There may only be a couple of games left in the 2025–26 season for the Vancouver Canucks, but this doesn’t mean they’re excused from any arising injury issues. Evander Kane has yet to play since Vancouver’s game on April 4 against the Utah Mammoth, and it appears the forward will remain out until the end of the season. 

“He’s not going to play unless we get walloped with some injuries. So we’re going to keep going with the group we have,” Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote said after Vancouver’s morning skate on Tuesday ahead of their matchup against the Los Angeles Kings in their final home game of the season.  

Kane’s recent appearances in Vancouver’s lineup have been sporadic. The forward skated in enough games to put him at the 1000th NHL-game mark on March 30 against the Vegas Golden Knights, but did not play again until the 4th due to injury. Against the Mammoth on home-ice, Vancouver celebrated Kane’s career-milestone. He has not played in a game since then. 

With Kane’s current contract up at the end of the season, the forward will become a UFA by the start of July unless the Canucks opt to sign him to an extension. Through 71 games played this season, the forward has scored 13 goals and 18 assists. 

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, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Former Canucks Division Rival Jonathan Quick Announces Retirement

The Canucks Performed Surprisingly Well In Back-To-Backs During The 2025–26 Season

Canucks Curtis Douglas Scores First NHL Goal Against The Ducks

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

When the 2025-26 NHL season ends, the Florida Panthers will have two Group 6 UFAs, center Cole Schwindt and winger Nolan Foote, according to PuckPedia.

To qualify as a Group 6 UFA, a player must be 25 years old by June 30, have an expiring contract, and a skater must have played less than 80 career NHL games, while a goaltender must play less than 28 games with more than 30 minutes of ice time.

Finally, they must have at least three professional seasons, which is any time spent in the NHL, AHL, or ECHL. 

For Schwindt, he’ll turn 25 years old on April 25, and even if he plays in the last game of the season, he’ll only hit 78 career games. Schwindt would have likely hit the 80-game threshold if he hadn’t sustained multiple long-term injuries this season.

As for Foote, he’s played just 41 career NHL games, scoring seven goals and 10 points. Foote has played just 11 games this year, scoring one goal. 

Foote joined the Panthers organization in the off-season, signing a two-way deal after spending five seasons with the New Jersey Devils. 

Due to Schwindt and Foote becoming UFAs, they’ll be free to sign with any NHL team on July 1, and the Panthers won’t receive any compensation for it, as they would if they were tendered qualifying offers as RFAs.

The Panthers coaching staff spoke highly of Schwindt throughout the season, and the only reason Schwindt was ever taken out of the lineup was due to injuries. The Panthers seem very inclined to bring back Schwindt on an NHL contract, while Foote could return on another two-way deal. 

---

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Florida Panthers have one game remaining in their 2025-26 season.

Unlike the past several years, there will be no appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Panthers this spring, no push for a third straight championship.

Thanks to an injury-filled season unlike any the team had seen, Florida is instead wrapping up their regular campaign with an eye toward the future.

That’s because the Panthers’ 2026 first-round pick, which Florida included in the 2025 Trade Deadline deal with the Chicago Blackhawks that brought Seth Jones to the Cats, is top-10 protected.

When the dust settles on the regular season in a couple days and the NHL holds its annual Draft Lottery soon after, if Florida’s top selection remains in the top 10, they will retain the pick and instead send their 2027 first rounder to Chicago.

Entering play Tuesday, the Panthers hold the seventh-worst record in the NHL with one game remaining.

Florida can finish no lower than sixth-worst and no higher than tenth-worst, depending on how things play out with the Seattle Kraken, Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks and in the Panthers’ finale on Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings.

If they finish no better than eighth-worst, the Panthers are guaranteed to keep their pick, but if they finish in ninth-or-tenth-worst, Florida will have to wait to see how things shake out in the Draft Lottery.

Since two draws are held, one for the first overall selection and one for the second pick, it’s possible for two teams to move up and potentially bump the Panthers out of the top ten.

For fans wondering which teams to root for, it’s as simple as hoping the teams around Florida in the stands all collect as many points as possible.

On Tuesday, that would mean hoping Winnipeg wins in Utah and that St. Louis beats the Penguins at home.

Wednesday, aside from Florida hosting Detroit, the Sharks will be in Chicago and Seattle plays in Vegas. Then on Thursday, the final day of the regular season, St. Louis is in Utah, Winnipeg hosts the Sharks and Seattle plays in Colorado.

We’ll have to wait and see how things play out for the Panthers, but it’s looking like they have a fairly decent chance at retaining their first-round pick.

Stay tuned.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Bobrovsky, Marchand, Kunin Honored With Panthers Team Awards

Reinhardt scores twice, Panthers take down Rangers 3-2

Matthew Tkachuk, Anton Lundell Out Against Rangers; Could Still Return Before Season's End

Panthers Prospect Sandis Vilmanis Logs 4-Goal Game For AHL Charlotte

Panthers Beat Toronto 6-2 In Final Road Game Of Season, Hurting Cats' Lottery Odds

Photo caption: Apr 2, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice watches from the bench against the Boston Bruins during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The Winnipeg Jets may not have any hope left at a playoff spot, but a spot in the NHL Draft Lottery is now up for grabs for the 2024-25 Presidents' Trophy winners.

On Monday night, the Jets were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but just 20-some-odd hours later they will return to work in Utah for a test against the postseason-bound Mammoth.

Currently sitting tied for 24th in the league with St. Louis and Florida, the Jets have the eighth best odds of landing the No. 1 overall selection at this year's NHL Draft Lottery set for May 5.

With two games left to play, valuable drafting odds remain up in the air. The Jets can climb as high as 86 points with two more wins, or remain at 82 points, which would effectively be Winnipeg's second-worst season on record since returning to Manitoba.

Being the second half of a back-to-back, the Jets did not skate on Tuesday, so the forward lines and defence groupings will remain a mystery until closer to puck drop.

The goaltender of record for Winnipeg will be Eric Comrie, as Connor Hellebuyck will get his first night off in months. It is expected that the team will ice a similar lineup to that of the group of 18 players that suited up on Monday in Vegas.

Winnipeg Jets expected line combinations for Tuesday, April 14 at Utah:

Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi

Perfetti-Lowry-Lambert

Koepke-Toews-Rosén

Niederreiter-Yager-Chibrikov

Nyquist

Morrissey-DeMelo

Samberg-Miller

Fleury-Bryson

Heinola

Hellebuyck

The Colorado Avalanche wrap up their final road trip of the 2025–26 regular season Tuesday night in Calgary, closing out a season series they’ve controlled from start to finish.

Colorado has taken both previous meetings, including a lopsided 9–2 win on March 30 and a more measured 3–1 result on April 9, and arrives at Scotiabank Saddledome riding a tight, defense-first stretch at the right time of year.

Grinding Out Wins Without Bednar

Their latest outing offered a snapshot of that formula.

Colorado edged the Edmonton Oilers 2–1 in a shootout Monday at Rogers Place, leaning heavily on Scott Wedgewood, who turned aside 30 of 31 shots. Nathan MacKinnon delivered the decisive moment, scoring the shootout winner after Valeri Nichushkin and Martin Nečas also converted.

Wedgewood’s calm presence was the backbone of the win, particularly as Edmonton pushed late and into the shootout.

“He was rock solid all the way through… it’s a continuation of what he’s done throughout the season,” assistant coach Dave Hakstol told The Hockey News postgame, reinforcing just how steady Wedgewood has been during this late push.

The night also carried personal significance for Brock Nelson, who skated in his 1,000th NHL game, marking the milestone in a tightly contested win that reflected the kind of hockey Colorado has leaned on down the stretch.

Sam Malinski accounted for Colorado’s lone regulation goal, finishing a Nicolas Roy feed from the left circle midway through the second period. Edmonton’s only response came off the stick of Connor McDavid later in the frame, but the Avalanche locked things down from there—killing off every Oilers power play and allowing little in the way of second chances.

That defensive commitment has quietly become one of Colorado’s defining traits down the stretch. Since April 4, they’ve allowed just 1.50 goals per game—the best mark in the league over that span—while also owning the NHL’s top penalty kill at 84.3 percent.

Still, the team continues to operate under unusual circumstances behind the bench.

Head coach Jared Bednar remains away from the club as he recovers from facial fractures and a corneal abrasion suffered in a recent game against Vegas. In his absence, Nolan Pratt and Hakstol have taken over bench duties, guiding the Avalanche through this final stretch of the regular season with a steady hand.

MacKinnon Driving The Push

Offensively, the story remains familiar.

MacKinnon continues to drive everything. His 52 goals lead the NHL, and his 126 points place him firmly among the league’s elite. Nečas isn’t far behind in overall production, sitting at 99 points, while contributions from players like Malinski have added unexpected depth—particularly from the blue line, where his recent scoring surge has stood out.

Calgary, meanwhile, enters Tuesday’s matchup coming off a 4–1 win over Utah. Matt Coronato and Connor Zary struck early to set the tone, while Mikael Backlund and Brayden Pachal extended the lead in the third period. The Flames have leaned on a balanced attack at home, with Coronato leading the team in points and Morgan Frost pacing them in goals.

Historically, the matchup has been competitive. In 136 regular-season meetings, Colorado holds a 68-54-8-6 edge, and the two teams last met in the playoffs in 2019, when the Avalanche dispatched Calgary in five games.

But this version of Colorado looks different—tighter defensively, confident in goal, and still powered by one of the most dynamic players in the sport.

With one final road test before the postseason, the Avalanche aren’t just trying to complete a season sweep. They’re sharpening the identity that could carry them into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed.

The disappointment that was the finality of MSU hockey this season has still not taken its root to the depth of where my disappointment lingers. While we are glad we weren’t forced into throwing up again as Ann Arbor celebrated another title, we did get to sit in our misery and watch Porter Martone score goals for the Flyers. With that being said, here’s a quick update on the comings and goings of MSU hockey players and the massive roster overhaul that will be taking place in East Lansing.

First, let us congratulate some award winners. First team All-American nods go to Trey Augustine, Porter Martone and second team, Charlie Stramel. Martone is the first freshman in school history with the honor and Augustine secured his second. Adam Nightingale was also announced as the head coach of the 2027 U.S. National Junior Team for the World Junior Championships. 

Of course we have our outgoing seniors. Tiernan and Travis Shoudy, Dolan Gilbert, Daniel Russell, Charlie Stramel and Matt Basgall. Gilbert has entered the transfer portal and looks to play as a 5th year senior somewhere. Now that the portal is open, let’s see who’s in, who’s out, who’s where in MSU hockey.

DEPARTURES

Tiernan Shoudy

Signed with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 2026-2027 and signed with the Wheeling Nailers, the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the rest of 2025-2026.

Daniel Russell

Signed with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Matt Basgall

Signed with San Diego Gulls, AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks.

Porter Martone

Signed with the Philadelphia Flyers and is already scoring goals.

Trey Augustine

Signed with Grand Rapids Griffins, the AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings.

Maxim Strbak

Signed with the Rochester Americans, AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres and joins former teammates Red Savage and Jagger Joshua.

Charlie Stramel

Signed with the Minnesota Wild. He is out for the remainder of this season with a broken ankle.

Colin Ralph

Signed with the Springfield Thunderbirds, the AHL affiliate of the St. Louis Blues.

Melvin Strahl

Transfer Portal to Minnesota. This implies that the freshman Joshua Ravensbergen was set to get the majority of playing time in East Lansing.

Austin Baker

Transfer Portal to Miami of Ohio

Nathan Mackie

Entered the Transfer Portal 

ARRIVALS

Cullen Potter

Potter has committed to MSU after two seasons at Arizona State. Potter is a center who is very quick. Here is an in-depth highlight reel prior to the 2025 NHL Draft where he was drafted by Calgary. This past season he had 12 goals and 26 points in 24 games. 

What are your thoughts TOC on the comings and goings? Minnesota has already had a successful portal haul, Michigan seems to be staying strong and Wisconsin has added. What are your wishes for MSU hockey? Are the Spartans keeping up? Let’s discuss in the comments and we’ll continue to update with any new news.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will play their final game of the regular season against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. The Penguins will be looking to finish off the regular season with a win before they kick off their first round playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers. 

The Penguins have now called up one of their depth forwards from the AHL ahead of their season finale against the Blues.

The Penguins have announced that they have recalled forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. 

Harvey-Pinard has not played in a game for Pittsburgh this season. Instead, he has spent all of this campaign in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he has recorded 19 goals, 17 assists, and 36 points in 64 games. This is after he had five goals and 19 points in 40 games last season with the Laval Rocket.

In 84 career NHL games over four seasons, Harvey-Pinard has recorded 17 goals, 14 assists, and 31 points. This includes when he set career highs with 14 goals and 20 points in 34 games with the Montreal Canadiens during the 2022-23 season. 

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Conn Smythe Trophy is one of the most volatile awards in hockey betting because a player’s path to playoff MVP depends on both performance and team success.

The 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy odds have hit the board, and it's a flurry of NHL superstars on title contenders at the top of the board. That list starts with Nathan MacKinnon, but also includes Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and more.

🏆 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy odds

Odds as of April 15 at 12:00 p.m. ET.

Conn Smythe Trophy odds analysis

The Avalanche being +260 favorites to win the Stanley Cup means it's easy to see why Nathan MacKinnon is opening as a +650 favorite in this market. The superstar is leading the NHL in goals at 53 and is on pace to finish third in points. 

Right above him in points is Nikita Kucherov, and he's running second on this board at 11/1 with the Lightning also second in the Stanley Cup odds.

When the Avs won the Stanley Cup in 2022, it was Cale Makar who took home Conn Smythe honors, and he's back in the mix at 12/1. He remains a top-producing defenseman and is integral to Colorado's success.

Rounding out the top tier of NHL superstars is Connor McDavid, who leads the league with 134 points and is tops in ice time for non-defensemen (23:03). If the Oilers can survive Leon Draisaitl's absence and make yet another deep playoff run, McDavid will shoot up this board.

---

• NHL odds
• NHL picks
• Stanley Cup odds

---

📈 Conn Smythe Trophy trends

• There have only been five players to win the Conn Smythe without winning the Stanley Cup.
• Skaters have won the Conn Smythe over a goalie 74% of the time.
• There have been seven repeat winners of the Conn Smythe since its establishment.
• Only one player has won the Conn Smythe more than twice. Patrick Roy won it three times.

📜 Conn Smythe Trophy history

A quick look at recent NHL Conn Smythe Trophy winners and the teams they played for.

Understanding Conn Smythe Trophy odds

Sportsbooks will post Conn Smythe Trophy odds as early as the beginning of the playoffs. These NHL futures are constantly adjusted throughout the postseason depending on how well players perform as well as their team success. Sportsbooks will also adjust the NHL awards odds based on handle and liability to certain players.

Conn Smythe Trophy odds will usually look like this:

• Nathan MacKinnon +290

This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to win $290 if MacKinnon takes home the Conn Smythe Trophy. If it's close to the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs and a player has stood out as the obvious MVP of the series they might have a minus sign (-) ahead of their odds like this: 

• Connor McDavid -175

This means that if you bet on McDavid to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, you would have needed to bet $175 to profit $100.

All of the odds listed above are in American format, but if you prefer decimal or fractional odds, simply plug them into our odds converter tool.

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

The NHL Draft Lottery is slated to take place on May 5, in what will be a critical night for the New York Rangers. 

With one game remaining for the Rangers this season, they currently slot 30th in the NHL’s standings with 75 points, only ahead of the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks. 

That means the Blueshirts have the third-best odds to land the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. 

As it stands right now, the Rangers have a 11.5% chance to get the first pick, 11.2% chance to get the second pick, 7.8% chance to get the third pick, 39.7% to get the fourth pick, and 29.8% chance to get the fifth pick. 

“Of course I have interest,” Mike Sullivan said of the draft lottery. “But I just don’t think right now with where we’re at — I’m immersed in this daily endeavor of trying to do my very best to help this team continue to move forward. 

“And it starts with trying to instill the right habits and trying to hold the group accountable to a certain standard — a standard that we want to be proud of. And it starts with attitude, effort, energy, things of that nature. I’m trying to help us get better, and that’s where all my energy is right now. There’ll be a time for (draft conversation). It’s not now.”

Jonathan Quick Recounts Last Career NHL Game As A ‘Special’ NightThe New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a>’ 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday night marked the last game of Jonathan Quick’s 19-year illustrious NHL career.&nbsp;

The Rangers had won five out of six games before most recently losing three games in a row, ultimately helping them increase their odds of landing a higher pick in this year’s draft. 

Despite clinching last place in the Eastern Conference, the Rangers can still leapfrog the Calgary Flames in the overall standings.

It’s now confirmed; the Montreal Canadiens will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The two teams met four times this season, and each won twice. Montreal won the last two meetings but was outscored 13-11 in the season series.

As of now, it’s unknown whether the series will start in Montreal or Tampa Bay, since both teams could finish second in the Atlantic Division. What we do know, however, is that if the series starts in Tampa, it will kick off on Sunday because the Benchmark International Arena is unavailable on Saturday night due to a concert. Since the NHL has already announced that the playoffs will kick off on Saturday, if Montreal were to get home-ice advantage, the duel could start then. On the Bell Centre events page, game 1 is provisionally scheduled for Monday but is still listed as TBD. We’ll get confirmation once all games have been played.

Canadiens’ Hutson Has Had Two Fantastic Seasons
The State Of The Canadiens’ Defense
Canadiens Bury The Islanders With 4-1 Win

What we do know, however, is that both teams have some question marks about their defense corps. For the Canadiens, it’s the status of Noah Dobson, and to a lesser extent, that of Alexandre Carrier, that is a cause for concern. Carrier has started skating again but did not accompany the team in its last road trip of the season, while Dobson will be reevaluated about halfway through the first round. Given the fact that the Canadiens don’t have much depth when it comes to right-shot defensemen, this could be an issue.

As for the Lightning, they have been without ace blueliner and captain Victor Hedman since March 25, when he took an official leave of absence from the team. No further details have been revealed, and the date of his return remains unknown. While he has been limited to 33 games this season because of various injuries and has only put up 17 points while playing less than he has in the past (18:52 TOI compared to 23:05 TOI last season), he remains a key leader for the team and one who has valuable experience in the postseason (120 points in 170 games). The former Norris Trophy winner guided the Bolts to two Stanley Cups in 2019-20 and in 2020-21, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy after their first triumph.

Both teams have a high-octane offense; Tampa has scored 284 goals this season and ranks fourth in the league, while the Canadiens have 277. That works out to 3.51 goals-per-game for the Bolts and to 3.42 goals-per-game for the Habs. Tampa has three players in the top 40 scorers in the league: Nikita Kucherov, who has 130 points in 75 games, trailing only Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the league with 134 points; Jake Guentzel, who has 88 points; and Brandon Hagel, who has 74 points.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens have four players in the top 40 scorers in the league: captain Nick Suzuki, who’s fifth in the league with 101 points, sniper Cole Caufield, who, just like Guentzel, has 88 points; defenseman Lane Hutson, who has 78 points; and power forward Juraj Slafkovsky, who sneaks in the top 40 with 73 points.

While this will be a rematch of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, the Canadiens are a completely different side from what they were five years ago. Back then, they had put all their chips on phenomenal goaltending by Carey Price and big, punishing defensemen. Now, the Canadiens play an exciting brand of hockey led by former Tampa Bay star forward-turned-coach Martin St-Louis.

In 2021, Montreal lost the final in five games, being outscored 17-8. Back then, the Canadiens’ top scorer was Tyler Toffoli with 44 points in 52 games, while the league leader, Connor McDavid, had 105 points in 56 games. A young Suzuki, playing his sophomore season, had 41 points in 56 games. Needless to say, the Canadiens have a much stronger offense this time around.

In net, Andrei Vasilevskiy is still the man to beat. He leads all goaltenders with a 2.31 goals-against average, has a .912 save percentage, and a 39-15-4 record on the season. In the playoffs, he’s 67-50-0 with a .918 SV and a 2.45 GAA. Back in 2021, he was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner and a real thorn in the Canadiens’ side.

Meanwhile, Jakub Dobes will be the Canadiens’ number one when the puck drops on the series. The 24-year -old has a 29-9-4 record on the season with a 2.75 GAA and a .903 SV. He’s 1-2-0 in the playoffs, with a 2.91 GAA and a .881 SV, his only experience having been last year’s first-round series against the Washington Capitals, when he replaced Samuel Montembeault when he went down with an injury. Jacob Fowler will be waiting in the wings if Dobes Falters. 

This promises to be an exciting series, pitting one of the youngest teams in the league (the Canadiens are now second to the Chicago Blackhawks, who have an average age of 25.04 years old, while Montreal’s is 25.63 years old) against one of the oldest ones with an average age of 29.37 years old. Furthermore, there were 126 penalty minutes the last time the two teams faced off; there is already a lot of animosity between them.

Interestingly, behind the bench, St-Louis will take on the man who was his last coach when he played for the Bolts, Jon Cooper. Over the years, the former lawyer has coached 155 playoff games, winning 88 and losing 67, for a .568 winning percentage. Meanwhile, St-Louis has only won a single playoff game behind the bench and will face a big challenge. If Tampa gets home-ice advantage, Cooper will also have the last change to start the series, which would complicate matters even further for St-Louis.

Buckle up, Habs fans, this is going to be a wild one!

---

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. 

The New York Islanders' top prospect and 2025 first-round pick (No. 16), Victor Eklund, will be making his NHL debut on Tuesday night in the team's final game of the season.

The forward joined the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League following the conclusion of his season with Djurgårdens IF in Sweden, but with New York out of a playoff spot, head coach Pete DeBoer will get an early look at the 19-year-old forward before heading into a long offseason filled with pending roster decisions.

Eklund chats with #Isles Captain Anders Lee ahead of debut: pic.twitter.com/8a9WKwaAjd

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) April 14, 2026

The Islanders will be taking on the Carolina Hurricanes in their season finale, with DeBoer facing off against a familiar face in Logan Stankoven.

Stankoven played under DeBoer for parts of two seasons when the two were with the Dallas Stars, and DeBoer drew a comparison between Stankoven and Eklund ahead of the matchup:

“I‘ve watched a little bit. I remember the draft reports. I obviously have seen the brother play. Listen, everyone’s looking for speed, skill, and tenacity. And I think those would probably be three of the four or five things you’d use to describe him," DeBoer said.

"So, we got a similar guy on the other side tonight, in Logan Stakoven, who I  had in Dallas, s far as stature and the way he plays, and how hard he plays. So, I think if we get a version of that, that’s a, that’s a really good player.”

Eklund, who is 5-foot-11, and Stankoven, who is 5-foot-8, are both on the smaller side.

At 23 years old, Stankoven has 216 total career NHL games under his belt, overcoming his size by being aggressive on the forecheck, keeping his feet moving, and fighting for every loose puck.

Even on nights when he does not find the scoresheet, he makes an impact in all three zones and offers both an underrated goal-scoring ability and the ability to make clean reads and passes with the puck.

Eklund plays a very similar game, using his stick and elusiveness to find prime positioning in puck battles, and also his skating and poise to find an open teammate or clear the zone.

Stankoven has set career highs in goals (21), assists (22), and points (43) this season, but his offensive ceiling has yet to be hit, especially in his part-time transition from wing to center.

Given his professional experience, Eklund projects as a higher-ceiling forward than Stankoven while playing a similar style, potentially landing the Islanders a long-term top-six winger.

Eklund skated on the first line alongside Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom at morning skate, and it is expected he will be given ample ice time against Carolina. 

It is believed, much like Calum Ritchie this season, that Eklund will be given a chance to make the Islanders' NHL roster out of the preseason.

Puck drop between the Islanders and Hurricanes is set for 7:00 P.M. EST at UBS Arena.

We have reached the end of the 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins regular season!

The Penguins will take on the St. Louis Blues in Game 82 on Tuesday night before they play the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this weekend.

Tuesday's game is meaningless for both teams since the Penguins are locked into the No. 2 seed in the Metropolitan Division, while the Blues have already been eliminated from playoff contention. 

The Penguins are set to sit a lot of their regulars for this game, including Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust.

Defenseman Jake Livanavage will make his NHL debut after the Penguins signed him as a free agent last week. He was running one of the power play units during the morning skate and was skating on a pair with Jack St. Ivany. 

Here's a look at the projected lines and pairs:

Forwards

Koivunen-Novak-Brazeau

Soderblom-Kindel-Mantha

McGroarty-K. Hayes-A. Hayes

Harvey-Pinard-Koppanen-Acciari

Defensive pairs

Wotherspoon-Girard

Shea-Clifton

Livanavage-St. Ivany

Stuart Skinner was the first goaltender off at the morning skate and will start on Tuesday. He's also projected to be the Game 1 starter this weekend. 

Puck drop is set for 9:30 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh and ESPN. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

---

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

Tonight marks the final home game of the 2025-26 season for the Vancouver Canucks as they'll be facing off against the Los Angeles Kings. This game will also mark the Canucks' final game facing off against Kings captain Anže Kopitar, as the forward will be retiring at the end of the season. Here are the lineup notes for April 14, 2026. 

The only change in Vancouver's lineup tonight will be Kevin Lankinen starting in net. The goaltender is currently riding a personal two-game win streak that saw him stop 24 of 30 shots faced against the Colorado Avalanche on April 1 and 29 of 32 against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night. Lankinen's last start against the Kings came on March 26, when he stopped 34 of 37 shots faced in a 4-0 loss. 

The rest of Vancouver's lines will remain the same as those iced on Sunday night, during which the Canucks took a 4-3 win against the Anaheim Ducks in overtime. This means that Kirill Kudryavtsev and Curtis Douglas, two players who scored their first career NHL points and goals respectively, will stay in the lineup for tonight's match. 

Projected Lineups: 

DeBrusk-Pettersson-Höglander

Öhgren-Blueger-Boeser

O'Connor-Rossi-Karlsson

Douglas-Mueller-Räty

Buium-Hronek

M. Pettersson-Willander

E.Pettersson-Kudryavtsev

Lankinen

Tolopilo 

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, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Former Canucks Division Rival Jonathan Quick Announces Retirement

The Canucks Performed Surprisingly Well In Back-To-Backs During The 2025–26 Season

Canucks Curtis Douglas Scores First NHL Goal Against The Ducks

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Winnipeg Jets may be out of the playoffs, but the final stretch of the season is still offering reasons for optimism. One of the biggest storylines came Monday night, when top prospect Brayden Yager made his long-awaited NHL debut against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Yager’s arrival has been anticipated since August 2024, when Winnipeg acquired him in a deal that sent Rutger McGroarty to the Pittsburgh Penguins. While McGroarty has yet to make a significant impact at the NHL level, the Jets are hoping Yager can develop into a key piece of their future.

The debut itself came in a difficult matchup as Vegas entered the game on a strong run of form and controlled play throughout the night, skating away with a 6-2 victory. Despite the lopsided scoreline, Yager’s performance offered a glimpse of his potential.

From Saskatoon to the Show 🤩

Welcome to the @NHL, Brayden Yager!!! pic.twitter.com/BL28NjZGyo

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) April 14, 2026

The 21-year-old Saskatoon native centered Winnipeg’s third line, playing alongside veteran Nino Niederreiter and fellow young forward Nikita Chibrikov. Yager logged 17 shifts, just one fewer than Cole Perfetti and Gabe Vilardi, though his limited 10:17 of ice time.

He finished the night with one shot on goal and was on the ice for one of Vegas’ six tallies, a point shot from Rasmus Andersson that found its way through traffic. Still, Yager did not look out of place against a surging opponent and handled his assignments without major issues.

With two games remaining in the season, the Jets are expected to give Yager more opportunities to showcase his skill set. While his debut came under challenging circumstances, it marked an important first step in what the organization hopes will be a promising NHL career.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

After having their playoff hopes dashed, the Detroit Red Wings returned to action Monday night, in what should have been a low-pressure opportunity to evaluate young talent in a otherwise meaningless game. Instead, some of the lineup decisions sparked frustration among the fanbase during a matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Much of that frustration centered around top prospect Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, who was recently called up after an impressive run with the Grand Rapids Griffins. The 15th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft had been on a tear in the AHL, recording seven points in his final five games, earning what many believed was a deserved opportunity to showcase his offensive momentum at the NHL level.

Instead, Brandsegg-Nygard was deployed in a limited role as he skated on the fourth line alongside Marco Kasper and veteran James van Riemsdyk, a decision that drew immediate criticism from fans who felt the young forward should have been given a more prominent role.

Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (1st round’24) GOAL🚨 his third straight game with a goal and an assist #LGRWpic.twitter.com/QWfMj7ZZOV

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) April 4, 2026

The discontent only grew as veterans David Perron and van Riemsdyk logged more ice time despite both being on expiring contracts and uncertain to return next season.

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

A popular Red Wings fan account, LGRWProspects, voiced that frustration on social media, calling the usage “such a joke” and suggesting the limited minutes disrupted Brandsegg-Nygard’s rhythm. The comment reflected a broader sentiment that the organization risks hindering the growth of its young players by not putting them in positions to succeed.

Despite the restricted role, Brandsegg-Nygard made an impact in his 11:27 of ice time, the lowest total among Detroit skaters. He finished the game at plus-one and delivered a team-high four hits, showing flashes of the physical and two-way game that made him a first-round pick.

With one game remaining against the Florida Panthers, attention now turns to whether Detroit will adjust its approach. Fans are hoping the final contest provides a clearer look at the team’s future rather than continued reliance on veterans who may not even be apart of the organization moving forward.

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.