Over at The Athletic, hockey writer Scott Wheeler has been rolling out his detailed evaluations of each NHL team’s prospect pipeline, ranking all 32 organizations over the past month. The series began on March 9 with the Florida Panthers at 32nd, followed by the Dallas Stars on March 10.

Nearly a month later, Wheeler turned his attention to the Detroit Red Wings, slotting them fourth overall in his rankings. Detroit’s system is deep and loaded with high-end talent, including first-round selections and emerging prospects who project as future NHL impact players. Wheeler also broke down the Red Wings’ pipeline into tiers, offering insight into each player’s development and potential.

The first tier features the organization’s most recognizable and highly anticipated prospects. Leading the way is goaltender Sebastian Cossa, followed by Trey Augustine and defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Carter Bear, Nate Danielson, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, and Emmitt Finnie round out the top group. These are the names many Detroit fans are already watching closely, with expectations that several could become key contributors at the NHL level.

The second tier includes players who are steadily building excitement within the fan base. Max Plante headlines the group as one of Detroit’s recent draft steals while Eddie Genborg has already made the jump to North America, skating with the Grand Rapids Griffins at just 18 years old. He is joined by teammate Amadeus Lombardi, who at 22 continues to show offensive upside through his early professional seasons.

Wheeler’s Top Ten Red Wings Prospects:

1. Sebastian Cossa
2. Trey Augustine
3. Axel Sandin-Pellikka
4. Carter Bear
5. Nate Danielson
6. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
7. Emmitt Finnie
8. Max Plante
9. Eddie Genborg
10. Amadeus Lombardi

The third and final tier highlights a mix of under-the-radar risers and longer-term projects. Anton Johansson recently arrived in North America and is finishing the season with the Griffins. Defenseman Shai Buium has shown flashes of offensive ability, while goaltender Michal Pradel turned heads at the World Juniors with Slovakia after beginning the tournament as a backup.

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Rudy Guimond has posted dominant numbers in the QMJHL with the Moncton Wildcats, though Wheeler notes the strength of the team in front of him as a factor. Jesse Kiiskinen, still developing in Finland, rounds out the tier as a player with intriguing upside.

Among the honorable mentions are Larry Keenan, Brent Solomon, Dylan James, Ondrej Becher, Michal Svrcek, and Noah Dower-Nilsson, who recently signed his entry-level contract with Detroit and could emerge as a contributor in the coming years.

Detroit Red Wings are No. 4 in Scott Wheeler’s 2026 NHL prospect pool rankingsThe Red Wings have several projectable top-nine forwards, a top young D prospect and two of the best goalie prospects.

Wheeler’s analysis is one of the most comprehensive looks at the Red Wings’ prospect system currently available and reinforces the belief that Detroit’s rebuild continues to trend in the right direction.

With the top two prospect pipelines yet to be revealed, some debate has emerged around the Calgary Flames, who were ranked just ahead of Detroit. While Calgary boasts high-end talent such as Zayne Parekh and Cole Reschny, some observers believe the overall depth still favors the Red Wings.

The final two rankings are set to be released Wednesday, bringing Wheeler’s extensive series to a close.

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Stuart Skinner was sitting on the bench, serving as the back for Saturday’s game against the Panthers when a puck left the playing area and struck him in the face. It caused damage near his left eye to the point where he couldn’t play as scheduled on Sunday after swelling set in, as seen in the team’s post-game video from the lockerroom after Sunday’s win.

For what it's worth, Stuart Skinner did have an abrasion near his left eye after yesterday's game: https://t.co/gYgCR8flcWpic.twitter.com/CGp3DyJwHq

— Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) April 5, 2026

Skinner’s unexpected malady meant trouble for the Penguins in the short term – they physically couldn’t get their top AHL goalie Sergei Murashov to Pittsburgh to join the team in time for the Sunday afternoon game, following Wilkes-Barre playing at Lehigh Valley on Saturday night themselves. For a short-term patch the Pens played Arturs Silovs a second-straight day and had ECHL goalie Taylor Gauthier serve as the backup, since it was easier to make the quick 60-mile jaunt from Wheeling to Pittsburgh.

The longer-term ramifications of that random, errant puck on Saturday could have bigger impacts. The Pens are off until Thursday, giving Skinner time to heal up. Silovs can always take the net on Thursday and if Skinner is good to go for the following game on Saturday against Washington, the incident could fade away as a minor footnote.

There’s another path available as well, as seen from this morning’s transaction to officially call up Murashov from the AHL. The Penguins were off yesterday after playing a ridiculous 20 games in 36 days, they’ll return to practice today, presumably with a new goalie out there.

Goaltender Sergei Murashov has been recalled from the @WBSPenguins (AHL).
 
Goaltender Taylor Gauthier has been re-assigned to WBS. pic.twitter.com/40cEikONtK

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 7, 2026

The timing of Skinner’s fluke injury a few games before the playoffs looms large to potentially open the door for Murashov. At a bottom line level, the Penguins could use a goalie upgrade. Whether or not the 22-year old Murashov represents a boost in level of play is another topic, though it’s captivating to see it play out now.

The Penguins’ goalies recently:

• Silovs posted a -10.26 GSAA over just eight games from March 5th to April 4th. He managed a 5-3-0 record, mainly because the explosive Pittsburgh offense was able to outscore the problems in net. Silovs had a 3.92 GAA and .842 save% in that eight game where Silovs surrendered up 4+ goals six out of the eight times. To his credit, Silovs was better when the Penguins needed him to play a back-to-back, managing 29 stops on 31 shots in Sunday’s game.
• Skinner hasn’t been much better, posting a 4-4-5 record since January 31st with a .870 save% and 3.54 GAA. It’s been tough minutes and games, as reflected by a -0.16 GSAA in this stretch, but he’s not stopping a lot more than the average expected and the team has only won four out of his last 13 starts.

The Pittsburgh offense has done a lot to paper over deficiencies in net, the Pens’ 3.96 goals/game since January 21st ranks first in the league. Their 3.58 goals/against is down at 26th. A team can’t count on winning 5-4 type of hockey games in the playoffs and in addition to defensive details that need to be cleaned up, it’s not a stretch (or exactly a new idea) that a change between the pipes could lead to an improvement for the club. Neither Silovs nor Skinner has risen to the occasion lately and Murashov is clearly a talented netminder who has proven his mettle at the AHL level to the tune of a 23-8-3 record, 2.13 GAA and .922 save% this season that ranks second in the entire league.

The Pens have had their share of surprise late-season goaltenders emerge for the playoffs, and it’s fitting this is the 10th year anniversary of Matt Murray working his way up from AHL goalie to NHL playoff stalwart, as well as the 25th anniversary of minor league journeyman Johan Hedberg coming out of no where to lead the Pens on a deep playoff run. Are the stars aligning to see Murashov get a chance to add a chapter to that story?

We may find out as soon as Thursday, dependent on Skinner’s eye situation and whether or not the Pens even play Murashov against the Devils or decide to let Silovs keep on playing in hopes of an upturn in performance. Suddenly, and in a most unexpected way, the Pens might have an opportunity to make a change in net that could drastically change their look for the playoffs if they want to give Murashov a shot in net.

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It’s an 11-game slate tonight across the National Hockey League, with lots of stars in action. My NHL player props will focus on Cole Caufield, Nikita Kucherov, and Taylor Hall. 

Read more in my NHL picks for Tuesday, April 7. 

Best NHL player prop bets today

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Our best NHL player props for Tuesday, April 7

Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.

Prop #1: Cole Caufield anytime goal

+115 at BET99

Cole Caufield is sitting just one goal shy of 50 on the season, and he’s already set a career-high. The Montreal Canadiens star has found the back of the net in four of his last six contests, and he scored twice last Thursday against the Rangers.

The Habs take on the Panthers tonight, who are already out of playoff contention and have decided to sit a lot of their main guys for the remainder of the campaign.

Caufield has already scored once against them across two meetings this season, and he’s netted four times in his last four home outings. 

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SCRIPPS, RDS

Prop #2: Nikita Kucherov anytime goal

+115 at BET99

Nikita Kucherov ranks third in the NHL in goals, scoring 43 times in 2025-26. He’s an electric player for the Lightning, one of the top Stanley Cup contenders.

The Russian has scored in three straight games against the Sabres, Bruins, and Penguins, and none of those teams are a pushover. 

Kucherov has done a lot of his damage on the road, scoring 28 times in just 36 contests. The Bolts visit the Senators this evening, and he’s already netted twice against them this season in one matchup. The Sens are also 19th in goals allowed, giving up 3.08 per contest.

Tampa’s best player will keep it rolling here. 

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: The Spot, RDS2

Prop #3: Taylor Hall Over 0.5 assists

+105 at BET99

Taylor Hall has carved out a nice role for himself as an experienced veteran on the Hurricanes. He’s scored 16 goals and tallied 28 assists this season for a total of 44 points in 77 contests.

Hall has cashed the Over in points in three straight, most recently scoring on Sunday against Ottawa. 

The 34-year-old is up against one of his former teams in the Bruins tonight, and he’s already collected two points in two meetings with them.

Hall is much more productive at home, notching 29 points in 40 games. That’s compared to only 15 points in 37 contests on the road. 

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NESN, FDSN SO

These props are available now at BET99, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The 2024-25 season did not treat Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen kindly. The 27-year-old goaltender finished this past campaign with a 24-24-5 record, an .887 save percentage, and a 3.20 goals-against average. 

With how last season went for Luukkonen, some had questions about his future with the Sabres. While this was the case, there is no question that he has silenced his critics with his play this season.

Luukkonen has been one of the Sabres' big reasons for their major turnaround this season. In 33 games this season with Buffalo, he has a 20-9-3 record, a .911 save percentage, and a 2.55 goals-against average. With this, he has not only had a bounce-back season with the Sabres but has been among the NHL's top goaltenders.

Luukkonen is only continuing to impress as the season rolls on, too. In his most recent start against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, he stopped 23 out of 25 shots in Buffalo's big 4-2 win. 

Overall, it is hard not to be happy with Luukkonen's play this season. He has been taking his game to a new level for the Sabres, and it will be fascinating to see how he finishes off the campaign from here. 

For one last time this season, the Montreal Canadiens will take on the defending champions, the Florida Panthers, on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre. This will be the third meeting between the two sides, and the Habs will be going for the season sweep after winning the first two matchups. In fact, Montreal has now won seven consecutive games against the Florida outfit, with the visitors only having won three of the last 10 tilts.

While the hosts have a fantastic 8-2-0 record in their last 10 games, the visitors have a 4-6-0 record over the same span and have lost their last two games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, being outscored 14-6 in the process. It should be noted that Florida is playing without many of its regulars right now: captain Aleksander Barkov, who has missed the entire season; Brad Marchand; Evan Rodrigues; Sam Reinhart; Anton Lundell; Aaron Ekblad; and Jonah Gadjovich. Most of whom are likely to be out for the rest of the season.

Canadiens’ Laine May Not Play, But He Supports The Team
Hage Likely To Play In Frozen Four Semi-Final
Canadiens’ Matheson Quietly Having Good Bounce Back Season

Both teams had a day off yesterday and have yet to confirm who will be tending the net, but I would expect Jakub Dobes to be back in the net after Jacob Fowler lost 3-0 to the New Jersey Devils in his last outing. The Czech netminder has won his only game against the Cats, shutting them out 4-0 in his NHL debut back in December 2024. As for Fowler, he has never faced them since Samuel Montembeault was on duty for both games against his former team this season.

Meanwhile, Sergei Bobrovsky has a 16-10-1 record against the Canadiens with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage, while backup Daniil Tarasov is 0-1-1 with a 2.72 GAA and a .897 SV. The backup was in net for the Cats’ last game, so the smart money is on Bobrovsky being back between the pipes, eager to bounce back after being yanked in a 9-4 loss against Pittsburgh.

Up front, fans and media alike are still on the “Cole Caufield 50-goal watch”, and the sniper has put up 14 points in 16 duels against the Cats, including eight goals, but only one of those was scored against Bobrovsky. Brendan Gallagher remains the Canadiens’ most productive player against Florida with 24 points in 42 games, but captain Nick Suzuki is fast catching up with 23 points in just 21 games. That bodes well for Suzuki, who currently has 95 points and just needs one to tie Pierre Turgeon as the Canadiens’ captain who has put up the most points in a single season with 96 in 1995-96. With five games to go, chances are Suzuki would also like to reach the century mark, and a depleted Panthers side might just be exactly what the doctor ordered. Finally, Josh Anderson is tied with Caufield as the Habs’ third most productive player against the visitors, but he needed 25 games to register his 14 points.

As for the visitors, uber pest Matthew Tkachuk is their most productive player against Montreal with 28 points in just 26 games, followed by Sam Bennett, who has 24 points in 30 games and Seth Jones, who has 15 points in 28 tilts. Reinhart, Ekblad and Marchand would all have been up there, but as mentioned earlier, they are all out of commission.

Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch the game on RDS, TSN2, and SCRIPPS. Eric Furlatt and Justin Kea are set to officiate, while Trent Knorr and Jeremy Faucher will be the linemen. The Canadiens are currently third in the Atlantic Division, two points behind the Buffalo Sabres and the Tampa Bay Lightning, who now both have 102 points thanks to the Sabres’ 4-2 win over the Bolts on Monday night. As for the Carolina Hurricanes, they lead the Eastern Conference with 104 points, and are still mathematically catchable.

---

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The Vancouver Canucks (22-46-8) hit the ice on Tuesday as they battle the Vegas Golden Knights (35-26-16). The Canucks will be looking for an elusive home win, as they have just eight in 39 games at Rogers Arena this season. As for the Golden Knights, they have been on a roll of late as they enter Tuesday with three-straight victories. 

For Vancouver, the power play will be a focus. The Canucks have scored with the man advantage in the last five games and seven of the past eight. At this stage of the season, it is a positive to see the power play clicking, as it means Vancouver's top players are finding the back of the net. 

As for second periods, they remain a topic of discussion surrounding the team. The Canucks have allowed a goal in the second period in each of the past 22 games and lead the NHL with 111 allowed in the middle frame. While Vancouver won't set the record for goals allowed in the second period, they are well on their way to the most against in the 21st Century. 

Players To Watch:

Marco Rossi:

Marco Rossi has been a bright spot over the past few weeks. He is contributing to the power play and is showing he can be an impactful second-line center. If the Canucks have eyes on a win on Tuesday, they will need a big performance from Rossi both with the man advantage and at even strength. 

Mark Stone:

Mark Stone continues to be Vegas' heartbeat. The Olympian is up to 67 points in 55 games, which includes 24 goals. With points in each of his last three games, odds are Stone will once again find his way onto the scoresheet. 

Vancouver Canucks (22–46–8): 

Points: 

Elias Pettersson: 15–33–48

Filip Hronek: 8–38–46

Brock Boeser: 21–23–44

Jake DeBrusk: 19–19–38

Linus Karlsson: 15-18-33

Goaltenders: 

Kevin Lankinen: 9–26–5

Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1

Nikita Tolopilo: 5–9–2

Jiří Patera: 0–1–0

Vegas Golden Knights (35–26–16): 

Points: 

Jack Eichel: 25-57-82

Mitch Marner: 23-54-77

Mark Stone: 24-43-67

Pavel Dorofeyev: 35-26-61

Ivan Barbashev: 22-36-58

Goaltenders: 

Akira Schmid: 16-10-6

Adin Hill: 10-9-5

Carter Hart: 7-3-3

Carl Lindbom: 2-4-2

Game Information: 

Start time: 7:00 pm PT 

Venue: Rogers Arena 

Television: Sportsnet

Radio: Sportsnet 650 

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Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

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EAST MEADOW, NY -- Top forward prospect Victor Eklund could be a call-up option for the New York Islanders before the season comes to a close, per general manager Mathieu Darche. 

"We're looking at everything for sure," Darche said as his team tries to recover from a four-game slide to get back into a playoff spot with four games to go. "Eklund has done really well in Bridgeport. Obviously, he's put up points. There are other aspects of the game. Obviously, there's a first adjustment. What makes the adjustment maybe a bit easier for him is that he played against men this year in the SHL."

Through his first four AHL games, the Islanders' second of three first-round picks at the 2025 NHL Draft (No. 16) has recorded six assists.

The Islanders Eklund Question Begins To EmergeThe Islanders need a spark — and Victor Eklund might be it. Should New York call up the 19-year-old with the playoffs at stake?

But, as Darche said, it's more about points, and well, he's been really strong in all three zones. He has a tremendous grasp of where he needs to be positioned, too, and he's got a drive, a motor that will make him a fan favorite. 

Eklund, who signed his three-year entry-level deal last August, is eligible to be recalled without the Islanders having to make any kind of roster moves. 

The first season of his ELC will slide if he plays fewer than 10 NHL games, including the postseason, if the Islanders qualify. 

Even if recalled, the 19-year-old will be eligible for the AHL Playoffs.

If not this season, Eklund will be a player to watch at training camp, as he'll certainly be fighting for a roster spot ahead of the 2026-27 season. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets are in the Motor City for the first of three straight road games. This game features the Detroit Red Wings. 

Detroit Red Wings - 40-29-8 - 88 Points - 4-6-0 in the last 10 - Lost 2 - 6th in the Atlantic

Columbus Blue Jackets - 38-27-12 - 88 Points - 3-6-1 in the last 10 - Lost 3 - 5th in the Metro  

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

• Columbus fell 2-1 to Winnipeg in its most recent contest on Saturday. It begins its final road trip of the regular season on Tuesday at Detroit and includes games at Buffalo (Thursday) and Montreal (Saturday).

• The Blue Jackets play all four of their games this week against the Atlantic Division. The club has earned points in 18 of its last 22 games against the division dating back to Apr. 8, 2025 (13-4-5).

• CBJ rank second in the NHL in scoring the first goal of the game (46) and fourth in goals scored in the opening period (79).

• The Jackets have also earned points in 25 of their past 33 contests overall since Jan. 11 (20-8-5, 45 pts.). The club ranks third in the league in goals-against per game (2.61) and fifth-T in points pct. (.632) over that stretch.

• The team has earned points in 10 of its last 14 road games, ranking fifth in the league in points pct. since Jan. 11 (9-4-1, .679).

• Columbus leads the NHL with a franchise-record 57 goals scored by defensemen in 2025-26 (57-133-190, 77 GP).

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

• Adam Fantilli has set single-season career highs in assists and points with 21-34-55 in 77 contests.

• Jet Greaves has earned points in 15 of his last 19 starts (12-4-3, 2.34 GAA, .913 SV% in 20 GP), ranking fifth among goaltenders in GAA and seventh in SV% since Jan. 11 (min. 6 GP).

• Kirill Marchenko has posted assists in three of the past four games (1-4-5) and is the fifth player in Blue Jackets history with 25-plus goals in consecutive seasons (31 in 2024-25; 26 in 2025-26).

• Mason Marchment has collected assists in each of his past three outings (1-4-5) and has 2-5-7 in his last six games. He ranks second on the team in goals since making his CBJ debut on Dec. 20, 2025 (14-14-28 in 34 GP).

• Zach Werenski, with 21-57-78 in 70 games in 2025-26, sits two assists shy of tying the franchise's record for assists in a single season set by Artemi Panarin (79 GP in 2018-19) and matched by the defenseman in 2024-25 (81 GP). He's also two points away from becoming the third American-born defenseman in NHL history with consecutive 80-point campaigns (Brian Leetch, 1990-91 - 1991-92 with NYR; Phil Housley, 1991-92 - 1992-93 with WPG).

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 19.5% - 21st in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 76.3% - 27th in the NHL
• Goals For - 236 - 18th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 234 - 22nd in the NHL   

Red Wings Stats

• Power Play - 22.0% - 13th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 77.3% - 25th in the NHL
• Goals For - 223 - 22nd in the NHL
• Goals Against - 231 - 12th in the NHL

Series History vs. The Red Wings

• Columbus is 49-52-1-15 all-time, and 21-28-0-8 all-time in Detroit.
• Columbus has earned points in four-straight meetings of the series vs. Detroit (3-0-1) and five of the last six (3-1-2).

• CBJ have earned points in three consecutive road games (1-0-2) and five of the past six at Little Caesars Arena (3-1-2).

• After going 19-39-11 vs. Detroit from 2000-12, the Blue Jackets are 30-13-5 since the 2012-13 campaign.

• The road team has recorded points in 10 of the last 12 games of the series dating back to Apr. 9, 2022 (7-2-3).

• The teams have combined for seven or more goals in 13 of the past 16 contests, including the last seven-straight.

• The winning team has scored four or more goals in 16 consecutive games since May 7, 2021, and in 18 of the last 20 in the overall series dating back to Mar. 2, 2021.

• Five of the past six games at Detroit have been decided by a single goal with three decided in overtime (CBJ; 1-2).

• CBJ has scored a power play goal in five of the past six meetings overall (6-of-13; 46.2 pct.)

Who To Watch For TheRed Wings

• Alex DeBrincat leads the team with 39 goals and 81 points.
• Lucas Raymond leads Detroit with 48 assists.
• Goalie John Gibson is 28-20-3 with a SV% of .904.

CBJ Player Notes vsRed Wings

• Boone Jenner has 29 points in 35 games vs. the Red Wings.

• Zach Werenski has 25 points in 27 games.
• Charlie Coyle has 14 points in his career against Detroit.

Injured Reserve & Other Injuries

• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 39 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
• Damon Severson - Missed 5 Games - Upper Body - OUT FOR THE SEASON
• Dmitri Voronkov - Missed 4 Games - Upper Body - Week-to-week
• Mathieu Olivier - Missed 3 Games - Upper Body - OUT FOR THE SEASON

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 198

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. 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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One area the Philadelphia Flyers still need to address, regardless of a successful playoff push, is the center position. By the sounds of it, they'll be one of many teams queueing up to sign a burgeoning KHL star.

On Monday, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that north of 15 NHL teams--effectively half the league or more--have interest in Dinamo Minsk center Vitali Pinchuk, who had 31 goals and 66 points in 65 games this season.

And, a few hours later, Daily Faceoff NHL insider Anthony Di Marco added that the Flyers have at least some degree of interest in the 6-foot-3 center, which we can assume places them within Seravalli's group of teams as well.

Pinchuk, 24, has steadily improved each year he's been in the KHL, progressing from zero points in 12 games in 2021-22, to 14 points in 61 games in 2022-23, to 43 points in 66 games last year, to 66 points in 65 games this year.

Not sure if it's already been said, but I'm told the Flyers do have some level of interest in Vintali Pinchuk.@DailyFaceoff

— Anthony Di Marco (@ADiMarco25) April 6, 2026

With Trevor Zegras, Noah Cates, Sean Couturier, and Christian Dvorak all in the fold for the foreseeable future, any center the Flyers sign will have to be a meaningful addition.

Pinchuk's rather steady developmental curve bodes well for an NHL future, even if he isn't necessarily a star at the end of the day.

The Flyers, of course, also covet size, as evidenced by many recent draft selections. Jack Berglund, Porter Martone, Spencer Gill, Shane Vansaghi, and Carter Amico are all physical forces who bring other positive traits to the table, be it skating, intangibles, or just raw skill.

Pinchuk, we can safely assume, has the skill, evidenced by his 31-goal explosion this year, and he's plenty big for the NHL.

Flyers' Rick Tocchet Nailed His Latest Lineup ChangeThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> are, perhaps surprisingly, seriously threatening for a berth in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, and it comes as a result of everyone pulling together at the perfect time.

It helps that the Belarusian pivot has previously played with Flyers goalie prospect Aleksei Kolosov, as well as AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms forward Zayde Wisdom.

If the Flyers need a second opinion to complement the scouting reports they will invariably have in-house, they don't have to go very far to find one.

Now that two trustworthy insiders have come together to virtually guarantee the Flyers' interest, at least to some extend, it's a situation to watch for the fast-approaching NHL offseason.

The Penguins got some seemingly positive updates on a key penalty killer just before the end of the regular season.

The Sportsnet Pittsburgh broadcast shared footage this weekend of Blake Lizotte, who has been sidelined since March 14 with an upper-body injury, skating and taking shots ahead of Sunday morning practice.

“He’s continuing to progress,” Penguins coach Dan Muse told reporters before Sunday’s win over the Florida Panthers. “He has been on the ice some, so he’s progressing.”

When asked if there is hope Lizotte could return by the end of the regular season, Muse answered, “There’s always hope. He’s progressing. It’s been moving along, in a good place, but I’m not in a position right now to have an exact date. But he’s making good progress.”

Muse not ruling out the possibility that Lizotte returns before the end of the regular season is notable because that would be earlier than his initially projected recovery timeline.

The Penguins announced on March 17 that Lizotte would be re-evaluated in four weeks, a day that falls three days after the season wraps up on April 14.

The acquisition of Elmer Söderblom, who has three goals in his last five games, has made the loss of Lizotte from the fourth line sting less at even strength.

But his absence from the penalty kill has been a factor throughout this final stretch of the regular season. The Penguins boasted the No. 2 penalty kill in the NHL (84.2 percent) until Lizotte’s injury, after which point the unit has ranked 30th with a 67.6 percent success rate.

The question for the Penguins could be who gets bumped out of the healthy lineup if Lizotte is able to return in time for the postseason now that Söderblom has made his case to stay with his size and physicality.

If Lizotte and Söderblom both stay in the lineup, the Penguins might end up looking at another winger like Justin Brazeau or Tommy Novak as the odd man out.

Either way, the Penguins will hope Lizotte’s return to skating means he might be able to rejoin the team for a potential postseason run. The team first needs to clinch their ticket to the playoffs, which could happen as soon as Thursday with a road win over the New Jersey Devils.

Monday was a scheduled day off for the Pittsburgh Penguins who are getting multiple days off between games for only the second time since returning from the Olympic break at the end of February. Over the last week of play, the Penguins won four of their five games on the schedule, and are now just two points away from clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since the 2021-22 season. If that work is not completed for them beforehand, the Penguins will have a chance to clinch on Thursday night when they travel to New Jersey.

Pens Points…

After a stretch that saw the Penguins play 20 games in 36 days, the players get a well earned three days off before game action resumes on Thursday in New Jersey. Following that, the Penguins then have another weekend back-to-back set, this time against the Washington Capitals. [Pensburgh]

While the Penguins have done their part to cement a playoff spot over the past few weeks, their cross state rival the Philadelphia Flyers have pulled themselves back into the playoff conversation, currently sitting in third place in the Metro division, setting up a potential all Pennsylvania first round series. [Pensburgh]

Rickard Rakell has been on a tear for the Penguins over the last few weeks, but last week may have been his best work yet, posting seven goals and eight points over five games to earn NHL First Star of the Week honors, making him the first Penguin to win the award this season. [Penguins]

Not only are the Penguins nearing a playoff birth for the first time in four years, they are also closing in on locking down home-ice for the first round as the second seed in the Metro. While they may not be at the top of the list, it’s still difficult to now exactly where to place the Penguins among the favorites right now. [Sportsnet]

Like Egor Chinakhov before him, Elmer Solderblom is undergoing a renaissance since being acquired by the Penguins shortly before the trade deadline. Filling in for the ever important Blake Lizotte, Soderblom is hitting a new level and will be forcing hard decisions to be made when Lizotte is healthy. [PPG]

NHL News and Notes…

Remember the panic roughly a decade ago about scoring declining across the NHL to historically low levels? Well that trend has certainly reversed and now it’s the other end of the ice seeing cratering numbers as goaltender sve percentages have hit 30 year lows across the NHL. [TSN]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adrian Kempe scored the only goal of the shootout in the second round, and the Los Angeles Kings tightened the Western Conference playoff race with a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Monday night.

Los Angeles has played extra time in seven of its last 10 games — and 32 this season.

Joel Armia opened the scoring for the Kings and Scott Laughton made it a 2-1 lead in the second period. Jared Wright has an assist in a career-best three straight games.

Steven Stamkos tied it at 1-all for the Predators and Roman Josi knotted it at 2 early in the third.

Anton Forsberg made 29 saves in the win for the Kings. Saros made 26 saves for the Predators.

The Kings won 58.3% of the faceoffs in the game.

All three series matchups this season went to a shootout, including a 5-4 victory for the Predators in Los Angeles last Thursday.

Up next

Predators: Visit the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.

Kings: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The Nashville Predators have gotten the best of the Los Angeles Kings in the shootout twice this season, but couldn't get it done in their final meeting of the regular season. 

Adrian Kempe scored the lone goal of the shootout in the second round, giving the Los Angeles Kings a critical 3-2 win over the Predators.

With the two points, the Kings move into the final Wild Card spot with 73 points and five games remaining. Nashville trails Los Angeles by a point with 72. 

Turnovers haunted Nashville, which allowed two goals in regulation. A turnover by Tyson Jost in the neutral zone led to a Kings rush the other way and a goal by Joel Armia to put LA up 1-0 in the first period.

The Predators responded in the second off a 5-on-3 power play goal from Steven Stamkos, a one-time shot to tie the game. It's his 39th goal of the season and 12th power play goal on the year.

Scott Laughton gave the Kings the lead back in the second period, off a Ryan Ufko neutral zone turnover that ended with Jared Wright feeding Laughton into the slot for the quick wrist shot. 

Roman Josi tied the game in the early third period as a Filip Forsberg missed shot caromed off the end boards and Josi slammed home the rebound. 

Nashville and LA tied in shots, two apiece in overtime. In the shootout, Ryan O'Reilly, Filip Forsberg and Luke Evangelista all failed to convert. 

Juuse Saros made 26 saves on 28 shots. The Predators had a clean sheet, taking no penalties. 

The Predators have two more games left in this road trip, taking on Anaheim on Tuesday and Utah on Thursday. They'll then return to Nashville on Saturday for a three-game homestand to end the regular season. 

Wild Card Standings 

WC1. Utah - 86 PTS (76 GP, 31 RW, 40 ROW, 6 Games Remaining) 

WC2.  Los Angeles - 83 PTS (77 GP, 19 RW, 27 ROW, 5 Games Remaining) 

1. Nashville - 82 PTS (77 GP, 26 RW, 31 ROW, 5 Games Remaining) 

2. San Jose - 81 PTS (76 GP, 25 RW, 35 ROW, 6 Games Remaining) 

3. Winnipeg - 80 PTS (77 GP, 27 RW, 32 ROW, 5 Games Remaining) 

In what was the biggest game of the season for the Los Angeles Kings (32-26-19), they came up big with a gritty victory over the Nashville Predators (36-31-10) in a 3-2 shootout. 

LA turned to its goaltending to get the win, led by Anton Forsberg, who stopped three clutch shots from the Predators in the shootout. The Kings were also great in the faceoff, winning 58.3% and forcing 18 giveaways from the Predators. 

Keep on truckin'#GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/zcZoSACOv1

— LA Kings (@LAKings) April 7, 2026

The game began with the Kings finally starting off strong to open the first period. It was the first time in over a week that Los Angeles scored a goal in the opening period and avoided the slow start. 

It all started less than six minutes into the period, with Joel Armia forcing the turnover on defense, following up on offense by skating behind the net, and scoring an unassisted goal, giving LA the early 1-0 lead. 

LAK Goal - Now THAT is how you start a game.

Forechecking has been aggressive early and the third line opens the scoring. Armia with a great shift to stay hot against Nashville, 1-0 Kings.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) April 7, 2026

Los Angeles showed up this time around in the opening period with its excellent forechecking and outshot the Predators 12-4 after an amazing 20 minutes of hockey. 

Five minutes into the second period, Los Angeles got called for a penalty after a Scott Laughton's hooking was called, and Mikey Anderson for a high-sticking right after the faceoff, giving Nashville the 5-on-3 advantage. 

The Predators would capitalize on that 5-on-3 advantage, scoring on the power play after forward Steven Stamkos converted on the one-timer, left circle, to tie the scoreboard 1-1. 

A pretty even period, other than those penalties; the Kings were hanging around and making this game interesting. The Kings only attempted four shots on goal in the next nine minutes before they regained the lead again. 

With another turnover by the Predators, Jared Wright led the way with his impressive speed, blazing down the ice past Nashville's defenders and passing the puck to Laughton, finishing in front to give the Kings back their lead. 

Laughton has now scored five goals for the Kings since the trade, and Wright continues to show he belongs on this team, adding a point in three consecutive games. 

LAK Goal - There's that line again!

Wright with blazing speed down the wing, Laughton finishes in front. 53 continues to impress. 2-1 Kings.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) April 7, 2026

Give credit to both teams for adjusting in the second period, especially the Predators, who had a measly four shots in the first period, finished with 19 in the second, outshooting the Kings 19-11. 

Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg was also great in the second period, getting the start tonight over Darcy Kuemper, who didn't disappoint. The 33-year-old got two massive saves to bail out the Kings' turnovers, holding Nashville to one goal after 40 minutes. 

The defense from both teams started to pick up in the final period. Everything was so tough, and neither team could get a good shot up in the early parts of the final frame. 

We were nine minutes into the period, and both teams combined for just three shots: LA with two and the Predators with just two shots. Both teams were waiting for an opening to gain momentum, but nothing could go their way. 

The rest of the final frame would end with both teams struggling to get a score up, and we would head to overtime, the fourth consecutive game that Los Angeles would play in extra periods. 

Alex Laferriere had a great chance to win the game with under 35 seconds left after a nice defensive stop, but a clutch save by goaltender Juuse Saros would force the second overtime in the three meetings that LA and Nashville have faced off against one another. 

In overtime, the Kings had several chances to win this game, including Adrian Kempe and Quinton Byfield getting a few close shots up, but Saros remained strong under the crease to force the shootout. 

The shootout saw Adrian Kempe score the goal in round two, while Forsberg stood strong and stopped all three shots by the Predators to win the game in a shootout. 

Key Stats

Anton Forsberg, the hero of the game with his clutch saves on defense, finished with 29 saves on 31 shots, continuing to make a huge case to be the permanent starter for the Kings moving forward. 

Scott Laughton continues to show why he was a big pickup for the Kings, finishing with 1 goal and 1 point and bringing energy night in and night out for Los Angeles. 

Jared Wright and Joel Armia were also very great tonight, sparking energy with their speed and defense. Armia notched one goal and one point, while Wright recorded an assist and a point in the Kings' victory.

Huge win for Los Angeles, arguably the biggest game of the season, and they win, but still don't have the tibreaker over the Predators, so things could get interesting. The Kings now hold the final wild card spot in the playoffs and have a one-point lead over Nashville and a two-point lead over San Jose in the playoff race.   

The Kings' next matchup will be against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday at 7:30 PM PT. 

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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Will Smith earned his 100th NHL point with a third-period goal, and the San Jose Sharks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Smith scored the winning goal on a wrist shot 3:28 into the third, assisted by Collin Graf and Macklin Celebrini, putting the Sharks on top 3-1.

William Eklund had a goal and assist and Kiefer Sherwood also scored for the Sharks.

Ryan Donato and Frank Nazar each scored for the Blackhawks.

Connor Bedard earned his 200th career point with an assist on Donato’s first-period goal. Bedard has four assists in his last three games.

Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 27 shots in the win for the Sharks. Spencer Knight had 20 saves for the Blackhawks.

The Sharks won 69.2% of the faceoffs in the game.

Up next

Blackhawks: Host the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.

Sharks: Host the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.