Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf, who turns 24 on April 16.

Wolf is the fifth-fastest American-born rookie goalie to hit 20 wins in a season. He was the goaltender of the year in the CHL in 2020, the AHL in 2022 and 2023 and the AHL's MVP in 2023.

Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media.  And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.      

With this season’s goal now out of reach, the Calgary Flames are looking toward the future. 

Flames fans should get a good look at as many as four first-timers who may make their NHL debuts on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena in California.

The sting of playoff elimination still fresh after Tuesday night’s disappointing news that the Flames were ousted by the second intermission of their comeback win over the Vegas Golden Knights, the Flames called up defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz and centre Sam Morton from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers on Wednesday. 

With prospects Zayne Parekh and Aydar Suniev already inked to their entry level deals and having joined the Flames in recent weeks following the end of their own seasons, it is anticipated they will all suit up in the season finale. 

Interestingly, Thursday’s game is a do-over for the game that was originally scheduled for Jan. 8 but had to be rescheduled because of the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. So the ‘bonus’ game offers a real glimpse into the future for the Flames with a chance to see prospects in NHL action. 

None are more anticipated than Parekh — last spring’s top Flames pick at No. 9 overall in the NHL draft. Parekh had an incredible junior season and is in the odd position of either having to play in the NHL or the CHL next year with the AHL’s Wrangler’s not an option because of his age and junior experience under the current rules. 

Brzustewicz has five goals and 31 points in 69 games with the Wranglers so far in his first professional season. The 20-year-old is a third-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks but came to Calgary in the Elias Lindholm trade last season. He was a standout junior blueliner with 92 points in 67 games for the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers in 2023-24 before graduating to the AHL this season.  

Morton is an older prospect at 25 after being signed out of the NCAA ranks just over a year ago. He was a strong performer in Penticton this past fall and has 20 goals and 45 points in 69 games with the Wranglers in his first full pro season. He’s a natural centre who was the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s player of the year and a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2024 while starring for Minnesota State University – Mankato.

Suniev has stomed up the prospect rankings in recent months. The 20-year-old Russian posted 20 goals and 18 assists in 35 games for the University of Massachusetts Amherst — who upset the No. 3-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Fargo Regional Semifinals in NCAA action before inking his NHL deal. 

On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins took the ice for what will be their final full practice for the 2024-25 season. 

And there were a few notable absences. 

Forward Kevin Hayes - who also missed Tuesday's practice - is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and did not skate. And defenseman Kris Letang - fresh off successful surgery to repair a hole in his heart - also did not participate.

Head coach Mike Sullivan said that Letang's surgery was not reactionary and that it has been in the works for a while. He is expected to be in recovery for 4-6 weeks. 

"This wasn't a reaction to anything from an injury most recently," Sullivan said. "This is something that Kris and the medical team have discussed for a long time. Given the circumstance with Kris right now, he's banged up, dealing with a lot of bumps and bruises... we collectively thought as a group that it made the most sense to have the procedure done at this particular time.

"So, it wasn't anything that caused it. It was just something that's been an ongoing discussion for a long period of time now, and we just felt that this was the opportune time to do it."

Teammates also reacted to the news of Letang's surgery and commented on the resiliency that the veteran defenseman - who turns 38 next week - has shown throughout his career.

"His ability to keep himself in peak physical condition separates him from a lot of people and allows him to be as good as he is," longtime teammate Bryan Rust said. "And as long as he's been that good and played so many minutes, I think his conditioning level and his commitment to health and nutrition and making sure his body is as good as it can be... it shows."

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.

Defenseman Erik Karlsson mentioned that he had talked to Letang and that his fellow blueliner was at the rink on Wednesday - which came as no surprise.

"He was in here today and seemed in a good spirit," Karlsson said. "I'm happy everything went well, and like they said, hopefully it's 4-6 [weeks], and he can keep doing his thing.

"He's a maniac. I was kind of expecting to see him yesterday, to be honest."

---

-  Defenseman P.O Joseph - out since took line rushes and skated in a full-contact capacity for the second consecutive day.

And also - for the second consecutive day - he took line rushes as a forward on a fourth line with Vasily Ponomarev and Valtteri Puustinen.

If Hayes is out for tomorrow's game, the Penguins - without an emergency recall - will not have enough forwards to ice 12. If Joseph is available, don't be surprised to see him slotted into the lineup as a forward for the first time in his NHL career.

---

-  When asked about his no-movement clause expiring this summer, Rust remained staunch on his desire to remain in Pittsburgh for, at least, years 4-6 of his current contract:

"Yeah. I will say it to you guys, too. I don't want to leave here. This is home for me, this is where I intend to be, where I want to be, and, obviously... we'll talk more about that Friday [on locker cleanout day]."

---

Sidney Crosby Named 'Most Complete Player' For Sixth Consecutive Season In NHLPA Player PollFor the sixth consecutive season, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has earned a prestigious honor from his NHL peers.

-  I also asked Karlsson about Crosby being named in the NHLPA's Annual Players Poll as the league's most complete player for the sixth consecutive season.

"Did you say it was six years in a row?" Karlsson said. "I would have guessed it would have been, you know, 18 or 19. I think I voted for him every single year I've been in this league.

"For me, it was even easier to vote this year now that he's my teammate. When you know him and the effort he puts into this game and how much he dedicates himself to the sport of hockey and this organization and this team, and himself... nothing surprising for me."

---

-  In his post-practice press conference, Sullivan was asked about whether or not he and POHO/GM Kyle Dubas have had discussions about trying to model the Washington Capitals' rebulid on-the-fly strategy. 

His answer was pretty interesting:

 “We’ve certainly had discussions about where we’re at and strategizing on where we want to go and how to get there. And there’s different ways to do that. There are some teams that want to strip the team right down to the studs. That’s one strategy. There’s others that have reshaped their teams on-the-fly. Washington is an example of that. There’s a number of those examples. I know Kyle’s done a deep dive on all of those different examples, and then looking at our team and trying to strategize as a group on what makes the most sense for this organization and where we’re at right now and how to return this group to a Stanley Cup contender and a competitive organization. 
I guess that’s a long-winded answer, but the answer is, yes, we have had those discussions over the last year-plus on what it should look like and what, potentially, we’re able to do and how we’re going to go about doing it.”

-

In case folks haven't noticed, the Penguins have not "stripped the team to the studs." Read into this quote what you will, but I think it's safe to ascertain that the Penguins are exploring how to get this thing accomplished as quickly as possible.

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.

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!     

Welcome to the last edition of the NHL power rankings for the 2024-25 season. Thanks for following along in what has been another unpredictable and exciting season. 

The Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals have ranked first and second for much of the season, even though neither was considered a top-tier contender. Yet, here we are, one day away from the last day of the regular season with the Jets winning their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy and the Capitals clinching the Eastern Conference title.

What’s left? Aside from wondering when the Canadiens will clinch the final spot in the East – or how the Blue Jackets will steal it from right under their noses – the last thing to do is to name the MVP for each team this season.

1. Winnipeg Jets (55-22-4, +85. Previous: 1)

The Jets have allowed the fewest goals this season. With already the fourth-highest single-season wins total in the cap era, Connor Hellebuyck is not only a shoo-in for the Vezina, but he also could be the first goalie since Carey Price since 2014-15 to win the Hart as NHL MVP.

2. Washington Capitals (51-21-9, +59. Previous: 2)

The sentimental pick would be Alex Ovechkin, and truly, he’s solidified himself as the greatest after breaking the all-time goals record. But every triggerman also needs a good set-up man. Dylan Strome is one of five Caps forwards slated to play all 82 games and will finish the season as the Capitals’ top scorer with career highs across the board.

3. Vegas Golden Knights (49-22-10, +53. Previous: 4)

Jack Eichel has blossomed into an elite, top-tier, two-way superstar for the Knights. He’s scored nearly 30 points more than the next highest scorer, Mark Stone, and has also played the most games since his breakout 2018-19 season with the Sabres. 

4. Los Angeles Kings (48-24-9, +48. Previous: 5)

It’s difficult to pinpoint a singular player on such a balanced team. The Kings’ two stalwarts have been captain Anze Kopitar, who’s on the shortlist for another Selke Trophy, and Darcy Kuemper, who’s quietly had a terrific season. The last time Kuemper won 30 games and finished with a save percentage above .920 was his Cup win in 2022 with the Avs. Foreshadowing?!  

5. Colorado Avalanche (49-29-4, +43. Previous: 3)

Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon are nearly inseparable as a unit and deservedly share the recognition for how they’ve carried the Avalanche. Even when the Avs made the shocking decision to trade Mikko Rantanen, they barely missed a beat thanks to their two play-driving superstars.

6. Toronto Maple Leafs (51-26-4, +36. Previous: 7)

Mitch Marner reached the century mark, and he’s been the Leafs’ most consistent and reliable player all season. It’s very conceivable he finishes top-three in Selke voting for the second time in three seasons.

7. Tampa Bay Lightning (47-26-8, +79. Previous: 9)

How crazy is it that Nikita Kucherov can win consecutive Art Ross Trophies and not win any other major award? Kucherov’s 1.56 point-per-game average over the past five seasons trails only Connor McDavid. He has the highest career point-per-game average among all Russian-born NHL players and will soon become just the sixth to score 1,000 points. 

8. Florida Panthers (47-31-4, +29. Previous: 11)

Sam Reinhart just quietly does his thing, notching his fourth straight 30-goal season even with Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk missing significant time. He ranks first among Panthers forwards in ice time per game and plays an important role on their penalty kill and power play. 

9. Carolina Hurricanes (47-28-5, +37. Previous: 8)

It feels like it’s Sebastian Aho every year, and rightfully so. He’s led the Hurricanes in scoring in all but two (!) seasons since joining the team in 2016-17.

NHL Playoffs: Six Teams That Can't Afford An Early ExitThe stakes are too high for some of the NHL’s top playoff teams to go home early.

10. Dallas Stars (50-25-6, +57. Previous: 6)

With so much star power up front, we’re going slightly off the board here with Thomas Harley, who leads all Stars defensemen in nearly every single statistical category. Since Miro Heiskanen’s game on Jan. 28, Harley has scored 27 points, including 12 on the power play, in 29 games while averaging 25 minutes per game. The Stars' defense would be in shambles without him picking up the slack.

11. Edmonton Oilers (47-29-5, +20. Previous: 10)

Leon Draisaitl is the top challenger to Connor Hellebuyck for the Hart Trophy. With Connor McDavid having a subpar season – for his standards – Draisaitl has picked up the slack with his third 50-goal campaign in four seasons and become just the third player not named Ovechkin, Crosby, Stamkos or Matthews to win the Rocket Richard in the past 15 seasons.

12. St. Louis Blues (44-30-8, +21. Previous: 12)

It’s easily Robert Thomas, one of the league’s top playmakers and premier No. 1 pivot that nobody really talks about. He’s just one of five forwards (Kucherov, MacKinnon, McDavid, Pastrnak) to score at least 20 goals and 60 assists in each of the past two seasons. 

13. Ottawa Senators (44-30-7, +7. Previous: 13)

Tim Stutzle has faded a little down the stretch with just five goals in 22 games, but he will finish as their top scorer for the second time in three seasons. He is the team leader in even-strength points (45), power-play points (31) and average ice time among forwards (19:50).

14. New Jersey Devils (42-32-7, +23. Previous: 15)

There is a very, very strong case for Nico Hischier to win the Selke. Along with his 35 goals, he plays tough matchups with lots of defensive-zone starts, has excellent underlying possession numbers, gets a lot of ice time on the league’s second-ranked PK, and ranks first in faceoffs taken and second in faceoffs won. 

15. Minnesota Wild (45-30-7, -11. Previous: 16)

It’s easily Kirill Kaprizov had he not missed half the season, but Filip Gustavsson’s big bounce-back season is arguably the biggest reason why the Wild are where they are right now. Gustavsson solidified himself as the team’s No. 1 and ranks tied-sixth in wins (31), third in saves (1,547) and sixth in minutes played (3423:35). Did I mention he’s also scored a goal?

16. Columbus Blue Jackets (39-33-9, even. Previous: 19)

If Zach Werenski doesn’t finish at least second in Norris Trophy voting, we’re not watching the same game. If the Jackets clinch the last playoff spot – and given the way things are trending, it’s very, very possible – does that tip the scales in Werenski’s favor to win the Norris? P.S. It’s a small source of pride that the power rankings has quite accurately reflected the 16 playoff teams before the end of the regular season in the past couple of seasons – don’t disappoint me, Columbus. 

17. Montreal Canadiens (39-31-11, -22. Previous: 14)

The Habs have been streaky and they’re taking forever to clinch a playoff spot, but the one constant this season has been Nick Suzuki. We could argue that Lane Hutson’s contributions have completely changed the Canadiens’ dynamic on offense, but they’re not in this spot without the steady guidance and clutch scoring from their captain.

Canadiens And Blue Jackets Have Divergent Expectations With Playoff Spot On The LineAnyone who suggested prior to the season that the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets would be battling for the final playoff spot in the final days of the 2024-25 campaign might have been laughed out of the room.

18. Calgary Flames (40-27-14, -17. Previous: 18)

Dustin Wolf’s incredible rookie season – in any other season, he’d be a lock for the Calder – is just another feather in his cap for an undersized goalie nobody (except maybe himself) expected to be this good. There are shades of Miikka Kiprusoff here, another undersized goalie picked late in his draft year who dominated in other leagues before dominating the NHL. 

19. Utah Hockey Club (38-31-13, -10. Previous: 17)

You can tell Clayton Keller was doing his darndest to carry this team into the playoffs in its inaugural season in Utah. He set career highs in assists and points and also finished nearly 30 points ahead of their next top scorers, Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz, who also wouldn’t have put up the numbers they did without playing with Keller.

20. Vancouver Canucks (38-29-14, -14. Previous: 20)

It’s a crying shame the Canucks wasted another brilliant season from Quinn Hughes, who could still finish as high as third in Norris voting despite missing 14 games. He ranks third in even-strength points (47), second in power-play points (29), and second ice time per game (25:44) among defensemen. He’s their biggest play driver and the Canucks rate out as a mediocre club without him on the ice.

21. Detroit Red Wings (38-35-7, -23. Previous: 23)

Someone other than Dylan Larkin has to really step up because this supposed brilliant Yzerplan is really getting long in the tooth. Lucas Raymond will finish as the team’s scoring leader but his impact still doesn’t quite rival Larkin’s, who plays more minutes and often in tougher situations. 

22. Buffalo Sabres (35-39-7, -21. Previous: 21)

Rasmus Dahlin is getting so little attention he’s really entering underrated territory even though he’s a top-10 defenseman. He will likely finish top-five in scoring among defensemen in the league and currently leads all Sabres defenseman with a plus-11 rating on a team that has a minus-21 goal differential.

23. Philadelphia Flyers (33-38-10, -47. Previous: 27)

It’s Travis Konecny almost by default in a season where the Flyers really took a step back. He was one of their few constants all season and ranks 11th in ice time among all forwards. Over the past three seasons, Konecny is the only Flyer to have scored more than 200 points, and only one other active Flyer, Owen Tippett, has more than 100. 

24. New York Rangers (38-36-7, -3. Previous: 24)

The Rangers would be a lottery team without Igor Shesterkin, who’s saddled with a team that needs significant changes in just about every area except the crease. Per naturalstattrick.com, Shesterkin has the second-highest expected goals against and the most high-danger shots faced at 5-on-5, and yet the Rangers are just slightly below average ranking 21st in goals against per game. 

25. Anaheim Ducks (35-37-9, -41. Previous: 22)

For the first time in four seasons, no Duck will score 60 points, which means Lukas Dostal is the MVP almost by default. His play trailed off after a brilliant start to the season (.945 SP in October) but, for the most part, he was a big reason why the Ducks were able to stay competitive in most games. Dostal was able to overcome the fifth-worst power play in the cap era to maintain a .500 record. Incredible stuff.

26. Seattle Kraken (35-41-6, -18. Previous: 26)

Joey Daccord set career highs in starts, wins and saves. He trails only Hellebuyck and Anthony Stolarz in total goals saved above average at 5-on-5 over the past two seasons, according to naturalstattrick.com.

27. Boston Bruins (33-39-10, -50. Previous: 30)

This team is basically David Pastrnak and Pastrnak’s 17 kids.

NHL Rumor Roundup: More Speculation About The Rangers And Bruins' Off-Season PlansAfter winning the Presidents' Trophy last season, the New York Rangers missing the playoffs is generating growing conjecture about their off-season plans. 

28. Pittsburgh Penguins (33-36-12, -53. Previous: 25)

We need to get Sidney Crosby out of Pittsburgh stat, but the problem is Crosby won’t ever leave Pittsburgh. He is still one of the NHL’s most complete players and his 20 seasons of averaging a point-per-game or better doesn’t get enough respect for just how tough it is to accomplish.

29. Nashville Predators (29-44-8, -64. Previous: 28)

Filip Forsberg is absolved from the blame in the Preds’ disastrous season, scoring at least 30 goals for the third time in four seasons. The Preds’ supposed high-octane offense produced just one 30-goal scorer, and what’s interesting is that Forsberg’s decline in shot volume wasn’t picked up by Steven Stamkos or Jonathan Marchessault. The Preds offense, in general, took a huge leap backwards in terms of generating chances.

30. New York Islanders (35-34-12, -31. Previous: 29)

Bo Horvat stood out from the rest for being their most consistent and reliable player. He scored goals, took a ton of faceoffs and won a ton of them, played on the power play and penalty kill and was the only Islanders forward to average over 20 minutes per game while playing more than half the season.

31. Chicago Blackhawks (25-46-11, -70. Previous: 31)

Connor Bedard’s sophomore season was met with fresh challenges, including a mid-season coaching change, but one thing that stayed consistent was the Blackhawks funnelling their offense through their franchise player. 

32. San Jose Sharks (20-49-12, -102. Previous: 32)

Despite a bevy of losses, the Sharks were able to enjoy themselves once in a while. That’s not hard to do with Macklin Celebrini coming off an excellent rookie season. The Sharks have featured a different scoring leader in each of the past five seasons, but it certainly seems like Celebrini will be topping their leaderboard for many, many seasons to come.

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The Vancouver Canucks acquired 2018 third-round draft pick, Linus Karlsson, back in 2019. He made his NHL debut on November 16, 2023, and scored his first NHL goal on January 29, 2025 against the Nashville Predators. Now, the forward has 26 total NHL games under his belt as well as two postseason NHL games. Despite finding a goal-scoring home with the Abbotsford Canucks as the franchise’s leading scorer, Karlsson looks to find his role with Vancouver. 

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Karlsson scored his third goal of the season Monday night against the San Jose Sharks — a tidy one that involved him crashing the net to tuck home a rebound. He scored his first NHL goal in a similar manner, keeping himself planted in front of the opposing goaltender to bat in any possible bounces. 

“If you want to score in this league, you have to have some natural presence. And I love to be that guy,” Karlsson commented on Monday about the style of his goal. “I just try to find a role that helps the team. And if I can help, it’s getting me a better chance to play up here.” 

“He’s a guy that can [do that],” Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet said of Karlsson wanting a netfront role. “He should embrace that role, because he can do it.”

Linus Karlsson scores his first career AHL goal, and it’s an overtime winner for Abbotsford! pic.twitter.com/wcU6VMBiMn

— 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 Faber 🔥🎙️ (@ChrisFaber39) October 16, 2022

Tip-ins and netfront goals are something Karlsson has been practicing for awhile. In fact, Karlsson’s first goal with Abbotsford came from crashing the net and maintaining his presence in-tight. For Karlsson, carving out a full-time NHL role like this is definitely possible — he’ll just need to continue working at it.  

“I think there’s something there, [but] he’s got to get stronger,” Tocchet said. “That’s just part of the maturation.” 

pic.twitter.com/vyL6fuSlWp

— Izzy 🪿 (@izzycheung37) April 4, 2025

“I think it’s a lot of technique. I’m probably not the strongest guy, but I work a lot with this kind of stuff,” Karlsson added regarding his playstyle. “Most of the game is along the board. So really, that’s probably why I’m up here. That’s what I’m good at, like along the walls, and try to get the puck out of there.” 

Ultimately, Karlsson’s goal for next season should be cementing himself in Vancouver’s regular lineup and continuing to play the way he has since being called up this time around. If that means playing netfront and collecting as many tip-ins and rebounds as possible, then that’s what he’ll have to do. 

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.

Anyone who suggested prior to the season that the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets would be battling for the final playoff spot in the final days of the 2024-25 campaign might have been laughed out of the room.

Vying for the No. 1 spot in the NHL draft lottery? Maybe. But the playoffs? No way.

But here we are in the final two days of the season with these two very promising but very flawed teams fighting for the last spot. Montreal needs to get to overtime Wednesday night against Carolina to secure its ticket. Columbus needs Montreal to lose in regulation, and the Jackets need to beat the New York Islanders in regulation Thursday night.

Even though both teams have overachieved, the Blue Jackets' season will have been a success regardless of what happens. The Canadiens, on the other hand, face a lot of questions and a disastrous 2024-25 if they don't lock this down.

Today's video column has more.

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

The Columbus Blue Jackets have done it again. 

Last night, they beat the Philadelphia Flyers and put all the pressure on the Montreal Canadiens to win against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight. 

As of right now, the Blue Jackets sit just two points behind Montreal and have a game against the New York Islanders on Thursday night. 

If the Canadiens lose tonight against the Hurricanes, they need to lose in regulation. If they manage to get a point, it puts an end to the Blue Jackets' season. 

As it currently stands, the Hurricanes are slated to give their star players a night off as it is their final game. Based on what Hurricanes reporters are posting on social media, these are the players who aren't at the morning skate:

Here is who is NOT on the ice for the #Canes at morning skate in Montreal:

• Sebastian Aho
• Jackson Blake
• Jalen Chatfield
• Seth Jarvis
• Jordan Martinook
• Jaccob Slavin
• Jordan Staal

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) April 16, 2025

It is worth noting, just because they aren't at morning skate doesn't mean they won’t be playing. However, if they don’t, it does give the advantage to the Canadiens. That said, they are winless in their last four games. Yes, they will be hungry, but with how they’ve played recently, the Hurricanes still have a good chance to win this game. 

Carolina Hurricanes To "Rest" Several Players In Key Game TonightTonight, the Montreal Canadiens have to lose in regulation to the Carolina Hurricanes for the Blue Jackets to have a chance to make the playoffs. But that road might be a little harder tonight. 

All eyes will be on this game tonight. There are a lot of Blue Jackets fans eager to find out what happens — and fans around the NHL as well. It’s a very exciting situation to witness: two teams fighting for the final playoff spot, and it all comes down to the wire. 

It doesn't get better than that.

Led By A Jet Greaves Shutout, Columbus Stays In Playoff RaceDante Fabbro(8), Kent Johnson(24), and Adam Fantilli(30) scored the goals for Columbus, while Jet Greaves absolutely dominated in the net to beat the Flyers 3-0 and survive another day in the playoff race.  Werenski Snubbed In Player Poll Despite Norris-Caliber SeasonThe NHL and NHLPA released the results of their 2024-25 player poll — always a fun look at what the players think around the league. But this year, there were some decisions that left a lot of people scratching their heads. Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski Nominated For King Clancy Memorial TrophyThe NHL has officially announced the 32 nominees for the 2025 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, and representing the Columbus Blue Jackets is defenseman Zach Werenski.

The Vegas Golden Knights will face the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the 2024-25 playoffs.

The Golden Knights have finished the season as the second seed in the Western Conference, giving them home-ice advantage against every team but the Winnipeg Jets. 

The Wild and the St. Louis Blues have been going back and forth, each team taking and losing the first wild card spot. Both teams played their final games of the season last night and after the Wild defeated the Anaheim Ducks in overtime, they clinched the higher seed.

The Golden Knights and the Wild have played one another three times this season, with the Golden Knights claiming victory each time. The first meeting, dating back to Dec. 15, saw the Golden Knights defeat the Wild 3-2 thanks to a third-period goal by Victor Olofsson.

The next two contests were won in a more dominant fashion. Without Kirill Kaprizov, the Wild couldn't generate enough offence to keep up with the Golden Knights, resulting in 4-1 and 5-1 wins. 

Kaprizov's return to the lineup will pose a difficult challenge for the Golden Knights. In the 3-2 win, Kaprizov scored both of the Wild's goals, and he finished the season with 25 goals and 56 points in 41 games, ranking fifth in points per game. Slowing him down will be challenging but vital to their success. 

The playoff schedule has not been released the beginning of the playoffs are expected to start on Saturday, Apr. 19 or Sunday, Apr. 20.

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

A Glance Into The Possibilities For The Golden Knights' First Round Opponent In The PostseasonLAS VEGAS -- The Vegas Golden Knights are back in the postseason, a place they've become all too familiar with since arriving in the NHL eight years ago.

Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov made his NHL debut, potentially the most highly anticipated debut in 2024-25, on Monday in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored a goal and notched an assist in his first period of NHL hockey, causing many to question how he slipped to the Habs at five, similar to questions many had in June of 2024.

Konnor Smith Signs ELC With Anaheim, Will Report to Gulls

Demidov (19) was selected fifth overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft despite consensus suggesting he was the number two prospect behind San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini. Demidov scored 60 points (23-37=60) in 30 MHL (Russia’s top junior league) regular season games in the 2023-24 season and added 28 points (11-17=28) in 17 playoff games.

Demidov’s draft profile radiated talent but came with significant question marks, as did every draft-eligible player outside of Celebrini. He had creativity dripping from his pores while displaying elite puck skills, manipulation skills, and hockey IQ.

The downside was the perceived questionable translatability of his skating and production, as he had only ever played before Russian eyes, in Russia, and had played all but six games in the MHL, a league he was clearly too advanced for.

Following Celebrini’s selection at first overall and ahead of Demidov’s fifth, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Artyom Levshunov second, the Ducks selected Beckett Sennecke third, and the Blue Jackets selected Cayden Lindstrom fourth.

In 2024-25, Demidov played 65 regular season games for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL, scoring 49 points (19-30=49) in limited minutes. He added five points (3-2=5) in six playoff games. His season quelled practically all concerns regarding his translatability as he was now producing and positively impacting games in one of the world’s top professional leagues.

Demidov’s NHL debut on Monday captured the attention of the hockey world. He instantly met and exceeded expectations, electrifying fans with a couple of highlight-reel plays, resulting in his two-point night.

He made one critical error on Chicago’s game-tying goal in the third period with a pitiful backchecking effort that ended up costing Montreal the extra point.

The good far outweighed the bad and the conversation within the Ducks sphere centered again around why and how the Ducks passed on who most considered the second-best prospect in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Ducks director of amateur scouting and assistant general manager Martin Madden met with local media ahead of the 2024 Draft to discuss his team’s approach.

“It’s not about what they look like today, it’s what they’re going to look like five years from now and the impact they’re going to have on our team five years from now,” Madden said when asked about his approach at the draft.

“We’re going to go with the old boring way and say that we’re going to go with the best player available according to our opinion and projection,” he continued.

It’s clear that translatability is a considerable factor for Madden and the Ducks at the draft. There’s also always the perceived “Russian Factor” when it comes to players under contract with KHL clubs. Teams don’t have access to the development of those players as they do with prospects in other leagues around the world.

Madden stated the Ducks did meet with Demidov at the Gold Star pre-draft combine, a camp put on by Demidov’s agency.

“Five years ago, I would have said not at all,” Madden said when asked if he was comfortable drafting a Russian player at the top of the draft. “By now, we are comfortable with the process (of assessing players strictly on video). We’ve had enough live viewings of these players through Konstantin Krylov, our Russian scout.

“For me, it’s nice to have been able to get a live look in terms of Ivan Demidov. He’s still hurt, so he didn’t get on the ice. But to talk to him and so on and so forth. To answer your question, we are comfortable. It’s not a big deal.”

The Ducks ended up selecting exceptionally skilled winger Beckett Sennecke with the third overall pick. He was the draft’s “late riser,” solidifying his draft profile with a spectacular final string of regular season and playoff games.

If Madden is to be taken at his word, at the time of the draft, the Ducks viewed Sennecke as the highest projectable player available to them with the number three pick.

Sennecke (19) has dazzled in the 2024-25 season, scoring 86 points (36-50=86) in 56 regular season games for the Oshawa Generals of the OHL, and has added 10 points (4-6=10) in six playoff games.

Sennecke remains a justifiable selection by Anaheim regardless of how Demidov arrived in the NHL. Like Madden had said nearly a year ago, “It’s not about what they look like today, it’s about what they’re going to look like five years from now.”

The Ducks' decisions at the 2024 draft shouldn’t be evaluated less than a year from conclusion, but several years down the road.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are going to win their games. Their locker room is galvanized and their goalie Jet Greaves is playing as well as any goalie in the NHL currently. This is something the Montreal Canadiens have to worry about IF they continue to lose. They still hold control their playoff destiny.

Blue Jackets defenseman, Dante Fabrro talked about this scenario.

“We have to do what we can do. Just win hockey games and put pressure on them. I’ve felt we’ve been doing a pretty good job of that so far and again it’s coming down to the last game for each of us now. We were all watching last night in the hotel room and the third period, overtime and the shootout. Coming into today we knew this was a big game and we came out the winner.”

It’s about playing desperate hockey and Adam Fantilli spoke to that.

“It’s awesome. We dropped a couple of games we weren’t happy about and knew we had to win games. We are trying to do our part and doing a great job of it. Jet (Greaves) has been playing great. We’ve been in desperation mode for however many games.”

It’s simple, yet complex. The Canadiens just have to take care of business. At the very least, get the game into overtime. Sometimes that’s easier said than done and the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t going to roll over but they might sit some of their starters. There is an opportunity here. 

No team ever wants to back in. You want to go into the playoffs hot. So far, the Canadiens aren’t doing it right but they’ll get another crack at it.

The Vancouver Canucks 2025 NHL draft lotterry odds are offically set. Regardless of what happens on Wednesday versus the Vegas Golden Knights, the Canucks will finish the campaign with a 97.9% chances of drafting 15th overall. As for their other odds, according to NHL Tankathon, Vancouver has a 1.1% chance of getting fifth overall, and a 1.1% chance of landing the 16th overall pick.

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If the Canucks do end up with the 15th overall pick, it will be the second time in franchise history they select from this slot. The only other time was in 2022, when they selected Jonathan Lekkerimäki. The Swedish winger made his NHL debut this season, recording three goals and six points in 24 games with Vancouver.

The San Jose Sharks have the best odds of winning first overall this year, at 25.5%. The second-best odds are the Chicago Blackhawks at 13.5%, followed by the Nashville Predators in third at 11.5%. Teams can only move up ten spots in the draft lottery, which means even if the Canucks win the lottery, they will not move up to first overall.

Vancouver concludes their season on Wednesday against the Golden Knights. This game will be emotional for players and fans, as it could be the final Canucks game for players like Brock Boeser and Pius Suter, who are pending unresticted free agents. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT from Rogers Arena.

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Teams are built through the draft.

Like it or not, that has been Steve Yzerman’s approach since his arrival.

Since his arrival prior to the 2019 NHL entry draft, the Detroit Red Wings GM has made eight first-round selections. Yzerman has drafted Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, Simon Edvinsson,Sebastian Cossa, Marco Kasper, Nate Danielson, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard.

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

Every one of those players, minus the most recent three, has played NHL games. Most of them have been key contributors for the Red Wings this season (Seider, Raymond, Edvinsson, Kasper).

And now, two of them are closer to playing in the NHL.

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Every Expiring Detroit Red Wings ContractAll good things come to an end.

On Tuesday, the Red Wings announced they reassigned Brandsegg-Nygard and Sandin-Pellikka to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. This will be an excellent opportunity for Red Wings fans to get a first-hand look at these prospects.

Red Wings Prospects Have Golden Opportunity Ahead Of Them

The Griffins have three regular season games remaining before they enter the Calder Cup Playoffs. They play Wednesday night against the Rockford Icehogs and again on Friday. The Griffins wrap up their season on Saturday against the Iowa Wild.

Sandin-Pellikka has had a phenomenal season. Between his World Juniors performance to his milestone-setting season in the SHL, he’s proving to be an excellent prospect for the Red Wings.

Top Red Wings Prospect Surging Ahead“I love it when a plan comes together.”

The same can be said for Brandsegg-Nygard. While he didn’t set records like his teammate Sandin-Pellikka, he is one year younger, and their developments shouldn’t be compared in the same context. He recorded 11 points in 42 games while playing 14:34 per game.

One way or another, these two players can show the organization (and its fans) what they are capable of before they get a taste of the NHL.

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In their last game of the 2024–25 regular season, the Vancouver Canucks (38–29–14) will be taking on the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights (49–22–10). This is the last game of the season for both teams involved, though Vegas has already qualified for the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs and will be taking on whichever team clinches the first wild card spot in the Western Conference. 

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Since being eliminated from playoff contention, the Canucks have had their eyes on two things only — the performances of their young guns from Abbotsford, and Quinn Hughes’ chase for Alex Edler’s record for career points by a defenseman. On Monday night against the San Jose Sharks, Hughes tied the record by grabbing an assist of Jake DeBrusk’s overtime goal. Tonight, Hughes will be looking to break that record by grabbing at least one point. 

Players to Watch: 

 Brock Boeser: 

Tonight may be the final time fans get to watch Brock Boeser as a member of the Canucks, as reports have circulated that the team’s longest-tenured skater may not return to the team that drafted him in 2015. Boeser has 25 goals and 25 assists in 74 games played this season. In Vancouver’s three matches against the Golden Knights in 2024–25, he has one assist. He has had a slow stretch of four points in the past 10 games, so expect him to bounce back tonight against Vegas for what may be his final time playing for the Canucks in front of their fans. 

Ivan Barbashev: 

Most of Barbashev’s success against the Canucks has come in the 2024–25 season, as he has scored a goal in every game he has played against Vancouver. In his past four outings against the Canucks, he has two goals and two assists. Right now, he has three goals in his past five games played leading up to the playoffs. He is tied for fifth in points on the Golden Knights with 23 goals and 28 assists. 

Vancouver Canucks (38–29–14): 

Last 10: (5–3–2) 

Quinn Hughes: 16–60–76

Brock Boeser: 25–25–50

Conor Garland: 19–30–49Jake DeBrusk: 28–20–48

Pius Suter: 24–21–45

Vegas Golden Knights (49–22–10): 

Last 10: (6-2-2)

Jack Eichel: 27–66–93

Mark Stone: 19–48–67 

Tomáš Hertl: 32–29–61

Shea Theodore: 7–48–55Pavel Dorofeyev: 34–17–51 

Game Information: 

Start time: 7:00 pm PT 

Venue: Rogers Arena

Television: Sportsnet

Radio: Sportsnet 650

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.

ST. LOUIS – Not much was made of the St. Louis Blues making the playoffs at the start of the season, and coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off, it was even a bleaker look being eight points out of a wild card berth.

But 26 games and a 19-4-3 record later, the Blues have knocked down the playoff door and claimed the second wild card from the Western Conference.

It took all 82 games of the regular-season, but the Blues clinched in resounding fashion with a thorough 6-1 win of Utah Hockey Club at Enterprise Center on Tuesday.

The Blues (44-30-8) closed the season on a strong note and needed a franchise-record 12-game winning streak to put themselves in a position to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2022.

Jordan Kyrou scored twice, Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and two assists (all in the first period), Jimmy Snuggerud scored his first NHL goal and had an assist, and Brayden Schenn and Zack Bolduc each had a goal and an assist. Robert Thomas had two assists to finish the season with a 12-game point streak (four goals, 21 assists) before departing with a lower-body injury that coach Jim Montgomery called precautionary, and Jordan Binnington made 22 saves to emphatically give the Blues a regulation win that put them in no matter the results of the games involving the Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames.

And in turn, the Blues will now face the Presidents’ Trophy winners and Central Division champion Winnipeg Jets (55-22-4), with the series likely to start on Saturday in Winnipeg.

“It feels really good, and I loved the way we did it,” Montgomery said of Tuesday’s win. “We got back to who we are for 60 minutes, and the first eight minutes, I knew we were going to win just by the way we were committed to playing north and playing to the goal line. I thought our forecheck was excellent and we made them defend.”

Added Schenn, “A lot goes into it. This is what you train for in the summer, and this is what you play for all year -- to have a chance at the Stanley Cup. You just have to get in and anything can happen. We saw that years ago. We've been on a good run here and, at the same time, we just can't be happy that we're in. Playing Winnipeg, Winnipeg is obviously a good team and they're going to present a good challenge for us. But I don't think anyone gave us a chance really, where we were. I'm glad we came kept it together. They're too many good pieces in this locker room to not get in the playoffs. We felt if we played hard for one another, we can get the job done and it just took 82 games.”

Let’s five into the Three Takeaways one final time in the regular season:

* Started like a buzz saw – The Blues walked the walk and talked the talk.

They talked of coming out with a good start, needing to put the hammer down on the game early.

Boy, did they ever.

The forecheck was relentless, the intensity was high, the commitment to playing north hockey was evident from the moment the puck was dropped with the ‘WTF’ Line on the ice.

For every time Utah, which finished 38-31-13, tried to put pucks into the Blues’ zone, it was out quicker than the blink of an eye, and then the Blues would spent shift after shift in Utah’s zone buzzing and recovering.

And when Schenn made it 1-0 at 8:08 of the first period, it was the culmination of good play all around.

St. Louis goal!

Scored by Brayden Schenn with 11:52 remaining in the 1st period.

Assisted by Jimmy Snuggerud and Pavel Buchnevich.

St. Louis: 1
Utah: 0#UTAvsSTL#stlblues#UtahHCpic.twitter.com/H3Wrm1G6Ni

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 16, 2025

“All guys were contributing,” said Blues defenseman Cam Fowler, who had two assists to finish with 36 points (nine goals, 26 assists) in 51 games since being acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 14. “We were playing the brand and style of hockey that we wanted. But our start was a big reason why we were able to get that win tonight.”

And it didn’t stop.

Buchnevich, who has been on a tear since the 4 Nations break, made it 2-0 at 11:17 on what amounted to be one of the prettier passing plays you’ll see.

After Colton Parayko won a wall battle pinching in and getting it back around and behind the net, the puck went from Fowler to Thomas to Buchnevich in the bumper to Jake Neighbours in the left corner. Neighbours took a the puck off his skate, took a couple strides before finding Buchnevich at the bottom of the right circle for the one-timer.

St. Louis goal!

Scored by Pavel Buchnevich with 08:43 remaining in the 1st period.

Assisted by Jake Neighbours and Robert Thomas.

St. Louis: 2
Utah: 0#UTAvsSTL#stlblues#UtahHCpic.twitter.com/V1sB5YoNMO

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 16, 2025

“We got a quick pregame speech from ‘Monty’ and everybody pumped up and we got a good 10 minutes, score a couple goals and kind of control the game, which is what we want,” Buchnevich said.

* Power play was icing on cake – On top of what the Blues were able to do from the get-go, their power play added the layers for an overwhelming four-goal first period.

Snuggerud’s first NHL goal needed some time before officials decided there was no distinct kicking motion and it gave the Blues a 3-0 lead at 14:45.

It came off another solid passing play, led by Fowler playing it low for Thomas, who found Buchnevich, who in turn put the puck to the net with Snuggerud there, and ultimately, he got a fortuitous carom into the net off his skate for his first NHL goal.

Power play goal for St. Louis!

Scored by Jimmy Snuggerud with 05:15 remaining in the 1st period.

Assisted by Zack Bolduc and Pavel Buchnevich.

St. Louis: 3
Utah: 0#UTAvsSTL#stlblues#UtahHCpic.twitter.com/kzZ2AxETCm

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 16, 2025

“I mean, I can't score with my stick, so I might as well just score with my skate,” Snuggerud joked. “… It's nice that they called it a good goal.”

And the capper was Bolduc’s power-play goal to make it 4-0 at 19:13, not long after the Blues had 1:06 of a two-man advantage, and it was vintage Thomas again, in the left corner, finding Bolduc in the quiet area of the bumper just inside the top of the left circle and he whipped the shot by Karel Vejmelka.

Power play goal for St. Louis!

Scored by Zack Bolduc with 00:47 remaining in the 1st period.

Assisted by Robert Thomas and Cam Fowler.

St. Louis: 4
Utah: 0#UTAvsSTL#stlblues#UtahHCpic.twitter.com/ijwkAXux1D

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 16, 2025

Not even Montgomery could have scripted a better start.

“No, but this is the way we were starting games when we were playing really well,” he said. “There was a purpose, there was an intent. We got to our ‘A’ game right away.”

Kyrou’s one-timer from the low slot at 6:59 of the third period was the Blues’ third man-advantage goal of the game, leaving them with a 3-for-6 night.

Power play goal for St. Louis!

Scored by Jordan Kyrou with 13:01 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Brayden Schenn and Oskar Sundqvist.

St. Louis: 5
Utah: 1#UTAvsSTL#stlblues#UtahHCpic.twitter.com/iaR6QwNFdY

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 16, 2025

* Binnington did Binnington things – Utah, which played Monday in a 7-3 win at the Nashville Predators, was playing its third game in four nights to conclude the season.

Utah found its legs in the second period and the Blues took some undisciplined penalties as a result.

When Blues killer Clayton Keller wired a one-timer past Binnington to make it 4-1 early in the second period, it set off a set of circumstances that required the Blues’ goaltender to be on his toes.

‘Big Game Binnington’ was at it again. He faced 14 of his 23 shots against and was only beaten by Keller’s precision shot into the top half of the netting and did his best to preserve a three-goal lead at the time.

And when it got to the third period, Kyrou helped put the game away with his power-play goal, then add another to finish with a team-high 36 at 17:24 following up Alexey Toropchenko’s slot shot.

St. Louis goal!

Scored by Jordan Kyrou with 02:36 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Alexey Toropchenko and Cam Fowler.

St. Louis: 6
Utah: 1#UTAvsSTL#stlblues#UtahHCpic.twitter.com/rXrkFOTcvU

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 16, 2025

“It's a good feeling and we're looking forward to getting into the playoffs,” Schenn said. “It's important for guys like Jake and Bolduc and ‘Snuggy’ and the list goes on and on to feel what the NHL playoffs are all about. That's how you build a culture and that's how you build a winning mentality. It's an exciting time to be a hockey player playing in the playoffs.”

The regular season is over for the Florida Panthers.

For the sixth straight season, that only means its time for the real fun to begin.

Florida closed out their regular season schedule on Tuesday night, dropping Game 82 to the Tampa Bay Lightning by a final score of 5-1.

While yes, it was a preview of the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoff series between the Cats and Bolts, the game was far from an example of what those games will look like.

The Panthers knew they were locked into third place in the Atlantic Division and had nothing to play for in terms of playoff positioning, so Florida rested several of their regular players, including Sasha Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell and Gus Forsling.

They’ll look much different when they line up for Game 1 at Amalie Arena.

Let’s get to Tuesday’s takeaways:

NO MORE CRAZY SCHEDULE

With the end of the regular season comes Florida never having to deal with that insane schedule ever again.

Well, hopefully not.

Now that it’s playoff time, schedules will calm down into a much more traditional and predictable layout.

Sure, there will be the random extra day off or back-to-back, but for the most part, it’ll be at least one day between games, sometimes two, due to travel, elimination games or scheduling conflicts.

While the Panthers didn’t look particularly good during Tuesday’s game in Tampa, their schedule and depleted roster had a hand in that.

At least for the start of the playoffs, neither of those should be an issue.

“That’s an example of what nine games in 15 days does,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “I’m learning for the first time. I’ve gone about 27 seasons and I’ve never seen that schedule before.”

SOME THINGS TO LIKE

The game may have been an overall stinker, but that’ll happen when you fall behind 3-0 in the first period and never trim the deficit smaller.

Nobody was making excuses after the game, but this was one of those nights where Tampa was sharp, they were aggressive and they were getting many of the bounces, which often happens to the team deserving of such grace from the hockey gods.

Still, leaving it to Maurice to pull some positives from the effort.

‘Carter Verhaeghe looks like he's back, I loved Roddy’s (Evan Rodrigues) game tonight, I thought he was going,” Maurice said. “I thought the (penalty) kill was good when it had to be at times. We got out and I don't think we lost any more players, which is a nice change for us.”

PUMPED FOR THE POSTSEASON

Now it’s time to shift the mentality to a seven-game series. Win four before they do.

Over the past several seasons, the Panthers have earned their stripes and learned the ins and outs of how to win during the playoffs.

As has been the case in each of the past two years, Florida’s postseason roster looks quite different than it did a year ago.

The Panthers feel they’ve never had a deeper roster, and if they can get everyone healthy sometime during round one, it will be fun to see just what this group is capable of.

You better believe they’re all chomping at the bit to get going.

“I think they're excited about the start,” Maurice said. “I think we had a real learning experience this year, going through the grind of a regular season after last year, and lost some guys for big chunks of time, so it was a grinder for us, but there was lots to learn, and they stuck together and were cheering for each other, and now we're at the part of the year that everybody's really excited about.”

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