The Ottawa Senators will be in Montreal on Tuesday night, aiming for their seventh consecutive victory. Not only will they be facing a desperate Canadiens team, but it's a club that's had their number this year.

This is the third of four meetings between the two clubs, with the Canadiens winning the first two games by a combined score of 9-3.

After losing three of four games on their recent Western road trip, including two in overtime, the Canadiens are feeling good about a 3-1 victory over the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Saturday night.

With a win tonight, Senators goalie Linus Ullmark has a chance to achieve something truly Original: an Original Six sweep. This is his sixth consecutive start where he'll face an Original Six team, something no goalie has done since 1971. 

And just as unlikely is the fact that he has a chance to win them all.

In his last five starts, Ullmark has defeated the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs. A victory over the Canadiens would make him part of a great trivia question: Name the only NHL goalie to face all of the Original Six teams in a consecutive six-game span and win every game.

More importantly, the Senators are in control of the Wild Card race, sitting in the top spot with 77 points, five points ahead of the New York Rangers, who hold the second Wild Card spot with 72 points.

The Canadiens have 71 and hold two games in hand on the Rangers, so Montreal will be hoping for a strong performance from the Calgary Flames when they visit Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

Ottawa’s hopes of climbing to third place in the Atlantic Division took a hit on Monday night, with both Toronto and Tampa Bay winning their respective games. The Senators are now six points behind the top three in the division.

The Senators will go with the same lineup in Montreal that they used in Toronto on Saturday night. Defenseman Nick Jensen will miss his second consecutive game due to a lower-body injury. Ullmark and Brady Tkachuk missed practice on Monday, but both are expected to play against the Canadiens.

Winger Nick Cousins remains sidelined after knee surgery. If the projected recovery timeline of 6-8 weeks holds, he could return soon. It's now been nearly seven weeks since his surgery.

Senators Projected Lineup:

 Forwards:

• Brady Tkachuk – Tim Stutzle – Claude Giroux
• David Perron – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson
• Ridly Greig – Shane Pinto – Michael Amadio
• Matthew Highmore – Adam Gaudette – Fabian Zetterlund

Defense:

• Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub
• Thomas Chabot – Travis Hamonic
• Tyler Kleven – Nikolas Matinpalo

Goalies:

• Linus Ullmark
• Anton Forsberg

Scratched: Dennis Gilbert Injured: Nick Cousins (knee), Nick Jensen (lower body)

---

Canadiens Projected Lineup:

Forwards:

• Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky
• Joshua Roy – Alex Newhook – Patrik Laine
• Josh Anderson – Christian Dvorak – Brendan Gallagher
• Emil Heineman – Jake Evans – Joel Armia

Defense:

• Mike Matheson – Alexandre Carrier
• Jayden Struble – Lane Hutson
• Arber Xhekaj – David Savard

Goalies:

• Sam Montembeault
• Jakub Dobes

Scratched: Michael Pezzetta Injured: Kaiden Guhle (lacerated quadriceps muscle)

Face-off is at 7 pm (TSN5, TSN 2, RDS).

By Steve Warne
Site Editor at The Hockey News Ottawa

Stay updated with the most interesting Ottawa Senators stories, analysis, breaking news and more at The Hockey News Ottawa. Tap the star here at Google News to add us to your favourites and never miss a thing.

The Florida Panthers will have a new face in the locker room this week.

On Tuesday, the Panthers recalled defenseman Tobias Bjornfot from the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers.

The move is due to an injury suffered by Florida defenseman Dmitry Kulikov on Sunday against the New York Islanders.

Kulikov left the game late in the first period after being involved in a hit with New York’s Anthony Duclair.

Clutching his right arm, Kulikov skated off the ice and immediately went to Florida’s locker room.

Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice did not have any update on Kulikov following the game, and he won’t be heard from until after Florida’s practice on Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale.

Bjornfot will join the Panthers for the final two games of their six-game roadie, which will be on Thursday in Columbus and Saturday in Washington D.C.

He played eight games with Florida back in January, averaging 13:24 of ice time while racking up eight shots on goal, 10 hits, five blocked shots and earning a plus-2 on-ice rating with zero penalty minutes.

The 23-year-old is having a solid season in Charlotte, with 2 goals, 16 points and 22 penalty minutes through 43 AHL contests.

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The San Jose Sharks announced they have recalled defenseman Luca Cagnoni from their AHL affiliate San Jose Barracuda. 

Cagnoni is second among defensemen and third among rookies in AHL scoring with 13 goals and 47 points in 56 games this season. 

A fourth round pick of the Sharks in 2023, Cagnoni's offensive ability has immediately carried over to the pro game and his has been dynamic on the back-end for the Barracuda. 

The Burnaby, B.C., native led the WHL in assists and points by the defensemen last season when he put up 72 assists and 90 points in 65 games for the Portland Winterhawks.  

Cagnoni running PP1. #SJSharkspic.twitter.com/BvguykBMGE

— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) March 18, 2025

We listed Cagnoni as one of the AHL defensemen who deserved a call-up in an article last month.

Listed at just 5'9 and 180 pounds, it will be interesting to see how Cagnoni handles the defensive side of the NHL game. With the Sharks seemingly destined for a bottom-three finish this is a great opportunity for Cagnoni to gain NHL experience with less pressure. 

Keep an eye on The Hockey News San Jose for more roster updates. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.        

It looks like the Pittsburgh Penguins will be boarding a plane to Europe next season.

On Tuesday, the NHL announced that the Penguins and Nashville Predators will play games on Nov. 14 and 16 in Stockholm, Sweden, as part of the league's Global Series during the 2025-26 season.

Sweden, we're coming back! 🇸🇪

The @penguins and @predsnhl will face each other in Stockholm at #NHLGlobalSeries on November 14th and 16th.

Pittsburgh och Nashville möts i Stockholm under #NHLGlobalSeries den 14:e och 16:e november! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/mtqmkxqJN0

— NHL Sverige (@NHLsv) March 18, 2025

And for Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson - both of whom hail from Sweden - it's the opportunity of a lifetime.

"I came from a small town, so I never got the chance to see any professional hockey until I was probably 16 or 17," Karlsson said. "I think it's a great thing that the NHL does right now."

Back to their roots 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/dXPNt3ufmn

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 18, 2025

The Global Series during the 2024-25 season featured games in Prague, Czechia and Tampere, Finland between the Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sabres. And the Penguins will return to Stockholm for the first time since 2008, when they kicked off their season there against the Ottawa Senators as part of the NHL Premiere Series.

"It's very exciting," said Rakell, who grew up just 10 miles outside of Stockholm in Sollentuna. "Just the chance to play in my home country and play in front of familly and friends and people growing up, different coaches that doesn't really have the chance to come and see me play over here. And my grandma, just for her to have the chance to see me play... it'll be a lot of fun."

WE'RE GOING INTERNATIONAL! 🇸🇪

The Penguins return to Sweden for two regular season games against the Predators on November 14th and 16th for the #NHLGlobalSeries! pic.twitter.com/T8GTx8JWZF

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 18, 2025

He also emphasized the prominent hockey interest and Sweden and how much it means to the kids aspiring to become NHL players.

"The Swedish Hockey League... it's a good league," Rakell said. "But everybody dreams of the NHL. The hockey interest is huge.

"I mean, for kids to have a chance to get close and watch NHL players and guys like Sid, Tanger, and Geno... it's a really big deal."

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!     

The Buffalo Sabres are focused on finishing the 2024-25 season on a positive note after most of the campaign was dominated by the negative. On Monday, they notched their second win in a row in Boston, a 3-2 overtime victory over the Bruins on an Alex Tuch power-play goal. Barring an incredibly successful final 16 games, the Sabres are likely to finish in the bottom five of the NHL standings, and a number of questions will need to be addressed in the offseason.

One dilemma that may be increasing in complexity is Buffalo’s goaltending situation because of events outside the Sabres' sphere. A number of NHL clubs have prioritized locking up goaltenders who were pending unrestricted free agents to long-term extensions. Last week, the Vegas Golden Knights extended goalie Adin Hill to a six-year, $37.5 million deal. Hill joins Washington’s Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren, Jonathan Quick of the New York Rangers, Colorado’s Mackenzie Blackwood, Vancouver’s Kevin Lankinen, and Utah’s Karel Vejmelka in signing new deals.

The 2025 free agent class has now dwindled to a group of question marks, such as Alexandar Georgiev, Ville Husso, Alex Lyon, Frederik Andersen, Daniel Vladar, and Jake Allen, that does not appear to be an answer to a club looking for a #1 starter, which has the Sabres in a precarious position.

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Rosen Sent Down Again Without Getting An Opportunity

Dahlin Refutes Assertion Of Wanting Out Of Buffalo

Buffalo wisely decided to send youngster Devon Levi down to AHL Rochester early in the season and that has paid off with a 20-9-3 record, 2.29 GAA, and .915 save % with the Amerks. The 23-year-old’s entry-level contract expires in July, and with a number of clubs looking for goaltending help, the Sabres will have to find out what it will take to get Levi signed to a contract extension.

The Sabres will submit a qualifying offer to the restricted free agent, but as St. Louis did with Edmonton forward Dylan Holloway and defenseman Philip Broberg, a club could sign Levi to an offer sheet, forcing Buffalo to match the offer or accept draft compensation. GM Kevyn Adams or whoever succeeds him will have to determine before July 1 whether they can get Levi signed to an extension. If the Sabres cannot or Levi demands to be a starter, then Adams will have to trade him or sign him and trade Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to make room for him.

The lack of viable options in free agency could result in the likes of John Gibson, Tristan Jarry, and Thatcher Demko being moved, but the prospect of signing or dealing for Levi may be a more attractive option for teams looking for a younger and more durable netminder and that could drive the price teams are willing to pay. It is unlikely that the Sabres will be interested in paying more than $10 million in salary between Levi and Luukkonen when they have so many other areas of the club needing to be bolstered, so the odds are that at the start of training camp this September, one of Buffalo’s young goalies will be elsewhere.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

Top Philadelphia Flyers goalie prospect Aleksei Kolosov has had a trying first full season playing in North America.

At one moment, Kolosov became the first Belarusian goalie to play in an NHL game. Next, Kolosov also won his first NHL game.

Then, Kolosov allowed 15 goals across his last three starts for the Flyers. It was back to the AHL just weeks after climbing his way up the depth chart to become the Flyers' backup goalie.

Fortunately, Kolosov is not alone in this battle. He has a friend within the Metropolitan Division-Washington Capitals forward, fellow countryman, and former Dinamo Minsk teammate Aliaksei Protas–willing to lend an ear and offer some advice if needed. He’s been there and done that.

“I try not to give out tips if they don’t ask me for them. Therefore, if [Kolosov] turns to me, of course, I will help him. But to intervene and get involved somewhere, not knowing the situation, I consider it wrong,” Protas told Sport-Express. “Lesha himself knows what he needs and is important, and I am always ready to help him if necessary.”

Protas himself was once a promising third-round pick out of Belarus, like Kolosov, only to achieve middling results in the early goings of his NHL career.

Before the 2024-25 season, the hulking 6-foot-6 forward had managed to score only 13 goals, 40 assists, and 53 points in 169 regular season games with the Capitals.

Translation: NHL prospects often take time to find their stride, and not all development paths are linear. This is especially true for goalies; the Flyers should know this better than most.

“I still adapt to [the NHL pace]. I try to develop, I know what to improve, and I understand how much more work is ahead,” Protas said. “After each game, I see that there is something to develop in. There is still a lot to the ceiling, so you need to work and work.”

Now 24 years old, nearly six years removed from draft night with over 200 NHL games under his belt, Protas has exploded for 29 goals, 30 assists, and 59 points and counting in 67 games with the Capitals this season.

For Kolosov, it might be wise to lean on his fellow Belarusians, like Protas, Vladislav Kolyachonok, and Yegor Sharangovich, for example, and take something from each of them.

Protas says the Belarusians connect with each other “As much as possible. We try to talk before or after the games.”

Since being returned to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms again on March 6, Kolosov has played three games, winning two and stopping 65 of 72 shots for a .902 aggregate save percentage.

In 15 games with the Flyers, Kolosov was only 4-8-1 with a 3.45 GAA and .870 save percentage, so there is still work to be done. At the same time, we all saw flashes of potential. If Protas’s journey so far tells us anything, patience is a virtue.

The Vancouver Canucks are down to their final 15 games of the regular season and will need a big push to qualify for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vancouver has one of the toughest remaining schedules in the league, which includes Tuesday's matchup against the Winnipeg Jets. Overall, the odds do not look favourable on the Canucks chances, as MoneyPuck.com currently has them at a 29.3% chance of making the postseason. 

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According to MoneyPuck, the team with the best odds to make the playoffs off the three that Vancouver is battling is the St. Louis Blues at 38.8%, next are the Canucks at 29.3%, followed by the Utah Hockey Club at 24.2%. The last of the group is the Calgary Flames, who currently sit at 17.7%

As mentioned, Vancouver will take on Winnipeg Tuesday night, in what has turned into a must-win game for the Canucks. With a regulation win, Vancouver's playoff percentage jumps to 38%, while a regulation loss pushes them down to 21.8%. While a loss to the Jets doesn't eliminate the Canucks from playoff contention, it would put a significant dent in their chances of qualifying for the postseason. 

Vancouver wraps up their homestand with a visit from Winnipeg. Tuesday's game is also a special one as it is the annual Canucks for Kids Fund Telethon. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT from Rogers Arena.

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, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. 

All season long, a handful of the NHL’s Eastern Conference clubs have been jockeying for playoff positions. By comparison, the West looked straightforward.

That has changed since play resumed after February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

Now, four Western teams are jockeying for one wild-card spot — and the Minnesota Wild may not be safe, either.

The streaks and slumps that are happening today could flip in an instant tomorrow, then flip again a week or two from now. It’s going to be a wild ride.

With exactly one month to go in the regular season, here’s the lay of the land in the Western wild-card race as of Tuesday, March 18.

Wild Card 1: Minnesota Wild – 68 GP, 81 pts

Position at 4 Nations break: third in Central Division, 70 pts

Record since 4 Nations: 5-6-1 (11 pts)

How They’ve Fared:With Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek on the shelf, the Wild’s offense has dried up. They’re last in the NHL in goals-for per game since the 4 Nations, averaging just 1.92.

The Road Ahead: The Wild got some much-needed breathing room with their first regulation win in nearly two weeks on Monday, but they’ve played more games than most of their rivals. Final-week clashes with the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames could prove to be crucial.

Notable Quote: “You look at other teams bulk up, and it just kind of gives you a little bit of jealousy. We know next year is next year and that we’ll have that off our plate finally, but it just feels a little bit frustrating when you always want to be in that position to succeed.” - Marcus Foligno, on the Wild’s salary-cap challenges preventing trade deadline additions.

Wild Card 2: Vancouver Canucks – 67 GP, 73 pts

Position at 4 Nations break: WC2, 63 pts

Record since 4 Nations: 5-7-0 (10 pts)

How They’ve Fared:Quinn Hughes is back, and center Elias Pettersson has started to find his game. The Canucks have served up some inspiring moments, but they’ve been mixed in with disappointments as Vancouver has failed to pull away from the chase pack.

The Road Ahead: After they finish their homestand against the league-best Winnipeg Jets, the Canucks start a tough six-game Eastern road trip with a crucial game in St. Louis on Thursday.

Notable Quote: “We could have separated ourselves today, and everyone knew how big that would be. Now, we’re still in the same position we’ve been in, which is do-or-die pretty much every day. It’s exciting. It’s a nice opportunity for us to see what type of group we are.” Quinn Hughes, after Vancouver’s 3-1 loss to Utah on Sunday.

Canucks Have One Of The Most Difficult Schedules To End The 2024-25 SeasonThe Vancouver Canucks are down to their final 15 regular season games for 2024-25 and will need every point they can get in order to qualify for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vancouver will not be getting any breaks down the stretch, as they have one of the toughest schedules over the next month. This includes multiple matchups against the Winnipeg Jets and a six-game road trip that will take them to the East Coast. 

Out of Playoffs: St. Louis Blues – 68 GP, 73 pts

Position at 4 Nations break: out of playoffs, 55 pts

Record since 4 Nations: 8-2-2 (18 pts)

How They’ve Fared:The Blues rode a hot streak all the way to a Stanley Cup in 2019, and they are showing the same mojo now. Jordan Binnington has ridden Canada’s 4 Nations win to a 6-2-0 record, and the Blues are now scoring by committee in a big way. The power play is clicking at over 30 percent, and seven players have picked up 10 points or more in the last 12 games.

The Road Ahead: The Blues and Wild have played the most games of the contenders, but St. Louis has a relatively easy schedule the rest of the way. It could come down to the season finale against Utah on April 15.

Notable Quote: “We’ve sent the message that we love each other, and we want to find a way in this locker room and build for right now and the future.” Jordan Binnington, as rumors of a fire sale swirled before the trade deadline.

Bolduc's Patience, Willingness To Put In Small Details Starting To Pay Off For BluesMARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Zack Bolduc understood this would be a process, and it would not come overnight.

Out of Playoffs: Calgary Flames – 66 GP, 71 pts

Position at 4 Nations break: out of playoffs, 60 pts

Record since 4 Nations: 4-4-3 (11 pts)

How They’ve Fared: Since upsetting Washington on Feb. 25, the Flames have gone 2-4-3, losing ground in the overall race rather than making it up. An injury to Mikael Backlund has left them thin at center, and Monday’s blowout loss in Toronto might have been the ugliest of the bunch.

The Road Ahead: The Flames have played fewer games than any team on this list. But they’re two games below .500 on the road this year and will play nine of their last 16 away from home.

Notable Quote: “It’s the biggest game of the year. It’s a must-win for us. I need more from everybody, including myself. We’ve got to get out of this, and we’re right back in a playoff spot if we win tomorrow night.” MacKenzie Weegar, looking toward Tuesday’s game at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers.

Out of Playoffs: Utah Hockey Club – 67 GP, 71 pts

Position at 4 Nations break: out of playoffs, 57 pts

Record since 4 Nations: 6-3-2 (14 pts)

How They’ve Fared:Utah has been an analytics darling all season and started stringing together standings points after John Marino and Sean Durzi rejoined the blueline following months-long injuries. Clayton Keller has also had one of the hottest sticks in the league, with 15 points in 11 games.

The Road Ahead: Is Ian Cole the Utahn’s secret weapon? The well-travelled veteran defenseman has made the playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons, despite playing for seven different teams. He helped the Canucks bump their three-year drought last year. 

Notable Quote: “We're not going to make the playoffs by looking at the standings. We're going to make the playoffs by putting together good games, finding points and winning down the stretch.” Alexander Kerfoot on Sunday.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

New York Islanders prospect Dmitry Gamzin is closing in on a two-year extension with CSKA Moscow in the KHL.

Hearing #Isles prospect goaltender Dmitri Gamzin is closing in on a two-year extension with CSKA.

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) March 18, 2025

Gamzin was selected by the Islanders 118th overall in the 2024 draft.

The 21-year-old. has played 24 games for CSKA Moscow -- that's the same team that Ilya Sorokin played for -- and holds a save percentage of .928 and a goals-against average of 2.24. 

Signing this extension would mean Gamzin has no plan of coming to the United States soon to play in the NHL or AHL. But, for comparison, Sorokin did not leave the KHL to play for the Islanders until he was 25. Cross-town rival Igor Shesterkin also did not leave the KHL until he was 25.

Whether it is for development purposes or other reasons, it seems like spending time in the KHL is a priority for some goalies, and Gamzin would potentially be open to coming to the NHL or AHL after this extension is up in the 2027-28 season.

Joseph LaChase wrote this story. 

William Karlsson and Raphael Lavoie returned to the Vegas Golden Knights practice today in full contact for the first time since they suffered their injuries.

Karlsson hasn't played since Jan. 20 after sustaining a lower-body injury. It's the second injury to keep Karlsson out of the lineup, and it's why he's played in just 38 games this season. 

Both GM Kelly McCrimmon and HC Bruce Cassidy recently stated that the 32-year-old's return was imminent, and today's practice is a great sign that this proves to be true. Karlsson was a full participant, taking line rushes with Nicolas Roy and Reilly Smith, replacing Victor Olofsson in the lineup.

Karlsson's offensive game hasn't been as apparent as it was just a season ago but his defensive game is vital to the Golden Knights success and it's why he's getting back into the lineup over Olofsson. 

Lines and pairs at practice:

Barbashev-Eichel-Stone
Saad-Hertl-Dorofeyev
Roy-Karlsson-Smith
Pearson-Howden-Kolesar

Hague-Pietrangelo
Hanifin-Whitecloud
McNabb-Korczak

— Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) March 18, 2025

The Golden Knights return to action on Thursday against the Boston Bruins, and it could mark Karlsson's return to the lineup.

Lavoie has been out of the lineup since Mar. 5, when he sustained an upper-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs. In nine games, Lavoie has failed to record a goal or point but has registered 16 hits and 10 shots on goal. 

If the Golden Knights are healthy by the time Lavoie is available to be reinstated from the injured reserve, he and Cole Schwindt will likely be sent to the AHL to accommodate the salary cap. 

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

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

Predicting Who Captures The NHL’s Wild-Card Spots by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed in this episode:

0:59: What's the driving force behind the Ottawa Senators’ success right now?

4:33: Do the Senators have a chance to catch the Toronto Maple Leafs or Tampa Bay Lightning and possibly steal third spot in the Atlantic?

6:13: Is Auston Matthews truly healthy? What if anything is really going on with the Leafs captain, and how concerned should fans be?

9:58: The Carolina Hurricanes are 4-0 since the trade deadline. Why are the Hurricanes rolling, and more importantly, do we believe it can last? 

14:12: Sam Bennett is a pending UFA. Is it possible the Leafs could swing keeping Marner and adding Bennett in the off-season?

17:46: NHL GM meetings began on Monday. Which topic is up for discussion or possible rule change are you most interested in?

21:47: The St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames and Utah Hockey Club are making things very interesting for the final wild-card spot in the west. Which team are you making a case for to snag that last spot? Which team would be the toughest first-round matchup for the Winnipeg Jets?

24:54: Which team in contention for the final spot in the Eastern Conference wild-card race will put up the best or most interesting fight in the first round? 

28:33: William Nylander has 38 goals this season with 15 games left. Will he hit 50 goals this season?

30:18: The San Jose Sharks are the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention. The Chicago Blackhawks will be next. Which team has more to be optimistic about next season?

32:38: What’s the bigger surprise? Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson scoring four goals in six games or Carolina’s Mark Jankowski getting four goals in his first four games as a Hurricane?

34:15: The PWHL broke the all-time American pro women's hockey attendance record on Sunday night, drawing a crowd of 14,288. It's the second-straight year Detroit has broken the U.S. record. Should Detroit be considered the favorite for an American expansion city?

37:20: A new Happy Gilmore 2 Trailer is out. On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited are you to see this movie?

Watch the full episode here.   

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

Every young player in the NHL has their guys that they grew up watching. Sidney Crosby is near the top of most lists as he’s been one of the best players in NHL history. For Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks, it is well documented how much he looks up to the Pittsburgh Penguins captain. 

Of course, everyone wants to play hockey like Crosby. He has over 600 goals, over 1000 assists, and is closing in on his 1700th career point. Crosby has a chance of becoming the NHL’s all-time second-leading scorer behind Wayne Gretzky. He will break Gretzky’s record for the most career point-per-game seasons this year. 

Even being 37 on a lousy team, he’s putting up big numbers. In addition to these outstanding offensive numbers, Crosby puts much thought into his defensive game. He’s so good at keeping the opposition from scoring, and he has almost always been. 

Crosby's impressive playing has led to three Stanley Cups, two Conn Smythe Trophies, Two Hard Trophies, and many other prestigious awards. 

Connor Bedard, and every young player, can learn a lot from watching a player like Sid over the years. The way he plays hockey is as close to perfect as you can get. 

This week, we've seen something else that the young Bedard can learn from Crosby. It isn't all about shooting, passing, and skating either.  

In his two most recent games, Bedard was given a ten-minute game misconduct in each of them. One was from mouthing off to an official and one was him being a part of a scrum late in the game. Multiple people were thrown out with Bedard the second time. 

After practice on Monday, interim head coach Anders Sorensen spoke of the young star dealing with these things.

"Overall, I think he's very mature for being 19, especially with the amount of spotlight that's on him constantly. I'm impressed with how he handles it." Sorensen said about Bdard. 

"I remember Sidney Crosby went through a lot of that. I remember Peter Forsberg came into the league mild-mannered off the ice, but on the ice, it happens, right? They want to win. They want to be successful." 

Sorensen reminded everyone that Crosby dealt with something similar early on in his career. Dealing with confrontations is part of being a player in the NHL and few all-time greats struggled with it early as much as Crosby. 

Over time, Crosby learned how to pick his battles with both the opposition and the officials in the game. It certainly gets easier as the team around gets better. 

Going forward, Bedard can think of this as he continues to learn how to manage his emotions. When he does, it will be another step toward reaching his potential. We'll see if Sorensen's message about Crosby teaches Bedard a lesson that he needs. 

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

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore has returned to practice in a red, non-contact jersey.

Theodore has been out since the first game of the 4 Nations Face-Off after he received a hit and appeared to jam his wrist into the boards. ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported that the injury Theodore sustained was a broken wrist, but the Golden Knights never officially shared the details of the injury.

The 29-year-old's return date was never revealed either, but his status following the injury was labelled as week-to-week. Multiple insiders reported that Theodore wouldn't be ready until the beginning of the playoffs, but it appears he could be available well before that, barring any hiccups in his recovery. 

While Theodore has been out, Noah Hanifin and Kaedan Korczak have stepped up to fill the void. Korczak is playing on the third pairing alongside Brayden McNabb and has provided the Golden Knights with solid and safe hockey in his minutes.

Hanifin has stepped up to fill the offensive void. Since returning from the 4 Nations, the 28-year-old has scored three goals and nine points in 11 games. 

Theodore will need to practice with full contact at least once before returning to game action. He's currently on the injured reserve and would need to be activated beforehand, but Theodore inching closer to a return is great news for the Golden Knights as they gear up for the start of the playoffs. 

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The San Jose Sharks have recalled Luca Cagnoni from the American Hockey League for the first time.

The rookie defenseman has 47 points (13 goals, 47 assists) in 56 games this season. The defenseman is third in the entire AHL in rookie scoring and is second in points by defenseman overall.

The Sharks have recalled Luca Cagnoni from the @sjbarracuda. ⬆️

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) March 18, 2025

The 20-year-old has showcased an elite offensive ability from the blue line that the Sharks have desperately needed. His will skate in his first practice with the team on Tuesday and could make his NHL debut against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.

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Tuesday evening in Washington, the Detroit Red Wings will begin a two-part, four-game road trip with the potential to define the season.  After playing the Capitals, Detroit will return home for a day off then practice, before visiting the Golden Knights Saturday, Utah Monday, and Colorado Tuesday.  That's three bona fide Stanley Cup contenders in three days  

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The Red Wings begin the trip with 70 points in 67 games.  The Ottawa Senators (77 points in 66 games) have begun to create some separation between themselves in the race for the first wild card place in the East, but the fight for the second remains muddy.  The New York Rangers currently hold that berth with 72 points in 68 games, while the Montreal Canadiens (71 points in 66 games), Red Wings, and Columbus Blue Jackets (losers of four straight, 70 points in 67 games) vying to supplant them.

Over the time span of Detroit's trip, New York hosts the Maple Leafs and Canucks, then visits the Kings; the Habs host Colorado in between visits to the Islanders and Blues; and the Jackets host Florida, travel to Pittsburgh, then host the Islanders.

(As with every week at this moment in the season,) it's a week that could re-tier.  Having bounce back from their six-game losing streak with two wins from three games, the Red Wings' playoff hopes remain alive, so long as Detroit can manage a bear of a schedule.  

According to MoneyPuck.com, the Red Wings enter the trip with a 10.9% chance at qualifying for the playoffs.  Here are three questions that will help determine whether they can improve those odds in the week to come?

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Can Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin Re-Discover Their Peak Form?

In the 12 games since the 4 Nations Face-Off, Dylan Larkin has nine points (four goals and five assists), and Lucas Raymond has 10 (two goals and eight assists).  That's not bad production by any means, but it's also not quite to the standards those two have set for themselves.

Larkin also went point-less in four straight games Between Feb. 25 and Mar. 4, and he hasn't found a point in either of his last two games.  Meanwhile, Raymond went five straight games without a point between Feb. 25 and Mar. 6 and snapped a 10-game goal-less drought by scoring against the Golden Knights Sunday.

The Red Wings are heavily dependent on four players offensively (Raymond, Larkin, Patrick Kane, and Alex DeBrincat), but lately, it's been Kane and DeBrincat doing the heaviest lifting offensively.

At the moment, Larkin and Raymond are playing with Elmer Soderblom on their top line.  Asked last week about Soderblom's role on that line, Larkin observed, "Since he's come back up, I've noticed that he uses his body really well.  He doesn't shy away, and he's much more consistent.  It seems like every night he's on, and when you're a big guy like that, it's such a weapon to have on your team, where you can create a cycle by yourself and attract so many people, because they feel like they need to double up on you to take away your reach and whatnot.  So he really sets us up and starts the cycle for us and creates O zone presence."

Soderblom helps Larkin and Raymond establish possession down low in the offensive zone, opening up space for quality chances around the net.  His ridiculous reach is also clearly a factor for that line in all three zones when it comes to winning back pucks.  There are, however, moments when Soderblom doesn't quite seem to have the foot speed to keep up with those two running mates.  All told, short of breaking up Kane and DeBrincat, he's probably Detroit's best option with Larkin and Raymond with Marco Kasper back at center.

It's impossible to say just how big a factor the 4 Nations is in Larkin and Raymond's current form, and both players shoulder a significant two-way match-up responsibility, but the Red Wings will likely need just a bit more from them offensively to walk the difficult tightrope of their late season schedule to a playoff berth.

How Long Will Todd McLellan Be Able to Ride Petr Mrazek's Hot Hand?

The (very) early returns on the Red Wings' bet on Petr Mrazek's comeback to Hockeytown are positive.  He's won two of his three games, making 69 saves on 75 shots (.920 save percentage) with a 2.01 goals against average.  Mrazek is coming off an 18-save shutout to beat the Golden Knights Sunday, and now he's poised for his fourth start in a row Tuesday night in Washington.

Mrazek has a long-standing reputation as running hot and cold, and the return to Detroit has coaxed a hot spell out of him.  The Red Wings would hardly be the first team to ride great late-season goaltending to a playoff bid (hello, Alex Lyon and the '22-23 Florida Panthers), but it's fair to wonder just how long coach Todd McLellan can and will count on Mrazek to stay hot.

In his post-deadline press conference, general manager Steve Yzerman—answering a question about the future of 2021 Detroit first round pick Sebastian Cossa, presently tending the Griffins' goal in AHL Grand Rapids—noted that goaltenders need to play to stay sharp.

The back-to-back in Utah and Colorado early next week will require McLellan to spell Mrazek, but will he choose to do so before that also?  Cam Talbot has been the back-up for all of Mrazek's starts.  After Yzerman effectively declared after the deadline that Lyon isn't part of his team's future plans, McLellan also doesn't appear to count on him in the short term.

If Detroit keeps defending the way it did against Vegas Sunday afternoon, it's capable of making a strong case for the playoffs no matter who starts in net.

Which Way Will the Red Wings' Special Teams Bubble Burst?

The NHL began tracking power play statistics in 1977.  This year, the Red Wings are tracking for their best ever power play since that date and worst ever penalty kill.

To start with the good, the power play (currently humming along at 28.3%) is on pace to unseat the '08-09 unit (25.5%) as the club's best on record.  Those big four forwards mentioned above plus Moritz Seider have been nothing short of extraordinary, and a unit that was good under the old coaching staff has become even more formidable since McLellan's arrival.  On the other side of the coin, Detroit's penalty kill is at a 69.9% success rate, just over a percentage point worse than the '85-86 PK, which managed just a 71.0% kill rate.

It's a tragicomic dynamic with the potential to seriously swing the Red Wings' playoff fate.  Other than goaltending, the special teams battle tends to be the biggest driver in any individual game's outcome.  At this point in the season, neither of these units are going to regress to average; both of them are exceptional, for better or worse.

However, if Detroit can push the PK up to passable, it could force its way to the front of the wild card race, while if the PP slips to just really good instead of historic, the Red Wings could easily fall out entirely.

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