OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Drake Batherson and Warren Foegel scored power-play goals and the Ottawa Senators — resting six players for the playoffs — beat Toronto 3-1 on Wednesday night in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Dylan Cozens added an empty-net goal and James Reimer stopped 19 shots against his former team. Ottawa finished 44-27-11 to take the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. It will open its first-round series against Carolina on the road.
William Nylander scored for Toronto. Dennis Hildeby made 35 saves after being recalled from the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies on Tuesday.
Toronto went 32-36-14, ensuring a bottom-five finish that will allow it to retain its first-round pick in the upcoming draft. The Maple Leafs were 0-6-1 in their last seven.
Nylander cut it to 2-1 midway through the third when he backhanded a bouncing puck from the slot past Reimer.
Batherson opened the scoring early in the first with his 33rd goal of the season. Foegele made it 2-0 late in the second period.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tye Kartye scored two goals and had an assist as the New York Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Wednesday night in the regular season finale for both teams.
Gabe Perreault and Mika Zibanejad — on the power play — also scored for New York, which snapped a three-game losing streak, while Dylan Garand made 29 saves in his first start since March 27. Zibanejad also had an assist.
Oliver Bjorkstrand and Corey Perry scored for the playoff-bound Lightning, who rested several key players. Brandon Halverson made 17 saves.
Kartye scored 4:02 into the game to give the Rangers the early lead, then added his second 1:29 into the second period for his first multi-goal game in the NHL. By adding an assist on Perreault’s goal at 4:49 of the second period that made it 3-0, Kartye had his first three-point NHL game.
Perry scored 51 seconds into the third period on a spinning backhand shot.
The Lightning were 0-for-3 on the power play in the game and have just one power-play goal in their last 11 games.
Max Crozier was back in the lineup for Tampa Bay after missing 26 games with an injury.
Up next
Rangers: The Rangers’ season is over.
Lightning: Host Montreal in Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Florida Panthers put on a good show for their fans during Wednesday’s season finale at Amerant Bank Arena.
Despite playing for nothing more than pride (and positioning in the NHL Draft Lottery), the Panthers skated all over the Detroit Red Wings, beating them 8-1 to end the season on something of a high note.
It took less than five minutes for the game’s first goal to be scored.
With Florida putting on the pressure in the Red Wings’ zone, Vinnie Hinostroza put a quick shot on goal that beat John Gibson, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead at the 4:57 mark.
The only assist went to rookie Wilmer Skoog, who picked up his first NHL point in just his third NHL game.
Florida made it 2-0 at nearly the same stage of the second period.
Directly off an offensive zone faceoff, Luke Kunin one-timed a pass from Matthew Tkachuk past Gibson 5:37 into the middle frame.
A.J. Greer made it 3-0 Florida with a nice wraparound goal while the Cats were on the power play with 11:04 to go, then moments later a funky bounce off the back boards gave rookie Mike Benning his first NHL goal and a 4-goal lead to the Panthers.
Continuing the night of firsts, rookie Ludvig Jansson picked up his first NHL point with an assist on Greer’s PPG.
Florida wasn’t done there.
A gorgeous cross-ice pass by Donovan Sebrango gave Benning a wide-open net to shoot at, giving the rookie his second goal of the game, as well as his career, exactly 3:02 after his first.
For those wondering, Florida’s four second period goals came in the span of just 7:04.
Detroit finally got on the board late in the period off a long wrist shot by Justin Fault that went between Daniil Tarasov’s body and right arm, running the veteran goaltender’s shutout bid with 3:48 to go in the period.
Cole Schwindt picked up his fifth goal of the season and second in the past 10 days about halfway through the final frame, making it 6-1 Panthers.
Exactly 41 seconds later, Florida’s other Cole, Cole Reinhardt, scored his fifth goal in four games to give the Panthers a seventh goal on the night.
Kunin scored his second of the night with 1:48 to go, giving the fans a final goal to celebrate.
Now the Panthers and their 84 points will watch and wait while the rest of the league finishes out the season to see where they fall in the NHL Draft Lottery order.
Remember, Florida keeps their pick if it ends up in the top-10.
Photo caption: Apr 15, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot (8) blocks a shot against Florida Panthers right wing MacKie Samoskevich (11) during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tye Kartye scored two goals and had an assist as the New York Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Wednesday night in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Gabe Perreault and Mika Zibanejad — on the power play — also scored for New York, which snapped a three-game losing streak, while Dylan Garand made 29 saves in his first start since March 27. Zibanejad also had an assist.
Oliver Bjorkstrand and Corey Perry scored for the playoff-bound Lightning, who rested several key players. Brandon Halverson made 17 saves.
Kartye scored 4:02 into the game to give the Rangers the early lead, then added his second 1:29 into the second period for his first multigoal game in the NHL. By adding an assist on Perreault's goal at 4:49 of the second period that made it 3-0, Kartye had his first three-point NHL game.
In what was their final game of the 2025-26 regular season, the Detroit Red Wings suffered the most lopsided setback of their centennial campaign.
Florida Panthers defenseman Mike Benning scored the first two goals of his NHL career, while Luke Kunin scored twice in what was an 8-1 rout of the Red Wings at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.
The Red Wings, who officially missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 10th straight season, finished 41-31-10 and sixth overall in the Atlantic Division.
Just three months earlier, they were tied for first overall in the Eastern Conference, but a 9-15-5 stretch proved too damaging to overcome, and it was another season of unraveling after the calendar turned to March, falling out of the playoff race.
Vinnie Hinostroza scored the only goal of the first period for the Panthers, who then got tallies from Kunin, A.J. Greer, and two from Benning in the game's middle frame, building up a 5-0 lead before Justin Faulk scored for the Red Wings.
Florida then kept piling on in the third period, eventually taking an 8-1 lead after goals from Cole Schwindt, Cole Reinhardt, and Kunin.
Red Wings starter John Gibson, who was pulled after allowing Florida's fourth tally of the game, made 11 saves on the 15 shots he saw. Cam Talbot, who replaced him, stopped eight of 12 shots. Meanwhile, Florida's Daniil Tarasov finished with 24 saves.
The offseason is now officially here for the Red Wings, who now own the unfortunate distinction of having the NHL's longest current active playoff drought.
The club will return home to Detroit for locker-room cleanout day.
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CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks extended general manager Kyle Davidson's contract Wednesday without providing the length of the deal.
“We are committing to Kyle to continue the plan he has put in place,” chairman and owner Danny Wirtz said before the team's season-ending game against San Jose. “We feel confident in that. We feel he has the right insight, the right team around him, and the belief he can continue to build a championship team."
The Blackhawks are locked into 31st place in the 32-team NHL and haven’t made the Stanley Cup playoffs since the expanded COVID playoffs of 2020.
The 37-year-old Davidson took over as interim general manager when Stan Bowman was fired in October 2021. The interim tag was removed in March 2022.
New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (40) makes a stop on a shot by Detroit Red Wings left wing J.T. Compher (37) during the second period when the New York Islanders played the Detroit Red Wings Monday, November 25, 2024 at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY.
No one but no one would have blinked twice had Semyon Varlamov decided, off two knee replacements, to take the money he was owed, count his blessings for a long career and hang up his skates.
Instead, Varlamov, some 502 days from his last NHL game and 12 days from his 38th birthday, was in Hartford, Conn. on Wednesday night to make his return to competitive hockey as part of a conditioning assignment with AHL Bridgeport.
Who knows whether his comeback is ultimately successful. Who can even say what success would look like in this context. The fact that Varlamov was even trying, and had gotten as far as practicing in recent weeks, had his teammates and general manager blown away.
Goalie Semyon Varlamov looks on during the second period of the Islanders’ win over the Canadiens on Oct. 19, 2024 at UBS arena. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“He’s Iron Man,” Ilya Sorokin said. “Totally. He’s a big professional. He works hard. Every day that I see on the rink is positive. A good mind. Can’t wait for when I see him in a game.”
“We have so much respect for him,” David Rittich said. “Not just me. From every single guy in this room. Even through the tough times, still trying to get back. Nothing but respect to Varly.”
Since he’s on a conditioning loan, Varlamov isn’t eligible to play in the postseason with Bridgeport. He’ll be there for just six days, with the possibility to play a second game over the weekend if things go well.
Darche declined to say whether Varlamov — whose two knee replacements were revealed unwittingly by then-coach Patrick Roy earlier this season — had the same knee replaced twice or both done separately. But he did say that Varlamov “had procedures on both of his knees.”
Exactly how that impacts the Islanders’ plans at goaltender, where Rittich is an unrestricted free agent, is unclear.
General manager Mathieu Darche said Varlamov is considered an option going forward, but it’s hard to believe the Islanders can go into next year without Rittich — or someone of similar standing — given the total unknown around Varlamov.
Semyon Varlamov makes a stop on a shot by J.T. Compher during the Islanders’ loss to the Red Wings on Nov. 25, 2024 at UBS Arena. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Still, it says a whole lot that he’s trying.
“He might play one game this weekend and see where it goes for next year,” Darche said. “But I’m telling you, from what the doctors were saying to where he is — it’s like Gabe Landeskog [in Colorado]. For three years, he didn’t play, people said he’s done. Now he’s playing hockey. A lot of credit to Varly.”
Tony DeAngelo and Rittich, both pending unrestricted free agents, said they wanted to return to the Islanders next season.
Cal Ritchie, Isaiah George, Victor Eklund and Liam Foudy will all rejoin AHL Bridgeport for the playoffs. Ritchie played just three games in the AHL this season before being called up, but the Islanders want him to get playoff experience.
Matthew Schaefer, Adam Pelech, Emil Heineman and Simon Holmstrom all said they were open to playing at World Championships if asked. Bo Horvat did not rule it out, but having played in the Olympics, said the year “has been a lot. Not only physically, but mentally, it’s been a long year.”
Ryan Pulock was dealing with knee and shoulder injuries and “hanging by a thread” at the end of the season, according to Darche. Pulock said he expects to be ready for camp, but the shoulder may need surgery to resolve. The knee is more of a “little issue,” Pulock said, which came up in the last few weeks, whereas the shoulder was a season-long problem.
DeAngelo has been dealing with a groin issue, and Max Shabanov with a rib injury, Darche said.
Kyle Palmieri (torn ACL) said he has a couple months left of rehab, but is optimistic about having a normal summer after that and should be back for training camp.
Alexander Romanov (shoulder) confirmed that he had a good chance of returning had the Islanders made the playoffs, and expects to have a fairly normal offseason.
Quinn Finley, whose season at Wisconsin ended last weekend at the Frozen Four, is also headed to Bridgeport. Finley signed a two-year entry-level deal Wednesday morning that begins next season, and will sign an ATO to join Bridgeport this year. The 2022 third-rounder had 33 points in 37 college games this season.
2025 second-round pick Daniil Prokhorov left to come over from Russia on Wednesday, though it is not clear if he will play right away at Bridgeport.
No decisions have been made as yet on the assistant coaching staffs or front office staffs. Darche and coach Pete DeBoer will meet over the next few days on the coaching staff; Darche said he liked his staff in the front office, but stopped short of saying definitively that they will all return.
Darche clarified that there are no plans for Roy to stay with the organization in a scouting capacity.
Right before the Blackhawks took the ice for their final game of the season, Chicago Blackhawks Chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz announced that General Manager Kyle Davidson has received a contract extension.
Wirtz made this announcement on a segment in which he appeared on CHSN's pregame show.
This is a chance for Davidson to have some security ahead of the most important summer of this current Blackhawks rebuild. So far, the very top of the Blackhawks organization is confident in the work that Davidson has already done and his plan for the future.
"Kyle's done everything we've expected of him," Danny Wirtz said of Kyle Davidson. "When he got the job, his first task was to rebuild our prospect pool. If you remember, our cupboard was pretty bare. We didn't have a lot coming in. He very systematically, very confidently built that to where I believe right now we have the best prospect pool in the NHL. Many of those prospects are now actually NHL players, contributing and highly impactful on our team."
It hasn't translated to winning on the ice at the NHL level yet, but the comments about the prospect farm are correct. The Blackhawks have a top-three system in the NHL, and many media organizations rank them number one.
Davidson was extended for executing the first part of the rebuild, which was replenishing the franchise with young players to build around. Now, the aforementioned security will allow him to take the next step with the foundation that he's built.
“I am extremely grateful for the support that Danny Wirtz has shown me these last four years," Davidson said of the extension. "His commitment to our shared vision for the future of the Blackhawks has been vital to the success we’ve seen as we’ve worked to build our roster into a team that can compete for years to come. We still have lots of work to do as we strive to bring the Stanley Cup back to Chicago, and I’m excited to continue building a team that our fans can be proud of.”
Danny Wirtz made it very clear that he expects the team to take the next step towards being a contender. He did say that "he wasn't hired to be the prospect GM". Now that he has filled the cupboard, it's time to win.
"We believe he has the right insight, the right team around him, and the belief he can continue to build a championship team," Wirtz said.
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Breakup day on Long Island, for the past handful of seasons, came with a theme: We believe in the group.
No matter what the rest of the league, or the stats, or their own fans thought, the Islanders, almost uniformly, insisted on optimism.
Not Wednesday.
Big picture, yes, the organization is in a much better spot than it was a year ago. It’s got an 18-year-old superstar in Matthew Schaefer, a prospect pipeline that looks legitimately promising and real reason to believe there can be a contending team on Long Island in the very near future.
Center Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders reacts after he gets into a scuffle with defenseman Samuel Girard #49 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at UBS Arena, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
In the immediate?
“It’s a miserable feeling around here,” Mat Barzal said.
This breakup day was entirely rooted in reality, and the reality is that the Islanders were in a playoff spot for 105 days, then crashed out in epic fashion, losing 10 of their final 14 games and seven of their final eight, while getting their coach fired in the process.
They are still grappling with it, very much in the process of digesting and figuring out how this could have happened and what can be done to ensure it never happens again. But the Islanders wore this one.
“It absolutely sucks,” general manager Mathieu Darche said. “This morning is a terrible morning.”
New York Islanders GM Mathieu Darche speaks at a press conference before the game when the New York Islanders played the Saturday, November 22, 2025 at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Darche, who acted somewhat aggressively in adding Carson Soucy and Ondrej Palat before the Olympic break, then dealing a first-round pick to get Brayden Schenn at the trade deadline, repeatedly acknowledged that the year was a failure because the Islanders missed the playoffs. He did, though, offer some defense for those trades, which have been heavily criticized by the fan base.
“Did we get aggressive a little bit? Yeah. But you know what, I always said I’d rather fail trying than failing to try,” Darche said. “… Palat, Soucy, the acquisition cost was basically nothing. Cause we got some draft picks too. So in a way, those two days, Tsyplakov went out, we brought in Palat, Soucy and a sixth-round pick. We’re a better team, right, because of that.
“Schenn, we were in that position. We wanted to bring, cause we felt like yes, we could have defended better. Let’s bring some veteran guys that can help with that and push it forward. We went 4-1 [in the first five games after the deadline] and the last 10 games, our two leading scorers were [Cal] Ritchie and Schenn.
“So by the end result, yes it’s a failure because we didn’t make the payoffs. But to say that it’s because of those acquisitions, I don’t think that’s the case.”
What exactly is the root cause then? Darche didn’t have a firm answer on that, but he did allude more than once to the fact that the Islanders overperformed their underlying defensive metrics for most of the season. That was at the heart of why Patrick Roy was fired and Pete DeBoer hired with four games left in the season, and the Islanders’ improved shot suppression over those four games was a common talking point.
New York Islanders center Brayden Schenn (10) reacts after scoring a goal past Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov in the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. AP
Things can always change but at least at a glance, the Islanders appear to have somewhat limited flexibility this offseason. Before accounting for any buyouts or injuries, they have $9-10 million in salary cap space, and Darche alluded to “slim pickings” on the free agency market.
There is some opportunity for change given Anders Lee’s expiring contract, and you never know what else could happen. If, say, Auston Matthews asks out of Toronto, maybe Darche steps up and takes a swing, but there’s a whole lot of ground between here and there. Almost certainly, Kyle Palmieri, Alexander Romanov and DeBoer — two injured players who missed most of the season with injury and the new coach — will be three of their biggest “offseason acquisitions.”
“We might have a similar team, we might have a completely different team,” Darche said.
What you can bank on is a shift in identity driven by the coach, and a general manager who will be more than willing to sound out options to change up the group. What that means for the roster composition when the Islanders gather for training camp in September, though, is anyone’s guess.
“The guys who are back need to be prepared come training camp to get to work,” DeBoer said. “Cause we have a lot of work to do in order to get where I believe we need to get to.”
The CHL is counting down its Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years list. The league recently revealed numbers 31 to 39, which included a former Vancouver Canucks captain. That captain was Roberto Luongo, who spent over seven seasons with the organization.
Before Luongo became one of the best goaltenders in the NHL, he was a star in the QMJHL. He spent the majority of his career with the Val-d'Or Foreurs before being moved to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at the end of his junior career. Luongo would play 180 games during his QMJHL career and made it to back-to-back Memorial Cups in 1998 and 1999.
As for his Canucks career, Luongo was acquired by Vancouver in 2006. He would play 448 regular-season games and is the franchise record holder for wins with 252. During his time with the Canucks, Luongo helped lead the team to Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final and won Gold for Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
CHL Player Rankings #31-39:
40 - Vincent Lecavalier 39 - Drew Doughty 38 - Ron Francis 37 - Roberto Luongo 36 - Shea Weber 35 - Bobby Smith 34 - Brendan Shanahan 33 - Ray Ferraro 32 - Joe Thornton 31 - Brad Richards
Val-d'Or Foreurs (Photo Credit: QMJHL/CHL)
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Seven months ago, no one on the outside was talking about the Penguins securing the second seed in the Metropolitan Division four games prior to the conclusion of the NHL regular season. Many had them as a bottom-five lottery team, and even if folks didn't have them finishing that low - including us here at THN - Pittsburgh Penguins - outside expectations were overwhelmingly predicting that this wasn't a playoff team.
Well, as the Penguins have been marketing since they clinched against the New Jersey Devils on Apr. 9, this team "flipped the script." They were not only one of the league's deepest and highest-scoring teams - they had 12 players finish with 13 or more goals and 10 players finish with 15 or more, both league-highs - they were a legitimately good five-on-five team with top-10 special teams units on both ends, and they won more in regulation than all but seven teams and lost less in regulation than all but six teams.
The belief in the Penguins' locker room was contagious and genuine, and the family-like, tight-knit atmosphere of that locker room has been palpable as ever all season long.
And it all started with a few savvy moves from general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas over the summer as well as during the season.
While there were a whole lot of moves that defined the 2025-26 season, some made a pretty sizable impact on the team - and some outright fueled their turnaround and led to their first postseason berth in four years.
The fact that Dubas managed to deal a goaltender with term who was on waivers just 11 months prior for a similar-caliber goaltender on an expiring contract - in addition to a typically reliable top-four defenseman on a down year and also an expiring contract, plus a second - is just bonkers. And he also flipped Kulak for another second-rounder and Sam Girard, who has played well recently for the Penguins and is younger.
No notes on that trade. It may not have had as gigantic an impact on their season as some of the other moves - as goaltending is still an issue - but it was such a clean piece of business by Dubas. Plus, Skinner provides a kind of endearing and genuine personality to the locker room that is always good for team chemistry - especially during a playoff run.
Apr 9, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel (81) skates with the puck against the New Jersey Devils during the first period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Luther Schlaifer-Imagn Images
When both Kindel and young blueliner Harrison Brunicke both made the Penguins' roster out of training camp - with a combination of injuries as well as their stellar camp performances opening spots for them - many thought they saw where things were going: "Here are two teenagers making the team, but once the team gets healthy, they'll be sent back to junior hockey to avoid burning a year of their entry-level contracts (ELC), and the Pens will still favor the veterans."
Well, for Brunicke, that was more or less true, even if the path to junior for him this season had a lot of stops along the way before the final destination. Of the two, it was widely believed that Brunicke, 19, would remain the entire season, while Kindel, 18, would get his taste of the NHL and be returned to the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL.
But Kindel was simply too good to send back. He proved he belonged in the NHL, and instead of making the easy, less risky choice, Dubas elected to allow Kindel to not only stick around past the 10-game mark (where his ELC kicked in), but also past the 40-game mark, where the Penguins lost a year of team control.
And that decision impacted the roster profoundly. Kindel has been their everyday third-line center and performing well in that role on both sides of the puck, giving the Penguins far more center depth than they would have had otherwise and giving them more dangerous options at wing in their top-nine.
This decision altered the course of the Penguins' season, and, perhaps, the outlook for the future as well, as the sooner-than-expected emergence of Kindel - who put up 17 goals and 35 points in 77 games - gave this team's depth the boost it needed to roll four lines successfully all season long.
Jan 21, 2026; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames center Morgan Frost (16) and Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon (28) get into a scrum during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Honestly, it was tough not to place this one higher, as probably no one - not even Dubas himself - expected the degree of breakout for Wotherspoon as a legitimate shutdown top-pairing defenseman.
As for Wotherspoon himself, this is a guy who never played in more than 55 games during his first three NHL seasons with the Boston Bruins. And, when he did, the 28-year-old was relegated to bottom-pairing minutes, some AHL time, and a system that may not have been maximizing his potential.
Dubas took a chance on Wotherspoon - already known as a physical, reliable defenseman within his role during his time in Boston - by signing him to a two-year, $2 million contract. And he made the most of that opportunity, eating heavy minutes in 80 games on Pittsburgh's top pairing, providing some much-needed grit and toughness on the blue line, and shattering previous career-highs with three goals and 30 points to go along with a plus-17.
And his emergence also aided in elevating his defense partner and the most crucial player on the Penguins' blue line.
Erik Karlsson also broke out in a huge way for the Penguins in 2025-26, putting up 15 goals and 66 points in 75 games and becoming the Norris-caliber version of himself in all three zones and in all situations, especially during the stretch run of the season. Karlsson's all-time offensive talents mixed well with Wotherspoon's shutdown ability, mobility, and strength in breaking the puck out of his own zone.
They were a legitimate tandem pairing for the Penguins this season, and they made each other better. The emergence of Wotherspoon and Karlsson as a formidable and elite top pairing for the Penguins changed the entire shape of their blue line - which is something the Penguins desperately needed in order to be successful this season.
Mar 31, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha (39) reacts after scoring a goal against the Detroit Red Wings during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
You want to talk about a veteran player having a breakout? What a season it was for the 31-year-old Mantha.
He played in only 13 games for the Calgary Flames last season before sustaining a season-ending ACL injury. Dubas took a chance in free agency on Mantha on a one-year, $2.5 million deal, more than likely hoping that Mantha could perform well enough to flip for more assets at the trade deadline.
As it turns out, he did perform well enough - so well, in fact, that he was a primary catalyst in getting this team to the postseason.
Mantha led all Penguins' players in goals this season with 33, and his 33 tallies and 64 points obliterated previous career-highs of 25 and 48 set with the Detroit Red Wings in 2018-19. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound winger was able to use his size, hands, and reach to his advantage around the net-front area, and he was almost a sure thing on breakaways, too.
What's most impressive about Mantha's season, however, is that only seven of his goals came on the power play - as he was largely deployed on the second unit - and that he spent a great deal of time in a third-line role this season.
It's not often that a team's leading goal-scorer is primarily deployed on the third line, but here we are. Mantha has earned himself some shiny dollars this summer - whether from the Penguins or from someone else - and he was the primary figure in the Penguins' impressive goals-for number of 293 this season, which still ranks third only to the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes.
It suffices to say that $2.5 million for one year is not going to cut it this offseason.
Feb 26, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Egor Chinakhov (59) reacts after scoring a goal against the New Jersey Devils during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Even if Mantha led this team in scoring and was the Penguins' most crucial free agent signing, the one move in terms of player personnel that made more of an impact on this team than any other was the trade that brought sniping winger Egor Chinakhov to the Penguins from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Dec. 29.
Prior to the Chinakhov acquisition, the Penguins were in a December funk - an eight-game losing streak - that nearly cost them their season. They had won two out of three in the games leading up to the trade, which involved Dubas sending Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick to Columbus.
The Penguins knew they were getting a sniper in Chinakhov, even if he had just three goals and six points in 29 games for Columbus, where he had fallen out of favor and had a tension-ridden relationship with then-coach Dean Evason and management.
Yes, Chinakhov can sling 90-plus mph wristers, and his shot is the standout element in his repertoire as well as one of the league's very best. But he also skates with 98th-percentile speed, plays responsibly in all three zones, backchecks, has an outstanding hockey IQ, meshes well with anyone, and possesses a serious playmaking acumen.
Oh, and his shot - however it finds its way to the net, whether a one-timer, heavy wrister, or backhand - is devastatingly lethal.
Whatever happened in Columbus isn't happening in Pittsburgh, and this move singlehandedly changed the entire complexion of the Penguins' top-six and its roster. He registered 18 goals and 36 points in 43 games with the Penguins, which translates to a 34-goal, 69-point pace - and which gives the Penguins three legitimate 30-goal options on the wing in Chinakhov, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell. And that's not counting Mantha, too.
The crazy thing is that it feels like there is even more left to untap in Chinakhov, and he keeps raising the ceiling each and every game. He's been a revelation for the Penguins' present and future, and the team wouldn't be where it is without him in the mix.
Nov 1, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Muse instructs players during a time out against the Winnipeg Jets in the third period at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images
We could discuss the significant player moves that Dubas made in the summer and during the season all day long, and nearly all of them have positively impacted the Penguins and their push to the playoffs this season.
But none of those moves may have meant anything had it not been for the move behind the bench prior to the start of the season.
After the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, Dubas made the difficult decision to part ways with longtime head coach Mike Sullivan, who had won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the team in 2016 and 2017 and was beloved by the veterans in the locker room. The mutual breakup between the Penguins and Sullivan felt written on the wall for a long while, and the clean slate provided an opportunity for a new voice in the room who was aligned with Dubas's vision to prioritize both the now and the future simultaneously.
Muse, a relative unknown in terms of candidates prior to his hiring in May of 2025, put together a coaching staff with a unique mix - some more experienced in Todd Nelson and Mike Stothers and some fresher faces in Nick Bonino and Rich Clune - to complement his development-focused approach to every player, whether a 15-year veteran or a doe-eyed newcomer to the league or the organization.
The culture shifted. The air of staleness was replaced with a fresh, renewed sense of purpose and togetherness, and it all started with Muse from the first whistle at training camp.
Simply put, this probably isn't a playoff team without him and his new staff. And that hire by Dubas was the singular most consequential factor in the Penguins' success this season.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- The New York Islanders will not be competing in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. But, for the first time since 2021-22, the Bridgeport Islanders will be battling for the Calder Cup.
And they're getting reinforcements.
Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche announced on Wednesday that not only would defenseman Isaiah George and forwards Victor Eklund and Liam Foudy be back in Bridgeport for the last week of their regular season and the playoffs, but that Cal Ritchie would be heading down as well.
Ritchie, who began this season in Bridgeport, was recalled by the Islanders on Halloween and remained up with the big club for the rest of the season.
The 21-year-old, who recorded 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 65 games with Long Island, is eligible for the AHL playoffs because he was sent down ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline -- a paper transaction, something we saw many teams do.
"Ritchie will be playing. We assigned him. We're gonna send him to play in Bridgeport," Darche said. "It's a great opportunity. It's funny, I talked to Cal. I remember at the start, early on in my career, I remember at the end of the year, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards did this. They won the Cup with Philly. I think Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, one year in Anaheim, they went back. I think it's a great experience for him."
Eklund, selected 16th overall this past summer, made his NHL debut on Tuesday night in the Islanders' regular-season finale, recording an assist, two shots on goal, and two hits skating on the top line alongside Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom.
He recorded nine points (two goals, seven assists) through his first seven AHL games.
Foudy, who got two games with the Islanders last season before getting a look on the fourth line in the season finale, has been one of Bridgeport's best players this season and has 46 points (25 goals, 21 assists) in 58 games.
George, who got 33 games with the Islanders last season but just four this season due to injuries, has 17 points (two goals, 15 assists) in 45 games.
There are two more players headed to Bridgeport as the Islanders also announced that Wisconsin forward Quinn Finley and the Islanders came to terms on his entry-level deal, which kicks in for the 2026-27 season -- he'll sign an ATO to play with Bridgeport.
In his junior season, Finley recorded 33 points (17 goals, 16 assists) in 36 games.
Also, 18-year-old forward Daniil Prokhorov, whom the Islanders selected in the second round (No. 42) of the 2025 NHL Draft, is coming over from the KHL.
He played 23 games for Moscow Dynamo, recording one goal before failing to find the scoresheet in two playoff games. He played eight games in the MHL (junior equivalent), with six points (three goals, three assists), before 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in 25 VHL games (AHL equivalent).
Prokhorov is eligible to play in the playoffs.
Bridgeport has one week left of the regular season before they begin the playoffs, as they are still fighting for home-ice advantage.
"First of all, they can look at us and say, we're in the playoffs, you're not," Darche said on Bridgeport. "My goal is for both teams in the playoffs. It's great. Even Cal—when I talked to him last night—I told him about Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. It’s an awesome experience. Pro playoffs are a grind. You're not flying charter, you're busing everywhere. So for him to go through that, I expect him to be a major contributor. Winning anywhere is always good. Hopefully, they go on a run.
"I'll be at pretty much every game. It's fun watching those guys. What I like about Rocky -- the last few games, I probably watched 45 of their 72 games. If I'm home, I’ve got my laptop watching -- Victor Eklund on the first power play, getting minutes. Same with Cole Eiserman. Liam Foudy took a huge step. Beckman, Warren, George—you saw them come up. Isaiah George, I thought he was very good, the way he skated. The coaches down there have done a phenomenal job.Having a run can only help. Look at Tampa in Norfolk before they won Cups—Palat, Johnson, Killorn—those guys learned how to win. There’s nothing like pro playoff hockey. It’s not like juniors or college. That experience will benefit these guys immensely."
After 25 years, Bridgeport will be relocating to Hamilton, Ontario, beginning in 2026-27. Going out with a Calder Trophy would be impressive, and Darche is loading up his AHL roster to hopefully make that a reality.
The St. Louis Blues signed defenseman Arseny Koromyslov to a two-year, two-way, entry-level contract on Wednesday that begins with the 2026-27 season.
Koromyslov, 22, played in 61 regular-season games with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL this past season and put up 17 points (one goal, 16 assists). He also played in five playoff games and had an assist, while averaging 20:35 of ice time after playing in an average of 167:59 per game in the regular season.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Zelenograd, Russia native has played in 158 KHL regular-season games and has 32 points (four goals, 28 assists).
Koromyslov was selected by the Blues in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft.
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On this day in 1993, Teemu Selänne scored his 76th goal of the season, setting an NHL rookie record that still stands as one of the most remarkable single-season achievements in league history.
The goal capped off a dazzling debut campaign with the Winnipeg Jets and cemented Selänne’s arrival as one of hockey’s brightest young stars.
Selänne’s 1992 to 93 rookie season was nothing short of extraordinary. He finished with 76 goals and 132 points in 84 games, shattering the previous rookie goal record of 53 set by Mike Bossy.
That 132 point total still stands as the highest single season mark by a Jets player in franchise history, showing just how dominant his performance was. His combination of elite speed, a quick release, and natural scoring instincts made him an immediate offensive force and one of the most exciting players in the league.
Beyond the raw numbers, it was the consistency and flair of Selänne’s play that defined the season. He recorded multiple hat tricks, built impressive scoring streaks, and delivered highlight reel goals throughout the year.
His iconic shooting glove celebration became one of the defining images of that NHL season, and his performance earned him the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top rookie.
Over his time with Winnipeg, Selänne played four seasons and recorded 147 goals and 159 assists for 306 points in 231 games. He quickly became the face of the franchise and a fan favorite, bringing excitement and elite scoring to the Jets during the early 1990s.
Selänne went on to build a Hall of Fame career that extended far beyond his early success in Winnipeg. He finished with 684 goals and 1,457 points in 1,451 NHL games, won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, and earned numerous individual honors. His longevity and scoring ability secured his place as one of the greatest Finnish players and one of the top goal scorers in NHL history.
Looking back, Selänne’s 76 goal rookie season remains one of the most unbreakable records in hockey. Decades later, no rookie has come close to matching it, reinforcing the lasting significance of one of the greatest debut seasons the sport has ever seen.
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The Detroit Red Wings are set to close out their season Tuesday night on the road against the Florida Panthers, a final game that comes with little at stake in the standings but plenty of reflection for an organization once again headed toward an early summer.
With the loss officially marking a 10th consecutive year outside the playoffs, questions have resurfaced around how Detroit approached its roster construction and, in particular, its activity at the trade deadline.
Across the fanbase, within parts of the organization, and among outside observers, there is a growing belief that the team may have needed to take a bigger swing to break through its long postseason drought.
One of the most frequently discussed names in that conversation is New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, a proven two-way presence who has continued to produce reliably this season.
On Monday’s edition of Sportsnet’s FAN Hockey Show, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman addressed speculation that Detroit had explored acquiring higher-end center help, responding to host Mike Futa, who suggested the Red Wings should have pushed harder for a player of Trocheck’s caliber.
Mike Futa: Re Red Wings: I really thought they'd go a little bit harder in on Vincent Trocheck
Elliotte Friedman: I think they did; I heard the ask was really high
Friedman indicated that Detroit likely did investigate that market, noting succinctly, “I think they did; I heard the ask was really high,” a comment that aligned with broader reporting around the team’s deadline approach. The implication was that while interest may have been real, the acquisition cost ultimately proved prohibitive.
That framing also tracks with comments made by Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman following the trade deadline, when he emphasized that the club evaluated multiple options but ultimately stepped back when prices rose beyond what they were willing to pay. The organization has prioritized preserving its prospect pipeline as part of its longer-term rebuild strategy.
Trocheck, meanwhile, has delivered another strong all-around season, posting 16 goals and 37 assists for 53 points in 66 games while continuing to serve as a dependable two-way center. For a Detroit roster that has searched for stability down the middle, his profile was widely seen as a strong fit for an immediate push.
In hindsight, Detroit’s decision to hold firm at the deadline is likely to remain a point of debate. While the Red Wings preserved future assets, they also fell short of ending their playoff drought. Whether that restraint proves prudent or costly will depend on how the franchise’s younger core develops in the seasons ahead.
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