Jonathan Quick’s retirement announcement will have a profound impact on Dylan Garand. 

With Quick set to retire at the end of the 2025-26 season, the New York Rangers’ backup goaltending position moving forward is up for grabs, and there’s no doubt that Garand is the best positioned to land the job. 

As Quick served as Igor Shesterkin’s backup over the past three seasons, Garand was making a name for himself in the American Hockey League with the Hartford Wolf Pack, emerging as the Rangers’ top goalie prospect. 

Since being selected by the Rangers in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Garand has played in 165 AHL games. 

He established himself as one of the premier goaltenders in the AHL, to the point where he was named to represent Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden.

“I’ve spent a lot of time in the American League. I’ve played a lot of games down there,” Garand said. “They say if you play more than 100 games in the American League, that’s a good amount of experience, and I’ve played 165, so that helped me just keep developing, and not rush my development, and be more ready for the transition when that time comes. 

“It's the second-best league in the world, so to spend a lot of time down there, and the World Championship, was a really good experience for me too. My experience for sure has helped.”

The Rangers recalled Garand from the Hartford Wolf Pack on March 20 since Quick was dealing with an upper-body injury, as he finally got his first taste of NHL action. 

The 23-year-old goaltender has started in two games, posting a 1-0-1 record, 1.44 goals against average, and .954 save percentage. 

While two games are a short sample size, Garand showed his readiness to take on an NHL role in the future. 

Garand hasn’t started a game since notching his first NHL win on March 27 against the Chicago Blackhawks, but the Rangers have still opted to keep him around despite not giving him any more starts, which has raised some confusion. 

Dylan Garand Hoping Time He Puts In With Rangers Now Will Help Him In The FutureWill Dylan Garand play another game for the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> this season?&nbsp;

Quick’s retirement announcement puts all the pieces together, and it explains why the Rangers decided to keep Garand around. 

“Obviously, I want to be here, and that's got to be earned,” Garand said. “It's been great to get an opportunity. Like I said, I've been waiting a long time for it. It’s been great to be here right now, kind of getting familiarized with the guys, with the coaching staff, and things like that. Hopefully that helps me move forward.”

The Rangers could still realistically go out and sign another goaltender in the offseason to serve as the backup, but Garand has perfectly positioned himself to take over that role, and he should be given an opportunity to earn a spot on the roster come training camp.

The Colorado Avalanche head north to Alberta for a tightly packed back-to-back, opening Monday night against the Edmonton Oilers in what will be the final regular season meeting between the clubs.

The season series has already delivered extremes. Colorado dismantled Edmonton 9–1 on November 8, only to fall 4–3 on home ice on March 10. Monday offers a rubber match—but it arrives under less-than-ideal circumstances for the Avalanche.

Head coach Jared Bednar will not travel with the team after suffering facial fractures and a corneal abrasion during Saturday’s loss. While surgery isn’t required and a full recovery is expected, his absence leaves assistants Nolan Pratt and Dave Hakstol to guide the bench through both games of the trip—a subtle but meaningful disruption at a critical point in the schedule.

A Game That Slipped Away

Colorado’s 3–2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday felt like one that lingered.

They had stretches of control. They generated enough offense. But small lapses—one missed coverage, one lost puck battle—proved costly.

Devon Toews opened the scoring on the power play, and Nick Blankenburg—in his first goal with Colorado—helped pull the game back to even in the second period. In net, Mackenzie Blackwood was steady, turning aside 25 shots.

But against elite teams, “steady” isn’t always enough.

Jack Eichel ended it at 1:19 of overtime, finishing a rush chance that felt inevitable the moment it developed.

The Engine Still Runs

For all the turbulence, Colorado still leans on one of the most dominant players in the sport.

Nathan MacKinnon continues to drive everything—leading the NHL with 52 goals while sitting near the top of the scoring race with 126 points. His production against Edmonton has been just as reliable: 39 points in 30 regular season games, plus another five in the playoffs.

Alongside him, Martin Necas has quietly built one of the league’s most productive stretches, sitting just shy of the century mark in points and piling up offense at an elite rate since late February.

And while his role has evolved, Gabriel Landeskog remains a factor in this matchup historically, with consistent production against Edmonton across both regular season and playoff play.

Edmonton’s Counterpunch

Of course, any conversation about the Oilers begins with Connor McDavid.

He leads Edmonton in every major offensive category—goals, assists, and points—and remains the most dangerous player on the ice any given night. Behind him, Evan Bouchard continues to evolve into a high-end offensive defenseman, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins provides secondary scoring depth.

Still, Edmonton enters this one coming off a flat 1–0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings—a game where chances were limited and frustration built as the night wore on.

Trends Beneath the Surface

There are signs Colorado is still trending in the right direction, even if the results haven’t always followed.

Since March 1, their power play has clicked at over 27 percent—one of the better marks in the league over that stretch. More recently, their team save percentage has surged, sitting among the NHL’s best since early April.

And then there’s Necas, whose 37 points since late February place him among the most productive players in hockey during that span—a reminder that Colorado’s offense isn’t a one-man show.

What to Watch

This game isn’t just about talent—it’s about response.

How does Colorado handle adversity without Bednar behind the bench?

Can they tighten the defensive details that cost them against Vegas?

And can they slow down McDavid long enough to let their own stars dictate the pace?

Because when these two teams meet, it rarely settles quietly—and the stakes, even in April, tend to feel a little bigger than the standings suggest.

The 35-32-12 Winnipeg Jets are in Vegas for a test against the 37-26-17 Golden Knights on Monday night.

Now, more than ever, the Jets will need losses across the board.

A.) for the Jets' hockey club itself, to maintain a better position in the draft lottery for the NHL Draft this June.

B.) in case the Jets are able to win out the remaining three games of their schedule, they would need all of Los Angeles, Nashville and San Jose to also lose each of their remaining games, to allow Winnipeg a chance at the final wild card playoff spot.

There will be a number of changes to the Jets' lineup on Monday.

Nikita Chibrikov will return to Winnipeg's roster for the game since being sent down following injury recalls in the earlier stages of the season. While Brayden Yager will make his long awaited NHL debut - skating with Chibrikov and Nino Niederreiter.

Neal Pionk, Alex Iafallo and Vlad Namestnikov will all sit out due to injury - likely for the rest of the season, pending a miracle.

Connor Hellebuyck will get the start in goal for the first test of the back-to-back.

Winnipeg Jets' expected line combinations for Monday, April 13 at Vegas:

Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi

Perfetti-Lowry-Lambert

Koepke-Toews-Rosén

Niederreiter-Yager-Chibrikov

Morrissey-DeMelo

Samberg-Miller

Fleury-Bryson

Hellebuyck

Jonathan Quick, who announced his retirement on Monday, will be most remembered for the 16 years he spent with the Kings.  He’ll be remembered for the two Stanley Cups he helped bring to Los Angeles, and for the Conn Smythe he won in 2012. He’ll be remembered for signing with his boyhood team, for being part of the group that won the fourth Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history, and for retiring as a New York Ranger. He’ll be remembered for becoming the winningest American-born goaltender of all time, and for the sheer longevity of his career.

The cup of coffee Quick had in Sin City will be little more than a footnote in his story. But during his brief tenure with the Vegas Golden Knights, he made his presence felt, leaving his mark on both his teammates and on the Stanley Cup.

“[Quick was] one of the best guys ever, in my short time [as his teammate],” said Keegan Kolesar. “Just such a giving guy. I’ve got nothing bad to say. I don’t think anyone can ever say anything average about the guy– he’s just such an above-average human being… It’s hard for me to muster up the words to describe how great a person he is, ‘cause like, I could go on and on.”

The Kings dealt Quick, their all-time leader in wins, to the Columbus Blue Jackets ahead of the 2023 Trade Deadline. As the Blue Jackets weren’t on track to make the postseason, they flipped Quick to the Vegas Golden Knights the very next day.

Despite having his world flipped upside down, Quick was a pro’s pro in Vegas. He played just 10 games in a Golden Knights sweater, but his teammates complimented his presence both in the locker room and on the ice.

“He was quiet,” Kolesar remembered. “He had a calm demeanor, but he was so funny. He would say things at the perfect time, where I would just be giggling to myself the whole time. There were a lot of funny instances that I can’t even talk about when we were partying that I’ll always remember.”

Brayden McNabb, who played with Quick both with the Kings and the Golden Knights, also raved about his former teammate.

“Oh, he’s the best,” said McNabb. “I was lucky, I had him for three years in LA and got to know him. When I heard he was coming here, I knew he would be perfect for this team, for the locker room.

“And I mean, that’s just talking about his character; his on-ice play speaks for itself,” McNabb continued. “I got to see him in LA, and it was pretty remarkable, some of the things he was able to do. And good for him, playing at… 40? As a goalie, that’s super impressive. So, super happy for him, and congratulations to him.”

Quick didn’t play during the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup run, dressing as the backup goaltender in 15 of the 22 postseason games. But it was Quick’s character and wisdom that most impacted his teammates, who still speak highly of him to this day.

Congratulations to Jonathan Quick on his retirement!! What an incredible career and we are honored to be a part of it!! 🏆🏆🏆 #VegasBornpic.twitter.com/CEkEIBTDct

— x - Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 13, 2026

“He was great,” said McNabb. “He worked hard, worked so hard. In the room, he was always positive. He always knew what to say. He wasn’t super loud, but he could understand when something needed to be said, and he was very good with that– he knew how to handle it and deal with it. And his presence was huge, and a big, important reason for us winning.”

A former division rival of the Vancouver Canucks has announced his retirement. After 19 seasons, goaltender Jonathan Quick will be hanging up his pads, as he is set to make his final start on Monday. Quick spent the majority of his NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings and has been a thorn in the Canucks side for the last two decades. 

Of Quick's 828 regular-season games, 46 came against Vancouver. The Stanley Cup champion posted a record of 21-21-4 with a save percentage of .924. Quick also recorded six shutouts against the Canucks, which is tied with the Arizona Coyotes for the most against a single franchise during his career. 

Quick also had success against Vancouver in the playoffs. He backstopped Los Angeles to a massive upset in 2012, as the eight-seeded Kings defeated the Presidents' Trophy-winning Canucks in five games. During that five-game series, Quick was virtually unbeatable, allowing only eight goals and finishing with a .953 save percentage. 

Longtime Kings, Rangers Goalie Jonathan Quick To Play Final NHL GameJonathan Quick told reporters he's wrapping up his NHL career with his final start for the New York Rangers on Monday. The longtime Los Angeles Kings goalie is a three-time Stanley Cup winner.

As mentioned, Quick's final scheduled start will come on Monday when the New York Rangers battle the Florida Panthers. The 40-year-old enters his final game with a 410-306-90 regular-season record, which includes 65 shutouts. Quick ranks first all-time in wins by an American goaltender and will most likely be elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the future. 

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SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann will miss the team's final three regular-season games with a lower-body injury.

The Kraken (34-34-11) were already eliminated from playoff contention ahead of Saturday's 4-1 win against the Calgary Flames. McCann can now get a head start on preparing for the 2026-27 season.

McCann, 29, has appeared in 52 games and scored 20 goals, tied with Matty Beniers for second-most on the team. The regular in Seattle's top six has scored at least 20 goals in each of his five seasons with the Kraken, who acquired McCann in the 2021 NHL expansion draft when Seattle started as a franchise.

McCann was a particularly impactful player for the Kraken in the 2022-23 season, which was the only year Seattle has made the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Kraken advanced to the second round, losing to the Dallas Stars in seven games, and McCann scored a career-high 40 goals during the regular season.

McCann, a first round pick in the 2014 NHL entry draft, is entering the final season of a five-year, $25 million contract.

___

This story corrects the Kraken record to 34-34-11, and the date of the win over the Flames to Saturday.

___

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

The Montreal Canadiens have had an exceptional season, whichever way you look at it. Getting 106 points, so early in a rebuilding process, and qualifying for the playoffs two years in a row is nothing short of exceptional. While Martin St-Louis and his staff accomplished tremendous work, there’s another factor that helped the Habs along the way: their core players remained healthy. Nick Suzuki didn’t miss a single game, just like Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, and Lane Hutson. Cole Caufield only missed one, Mike Matheson three, and Noah Dobson none, until Sunday.

Unfortunately, nobody is immune to the injury bug, and it finally caught up with the Habs at the worst of times. Just when the Canadiens managed to turn one of their weakness, their goaltending, into a position of strength by putting all their chips on Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler, their defense was attacked by the Injury Ninja. First, Alex Carrier went down to an upper-body injury, and the Habs announced he would be out for two to four weeks. Then, on Saturday, Dobson, who leads the NHL in blocked shots, appeared to block one with the inside of his hands, and unsurprisingly, also went down to an upper-body injury. At this stage, there is no set timetable for his return; the Canadiens only said that he will be reevaluated in two weeks. Thankfully, Kaiden Guhle was able to return to action on Sunday.

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But that still leaves St-Louis in quite a pickle. Both injured blueliners are right shots, the Canadiens’ only two right-shot defensemen. As a result, Montreal called up David Reinbacher, who was thrown into the deep end with no safety vest for his NHL debut, with the team playing very high-stakes hockey, fighting for home-ice advantage in the playoffs. The youngster responded very well in the limited ice time he received; he played 11 minutes and change and even got his first point, but clearly, the coaching staff was shielding him and not putting him in the tougher situations.

The intensity is only going to go up from here, though, with the playoffs right around the corner, and while it looked like Carrier might have struggled to get his spot back on the roster when everyone was healthy, the Habs need him to return as soon as possible. Having three left-shot blueliners play on their off-side is not a winning formula.

As things stand, Guhle is playing alongside Mike Matheson, Hutson is playing on the right with Jayden Struble on the left, and Reinbacher is playing on the right alongside Arber Xhekaj. At least those were the combinations on Sunday, and they are likely to stick for the last game of the season since Carrier didn’t make the trip with the team.

When Carrier is ready to return, the coaching staff will need to reassess. Do you take out Reinbacher because of his lack of experience and pair Carrier with Xhekaj? That has not been a winning formula in the past. Do you keep the rookie in? Then you still need someone to play on their off-side, and you have to take for granted that Reinbacher is not ready for top-pairing duty. But Carrier shouldn’t be on the top pairing either, and nor should he play with Hutson, as that would make for one very undersized pairing.

For now, at least, Guhle seems to be the most suited to play alongside Matheson. Since Carrier with Hutson wouldn’t be a pairing cut out for the playoffs, that probably means Struble stays in the lineup, which would lead to Carrier playing on the third pairing with either Xhekaj, Adam Engstrom or Reinbacher. If it’s the latter, it means that one of the two defensemen must play on his off-side. Engstrom’s last three games haven’t been all that convincing…

Whichever way you look at it, this is quite a headache for St-Louis and his staff. Dobson has been playing such an important role for this team that he’s going to be incredibly hard to replace, especially if it turns out to be lengthy.

---

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The Anaheim Ducks entered Sunday’s matchup against the Vancouver Canucks with a chance to clinch a playoff berth and end their eight-year playoff drought. They controlled their destiny and needed two points to clinch, but only got one, as they lost in overtime.

On the positive side, the Ducks saw the return of their top goalscorer, Cutter Gauthier, who had been sidelined for the previous five games with an upper-body injury. Gauthier (22) entered with 65 points (38-27=65) in 73 games for the Ducks this season.

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He notched his 39th of the year early in Sunday’s game and added his 40th on the power play, in the third period, to bring the Ducks within one goal, as they mounted their comeback effort.

Gauthier’s 40th goal marked the 11th time an Anaheim Ducks player has reached that achievement, and he was the fourth player in franchise history to get there, joining Teemu Selanne (five times), Paul Kariya (three times), and Corey Perry (twice). Perry was the last to reach that milestone in the 2013-14 season, where he scored 43 in 81 games.

Gauthier is the second-youngest of the bunch (Paul Kariya) to score 40 goals in a season, and he now has 17 goals in his last 21 games, heading into the final two of the regular season.

“It’s a huge milestone and something I’m very proud of,” Gauthier said after Sunday’s overtime loss. “I couldn’t have done it without all my linemates and teammates. It was fun to get that, but that’s not why I’m playing hockey. I’m playing hockey to win games and eventually win a Stanley Cup.”

Gauthier has solidified himself as one of the Ducks’ cornerstone pieces to build around. The Philadelphia Flyers selected him (5th overall in 2022) four years ago, and he was acquired by the Ducks in Jan. 2024 in exchange for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick (Jack Murtagh).

Gauthier signed his ELC after his sophomore season at Boston College and played one game to finish out the 2023-24 season, notching his first career point, an assist. He scored 44 points (20-24=44) in 82 games during his rookie season, and upon the addition of a new head coach, Joel Quenneville, in the 2025-26 season (his second full season in the NHL), he gained experience, comfort, and confidence in the NHL. Gauthier is becoming everything that had been hoped for when he was brought to Anaheim.

He’s found and continues to find new ways to unleash his shot on the rush, on the cycle, in movement, at a standstill, through traffic, from distance, and off either leg. He’s found ways to utilize his speed, streaking down the wing, forechecking, and finding soft ice to present himself as a passing option.

Gauthier has a rare ability to beat NHL goaltenders from distance and provide instant offense in any scenario throughout any game. At his size (6-foot-2, 205 pounds), he can protect pucks in open ice and along the walls, and his 200-foot game is rounding out as well. Ideally, his strengths project to amplify in the playoffs, when games tighten up and matter most.

“We’ve never played in the playoffs before, so we don’t know what to exactly expect,” Gauthier said of looking forward to his first potential playoff experience this season. “We’ve played in some big games growing up, and the things I’ve learned from those games is to keep your emotions even keeled and not get too high or too low.

“It’s a very emotional stage, with the fans and everyone playing their hearts out, trying to win the Stanley Cup. The more we can stay even keeled and go with our game plan that Q has set, all of our coaches have set, and what we believe in the locker room, it’s going to benefit us.”

The Ducks will hope to either have clinched or clinch a playoff spot by the time their game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday evening concludes in St. Paul. Gauthier will look to provide a substantial impact when it comes to making any kind of noise beyond the 82-game regular season and moving forward into future playoff appearances for his Ducks team.

His ELC expires on July 1, and he’s currently eligible to sign an extension. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek now has a track record of taking his RFAs coming off ELCs into training camp with negotiations. However, ideally, he has his young 40-goal scorer locked up to a long-term deal well before then.

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Being first in the NHL is all fun for most of the season. Goal scoring, good defense, stable goaltending, all things clicking all at the same time, that shows that this team really can make a deep run into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, that's, until you win the Presidents' Trophy.

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Despite your hard work all season, the collective of fans and media online now hit you with “since you won the Presidents Cup, you're not going to win, you have the curse”, but is it really a curse? What is the stipulation that, for so long as the best regular-season team doesn't win the trophy because of some “curse”?

The Originations Of The Curse

You can say the curse really “started” in the 2013 playoffs, where the last team that won the Presidents' Trophy was the Chicago Blackhawks, who ended up beating the Boston Bruins in the finals. Since then, no team that has won the trophy has gone on to win the Stanley Cup, especially notable teams that looked destined to win it all but lost in the finals or earlier rounds.

The 2010-2011 Vancouver Cancucks, league high 54 wins, but ended up losing in Game seven of the finals, and is known for what happened after the loss. The 2018-2019 Tampa Bay Lightning tied the NHL record for wins (62) but were swept in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets. More recently, the 2022-2023 Boston Bruins broke the NHL records for wins and points in a season, but lost in the first round to the eventual champions, the Florida Panthers.

In the 2022 post-season, where the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup, the Florida Panthers won the Presidents' Trophy but lost in the first round to the Washington Capitals in six games.

The season before that, when the Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy, they lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round in six games. All these accumulated losses just fuel the fire that regular-season success doesn't translate into playoff success.

Best Opportunity In A Long Time

It's safe to say that, compared to the last three Colorado Avalanche teams we have seen enter the playoffs, this is by far the best. Forward depth, defensive depth, and a strong goaltending tandem give flashes of the 2022 championship team, with how stacked their lines are.

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Though it raises certainty that this team's window is now, management knows it and is capitalizing on it. All the trades made by the deadline, how the teams' caps look for the next three to four seasons, people don't get younger, and chances with how well everyone is playing need to be capitalized on. With three games remaining, they could match their 2021-2022 season total of 119 points or even beat it.

An Ace Up Their Sleeve?

If there is a “cancellation”, “divert”, or even a “dispel” on this President's Trophy curse, is that the Colorado Avalanche won a Stanley Cup the same season they won the Presidents' Trophy, back in the 2000-2001 season.

Beating the New Jersey Devils in seven games, led by Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, and Milan Hejduk, they helped the Colorado Avalanche secure their second Stanley Cup in franchise history, while finishing the regular season with a league-best 52-16-10-4 record (118 points). 

If there is anything that could negate this “curse,” it's the history of the Avalanche's past coming to help them, but that all depends on whether you believe what people say about this “curse”. Despite a strong start to the season, the Avalanche have shown flashes of weakness that they will need to either cover up or protect come the playoffs.

It has been an excellent season, with success coming from different players in every game. It should be one to be remembered, but like all sports, it's not a successful season if you don’t win the championship, and that's going to be a story to tell if they don’t win it all.

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Morgan Rielly does think about whether Monday's game against the Dallas Stars could be his final game inside Scotiabank Arena as a Toronto Maple Leaf, given the uncertainty around his future with the hockey club.

"I mean, it's crossed my mind before," he said on Monday morning, ahead of a game against the Dallas Stars. "All athletes have that. At some point, they think about that. And so, again, tonight's no different than that."

It hasn't been the easiest of seasons for Rielly, who turned 32 last month and will play his 950th game on Monday night.

The defenseman has 11 goals and 25 assists in 76 games this season, which is the second-most points among Toronto's defenders, behind only Oliver Ekman-Larsson. While some might believe that's a positive, it's Rielly's lowest point total since the 2020-21 season, when he had 35 points in 55 games.

His 0.47 points-per-game is also the lowest it's been since the 2016-17 season. In that year, Rielly scored just six goals and 27 points in 76 games for a 0.36 points-per-game.

After this season, Rielly will have four years left on his contract, which pays him $7.5 million annually. It's a large number for a defender who's struggled defensively as much as he has this season.

Rielly sits atop the team in goals against at five-on-five with 76, according to NaturalStatTrick.com. When he's on the ice, the Maple Leafs have also given up more scoring chances, high-danger chances, and high-danger goals at five-on-five.

Of course, part of Rielly's struggles could be because of how poorly the entire team has played this season. But maybe it's time for a fresh start for both sides?

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube would likely disagree with that notion.

On Monday morning, when asked what he believes it means to be a Maple Leaf for Rielly, the head coach stated, "Everything."

"I mean, he's been here a long time, and he loves it here," Berube continued.

"I mean, I don't think he can think about being anywhere else, personally. After being drafted here and playing here this long and this many games. He's been a staple here for a long time. So it would be hard for him to be thinking about not being a Leaf."

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Even with it being a difficult season, personally and as a team, Berube is likely right: Rielly probably can't see himself anywhere else.

"It's an outstanding place to play and a great place to live," Rielly added on Monday morning. "This organization means a lot to a lot of people, and so, to be a part of it is an honour."

Whether it is in fact his last home game as a Maple Leaf or not, there are plenty of memories to look back on with Rielly in blue and white. You think back to his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2013, against the Ottawa Senators.

Or being right on the doorstep as John Tavares fired home the series-winning goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023, Toronto's first playoff series win since 2004.

Since making his NHL debut, Rielly has scored 549 points and is just over 200 shy of Borje Salming's record for most points as a Maple Leafs defenseman.

Rielly (949 games played) is almost just as close to the all-time games played record with the Maple Leafs, currently held by George Armstrong, who suited up for 1,188 games with Toronto.

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It would be nice to see him break those records. But at the same time, whoever is hired as the next head of hockey operations needs to decide whether it's a good idea to hold onto Rielly, or, if it's best for both sides to part ways.

For now, Rielly is soaking up every game he plays as a Maple Leaf — and as an NHL player.

"I think you try to [soak it up] every night," he said. "I don't think you should ever take one day or game in this league for granted."

The New Jersey Devils recalled Topias Vilen from the Utica Comets on Friday, and on Sunday, he made his NHL debut.

Vilen dressed for warmups in the Devils' 5-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings; however, he did not play.

He joined the morning skate on Friday before the team's win over the Detroit Red Wings. Head coach Sheldon Keefe shared the plan for his future with NJD.tv.

“We got him a practice here today. He’ll take a warmup in Detroit tomorrow, so that’ll help us avoid him playing back-to-back after his injury and his first time in the NHL. But he’ll play Sunday and Tuesday. It’ll be a good opportunity for him to get some experience. The organization believes he’s earned it over his three years here, and we’ll get a look at him.”

Vilen has spent the last three seasons with Utica, appearing in 49 games and tallying 24 points.

Keefe discussed the promotion with NJD.tv.

“The organization has wanted to get him a look for a while,” Keefe said. “The timing got thrown off because he’s coming off an injury in Utica, but he’s cleared to return and play. We’re mindful of that.”

Vilen was selected 129th in the 2021 NHL Draft by the Devils. Ahead of warmups on Saturday, he shared his excitement about his NHL debut.  

“It’s a dream come true for sure,” he said. “I’m ready for this chance and this opportunity.”

Vilen made his NHL debut on Sunday against the Ottawa Senators. The team won 4-3, and Vilen skated for just over 12 minutes.

The Devils now look ahead to their season finale on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

The Winnipeg Jets are expected to introduce one of their top prospects to the NHL stage on Monday after the club announced that former first-round pick Brayden Yager will make his league debut against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The 21-year-old Saskatoon native has put together a steady first professional season with the Manitoba Moose, recording 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points in 68 games. Yager was originally selected 14th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins before being acquired by Winnipeg in a one-for-one trade that sent fellow top prospect Rutger McGroarty the other way.

YAGER BOMB 💥

Brayden Yager will make his @NHL debut tonight in Vegas.@Wawanesa | #GoJetsGopic.twitter.com/WelYGGQLfg

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) April 13, 2026

With the Jets sitting five points out of a wild card spot and just three games remaining, the club appears set to focus on evaluating young players rather than pursuing an unlikely postseason push. That approach has already included extended NHL minutes for forward Brad Lambert, who has appeared in 22 games this season and recorded six points in his longest look at the NHL level to date.

Yager is expected to slot into a depth role on the fourth line and could remain in the lineup for all three of Winnipeg’s remaining games. On Monday, Yager appears to be centering a line with another youngster in Nikita Chibrikov on his right wing with veteran winter Nino Niederreiter on the left side.

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The New Jersey Devils announced on Friday that the team had recalled goaltender Nico Daws and defenseman Topias Vilen from the American Hockey League’s Utica Comets.

The Devils are heading into the final game of their season. The team currently sits in seventh in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 42-36-3.

Ahead of the team's 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, they announced that goaltender Jacob Markstrom would be done for the season.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe shared that Markstrom will rest and rehab nagging injuries for the remainder of the season.

In his absence, Daws will have an opportunity to play for the team. Daws has appeared in 53 NHL games, all with the Devils. He has an all-time record of 23-23-1 with a .899 save percentage. He was selected as the 84th pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Ahead of his call-up, Daws had appeared in one game, saving 31 shots on net and allowing one goal.

Daws made his second appearance on Sunday, stopping 30 of the 33 shots he faced, in the team's 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators.

On the other hand, Vilen has played the past three seasons with the Utica Comets. The 23-year-old has appeared in 49 games with the Comets this season and has recorded 24 points.

Vilen was selected 129th in the 2021 NHL draft by the Devils.

He made his NHL debut on Sunday, skating for just over 12 minutes.

The Devils will close out their season on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

The Chicago Blackhawks will welcome the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. Buffalo is the last team to be paying their first visit to the United Center in 2025-26, and it comes in the second-to-last game of the season.

Back on November 21st, the Sabres skated off their home ice with a 9-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. That was their third win in four games, moving their record to 8-9-4. 

Shockingly, since that win over the Blackhawks, the Sabres have had a winning percentage above .700 and have been one of the best teams in the National Hockey League. 

They enter Monday 49-23-8 with 106 points, the fourth-best record in the NHL, and a chance to win the Atlantic Division with two games left. The turnaround has been one of the most remarkable in NHL history. 

Scouting Buffalo

The Sabres have a great mix of veterans, young players, and depth up and down the lineup. They play a fast and heavy game, which allows them to compete with whoever may be on the other side. 

Krebs-Thompson-Tuch

Zucker-McLeod-Quinn

Benson-Norris-Doan

Greenway-Kozak-Malenstyn

Dahlin-Samuelsson

Byram-Power

Stanley-Metsa

Luukkonen

At forward, Tage Thompson drives the bus offensively, and he's supported by stars like Alex Tuch, Josh Doan, Jason Zucker, Josh Norris, and Jack Quinn, amongst others. 

On defense, Rasmus Dahlin is one of the five best in the NHL, and his name will appear on lots of Norris Trophy ballots. 

Head coach Lindy Ruff has started using Owen Power, a former number one overall pick, as a shutdown defenseman, and he has thrived. It has also taken pressure off Dahlin, who is now put in even more of an offensive role. This also allows Bowen Byram to thrive playing with a player like Power, who has been focused solely on shutting down the opposition. 

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is going to start in goal for the Sabres. Since their turnaround began, he's been a wall for them. With a chance to clinch the Atlantic Division on the line, they are going with their number one guy. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Blackhawks had Oliver Moore on the ice in a regular sweater for their morning skate on Monday, but he will not play. This does, however, leave the door open for him to play in their season finale on Wednesday.

Greene - Bedard - Lardis

Bertuzzi - Frondell - Mikheyev

Donato - Nazar - Burakovsky

Slaggert - Boisvert - Teravainen

Vlasic-Crevier

Kaiser-Rinzel

Korchinski-Del Mastro

Knight

Frank Nazar was hit in the face with a puck last game. He left and did not return. However, he avoided the worst-case scenario, which is a broken jaw for the second time this season. He's missing a few front chicklets, but he will play against Buffalo. 

Ethan Del Mastro was a late scratch last time out due to injury. He was replaced by Sam Lafferty, who was a forward playing defense for a night. Del Mastro will return to the lineup against Buffalo. 

Andrew Mangiapane was also injured during the last game against the Blues, and he wasn't out for the morning skate. One of Sam Lafferty or Landon Slaggert is likely to get in the forward lineup for him.

Spencer Knight is going to start for the Blackhawks in this one. He will likely close out the season for Chicago, with there being just one more game. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it is available locally on CHSN. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:30 PM CT. 

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

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