Category: NHL

Star Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov was a near-unanimous admission to the 2025 NHL All-Rookie Team Thursday, and he was joined on the squad by two of his biggest rivals.

Michkov, 20, was one of five players named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, and San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini were each unanimous selections after collecting 187 points in the voting process.

Michkov, with his 186 points, was exactly one point off a unanimous selection. Seems silly, doesn't it?

In addition to Hutson, who is typically the subject of online debate amongst Flyers and Canadiens fans, Michkov was joined by another Flyers villain in Cutter Gauthier, who notoriously spurned the team for months leading up to his shocking trade to the Anaheim Ducks.

Gauthier, 21, collected the third-most points in the voting process behind Michkov and Celebrini, pulling in 79 points. Trailing him were names like Will Smith (60), Zack Bolduc (20), and Logan Stankoven (16).

How Did Matvei Michkov Fare in Calder Trophy Voting?Although it was already known Philadelphia Flyers star Matvei Michkov wouldn't be a finalist for the 2025 Calder Trophy, the voting process painted a much different picture.

Michkov wasn't the only Flyers rookie to represent the organization, either. Rookie defenseman Emil Andrae earned some looks from voters, finishing with seven points in the voting process. Andrae finished fifth amongst defensemen in voting, trailing Albert Johansson, Drew Helleson, and All-Rookie team members Hutson and Denton Mateychuk.

Andrae, 23, finished his first full-ish season in the NHL with a goal, six assists, and seven points in 42 games while averaging 17:21 of ice time.

As for Michkov, the 20-year-old former No. 7 overall pick led all NHL rookies in goals with 26 and finished with 63 points in 80 games.

Notably, Michkov racked up three overtime-winners before his 20th birthday on Dec. 9, making him one of four teenagers in NHL history to have at least three. The others are Sidney Crosby, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Rick Nash. It's fair to say that this is a pretty good group to be a part of.

Michkov is the first Flyers rookie to be named to the NHL All-Rookie team since Simon Gagne in 2000, with Mikael Renberg (1994) and Eric Lindros (1993) preceding him.

For more Flyers news and up-to-date coverage, visit The Hockey News and like our Facebook page. Follow us on 𝕏: @ByJonBailey,  @TheHockeyNews

Flyers could have three shots at ‘dynamic, explosive skater' on the wing originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The 2025 NHL draft is a huge one for the Flyers’ rebuild.

Not only does Danny Briere have a lot of high-round picks at his disposal, but he also could be creative in how he uses them.

“There are all kinds of possibilities here,” the Flyers’ general manager said in April. “I think it’s really exciting going into it. It’s powerful to have so many picks like that. I think a lot of teams will be wanting to have discussions with us to make some things happen — teams that don’t have picks or teams that want to tweak things.”

So it’s a busy time for the Flyers leading up to the draft, which will be held June 27-28. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at noon ET.

“There are really good players in this draft,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said May 27 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Maybe people say it’s not a good draft; I’m not buying it. I think this draft has got lots of good players.”

The Flyers are slotted to make 11 picks, including three first-rounders and four second-rounders. Their first-round selections will come at No. 6 (own pick), No. 22 (Sean Walker trade) and either No. 31 or 32 (Oilers trade).

Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.

Next up:

Cameron Schmidt

Position: Winger
Height: 5-foot-8
Weight: 160
Shoots: Right
Team: Vancouver

Scouting report

The moment his legs start to churn, Schmidt becomes a blur. He’s lightning fast and can flat-out finish, putting up 40 goals and 78 points in 61 regular-season games for the 2024-25 Giants.

Schmidt had 10 multi-goal games and 32 of his points came on the power play (14 goals, 18 assists). He added four goals and five assists in five playoff games.

“I think he’s a dynamo,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “He’s a great athlete, great skater, he has got a wicked good shot and he can score. I really believe that Cameron, if he wanted to this year, could have scored 55 goals. Cameron was focused in on really developing his game in other areas, being a player that was not just a goal scorer and not just an offensive player. I really admire him for doing that at this young of an age.”

At the 2025 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship that ended last month, Schmidt had a solid performance with four points (two goals, two assists) in seven games for gold-winning Team Canada. He’s the 17th-ranked player in the draft on Button’s list.

“He’s a dynamic, dynamic, explosive skater, but he really worked on developing those other parts of his game,” Button said. “His path is going to be a little bit longer just because of his lack of height. But he’s wiry strong for a young player and when I talk about elusive and evasive, you have to be, you have to have separation when you’re that size, you have to be able to create space for yourself to get your shot off and arrive at the right times where there’s space. And I think he does all that.”

Undeniably, Schmidt will see his stock take a hit because he’s pretty undersized. How will his game translate to the pro level? With time, he’ll have to add strength to prove he can protect the puck and play in the trenches.

Schmidt is the 22nd-ranked player by EliteProspects.com, while NHL Central Scouting has him pegged at No. 43 among North American skaters.

“He’s going to fall into the vast majority of players that need more time, not less,” Button said. “I just see so much dynamic skill in him. … He might not be as feisty as Brendan Gallagher has shown in his NHL career, but he’s that type of player. He’s going to attack you with his speed, he’s confident in his scoring ability and when he sees an opening, he sees an opportunity, he can take full advantage of it.”

Fit with Flyers

The Flyers definitely could use more speed and goal scoring in their system, so Schmidt would check those boxes. His game-breaking ability is enticing and the Flyers might have a chance to draft him with the second or third of their first-round picks.

But the Flyers do lack some size on the wing in their prospect pool. Would that deter them from going the smaller route early in this draft?

It’s awfully tough to project if undersized junior forwards will make it at the NHL level. However, Schmidt’s strengths are high end and would be worth adding at the right pick.

More targets

• Hagens is ‘Matt Duchene type of player’ who could be on Flyers’ radar at No. 6

• Flyers would probably love if Barkov-like prospect is available at No. 6

• ‘Fascinating,’ 6-foot-5 center has tons of intrigue for Flyers at No. 6

• Younger brother of Flyers prospect is ‘complete’ center and option at No. 6

• ‘David Krejci-like’ center with plenty of upside would give Flyers good decision

• Could a 6-foot-6, ‘just blossoming’ defenseman be a fit for Flyers at No. 6?

• Will Flyers grab prospect with ‘really, really unique’ combination at No. 6?

• Reschny’s performance vs. 2024 top prospect should have Flyers’ eye in first round

We’ve got quite a Stanley Cup Final on our hands.

The Edmonton Oilers erased a three-goal deficit in Game 4, defeating the Florida Panthers 5-4 in overtime to even the championship series at two games apiece.

Just like in Game 3, it was the Panthers who got on the scoreboard first.

With both Evander Kane and Darnell Nurse in the penalty box, Florida was able to quickly capitalize on the 5-on-3 opportunity.

Right off the ensuing faceoff, Matthew Tkachuk wired a shot past the blocker of a screened Stuart Skinner and into the net to give Florida a 1-0 lead with 8:20 left in the opening period.

Less than four minutes later, Mattias Ekholm was called for high-sticking Brad Marchand, giving the Panthers another power play.

A pretty passing play through the Oilers zone had the puck on Sam Reinhart’s stick in the slot, and while his shot was stopped by Skinner, Tkachuk was right there to pounce on the rebound to give Florida a 2-0 lead.

They weren’t done there.

During the final minute of the period, Carter Verhaeghe stole the puck from Troy Stecher behind Edmonton's net and fed a streaking Anton Lundell, who made no mistake, beating Skinner and sending Florida into the intermission with a 3-0 lead.

That would be all for Stuart Skinner. He was replaced by Calvin Pickard for the second straight game after surrendering three goals on 17 shots.

Also similarly to Game 3, an early second period power play would prove to be fruitful for the Oilers.

Sam Bennett was sent off for a slash, and a quick passing play found Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at the left faceoff circle and he got the Oilers on the board 3:33 into the middle frame.

A sharp angle shot by Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse went over Bob’s shoulder and into the top of the net, cutting the Panthers lead to 3-2 with just over seven minutes to go.

Shortly after that, right off a faceoff in Florida’s end, the rebound of a wraparound by Nurse found its way to the slot, where Visily Podkolzin sent a backhand bast Bobrovsky to tie the game at three.

Edmonton nearly took their first lead of the night when on a third period power play, but Bobrovsky came up with an incredible skate blade save on Corey Perry on the doorstep.

That first lead would come for the Oilers with 6:24 to go.

Jake Walman came down from the point and stepped into a one-timer that flew over Bobrovsky’s glove, putting Edmonton up 4-3 and further silencing the sellout crowd.

In the final minute, with Bobrovsky on the bench, Florida’s final push would pay off.

Sam Reinhart found the puck at the bottom of the left circle and fired it from a tight angle into a yawning cage with just 19.3 left in regulation.

The jubilation felt by the Panthers and their fans would be short lived, though.

Leon Draisaitl found the back of the net at 11:18 of the first overtime session, giving the Oilers an incredible comeback victory and tying the series a two games apiece.

On to Game 5.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Tkachuk’s goals were his first of the Final and sixth and seventh of the playoffs.

He’s racked up three goals and 11 points over his past nine games.

Sasha Barkov had the primary assist on Tkachuk’s PPG. It was Barkov’s first point of the Final and 18th of the postseason. He added another assist later in the game.

Lundell has points in three straight Final games, with a goal and three assist during the run.

Verhaeghe is riding a five-game points streak, with three goals and eight points over that stretch.

Reinhart has logged back-to-back multi-point outings. He had a goal and two assists in Game 4.

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Jun 12, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) (not pictured) scores in overtime against the Florida Panthers in game four of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Florida Panthers led 3-0 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final against the Edmonton Oilers.

But, they lost.

Matthew Tkachuk and the stars of the defending champion Panthers smothered the Oilers in the first period.

Edmonton’s veterans responded fiercely, scoring four straight goals to take a 4-3 lead. The Panthers rebounded, scoring in the final seconds of the third period to force overtime. But, Oilers star Leon Draisaitl scored 11:18 into OT to give Edmonton a 5-4, series-tying victory Thursday night.

The Oilers became the first road team to rally from a three-goal deficit and win a Stanley Cup final game since the Montreal Canadiens did it against the Seattle Metropolitans in 1919. It’s only the sixth time in NHL history that a team has come back from down three to win a final game.

What initially looked like an easy victory that would put Florida one win away from clinching a second straight Stanley Cup final turned into a huge collapse that has the series tied 2-2 heading back to Edmonton.

“We carried play in the first, they carried it in the second,” Tkachuk said. “Special teams were good for us in the first, special teams were good for them in the second. I think it was tighter than a 3-0 period at the start for us. And they clearly took control of play in the second. After two [periods] it’s even, and it probably should have been. So, it doesn’t matter how you how you start, you’ve got to treat it as zeros at the start of a period.”

It has been that kind of series so far – an evenly matched, back and forth heavyweight fight between two extremely experienced, resilient teams. The final has been so tight that three of four games have gone to overtime, marking just the eighth Stanley Cup final – and fourth in the expansion era (since 1967-68) – to have three or more games require overtime.

Despite the loss, Florida coach Paul Maurice said he could appreciate the competitiveness.

“I think we focus on sometimes the mistakes that get made by good players at times,” Maurice said, “and you miss some of the heart and soul and the intensity of it. It’s so fast. Every board battle, everything can turn into something. ... Everything is dangerous all the time. So there’s a mental intensity, a mental toughness I think both teams show that the game’s not going to be over until it is.”

Sam Reinhart nearly saved the collapse Thursday when he scored a tying goal in the waning seconds of regulation. His score with 19.5 seconds left was the second-latest tying goal in Stanley Cup Final history. The record was set earlier in the series by Edmonton’s Corey Perry in Game 2.

Florida, who got a pair of early power-play goals from Tkachuk and an even-strength score from Anton Lundell, had never squandered a 3-0 lead in the postseason. Entering Thursday night, teams were 37-0 when leading a Stanley Cup final game by three or more goals in the first period.

After building the three-goal lead, Tkachuk said he felt the Panthers weren’t connected. Reinhart added he felt they were playing too passively.

“I think we were watching the play develop,” Reinhart said, “as opposed to playing on our toes, and that’s obviously how they got back in the game.”

Edmonton, boosted by second period goals from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse and Vasily Podkolzin, became the seventh team in NHL history to overcome a three-goal deficit in the Stanley Cup final to win.

The Oilers also seemed to get a huge boost of momentum after coach Kris Knoblauch decided to pull starting goaltender Stuart Skinner after the Calvin Pickard allowed three goals in the first period.

The good news for the Panthers is they’ve responded well this postseason following letdowns.

Florida seem to relish the moments when the pressure is the highest. That’s what the experience of playing in their third straight Stanley Cup final has taught the Panthers. And its a quality that will be needed if they’re going to regroup from Game 4’s disappointing finish.

“The more times you go through it, the better,” Reinhart said. “It’s never going to be perfect. This time of year, we’ve been here before. We’ve been through it. So ... it’s about recovering for Game 5.”

Among the 19,000-plus on hand at Amerant Bank Arena were a pair of high-profile spectators: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. The pop icon and Super Bowl-winning tight end arrived amid heavy speculation and pregame fanfare, with VIP entrances sealed off and a helicopter seen landing nearby.

Swift and Kelce were shown on the broadcast during the first period, holding hands as they made their way to their seats. It marked yet another high-profile sporting event for the couple, whose appearances at NFL games and US Open tennis matches have drawn mass attention since going public in 2023.

Also in the building were hockey legends Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Lundqvist, along with former NFL star Jason Taylor and Miami Heat veterans Bam Adebayo and Udonis Haslem.

But by the end of the night, the loudest cheers came from a pocket of Edmonton fans – and a growing chorus that this final is far from over.

SUNRISE – Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final was like weather in the Midwest: if you didn't like how it was going, you just had to wait a few minutes.

The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers took turns controlling the play, and in the end, it was Leon Draisaitl being the overtime hero yet again and Edmonton tying the series with an incredible 5-4 comeback overtime victory.

Connor McDavid came out flying on the opening shift, but Florida managed to get out without taking any damage. From then on, it was all Panthers in the first.

Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner was under siege early and made some big stops, including a massive sprawling save on Sam Bennett. Edmonton did take away the middle of the ice pretty effectively, and with the way Skinner was playing, his 'Mr. Game 4' reputation seemed to be intact.

Midway through the frame, however, Evander Kane took a high-sticking penalty and one minute later, Darnell Nurse was given the gate for tripping Aleksander Barkov. That gave Florida a 5-on-3 power play and Matthew Tkachuk made no mistake, cashing in on a low wrister after a faceoff win by Barkov.

On the other side of the rink, Sergei Bobrovsky wasn't busy, though he did make a tough stop on an Evan Bouchard blast from the point. Soon after, Mattias Ekholm took a high-sticking penalty on Brad Marchand and once again, Florida went to the power play.

On a somewhat broken play, Tkachuk got his second of the night, picking up a Sam Reinhart rebound at the side of the net and flipping it over Skinner. Things went from bad to worse for Edmonton at the end of the period when Carter Verhaeghe stole the puck from Troy Stecher behind the net, centering the puck for Anton Lundell, who popped one in for a 3-0 Cats lead. The period ended with Florida dominating in shots 17-7 and, truly, in overall game play.

There was drama to begin the second period, as Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch replaced Skinner with Calvin Pickard. The gambit apparently worked though, as Edmonton threw the game off its axis.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins got the party going on the power play, snapping a wrister past Bobrovsky almost immediately. Dmitry Kulikov later took a holding-the-stick penalty and though the Cats survived that kill, the Oilers were clearly beginning to roll.

A surprise snipe from defenseman Darnell Nurse made it 3-2, with the big blueliner going high blocker side on Bobrovsky. After McDavid nearly tied it on a gonzo rush, Vasily Podkolzin came through with a backhand off a centering pass from Nurse. All of a sudden, a game that seemed over early was tied.

Florida nearly retook the lead late, but Mattias Ekholm blocked a Tkachuk shot that was headed for a yawning cage. After two periods, the shots were nearly even. 

The Cats carried a power play into the third thanks to a late Draisaitl elbow on Gustav Forsling, but Pickard was up to the task, making a massive toe-save on Barkov. He followed that up with a couple of big stops on Evan Rodrigues and Eetu Luostarinen at even strength.

Bobrovsky, not to be outdone, made a huge save on Corey Perry during an Edmonton power play.

The tides turned again when Jake Walman stepped into a slap shot at the faceoff dot and blasted one past Bobrovsky for Edmonton's first lead of the game with a little more than six minutes to play.

With Bobrovsky pulled for the extra attacker, Reinhart found a loose puck and buried the tying goal with 20 seconds remaining.

In overtime, the teams were sharp and the goaltenders had to be too. Bobrovsky survived a scramble early, while Pickard made some 10-bell saves - once with the help of his posts.

In the end, it was Draisaitl playing the winner off Niko Mikkola's leg with 8:42 remaining in the extra frame to secure an improbable win for Edmonton.

The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Reacting To Game 4 Between Oilers And PanthersWelcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After Game 5 in Edmonton on Saturday, one of these teams will be won away from winning the Stanley Cup.

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Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After each game of the Stanley Cup final, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Emma Lingan, Michael Traikos and Michael Augello react to a rollercoaster Game 4 of the final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers.

Join the conversation in the comment section and send in your questions. They may end up on the post-game show.

Florida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers Game 4 - Playoff FrenzyWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

Stay tuned to The Hockey News and Playoff Frenzy Live throughout the Stanley Cup final.

Check out the show here.

Promo image credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Former Red Wings defenceman Jake Walman scores clutch goal in Game 4 of Stanley Cup Finals.

In Game 4 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals, played at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, the Panthers leapt to a stunning three‑goal lead in the first period, stunning the Oilers and their fans. But Edmonton roared back in the second, leveling the score 3–3 and setting the stage for a dramatic finish. 

Late in the third, Jake Walman made potentially the biggest play of his career. The 29‑year‑old defenseman originally drafted 82nd overall by Detroit in 2014 and who skated parts of three seasons with the Red Wings from 2019 to 2022.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

With ice in his veins, Walman ripped a one-timer from the point and beat the Panthers' netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, giving Edmonton a 4–3 lead. It marked his first goal of the Finals, a moment that sealed a crucial win on the road in Florida. 

Walman’s impact this postseason has been undeniable. Since arriving in Edmonton at the trade deadline, he tallied 8 points in 15 regular-season games and added 4 in 15 playoff contests, while posting a stellar plus‑11 rating, ranking among the team’s best, underlining his value on both ends of the ice.

More Red Wings:Golden Knights' Nic Hague Linked to Red Wings in Trade Rumors

His foundational years in Detroit helped shape his reliable two‑way game; analysts and coaches credit that pedigree for his composed performance in high-stakes moments. 

Edmonton Coach Kris Knoblauch has been vocal about how critical Walman has been to Seattle’s blue line, explicitly stating that they "wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Jake."

His goal in Game  4 not only broke Florida’s momentum but gave the Oilers life in a must-win game. The Panthers would go on to tie the game with less than 20 seconds left, sending things to overtime.

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The last time an NHL goaltender won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s most valuable player and the Vezina Trophy as its top netminder in the same season, the year was 2015. And the winner that season was likely Hockey Hall-of-Famer Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens. However, Winnipeg Jets star goalie Connor Hellebuyck became the fifth and latest goaltender to do so, taking home the 2024-25 Hart and Vezina Trophies Thursday night.

The 32-year-old Hellebuyck was far and away the league’s best goalie this year. He appeared in 63 games for the Jets this year, posting a 2.00 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. The Vezina win was the second consecutive honor for Hellebuyck, and the third of his nine-year NHL career. Hellebuyck put up a 47-12-3 record this season, becoming the seventh NHL goalie in league history to generate 45 wins or more, and the first goalie to do it since Washington Capitals netminder Braden Holtby did so in 2015-16.

Certainly, Hellebuyck’s post-season numbers weren’t nearly as dominant. He went 6-7 in 13 playoff games, generating a 3.08 GAA and an .866 SP. But no one could deny he was the league’s premier netminder through the regular season. Fellow Vezina finalists Darcy Kuemper of the Los Angeles Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning star Andrei Vasilevskiy also had solid seasons, but neither could compare to Hellebuyck. 

The bigger honor, obviously, is the Hart. Only seven other goalies in league history have won the MVP award, and Hellebuyck had to beat out finalists Leon Draisailt of the Edmonton Oilers and Nikita Kucherov of the Lightning. While these two players had amazing seasons in their own right, it’s hard to deny that Hellebuyck was extremely valuable to the Jets winning the NHL’s Presidents’ Trophy as the league’s top regular-season team. That’s the definition of the Hart award, and Hellebuyck is a deserving recipient.

With his third Vezina, Hellebuyck joins NHL legends Dominik Hasek, Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur as the only goaltenders to win the best goalie award at least three times since the league altered the Vezina voting process prior to the 1981-82 campaign. Hasek won the Vezina six times, Brodeur won it four, and Roy won it three. So Hellebuyck still has plenty of time to climb up that list. And there’s no good reason why he can’t do it.

Obviously, Hellebuyck wants more playoff success than he wants regular-season success at this point in his career. He’s signed to a contract that still has six seasons left at a relatively reasonable average annual value of $8.5 million. If he’d wanted to, he could’ve left Winnipeg and signed with a different team for considerably more money. But the Jets are still one of the most competitive teams in the league, and Hellebuyck is bound to get another chance at winning in the post-season next year.

For the interim, though, he’ll have to be content with being recognized as hockey’s pre-eminent goalie, the NHL’s most valuable player and an icon-in-the-making. Hellebuyck did everything the Jets asked of him this season, and the results he delivered earned him a special combination of awards few hockey players ever achieve.

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Calgary goalie and Calder Memorial Trophy runner-up Dustin Wolf has been named to the 2024-25 NHL All-Rookie Team. He joins fellow finalists forward Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks and defenceman and winner of the award Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens on the team.

The other three spots went to forwards Matvei Michkov (Philadelphia Flyers) and Cutter Gauthier (Anaheim Ducks) and defenceman Denton Mateychuk (Columbus Blue Jackets).

Wolf compiled a 29-16-8 record in his rookie season with Calgary with a GAA of 2.64 and a Save% of .910. His franchise rookie wins was just one below that of Hall of Famer Mike Vernon, who in his rookie season of 1986-87 compiled a 30-22-1 record.

The California kid's achievement is magnified by the fact that he was the fourth-last pick in the 2019 draft.

It goes without saying, the 24-year-old has the starting goalie position secured in Southern Alberta going forward.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Magnus Hellberg is on the move, as he has signed a three-year contract with Djurgardens IF of the Swedish Hockey League.

Hellberg, 34, signed a one-year deal with the Penguins during the 2023 NHL off-season. During his time with the club in 2023-24, he primarily played in the AHL. In 19 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, he recorded a 9-8-2 record, a .905 save percentage, and a 2.92 goals-against average.

Hellberg also played in three games with Pittsburgh during the 2023-24 season, where he posted a 1-0-0 record, a .922 save percentage, and a 2.50 goals-against average. His time with the Penguins ended when he was traded to the Florida Panthers at the 2024 NHL trade deadline. Following the move, he had a 5-2-0 record, a .898 save percentage, and a 2.34 goals-against average in eight games with Florida's AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. 

Hellberg spent the entirety of this season in the AHL with the Texas Stars. In 41 appearances, he recorded a 24-14-1 record, a 2.69 goals-against average, and a .904 save percentage. Now, he is heading back to the SHL, where he should be a nice piece of Djurgardens IF's roster from here. 

Report: Penguins Only 'True Sellers' On NHL MarketWith the NHL Draft and free agency approaching fast, the NHL trade market is beginning to come into focus. 

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Photo Credit: © Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Oilers' Leon Draisaitl scores OT winner again, beat Panthers 5-4 in Game 4 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Leon Draisaitl scored in overtime for the fourth time this playoffs, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Florida Panthers 5-4 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night to tie the series, erasing a three-goal deficit and bouncing back after allowing the late tying goal.

Jake Walman gave the Oilers their first lead with 6:24 left in the third period, before Sam Reinhart scored with 19.5 seconds left to send it to overtime. Three of the first four games of this final have needed extra time to be settled, the first time that has happened since 2013 and fifth time in NHL history.

Draisaitl’s goal 11:18 into OT — the fourth session of extra hockey between these teams — sent the series back to Western Canada all even. Game 5 of what’s turning into a classic back-and-forth series between two hockey heavyweights is Saturday night in Edmonton.

The Oilers became the first road team to rally from down three to win a game in the final since the Montreal Canadiens against the Seattle Metropolitans in 1919. Only six teams have come back from down three in the final in NHL history, the last time in 2006.

Edmonton is very much in it now, even after it looked like it would be blown out of the series. The Oilers fell behind 3-0 in the first period on a pair of goals by Matthew Tkachuk and another with 41.7 seconds left from Anton Lundell, which could have been a back-breaker.

Coach Kris Knoblauch pulled Stuart Skinner after his starter allowed those three goals on 17 shots in the first, when the ice was tilted against him and his teammates did not have much of a pushback. In went Calvin Pickard, the journeyman backup who won all six of his starts this playoffs before getting injured.

Pickard made some acrobatic saves, stopping the first 18 shots he faced and paving the way for a once-in-a-century comeback. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored on Edmonton’s first power play, Darnell Nurse beat Sergei Bobrovsky with another shot up high and Vasily Podkolzin made it 3-all with less than five minutes left in the second.

With Draisaitl in the penalty box to start the third, Oilers were on their heels for several minutes and relied on Pickard to keep the score tied. He turned aside every shot he faced until Walman fired the puck past Bobrovsky to silence a vast majority of the crowd and incite a roar out of the Edmonton fans among those in attendance along with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

Panthers fans had one more chance to cheer when Reinhart tied it late. Then Draisaitl quieted them again.

With Hockey Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Lundqvist also in the building, the Oilers made sure they would not go quietly and fall behind 3-1 in the final like they did last year. They forced Game 7 then but ultimately fell short, with Florida winning the Cup for the first time in franchise history.

Now each of these teams is a couple of victories away from being champions.

Game 5 at Rogers Place is set for Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT.

Oilers' Leon Draisaitl scores OT winner again, beat Panthers 5-4 in Game 4 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Leon Draisaitl scored in overtime for the fourth time this playoffs, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Florida Panthers 5-4 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night to tie the series, erasing a three-goal deficit and bouncing back after allowing the late tying goal.

Jake Walman gave the Oilers their first lead with 6:24 left in the third period, before Sam Reinhart scored with 19.5 seconds left to send it to overtime. Three of the first four games of this final have needed extra time to be settled, the first time that has happened since 2013 and fifth time in NHL history.

Draisaitl’s goal 11:18 into OT — the fourth session of extra hockey between these teams — sent the series back to Western Canada all even. Game 5 of what’s turning into a classic back-and-forth series between two hockey heavyweights is Saturday night in Edmonton.

The Oilers became the first road team to rally from down three to win a game in the final since the Montreal Canadiens against the Seattle Metropolitans in 1919. Only six teams have come back from down three in the final in NHL history, the last time in 2006.

Edmonton is very much in it now, even after it looked like it would be blown out of the series. The Oilers fell behind 3-0 in the first period on a pair of goals by Matthew Tkachuk and another with 41.7 seconds left from Anton Lundell, which could have been a back-breaker.

Coach Kris Knoblauch pulled Stuart Skinner after his starter allowed those three goals on 17 shots in the first, when the ice was tilted against him and his teammates did not have much of a pushback. In went Calvin Pickard, the journeyman backup who won all six of his starts this playoffs before getting injured.

Pickard made some acrobatic saves, stopping the first 18 shots he faced and paving the way for a once-in-a-century comeback. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored on Edmonton’s first power play, Darnell Nurse beat Sergei Bobrovsky with another shot up high and Vasily Podkolzin made it 3-all with less than five minutes left in the second.

With Draisaitl in the penalty box to start the third, Oilers were on their heels for several minutes and relied on Pickard to keep the score tied. He turned aside every shot he faced until Walman fired the puck past Bobrovsky to silence a vast majority of the crowd and incite a roar out of the Edmonton fans among those in attendance along with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

Panthers fans had one more chance to cheer when Reinhart tied it late. Then Draisaitl quieted them again.

With Hockey Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Lundqvist also in the building, the Oilers made sure they would not go quietly and fall behind 3-1 in the final like they did last year. They forced Game 7 then but ultimately fell short, with Florida winning the Cup for the first time in franchise history.

Now each of these teams is a couple of victories away from being champions.

Game 5 at Rogers Place is set for Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT.

With the NHL Draft and free agency approaching fast, the NHL trade market is beginning to come into focus. 

And it appears that there won't be too many sellers on the market. That is, except one.

According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic during an appearance on TSN 1050, the Pittsburgh Penguins are the only "true sellers" on the market this summer, while most other teams that finished near the bottom of the league standings are looking to improve.

If this is the case, that should put the Penguins in a prime position to sell off some of their veteran talent for a better return.

Presumably, Pittsburgh's three biggest trade targets are forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell as well as defenseman Erik Karlsson. Rust and Rakell each had 30-plus goal seasons for the Penguins in 2024-25, as Rust finished with 31 goals and 65 points while Rakell had 35 goals and 70 points - both primarily playing alongside Sidney Crosby on the top line.

Karlsson, 35, recorded 11 goals and 53 points to go along with a minus-24 last season, and his name has been in the rumor mill for a while.

Penguins Facing Big Decision With Star Forward The Pittsburgh Penguins will be a team to watch very closely this off-season. After missing the playoffs for the third year in a row, there has naturally been speculation that the Metropolitan Division club will make changes to their roster. 

Pittsburgh has already accrued more draft capital than any other NHL team for the next three seasons, as they have a total of 30 picks - including 18 selections within the first three rounds and 10 within the first two.

Given that the Penguins are in a "transitional" period, GM/POHO Kyle Dubas plans to continue to accrue assets while also trying to leverage some excess capital to acquire young talent. He has mentioned the RFA trade-then-sign market as something he may dabble in if the right situation presents itself.

Nonetheless, the Penguins as the lone "true" sellers in the market should put them in an advantegeous position ahead of the draft, where they are rumored to want to move up.

Should The Penguins Trade Up For Higher Draft Pick?With the month of June in full swing, buzz around the 2025 NHL Entry Draft is heating up.

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Feature Image Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Following the recent conclusion of the Memorial Cup, the 2024-25 season has officially ended for all the Philadelphia Flyers prospects.

Some prospects saw their stocks within the organization slashed this season, while others either remained neutral or showed signs of positive development as they caravan towards an NHL future with the Flyers.

Our end-of-season Flyers prospects rankings will objectively reflect that progress, or lack thereof, as we crown a new king and give credit where credit is due to a couple of dogs who like to play nice… sometimes.

For the sake of this exercise, we’ll name only the top 25 Flyers prospects, as anything more will include graduating or underachieving players without a clear path to a future in the organization. Note that these players have been ranked on their upside as well as projected NHL contribution.

Tier 1: Starter, Regular NHL Contributor

No. 1: Egor Zavragin, G

Egor Zavragin is the king of Flyers prospects at the end of the 2024-25 season. In 43 KHL games, his first season in Russia’s top league, Zavragin went 20-14-3 with a 2.50 GAA, a .917 save percentage, and four shutouts. Still just 19 years old, Zavragin added a 10-5-0 record in the Gagarin Cup playoffs to the tune of a 2.29 GAA, a .918 save percentage, and two shutouts. He was even better under pressure!

The Flyers’ former third-round pick is already borderline dominant in the KHL in his teen years, making him an easy choice for No. 1 in these rankings.

No. 2: Spencer Gill, RHD

Spencer Gill was drafted later than Oliver Bonk was and scored fewer points this season, but is rated higher. Why? For me, the answer is simple.

Neither defenseman will be a scorer at the NHL level, and Gill is bigger and meaner, making him a more friendly projection for the role they will play with the Flyers.

During training camp, I was blown away by Gill’s pace of play, nastiness, defensive stick, and tenacity. It’s a shame that his season ended prematurely due to a reported broken ankle, but I’m excited to see the progress he’s made over the last year at the Flyers Training Center this summer.

No. 3: Oliver Bonk, RHD

Back-to-back OHL champion and Memorial Cup winner: Oliver Bonk just wins. I’m not sure how good he’ll be defensively or what the offense will look like, but he has all the tools needed to become a middle-pair NHL defender down the road. That could happen sooner than later if all goes well.

No. 4: Denver Barkey, LW

Dog.

No. 5: Jett Luchanko, C

Jett Luchanko, like Denver Barkey, is a high-energy forward who can make plays offensively and plays with good details. The difference is, Luchanko was drafted 13th, while Barkey snuck into the third round of 2023.

Luchanko’s D+1 year was a marginal improvement on his draft year, and some of that is due to the Guelph Storm selling off all their talent aside from him. Plus, Luchanko played for them, Canada, the Flyers, and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this year. He needs stability and people to play with, and I’m concerned with his shooting still. That said, I’m not out on Luchanko yet, but I would like to see more.

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For me, Barkey is the better all-around prospect at this time because of that.

No. 6: Nikita Grebenkin, LW

Tier 2: NHL Contributor, But to What Degree?

No. 7: Alex Bump, LW

No. 8: Carson Bjarnason, G

No. 9: Helge Grans, RHD

I’m a big fan of Helge Grans and think that he can beat out Emil Andrae and Egor Zamula for an NHL roster spot with the Flyers this fall.

He’s 6-foot-3, skates like a gazelle, can move the puck with ease, and makes physical plays when necessary. The 23-year-old still has time on his side and just had his most productive AHL season, by far, since 2021-22.

If Grans can put it all together, he can easily steal a roster spot in the wake of Rasmus Ristolainen’s triceps injury. That could be all the Flyers need to be forced into making a tough decision down the road.

No. 10: Emil Andrae, LHD

No. 11: Aleksei Kolosov, G

Tier 3: Potential NHL Contributor

No. 12: Jack Berglund, C/LW

No. 13: Ethan Samson, RHD

I didn’t care much for Ethan Samson’s performance in camp last year, but the former sixth-round pick really opened some eyes this year, mine included.

Samson doubled his offensive output from a year ago, jumping from just 12 points in 63 games to a more respectable 24 in 69 games. At 6-foot-1, 181 pounds, Samson isn’t the biggest guy on the ice, but he’s not afraid to play with a physical edge.

It’s hard to imagine him leapfrogging Gill or Bonk down the road, but in a thin Tier 3, Samson is showing some signs of life and could eventually be a No. 7 defender at the NHL level.

No. 14: Cole Knuble, RW/C

After an underwhelming D+1 season that saw him score just nine goals and 20 points in 36 NCAA games with Notre Dame, Knuble quietly finished 2024-25 with 12 goals and 39 points in 34 games.

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Knuble, the son of former Flyers forward Mike Knuble, quietly out-produced Alex Bump (1.15 PPG vs. Bump’s 1.12.)

I think Bump plays with more offensive poise, but Knuble’s hockey sense and increasingly refined details are helping him find success in the NCAA. I wouldn’t write him off just yet.

No. 15: Alexis Gendron, RW

No. 16: Hunter McDonald, LHD

Tier 4: May or May Not Make an NHL Roster

No. 17: Alex Ciernik, RW

No. 18: Zayde Wisdom, RW

No. 19: Samu Tuomaala, RW

Samu Tuomaala is struggling to both produce and stay healthy, and I think it has significantly hampered his development and crushed his chances of making the Flyers.

The 22-year-old Finn was a candidate to sneak onto the roster last fall before suffering an injury, which came on the heels of a season-ending injury from the season prior.

Then, Tuomaala suffered another injury during this season that sidelined him from March 1. In 46 games, the speedster was a team-worst -19 and scored only 11 goals before his season ended.

It’s hard to imagine Tuomaala becoming anything more than a bottom-six energy guy with a good shot, but if I want a bottom-six energy guy, I prefer Zayde Wisdom, who just had an excellent and potentially career-saving season.

After all, they say the best ability is availability…

No. 20: Karsen Dorwart, C

No. 21: Heikki Ruohonen, C

Heikki Ruohonen looked like a nice late find for the Flyers with the 107th pick last year based on some strong international production with Finland and the Kiekko-Espoo U20s. The Harvard commit played in North America for the first time this season, scoring 16 goals and 39 points in 49 games for the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints.

Ruohonen finished sixth in scoring among D+1 NHL-drafted USHL skaters this season, though it’s worth noting that his 0.8 points per game ranked third in that group. Will Zellers was the only one with more than a point per game, so it’s hard to penalize Ruohonen for his so-so production. I like his potential as a future fleet-footed bottom-six center with that prototypical 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame.

No. 22: Massimo Rizzo, F

No. 23: Noah Powell, RW

No. 24: Devin Kaplan, RW

No. 25: Ty Murchison, LHD

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It’s no secret that Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens are on the hunt for a couple of essential pieces this Summer, a second-line center and a right-shot defenseman, or at the very least a defenseman that can play on the right side. There have been rumblings about interest in a few players, including two New York Islanders players: Bo Horvat and Matthew Barzal.

However, there’s new management in Long Island, gone are the Lou Lamoriello days, and in is former Hab Mathieu Darche. With new management comes a new approach, and while veteran GM Lamoriello was reportedly interested in moving the players mentioned above, Darche is not, according to insider Pierre LeBrun.

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In his latest article for The Athletic, LeBrun reports that Darche has let it be known to his two players that they aren’t going anywhere. The writer also adds that he believes Montreal would have been a team interested in making an offer.

Going after Horvat was a possibility we had mentioned and explored, but we wondered if he would even be available under Darche. According to LeBrun, we were right to wonder.

While the popular saying suggests that there are plenty of other fish in the sea, not all are great catches, and what Hughes and co. are after is not all that common, especially since there are many teams also in the hunt for a top six center.

Marco Rossi and Mason McTavish remain a couple of interesting possibilities to explore for the Canadiens, but the price tag is likely to be relatively high for either of them. 34-year-old free agent Matt Duchene could be an interesting option, while he’s a bit long in the tooth, he still produces at a point-per-game pace. He has already turned down an offer to come to Montreal before signing a massive deal with the Nashville Predators, so it remains to be seen if he could be convinced to come this time around.

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

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