Category: Ice Hockey

The NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs are not far away, with the first series set to begin on Saturday, April 18.

The league is on track for the biggest postseason turnover in history, with the potential for half the field — eight of the 16 spots — to be teams that did not qualify a year ago. There will be a new champion and no three-peat after the Florida Panthers were derailed by injuries following three consecutive trips to the final.

The regular season runs through Thursday, April 16, a day after Eastern Conference teams wrap up.

Who's in the playoffs

WEST: Central Division rivals Colorado, Dallas and Minnesota are in, with the top-seeded Avalanche on track to win the Presidents' Trophy and ensure home ice throughout the playoffs. Five spots remain open.

EAST: Carolina, the Metropolitan Division champion, is in along with Buffalo, Tampa Bay and Montreal in the Atlantic Division. The Sabres ended their NHL record 14-year postseason drought. Five spots remain open.

The matchups

The top three teams in each of the four divisions division make the playoffs. The other four spots go to the next two highest-placed teams in each conference, regardless of division.

The teams with the best record in each conference open against the wild-card team with the worst record; the other wild-card plays the other division winner. Teams that finish second and third in their division play each other in the bracket headed by their respective division winner. The second round thus carries a higher prospect of division foes matching up ahead of the conference finals.

All four rounds of the playoffs are best-of-seven; the first team to 16 victories wins the Stanley Cup.

The first-round matchups so far:

— Dallas vs. Minnesota.

The favorites

Colorado is the 3-1 favorite to win the Stanley Cup, followed by Tampa Bay at 9-2, Carolina at 5-1 and Dallas at 10-1, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

How to watch

Every playoff game will be nationally televised in the U.S on an ESPN or Turner network. The NHL schedule is here and a streaming guide is here. Much of TNT’s coverage, which includes the Stanley Cup Final, will be simulcast on truTV and available on Max’s B/R Sports Add-On. In Canada, games will be showcased on Sportsnet and CBC.

After three rounds of seven-game series, the final starts in early June. If the final goes the distance, Game 7 could go as late as June 21.

Who to watch

— Colorado, with MVP candidate Nathan MacKinnon and star defenseman Cale Makar, has been hockey's best team since October.

— Connor McDavid and Edmonton lost in the Cup Final the past two years but are playing better defense and should have Leon Draisaitl for the playoffs.

— Tage Thompson was a big part of the U.S. winning Olympic gold and the Sabres' leading scorer finally gets to the postseason.

— Nikita Kucherov is right there with MacKinnon and McDavid in the NHL scoring race and has steadied the Lightning through months of injuries.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Game. Set. Baby!

A woman went into labor and gave birth inside Rogers Place in Alberta, Canada, last week during the Las Vegas, Knights’ victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

“Breaking news: We have word that someone has gone into labor here tonight,” play-by-play announcer Jack Michaels said during the second period on the Sportsnet broadcast. “There’s a baby being born on the seventh floor at Rogers Place as we speak.”

“So someone’s going to have a great story to tell,” Michaels added, before joking, “It would be nice to have the mother join us on After Hours to describe what’s happened, but that could be asking a bit much.”

The mother, who has yet to be publicly identified, did not appear on the sports network’s post-game show.

Details about the mother and newborn have not been released, and it remains unclear whether medical personnel assisted with the delivery.

The Independent has contacted Rogers Place for comment.

While details on the birth itself are slim, fans on social media had big reactions to the once-in-a-lifetime event.

“At least someone is delivering, [Connor] McDavid sure ain't,” one X user wrote, referring to the Oilers’ center and captain.

“They better get season tickets for life,” another person suggested.

Others offered up their baby name ideas.

“Did she make it back for the 3rd period? And what's the kid's name? Rogers, Connor, or Seven (any Seinfeld fans?)?” one person asked.

“I think they name the baby Roger. Roger’s Place,” another said.

The Golden Knights defeated the Oilers 5-1, ending Edmonton’s five-game winning streak in a game that also saw a fan struck by a puck and a late on-ice fight, just weeks before the NHL regular season wraps April 16 and the playoffs begin.

As we get closer to the NHL Awards season, Colorado’s nominee for the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy has been revealed, and the captain, Gabe Landeskog, has been nominated by the PHWA Colorado chapter for the 2026 award.

The Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy is one that’s given to an NHL player “best exemplified perserverence, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey”. Landeskog was also the Colorado chapter’s nominee in 2025.

Landeskog’s journey back to the NHL since lifting the Stanley Cup in June of the 2022 season has been well-documented. Initially, he missed time in the 2022-23 season due to a knee injury, but it wasn’t until the playoffs in 2025 that he finally returned to NHL hockey, then resumed regular-season play in 2025-26. Despite the ups and downs of his journey, Landeskog’s resiliency and determination to get back to playing hockey are incredibly impressive, and it’s awesome to see him get recognized for those attributes. Hopefully, he wins the award this year.

Looking back at the return of the Cap. pic.twitter.com/BgSlgOjchX

— z – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 8, 2026

With junior seasons, the NCAA season, and the NHL and AHL regular seasons all wrapping up, probable and locked in playoff teams are beginning to shore up organizational depth in hopes of bolstering rosters for playoff runs. 

And the Pittsburgh Penguins' organization made a few moves on Wednesday to do just that. 

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins - Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate - got their hands on an intriguing reinforcement when forward Mikhail Ilyin was re-assigned from the KHL's Severstal Cherepovets to WBS. In addition, WBS signed forward Ryan Miller and defenseman Quinn Beauchesne - both from the 2025 draft class - to amateur tryout agreements (ATOs).

Ilyin, 21, has been one of the better Under-22 forwards in the KHL for the last few years. In 68 games this season, he registered 14 goals and 44 points, largely playing top-line minutes. The 6-foot-3, 191-pound forward - drafted in the 5th round (142nd overall) in 2023 - signed a three-year entry-level contract (ELC) with the Penguins ahead of the 2025-26 season, but he opted to go back to the KHL and was loaned to Severstal for its entirety.

Despite his loan to the KHL, he is still in the first season of his ELC. Ilyin has already joined the WBS Penguins, as he debuted at practice on Wednesday.

Привет, Михаил!

Mikhail Ilyin joins WBS! pic.twitter.com/aBBXg72YCv

— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 8, 2026

Beauchesne, 19, was selected in the fifth round (148th overall) in 2025, and the young blueliner has continued to build on what is already a relatively impressive profile for a player selected in the fifth round. He registered seven goals and 35 points in 56 games for the Guelph Storm of the OHL this season, and he is an excellent skater with good offensive instincts.

He was issued a late-season two-game suspension for a slash to the head of London Knights forward Ryan Brown during a March game between the two squads.

The Penguins have signed 2025 draft picks, forward Ryan Miller and defenseman Quinn Beauchesne, to amateur tryout agreements.https://t.co/nNZCZ57yXEpic.twitter.com/sHgIJJfJ00

— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 8, 2026

Miller, 18, was also selected in the fifth round (130th overall) in 2025 and put together an impressive season for the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL with 30 goals and 75 points in 65 games. He also had a 19-game scoring streak earlier this season, and he committed to the University of Denver for the 2026-27 season.

Beauchesne, a right defenseman, and Miller, a center, will fight for spots on a crowded WBS roster that has already clinched a Calder Cup Playoff berth. WBS's right side features Phil Kemp, Finn Harding, Chase Pietila, and Harrison Brunicke, who joined WBS after the Kamloops Blazers were eliminated from the WHL playoffs. 

Penguins Defensive Prospect Assigned To Wilkes-Barre/ScrantonHarrison Brunicke will finish the 2025-26 season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

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Wilson, who paid it forward to Flyers' prospects, becomes a Masterton nominee originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Garrett Wilson didn’t give up on the NHL as he went nearly seven straight years playing in the minors.

And he certainly didn’t give up on his teammates, most of them prospects and vying for the next level.

Wilson looked after them.

“I just wanted to take care of the younger guys,” he said three and a half weeks ago, “because I got taken care of when I was younger.”

The 35-year-old winger was rewarded last month with an NHL contract and his first game since the 2018-19 season. His blend of selflessness and stick-to-itiveness has made him the Flyers’ nominee for the 2025-26 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

The nomination was voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association’s Philadelphia chapter. The Masterton Trophy is an NHL award given annually to “the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.”

“I am very proud to see Garrett recognized as a nominee for the NHL Masterton Trophy,” general manager Danny Briere said in a statement released by the team Wednesday. “Garrett’s commitment to the Flyers organization and journey in hockey is a true testament to his dedication and pure love of the game. He helped establish a level of professionalism and has made a profound impact with the young players in our system for the last six years. His return to the NHL this season speaks volumes about his character and he has earned everything that’s come his way.”

Wilson has been a part of AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley’s leadership group over the last six seasons. The Flyers have seen a lot of their key young pieces come through the Phantoms. Wilson has been teammates with guys like Tyson Foerster, Cam York, Emil Andrae, Alex Bump, Denver Barkey and Nikita Grebenkin, among others.

“I knew my role, I’ve been there six years,” Wilson said. “The rebuild and the new prospects coming in, I really wanted to make sure to take care of them. Because when I was a young guy, I had lot of good leaders taking care of me. So kind of pass down that to them. Just teach the guys how to be pro every day, how to act around the rink, how to take care of the trainers and the staff. I just try to lead by example.”

Wilson has done so as a tough, hard-nosed player who stands up for his teammates. He’s now with the Flyers for their playoff push and has appeared in two games. Prior to this season, Wilson’s last NHL game was April 16, 2019, in the playoffs with the Penguins.

As time went on in the minors, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever play in the NHL again.

“There was definitely a bit of doubts,” Wilson said last Thursday. “Once you sign the AHL deal, you’re kind of restricted to just playing in the AHL. I got the chance to come to training camp, had [professional tryout offers] and that. I just tried to stay positive, go down there, I liked the role I had down there of taking care of the younger guys and showing them the pro game. A lot of the guys, they’ve graduated to here.”

And now Wilson has had the chance to be their teammate again.

Oskar Lindblom won the Masterton Trophy in 2020-21, becoming the fourth Flyer to ever take home the award. He joined Bob Clarke (1971-72), Tim Kerr (1988-89) and Ian Laperriere (2010-11) as the Flyers’ recipients. Kevin Hayes was a finalist in 2021-22 and Ivan Fedotov was the Flyers’ nominee last season.

Following a vote by the PHWA, the winner of the honor will be announced among the NHL awards.

The Central Division and Metropolitan Division title races have been settled but the other two NHL division races are tight.

After games on Tuesday, April 7, the Tampa Bay Lightning, Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens are tied atop the Atlantic Division with 102 points each. In the Pacific Division race, the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights are tied with 88 points and the Anaheim Ducks are one point back at 87.

So which team has the edge for the division title and which would finish second and have home-ice advantage in the second round?

That comes down to tiebreakers.

Here's an explanation of NHL tiebreakers and how they will affect the 2026 playoff races:

NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?

If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:

1. Regulation wins
2. Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
3. Total wins
4. Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded. When more than two clubs are tied, the percentage of available points earned in games among each other (and not including any odd games) shall be used to determine standings.
5. Goal differential
6. Total goals

How NHL tiebreakers affect the Atlantic Division race

The Lightning and Sabres entered Wednesday's game tied with 39 regulation wins, so that would go to the second tiebreaker. Tampa Bay leads 44 to 42 in ROW, giving it the division lead. The Canadiens have only 32 regulation wins and can't catch the other two teams in that category, so they'd have to finish ahead of the Lightning and Sabres in points to finish first or second in the division.

Buffalo plays on Wednesday and Thursday, April 9, while Tampa Bay visits Montreal on Thursday.

How NHL tiebreakers affect the Pacific Division race

Edmonton leads Vegas 30-28 in regulation wins and in ROW 39-35, so the Golden Knights will have to finish with more points or regulation wins than the Oilers to win the division. Anaheim has only 24 regulation wins.

How NHL tiebreakers affect the race for the Eastern Conference top seed

The Carolina Hurricanes have 106 points, but if the Lightning or Sabres can catch them, they have three more regulation wins than the Hurricanes.

How NHL tiebreakers affect the Eastern Conference wild-card race

The Boston Bruins (96 points) and Ottawa Senators (92) hold the two spots, with four other teams within five points of Ottawa. The Senators have the most regulation wins in that group (35) with only the Washington Capitals (33) able to catch them in that category, but they're five points back. Ottawa would take the first wild-card slot if they and Boston are tied in points at season's end.

How NHL tiebreakers affect the Western Conference wild-card race

The Utah Mammoth (88 points) are trending toward finishing with the first wild-card spot. The Nashville Predators (84) are sitting in the second wild-card spot, but they have played one or two more games than their closest pursuers: the Los Angeles Kings (83), San Jose Sharks (81), Winnipeg Jets (80) and St. Louis Blues (78).

The Kings currently have only 19 regulation wins, so they'd lose out in the event of a tie. The Predators have 27, the Sharks have 25, the Jets have 27 and the Blues have 29. The Sharks have the most ROW at 35 if it comes down to a second tiebreaker.

Nashville and Winnipeg are currently tied in regulation wins and ROW, but the Predators have three more total wins. If it comes down to a fourth tiebreaker between those teams. the Jets have the edge in the season series.

How NHL tiebreakers affect the second seed in the Central Division

The Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild first-round series is the only one that is set, but home-ice advantage hasn't been determined. The Stars lead by two points and by an insurmountable five regulation wins, so the Wild can't win a tiebreaker. They would get home ice only if they finish with more points.

The teams play in Dallas on Thursday, April 9.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How NHL tiebreakers could affect 2026 playoff bracket, standings

This is it for the Los Angeles Kings; we're now in the final week of the regular season as they prepare for their final five games, starting Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. 

The Mammoth and Golden Knights continue to stack up victories and are the two hottest teams in the Western Conference playoff race, each winning four straight games. 

Meanwhile, the Anaheim Ducks continue to slide, now losers of six straight, and have dropped from the No. 1 seed to the third seed in the division. If Los Angeles can defeat the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday and Anaheim loses to San Jose, the Kings will be just two points back for the third seed. 

Teams like Nashville, LA, and even San Jose are putting pressure on Anaheim because of its recent skid, and with a much tougher schedule in its last four games, Anaheim can make things interesting in the final week of the regular season. 

But Los Angeles still has to take care of business in its final five games to be playoff-bound and determine where it will finish in the standings. 

Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the divisions:

Central Division:

4. Utah Mammoth - 41-30-6, 88 points

5. Nashville Predators - 37-31-10, 84 points

6. Winnipeg Jets - 34-31-12, 80 points

Pacific Division:

3. Anaheim Ducks - 41-32-5, 87 points

4. Los Angeles Kings - 32-26-19, 83 points

5. San Jose Sharks - 37-32-7, 81 points

With the Ducks, Predators, and Mammoth holding the tiebreakers over the Kings, Los Angeles is going to have to catch them with more points if they want to surpass them in the standings. 

Updated Pacific Division/Wild Card standings pic.twitter.com/1AePY0VOFX

— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) April 8, 2026

Let’s take a look at the big games to watch around the league for the next couple of days and who Kings fans should be rooting for.

Wednesday

Oilers At Sharks

San Jose, winners of five in their last six games, have been hot, especially Macklin Celebrini, fighting for a playoff spot, so expect them to give a full effort at home against the Oilers. Meanwhile, Edmonton is tied with Vegas for the top seed in the division after losing two straight games, so they will also give a full-on effort on the road to stay on top. 

Thursday

Predators At Mammoth

Two teams that the Kings are fighting with to make the postseason. Utah has been on a heater recently, winners of four in a row, while the Predators hold the final wild card spot over Los Angeles. Expect this game to be a dogfight, with Utah trying to separate itself from Anaheim and Nashville. 

Golden Knights At Kraken

Expect the Golden Knights to win five in a row since firing their head coach. Seattle has lost six games in a row and no longer has any desire to win, as they've fallen too far behind in the playoff picture. 

Sharks At Ducks

If the Kings want to move into that third seed in the Pacific Division and avoid the Avalanche, they'll root for the Ducks to lose their seventh straight game to the Sharks. But, at the same time, there's a dilemma. If the Sharks win, they will move closer to the Kings; this game will determine whether Kings fans would rather see Colorado or potentially Edmonton or Vegas in the first round of the postseason. 

Saturday

Wild At Predators

The Minnesota Wild have already clinched a postseason spot and will face the Dallas Stars in the playoffs. If they want home ice advantage in that first round matchup over the Stars, they'll do everything they can to win this game. 

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Each NHL team has had a player revealed as a nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, and it comes as a shock to no one that the Los Angeles Kings' representative is Anze Kopitar.

The Bill Masterton Trophy is awarded "to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey." The Professional Hockey Writers' Association votes on who should win this award.

Not only has Kopitar shown those qualities throughout his career, but this season is particularly appropriate.

The Kings' captain is in his final NHL season, announcing before the season that this will be his last year in the NHL before retirement.

He's shown his dedication to hockey in so many ways, but what could make Kopitar a finalist for this award is how long he's played in the NHL and that he's about to tie a bow on what has been an incredible career.

Family, Golf And F1 Races: Kings' Kopitar Reveals His Retirement PlansWith just a sliver of the 2025-26 season and Anze Kopitar's NHL career remaining, the Los Angeles Kings captain was asked about his plans for retirement in a recent interview with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

This is Kopitar's 20th season in the NHL - two decades of lacing up his skates for Los Angeles. In that span, he's cemented himself as arguably the best King to ever play the game, and the stats speak for themselves.

He leads the franchise in games and seasons played, has the most assists in Kings history, and earlier this season, Kopitar became the franchise's all-time leading scorer. 

On March 14, Kopitar scored a pair of goals against the New Jersey Devils, which saw him surpass Marcel Dionne on the Kings' all-time scoring list.

In addition to Kopitar's talents and all the accolades he's collected in his career, there is another aspect to him as a leader and athlete that also ties into his dedication to hockey.

Kings' Kopitar Proving He's Not Hanging Up His Skates Without An Honest FightLos Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar is retiring at the end of this year. But with the way he's been playing lately, he's not interested in letting his career end without a fight to get into the post-season.

Though the 38-year-old has dealt with a couple of knocks and injuries that forced him to miss 15 games this season, his ability to remain healthy and available for the Kings throughout his career has been impressive.

Before this 2025-26 campaign, Kopitar went on an eight-year stretch of only missing a total of four regular-season contests.

Along with the two Stanley Cups, two Selke Trophies, three Lady Byng Trophies, 1,516 games played and 1,314 points scored, Kopitar has certainly exemplified perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey and the NHL.

Only three Kings have ever won the Bill Masterton Trophy. Butch Goring in 1978, Bob Bourne in 1988 and the latest winner was Dave Taylor in 1991.

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With a packed NHL slate of games on Tuesday, the Western Conference playoff picture saw several changes, and unfortunately for the Winnipeg Jets, the results were not in their favor. 

As of Wednesday, the Jets sit four points out of a playoff spot behind the San Jose Sharks, who have 81 points, the Los Angeles Kings with 83 points, and the Nashville Predators, who currently hold the second wild card spot in the West with 84 points.

Winnipeg has five games left in the season, the same as the Kings, while the Sharks have an advantage with six games remaining. Nashville is looking to finish strong with just four games left. Despite being behind in points, the Jets surprisingly have the best goal differential among the group and have been playing well recently. 

They have gone from being completely out of the playoff race to firmly in contention. The Jets have collected points in ten of their last 13 games, including six wins in their last eight. Maintaining this momentum will be crucial as the playoff race remains razor thin.

Winnipeg’s final five games are on the road against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, followed by a home matchup Saturday versus the Philadelphia Flyers. Their last three games next week are against the Vegas Golden Knights, Utah Mammoth, and San Jose Sharks. To secure a playoff spot, the Jets must stay hot and win all of these remaining games.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs look to play spoiler again when they host the Washington Capitals at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday, April 8.

Washington still has a slim chance of punching a postseason ticket, so my top Capitals vs. Maple Leafs predictions and NHL picks are calling for the Caps to pepper Toronto goalie Anthony Stolarz with shots tonight.

Capitals vs Maple Leafs prediction

Capitals vs Maple Leafs best bet: Anthony Stolarz Over 25.5 saves (-125)

The Toronto Maple Leafs are 5-10-5 out of the Olympic break while allowing the most shots per game (34.9) and ranking last in Corsi For percentage at 5-on-5, so with the Washington Capitals still battling for a playoff spot, I expect the Caps to carry the play while caving the Leafs in for sustained chunks of time.

Of course, Toronto starter Anthony Stolarz has also been solid with a .910 save percentage and 8.71 goals saved above expected across nine games during the highlighted slump, so he stands to face enough rubber to clear this saves total tonight.

Capitals vs Maple Leafs same-game parlay

I’m expecting Stolarz to play well enough to cash the Under. Toronto ranks 31st in expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 across the noted 20-game stretch, and Washington is 19th, so these are both below-average offenses.

Still, the Maple Leafs have seen a spark since rookie Easton Cowan has climbed to the No. 1 line with John Tavares and William Nylander.

Cowan has marked the scoresheet in three straight, and Nylander has three or more shots in three consecutive games, while they’ve clicked with Tavares and have been on the ice for 9.63 goals per 60 minutes.

Capitals vs Maple Leafs SGP

• Under 6.5
• Easton Cowan Over 0.5 points
• William Nylander Over 2.5 shots on goal

Capitals vs Maple Leafs odds

• Moneyline: Capitals -150 | Maple Leafs +130
• Puck Line: Capitals -1.5 (+155) | Maple Leafs +1.5 (-180)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-115) | Under 6.5 (-105)

Capitals vs Maple Leafs trend

The Washington Capitals have won 14 of their last 25 games (+3.75 Units / 13% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Capitals vs. Maple Leafs.

How to watch Capitals vs Maple Leafs

Capitals vs Maple Leafs latest injuries

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Anthony Mantha got recognized for his monster season by earning the Penguins’ nomination for the NHL’s Masterton Trophy. The award goes to the NHL player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey”. After signing an incentive-laden contract after suffering a major knee injury in 2024-25, Mantha has set career-highs in goals, assists and points this season with Pittsburgh.

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

Anthony Mantha embodies it all.

Read more: https://t.co/nkdbd1H0wnpic.twitter.com/Sovnh2efrn

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 8, 2026

From the team:

“I think it’s the first time I got nominated for something in the NHL. So, obviously, that’s awesome,” Mantha said.

“There were some doubts (I could get here). I was kind of mentally preparing myself for a PTO (professional tryout contract). When it happens, and you play 13 games, and Calgary was kind of a prove-it deal – that’s kind of where the head goes to. And I knew I still had some in me. Obviously, I knew I was going to work to get back. And here we are.”

Initially, the prognosis wasn’t bad. Mantha did an MRI, which showed no swelling. The team told Mantha he might be out for a week.

“And then when they hit you with, ‘yeah, you’re done for the year,’ that’s probably the low point,” Mantha said. “And then after that, it takes couple weeks to kind of refocus and get your head right and get to work, get to rehabbing. Just working to find a deal, get a deal, and have a career year.”

Mantha has been vocal about working with Toronto-based mental coach Matt Caldaroni for the last several years. It started when he underwent shoulder surgery during the 2021-22 season, which Mantha spent with Washington. He had the procedure that November and returned to action in March.

At that point, Mantha said he had “kind of lost the passion, maybe, for hockey. I was getting injured every other year, and it was just taking a toll mentally and physically. We kind of worked on loving the game again.”

So, when this most recent injury happened, Mantha was constantly communicating with Caldaroni throughout the entire process.

“Our sole focus was to be the best version of myself this year, and that was from Day 1 of rehabbing all the way to the start of this year,” Mantha said. “And obviously, I think I’m there right now. Obviously, best results of my career for stats-wise, but I think just also as a person and as a dad of three now. So, it’s pretty cool.”

What also figures to be cool for Mantha is that he is the highest goalscoring impending free agent and is in-line for a healthy contract in 2026-27. Whether or not that will be with the Penguins or somewhere else remains to be seen, but the Pens have benefited immensely Mantha’s dedication and perseverance to get a career year out of him this season.

While Jacub Dobes started the season occupying the Montreal Canadiens’ backup chair, slowly but surely, he was able to take that chair, and he didn’t steal it; he earned it. With four games to go in the regular season, the rookie netminder has already played 40 games and earned 28 of the Habs’ 46 wins. As things stand, he has a 28-8-4 record with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.

However, since the Habs made Marco Marciano their goaltending coach, the youngster has a 12-3-1 record in 16 games with a 2.44 GAA and a .916 SV. There’s no denying that his arrival has had a big impact on Dobes, but so has the fact that the Canadiens finally decided to give him the net and put their trust in him.

Flat Canadiens Find A Way To Overcome Depleted Panthers
Zharovsky Picked Canadiens’ Prospect Who Had The Most Promising Season
Canadiens’ Laine May Not Play, But He Supports The Team

On Tuesday, NHL Network analyst Mike Kelly shared a stat showing just how much of a difference Dobes has made for the Canadiens’ season. This year, the Canadiens are second in goals saved above average, with 17, second only to the New York Islanders, who have 22. Of the Habs’ 17 GSAE, 11 belong to Dobes, four to Jacob Fowler, and only two to Samuel Montembeault.

The NHL has a goalie award for lowest team goals against, which is a combination of team defence and goaltending.
What if there was an award for goalie impact on wins?
The Islanders would take it with 22 'Goalie Steals' this season. Sorokin leads all goalies with 15. pic.twitter.com/iE7WUwDNuL

— Mike Kelly (@MikeKellyNHL) April 7, 2026

Furthermore, Dobes is clutch when it’s crunch time. Since January 12, he has a .942 SV in the third frame and in overtime, and a .887 SV on shots from the lower slot; in both departments, he is third in the NHL.

While the netminder may not get many votes in the Calder Trophy polls this season thanks to Matthew Scaefer’s dominance and a tight rookie scoring race between teammate Ivan Demidov, Beckett Sennecke and Schaefer himself, he stands out above all other rookie netminders. He has seven more wins than Yaroslav Askarov, is second amongst rookie goalies who have played at least 30 games in GAA and in SV amongst the same group.

It’s also worth mentioning that last season, Calgary Flames netminder Dustin Wolf, who finished second in the Calder Trophy voting, only had 29 wins, one more than what Dobes has so far, and chances are, he will either tie him or even surpass him. Furthermore, the Czech netminder has led his team to the playoffs, something Wolf failed to do in his rookie season or his sophomore one, for that matter.

More importantly, though, Dobes brings confidence and swagger to the net. When his teammates look at him behind the post, they see a netminder who believes in himself and who will give them an opportunity to win regardless of who the opponent is, and that’s priceless.

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The St. Louis Blues announced on Wednesday a leadership change for its American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield that features assistant general managers Ryan Miller and Tim Taylor each adding the title of Thunderbirds Co-GM's on a permanent basis moving forward.

The immediate change in management structure follows the departure of former Thunderbirds GM Kevin Maxwell, who is expected to moved on to the New York Rangers in a management position.

In their dual roles for the Blues and Thunderbirds, Taylor will continue to oversee player personnel while Miller will manage contract negotiations, compliance, and various hockey operations functions.

“Kevin played an instrumental role in the development of our prospects and strengthening of our relationship with the Springfield organization during his three-plus years with our management team and we wish him all the best in the next chapter of his career,” Blues GM Doug Armstrong said in a team release. “Building on the success from their previous roles within the Blues organization, Ryan and Tim have proven to be an effective team with complementary talents over their two years as assistant general managers in support of me and Alexander Steen. As we move forward with them sharing the developmental and operational responsibilities of players throughout all levels of our organization, their partnership will ensure efficient communications and decision making between our staffs in St. Louis and Springfield.”

Taylor, 57, first joined the Blues as director of player development in 2011 before elevating to his most current role as assistant general manager and director of player personnel. During his tenure, Taylor has made a substantial impact on the organization through his efforts to assess, develop and guide Blues prospects at all levels. His efforts played a key role in helping the Blues capture the 2019 Stanley Cup championship. As a player, Taylor enjoyed a 13-year NHL career, including stints with Detroit, Boston, the New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay. As a player, he was a two-time Stanley Cup Champion, winning with Detroit in 1997 and Tampa Bay in 2004.

Miller, 42, came to the Blues in 2010 as the team’s director of hockey administration before being promoted to assistant general manager in 2020 after helping the Blues to the 2019 Stanley Cup title. In his role, Miller negotiates contracts, ensures compliance under the collective bargaining agreement and salary cap, and prepares for players who might opt to file for salary arbitration, along with a wide range of other responsibilities. 

With an affiliation agreement that began in 2021, the Blues and Thunderbirds announced an extension of that partnership through the end of the 2030-31 season in October of 2024 that further solidified the long-term future of the AHL in Springfield, one of the league’s charter cities.

Currently led by Head Coach Steve Ott, former Blues player and an assistant coach on the Blues’ 2018-19 Stanley Cup championship team, Springfield currently holds the sixth and final playoff position in the AHL’s Atlantic Division. Overall, 33 players have skated in games for both teams during the affiliation agreement, including current Blues players Dalibor Dvorsky, Joel Hofer, Matthew Kessel, Theo Lindstein, Jake Neighbours, Logan Mailloux, Otto Stenberg, Alexey Toropchenko, and Tyler Tucker.

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Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen has been named the organization’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Nominees for this award are decided on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, with the award going to a player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game.”

Lankinen, who is currently dealing with an upper-body injury, is in his second season with the Canucks after putting up career numbers in 2024–25 with 25 wins and four shutouts. This season has not gone nearly as well due to a variety of other factors including injuries to his fellow goaltenders and multiple different trades, with Lankinen having played in 44 games thus far. 

Other nominees for the Masterton Trophy in 2025–26 include Jonathan Toews of the Winnipeg Jets, Linus Ullmark of the Ottawa Senators, and Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche. Previous winners include Sean Monahan (2025), Connor Ingram (2024), and Kris Letang (2023). 

The Canucks' Masterton Trophy nominee in 2025 was Dakota Joshua, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer and had surgery during the off-season before making his return to the lineup in November. Prior to that, Vancouver’s past nominees include Noah Juulsen (2024), Brock Boeser (2023), and Luke Schenn (2022). 

The full list of nominees for 2026 can be found below. 

• Anaheim Ducks: Ville Husso
• Boston Bruins: Charlie McAvoy
• Buffalo Sabres: Rasmus Dahlin
• Calgary Flames: Devin Cooley
• Carolina Hurricanes: Taylor Hall
• Chicago Blackhawks: Spencer Knight
• Colorado Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog
• Columbus Blue Jackets: Boone Jenner
• Dallas Stars: Jamie Benn
• Detroit Red Wings: Dominik Shine
• Edmonton Oilers: Connor Ingram
• Florida Panthers: Brad Marchand
• Los Angeles Kings: Anze Kopitar
• Minnesota Wild: Jesper Wallstedt
• Montreal Canadiens: Mike Matheson
• Nashville Predators: Ozzy Wiesblatt
• New Jersey Devils: Brenden Dillon
• New York Islanders: Kyle Palmieri
• New York Rangers: Matthew Robertson
• Ottawa Senators: Linus Ullmark
• Philadelphia Flyers: Garrett Wilson
• Pittsburgh Penguins: Anthony Mantha
• San Jose Sharks: Laurent Brossoit
• Seattle Kraken: Jordan Eberle
• St. Louis Blues: Jordan Binnington
• Utah Mammoth: Clayton Keller
• Tampa Bay Lightning: Darren Raddysh
• Toronto Maple Leafs: Oliver Ekman-Larsson
• Vancouver Canucks: Kevin Lankinen
• Vegas Golden Knights: Akira Schmid

• Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin
• Winnipeg Jets: Jonathan Toews

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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