightly contested 3-2 affair to the Providence Bruins, who broke a tie in the standings between the two clubs.

After the victory, the Bruins (40-23-5-3) now sit in the third seed in the Atlantic Division with 88 points, while the Penguins slip down to the fourth seed with 86 points. 

In the first, Atley Calvert tallied his ninth of the year to open the scoring at 10:32. Harrison Brunicke and Mathias Laferriere had helpers. 

The visiting Bruins tied the contest with the only goal in the second period, a Dan Locnelis tally at 14:06. After getting outshot 15-10 in the first, Providence had the advantage in the second, 16-10, with the teams tied on the scoreboard. 

At 7:50 of the third, Emil Bemström scored his team-leading 23rd goal of the season to restore his team's one-goal lead. Boris Katchouk and Nate Clurman set up his lamplighter, the Penguins' final tally of the night.

WBS Penguins Sign Three Players For 2025-26 SeasonThe Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins continue their quest for the Calder Cup this season, but the club is also looking towards the future, agreeing to contracts with three NCAA players for next season. 

During a Clurman interference penalty kill that started at 10:06, the Bruins evened things up again at 10:59 with a Patrick Brown goal, before securing the one-goal victory at 19:33 with a Riley Tufte lamp lighter. 

Somehow, Providence almost equalled their two-period shot total (26) with 20 in the third period, while limiting WBS to just six. The home team got fewer opportunities as the games progressed, going from 15 to 10 to six shots on goal.  

In goal, Michael DiPietro picked up the win thanks to 29 saves on 31 shots, while Penguins' Joel Blomqvist was far busier, making 43 saves on 46 shots. 

Regarding special teams, the Bruins went 1-for-3, while the Penguins failed to capitalize on their two opportunities. 

WBS will play two more times before beginning their quest for the Calder Cup, facing the Hershey Bears on Friday and then the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday. 

Morgan Geekie would ‘love' to be with Bruins ‘as long as I can' originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The most important Boston Bruins free agent this summer is Morgan Geekie.

The 26-year-old forward is coming off the best season of his NHL career. He scored 33 goals — 16 more than the previous campaign. He actually became the first B’s player not named Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand or David Pastrnak to score 30-plus goals since Loui Eriksson did it in 2015-16.

It’s not like Geekie padded his stats by scoring a bunch of power-play goals, either. He was highly effective at 5-on-5. In fact, his 26 goals at 5-on-5 this season were tied for the second-most in the league and led the Bruins.

Geekie is able to become a restricted free agent in July, so the Bruins do have some control over his future. He’s also eligible for arbitration if the two sides have trouble reaching a new contract.

Geekie is hoping that process is not needed.

“We hope it doesn’t come to that. Obviously, no one wants to go to arbitration. It’s not a fun time for anybody,” Geekie told reporters Thursday during the team’s end-of-season media availability.

“I’m gonna prepare like I’m gonna be at training camp on Day 1. It’s not something I’m going to give too much thought about. I’ll leave it up to my agent and Don (Sweeney) and Cam (Neely), just go about my business and things will play out how they’re gonna play out. I love playing in Boston. My family loves it here. It’s one of those things I really hope works out, and we’ll see where it goes.”

It sounds like term will likely be important to Geekie in his next deal.

“Any time you can stick around — like I said, I love it here. I’d love to be here as long as I can,” Geekie said. “That’s definitely a goal, especially with a family now, being able to be in one spot would be awesome.”

Geekie also added: “If it was up to me, I’d like to stay as long as I can. I can’t say enough good things about the organization and the guys and the culture here. I would love to stay as long as I could.”

Players who score 30-plus goals are not easy to find, and they are expensive. Geekie’s current contract that will soon expire is a two-year deal worth $2 million per season. He deserves a large raise in his next contract. And when you consider the Bruins’ lack of scoring depth, re-signing Geekie needs to be a top priority.

The Bruins are projected to have around $28 million in salary cap space this summer, per PuckPedia. Geekie and defenseman Mason Lohrei (also an RFA) are Boston’s most notable internal free agents.

On a team with stars like Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe, and Kevin Fiala, the name Alex Laferriere may not be well known among NHL fan bases, but Kings' head coach Jim Hiller would probably say it should be.

"He's going to be a really important player for us in the playoffs because he going to bring physicality and he started that tonight," said Hiller, following LA's 5-4 win against Colorado on April 12th. 

The 23-year-old native of Chatham, New Jersey has shown an ability to mix it up since his NHL debut on October 11th, 2023, when he dropped the gloves against the Avs' Logan O'Connor.

First time I've seen a family celebrate a guy fighting in his NHL debut like Alex Laferriere's family pic.twitter.com/j6i0aHfQLs

— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) October 12, 2023

While Laferriere is certainly no enforcer, he never shies away from contact. His 124 hits are good for third on the team behind Tanner Jeannot (211) and rookie Samuel Helenius, who has already made an impressive 145 hits in just 49 games played. 

Offensively, Laferriere has made it a habit to improve on his numbers every year, even going back to his college hockey days at Harvard. In his first season with the Crimson in 2021-22, Laferriere recorded 31 points (14 G 17 A) and was the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) Hockey Rookie of the Year. Laferriere had an even better sophomore year when he struck for 42 points (21 G 21 A) and helped lead Harvard to the NCAA hockey tournament.

At the NHL level, Laferriere is showing the same knack for consistent improvement. He had 23 points for the Kings (12 G 11 A) in 81 games in his first season but has come close to doubling that output in 76 games this year. Laferriere has 19 goals and 23 assists heading into LA's final regular season game against Calgary on April 16th. Should he score against the Flames, it would give the Kings six 20+ goal scorers, a testament to LA's scoring depth. 

All in all, Alex Laferriere has emerged as a key component for the LA Kings this season. With the injured Tanner Jeannot still listed as week-to-week, the Kings will need Laferriere to continue to ramp up his physical play. His mix of grit and offensive upside will be needed if the Kings intend on finally vanquishing the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs.

It was back in September — long before the Montreal Canadiens went on a Cinderella run that resulted in a wild card berth in their final game of the regular season — that Nick Suzuki revealed to The Hockey News that this year might just be more than another rebuilding year.

In other words, forget about getting another top-5 pick in the draft. The Habs captain was more interested in grabbing a playoff spot.

"Personally, I feel like you can’t just keep stockpiling prospects," Suzuki said back then. "I want to be in the playoffs. I’ve been in the playoffs twice now and they haven’t been on normal circumstances, so I haven’t got to play at the Bell Centre in front of a sold-out crowd. That’s definitely something I’m itching for this year."

On Wednesday, Suzuki scratched that itch.

The Canadiens have done the improbable — if not the seemingly impossible.

They are a playoff team.

Ole, ole, ole, ole... Habs are going to the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/aZyJIHyjy4

— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) April 17, 2025

That they did it before the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings ended their playoff droughts should not be lost on the Chicago Blackhawks or San Jose Sharks or any other franchise that preaches a long rebuild in order to get back to the playoffs. Yes, the Canadiens haven't been in the post-season since reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2021. But compared to the Ottawa Senators, who missed for seven years, this return to the playoffs feels very premature.

No one was picking the Habs to be a wild card when the season began. Now, they will  face the top-seeded Washington Capitals in the first round, where the Canadiens are the "underdogs."

However, bet against them at your own peril.

"We wanted to make playoffs no matter what and we did it. That was our main goal all the time," Suzuki told reporters after the playoff-clinching 4-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night. "You can't talk loud about it. It was our little goal that we kept between us and, yeah, it happened."

Mission Accomplished, The Canadiens Are Back In The PlayoffsThe puck dropped on the Montreal Canadiens’ 82nd game of the season at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night, with the Carolina Hurricanes in town. Martin St-Louis’ men had already failed to clinch a playoff berth in their last three games, and expectations were high in Montreal, especially since the visitors decided to rest some of their regular players. Rod Brind’Amour even went as far as using Jesperi Kotkaniemi as his top-line center.

It happened mostly because of Suzuki, who since the March 7 trade deadline has scored the fifth-most points of any player in the NHL. But the Canadiens probably wouldn't have qualified without the unlikely contributions from their youngsters.

Defenseman Lane Hutson, who is the favorite to win the Calder Trophy, led all NHL rookies with 66 points in 82 games. Juraj Slafkovsky, who was the No. 1 overall pick in 2022 draft, had a breakout year with 51 points. Cole Caufield, who is still only 24, led the team with 37 goals. Even 18-year-old Ivan Demidov, who has played in two games since coming over from Russia, has contributed with a goal and an assist.

And then, there were the players who everyone thought would have been gone by now.

Instead of trading Jake Evans at the deadline, the team signed him to an extension. On Wednesday, he rewarded that decision by scoring the empty-netter that sealed the win. Marc Savard, another player who was rumored to be moved, led the team with 180 blocked shots.

"Top to bottom, we have really deep forwards," said Suzuki. "I think our young D will just keep getting better. We’re adding probably some young guys that will make the team and give us a boost. From the first line to the fourth line, I think we could be one of the deepest at that position."

Canadiens' Suzuki Itching For Playoff Hockey In Sold-Out Bell CentreMontreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki knew exactly what he wanted to accomplish this season before it began.

Add it up and Montreal looks like they could be one of those dark horse teams that goes further than anyone expected. By making the playoffs, they've already done that.

Now, who knows what else they can do.

The Blue Jackets will play their final regular-season game on Thursday against the New York Islanders. 

Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets, this game means very little other than keeping a five game winning streak alive, and going out on a winning note. The Montreal Canadiens beat the "resting" Hurricanes in regulation, which means the Jackets are out. They left it in the hands of other teams to get them in, which is not a recipe for success. 

Columbus Blue Jackets Eliminated From Playoff Contention The Columbus Blue Jackets have been eliminated from playoff contention.

The Blue Jackets still have this game to play, and will do so in front of their faithful fans who will fill the arena to the rafters. 

There are still a few things to play for.

1. A six game winning streak.
2. Zach Werenski needs 1 assist to tie the single season assist record, and two to pass Artemi Panarin.
3. Boone Jenner is one goal from 200 in his career.
4. Columbus will have five players who will play 82 games - Kuraly, Provorov, Olivier, and Fantilli. In 23-24 they had just one - Provorov.

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 19.5% - 22nd in NHL
• Penalty Kill - 76.9% - 22nd in NHL
• Goals For - 261 - 8th - 3.22 GPG - 9th
• Goals Against - 266 - 25th - 3.28 GPG - 25th

Islanders Stats

• Power Play – 14.8% - 31st in NHL
• Penalty Kill – 77.8% - 31st in NHL
• Goals For - 261 – 8th – 2.73 GPG – 27th
• Goals Against – 266 – 25th – 3.10 GPG – 19th

Series History vs. The Islanders

• Columbus is 17-7-5 at home and 26-22-8 in 56 all-time games against the Islanders
• The Jackets are 2-1 vs. NYI this season. 

Who To Watch For The Islanders

• Bo Horvat leads the Isles with 29 assists and 57 points. 
• Anders Lee leads the team with 29 goals. 
• Ilya Sorokin is 30-24-6 with a .907 SV%. 
• Marcus Högberg is 2-5-3 with a .887 SV%.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Islanders

• Boone Jenner has 15 points in 31 career games against New York. 
• Zach Werenski has 13 points in 23 games.  
• Sean Monahan has 16 points in 19 games against the Islanders. 

Injuries

• Kevin Labanc (shoulder) is on Injured Reserve as of Feb. 21 and is out for the season (25 Games) 
• Elvis Merzļikins (upper body) has missed 4 games. 
• Jake Christiansen (upper body) has missed 3 games. 

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 321

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.

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The puck dropped on the Montreal Canadiens’ 82nd game of the season at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night, with the Carolina Hurricanes in town. Martin St-Louis’ men had already failed to clinch a playoff berth in their last three games, and expectations were high in Montreal, especially since the visitors decided to rest some of their regular players. Rod Brind’Amour even went as far as using Jesperi Kotkaniemi as his top-line center.

Nick Suzuki Is Up For The King Clancy Trophy
Canadiens: The Training Wheels Are Off Demidov
Josh Anderson Wins An Award

Milestones

Although Juraj Slafkovsky is only 21, he skated in his 200th NHL game on Wednesday night. He started the game with 50 points, tied with the career high he had established last season, but he didn’t have to wait too long to top it, registering an assist on the game’s opening goal scored by Kaiden Guhle.

While he took a silly penalty in the second frame, as has often been the case lately, he played a great game. He was on the ice for three of the Canadiens’ goals, blocked three shots, and landed a hit. His physical play also led to Nick Suzuki's goal, and when he learns to play like that on a consistent basis, he will become a real threat for opponents. 

This Habs goal by Nick Suzuki doesn’t happen without the big hit & board battle win by Juraj Slafkovsky

pic.twitter.com/0ckn4uHEoQ

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 17, 2025

In the second frame, rookie blueliner Lane Hutson got an assist on Kaiden Guhle’s second goal of the game, it was his 60th helper, tying Larry Murphy’s record for the most assists in a season by a rookie defenseman. If his name wasn’t already penciled in as the Calder Trophy winner, it should be now.

Guhle Bounced Back

After a disappointing game on Monday in which he took a penalty that became the turning point, Kaiden Guhle played a massive role in the Canadiens’ win. He scored two goals, landed seven hits, blocked three shots, and logged nearly 24 minutes of ice time.

On nights like these, it’s easy to see why Kent Hughes decided to make Guhle the first young core piece of his defense. He can do it all, excel on defense, contribute to the offense, and pump up the team with his physical play.

It Wasn’t Perfect, But It Was Enough

While the 4-2 scoreline could lead to believe the Canadiens dominated, it wasn’t the case. There was an agonizing stretch for Canadiens’ fans in the second frame when the score was tied 1-1 and during which the Hurricanes dominated even though they were icing a watered-down version of their roster. It was a display reminiscent of the loss against the Chicago Blackhawks.

With 8:49 left in the second stanza, the Canes had a 12-2 edge in shots on goal for that frame, and the Habs looked like they were playing nervously. The captain took charge four minutes later, and Suzuki scored a big goal to give Montreal a lead that Guhle doubled minutes later. Then, in the final frame, after the Canes had gotten back to within one, there was a lot of defending, and the Habs really needed to work to close out the game, with the coach cutting his bench and using his more defensive players.

In the post-game presser, the bench boss was almost beaming with pride:

The last two minutes after we scored in the empty net, I could breathe a bit, and I was thinking about plenty of things, my dad came to mind, my mother too. My dad was a huge Canadiens fan […] As soon as I could, I went to see my dad in the room and gave him a big hug, I think he was even more stressed than our players.

- Martin St-Louis about the way he felt.

St-Louis was visibly proud of his team and can now look forward to experiencing the playoffs in Montreal while being on the home side. It will be the first time since spring 2017 that the Canadiens will participate in the playoffs in front of a real crowd. There was that magical run to the Stanley Cup Final back in 2021, but the building wasn’t full thanks to COVID. If tonight’s anything to go by, the atmosphere when the Canadiens take on the Washington Capitals in just over a week should be electric.

---

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What's next for Sharks in net with Georgiev set to move on? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

Alexandar Georgiev is moving on.

“I’ve already had a conversation with the GM, and he said they’re going with a different group for next year,” the pending unrestricted free agent shared, after stopping 25 of 27 shots in the Sharks’ season-ending 3-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.

It was the Sharks’ 11th-straight loss.

Georgiev, 29, was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the Mackenzie Blackwood trade on Dec. 9.

It was a trying campaign for Georgiev, who had led the NHL in wins over the last two years.

Ousted by the team that he thought he’d be leading into the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring, the veteran netminder had to try and find his game on perhaps the worst defensive team in the league.

Read the full article at San Jose Hockey Now

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How Bruins can fix roster, return to playoffs in 2026 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins were the most disappointing team in the NHL this season, and the question now is: How do they retool their roster and get back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs as quickly as possible?

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney is about to face the biggest test of his career. He has to achieve two objectives at once.

The first is a quick retool that includes substantial roster improvements so the remaining prime years of David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Jeremy Swayman are not wasted. The second is for Sweeney to have an eye toward the future and dominate the 2025 NHL Draft.

Sweeney likely will have a top-five pick in every round this year, which he has never had during his decade-long tenure as B’s general manager. His draft record is average at best, and that must improve for the Bruins to have any sort of success both in the short- and long-term.

Here are five ways the Bruins can try to fix their roster and contend again next season (and beyond).

Jeremy Swayman regains his previous form

The easiest way for the Bruins to get back on track and make the playoffs next season is for starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman to play at the top 10 level he’s shown for most of his career.

Bruins goalie coach Bob Essensa and the rest of the staff need to figure out what went wrong with Swayman and which adjustments need to be made.

Expectations for Swayman went way up after his stellar 2024 playoff run and the offseason trade of Linus Ullmark that made the 26-year-old netminder the undisputed No. 1 in Boston’s crease.

Swayman’s 2024-25 season started with a contract dispute that resulted in him missing all of training camp and the preseason. He finally reached an eight-year, $66 million deal with the B’s a couple days before Opening Night.

Swayman was able to play a career-high 57 games without any injuries, but his performance dipped dramatically. His .920 save percentage from 2020-21 through 2023-24 was the sixth-highest among all goalies. He fell to a career-low .892 save percentage and a 3.12 GAA this season, while also ranking 92nd of 102 qualifying goalies with a minus-9.2 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck.

Last season, Swayman ranked fourth in goals saved above expected (plus-18.4).

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It was stunning to see Swayman go from leading the 2024 playoffs in save percentage and GSAA, and then play so poorly this past season.

Swayman is not as bad as he looked in 2024-25. We have multiple seasons of data to support that. And it’s not like the team defended well in front of him, either. But he can’t play this poorly again. He’s the league’s fifth-highest paid goalie. The Bruins don’t have the offensive firepower to overcome bad goaltending, so it’s on Swayman to return to the top 10 level he’s played at for most of his career.

Develop young talent

It’s impossible to retool, especially in a quick manner, without good young players coming through the system. You can’t plug all your roster holes in free agency and the trade market. It’s too expensive and just not feasible.

Teams have to draft and develop young players who make a meaningful impact at the NHL level. And as a bonus, these players are on cheap, team-friendly contracts.

The Bruins have not developed many NHL regulars in recent years, and the ones they have — John Beecher, Jakub Lauko, etc. — are not impact players. Only seven of the 36 players selected by the Bruins in the last seven drafts have played in an NHL game. Only two of those seven — Beecher and Mason Lohrei — have played more than 100 games.

Lohrei has the potential to be a top-four defenseman someday. He’s a gifted offensive player and an excellent skater. He tallied 33 points in his first full season with the B’s. It’s important for the Bruins to give him every chance to improve.

The Bruins also need to figure out the best development path for Casey Mittelstadt — a 26-year-old center acquired in the Charlie Coyle trade. Fraser Minten, who was acquired in the Brandon Carlo trade, has the makings of a very good middle-six forward. Will Zellers, a prospect acquired in the Coyle deal, led the USHL with 44 goals and shows great potential as a scorer.

Fabian Lysell, Boston’s 2021 first-round pick, finally played in the NHL this season and put together a couple encouraging performances late in the year. His speed and skill are desperately needed. Poitras has shown flashes of being a good NHL player despite a disappointing 2024-25 season.

It’s OK to make big moves in free agency and the trade market once in a while, but there has to be a steady flow of young players coming up through the system. That’s how you build championship depth.

Find a legitimate top-six center

The Bruins were able to survive at center last season without Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, both of whom retired after the 2023 playoffs. That wasn’t the case this season. The lack of suitable replacements for Boston’s two longtime centers was a massive problem.

Making matters worse for the Bruins is that there aren’t any good internal options. Matthew Poitras had a nice rookie season in 2023-24, but he underwhelmed this year, tallying one goal in 33 NHL games. He spent most of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL. Poitras still has potential as an NHL player, but thinking he could fill a top-six role any time soon would be foolish.

There aren’t any other prospects capable of stepping into that position, either, which highlights the importance of the Bruins using their 2025 first-round pick on the best center available.

Elias Lindholm was expected to be a top-six center, especially when he signed for top-six money (seven years, $54.25 million) on Day 1 of free agency last summer. Lindholm largely underwhelmed, often producing at the level of a No. 3 center. He has tallied 65-plus points only once since 2018-19.

The trade market is the best place for the Bruins to find a top-six center in the near future (more on that below).

Swing for the fences in trade market, free agency

The Bruins will have around $28 million in cap space this summer, per PuckPedia. They need to re-sign right wing Morgan Geekie and defenseman Mason Lohrei — both restricted free agents — but Sweeney does have some financial flexibility to chase big-ticket additions in free agency and/or the trade market.

The No. 1 player who could hit unrestricted free agency is Toronto Maple Leafs wing Mitch Marner. The 27-year-old forward is an elite offensive player who has averaged 95.3 points over the last four seasons, including a career-high 100 this year. It’s unknown whether the Leafs will let Marner get to free agency, but if he does hit the open market, the Bruins would be wise to make a run at him.

A center is Boston’s No. 1 need, but Marner is one of the league’s top playmakers. His 73 assists ranked tied for third-most with Connor McDavid.

Nikolaj Ehlers also could become a UFA. The Winnipeg Jets forward has scored 20-plus goals in eight of the last nine seasons, and he’s hit the 60-point mark in each of the last two seasons. The Bruins need a top-six left wing with Brad Marchand no longer on the roster, and Ehlers certainly would be able to fill that role.

The best center who could become a UFA is Florida Panthers veteran Sam Bennett. He scored 25 goals — the second-highest total of his career — in 76 games. He’ll be 29 years old in June. Bennett is a solid player and a winner, but he’s not the type of player who the Bruins should spend major money to acquire. Marner is far better offensively and a little younger.

Outside of Marner, there aren’t any real game-changers in free agency. So that leaves the trade market as perhaps the best place to make substantial upgrades.

The Bruins, as a result of their trade deadline deals, have a lot of good trade assets to use in the offseason. For starters, they have more early-round draft picks coming up than they’ve owned in a long time. That haul includes four first-round picks and five second-round picks over the next three drafts.

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Top-six forwards are quite expensive to acquire via trade, and the Bruins might have to be creative to find a good deal. But the Bruins now have some talented prospects and a bunch of future draft picks, so they have the ammo to make a bold swing.

Hire the right coach

Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images

The Bruins have had some really good head coaches over the last 10 years, but they’ve ended up firing all of them.

They fired Claude Julien during the 2016-17 season, which, in fairness, made sense at the time. They fired Bruce Cassidy after the 2022 playoffs and he won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights the very next season. They fired Jim Montgomery 20 games into this season and he helped the St. Louis Blues drastically improve and make the playoffs. Montgomery might actually receive some Jack Adams Award (coach of the year) votes.

This next hire — assuming it’s not interim head coach Joe Sacco — has to be able to develop young players and fix the special teams. The Bruins had the 29th-ranked power play and the 24th-ranked penalty kill this season.

The Bruins could look at an internal candidate such as Jay Leach, who has four years of assistant coach experience in the NHL. He also has four seasons of AHL head coaching experience with the Providence Bruins. Jay Pandolfo is the Boston University head coach, but before joining the Terriers, he was a Bruins assistant coach for several seasons. He would be a good candidate to pursue.

University of Denver head coach David Carle, who has done a tremendous job with that program (two national titles), should be ready for an NHL job. If the Pittsburgh Penguins move on from Mike Sullivan, would the B’s be interested in bringing back the Massachusetts native? Sullivan is an excellent coach who has won two Stanley Cup titles in Pittsburgh and also coaches Team USA.

The next coach will be the third that Sweeney has hired as GM. If he gets this one wrong, he might not get a fourth chance.

Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver's most recent 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

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The Canucks wrapped up their season with a decent night from an analtyics perspective. Vegas won the even-strength scoring chances battle 18-17, while also holding a 7-6 advantage in even-strength high-danger chances. Overall, Vancouver was able to stay in this game for two periods, but were unable to hold off the Golden Knights during the third period.

The heatmap is a good representation of why the Canucks only scored one goal on Saturday. Vancouver elected to take most of their shots from distance, and struggled to create second-chance opportunities in the crease. The hope is that next season, the Canucks can become a team with a stronger net-front presence, which should lead to more goals and chances.

To wrap things up, Nils Höglander had a strong game for Vancouver. During his 13:22 of ice time, he recorded an assist and finished with an xGF% of 61.85. In the end, Höglander finished the season on a high and showed that he deserves a spot in the top six next year.

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.

The Calgary Flames (40-27-14) will travel to the City of Angels to face the Los Angeles Kings (48-24-9) for their final regular-season game.

This game was originally scheduled for Jan. 8, but was postponed due to the wildfires in Los Angeles.

With the playoff pursuit now over, the Flames are expected to set shape their future by suiting up Zayne Parekh, Sam Morton, Hunter Brzustewicz and Aydar Suniev for their debuts against L.A. Full article on these skaters here.

The Kings on the hand have already qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and are slated to face the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. Several of their top players have been listed as day-to-day including defensemen Drew Doughty, Joel Edmundson, Mikey Anderson, center Anze Kopitar, wings Quinton Byfield and Tanner Jeannot.  It will not be a surprise to see them not in action, in hopes of being rested and ready for the post-season.

HEADS 2 HEAD

At even-strength, Calgary’s save percentage is the third-highest against Los Angeles. They average 30.5 shots on goal per game against the Flames, which is the ninth in the league. The Kings’ power play is ranked tenth based on the performance of the last 30 days. With L.A. not being at full strength, expect those numbers to be different.

Dustin Wolf is expected to suit up for his ninth-consecutive game and to his relief, his final of an outstanding season.

Meanwhile, the Kings’ save percentage is the fifth-best against the Flames of all teams. However, Calgary averages a league-low 23 shots on goals per game to L.A. Both those numbers could look also look different with a younger Flames lineup. It will also be interesting to see how the power play turns out. Before a rare two-power-play-goal night against Vegas on Tuesday, the Flames were 3-for-20 in the man-advantage.

TALE OF THE TAPE (SKATERS)

TALE OF THE TAPE (GOALIES)

Puck drops at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles tonight at 7:30 MT/9:30 ET.

The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up their 2024-25 season with a 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Pius Suter scored the only goal while Kevin Lankinen stopped 19 of the 20 shots he faced through two periods. Nikita Tolopilo was credited with the loss, as he made six saves on eight shots in the third period.

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Despite a strong first period, Vancouver was unable to gain momentum as they were outscored 4-0 in the second and third periods. The Canucks could not match the Golden Knights speed, as they fell for the 16th time this season in regulation at home. In the end, it felt as though the only people in Vancouver who had energy in the third were the fans, as they started multiple chants near the end of the game.

Games like Saturday are a good reminder of how much the Canucks need to improve their roster ahead of next season. Yes, getting players like Elias Pettersson, Filip Chytil, and Tyler Myers will help, but the difference in speed and skill was on full display during the 4-1 loss. Despite neither team having anything to play for, Vancouver was still outshot 29-17, with the team once again recording more missed shots (20) than those that hit the net.

Shifting off the ice, Saturday was long-time equipment manager Pat O'Neill's final game with the organization. O'Neill has been working in the NHL for over 40 years, and has been with the Canucks since the late 80's. Not only did O'Neill receive a standing ovation, but every player on the Golden Knights roster ensured they went by the bench after the game to shake his hand.

"He's just a terrific person," said Quinn Hughes post-game. "We've had some great years, some tough years here through the six years I've been here. He's one guy that, no matter what, you come in and he's got a smile on his face. He's the same person to everyone. He acts the same every single day. So he's a legend in Vancouver, a pillar for the organization. He's seen so much, so many great players, great people, coaches and captains. He's definitely a legend here, and he'll be missed. I talked to him today. I know he's planning to still be around the rink a little bit. It's gonna be probably hard to go cold turkey for him, but yeah, just a tremendous, tremendous human being."

In the end, Vancouver's season ends with more questions than answers. They will miss the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five seasons, and may be on the verge of losing key contributors in free agency in Brock Boeser, Pius Suter, Derek Forbort and Rick Tocchet. Ultimately, the next few months will be challenging for the organization as this management group looks to build a roster that can compete for a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Stats and Facts:

- Pius Suter sets a new career high with 25 goals
- Conor Garland hits the 50-point mark for the second time in his career
- Kiefer Sherwood finishes the season with 462 hits
- The Vancouver Canucks finish the 2024-25 season with a 38-30-14 record

Scoring Summary:

1st Period:

8:23- VAN: Pius Suter (25) from Conor Garland and Nils Höglander

2nd Period:

18:33- VGK: Victor Olofsson (15) from William Karlsson and Shea Theodore

3rd Period:

7:59- VGK: Pavel Dorofeyev from Victor Olofsson and Ben Hutton
10:45- VGK: Jack Eichel (28) from Ben Hutton and Brett Howden
18:28- VGK: Cole Schwindt (1) from Shea Theodore (ENG)

Up Next:

Year End Media- Friday, April 18, 2025

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.