Category: Ice Hockey

Welcome to a new episode of The Hockey News Wraparound Show, featuring rapid-fire topics after a historic weekend in the NHL.

Is This The Year The Kings Eliminate The Oilers? by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan and Michael Augello discussed in this episode:

0:00: Is Alex Ovechkin’s all-time NHL goals record one of the most impressive feats in professional sports?

6:58: Could Nick Suzuki be one of the top centers in the NHL in the near future?

9:30: Does Nick Roberston deserve a spot in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ playoff lineup?

11:32: What is the Nashville Predators’ biggest need at the NHL draft?

15:28: Will Brock Nelson stick with the Colorado Avalanche beyond this season?

17:48: Should the Florida Panthers be resting players already?

19:52: Could this be the year that the Los Angeles Kings take down the Edmonton Oilers?

22:01: Have the St. Louis Blues shifted from being a feel-good story to a playoff threat?

24:30: Could Cale Makar end up hitting 100 points next season?

26:26: Should people think differently about the Buffalo Sabres’ future after the team’s hot streak at the end of the season?

29:34: Could we see Mitch Marner stick with the Toronto Maple Leafs long-term like Vladimir Guerrero Jr.?

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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After eight long years, the magic number is down to one for the Ottawa Senators.

As of Monday morning, any combination of one point gained by the Senators or single points lost by the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings will officially clinch Ottawa’s ticket to the postseason for the first time in eight years.

Even the most pessimistic of fans and pundits can finally breathe a sigh of relief after a three-game stretch where the Senators took down both Florida teams and outscored their opponents by a combined score of 9-1. Thanks to some hot goaltending, a few bounces, and commitment to defence, the Senators are not only virtually assured of a playoff spot, but they’re only 2 points behind the defending Cup champion Florida Panthers for 3rd place. Even Tampa in second place isn’t unreachable as the schedule winds up.

This means that there’s still plenty for the Senators to play for in the last five games, but there are also key decisions to make and scenarios to hope for. It’s been a long time since this town has had the chance to look beyond game 82.

Many pundits and fans seem to think that the Toronto Maple Leafs would provide the most favorable matchup for the Senators. I’m sure the NHL itself wants this matchup which would draw millions of eyeballs. The Leafs would have the edge on offense, but Ottawa has the superior defensive numbers and a Vezina winner compared to the Leafs’ platoon that has played well all season long but next to zero playoff experience.

All the pressure would be on the Leafs to avoid the rock-bottom scenario of losing to their smaller brother in the province. Of course, Ottawa swept the season series with the Leafs 3-0-0, which makes the Senators a pretty daunting first-round matchup for a historically fragile group at playoff time.

Regardless of the stats, do Ottawa fans really want their first playoff game on Canadian Tire Centre ice in eight years to be taken over by the fans of the blue team? Team president Cyril Leeder and his team are doing what they can to mitigate the big blue wave, but they still tend to find a way. The city and fanbase deserve a packed house, cheering loudly for the home team, a simple goal made much more complicated if the Leafs are the matchup.

The other possible opponents in Florida, Tampa Bay, and (unlikely) Washington all come with both significant challenges and championship pedigree. However, the Senators have played all of these opponents well this season and have avenues to victory against any of them.

Florida has faded down the stretch with a 3-6-1 record in their last ten games, including a shutout loss to Ottawa, and has been bitten hard by the injury bug. The Senators have played the Capitals tough all season as well, and perhaps there’s a letdown in energy now that Alex Ovechkin is the all-time NHL goals leader. The Lightning are always an intimidating opponent, but one that Ottawa has managed a 2-2 record against this season.

In other words, the playoffs are about proving you’re the best team, so it’s not in the team’s interest to get selective about which opponent the Senators will play. These teams could be just as eager to avoid the Senators as the Senators are to avoid them.

The best strategy is going into the playoffs hot, and letting the standings take care of themselves. No opponent will be an easy out, and while fans may be thrilled just by making it, it’s clear the organization has no interest in being first-round cannon fodder.

This is where Ottawa has decisions to make. Their decision to rest captain Brady Tkachuk seems to have been the wise choice as he deals with multiple injuries. Tkachuk is the team’s most terrifying weapon in the playoffs, so ensuring he’s fresh and gambling on the rest of the roster to get the necessary points has paid off. There should be no rush for Tkachuk now, and he'll likely bank even more rest and recovery time before getting back up to game speed.

What about the goaltending? Both Linus Ullmark and Anton Forsberg have been excellent over the last few games. Do you rest Ullmark up over the last few games, or do you keep him at his usual workload to keep his routine going? Given Ullmark’s injury history, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to give Forsberg two or three starts in the final five games.

Ottawa also has a much better veteran presence than in years past, but those players have significant miles on their bodies. Would it be the worst thing to rest Claude Giroux and David Perron as well? Some players, like the snakebitten Fabian Zetterlund, could use some extra ice time to try and pad their stats and confidence heading into the big dance while the older or injured players lick their wounds.

Coach Travis Green has some interesting roster decisions to make, and going into the playoffs hot while avoiding injuries is paramount. It will be fascinating to see what he does with the lineup. The panic button has been safely put away for the rest of the season, but it would be very tempting to break that "in case of emergency” glass if the Senators went into the playoffs on a losing streak.

This team has proven all season long that they approach every game one shift at a time, and there’s a composure, calmness, and professional competitiveness that’s been missing for years. Now, as they venture further into uncharted territory, it's time to see how they approach the next level.

More Sens Headlines:

Top 10: Jake Sanderson Takes His Offensive Production To A New Level

One On One: GM Steve Staios' Additions Help To Reset The Ottawa Senators

What's Going On With The Injury To Brady Tkachuk?

Battle of Ontario: Debating Who Would Win A Senators-Leafs Playoff Series

The 52-21-4 Winnipeg Jets have returned home for a one-off home game vs. the red-hot St. Louis Blues (43-28-7). 

St. Louis has won 12 games in a row and are 19-2-2 in their last 23 outings.

It will most definitely be a challenge for Winnipeg, which currently holds down first place across the league, as well as the Central Division. 

But with Dallas, Colorado and St. Louis all coming in hot over the past month, the Jets' edge has slipped to just a point here and there. And those points are making a huge different as the season wanes out and becomes postseason play. 

Connor Hellebuyck will get the start in goal for Winnipeg, while local product Joel Hofer will backstop the Blues on Monday.

Colin Miller will miss Monday's game due to illness, while Nikolaj Ehlers is considered a game-time decision due to the lower body injury he sustained two games back that forced him to miss the contest against Utah on Saturday. 

Jaret Anderson-Dolan remains in the lineup, while Logan Stanley and Haydn Fleury are expected to work together as the third defensive pair in Miller and Neal Pionk's absence.

Winnipeg Jets' expected line combinations for Monday, April 7 vs. St. Louis:

Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo

Ehlers-Namestnikov-Perfetti

Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton

Tanev-Barron-Anderson Dolan

Morrissey-DeMelo

Samberg-Schenn

Stanley-Fleury

Injured: Pionk, Vilardi, Kupari, Miller

Healthy Scratches: Gustafsson, Heinola, 

It's the latest episode of the Sens Nation Podcast, now up on all podcast apps. Hosted by our site editor, Steve Warne, the boys discuss the Senators' 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday. They can officially clinch their first playoff spot in eight years on Tuesday with a win or regulation loss back in Columbus.

Sunday's win was their third straight, and they allowed just one goal in the process. With the potential to catch the Florida Panthers for third place, we explore what that would mean for the Sens' playoff hopes. The Panthers lead Ottawa by two points, and each team has five games left to play.

Other topics include:

- Three Senators snapped long goal-scoring slumps in the past two games. That includes Nik Matinpalo who's never scored in the league until now.

- Jake Sanderson has emerged as one of the NHL’s top offensive defencemen.

- We dive into the latest injury updates on Brady Tkachuk and Nick Cousins—will they be ready before the playoffs? Who will come out of the lineup when they return?

- And we look back at Alex Ovechkin’s milestone weekend as he breaks the NHL career goal-scoring record. Hit the YouTube version of the show at the link below or listen on your favourite podcast app.

Ottawa Senators Win Three Straight, Can Clinch Playoff Spot This Week, Ovechkin Makes HistoryBrought to you by https://celebright.ca/, https://www.capitalpodcast.ca/, and https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senatorsHelp us create more content by sup...

One On One: GM Steve Staios' Additions Help To Reset The Ottawa Senators

What's Going On With The Injury To Brady Tkachuk?

Battle of Ontario: Debating Who Would Win A Senators-Leafs Playoff Series

Top 10: Jake Sanderson Takes His Offensive Production To A New Level

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas was named the NHL's third star of the week for the ween ending April 6.

Thomas had two goals and seven assists in three games, each a game-winning goal helping the Blues (43-28-7), who are on a franchise-record 12-game winning streak, go 3-0-0 last week with wins over the Detroit Red Wings (2-1 in overtime), Pittsburgh Penguins (5-4 in overtime) and Colorado Avalanche (5-4).

"I can't say enough good things about Robert Thomas's game since 4 Nations," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said after the win against the Avalanche. "He must be one of the top three scorers in the NHL in that time. 

"I think what people aren't recognizing is how good he's been defensively. We're using him against [Nathan] MacKinnon's line all night [Saturday] and he just does a good job. His brain is high-end offensively and defensively."

Since Feb. 1, Thomas is No. 1 in the league with 39 points (nine goals, 30 assists) in 26 games, two points ahead of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov and three ahead of MacKinnon and Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak.

Thomas follows in the footsteps of goalie Jordan Binnington, who was named the NHL's third star of the month for March after going 8-2-0 with a 2.21 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who broke Wayne Gretzky's record for goals in NHL history with 895, was the first star and Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (four goals, three assists in four games) was named second star.

There weren't high expectations for Ilya Mikheyev this season with the Chicago Blackhawks after being acquired in the offseason. The Vancouver Canucks paid to get rid of his contract, allowing the Blackhawks to upgrade from a fourth-round pick to a second-round pick in 2027.

Typically, anytime a player's contract is dumped, they aren't going to play at the level in which they are paid to. That hasn't been the case for Mikheyev as, even though Chicago has ample cap space, he has been worth the $4.037 million AAV cap hit due to his overall play at both ends of the ice.

Mikheyev is a 20-goal scorer this season, tied for third on the team with Connor Bedard. Mikheyev has accomplished this without any power-play goals either while Bedard (20 goals) and Tyler Bertuzzi (21), each have nine goals on the man advantage this season. The Russian winger has also scored three of his goals on the penalty kill due to his strong ability to kill penalties and use his speed.

Mikheyev doesn't have the most assists with just 14, but with a two goal effort in the Blackhawks' last game, he set a new career high in points with 34. He ranks fifth on the team in points this season. On a team that has a -69 goal differential, he leads the team at +2.

At this point, the Blackhawks must be very happy that the team has Mikheyev signed for another season as his play and hard work sets a good example for the younger players. I wouldn't take the team re-signing him to a similar contract to keep him around out of the question either.

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

When the St. Louis Blues look for Lucky 13 on Monday against the Winnipeg Jets to begin a three-game roads trip, it could come with a great reward.

The Blues (43-28-7), who established a franchise record with their 12th straight win on Saturday in a 5-4 win against the Colorado Avalanche, are in search of their 13th straight win against the Central Division-leading Jets (52-21-4) at 6:30 p.m. (FDSNMW, NHLN, Prime-Canada, ESPN 101.1-FM) and if they win in regulation, coupled with a Calgary Flames regulation loss to the San Jose Sharks, the Blues would clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2022-23.

It's quite the remarkable feat in front of the Blues, who came out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break eight points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the second wild card from the Western Conference. But they currently sit in the first wild card, two points ahead of the Minnesota Wild and in line to face the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs should they start today. The Wild, who currently hold the second wild card, would face the Jets should the standings hold up.

"Staying in the moment, worrying about our next game and getting prepared for it, our day to day habits have been excellent," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. "Not discussing where we are in the standings and not talking about who's injured. They haven't talked about any of them [Colton Parayko, Dylan Holloway] as a group together."

The Blues trip will then move on against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday and wrap up where it all began on Oct. 8, against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday before their regular season ends April 15 against Utah Hockey Club.

"That's been a key to this whole operation." goalie Jordan Binnington said of living in the moment. "Just keeping our focus on what's in our control. That's winning hockey games and getting points and building our game to playoff time."

- - -

* The teams will wrap up their season series tonight. Winnipeg has won two of the three, winning 3-2 on Oct. 22 in St. Louis and 4-3 in a shootout Feb. 22 at Enterprise Center. The Blues won 4-1 at Canada Life Centre on Dec. 2, so each of the three games has been won by the road team.

* Blues center Robert Thomas is riding an eight-game point streak (three goals, 14 assists) but he also has seven points (three goals, four assists) in three games against the Jets this season.

* Blues defenseman Cam Fowler has six points (one goal, five assists) in a three-game point streak and nine points (two goals, seven assists) the past six games.

* Blues forward Zack Bolduc has 12 goals in 22 games since the 4 Nations break; he had just six goals in 46 games previously.

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud

Jake Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Jordan Kyrou

Mathieu Joseph-Oskar Sundqvist-Zack Bolduc

Alexey Toropchenko-Radek Faksa-Nathan Walker

Cam Fowler-Nick Leddy

Philip Broberg-Justin Faulk

Ryan Suter-Tyler Tucker

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

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

- - -

Jets Projected Lineup:

Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Alex Iafallo

Nikolaj Ehlers-Vladislav Namestnikov-Cole Perfetti

Nino Niederreiter-Adam Lowry-Mason Appleton

Brandon Tanev-Morgan Barron-Jaret Anderson-Dolan

Josh Morrissey-Dylan DeMelo

Dylan Samburg-Luke Schenn

Logan Stanley-Haydn Fleury

Connor Hellebuyck will start in goal; Eric Comrie will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Ville Heinola and David Gustafsson. Neal Pionk (lower body), Gabriel Vilardi (upper body) and Rasmus Kupari (concussion) are out. Colin Miller (illness) and Ehlers (foot) each is a game time decision.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without defenseman Jake McCabe and forward David Kampf for the next two games, as both are set to miss the club’s brief two-game road trip through Florida after participating in Monday’s optional skate.

According to TSN’s Mark Masters, the two skaters hit the ice before the team departed for Fort Lauderdale ahead of a back-to-back set against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday and Wednesday. Head coach Craig Berube told reporters both players are officially ruled out for the trip and are still listed as day-to-day.

“They won’t play either game, the next two,” Berube told reporters including Masters.

Jake McCabe and David Kampf back on the ice today, but won’t play the next two games, per Leafs coach Craig Berube @TSN_Sportspic.twitter.com/q5eGDh3N1y

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) April 7, 2025

Berube also mentioned on Monday that the pair will stay back in Toronto and continue to recover, not travelling with the team.

“They’ll stay home. They’re skating today, which is good, but they’ll be out the next two games,” he said.

Kampf exited Wednesday’s game against Florida in the second period with an upper-body injury and did not return. McCabe, whose injury is undisclosed, was seen heading to the dressing room with just over a minute left in the third period after crashing awkwardly into the boards following a hit from Carter Verhaeghe. The 31-year-old blueliner also collided with a linesman after a Matthew Knies goal.

Both players also sat out Saturday’s home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“I'm not sure when it happened, to be honest with you. I really don't know,” said Berube on Friday.

Jake McCabe went to the Leafs dressing room with 1:10 left

I wonder if this had anything to do with it pic.twitter.com/aEEHX0P5jD

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 3, 2025

Toronto has a small cushion at the top of the Atlantic Division with a four-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning and a six-point lead over the Florida Panthers. With just six games remaining on the regular-season schedule, the team can afford to rest McCabe and Kampf with bigger goals set on the playoffs – already locked into their ninth consecutive postseason appearance. 

Kampf, who has tallied five goals and eight assists for 13 points through 59 games this season, is averaging a career-low 12:24 of ice time per game. McCabe, meanwhile, has been a cornerstone of Toronto’s defense, contributing two goals and 21 assists while averaging a career-high 21:31 per night across 66 appearances.

How The Maple Leafs Will Adjust Without David Kampf And Jake McCabe In The LineupKampf left Wednesday's game with an upper-body injury, while McCabe's ailment is undisclosed.

No official timetable has been given for either player’s return.

"I can't really comment on that too much about how long it's going to be,” Berube said on Friday.

For now, Toronto will prioritize health ahead of their hopes of a postseason run, looking to get McCabe and Kampf ready for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the latest.

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

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Milestone Monday rewinds to April 7, 1982, when the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Los Angeles Kings in a wild first-round opener.

Both teams kicked off the playoffs with full throttle on offense. It was 4-3 for the Oilers after the first period and 8-6 for the Kings after the second.

The Kings won 10-8, but both teams set an NHL record no other teams matched since.

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

The Winnipeg Jets return home to take on the St. Louis Blues, who have won 12 games in a row.

The Jets could receive reinforcements tonight with the addition of Nikolaj Ehlers. The 29-year-old blocked a shot and was later hit by a Cole Perfetti shot against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, forcing him to miss Saturday's loss to Utah HC. 

His offensive creativity was thoroughly missed despite his absence spanning just one game. His 24 goals and 63 points in 67 games have him ranked fourth and third on the team. If his game-time decision status is upgraded, he'll return alongside his usual linemates, Vladislav Namestnikov and Perfetti, and will also retake his spot on the first power play unit.

Coming out of the lineup would be David Gustafsson, as Jarrett Anderson-Dolan has left a lasting impression on HC Scott Arniel.

On the backend, Colin Miller did not participate in this morning's skate, replaced by Haydn Fleury. Miller has recorded four goals and 14 points in 59 games, but is also deemed a game-time decision with an illness.

If he is unable to play, Fleury will check back into the lineup, paired with Logan Stanley. Fleury has played 37 games this season, registering seven assists. Without Neal Pionk, Fleury will take Miller's placeholder spot as the quarterback of the second power play unit. 

It'll take a team effort and a stellar night in goal from Connor Hellebuyck to defeat the Blues tonight. They are by far the hottest team in the NHL and have continuously found ways to win hockey games. 

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

Montreal Canadiens's prospect Ivan Demidov’s season ended in the KHL on Sunday. SKA St. Petersburg lost to Dynamo Moscow 5-2, losing its first-round series in six games. In game five, the right winger shone brightly with a goal and an assist, but he was kept off the score sheet on Sunday.

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While SKA’s KHL team is now eliminated, its lower-league affiliates aren’t, and according to RG.org’s Marco D’Amico, that’s where the talented forward is likely to be headed for now. St. Petersburg owns his rights until May 31st, and when Roman Rotenberg was asked what was next for the prospect, he replied:

I don’t know about Montreal. He’s a SKA player Honestly, we haven’t thought about Montreal, Quebec, or Toronto. Everything will happen in its time… It would be better for both Nikishin and Demidov to stay in Russia with SKA.

- Coach Roman Rotenberg on what's next for Ivan Demidov

That certainly doesn’t sound like the organization is about to cut ties with the player and allow him to cross over to this side of the pond. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has always been clear that he didn’t expect his Russian wonder to come over this season.

As mentioned in the past, SKA’s organization wants to win championships at every level. Considering his age, he’s still eligible to play in the MHL, their junior level. Adding a player of his caliber to the roster could make a huge difference.

While Canadiens fans are sure to be displeased with the news, if the roles were inverted and Demidov could help the Canadiens organization win a championship in the AHL, they would assign him to the Laval Rocket. It’s the nature of the business. Demidov’s contract with SKA is valid until the end of May, and it’s normal for them to want to use the player as long as possible.

Ivan Demidov’s KHL season has come to an end as SKA is eliminated from the playoffs.

In 70 total games in the regular season & the playoffs, he had:

- 22 goals
- 32 assists
- 54 points

He surpassed Kirill Kaprizov for the most points scored by a U-20 player in KHL history. pic.twitter.com/PsSxS3M7LY

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 6, 2025

However, a final decision has yet to be made, and the Demidov clan will meet with SKA in the coming days to discuss the next steps, but Canadiens fans shouldn’t hold their breath. Hopefully, Demidov doesn’t sustain any injury in lower-level play. Last year, in 17 playoff games, he tallied 28 points before suffering a lower-body injury. Still, according to RG.org, he came close to suffering an injury in Sunday’s game.

Hopefully, whatever is decided, Demidov steers clear of injury and is 100% ready when the Canadiens’ development camp kicks off  at the end of June or in early July, I can already picture the Brossard facility filled to the brim with fans eager to catch a glimpse of the next franchise cornerstone.

---

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

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

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The Boston Bruins had a nice run among the NHL's top teams.

From 2017-18 to 2023-24, the Bruins were consistently among the top 10 teams, reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2019, winning the Presidents' Trophy twice, and setting single-season records with 65 wins and 135 points in 2022-23.

However, it all unravelled quickly this season. They failed to suitably address the departures of core veterans, leaving them battling to remain in the wild-card race.

Management waved the white flag by the March 7 NHL trade deadline, shipping out Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo and Trent Frederic. Those moves sent the Bruins to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings for the first time since 1996-97, eliminating them from the 2025 post-season race.

The Bruins still have high-scoring superstar right winger David Pastrnak, stud defenseman Charlie McAvoy and starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman under long-term contracts. Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic believes they should build around that trio going forward.

Shinzawa cited the Washington Capitals as a template for Bruins management to stage a quick roster turnaround. They were trade deadline sellers two years ago but also made several notable additions over the past two years.

Those additions included center Pierre-Luc Dubois, defensemen Jakob Chychrun and Rasmus Sandin, and goaltender Logan Thompson. They have become key factors in the Capitals' surprising rise to the top of the Eastern Conference this season.

Appearing on Daily Faceoff last week, Ty Anderson of Boston's 98.5 The Sports Hub said he believed the Bruins could be aggressive in this summer's free-agent market.

Bruins And Predators' Free Fall Could Lead To Great NewsThe Boston Bruins are so bad right now that it may help them more than people think.

The Bruins have a projected salary-cap space of $27.1 million with 13 active roster players under contract for next season, with RFA Morgan Geekie as the only core player to be re-signed. They can afford to re-sign Geekie and their other five RFAs and have enough left to make a splash in this summer free-agent market.

Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks, Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets and Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers are this summer's top potential UFAs.

Despite their cap room, the Bruins could face a bidding war with other teams for those players. They could consider the offer-sheet route in hopes of prying away a talented young RFA from another club. Targets could include Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, Toronto left winger Matthew Knies and Buffalo Sabres left winger JJ Peterka.

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.

Alex Ovechkin is the greatest goal-scorer in NHL history, but is he the greatest player? What about in the last quarter-century?

Let the debates begin.

Bill Clement, a Hockey Hall of Fame broadcaster and 11-year NHL player, is a good person to ask.

Clement played against Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky and broadcasted countless games played by Ovechkin. Those four are among the best skaters in NHL history, though Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby and Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard also receive mention.

Ovechkin is sixth on Clement’s all-time list. That’s not a slight, he said, adding that the left winger’s ability to get into a shooting position is “second to none.”

Make no mistake, said the analytical Clement, that Ovechkin is one of the greatest players ever. But he ranks players based on several categories, including Stanley Cup titles, finals appearances, goals, assists, playmaking and puck-carrying ability.

The Super Six

Here is Clement’s all-time list:

1.   Wayne Gretzky, C: 894 goals, 2,857 points, four Stanley Cups

2.   Bobby Orr, D: 270 goals, 915 points, two Stanley Cups

3.   Gordie Howe, RW: 801 goals, 1,850 points, four Stanley Cups

4.   Mario Lemieux, C: 690 goals, 1,723 points, two Stanley Cups

5.   Sidney Crosby, C: 622 goals, 1,682 points, three Stanley Cups

6.   Alex Ovechkin, LW: 895 goals, 1,619 points, one Stanley Cup

“If someone said to me, ‘Who is the greatest goal-scorer?’ I would say Alexander Ovechkin,” said Clement, who is enjoying retirement after 30-plus years as a Philadelphia Flyers and national broadcaster. “But if you ask for a list of the greatest players, there’s more that goes into it than just scoring. Things like Stanley Cups, scoring. All of those guys (he ranked ahead of Ovechkin) won multiple Stanley Cups.”

Ovechkin, now in his 20th season, won one Cup in 2018, though his Washington Capitals are strong contenders this year.

“The one thing that keeps me from putting Ovi higher on that list is that he’s not a good puck carrier, and everyone else on that list could just dance when they had the puck,” Clement said. “Gordie would hold guys off with just one arm, and he was a great puck carrier.”

In Clement’s Super Six, he said Howe, Ovechkin and Pittsburgh Penguins captain Crosby had the most power and strength in the group and that Lemieux made it look like “it was a one-man ballet out there. He was so graceful, so fluid. He had it all – speed, size, reach.”

Clement noted that Ovechkin frequently has more goals than assists – this will be the 14th time out of his 20 seasons. 

“I think half of Ovi’s assists are on rebound goals off his shots,” he said. “I look at the ability to make plays, too. I have Ovi as the sixth-best player ever, but I have five guys ahead of him just because of the puck carrying and the playmaking.”

Records Galore

Clement, who won two Stanley Cups with the Flyers, was asked why he gave Gretzky the nod over Orr.

“At one time, Gretzky had 61 records. For goals, assists, five-point games, six-point games. The list was endless,” said Clement. “And many of them, I don’t know if they’ll ever be broken.”

He added that it’s “always difficult to compare a great defenseman with a great center. Orr did revolutionize the position. He won eight Norris Trophies” – given to the NHL’s best defenseman.

On the flip side, because of injuries, Orr only played a total of 36 games over his last four seasons, Clement pointed out. 

“He only played nine full seasons in the NHL, and the only season he didn’t win the Norris, he finished second to Harry Howell when Orr was 18 years old,” Clement said.

If Orr had been healthy, “there’s no question he would have been in that No. 1 slot” as the best player in history, Clement said. “All the other guys we’re talking about played 15 to 20 seasons. Or more. And Sid and Alex are still going. The great thing about Alex is his durability.”

As for Gretzky, “I would never call Wayne dynamic because he didn’t have much of a shot, and he wasn’t really fast, and he certainly wasn’t strong,” Clement said. “But nobody has ever thought the game the way Wayne thought and processed the game.  When he was on the ice, he was the quantum computer of his era. He was way ahead of everything that was happening on the ice. It was almost as if he could see into the future.”

Gr8ness Achieved: How Alex Ovechkin Broke Wayne Gretzky's Unbreakable NHL Goals RecordIt’s officially official. Alex Ovechkin has passed Wayne Gretzky to become the most prolific goal-scorer in NHL history.

Ovechkin's 'Art Form'

Ovechkin isn’t a Gretzky, “but from the blueline in, he’s as smart a player who has ever played,” Clement said. “Nobody ever expected him to come close to winning the Selke as the best defensive forward, but his offensive sense of the game and his position – he has lived off the one-timer from the off wing – (is amazing). 

“He created an art form out of finding dead spots, soft spots, in the offensive zone. And he had guys good enough to get him the puck. I mean, Nick Backstrom is one of the most underrated centers ever, I think. He assisted on more Ovechkin goals than anybody.”

Clement, who ranks Bobby Clarke, Bryan Trottier and Anze Kopitar as the best-ever two-way centers, said Ovechkin has been a master at getting his body in a deadly shooting position.

“Every pass that come to him in that shooting hole on the off wing is not perfect,” Clement said. “Everybody doesn’t make a perfect pass. But if you watch his feet, he has quick little steps, and he gets a read on the pass almost as it’s leaving the passer’s stick, and he knows if he has to adjust by a couple of feet, he’ll quickly move and get down on a knee if he has to. His ability to adjust to a powerful shooting posture – even when the pass isn’t perfect – is second to none.”

Just like his goal-scoring prowess.

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It’s not over till it’s over.

And they’ve still got some gas in the tank.

The Detroit Red Wings haven’t been ruled out of the playoffs…yet. Despite a rocky March, they are making April count.

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DeBrincat, Talbot Help Red Wings Keep Pace with 2–1 Win over FloridaDETROIT—For the Detroit Red Wings, a second straight match-up with an established contender hamstrung in its present incarnation by injury yielding a second straight victory Sunday night.  After knocking off the Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal–less Carolina Hurricanes Friday, the Red Wings beat the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers—absent arguably their three best and most important forwards in Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, and Sam Reinhart—Sunday to keep pace in the Eastern Conference wild card race as the season reaches its final decisive stages.

Here’s a summary of everything that happened in the world of the Red Wings from March 31st to April 6th.

For starters, it was revealed that top goaltending prospect Trey Augustine wasn’t going to be signed by the Red Wings. At least, not at this point in time. All this means is that the goalie is going to go back to Michigan State for one more season.

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Players cannot be signed to NHL contracts while playing in the NCAA.

The same night that information came out, the Red Wings took on the scorching hot St. Louis Blues. The Blues would get the better of them in overtime, but they walked away from the 2-1 loss with a point. That’s still huge at this point in the season.

News slowed down until the next Red Wings game. Before they played the Carolina Hurricanes, they sent down Austin Watson, signalling the return of Elmer Soderblom. 

With the hulking forward back in the mix, the Red Wings handed the Hurricanes a decisive 5-3 loss. In the process, they gained another two points for themselves in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race that’s coming down to the final hour.

Red Wings April 2025 Schedule: Can They Make The Playoffs?It all comes down to this.

With the victory, forward Patrick Kane reached some milestones. He became the US-born skater with the most 20-goal seasons ever, passing Mike Modano. Kane also recorded his 100th point as a member of the Red Wings.

Finally, they ended their week with a 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers. Cam Talbot, Alex DeBrincat, and J.T. Compher led the Red Wings to the victory.

The Red Wings will play the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday before stopping in Florida and Tampa Bay to close out the week.

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