Category: NHL

The Nashville Predators have announced that they have signed goaltender Matt Murray to a two-year, two-way contract extension. At the NHL level, he will carry a $775,000 cap hit.

Murray, 27, signed a one-year deal with the Predators this past off-season. Now, with this extension, he will continue to be a part of the Predators' goalie depth.

Murray has spent the entirety of this season down in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals. The St. Albert, Alberta native has been excellent for Milwaukee, posting a 25-10-5 record, a .930 save percentage, a 2.15 goals-against average, and two shutouts in 40 appearances. He was also named to the AHL All-Star Classic because of his strong play. 

With numbers like these, it is understandable that the Predators wanted to keep Murray around. Overall, there is no risk in the Predators signing Murray to this extension, and he will continue to be a key part of the Admirals' roster from here.

Recent Predators News 

Nashville Predators Sign Goaltender To Contract Extension

Nashville Predators Sign Surging Prospect To Entry-Level Deal

Important Predators Forward Is Starting To Heat Up

Former Predators Star Is Having Incredible Season

Flyers beat Rangers in high-scoring game at MSG, improve to 4-1-0 under Shaw originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — The Flyers topped the Rangers, 8-5, in a back-and-forth game Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Tyson Foerster, Garnet Hathaway, Travis Sanheim, Jakob Pelletier, Sean Couturier and Owen Tippett all scored goals for the Flyers.

Foerster had a hat trick. His second turned out to be the game-winner. His third was an empty-netter.

“He’s a real diligent young man, a real pro, mature beyond his years,” interim head coach Brad Shaw said. “It shows in his game and I couldn’t be happier for him to get that hat trick tonight.”

Tippett added an empty-netter, as well. Twelve differed Flyers recorded at least a point. Nick Seeler had three assists.

“This building’s pretty sweet to play in,” Foerster said. “Anytime you can score a bunch of goals, it’s obviously nice.”

Couturier scored a go-ahead 5-4 marker off a rebound from a Matvei Michkov shot. Pelletier netted the game-tying 4-4 goal after New York surged ahead with back-to-back goals in the third period.

Hathaway put the Flyers ahead, 2-1, with a shorthanded marker in the second period before Artemi Panarin answered under two minutes later. Sanheim gave the Flyers a 3-2 lead early in the third period, but the Rangers quickly erased it.

The Flyers (32-37-9) are 4-1-0 under Shaw and have scored 25 goals. They have four games to go.

“I don’t know if it’s just the situation, that we’re not in the [playoff race] anymore, but guys seem to be a little more loose, aren’t afraid to make plays,” Couturier said. “The only thing that’s important when you play like that, you’ve got to make sure that you’re accountable for yourself, your teammates. When you turn pucks over, you’ve got to backcheck, work hard to get it back. But it’s nice to see guys not being afraid to make plays and getting rewarded.”

The Flyers went 2-1-0 against New York this season. The Rangers (36-35-7) have had a significant drop-off after winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season.

• A promising development for the Flyers has been Foerster putting up back-to-back seasons of 20 or more goals.

He has 22 this season after putting up 20 as a rookie.

There’s still a ton of upside with the 23-year-old winger. You’ve got to think next season the Flyers would love to see him push for 25 to 30 goals.

• Aleksei Kolosov made just his second start since the calendar turned to 2025 and his first since Jan. 2.

The 23-year-old rookie surrendered three goals in the third period. Kolosov hung in there over the first two periods. The Flyers gave him six goals of support in the final stanza.

He finished with 24 saves on 29 shots.

Panarin scored in close late in the second period to draw New York even at 2-2. After killing off a penalty, the Flyers appeared to have a bad line change, which left them with four in coverage.

Shaw wanted the Flyers to make the first period “as least chaotic as possible” for Kolosov.

“I’m hoping our guys can play smart in the first five, 10 minutes,” Shaw said pregame. “Minimize the shots and the quality of them so that he can sort of work his way into the game.”

The Flyers did not help Kolosov ease back into things. He had to face a penalty shot just 1:15 minutes into the action and then faced a shorthanded breakaway from Vincent Trocheck. The Rangers’ center buried his opportunity to hand the Flyers a 1-0 deficit at first intermission. Kolosov faced 12 shots in the opening stanza.

“I thought Koly was great in the first period,” Shaw said. “I talked about limiting chances against him and we give him a penalty shot and two other point-blank breakaways, so it wasn’t ideal. But maybe it was good for him to get right into the game like that. I thought he held us in, kept it 1-0 after one period where we were kind of struggling and kind of stuck in the mud a little bit. He gave us a chance to regroup and end up with the win.”

Rangers netminder Jonathan Quick stopped 22 of the Flyers’ 28 shots.

• With the win, the Flyers moved ahead of the Bruins via the tiebreaker of fewer games played. They now have the fifth-best odds for the 2025 NHL draft lottery. They entered Wednesday at No. 4.

The Flyers are one point back of the Kraken and three back of the Sabres, Ducks and Penguins.

“Credit to the group, I don’t think this locker room is ever going to quit and give up,” Sanheim said. “We show up every night, we’ve got a job to do. Our main goal right now is just to try to finish the season strong and end on a positive note.”

• The Flyers have a back-to-back set this weekend as they host the Islanders on Saturday (12:30 p.m. ET/NBCSP) and visit the Senators on Sunday (1 p.m. ET/NBCSP+).

Flyers beat Rangers in high-scoring game at MSG, improve to 4-1-0 under Shaw originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — The Flyers topped the Rangers, 8-5, in a back-and-forth game Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Tyson Foerster, Garnet Hathaway, Travis Sanheim, Jakob Pelletier, Sean Couturier and Owen Tippett all scored goals for the Flyers.

Foerster had a hat trick. His second turned out to be the game-winner. His third was an empty-netter.

“He’s a real diligent young man, a real pro, mature beyond his years,” interim head coach Brad Shaw said. “It shows in his game and I couldn’t be happier for him to get that hat trick tonight.”

Tippett added an empty-netter, as well. Twelve differed Flyers recorded at least a point. Nick Seeler had three assists.

“This building’s pretty sweet to play in,” Foerster said. “Anytime you can score a bunch of goals, it’s obviously nice.”

Couturier scored a go-ahead 5-4 marker off a rebound from a Matvei Michkov shot. Pelletier netted the game-tying 4-4 goal after New York surged ahead with back-to-back goals in the third period.

Hathaway put the Flyers ahead, 2-1, with a shorthanded marker in the second period before Artemi Panarin answered under two minutes later. Sanheim gave the Flyers a 3-2 lead early in the third period, but the Rangers quickly erased it.

The Flyers (32-37-9) are 4-1-0 under Shaw and have scored 25 goals. They have four games to go.

“I don’t know if it’s just the situation, that we’re not in the [playoff race] anymore, but guys seem to be a little more loose, aren’t afraid to make plays,” Couturier said. “The only thing that’s important when you play like that, you’ve got to make sure that you’re accountable for yourself, your teammates. When you turn pucks over, you’ve got to backcheck, work hard to get it back. But it’s nice to see guys not being afraid to make plays and getting rewarded.”

The Flyers went 2-1-0 against New York this season. The Rangers (36-35-7) have had a significant drop-off after winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season.

• A promising development for the Flyers has been Foerster putting up back-to-back seasons of 20 or more goals.

He has 22 this season after putting up 20 as a rookie.

There’s still a ton of upside with the 23-year-old winger. You’ve got to think next season the Flyers would love to see him push for 25 to 30 goals.

Foerster’s line with Noah Cates and Bobby Brink has been very effective this season.

“I think he has always been marked as an offensive guy, a scorer,” Shaw said of Foerster. “I’ve been impressed with how he has added to the defensive side with the penalty kill, with how responsible that line plays 5-on-5. We put them out there regularly against the other team’s top unit and they do a fantastic job.

“He’s a big part of that, he’s a big part of our defensive conscience, but tonight’s a good example of what he can do on the offensive side, as well.”

• Aleksei Kolosov made just his second start since the calendar turned to 2025 and his first since Jan. 2.

The 23-year-old rookie surrendered three goals in the third period. Kolosov hung in there over the first two periods. The Flyers gave him six goals of support in the final stanza.

“That was a crazy period,” Shaw said. “We come out on the right side of that one. I thought we made enough good plays to take advantage of what was a pretty wide-open period.”

Kolosov finished with 24 saves on 29 shots.

Panarin scored in close late in the second period to draw New York even at 2-2. After killing off a penalty, the Flyers appeared to have a bad line change, which left them with four in coverage.

Shaw wanted the Flyers to make the first period “as least chaotic as possible” for Kolosov.

“I’m hoping our guys can play smart in the first five, 10 minutes,” Shaw said pregame. “Minimize the shots and the quality of them so that he can sort of work his way into the game.”

The Flyers did not help Kolosov ease back into things. He had to face a penalty shot just 1:15 minutes into the action and then faced a shorthanded breakaway from Vincent Trocheck. The Rangers’ center buried his opportunity to hand the Flyers a 1-0 deficit at first intermission. Kolosov faced 12 shots in the opening stanza.

“I thought Koly was great in the first period,” Shaw said. “I talked about limiting chances against him and we give him a penalty shot and two other point-blank breakaways, so it wasn’t ideal. But maybe it was good for him to get right into the game like that. I thought he held us in, kept it 1-0 after one period where we were kind of struggling and kind of stuck in the mud a little bit. He gave us a chance to regroup and end up with the win.”

Rangers netminder Jonathan Quick stopped 22 of the Flyers’ 28 shots.

• With the win, the Flyers moved ahead of the Bruins via the tiebreaker of fewer games played. They now have the fifth-best odds for the 2025 NHL draft lottery. They entered Wednesday at No. 4.

The Flyers are one point back of the Kraken and three back of the Sabres, Ducks and Penguins.

“Credit to the group, I don’t think this locker room is ever going to quit and give up,” Sanheim said. “We show up every night, we’ve got a job to do. Our main goal right now is just to try to finish the season strong and end on a positive note.”

• The Flyers have a back-to-back set this weekend as they host the Islanders on Saturday (12:30 p.m. ET/NBCSP) and visit the Senators on Sunday (1 p.m. ET/NBCSP+).

After picking up a point in a shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche, the Vegas Golden Knights have clinched home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The Golden Knights picked up the point while missing four vital pieces to their lineup, those being Tomas Hertl, Jack Eichel, Alex Pietrangelo and Nicolas Hague. Leading 2-0 halfway through the second period, the Avalanche clawed their way back into the game, scoring on the power play and getting depth contributions. 

Akira Schmid was solid all night long, turning away 34 of the 36 shots he faced. He stopped the first two shootout attempts before Charlie Coyle ended the game.

The Golden Knights would have rather won the game, but they did enough to earn the right to begin the playoffs on home ice. The Golden Knights are 27-9-3 at home this year, compared to their road record of 20-13-6. 

With home ice, the Golden Knights are able to feed off of the atmosphere inside T-Mobile Arena, but more importantly, are able to seek out the matchups they want. They can use William Karlsson in a defensive role or give Jack Eichel shifts against the opponent's bottom six. 

Whatever the case is, the Golden Knights cherish playing at home and have historically performed better at home, both in the regular season and in the playoffs. The final step for the Golden Knights in the regular season is to secure first place in the Pacific Division. The Los Angeles Kings trail by just six points with five games remaining.

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.

With just over a week to go in the 2024-25 NHL regular season, our 16 playoff competitors look about set.

This year’s crop includes many of the usual suspects with a few fresh faces added into the mix.

While we often hear a lot about learning to win in the post-season, sometimes things can come together on the first try, whether a player is young or already has NHL experiences.

As a rookie with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017, Jake Guentzel put up 13 goals on his way to a Cup. Then, two years ago, Jack Eichel's first playoff run with the Vegas Golden Knights came in his eighth season. He finished with a team-leading 26 points, and the Stanley Cup over his head.

Here’s a look at the key players who will be seeing playoff action for the first time this spring.

The Veterans

This group is 26 or older, with significant NHL resumes. And like Eichel, a lot of them are former Buffalo Sabres — refugees from the long playoff drought in Western New York.

At the top: 32-year-old Jeff Skinner. He missed the playoffs for eight-straight years with the Carolina Hurricanes before spending six seasons in Buffalo. 

Skinner’s adjustment to the Edmonton Oilers this season hasn’t been the smoothest. But he has started to hit his stride over the last month. With five goals in his last nine games, Skinner’s now at 16 for the year. And after playing his 1,000th regular-season game in Buffalo just over a year ago, the 2011 Calder Trophy winner should finally see playoff action this spring for the first time in his 15-year career.

Other former Sabres veterans who will be looking to make their playoff debuts this year include Victor Olofsson with Vegas (age 29, 367 GP) and Zemgus Girgensons with the Tampa Bay Lightning (age 31, 765 GP).

Over in Ottawa, Thomas Chabot will finally make his post-season debut at age 28. Drafted by the Senators in 2015, he played one regular-season game in 2016-17, the last time Ottawa made the playoffs, but was returned to junior for the year and won a QMJHL championship.

Drafted in 2017, Drake Batherson will also get his first crack at the post-season at age 26, with 386 NHL games played.

Over in Montreal, 28-year-old Sam Montembeault should be between the pipes when the playoffs return to the Bell Centre for the first time in four years. After witnessing the intensity in his home arena as Canada’s third goalie during the 4 Nations Face-Off, the native Quebecer is now poised to follow in the footsteps of Carey Price for the NHL’s most decorated franchise.

Johnathan Kovacevic is another late bloomer who’s set to make his first playoff appearance this spring. The 27-year-old is in just his third full NHL season and, despite a loud call-out by coach Sheldon Keefe a couple of weeks ago, the big right-shot defenseman is tied with Nico Hischier for the New Jersey Devils’ team lead in plus-minus, at plus-14.

Also, keep an eye on Andrei Kuzmenko in Los Angeles. In his third NHL season, the 29-year-old is rediscovering the form that helped him score 39 goals with Vancouver in 2022-23. He’s up to 11 points in 17 games since joining the Kings at the trade deadline.

The Tweeners

This group is made up of established players who are 25 or under, making the playoffs for the first time.

Brady Tkachuk is the top name here, and it’s hoped that his injury situation will be sorted out before playoff time. The Senators captain is already at 511 regular-season games at age 25, and his game is tailor-made for the post-season. 

Other key Senators from the young guard who will be making their playoff debuts include Tim Stutzle (age 23, 362 GP), Shane Pinto (age 24, 205 GP) and another former Sabre, Dylan Cozens (age 24, 357 GP).

NHL Power Rankings: Senators Rise, Stars Fall As Playoff Picture Gets ClearerWelcome back to The Hockey News' NHL power rankings, where we rank all 32 teams based on their weekly performance.

With the St. Louis Blues back in the playoff picture after a two-year absence, their lineup is also dotted with fresh faces who will be seeing their first playoff action. That list includes depth defensemen Tyler Tucker and Matthew Kessel as well as oft-injured forward Alexandre Texier, all 24, and 25-year-old goaltender Joel Hofer.

Also on the blue line, 24-year-old J.J. Moser will make his playoff debut with the Lightning this spring. He was acquired from Utah as part of the Mikhail Sergachev trade. 

The Young Guns

Teams with playoff aspirations don’t usually have many high draft picks. They also tend to let their top prospects marinate at lower levels for as long as possible. But this year’s playoff mix includes some talented high draft picks who could boost their reputations in a big way under hockey’s brightest spotlight.

The show starts in Montreal. Who doesn’t want to see what kind of magic 2022 No. 1 pick Juraj Slafkovsky and this year’s Calder front-runner Lane Hutson might be able to make at playoff time?

As well as their mid-career talent pool, the Senators’ biggest weapon might be defenseman Jake Sanderson. In just his third NHL season, the 22-year-old served notice that he’s already among the best from his nation when he was tagged to replace Quinn Hughes on Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off. 

St. Louis has gotten some good scoring support this year from a pair of first-rounders who will be seeing their first playoff action this year: 23-year-old Jake Neighbours and 22-year-old Zach Bolduc.

A couple of other top 10 picks to watch are the Kings’ Brandt Clarke, who has settled in as a regular on one of the NHL’s stingiest teams at 22, and 21-year-old Simon, who is currently being shuffled in and out of the Devils’ lineup.

Up front, 23-year-old Marco Rossi should make his NHL playoff debuts after a strong campaign that has him approaching 60 points with the Minnesota Wild. And 22-year-old rookie Mackie Samoskevich has filled a regular role and put up 30 points with the defending Cup champs in Florida.

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 Professional Hockey Writers’ Association revealed all the NHL players nominated for the 2025 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. 

The Masterton Trophy is awarded to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey."

A PHWA local chapter for each of the 32 teams nominates one player to be put up for contention for the award. The top three players with the most votes will be finalists. The Masterton Trophy will be awarded during the Stanley Cup final, along with all the other awards being presented. 

Last season, Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram earned the Masterton Trophy. He nearly retired because of his off-ice battles with obsessive compulsive disorder and lingering depression. 

After entering the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program in early 2021 and getting claimed off waivers by the Coyotes in October 2022, he played two solid seasons for Arizona. Last season, he recorded six shutouts, tied for the best in the NHL.

Here are the nominees for this season.

Anaheim Ducks: John Gibson

Boston Bruins: Joonas Korpisalo

Buffalo Sabres: Jason Zucker

Calgary Flames: Justin Kirkland

Carolina Hurricanes: Jordan Staal

Chicago Blackhawks: Patrick Maroon

Colorado Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog

Columbus Blue Jackets: Sean Monahan

Dallas Stars: Jason Robertson

Detroit Red Wings: Patrick Kane

Edmonton Oilers: Calvin Pickard

Florida Panthers: Jesper Boqvist

Los Angeles Kings: Drew Doughty

Minnesota Wild: Marc-Andre Fleury

Montreal Canadiens: Josh Anderson

Nashville Predators: Nick Blankenburg

New Jersey Devils: Jesper Bratt

New York Islanders: Mike Reilly  

New York Rangers: Johnny Brodzinski

Ottawa Senators: David Perron

Philadelphia Flyers: Ivan Fedotov

Pittsburgh Penguins: Boko Imama

San Jose Sharks: Marc-Edouard Vlasic

Seattle Kraken: Jaden Schwartz

St. Louis Blues: Ryan Suter

Tampa Bay Lightning: Ryan McDonagh

Toronto Maple Leafs: John Tavares

Utah Hockey Club: Mikhail Sergachev

Vancouver Canucks: Dakota Joshua

Vegas Golden Knights: Tomas Hertl

Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin

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 NHL regular season is wrapping up, which means that awards season is just around the corner.

First on the docket is the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to "the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey." Beat writers from across the league nominate one player from their respective teams before the group is narrowed down to three finalists.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.

This year's nominee for the Edmonton Oilers, who have never had a Masterton winner, is goalie Calvin Pickard. The longtime journeyman has finally found a long-term home in Edmonton, turning in the best season of his career at age 32. He's only become more important to the Oilers as the season has gone on, slated to make his sixth start in seven games on Wednesday in Stuart Skinner's absence.

"He's a very popular player in the room because of his personality but also his work work ethic."

Congrats to #Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard on his nomination by @ThePHWA's Edmonton chapter for the Masterton Trophy honouring perseverance & dedication! https://t.co/jX4ecQx1DJ

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 9, 2025

Other nominees include players returning from major injuries (Alex Ovechkin, Drew Doughty, Gabriel Landeskog), players who have finally cracked the NHL after years in the minors (Justin Kirkland, Jonny Brodzinski, Bokondji Imama), and longtime veterans nearing the ends of their careers (Marc-Andre Fleury, Ryan Suter, Marc-Edouard Vlasic).

Two former Oilers figure among that last group, with Chicago's Patrick Maroon and Ottawa's David Perron earning the nominations for their respective teams.

Trending Oilers Articles

Oilers Projected Lineup Today: Nugent-Hopkins Joins Injury ParadeWhen it rains, it pours.

Oilers Must Have New Approach For Final Games

Maxim Beryozkin: Oilers Diamond In The Rough?

Could Oilers' Evander Kane Return Before Playoffs?

What Noah Philp's Emergency Recall Means For Oilers

Oilers April 2025 Schedule: The Big, Final PushEDMONTON – The end is in sight.

The 36-year-old Maroon has already announced his intention to retire at the end of the season as he closes out his career with the Blackhawks. Maroon bounced between the AHL and NHL until he arrived in Edmonton in 2015-16 and immediately caught on as a rugged power forward and cult hero, spending parts of three seasons with the team.

Maroon then went on to win three consecutive Stanley Cups from 2019 to 2021, first with his hometown St. Louis Blues and then with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Fellow 36-year-old Perron is a veteran of 18 NHL seasons, eleven of which have come with the St. Louis Blues over three stints. Perron just missed out on two Stanley Cups, first getting traded away from the Cup-winning Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2016 trade deadline and then losing in the finals in 2018 with Vegas. Perron finally got his Cup back in St. Louis the following year, alongside Maroon.

Perron scored five goals and 19 points in 38 games with the Oilers in 2014-15 before being traded to Pittsburgh. He's scored nine goals and 16 points in 40 games with the Ottawa Senators this season.

The winner of the Masterton Trophy will be announced during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

It’ll be another chance for the St. Louis Blues to clinch a playoff spot on Wednesday.

The Blues (43-29-7), who had their franchise-record 12-game winning streak end on Monday in a 3-1 loss against the Winnipeg Jets, will get a second chance at clinching in the second of a season-ending three-game road trip against the depleted Edmonton Oilers (44-28-5) at 9 p.m. (TNT, TruTV, MAX, ESPN 101.1-FM).

Just like the scenario on Monday, the Blues can clinch Wednesday with a regulation win against the Oilers and the Calgary Flames lose to the Anaheim Ducks in regulation.

In the process, the Blues are also trying to stay ahead of the Minnesota Wild for the first wild card in the Western Conference.

The Blues lead the Wild by two points, and the Wild, who host the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, have a game in hand.

- - -

The Blues appear to be making a couple tweaks to the lineup for Wednesday.

Jordan Kyrou and Jimmy Snuggerud look like will be swapping spots on right wing, while Dalibor Dvorsky, the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, will play in his second NHL game.

Jordan Binnington, who has won seven straight starts, will get the nod in goal on Wednesday.

The Oilers, on the other hand, have been decimated with injuries and will be playing without stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl along with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Mattias Ekholm, starting goalie Stuart Skinner and St. Louis native Trent Frederic, among others.

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jordan Kyrou

Jake Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Jimmy Snuggerud

Dalibor Dvorsky-Oskar Sundqvist-Zack Bolduc

Alexey Toropchenko-Radek Faksa-Nathan Walker

Cam Fowler-Nick Leddy

Philip Broberg-Justin Faulk

Ryan Suter-Tyler Tucker

Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Matthew Kessel and Mathieu Joseph. Colton Parayko (knee), Dylan Holloway (lower body) and Alexandre Texier (upper body) are out. Torey Krug (ankle) is out for the season.

- - -

Oilers Projected Lineup:

Vasily Podkolzin-Adam Philp-Viktor Arvidsson

Zach Hyman-Adam Henrique-Corey Perry

Jeff Skinner-Mattias Janmark-Connor Brown

Max Jones-Kasperi Kapanen

Jake Walman-Evan Bouchard

Darnell Nurse-Troy Stecher 

Brett Kulak-Ty Emberson

Calvin Pickard will start in goal; Olivier Rodrigue will be the backup.

The Oilers have no healthy scratches. Leon Draisaitl (lower body), Mattias Ekholm (undisclosed), Evander Kane (hip, knee), John Klingberg (undisclosed), Connor McDavid (lower body), Alec Regula (knee), Stuart Skinner (concussion), Trent Frederic (ankle) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (illness) are out.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel was held out of the lineup against the Colorado Avalanche with an upper-body injury and joining him on the sidelines were Alex Pietrangelo and Nicolas Hague, both battling an illness. 

Prior to the puck drop, the Golden Knights announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Eichel would be out with an upper-body injury, and is considered day-to-day.

The 28-year-old had missed just one game before last night. In 76 games, Eichel has scored 27 goals and 93 points, setting a new career-high and the Golden Knights franchise record for points. If Eichel misses no further games, he'll need seven points in four games to record his first 100-point season. 

Pietrangelo recently returned from a lower-body injury after missing four games. He returned to play in three consecutive games before suffering an illness. 

The 2024-25 campaign has been a peculiar one for the 35-year-old. It started strongly, recording great offensive numbers and setting himself on pace to set career highs. The offence faltered, and his consistency has too. He's become prone to major turnovers and defensive blunders but remains a solid overall player. 

Hague dealt an injury earlier in the season, forcing him to miss 22 games. In the 66 games he's played, he's recorded five goals and 11 points, throwing 77 hits and blocking 73 shots. The 26-year-old is a pending RFA, averaging the fewest minutes among the Golden Knights' top six defenders. 

The Golden Knights are back in action on Thursday when they host the Seattle Kraken and will be hoping to add all three players back into their lineup. 

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.

Golden Knights Forward Tomas Hertl Nominated By Vegas PHWA Chapter For 2025 Bill Masterton Memorial TrophyLAS VEGAS -- The Vegas Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has nominated Golden Knights forward Tomáš Hertl as their nominee for the 2025 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is given annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.

The Chicago Blackhawks had three first-round picks in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and used them all to add even more great pieces to an already deep prospect pool.

Chicago drafted Artyom Levshunov at No. 2, Sacha Boisvert at No. 18, and Marek Vanacker at No. 27. Those weren't the only players the Blackhawks were looking to draft in the first round last year though. There were rumors that Ivan Demidov was a key target, but the team wasn't able to swing a deal.

According to Pierre LeBrun, the Blackhawks tried to draft Demidov at No. 4, but they couldn't acquire the pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blackhawks reportedly offered Columbus their unprotected 2026 first-round pick (that will likely be a lottery pick again) for the Blue Jackets' fourth overall pick in 2024.

This would've seen the Blackhawks grab two elite prospects and two other good ones in the first round, speeding up the rebuild just a little and setting them up very nicely for the future.

The Blue Jackets ended up taking their chances and instead of drafting Demidov themselves, selected Cayden Lindstrom. This allowed Demidov to fall to the Montreal Canadiens at fifth overall, and thus see him excel in the KHL this season and make his way over to the NHL and the Canadiens as they are slated to clinch the playoffs for the first time since the COVID season (2020-21).

We can't yet tell how this will play out long term for the Blackhawks as there should be some future stars at the top of the 2026 draft, but Demidov has proven himself outside of the NHL already and is going to be very good. Unfortunately, the Blackhawks just couldn't swing a deal.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game day coverage, player features, and more.

On Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres were officially eliminated from post-season contention. Buffalo has not made the playoffs since 2011, which was the same season the Vancouver Canucks went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Fourteen years later, only one player from that roster remains active in the NHL, with that being Vancouver Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Dakota Joshua Named Canucks Nominee For The 2025 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

Looking At Head-To-Head Matchups Between Canucks’ Quinn Hughes And Avalanche’s Cale Makar

"You Gotta Play Till The End": Canucks Rick Tocchet Expects Strong Performances From His Team For The Remainder Of The 2024-25 Season

The 2010-11 season was Myers' second in the NHL. A year after winning the Calder Trophy, Myers recorded 37 points in 80 games, helping the Sabres to a third-place finish in the Northeast division. Buffalo would eventually be eliminated in seven games by the Philadelphia Flyers, with Myers also being the last player to record a multi-point effort for the Sabres in the playoffs.

Buffalo's lineup from April 26, 2011, also features other players who have suited up for Vancouver. The list includes Ryan Miller, Derek Roy, Thomas Vanek, Mark Mancari, and Marc-André Gragnani. Of note, Jhonas Enroth, who played in that game, is still active but is currently playing the SHL with Örebro HK.

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.

Just days after the Pittsburgh Penguins mourned the loss of former netminder and sports reporter Greg Millen, news broke on Wednesday morning that former Stanley Cup-winning General Manager Ray Shero had passed away at 62. 

Shero joined the Penguins in 2006 and helped guide them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2008 and 2009, earning his only championship in 2009. His father, Fred Shero, was a two-time winner with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1974 and 1975. 

The Penguins organization joins the family, friends and colleagues of former Penguins General Manager Ray Shero as we mourn his passing. pic.twitter.com/2TaU2AtBBj

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 9, 2025

Before coming to Pittsburgh, Shero worked for the Ottawa Senators (1993-1998)and Nashville Predators (1998-2006). He was relieved of his duties in the spring of 2014 after the Penguins' second-round playoff loss; however, he wasn't unemployed for long as the New Jersey Devils hired him on May 4, 2015. 

Shero was the Devils' general manager for five years before Lou Lamoriello replaced him on Jan. 12, 2020. Most recently, Shero was an advisor with the Minnesota Wild. 

Initially drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 11th round (216th overall), Shero played at St. Lawerence University from 1980 to 1985, serving as captain in his final season, but never played in the NHL.

Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winding down their 2024-25 season and will miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season, a first in Sidney Crosby's 20-year career. However, there is plenty to play for in the final weeks.

If you asked a hockey fan a week ago who the best player outside of the NHL is, you’d get a bunch of respectable answers. One name that may come up is Ivan Demidov, who Chicago Blackhawks fans may know well. 

Demidov was in the mix to be selected second overall by the Blackhawks in the 2024 NHL Draft. Instead, however, Chicago ended up taking defenseman Artyom Levshunov out of Michigan State University. Demidov ended up falling to the Montreal Canadiens at five. 

In 2024-25, playing for SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, Demidov had 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points in 65 games played. That is a great total for a KHL forward who isn’t even 20 years old yet. 

Whether Demidov is a center or wing in the NHL remains to be seen, but he is a shifty/highly skilled offensive powerhouse. His ceiling is an elite-level producer. 

On Tuesday, it became official that the Canadiens would be signing Demidov to his entry level deal. There was some uncertainty there as he was signed to a KHL contract. Ultimately, Demidov and St. Petersburg decided to part ways so he can pursue his dream of playing in the NHL. 

It is unclear when Demidov is expected to arrive in Montreal, but they are likely going to be playing in the playoffs, so he will help them there. He should also get some time in the regular season before the postseason begins. 

Next Monday (April 14th), the Blackhawks will be in Montreal to take on the Canadiens. This means that Levshunov and Demidov could face off in the NHL for the first time. After all of the dialogue comparing these two ahead of their draft, there will be some excitement surrounding their first matchup. 

Demidov has everything he needs entering his first stretch of NHL hockey. Montreal is winning a ton of games, they are likely going to the playoffs, and their building is incredible this time of year when the team is good. 

Young players like Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky, among others, will be perfect to surround a player like Ivan Demidov. They will create hockey magic together for a long time. 

How will they compare with the Blackhawks' young core? It is hard to tell right now because Chicago is a year or two behind in terms of the rebuild process, but they should play a good game against each other. If Demidov does live up to the hype,  the Habs are getting a consequential player at the most important time. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

The AHL's Player Safety Committee has announced that Bridgeport Islanders forward Adam Beckman has been suspended 10 games for abuse of official.

The incident occurred in a game against the Charlotte Checkers on Apr. 5 and falls under AHL Rule 40.3 for physical abuse of official (Category II) that triggers an automatic suspension.

A free agent at the end of the season, Beckman will miss the Islanders' final five games of the season and five games the next time he is on an AHL roster.

Beckman has 40 points in 55 games between Bridgeport and the Utica Comets this season. He was acquired by Bridgeport on Mar. 7 in exchange for Dennis Cholowski. 

Check out The Hockey News' New York Islanders team site for more updates.

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.    

Longtime NHL GM and executive Ray Shero died at 62 years old. 

Shero was a senior advisor with the Minnesota Wild, which announced the news on Wednesday.

“The Minnesota Wild is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Ray Shero,” the team wrote. “Our hearts go out to his family and friends and the countless people he impacted in the hockey community throughout his successful career. Ray was the best. He will be greatly missed by all of us.”

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also offered his condolences to the Shero family and shared what he remembered about him and his presence.

“Ray Shero’s smile and personality lit up every room he walked into and brightened the day of everyone he met,” Bettman said.

“Whenever we ran into each other at a rink when he was scouting, it was clear he loved what he was doing, and I always marvelled at his infectious enthusiasm. The (NHL) family mourns his passing and sends our deepest condolences to the Shero family and Ray’s many friends.”

Vice president and director of NHL Central Scouting, Dan Marr, also remembered Shero’s love for scouting. 

“He loved being in the rinks with scouts at games and tournaments and was very forward-thinking in approaching new concepts concerning the NHL draft combine and NHL draft,” Marr said.

Shero was in his fourth season as a senior advisor to GM Bill Guerin and the Wild organization. Before that, he was GM of the New Jersey Devils for five seasons and the Pittsburgh Penguins for eight seasons. Before that, he started off as an assistant GM for the Ottawa Senators from 1993 and 1998 and the Nashville Predators from 1998 to 2006.

Just two seasons after Shero got his first GM gig with the Penguins in 2006-07, he won the Stanley Cup in 2008-09. Later in his Pittsburgh tenure, he was named GM of the year for the 2012-13 season.

"Ray was instrumental in ushering in a new era of Penguins hockey, highlighted by the 2009 Stanley Cup championship," the Penguins said in a statement. "We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, his sons, Chris and Kyle, and all those fortunate enough to call him a friend."

After his time with the Penguins organization, he was brought on board as assistant GM for Team USA at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He was also part of the management crew for the U.S. in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

USA Hockey said Shero was a significant contributor to the organization and its men's national team program.

"Ray, thank you for everything," USA Hockey said.

In 2015-16, he began a new chapter with the Devils and would stay on board for the next five seasons. He drafted players such as Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, two centers who lead New Jersey today.

“Ray was a highly respected executive, enthusiastic mentor, and most importantly, tremendous friend to many during his time in New Jersey,” Devils GM Tim Fitzgerald said in a statement. “Ray came from a family that dedicated themselves to the game, and he continued to pass that commitment on.”