LAS VEGAS -- Needing to distance themselves from the pack, the Golden Knights missed another opportunity when they lost to the Western Conference-leading Winnipeg Jets, 4-0, on Thursday.

Facing Winnipeg's backup goaltender, Eric Comrie, the Knights stumbled through a sluggish start and couldn't catch up once the Jets got their offense started. Comrie made 26 saves in recording his second shutout of the season.

Vegas started Adin Hill, who made 16 saves before being pulled in the third period for Akira Schmid.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

WESTERN WOES: Vegas has split its 32 games since Jan. 14, with a majority of its wins coming against Eastern Conference foes. The Knights, who turned in a 10-2-2 mark in March, are 16-11-5 during that stretch, including 10-4-3 against teams from the East. That leaves a disappointing 6-7-2 against Western Conference foes in the same span.

"I’m concerned," coach Bruce Cassidy said. "This isn’t a one-off. We should be prepared to play. We didn’t."

The Golden Knights have seven games remaining - all against Western Conference teams.

ENEMY TERRITORY: With three road games on deck, the Golden Knights bring their fledgling offense north of the border for a date with a dangerous and hungry Calgary Flames team that is still looking for a playoff berth. The Flames (84) are five points back of the Minnesota Wild, who have 89 points and are in second place in the Wild Card race. Calgary will be playing its second game of a two-game homestand after Thursday's 4-1 win over Anaheim. The Flames have won two of their last three in Calgary. The Knights have won their last two meetings with the Flames, but the home team is on a 5-1 run with this series.

NOW WHAT, AGAIN: To revisit the same thought after Tuesday's loss to Edmonton, the Golden Knights have clinched a playoff berth, but are not out of the wild-card woods just yet. Vegas (98) is now only three points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings (93) and five in front of the Edmonton Oilers (91). Sitting in first and second of the Western Conference Wild Card standings are the St. Louis Blues and Wild, both from the Central Division. The Knights aren't in jeopardy of slipping out of the Pacific Division's top three, but could fall into second- or third-place with a late-season collapse. By doing so, they would face either the Kings or Oilers in the first round, rather than the Blues or Wild. The Knights have seven games remaining, including five on the road. They'll need to shake off their back-to-back losses at home and get back to winning if they want to wrap up their fifth Pacific Division title.

Alex Ovechkin ties Wayne Gretzky for NHL's all-time scoring record originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Great One has company.

Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky for the most goals scored in NHL history, netting his 894th career goal in the third period of the Washington Capitals‘ home game against the Chicago Blackhawks Friday night.

The record-tying goal, which was Ovi’s second of the game, gave the Caps a 4-3 lead with 13:47 left in regulation. They went on to win 5-3 after Ryan Leonard scored on an empty net for the first goal of his career.

Capitals players stayed on the ice after the game to celebrate with their star as fans chanted, “Ovi! Ovi! Ovi!”

Ovechkin’s pursuit of the career goals record — which continues Sunday when the Capitals play on the road against the New York Islanders — has been dubbed “The GR8 Chase.”

Ovechkin reached 894 goals in his 1,486th game. Gretzky finished with 894 in 1,487 games.

Gretzky was in the building with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to witness the historic moment by the 39-year-old Ovechkin.

Gretzky had held the scoring record since 1994 when he tallied his 802nd goal to pass Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe. Gretzky, who played primarily for the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, scored his 894th and final goal came on March 29, 1999 as a member of the New York Rangers. He retired three weeks later at the age of 38, concluding a historic 20-year NHL career.

His scoring record had stood since — with Jaromir Jagr scoring 766 goals before retiring in 2018 and Brett Hull netting 741 goals before closing his 19-year career in 2006.

Then came Ovechkin, who after being selected first overall in the 2004 draft, scored 52 goals as a rookie, including two in his debut on October 5, 2005.

That was nearly 20 years and 892 goals ago.

Ovechkin scored a career best 65 goals during his third season in 2007-2008. He has recorded nine 50-plus goal seasons, matching the record shared by Gretzky and New York Islanders legend Mike Bossy. He has scored 40 or more goals in a season 14 times, which topped Gretzky’s record of 12.

Along the way, Ovechkin won nine Rocket Richard Trophies for most goals scored in a season, three Hart Trophies as most valuable player, and the 2017 Stanley Cup, which was the first in Capitals’ franchise history.

Ovechkin entered his 20th NHL season in October needing 42 goals to top a record once believed to be unbreakable. He missed 16 games earlier this season with a fractured left fibula, pushing the record pursuit closer to the end of the season.

Ovechkin scored No. 893 less than four minutes into Friday’s game, setting the stage for the record-tying goal in front of the Washington fans.

He now shares the league’s hallowed scoring record with the sport’s most revered player.

“Alex has been exceptional for our game,” Gretzky told CNBC earlier this season. “I hope I’m the first guy to shake his hand when he does break the record.”

The Hockey News Big Show is back to discuss more of the biggest NHL and hockey topics.

Are The Maple Leafs Cup Front-Runners Or Not? by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Michael Traikos and guest co-host Steve Warne discussed in this episode:

0:46: We have a new top eight Cup contenders list to dive into this week, as Steve Warne fills in for Ryan Kennedy. Let's kick off with his list and his defense of his choices. 

2:26: Michael defends his latest Cup contenders list.

4:08: Steve doesn't have the Toronto Maple Leafs on his Cup contenders list, but Michael does. Steve explains his reasoning behind the decision. 

5:29: Is there a team that didn’t make the Cup contenders list but could have if it had an easier path in the playoffs?

9:22: Ottawa Senators coach Travis Green says captain Brady Tkachuk is out "day-to-day" with an upper body injury. He's missed two games so far, so how concerned should Senators fans be? 

12:43: Maple Leafs center Scott Laughton has had just two points and a minus-5 rating, the worst on the team since trading for him. How has he played during this stretch? Is he a fit for the Leafs?

16:12: Which trade deadline acquisition has had the best impact with their new team?

19:15: The NHL and Rogers Communications agreed to a 12-year deal worth $7.7 billion. Thoughts on this massive deal?

24:09: Will the St. Louis Blues finish in the first wild-card spot in the West ahead of the Minnesota Wild? Is it over for the Calgary Flames? 

28:48: Patrick Roy ripped Anthony Duclair following the New York Islanders’ sixth straight loss on Tuesday night. Was Roy out of line with his comments? Are the Isles' struggles more player problems or coaching problems?

32:47: Which building will be the toughest to win a playoff game in?

34:59: Jalen Chatfield pulled a UFC move to throw Connor McMichael to the ice during a fight. Chatfield received no discipline from the NHL's Department of Player Safety. Agree or disagree with the decision?

37:56: Cale Makar became the first D-man since Mike Green to score 30 goals. Who will be the next defenseman to achieve this lofty goal?

40:33: Ovechkin is three goals away from breaking Gretzky's all-time goals record. He has two games to break the record and tie Gretzky in the number of games needed. Can he do it?

Watch the full episode here.   

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

Ovechkin needs two to tie and three to break Gretzky's record of 894 career goals.

Alex Ovechkin is a hat trick away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's goal record, and the Toronto Maple Leafs will be watching.

The 39-year-old and the Washington Capitals are hosting the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday. Seven games remain for Ovechkin to reach a feat that was once thought to be unbreakable.

John Tavares, who's been on a hot streak since the 4 Nations Face-Off with 15 goals and 10 assists, says he'll be watching as Ovechkin looks to inch closer to the record against Chicago.

THREE. GOALS. LEFT. 😱

Alex Ovechkin is getting closer and closer to the all-time NHL goals record 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OwXxNK2F3o

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 3, 2025

"It's pretty remarkable that we're going to see something that's hard to fathom to be broken in Wayne's record and what Ovie's done in the league," Tavares said. "I wouldn't be surprised if many guys around the league tune in to see it and maybe see it live."

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, a veteran of over 1000 games in the league, has faced off against Ovechkin 24 times. He credits the goal scorer for how many times he's found the back of the net in what most people call his office.

"It's impressive. Obviously, it's a lot of goals. It's not easy to score in this league, so it's fun to watch," Ekman-Larsson said.

"Playing against him, too, you know how hard it is to go against him and that shot. Seems like everybody knows that he's going to be in that spot, but it's still hard to defend. But yeah, it's impressive."

William Nylander spent time around Ovechkin as a child since his father, Michael, was on the Capitals from 2007 to 2009. Nylander looked back on the time spent around Ovechkin with a smile, saying he'd play pranks on him and his brother, Alex.

"When we were on the ice after (practices), he took our sticks and put them above the penalty box area where the camera was," William smiled. "He just put them up there so we couldn't reach them."

"He took our sticks and hid them."

William Nylander remember Alex Ovechkin playing pranks on the kids while Michael Nylander was his teammate. pic.twitter.com/KGUM8Y1R04

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 4, 2025

Nylander is a goal scorer himself, with 259 goals in 678 career NHL games. But even he didn't think Gretzky's goal record would be broken.

"I mean, just incredible. I don't think anybody thought that that would happen. And now he's there, and it's probably going to happen very soon here. So, I mean, it's just incredible to be able to see it happen."

If Ovechkin doesn't break the record tonight, he'll have six more games to reach — and potentially — break the feat. The Capitals play the New York Islanders on Sunday before having a couple of days off until they face the Carolina Hurricanes next Thursday.

It might feel like a long week for fans around the NHL, but it'll certainly be worth the wait if, and when, he breaks the record.

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.

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Derek Cain via Getty Images

By Evan Berofsky, RotoWire

Special to Yahoo Sports

The excitement level is high. You can almost taste those fantasy winnings.* But it's still important to check everything. Because things sometimes require attention so you're not relying on the hope it'll automatically go the way you planned.

(*I think this goes without saying, but please DO NOT actually try to taste the winnings.)

Take charge. Get it done. And check the recommendations below to see if any of them can help push you over the line.

(Rostered rates as of Apr. 4)

Forwards

Logan Cooley, UTA (Yahoo: 44%)

Other than a couple of minor drop-offs and a lower-body injury, Cooley's second season has been superb. The 56 points — including 17 on the power play — and 144 shots represent decent totals, with nine and 22 of each coming in the last 10 games. Cooley also upped his hit count during that stretch by dishing out 13 while logging big minutes and operating as Utah's top center in all attacking situations. His fantasy profile has recently been boosted by improving on faceoffs, though you're really adding him for his offense.

Mason Marchment, DAL (Yahoo: 33%)

Some probably forgot about Marchment while he was out for a month after taking a puck to the face and undergoing surgery. It may have taken him some time to get back into form, but he's been on a heater since the start of March by racking up six goals — three of those PPGs — nine assists, 32 shots and 24 hits. Based on a top-six spot with Matt Duchene and Mikael Granlund while joining forces with them on the Stars' strong backup PP unit, Marchment is primed to keep the stats flowing.

Ryan McLeod, BUF (Yahoo: 9%)

McLeod pulled off a hat-trick and another three-point performance back in January, and the fantasy world didn't think much of it. Fast-forward through the next 25 contests where he reeled off 24 points, 36 shots and 217 FW on an 18:56 average that also involved two PPAs and three shorthanded goals. And all that … has barely increased McLeod's coverage numbers. He's enjoying a career year, and barely anyone is paying attention even though he's in the upper-half of the Sabres' depth chart while participating on both special-teams groups.

Trevor Zegras, ANH (Yahoo: 7%)

The fact that we've reached April for Zegras' season debut in this column speaks to how far he's fallen as a fantasy commodity since recording back-to-back 60-plus point efforts (either that or he's been really, really good). Multiple ailments destroyed his production last year and carried over to the current campaign, where inconsistency eventually turned into another significant absence.

Zegras' fortunes — other than a three-game suspension — have turned around in the form of six goals, 12 assists and 46 shots at 17:20 per outing with a 13.0 shooting percentage that's not much higher than his normal averages. He's also found the scoresheet in nine of the last 13 matchups. Zegras has started to prove he's getting back to his better days, so you may want to grab a share of this upswing.

Sean Couturier, PHI (Yahoo: 5%)

It only took the Flyers firing John Tortorella for the offense to explode, though maybe part of that has something to do with them facing three weaker defensive sides in Montreal, Buffalo and Nashville. And even before Torts was let go, Couturier had been hot by way of 12 points from 12 games in addition to 37 shots with three and 10 of each since the personnel change. He's not the only one benefiting, as linemates Matvei Michkov (48%) and Travis Konecny (92%) have been equally unstoppable of late. Yet Couturier somehow remains available in 95% of Yahoo leagues. Go figure.

Jackson Blake, CAR  (Yahoo: 5%)

It was a month and a half ago when Blake was first mentioned here on the heels of a multipoint appearance and a move up to the Canes' lead even-strength trio. He's also received time on the first power play, where he tallied four PPPs from the last five — including a pair of PPGs on Wednesday. Blake seems to be growing into his game and reaping the benefits. Maybe adding him can do the same for you.

[It's not too late — join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2025 MLB season]

Frederick Gaudreau, MIN (Yahoo: 3%)

Joel Eriksson Ek has been out since Feb. 25, though could be back soon. In the meantime, Gaudreau has inherited a larger role with better attacking wingers while recently jumping on Minnesota's first man-advantage and delivering an assist there last Thursday. Add on adequate amounts of shots and blocks to a hefty dose of faceoff wins and major minutes, and you've got a pretty good fill-in forward.

Andre Burakovsky, SEA (Yahoo: 1%)

It's been a different type of year for Burakovsky in that he's been overlooked due to underperformance rather than a series of injuries. He's made a surge the last two weeks, notching three goals and six assists — two of the PPA variety — while skating at a modest sub-14 clip. Burakovsky plays with a few serviceable linemates at both five-on-five and while up a man, so let's see if he can keep this going the rest of the way.

Defensemen

Brandt Clarke, LA (Yahoo: 23%)

Clarke's 31 points represent a decent haul for a rookie season, yet he's struggled to retain elevated ice times while enduring a few healthy scratches. The latter hasn't come up recently as the Kings have regularly used seven defensemen, though there's always a chance. Clarke still lines up on the second power play and has posted eight PPPs, with the last one coming on Sunday. That may come in handy, as LA's remaining matchups are against opponents ranked no higher than 15th in penalty-kill percentage. Even as Drew Doughty debuted in late January, he may not be pushed too hard, as the team is fairly safe to make the playoffs. Either way, there's an opportunity for Clarke to accumulate some scoring.

Ryan McDonagh, TB (Yahoo: 16%)

Congrats to McDonagh for reaching the 1,000-game mark, and this section will focus on the last 14. During that stretch, he's produced 10 points, 15 shots, 26 blocks and a plus-6 on a 20:18 average. One of the scoring plays came on the man-advantage, yet that's not a normal occurrence for McDonagh, as he's better known for his shorthanded skills. As the Bolts are in the hunt for the Atlantic Division crown, he should be provided with enough opportunities to maintain current form.

Matt Grzelcyk, PIT (Yahoo: 5%)

Grzelcyk has eclipsed his career-high with 36 points thanks to 13 PPAs and a prominent workload that usually sees him sharing the ice with Kris Letang. He had his four-game assist streak snapped on Saturday, but has averaged 22-plus minutes the last few weeks while supplying some blocks and a couple shots/hits. Grzelcyk may not be flashy, though he's reliable — and that's what you're ultimately looking for in a fantasy player.

Dante Fabbro, CLS (Yahoo: 5%)

Fabbro had a nice run going when he was originally discussed during November soon after being acquired on waivers from Nashville. The offensive output hasn't been consistent since and there was a brief injury, yet he's mainly dependable when it comes to the physical categories. And if we look at Fabbro's last four outings, he's registered 2 goals, 5 assists, 8 shots, 4 hits, 2 blocks and a plus-6 at 20:32 per night. With an even-strength partnership alongside Zach Werenski and a secondary PP role on a team that's recently been finding the back of the net like the 1980s Oilers (or pretty much any team from that decade), Fabbro needs to be on more rosters.

Goaltenders

Cam Talbot, DET (Yahoo: 37%)

Talbot has reclaimed the No. 1 job in Detroit after Petr Mrazek initially excelled and then got hurt while Alex Lyon has been erratic all season. Despite a 1-1-1 record last week, he only allowed a total of four goals and made 76 saves. The Red Wings still have a fighting chance for a Wild Card and will probably provide Talbot with all the action he can handle until they clinch a berth or are out of contention.

James Reimer, BUF (Yahoo: 4%)

Not many could've predicted Reimer would hold fantasy relevance in 2025, though the 37-year-old has recently reappeared on the radar by notching five straight wins and starting six of the last eight. Meanwhile, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has struggled since Feb. 27, going 3-7 with a 4.26 GAA and .845 save percentage — including the last outing on Saturday, where he gave up seven goals at Philly. He may be given another chance with the Sabres long out of the playoff race, though it's tough to go away from the hot hand. And as the Buffalo offense has been surging of late, Reimer is a solid streaming option.

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Weekend's Way Back When heads back to April 4, 2004, when one player's league debut had special significance.

Brad Fast played the only NHL game of his career for the Carolina Hurricanes. He played over 20 minutes in a goals fest against the Florida Panthers.

No other NHL game ended this way since that match, when Brad Fast got on the scoreboard.

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 anticipated rise in the NHL’s salary cap to $95.5 million for next season might encourage some teams to pursue a rival club's leading RFA with an offer sheet. 

A GM might draw inspiration from the St. Louis Blues' bold signings of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg last summer from the Edmonton Oilers. Both players have been key contributors to the Blues' second-half surge into a Western Conference wild-card spot.

Buffalo Sabres left winger JJ Peterka could an RFA to watch. The 23-year-old is completing his entry-level contract and has reached a career-best 60 points in 69 games.

The Hockey News’ Michael Augello wrote that Peterka often plays with Tage Thompson on the top line, but he’s been eligible for a contract extension since last July, and his name even surfaced in trade speculation around the deadline. Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli and Carter Hutton believe Peterka could be a prime offer-sheet candidate.

The Sabres have a projected cap space of $23.2 million with 16 active roster players under contract for next season. They have plenty of room to match an offer for Peterka, but they must also ensure they have sufficient cap room to re-sign other RFAs, such as Bowen Byram, Jack Quinn, Ryan McLeod and Jacob Bernard-Docker. 

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers' firing of coach John Tortorella last week prompted some observers to speculate about Peter Laviolette's future as the New York Rangers' bench boss. After guiding the Blueshirts to the Presidents' Trophy last season, Laviolette has struggled to keep his club in the playoff race in a season of uncertainty amid frequent roster shakeups.

The Hockey News’ Stan Fischler believes the Rangers should replace Laviolette with Tortorella immediately to wake up the underachievers.

Arthur Staple of The Athletic recently examined the pros and cons of replacing Laviolette. If management decides to make a coaching change, they're unlikely to bring in someone lacking NHL experience, like Denver University's David Carle or Cam Abbott of the AHL's Chicago Wolves. 

Staple observed that Mike Sullivan of the Pittsburgh Penguins was on their shortlist of coaching candidates two years ago. However, Sullivan doesn't appear interested in leaving Pittsburgh, and the Penguins wouldn't want to risk him being hired by a division rival.

NHL Rumor Roundup: What Will The New York Rangers Do This Summer?The New York Rangers continue to jockey for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Nevertheless, their off-season plans remain the subject of media speculation.

Turning to the Seattle Kraken, Kate Shefte of The Seattle Times believes they'll be busy during the off-season attempting to bolster their roster following another disappointing campaign. 

Shefte observed the Kraken's offense has improved this season, but their goals-against increased while their special teams were among the league's bottom third. She noted they're set to land a top-five first-round draft pick and have the cap space and trade bait to add to their lineup this summer.

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.

With the number of games remaining in the 2024-25 season down to single digits, the Anaheim Ducks took to the road for a two-game trip to Western Canada, starting on Thursday with a matchup against the Calgary Flames.

The Ducks were coming off of a shootout win on Tuesday in which they fended off a comeback from the San Jose Sharks and entered Thursday having won three of their previous four games.

The Flames came into this game hoping to remain relevant in the Western Conference wild card standings and creep within five points of the Minnesota Wild with a game in hand. They had only logged one win in their prior four games.

Brett Leason was inserted into the lineup in place of Nikita Neserenko on the fourth line. Pavel Mintyukov was given the night off as a healthy scratch in favor of Oliver Kylington, who slotted in on the left side of Drew Helleson.

John Gibson received the start in net for the Ducks in this game. He saved 23 of the 26 shots he faced before he was forced to exit the game after the second period. He has started six games since the NHL 4 Nations break and has only been able to finish half of them.

Gibson was relieved by Lukas Dostal, who saved seven of eight shots in the third period.

In net for Calgary was rookie sensation Dustin Wolf, who stopped 26 of the 27 shots Anaheim was able to get through to him.

Here are my notes from this game:

Breakout-Anaheim didn’t have much trouble connecting on first outlets out of the defensive zone, but they did have trouble manufacturing any sort of impactful offense from those passes. Calgary did well to always have an aggressive pinching defenseman down the board and a high or backtracking F3 to cover and thwart any rush threat.

The Flames were able to pounce on second passes out of the zone and quickly turn them up ice for counterattacks, keeping Anaheim’s defense on their heels.

Trevor Zegras-This was a rare undetailed effort from Zegras, especially low in the defensive zone. Because of the constant motion of the Flames’ attackers, he was often tasked with assuming traditional center responsibilities as the low forward in the defensive zone, but often lost his assignment, was late to react, and became too puck-focused away from it.

Olen Zellweger-Zellweger may have been the Ducks' best player in this game. He was playing free and active in all three zones, looking to jump into rushes and search for passing lanes. He trusted his elite skating to recover and protected the middle of the ice well.

Radko Gudas-Gudas’ lack of lateral mobility was apparent when defending Calgary’s speed on counterattacks. An adjustment to angling techniques will be necessary if he’s to limit the number of times forwards are going to drive or make moves to the outside.

He does well when making simple plays with the puck on his stick, but judgment and overcommitments without the puck often take him out of plays.

The Ducks will next travel to British Columbia to take on the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday for a 1 pm PST matinee.

"PLAYOFFS OR BUST" remains a live Rangers theme and that's a fact.

But the final make-it-or fail  result will hinge on the remaining games scheduled for the Rangers and its competitors.

Realistically, the schedule works against New York. That starts with the fact that the Montreal Canadiens won over Boston last night.

The victory leapfrogged the Habs over New York for the final Wild Card position. So, let's check out the homestretch schedule for the WC contenders from here to the Finish Line.

RANGERS: The Blueshirts are in Newark tomorrow afternoon. After that they have six more games: Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Islanders, Hurricanes, Panthers and Tampa again.

CANADIENS: Leading for the remaining Wild Card spot, Montreal next faces Nashville, Detroit, Ottawa, Toronto, Chicago and Carolina.

COLUMBUS: Having lost to Colorado, the Blue Jackets still have games in hand on their rivals. Next up for the BJ's are Toronto, Ottawa (home and home), Buffalo, Washington (home and home) followed by Philadelphia and concluding with the Islanders.

DETROIT: Carolina, Panthers, Habs, Panthers, Dallas, New Jersey and Toronto.

FORECAST: The Maven's Supreme Analyst, Jess Rubenstein, puts Montreal in the Catbird Seat and insists that the Canadiens will get the final plum.

"The Habs have the easiest schedule as they play just three playoff contenders," says Rubenstein. "Starting tomorrow in New Jersey, the Rangers will face a total of five playoff contenders.

"Columbus will have to play six of the better teams while Detroit has the worst schedule – all seven remaining games are against contenders."

With a two-game winning streak on the line tomorrow against New Jersey, the Rangers are now in "Mustwinland" – and had better have their Victory visas ready!

Otherwise it will be a question of better luck next time! And "next time" – or next year – may never be!

The Buffalo Sabres have announced that they have recalled forward Noah Ostlund from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. 

Seeing Ostlund get called up to the Sabres is entirely understandable, as he has been red-hot with Rochester. The 2022 first-round pick currently has an eight-game point streak with the club, posting eight goals and five assists over that span. Furthermore, he has scored at least one goal in each of his last six AHL games.

Due to his excellent play, Ostlund was named AHL Rookie of the Month for March. In addition, he was named the AHL's Player of the Week from March 21 to March 30.

After recording just one point in his first 12 games with Rochester this season, Ostlund now has 18 goals, 17 assists, and 35 points in his last 32 games. He has been only getting better as he continues to adjust to the AHL level, and he is now getting this big opportunity with the Sabres because of it. 

It will now be intriguing to see how much of an impact Ostlund makes with the Sabres during his call-up from here. When noting that he is one of the Sabres' top prospects, he is a player fans should watch very closely. 

Recent Sabres News 

Young Sabres Forward Is Heating Up Big Time

Buffalo Sabres Send First-Round Pick Back To AHL

Ex-Sabres Star Jack Eichel Rewarded For Incredible Month

Ex-Sabres Defender Expected To Be Done For The Season

Buffalo Sabres Send Defenseman Back To AHL

Buffalo Sabres Announce Exciting Rasmus Dahlin News

Chris Chelios didn’t even know he still held the scoring record for a rookie defenseman with the Montreal Canadiens until someone brought it up to him this season as Lane Hutson kept piling up the points.

Three Takeaways From Montreal's Dominant Win Over Boston
Report: Fowler To Sign Amateur Tryout Contract And Join Laval Rocket
CBA Negotiations Underway

In an interview with Jeremy Filosa on 98.5, the former blueliner said he was impressed by the youngster, especially since today’s game is not made for defensemen, given all the rule changes that aim to increase scoring. However, he added the game's skills orientation has favoured smaller players.

Reminiscing about his rookie season, Chelios explained that he knew he was chasing Larry Murphy’s record of 76 points back then, but he started thinking about it too much and just stopped getting points. So far, that doesn’t seem to be an issue for Hutson, who’s been racking up the points at an increased rate of late, aside from being held off the scoresheet on Thursday night.

Chelios spoke about Hutson’s elite skating and called him very skilled and fun to watch. He seems genuinely happy for the youngster and for the Canadiens being in the wild card spot. The NHL coverage isn’t great in Chicago, so he cannot watch the Habs that much, but he’s keeping an eye on the Habs and their push for the playoffs.

Speaking about Team USA, Chelios explained he’s glad the Americans now have depth and options for the upcoming Olympics. He added that there will be more Olympics roster spots than the Four Nations Face-Off.

Lane Hutson yesterday when asked about breaking Chris Chelios’ Habs assist record for a rookie defenseman:

“I guess it’s cool but we’re in a pretty good playoff race, so first & foremost that’s what it’s all about. I feel like there’s so much more to do.” pic.twitter.com/6wckEINQkL

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 2, 2025

These days, the former defenseman works as an ambassador for the Chicago Blackhawks alongside Denis Savard, the player he was traded to Chicago for back in 1990. The pair attend most Blackhawks games these days, and he enjoys being with the team even though he doesn’t have a hockey operations role.

At the end of the interview, he added that if the Canadiens want to fly him around like the league does with Wayne Gretzky as the watch for Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin breaking his goal-scoring record goes on, he would like to be there when Hutson beats his record.

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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Three top Philadelphia Flyers prospects, and, potentially, their future teammates, have been recognized by OHL coaches as some of the top players in different categories in this year’s annual OHL Coaches Poll.

Denver Barkey, Jett Luchanko, and Oliver Bonk all placed highly in at least one category, though Barkey, the captain of the London Knights, was the most prominently featured Flyers prospect in the poll.

Barkey, 19, earned 11 points for the Western Conference’s Smartest Player category, trailing potential 2025 No. 1 overall pick Michael Misa (32) and breakout star Ilya Protas (30).

The Flyers’ 2023 third-round pick again placed behind Misa (23) and Protas (36), picking up 21 points in polling for the Western Conference’s Best Playmaker.

As for the Best Stickhandler, Protas came out on top with 27 points, but Barkey was narrowly behind him with 19 points, which also put him level with top Calgary prospect Zayne Parekh.

Luchanko, who recently recorded his first professional point, only appeared as a finalist in one category, though it is the one you’d most expect from the Flyers’ 2024 first-round pick.

Defenseman Matthew Schaefer, contending with Misa and others for the right to be the top pick this summer, was named the Best Skater in the Western Conference with 34 points, though Luchanko was a very close second with his 30 points.

Bonk, Barkey’s teammate, fellow Flyers prospect, and draft classmate, was a finalist in two categories, but was not particularly close to winning either.

The 20-year-old defenseman placed third for the Best Shot Blocker in the Western Conference (13 points), but notably finished second for Best Defensive Defenseman (14 points) ahead of Schaefer (13 points). Ottawa’s Matthew Andonovski ran away with top honors with his 33 points.

Takeaways from the OHL Coaches Poll

As noted above, Barkey is the clear standout here, though the Flyers are assuredly happy to see any prospects recognized this way.

Due to an offseason bout with mono, Barkey was unable to participate in the Flyers’ development camp and training camp, and upon returning to the Knights, got off to a slow start offensively.

The 19-year-old exploded for 35 goals and 102 points for the Knights last season, and while his 25 goals and 82 points this season pale in comparison, he also played 14 fewer regular season games.

At the end of the day, 10 goals and 20 points in 14 games are nothing for a talented prospect like Barkey playing in the OHL in his D+2 season. Accounting for the slow start, Barkey would have easily shattered his career-highs in those categories.

Barkey and the Knights just made quick work of the Owen Sound Attack in the OHL playoffs, sweeping their opponents in four games and winning by no fewer than three goals in all four.

Quietly, Barkey has 16 points in his last five games and 24 points in his last 10. The Knights’ season might not end in time for Barkey to make his pro debut for the Flyers organization, but it’s now a matter of when, not if.

What the diminutive 5-foot-9 forward lacks in size, he makes up for in skill and a never-say-die attitude on the ice.

Some Flyers fans are concerned with the lack of offensive production from Bonk, who scored 13 fewer goals and 27 fewer points than last season despite only playing in eight fewer games.

The reality is that Bonk was never going to be a major point-producer at the NHL level, as nice as it would be. A lot of his production came from filling a niche role on the Knights’ power play (see: Bumper Bonk), and we know the Flyers’ power play is not exactly one that is prolific.

Placing highly in two defensive categories bodes well for Bonk’s future as an NHL player.

Luchanko had a strange season. The 18-year-old played four NHL games for the Flyers between Oct. 11 and Oct. 19, then returned to the Guelph Storm.

The issue is that Guelph was not a good team all season and traded away much of their talent aside from Luchanko.

The first-year Storm captain finished his third OHL season with 21 goals (career-high), 35 assists, and 56 points in 46 games.

Now that he’s made his debut for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Luchanko has played in the NHL, AHL, OHL, and World Junior Championships this season.

From personal experience talking to him and meeting him, Luchanko works hard, takes things easy, and never complains. But he’s had quite the busy season overall.

Coaches Poll notwithstanding, it would not at all be a surprise to see Luchanko rocking the Orange and Black again next season, just for more than a four-game trial.

All three of these Flyers prospects were drafted to be meaningful pieces for the future, and they all appear to be well on their way to becoming that.

When the Boston Bruins turned up at the Bell Centre to face the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night, only seven of their dressed players were with the team at the end of the last season. No more Brad Marchand, no Charlie McAvoy (due to injury), and no more Linus Ullmark who was traded to Ottawa last offseason. It’s been a tough season in Boston, but before this final tilt, the Bs had managed to win their first two games against the Canadiens this year.

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Rough Stuff

The actors of past memorable battles may not be there, but as long as those two teams face each other, there will be extracurricular activities after the whistle, as sure as the sky is blue. In the first frame, 23 hits were thrown, 13 by Boston and 10 by Montreal.

Juraj Slafkovsky had some words with David Pastrnak, and it looked like the Czech was asking him to dance, but nothing came of it. Still, shortly after that, the former first-overall pick had to handle a punishing hit from Nikita Zadorov. As the Canadiens led 2-0 in the middle frame, the youngster was enjoying poking fun at several Bruins, the Slovak isn’t scared to poke the sleeping bear apparently.

As for Josh Anderson, he was his usual wrecking ball self, throwing three hits, second only to Emil Heineman, who had four in the first frame. He was tied with Zadorov for the most hits across both teams. Anderson and Heineman finished the game with five hits each while Michael Pezzetta, who played 7:47 recorded seven hits.

By the end of the game, the Canadiens had 33 hits and the Bruins 29, which was the only aspect in which the Bruins weren’t manhandled.

A Dominant Second

In the first frame, the Canadiens didn’t look like they were playing a team that had lost its last six games in regulation and nine in a row; they looked like they were playing down to the competition. They looked nervous, and couldn't execute properly in the offensive zone. Someone must have said something during the break because the Habs dominated the middle frame.

Boston struggled to get out of its own end and could only muster three shots on net in that frame—full marks to Samuel Montembeault for not falling asleep out there.

The Tricolore had complete control of the puck in Boston’s territory and took 18 shots on goal. Had it not been for Swayman, it could have been 5-0 for the Canadiens after 40 minutes. We’ve seen this team dominate in the past but struggle to separate itself from the opponent, but on Thursday night, the goals were there.

The Veteran Line

While some may not have noticed, the third line formed by Brendan Gallagher, Christian Dvorak, and Anderson has a goal in nine of the last 10 games, including five goals for the pivot. Asked for his thoughts about that line, Martin St-Louis said:

I think those are three vets who understand how we want to play, the moments of the game, and the momentum; they’re all on the same page. They are dedicated; they shoot, shoot, and shoot again. It’s a line that’s a good example of how direct they are in their play. They don’t take too many risks in the neutral zone and are efficient on the forecheck.

Gallagher was named the game's first star thanks to a goal and an assist, and he received a big ovation. There’s no doubt these fans are right there with the Canadiens’ biggest warrior as he navigates through the pain of losing his mother.

être travaillant, ça rapporte 👷

great forecheck, great shot, great goal#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/XuD6qCVOb2

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 4, 2025

The Canadiens won the game 4-1 in the end and remain in the second wild card spot with seven games to go. It was a big night for Nick Suzuki, who reached the 80-point mark, the first Canadiens player to do so since Alex Kovalev. As for Cole Caufield, he recorded his 35th goal of the season. While the 40-goal mark is in sight, it may be out of reach for this season, but it feels like he will get there sooner rather than later.

You can see the excitement in the coach's eye in his post-game pressers, St-Louis the player was a competitor and the coach wants to be as well:

Learning's over at this stage, we have to execute and that's what we did tonight. 

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