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

After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines, provide updates on the rest of the night's NHL slate and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Katie Gaus and Andrew McInnis react to the Washington Capitals beating the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in Game 5 and advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

Capitals vs Canadiens Game 5 - Playoff Frenzy | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

They also look at the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning facing off in Game 5.

Share your thoughts in the comments and live chat, and the hosts may discuss your message during the stream.

Check out the show right now.

With the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals eliminating the New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens respectfully from 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Calgary Flames are now officially locked in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft with the 18th overall pick.

Who will they draft?

Let the speculation begin…

The Flames have a problem on the offensive end. They had the fourth-lowest goals scored in the league, and a power play that ranked 19th. But they do get shots on goal with the seventh-most this past season.

The good thing about Calgary is they have two first-round picks this year and the second one is dependent on how far the Florida Panthers end up in the playoffs. The Flames should prioritize their offensive needs with that second pick.

Considering in Elite Prospects top 32 April’s list of prospects for the draft, there are just seven defencemen, it makes the position even more valuable.

And since 23-year-old Wranglers centre Rory Kerins impressed in the AHL with 33 goals and 61 points in 63 games this past season, and even scored four points in five games with the Flames, there is potential he makes the roster and helps with the scoring.

Calgary has depth with right-handed defencemen: Rasmus Andersson (whose future with the organization is cloudy), MacKenzie Weegar, Brayden Pachal, Daniil Miromanov.

Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz are RHD prospects that are very likely to make the roster.

With left-handers, the only regulars are Joel Hanley, Jake Bean and Kevin Bahl. Hanley will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer and will turn 34 on June 8th: quite old for the Flames roster whose average age was 27.35 for the 2024-45 season according to Elite Prospects.

Jake Bean is not a game-changing defenceman, and will most likely be headed to the AHL, leaving Bahl as the top pairing left defenceman. That means it should be Craig Conroy’s priority to sign the upcoming restricted free agent.

With that 18th overall pick, the Flames should draft a left-handed defenceman and add depth to their blueline.

Our pick:  Kitchener Rangers LD Cameron Reid -

24'-25' OHL Stats:  14 Goals, 40 Assists,  54 Points in 67 Games

Notable Stat: 22 Power Play assists (Team-high, 16th in the OHL)

The Reasons:

• Valuable shutdown defenseman

• Two-way capabilities with great offensive skills

• Leadership experience as alternate captain of Rangers

• Ability to quarterback the man-advantage will help Flames power play woes

• Very physical defender will fit well in a Flames roster ranked 11th in hits this past season

The NHL announced that the 2025 Draft Lottery will be held May 5 at NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. The event will be broadcast on ESPN in the United States and Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada, at a time to be announced. 

The Draft itself will take place from June 27-28 in Los Angeles.

There will be two drawings in the Draft Lottery, one to determine the No. 1 pick and a second to determine the No. 2 pick. No team can move up more than 10 spots in the draft order, and only the top 11 teams in the lottery are eligible for the No. 1 pick. If a team outside of the top 11 wins the draw, the team with the worst record in the NHL will pick No. 1.

The San Jose Sharks (20-50-12), who finished with the NHL's worst record, have the best odds to win the lottery at 18.5%, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks (25-46-11) at 13.5% and the Nashville Predators (30-44-8) at 11.5%.

According to Tankathon, the Predators' odds for their five possible lottery results are as follows:

• No. 1 overall — 11.5%
• No. 2 overall — 11.2%
• No. 3 overall — 7.8%
• No. 4 overall — 39.7%
• No. 5 overall — 29.8%

Regardless of the lottery results, the Predators will select in the top five of the draft order for the first time since 2013, when they selected defenseman Seth Jones at No. 4 overall.

The Los Angeles Kings looked on the way to eliminating the Edmonton Oilers for the first time in their four straight first-round series. They’re now on the brink of going home empty again.

The rollercoaster affair had the Kings winning the first two games and leading in Game 3 before the Oilers stormed back to win that night and the next two games,including a 3-1 victory Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

While some people may see one bad coach’s challenge as a turning point in this matchup, the Kings have only a series of blown leads to blame for where they are in the series at the moment.

Without a doubt, Kings coach Jim Hiller coach’s challenge for goaltender interference on Evander Kane’s equalizer in Game 3 was not a good look. The review quickly determined the goal would stand, and the resulting penalty led directly to the game-winning goal being scored on the Oilers’ power play. That’s not up for debate. 

That’s not the reason why Los Angeles dropped three games in a row. The key issue for the Kings is that they’ve deviated from their strong regular-season play when they knew how to hang onto their leads.

The Kings were 25-4-3 this season when leading after the first period, and they were even more impressive when leading after two periods at 35-1-2. 

But in the first round, Los Angeles is 2-1 when leading after 20 minutes, and they’re 2-2 when leading after two periods. They’re already two-thirds of the way to their blown third-period leads in the regular season.

When you break down the games even further, you’ll see the Kings constantly squandering advantages they managed to carve out.

In Game 3 on Friday, the Kings overcame a 2-0 Oilers lead, scoring three straight goals before Edmonton tied it. Los Angeles again took the lead late in the second period, only to allow the final three goals of the game. 

In Game 4 on Sunday, the Kings built a two-goal lead – and after the Oilers cut the lead in half, L.A. restored its two-goal advantage, only to allow the next three goals to Edmonton, including the overtime-winner. And finally, in Game 5, the Kings scored the first goal, then allowed two straight Oilers goals, plus an empty-netter.

Oilers' Evan Bouchard Joins Rare Company With Clutch PerformancesWhen you put Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard in the playoff spotlight, he can put up points from the blueline like not many others.

Clearly, one bad coach's challenge is not responsible for L.A. blowing leads time and again. A lost coach’s challenge didn’t help matters, of course. But that’s in one game only. 

The Kings’ defensive deficiencies are the real culprit here. And to be sure, Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper isn’t the goat, although his 3.44 GAA and .899 SP aren’t moving the needle in a positive way for his team. It’s the defense in front of Kuemper that’s the root cause of three straight defeats.

In the first two games of this series, the Kings’ offense was the difference in their favor, posting six goals in both games. But Los Angeles has messed around by trying to run-and-gun with Edmonton’s high-octane offensive attack, and they’ve found out that’s not a great idea.

As it stands, L.A. is on the brink of elimination – and once again, the team could be heading home for the summer courtesy of an Oilers team it knows all too well. The stakes are sky-high for them now, as one loss in the next two games could spell the end of the line for Kings GM Rob Blake and could lead to roster changes this summer. You can’t keep running back the same core, lose in the first round four straight seasons to the same team and expect to keep your job.

Ultimately, the Kings can’t say they didn’t know how to build a lead against Edmonton. They just didn’t know how to hold one. And consequently, they’re on the verge of exiting the playoffs and becoming a gigantic disappointment yet again.

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As the U18s wind down. Draft pundits like myself will be making some alterations to the 2025 NHL Draft rankings. Recency bias is real and I try like heck to stay away from that. Also, some players really shine and as long as there are games going on, players will move up or down depending on their performance. 

One player who is excelling is Braeden Cootes. He’s currently leading Team Canada in scoring with 10 points in four games. That’s terrific and he’s the captain of the team so that’s exactly what a draft eligible player wants to do  - - finish the season strong. 

The example I always use is current Leafs forward, Scott Laughton. Back in 2012, he had seven points in seven games. That was one more point than Sam Reinhart. Considering he wasn’t a point-per-game player in the regular season that year but he had five points in six playoff games. This tournament made the Flyers confident that they could draft him 20th overall without hesitation and he’s had a nice NHL career.

I’ll be tracking the games, writing about some surprise players and maybe some who might fall a bit. Between that and the NHL Draft Lottery coming up soon, that will keep me busy as the Canadiens try and keep their season going. Whenever that ends, fans always turn to the draft and I’m here for that.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev exited Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The 24-year-old played all three regulation periods but did not come out for the overtime frame. Thankfully for the Golden Knights, Brett Howden scored the game-winner, giving them a 3-2 series lead. 

Through five games, Dorofeyev has scored a goal and an assist, both tallies coming on the power play.

"We'll see how he is for tomorrow," head coach Bruce Cassidy said Wednesday. "We didn't skate today. But we'll have a better idea tomorrow."

The Golden Knights will be hoping he can travel with the club to Minnesota for Game 6, but if he cannot play, Victor Olofsson will likely slide back into the lineup. The 29-year-old winger played the first three games of the series before he was replaced by Tanner Pearson. He's not yet recorded a point in the playoffs and has only thrown three shots on goal. 

"If he can't go, we'll think about who goes in the lineup and go from there," Cassidy said. "I'm pretty comfortable with however it works out."

The Golden Knights will have their chance to close out the series on Thursday in St. Paul. 

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 Video Coach The True Star Of Game 5Vegas Golden Knights forwards Jack Eichel and Mark Stone finally introduced themselves into the series in Game 5, but the true headliner was video assistant coach Dave Rogowski detecting a possible offside on a Minnesota Wild goal.

The Carolina Hurricanes officially advanced to the second round with their 5-4 double overtime win over the New Jersey Devils in Game 5. Now, they have made some roster moves in preparation for the second round. 

The Hurricanes have announced that they have recalled Scott Morrow, Juha Jaaska, and Ty Smith from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. 

The Hurricanes selected Morrow with the 40th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old blueliner had one goal, six points, 16 blocks, and a plus-4 rating in 14 regular-season games with the Hurricanes this season. Down in the AHL with the Wolves, the right-shot defenseman posted 13 goals, 39 points, and 47 penalty minutes in 52 games. 

Jaaska, 27, played in his first 18 career NHL games this season with the Hurricanes, recording four assists and nine penalty minutes. The 6-foot winger spent most of this season with the Wolves, posting 12 goals, 33 points, and a minus-1 rating. 

Smith, 25, had one goal, one assist, five blocks, and a plus-1 rating in eight games this season with the Hurricanes. The 2018 first-round pick scored five goals and recorded 28 points in 36 games this campaign with the Wolves. 

These three will now serve as depth pieces for the Hurricanes during their playoff run from here. 

Recent Hurricanes News 

Hurricanes Hit Home Run With Taylor Hall ExtensionThe Carolina Hurricanes made a major move on April 30, signing forward Taylor Hall to a three-year, $9.5 million contract extension. This news was announced shortly after the Hurricanes knocked out the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the post-season.  Exciting Hurricanes Rookie Is Thriving In PlayoffsIt has been a strong start to the post-season for the Carolina Hurricanes. They currently have a commanding 3-1 series lead over the New Jersey Devils and need to win only one more game to advance to the second round.  Former Hurricanes Star Has Strong Playoff PerformanceDuring his time with the Carolina Hurricanes, Justin Faulk was known for his ability to produce offense from the point. This is still a notable part of his game now that he is with the St. Louis Blues, which is why he is a key part of the Central Division club's blueline.

What we know about the second round of the NHL playoffs so far originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

There will soon be just eight NHL teams in contention for the Stanley Cup.

The first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs is nearing its conclusion, with three Eastern Conference series wrapped up.

The Metropolitan Division’s No. 2-seeded Carolina Hurricanes were the first team to advance to the conference semifinals, taking down the Metro’s No. 3-seeded New Jersey Devils in five games. Sebastian Aho scored a series-clinching goal in double-overtime of Game 5, booking the franchise’s fifth consecutive conference semifinal appearance.

The second team to reach Round 2 also happens to be Carolina’s next opponent: the East’s No. 1-seeded Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin and the Caps made it out of the first round for the first time since their 2018 Stanley Cup title run by eliminating the wild-card Montreal Canadiens in five games.

The conference semis will also feature the defending champion Florida Panthers. Florida, the Atlantic Division’s No. 3 seed, bounced the Tampa Bay Lighting, the Atlantic’s No. 2 seed, in five games in Round 1 for a second straight postseason. The Panthers, who last year won their first Stanley Cup title, are looking to join an exclusive group of repeat winners.

With five second-round berths still to be awarded, what could the other conference semifinal matchups look like? And when will the next round begin? Here’s what we know:

When does Round 2 of the NHL playoffs start?

The NHL hasn’t announced a start date for Round 2 yet. For what it’s worth, the last potential Game 7s of the first round are slated for Sunday, May 4.

Do the NHL playoffs reseed teams?

Just like the NBA playoffs, teams aren’t reseeded after the first round of the NHL postseason. The Stanley Cup Playoffs have a bracket format.

What are the matchups in Round 2 of the NHL playoffs?

Here’s an updated look at the Round 2 bracket possibilities:

Eastern Conference

• Winner of Toronto Maple Leafs-Ottawa Senators vs. Florida Panthers (Atlantic No. 3)
• Carolina Hurricanes (Metro No. 2) vs. Washington Capitals (Metro No. 1)

Western Conference

• Winner of Winnipeg Jets-St. Louis Blues vs. winner of Dallas Stars-Colorado Avalanche
• Winner of Vegas Golden Knights-Minnesota Wild vs. winner of Los Angeles Kings-Edmonton Oilers

What is the Round 2 schedule in the NHL playoffs?

This section will be updated as second-round schedule details are released (* = if necessary):

Eastern Conference

Hurricanes vs. Capitals

• Game 1: Hurricanes at Capitals — date TBD, time TBD, TV channel TBD
• Game 2: Hurricanes at Capitals — date TBD, time TBD, TV channel TBD
• Game 3: Capitals at Hurricanes — date TBD, time TBD, TV channel TBD
• Game 4: Capitals at Hurricanes — date TBD, time TBD, TV channel TBD
• Game 5*: Hurricanes at Capitals — date TBD, time TBD, TV channel TBD
• Game 6*: Capitals at Hurricanes — date TBD, time TBD, TV channel TBD
• Game 7*: Hurricanes at Capitals — date TBD, time TBD, TV channel TBD

EDMONTON – Life has a funny way of bringing things full circle.

The team that drafted him may have to face him on Thursday night.

Him, in this sense, being a former Edmonton Oilers defender, Caleb Jones.

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

The Oilers drafted Jones 117th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He showed a lot of promise in his first few seasons when he was called up to the NHL team.

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Particularly, in his first 17-game stint. Jones recorded six points while playing 19:48 per game. That season, he spent 46 percent of his time on ice paired with defensive stalwart Adam Larsson.

Unfortunately for Jones, he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Duncan Keith. Keith would prove to be an essential piece for the Oilers and someone who would be a leader for the defense group on and off the ice.

Caleb Jones (And Others) Recalled By Los Angeles Kings

Now, he will potentially play against the team that drafted him. Earlier on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings recalled six players from their AHL affiliate (the Ontario Reign).

Andre Lee, Francesco Pinelli, Jack Studnicka, Taylor Ward, and Pheonix Copley were also recalled. 

Jones has split his season between the NHL and AHL. In the AHL, he played 44 regular season games, recording 21 points in the process. In his six NHL games, he has zero points while averaging 12:34 in ice time.

Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday, May 1st at 8:00 PM Mountain Time. The game will be broadcast on CBC and Sportsnet.

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To say Taylor Hall has been well-travelled over his 15-year NHL career would be an understatement. 

The former Hart Trophy winner has been on seven teams since the Edmonton Oilers selected him first overall in 2010, and he was considered an ancillary move in the massive three-way deal that brought Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in January.

The 33-year-old ended up fitting in with his new club while Rantanen got traded again to the Dallas Stars. On Wednesday, the Hurricanes announced they signed Hall to a three-year, $9.5-million contract extension worth about $3.167 million annually.

"(Getting term was a) big part of that, just moving around, and now that I have a family, it's important to be somewhere where I'm comfortable," Hall said on a media call on Wednesday. "This team, right from the moment I got here, made me feel comfortable. The coaching staff pushed me, and the guys in the room have been just incredible at making me feel welcome and making me feel like this is a place that I want to be." 

The Calgary native struggled with injuries in his first six seasons with Edmonton and was dealt to the New Jersey Devils in 2016. With the Devils, he scored a career-high 93 points (39 goals, 54 assists) in 2018 and won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP.

After failing to negotiate a contract extension, Hall was dealt as a rental to the Arizona Coyotes. The big left winger signed a one-year, $8-million deal with the Buffalo Sabres in 2020 to play under former Oilers coach Ralph Krueger, but his tenure with the Sabres was rough, and after scoring two goals in 37 games, Buffalo dealt him to the Boston Bruins.

Hall found his footing with the Bruins and signed a four-year, $24-million contract in 2021. After two seasons, Boston needed to clear salary and swapped him to the Chicago Blackhawks for a pair of minor leaguers. 

With the Hawks, the intent was to have him play with 2023 top pick Connor Bedard, but a knee injury ended his season after only 10 games. In the final year of his deal, Hall avoided injury but was moved up and down the lineup. He was eventually folded into the Rantanen deal, in which the Hawks retained 50 percent of his salary. 

With the Hurricanes, Hall posted 18 points in 31 games to finish the regular season.

Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky did not have the same issue of getting the veteran winger to sign in Carolina as he did with Rantanen.

"We've been talking since the day of the trade – I think we've had a sense of where it was going to be," Tulsky said. "Most of the conversations between myself and Taylor's agent, Darren (Ferris), we've been sort of hammering out some of the details of how some specifics of the deal would work." 

"Darren was talking to Taylor, making sure he was comfortable with it. I don't think either of us ever doubted that it would get done. It was just a matter of finding the deal that got everybody what they wanted."

Hall played a part in the Hurricanes beating the Devils 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs, eliminating his former team on Tuesday. He had a goal and three points in five games while averaging 15:56.

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1. Washington's Tom Wilson is the closest thing to being the perfect power forward. He's big, tough, an enforcer and scorer. The Capitals go nowhere without him.

2. The closest thing to a Rangers version of Wilson is Will Cuylle. He's 6-3, 210 pounds and loves to mix it. We also know for sure that he can score.

Successful NHL Coaches The Rangers Should StudyThe most successful coaches in the NHL right now are do not belong to the Rangers

3. Maple Leaf fans are even more nervous than their Blueshirt counterparts. After the Senators shut out Toronto last night, Leafs panic suggested that the favorites were down 0-3 in the series; not up 3-2.

4. The more Kris Knoblauch coaches Edmonton to comeback victories, the more it hurts Rangers fans who realize he could have been behind the Blueshirt bench.

5. One of Chris Drury's endless mistakes was bypassing Knoblauch in Hartford and opting for Peter Laviolette.

6. Don't be surprised if Lavvy winds up in Vancouver which would be a  big Jim Rutherford mistake if he goes that route.

7. The Devils wasted Jacob Markstrom's super goaltending last night in Raleigh. The four-minute penalty taken by Dawson Mercer in the second OT was just too tough to kill.

8. Still, kudos to New Jersey. The team hung tough despite the absence of three regular defenseman as well as top scorer Jack Hughes up front.

9. Considering how GM Chris MacFarland built the Avalanche for a long playoff run, it's hard to believe that Dallas could knock the Avs right out of the box tonight.

10. Pity the Capitals if they lose at home tonight to Montreal. Playing with house money, Marty St.Louis has his team poised for an astonishing comeback.

The Pittsburgh Penguins opened up a particularly appealing job after parting with coach Mike Sullivan on Monday. 

After all, who wouldn’t want to be behind the bench coaching icon Sidney Crosby? 

In any case, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has three distinct roads to move forward on as the team’s transitional period continues following its third straight playoff miss. The coaching choice Dubas makes will dictate the competitive road he chooses. 

With that in mind, here are three potential paths for the Penguins to take – and three potential coaches for each of those roads.

Path 1: Return The Penguins To The Playoffs And Stanley Cup Contention ASAP

“You can hope in one hand and s— in the other, and see which one fills up first,” Dubas said to reporters at the end-of-season press conference, seemingly shooting down the notion of a long and full rebuild.

That would almost certainly mean the Penguins will be aiming for a retool this summer. It could also mean the next coach will have lots of experience and be highly demanding, focusing on wins over learning and developing.

Dubas’ options for a veteran bench boss include Rick Tocchet, John Tortorella and Peter Laviolette. Tocchet parted with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday and is now a free agent.

Tortorella, meanwhile, was fired by the Philadelphia Flyers, and the New York Rangers fired Laviolette. They are still widely respected coaches with a track record of success, and their pedigree could be appealing for Dubas as he tries to get his team back in the playoff mix right away.

The Pittsburgh Penguins Parting With Mike Sullivan Is The Best Thing For ThemThe Pittsburgh Penguins kind of, sort of, tried it Mike Sullivan's way. Not only were they not good enough to contend for a Stanley Cup, but they weren't good enough to contend for a playoff spot.

Path 2: Keep Pittsburgh Competitive During A Transitional Period

In his press conference announcing the end of Sullivan’s tenure, Dubas talked about a period of transition, which suggests perhaps choosing a coach with either experience as an assistant or head coach. While Sullivan previously coached the Boston Bruins, he spent years as an assistant coach and AHL coach before getting a chance as an NHL bench boss again in Pittsburgh.

That could lead to the Penguins taking a chance on someone whose name may not immediately jump out as a front-runner, and who could currently be working on a team still in this year’s playoffs.

For instance, current Toronto Maple Leafs associate coach Lane Lambert has experience running a team from his time with the New York Islanders. This year, Lambert has had success running Toronto’s penalty kill. 

Current Washington Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love has also been speculated to be in the running for multiple NHL jobs. And longtime Carolina Hurricanes assistant coach Jeff Daniels has had great success with the team, including a Cup championship in 2006. Any of those three choices could step in for Pittsburgh and get them through this transitional stage.

Path 3: Focus On Developing The Penguins’ Younger Players And Next Core

Dubas may ultimately decide the Penguins should be focused on teaching the team’s youngsters and grooming the incoming core of the organization. There are numerous options out there if that’s the approach Dubas and the franchise want to take.

For example, current University of Denver coach David Carle is highly regarded as a teacher who has thrived working with young players. Carle may have his pick of a number of NHL jobs, but the chance to work with Crosby while at the same time developing Pittsburgh’s prospects may be especially appealing.

Elsewhere, current Boston Bruins assistant coach Jay Leach worked with Sullivan at the AHL level and was part of the Penguins organization before moving on to a solid coaching career in the AHL and NHL. 

Veteran coach Brad Shaw, who served as the Flyers’ interim coach after Tortorella was fired, could step in for the Pens and be a teacher for the foreseeable future if the Flyers don’t make him the permanent coach. One of those three could have at least a couple of years implementing a program that’d help Dubas build a new core for the long term.

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With news breaking yesterday that Rick Tocchet will not be returning to the Vancouver Canucks next season, speculation now turns to who could replace him. As it stands, some frontrunners for this job are former Edmonton Oilers Head Coach Jay Woodcroft and current Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach Manny Malhotra. Let’s take a look at some other more-experienced NHL coaches who could replace Tocchet in 2025–26. 

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Not Mike Sullivan 

While speculation about Mike Sullivan joining the Canucks ran at an all-time high on Monday when he and the Pittsburgh Penguins parted ways, Vancouver’s President of Hockey Operations, Jim Rutherford, confirmed otherwise during Tuesday’s press conference. 

“I know my good friend, Mike Sullivan, does not want to leave the east. He’s a real good family man. I talked to him yesterday, not about coming here, but talked to him when he left Pittsburgh, and I know he wants to stay in the east.” 

Peter Laviolette 

With experience as an NHL Head Coach since the 2001–02 season to now, Peter Laviolette could easily be in consideration for the role of Canucks Head Coach. He parted ways with the New York Rangers on April 19, only two seasons after joining the team. Laviolette got his start as an NHL Head Coach with the New York Islanders before ending up with the Carolina Hurricanes for five seasons. Rutherford was the Hurricanes’ General Manager during all five of these years. Together, the duo won a Stanley Cup in 2006. 

“We had some success together. I like him as a person and a coach. Haven’t got that far yet, but certainly having someone you’re familiar with helps,” Rutherford said of his experience with Laviolette. He later specified that Patrik Allvin would be the one primarily dealing with the next Head Coach, meaning they would have to find someone he would fit best with. 

“I wouldn’t want to take him off the list at this point. He’s had a lot of success in the league, and it’s a good name.” 

While Laviolette is a popular name that Rutherford is familiar with, realistically, the way he coaches may not fit with the Canucks’ future. Laviolette’s aversion to playing younger players — something that came up during his time with the Rangers — won’t work well with a depth system filled with youth.  

Gerard Gallant

Another former Rangers Head Coach, Gerard Gallant’s last NHL coaching gig was during the 2022–23 regular season. Since then, he has coached a 2024–25 Team Canada roster to a semifinal loss during the Spengler Cup. His coaching record has been impressive as of late, with his past three coaching stints resulting in points percentages of .583, .601, and .662. 

“I’m waiting, I’m hoping, you know, if something comes up,” Gallant said in an interview with NHL.com back in January 2024. “Obviously, I’d like to be coaching again in the National Hockey League but we’ll see. I haven’t talked to anybody, and I’m not waiting by the phone. If the phone rings, I’ll be very happy, but I’m not sitting, waiting.” 

Stylistically, Gallant has been referred to as a players coach, with former Rangers Captain Jacob Trouba emphasizing that “He’s a guy that players respect [ . . . ] and enjoy playing for.” However, one issue that has popped up for him during his four tenures as an NHL Head Coach is that he has been outcoached when his team needs it. Whether this would impact the 2025–26 Canucks or not is something that is yet to be determined — after all, most of Gallant’s downfalls have stemmed from difficult playoff losses. With that being said, Gallant could be a great coach to help the Canucks get back on their feet after such a lopsided season. 

Jay Woodcroft

As mentioned, Woodcroft is yet another favourite to become the Canucks’ next Head Coach based on bets from PlayNow.com. His first stint as an NHL Head Coach was with the Oilers, where he coached for around a year and a half. Before this, he was the Head Coach of Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. Early on in his NHL coaching career, he spent three seasons with the Detroit Red Wings as a Video Coach and seven with the San Jose Sharks as an Assistant. 

Like Gallant, Woodcroft has faced issues regarding coaching adaptability. This is something that would likely come into play more-so in playoffs rather than the regular season, but at the end of the day, Vancouver wants to be a postseason team — not a regular season one. Woodcroft may be better suited for a younger team like the Chicago Blackhawks rather than the Canucks. 

John Tortorella

This would be the most chaotic option for the Canucks, and is definitely the most unlikely on this list. John Tortorella spent one season with Vancouver, 2013–2014, and was let go after it despite signing with the team for five years. Regardless of how he was perceived, former Canucks such as Kevin Bieksa have spoken positively of his coaching style. 

Since departing from the Canucks, Tortorella has split time with the Columbus Blue Jackets (2015–2021) and the Philadelphia Flyers (2022–2025). Throughout the 2024–25 season, he had made headlines for benching some of the Flyers’ young stars — something that isn’t unexpected of him. Tortorella’s coaching style is aggressive and long-standing, as his NHL Head Coach career spans 22 seasons. 

As successful as Tortorella’s coaching may be in some locker rooms, Vancouver is probably not the best fit for it next season. The Canucks are coming off a very unsteady season, with many players’ futures with the franchise still up in the air. Their best bet for success is to bring someone in who can help stabilize the room with familiarity. 

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There have been only 22 head coaches in the history of the Pittsburgh Penguins, with Mike Sullivan serving as the most recent and longest-tenured coach from 2015 to 2025. As expected, Sullivan has coached the most games, winning the most and losing the most. 

Overall, all 22 head coaches have won more than ten games, and every one of them has lost at least 20. Moreover, 13 coaches have compiled a winning record, and 16 of them have led the Penguins in the playoffs. 

Today, we will look at the top 10 winningest coaches in Pittsburgh history, which dates back to 1967. 

10. Ken Schinkel (83-92-28) 1973-1977

Ken Schinkel was the third Penguins head coach, succeeding Hall of Famer Red Kelly, who was the team's winningest coach with 90 victories from 1970 to 1973. However, Schinkel didn't run the bench for four consecutive seasons; instead, he split his time from 1972 to 1974 and again from 1975 to 1977, with Marc Boileau serving as head coach for 151 games from 1973 to 1976.

9. Ken Constantine (86-64-35) 1998-2000

Kevin Constantine took over the Penguins following Mario Lemieux's first retirement in 1997. He still had Jaromir Jagr in his lineup, but the club didn't advance past the second round during his tenure, and he lasted only 25 games into the 1999-2000 campaign.

8 Possible Replacements For Mike Sullivan As Penguins Head CoachWith the shocking news that the Pittsburgh Penguins and longtime coach Mike Sullivan have mutually agreed to part ways, it comes as no surprise that one of the first talking points is who will be the one replace him.

8. Bob Berry (88-127-25-28) 1985-1987

Bob Berry arrived in Pittsburgh in 1985 after spending three seasons with the Montreal Canadiens. Despite having a 19-year-old Lemieux in the lineup, the Penguins won a total of 88 games over three seasons at the helm, never finishing higher than fifth in the division.

7. Red Kelly (90-132-52) 1970-1973

As an eight-time Stanley Cup champion, Kelly was the second head coach in Penguins history and became the first one to win over 90 games. Moreover, Kelly was the first bench boss to lead the franchise to the playoffs, a six-game first-round loss to the St. Louis Blues. 

6. Johnny Wilson (91-105-44) 1977-1980

In only 240 games, Johnny Wilson established the franchise record for most head coach wins with 91. Additionally, he helped the Penguins to the playoffs in two of his three seasons, becoming the first to lead them to back-to-back appearances in 1979 and 1980.

5. Scotty Bowman (95-53-16) 1992-1993

Scotty Bowman was already a legend when he came to Pittsburgh to serve with Bob Johnson in 1990. After taking over for Johnson in late 1991, Bowman guided the Penguins to their second consecutive Stanley Cup title. Then, in 1992-93, he guided the franchise to its first 100-point campaign, while establishing an NHL record for 17 straight wins. Bowman also set a record with 56 wins, the most in a single season.

4. Michel Therrien (135-105-32) 2006-2009

At the time of his employment, from 2006 to 2009, Michel Therrien became only the second head coach in Penguins history to win over 100 games, finishing his tenure with 135 wins. Despite having Sidney Crosby on his bench, Pittsburgh didn't win the Stanley Cup in 2008, and he was fired before the club returned to the 2009 Final to win it all.

3. Eddie Johnston (232-224-60) 1980-1983, 1993-1997

Eddie Johnston was the Penguins' winningest coach for a long time, compiling 232 wins over two tenures, each lasting three and a half seasons. Despite his time as head coach, Johnston will always be remembered for his tenure as general manager, from 1983 to 1988, when he drafted Lemieux first overall in 1984. 

2. Dan Bylsma (252-117-32) 2009-2014

In only five seasons, Dan Bylsma became the Penguins' winningest coach, surpassing Johnston's record by 20 victories. He won the Stanley Cup in 2009 and helped Pittsburgh to the 2013 Eastern Conference Final. Moreover, Bylsma is the only head coach in team history to compile two 50-plus win seasons, giving him the franchise record for highest points percentage at .668.

1. Mike Sullivan (409-255-89) 2015-2025

It will take a special head coach to surpass Sullivan as the winningest coach in Penguins history. Not only did he surpass Bylsma's record by 157 victories, but he is also the only coach to win 300 and 400 games. Meanwhile, Sullivan coached 753 games, surpassing Bylsman's total by 352 games, an equivalent of four and a half seasons. 

Revisiting Mike Sullivan's Milestone Wins With PenguinsMike Sullivan is the winningest coach in Pittsburgh Penguins history, finishing his ten-year tenure behind the bench with a 409-255-89 record in 753 games. Those totals don't include his postseason numbers, which are 44-38 in 82 games, including two Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017.

Considering Sullivan ranks 15th all-time in NHL history for wins with a single franchise, and is the only head coach to lead the Penguins to two Stanley Cup titles, his legacy in the Steel City is almost untouchable. 

If you’re a parent, which is worse: having to choose between your boys’ NHL playoff series, or watching them square off against each other?

Jeff and Rita Schenn are finding out, as their sons Luke and Brayden Schenn battle it out in the first-round playoff series between the Winnipeg Jets and the St. Louis Blues.

After the Blues chased Connor Hellebuyck twice in St. Louis and recorded a pair of wins, the series is all square at 2-2. Game 5 goes Wednesday, back in Winnipeg (9:30 p.m. ET).

Born less than two years apart, Luke and Brayden both hit the 1,000-game milestone this season – just the eighth set of brothers in NHL history to get the silver stick honor. 

Now into their 30s, they were both fifth-overall draft picks who have become Stanley Cup champions. 

Luke Schenn, the defenseman, went first to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008. He won his Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. Brayden Schenn, the center, went to the Los Angeles Kings one year later. His Cup came in his second season with the Blues, in 2019, and he became the team’s captain in 2023.

Two months ago, Jeff and Rita were probably mapping out very different plans for this time of year. At the February break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, Luke’s Nashville Predators were mired in 30th place in the NHL standings, and Brayden’s Blues were below .500 – eight points out of a Western Conference wild-card spot. 

Leading up to the March 7 NHL trade deadline, Brayden Schenn was rumored to be available, but the asking price would be sky high. There was even some chatter that perhaps the brothers could be a package deal for the right organization.

On March 5, Luke was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Two days later, his seventh playoff run became a near-certainty when he was flipped onto the league-leading Jets. 

As for Brayden Schenn, he stayed put after the Blues went 5-1-1 out of the break. 

“I give the guys a ton of credit, GM Doug Armstrong told reporters on deadline day. “The players tell us what we’re supposed to do, and to their credit, they've really played fantastic hockey right now.”

Given the Blues’ baked-in, never-say-die mentality, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that they were able to level the series on home ice after dropping the first two games in Winnipeg. So far, Jordan Binnington’s nine goals against and .907 save percentage are easily besting Vezina favorite Hellebuyck. He has given up 15 goals, sits at .817, and was pulled in the third period of Game 3 and Game 4 – but remains unfazed.

“You don’t love giving up that many goals, but we’re 2-2 in the series,” Hellebuyck said Monday. “That’s all that matters. Win the next one. Am I going to be better? I am going to be better.”

The Schenn brothers have also played noticeable roles in the playoffs.

Luke has been providing steady third-pair minutes and plenty of muscle, just as coach Scott Arniel would have hoped. Averaging 16:00 a game, he leads the Jets with 20 hits and, thanks to 10-minute misconducts in both Game 1 and Game 4, leads the entire playoffs with 30 penalty minutes.

The 35-year-old also picked up an assist in the Jets’ 5-3 series-opening win. And even though he finished at minus-2 in Game 3 and Game 4, the Jets have dominated play when he has been on the ice, controlling over 55 percent of expected goals at 5-on-5 according to naturalstattrick.com. 

As for Brayden, he picked up his first points of the series in Game 4, with a goal and an assist in the Blues’ 5-1 win. He’s centering a high-octane line with Jake Neighbours and Jordan Kyrou, averaging 16:31 a game, and also has two misconducts already – from Game 1 and Game 3.

For the series, Brayden’s advanced stats aren’t great, with an expected goals share of 43.34 percent. But he was much better on home ice, at 55.70 percent.

Per the NHL, the Schenns are the sixth set of brothers to go head-to-head in a playoff series in the last 20 years. We saw it last season, too, when Ryan Lindgren’s New York Rangers swept Charlie Lindgren’s Washington Capitals in Round 1.

In the past, we’ve seen some parents try to Frankenstein jerseys together to show their loyalty. Mr. and Mrs. Schenn prefer to just blend into the crowd.

“I think they’ll be pretty neutral," Luke Schenn said. "They’re not going to be wearing jerseys. I don’t see them ever wearing a jersey to the games.”

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