For the third consecutive game, the Pittsburgh Penguins were pretty steeply outshot by their opposition.

And for the third consecutive game, they found a way to come out on top.

The Penguins defeated the St. Louis Blues by a narrow margin, 5-3, for their third consecutive win against a pretty formidable Western opponent. St. Louis came into this game 7-1-2 in their last 10 games and just two points out of the final wild card spot in the Western Conference.

After a slow start in the first period - and a good start from the Blues - the Penguins came out for the final 40 minutes and played some pretty solid hockey despite several momentum swings. They were also opportunistic on their scoring chances.

And there were a whole lot of "first goals" for Penguins players as well.

Just over two minutes into the game, defenseman Ryan Graves - who has played in 47 games this season - finally registered his first goal of the season.

47 games in, Ryan Graves scores his first goal of the season!#LetsGoPenspic.twitter.com/nCS4mH3uea

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) March 13, 2025

Defenseman and newcomer Conor Timmins did a similar thing in the second period, firing a shot past Binnington from the right circle to score his first goal as a Penguin just two minutes and 20 seconds into the middle frame. Blues forward Zack Bolduc scored a power play goal midway through the period to make it 2-1.

However, another Penguins' newcomer, forward Connor Dewar - acquired in the same trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs that brought Timmins to Pittsburgh on Mar. 7 - scored his first goal as a Penguin and his first goal of the 2024-25 season with less than three minutes on the clock in the second period to put the Penguins back on top, 3-1.

Make that two former Leafs with their first goals for the Penguins tonight as Connor Dewar pots one backdoor! ✌️ pic.twitter.com/xUUjGEJHhm

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 14, 2025

Then, Kris Letang took a cross-checking penalty in the waning seconds of the period, which ended up carrying over into the third. The Blues capitalized on their power play yet again - this time getting a goal from Dylan Holloway - to make it 3-2, before Bryan Rust tipped a Rickard Rakell shot to give the Penguins back the 4-2 lead.

The goal was originally credited to Rakell as his 30th of the season, but it was later changed to Rust's.

30 GOALS FOR TRICKY RICKY 💪 pic.twitter.com/sF66yYGshA

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 14, 2025

But the Blues struck back yet again. Alexey Toropchenko registered his third goal of the season after carrying the puck up ice almost 200 feet and skating through everyone for his own breakaway chance.

They were pressuring late, but this time, Rakell notched his 30th goal for good off a feed from Sidney Crosby and on an empty net with 7.1 seconds remaining to give the Penguins the 5-3 win.

Empty net goal for Pittsburgh!

Scored by Rickard Rakell with 00:08 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust.

Pittsburgh: 5
St. Louis: 3#STLvsPIT#LetsGoPens#stlbluespic.twitter.com/ipGwNgayhi

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) March 14, 2025

Even though the Penguins have been outplayed for stretches during the last three games, they're happy with where their game is at.

"We're competing hard," Graves said. "I think that we're continuously trying to improve and just show a lot of character."

Rakell pointed to the team's leadership as the reason the winning culture and a certain standard of excellence hasn't faded from the room.

"Our leaders in this room lead the way," Rakell said. "It doesn't work here to just not go all the way and just play hard until the finish line."

---

Here are a few other thoughts and observations from this 5-3 win:

- I really like Timmins' game so far. He plays a low-event, simplistic style of hockey, and it's almost calming watching him handle the puck and position himself defensively.

And he also has the ability to get the puck to the net quickly and decisively. He rifled a shot from the right circle past Binnington for his first as a Penguin, buying everyone Big Macs in the process:

THE NEW GUY JUST BOUGHT EVERYBODY BIG MACS! 🍔

Here's how to cash in your @McDonalds offer: https://t.co/QH7j1DPz1ipic.twitter.com/eDIP02SBzn

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 14, 2025

He's providing a defensive conscience to the blue line that has not been present for much of the season, even if he's only doing it in third-pairing minutes. Lots of details in his game.

I'd really like to see him paired with one of the Penguins' younger, more offensive-minded defensemen next season, assuming he is tendered an offer as a RFA. He is a steady presence on the Penguins' blue line with a tidbit of offensive upside himself.

- That pass by Lizotte to find Dewar backdoor was a thing of beauty. 

Welcome to Pittsburgh, Connor Dewar! 👏 pic.twitter.com/HtRKdBlrbh

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 14, 2025

I realize the third and fourth lines are a wash at this point with the players remaining on this roster. And Karlsson made that play happen in the first place. But Lizotte has shown he is capable of more offensively in a third-line center role this season, and I'm not sure why he was ever moved out of that position in the first place.

Given the Penguins' situation, it's unlikely that Lizotte will have too many chances to play with more offensive-minded players as a third-line center for the rest of the season. However, it's something I'd like to see more of in 2025-26, as I think he and Tommy Novak could make for a pretty good combination.

In any case, the third line was very, very good against the Blues. And Lizotte had two assists.

- I was just getting ready to write that Rakell was "snakebitten" at 29 goals. He had gone three games without a goal, and he was playing like a player who was snakebitten, whiffing on scoring chances and gripping his stick a bit too tight.

Well, he is snakebitten no more.

Rickard Rakell is a three-time 30-goal scorer 🔥

Rakell becomes the fifth @penguins player not named Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin to score 30 goals since 2006-07. pic.twitter.com/4t5At0CSU9

— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) March 14, 2025

"I love scoring goals," Rakell said. "Especially with the win tonight, it feels extra good." 

He said it himself: this guy loves to score goals. And with 14 games remaining, he needs four goals to tie his career-high of 34 set in 2017-18 with the Anaheim Ducks. 

I think he's going to do it. What a season it has been for him.

- Good for Graves to finally net one this season. If you're keeping track, he now has two points in his last five games - which accounts for his only two points of the season.

It has been another challenging season for Graves, who has been in and out of the press box despite - generally speaking - playing a bit better in sheltered minutes this year. But it's nice to see him finally getting on the board.

In fact, that was one of the happiest goal celebrations I've seen all season from the Penguins, OT goals and milestone tallies aside.

- If you're still keeping track, the Penguins are now just six points out of the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

In case you're wondering. pic.twitter.com/LMt8JO3GvL

— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) March 14, 2025

Realistically, the playoffs are a pipe dream. Every team ahead of the Penguins in the standings has games in hand on them, and all of them would have to lose a whole lot in order to even make headway for the Penguins to get back into the race.

But never say never. The Penguins were in almost this exact spot last season when they went on an 8-1-3 run to make things close and, ultimately, miss the playoffs by three points. 

Again, it's highly unlikely. And, frankly, the Penguins are probably better off finishing with a bottom-six pick this season.

Here's the thing, though, and I'm going to keep saying it: You simply cannot tell NHL players - competing at the highest level of hockey - that they need to lose hockey games.

Crosby - now just eight points away from clinching an NHL record-20th consecutive point-per-game season with two assists on the night - is the sport's ultimate competitor and winner. Goaltender Tristan Jarry - who earned his third straight win and was solid yet again - is probably playing for his NHL career.

Tell those guys to lose. That won't go over well.

---

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

Just like a great hit song, Sergei Bobrovsky just keeps climbing up the charts.

On Thursday night in Toronto, the Florida Panthers veteran goaltender hit another milestone while helping the Cats to their latest victory.

Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots en route to a 3-2 Panthers victory.

The win was Florida’s 41st of the season and give them a four-point cushion atop the Atlantic Division.

It was also the 424th victory in Bobrovsky’s incredible career.

The win placed Bobrovsky in sole possession of 10th place on the NHL’s all-time wins list, moving him past legendary goaltender Tony Esposito.

Bobrovsky now trails the ninth place tendie, Jacques Plante, by 13 wins.

Looking over the list, it’s basically all Hall of Famers. The only non-member of the HHOF anywhere near Bobrovsky (aside from fellow active goalies Marc-Andre Fleury and Jonathan Quick) are Curtis Joseph (seventh-most wins) and Chris Osgood (Fifteenth-most wins).

Joseph is exactly 30 wins ahead of Bobrovsky. Ed Belfour, who holds the fifth-most wins in NHL history, is 60 ahead of Bob.

“He just totally fits our team,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “There's a calm with him in the net for us, and if he gives up one he doesn't like, he usually doesn't give up two.”

It remains to be seen how much gas the 36-year-old has left in the tank, but Bobrovsky has shown no signs of slowing down in recent seasons.

He’s in amazing shape and it wouldn’t surprise many should he remain one of the top goalies in the NHL for another few years.

Bobrovsky has one year remaining on the seven-year, $70 million deal he signed with Florida all the way back in 2019.

What he does after that yet to be discussed.

Between now and then, however, a run at another Stanley Cup or two isn’t out of the question.

We shall see.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Bennett has big night as Panthers take down Toronto, retain top spot in Atlantic Division

Atlantic Division foes battle as Florida arrives in Toronto looking to keep 1st place

Florida Panthers drop off Stanley Cup Ring at Hockey Hall of Fame

WATCH: Footage of Brad Marchand skating with Florida Panthers in Boston

Three takeaways: Panthers burn themselves in Boston collapse

The Pittsburgh Penguins (27-31-10) are not going away quietly, racking up another victory on Thursday night to extend their winning streak to three games, thanks to a 5-3 triumph over the St. Louis Blues at PPG Paints Arena.

Thanks to goals from five different players, including Rickard Rakell's 30th of the year, the Penguins defeated a Blue team trying to claw their way into a wildcard spot in the Western Conference, backed by Tristan Jarry's 33 saves.

Jarry Stops Over 30 Again, Improves to 3-0-0 Since Return

In a worst-case scenario, Jarry would continue his revenge tour, go undefeated the rest of the season, and knock the Penguins out of the top five at the upcoming NHL Draft.

Meanwhile, the club still misses the postseason by a couple of points, but Jarry redeems himself and many players in the lineup play meaningful hockey and achieve personal milestones.

Tristan Jarry said each and every #Pens player reached out to him after he was sent down pic.twitter.com/pxH2GI6Wp1

— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) March 14, 2025

Since starting against the Minnesota Wild, Jarry has made at least 30 saves in three starts while helping the Penguins win three consecutive games.

No one knew if we'd see him again after a reassignment to the AHL in January. However, he's back and has been on a roll, helping his team earn points during the stretch run.

No matter his future, Jarry will do everything he can to refurbish his reputation in the final weeks. 

Rakell Closing in on Personal Milestone

While the hockey world patiently waits for Alex Ovechkin to break the goal scoring record, there's a magic number in Pittsburgh: four. That's how many goals Rakell is away from his career high of 34, set in 2017-18.

Rickard Rakell is a three-time 30-goal scorer 🔥

Rakell becomes the fifth @penguins player not named Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin to score 30 goals since 2006-07. pic.twitter.com/4t5At0CSU9

— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) March 14, 2025

Considering how important he's been to the Penguins' attack all season, Kyle Dubas opted not to trade him, the entire team will rally around him in the final 13 games and try to get him five more goals. 

It would be a special moment for him because he could become only the 22nd Swedish-born skater with a 35-goal season. 

Penguins Play for Pride and Win for Themselves

When a team is at the bottom of the standings, there's not much to play for in the season's final weeks. However, these Penguins are doing more than playing spoiler; they are raking up points and reaching personal milestones.

Whether it's captain Sidney Crosby's quest to catch Wayne Gretzky's point-per-game record, Rakell getting within a couple of goals of a new career high, or Jarry making 30 saves look routine, these guys are not rolling over with just a handful of games left.

For those fans who dreaded the slumps and losing streaks, the Penguins are doing their best to reward the faithful who stuck with them through thick and thin by ending the campaign on a high note, giving them some momentum heading into the summer.

As mentioned before, when clicking, Pittsburgh can skate with any team in the league and pick up a win or two. They may not always be pretty, and there will always be some drama like a blown lead, but these Penguins are still competitive with the right personnel.

The New Jersey Devils have won three consecutive games for the first time since late December. 

On Thursday night, the Devils defeated the Edmonton Oilers by a final score of 3-2. Goaltender Jake Allen made 31 saves on 33 shots. The team now has an eight-point lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets in the playoff race. 

Defenseman Brett Pesce opened the scoring three minutes into the second period. Erik Haula won the draw against Adam Henrique. Jesper Bratt made a beeline to the blue line, allowing Pesce to skate toward the net. While Oilers' defenseman Troy Stecher was focused on Haula in front of his net, Pesce found a spot and shot the puck past opposing goaltender Stuart Skinner. Haula and Bratt were credited with the assists.

Halfway through the middle frame, The Oilers' most dangerous weapons tied the game. Leon Draisaitl scored his league-leading 47th goal, with Connor McDavid earning the primary helper. 

Edmonton took a 2-1 lead early in the third period, but it would be short-lived. Bratt tied the game at the 6:50 mark. It was the winger's second shot on Skinner and his second point of the night. 

Less than two minutes later, defenseman Simon Nemec scored his first goal of the season, giving his team a 3-2 lead. It was the youngster's first game back in the lineup after serving as a healthy scratch over the last two. 

"I thought he played a good game," head coach Sheldon Keefe said of Nemec. "I thought he was assertive, moved the puck, killed some plays defensively and a great shot to finish a great sequence." 

With his primary assist on Nemec's goal, Bratt earned back-to-back three-point games. It marked his 100th career multi-point game.

The Devils hit the road and play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena.

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

The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes

EXCLUSIVE: Q&A With MSG Networks Host & Analyst Rachel Herzog

Hischier’s Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He’s Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily Satisfied'

Ottawa Senators fans bowed to goaltender Linus Ullmark after he pulled off a save-of-the-year candidate against his former team.

With the Senators leading the Boston Bruins 5-3 late in the second period, Ullmark’s diving catch led to a stellar third frame in net that helped extend the team’s win streak to five games in a tight battle for the playoffs.

“Oh my God, he’s such a stud,” Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven told reporters after the 6-3 win.

After Ottawa led 4-1 after the first period, the Bruins scored twice in the second period to reduce the deficit to two goals. Ullmark had a 0.786 save percentage up to that point in the game with 11 saves on 14 shots.

Boston controlled possession in the offensive zone with about 90 seconds to go in the middle frame. As newly acquired center Marat Khusnutdinov and defenseman Andrew Peeke passed the puck back and forth, blueliner Mason Lohrei found an open lane to the net on the far side of the ice.

Khusnutdinov turned toward the net, which led Ullmark to challenge him at the top right corner of the crease. But Khusnutdinov found Lohrei all alone with the setup for a one-timer.

Lohrei had a wide-open net to shoot at from the faceoff dot. Ullmark was nearly out of the crease when he saw the pass, and Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot could only stick out his stick and skate to try to block the chance.

As Lohrei connected with the puck, Ullmark pivoted to angle himself diagonally toward the left post and swung over. He stretched out his glove hand quickly enough to get in front of the biscuit right before it entered the crease.

By the time Ullmark completed the grab, he was almost standing on his head, his left leg sticking up over his body.

pic.twitter.com/cEDV51Vr6C

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) March 14, 2025

“I was laughing,” Ullmark told the media post-game, as reported by Graeme Nichols. “Sometimes I wonder, how did that happen?”

Ullmark stopped all eight shots after that as the Bruins outshot the Senators in the final 20 minutes. He even tried to score a goalie goal on the empty net but missed wide.

“He’s such a big part of this team, and he wins us a lot of games,” Kleven said. “I’m honestly not even surprised that that happened – I see it all the time. He’s an awesome guy off the ice and an even better teammate on the ice.”

It wasn’t a perfect game for the 31-year-old Ullmark, who finished with a .880 save percentage and minus-1.24 goals saved above expected, but the game’s second star beat the team that traded him last June for the second time this season.

His former tandem-mate, meanwhile, only lasted one period in net on Thursday.

Jeremy Swayman allowed four goals on 15 shots for a .733 SP as Shane Pinto, Kleven, Drake Batherson and Ridly Greig got on the board. Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco pulled him in favor of Joonas Korpisalo, who went the other way in the Ullmark trade with Ottawa. Korpisalo stopped 14 of 15 shots to keep his team in the game, but it wasn’t enough for the Bruins to complete the comeback.

The Bruins still sit two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild-card spot, while the Senators are now five points ahead of Columbus for the first wild-card place.

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.

Make it five straight wins for the Ottawa Senators. Drake Batherson had two goals and an assist on Thursday night as the Senators defeated the Boston Bruins 5-3 at Canadian Tire Centre.

With 22 saves against his old team, Linus Ullmark wasn't all that busy on the night, at least not compared to his 48-save performance on Monday against the Detroit Red Wings.

But his save on Boston's Mason Lohrei won't soon be forgotten.

LINUS ULLMARK OH MY GOODNESS!!! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/KXWTIC1eQf

— NHL (@NHL) March 14, 2025

It didn't go quite as well for Ullmark's old running mate, Jeremy Swayman, who was yanked in favour of former Senator Joonas Korpisalo after the first period.

The Senators were good and ready for this contest, jumping out to a 4-1 lead in the first on goals by Shane Pinto, Tyler Kleven, Drake Batherson, and Ridly Greig.

Batherson got another one in the second period, sandwiched between a pair of Bruins' goals from David Pastrnak and Marat Khusnutdinov.

Claude Giroux put the game away with a late empty-net goal, making a winner of head coach Travis Green in his 400th game as an NHL head coach.

The victory expands the Senators' lead in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race. They hold the first wild card spot, five points up on the Columbus Blue Jackets, who lost 4-0 to the Vegas Golden Knights.

With another victory, the Sens are 6-0-1 in their last seven games, 10 games above .500. That's prompted some fans to start looking up in the standings instead of down. Ottawa now trails third-place Tampa Bay by four points after the Lightning lost to the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 in a shootout on Thursday.

The Senators now get ready for a couple of road games against old familiar rivals. They're in Toronto on Saturday and in Montreal on Tuesday.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

Be sure to bookmark The Hockey News Ottawa for great Sens coverage all year around.

Ottawa Senators Head Coach Travis Green Reflects on 400 NHL Games

Ottawa Senators Newcomer Fabian Zetterlund On Fourth Line Duty For A Third Straight Game

Will Brady Tkachuk Threaten Daniel Alfredsson's Ottawa Senator Records?

The hockey world will be interested in Macklin Celebrini vs. Connor Bedard when the San Jose Sharks host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

Celebrini vs. 2024 NHL Draft No. 2 overall pick Artyom Levshunov is an underrated storyline that isn’t being talked about.

Unlike Celebrini, Levshunov didn’t start with his NHL team and only recently made his debut for the Blackhawks on March 10th against the Colorado Avalanche.

Rookie solo lap for Chicago's No. 2 overall pick Artyom Levshunov ahead of his NHL debut in Colorado. #Blackhawkspic.twitter.com/gcUe0bw3rj

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 11, 2025

Celebrini and Levshunov both went the NCAA route for their draft seasons. Levshunov attended and played for Michigan State University. The d-man wasn’t nominated in the 2024 top ten for the Hobey Baker award as the NCAA’s best player.

That season, the nominees included Celebrini, Will Smith, and Collin Graf. Celebrini won the award and became the youngest player to win it at 17.

Read the full story on Sharks Hockey Digest

Latest On THN's San Jose Sharks site

Sharks Forward To Make Second Team Debut Against Blackhawks

Sharks Trade Acquisition Still Stuck In Limbo For Work Visa

Ty Dellandrea Is Finding His Role With The Sharks

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

Follow Max on Twitter: @Real_Max_Miller

The Florida Panthers got back on the winning track as their road trip continued north of the border on Thursday night.

After blowing a late two-goal lead on Tuesday in Boston, Florida held tight to a third period lead in Toronto, defeating the Maple Leafs 3-2 at Scotiabank Arena.

Exactly two minutes into the game, John Tavares one-timed a long cross-ice pass from William Nylander past a sliding Sergei Bobrovsky to give the Maple Leafs an early 1-0 lead.

Then with nearly two minutes to go in the opening period, Sam Bennett slammed home a Mackie Samoskevich rebound while Florida was on the power play to tie the game at one.

Florida took their first lead of the game about six minutes into the second period.

A.J. Greer dug the puck free in the corner and found a wide-open Niko Mikkola in the high slot. Mikkola wired a wrist shot past the blocker of Anthony Stolarz to put the Cats ahead 2-1.

Bennett’s second goal of the game was not that dissimilar from his first, putting the puck home from the doorstep to extend the Cats lead heading into the third.

Less than five minutes into the final frame, Max Domi caught Florida trying to change their defensive pairing and beat Sergei Bobrovsky glove side to bring Toronto back within one of the Cats.

That would be as close as the Leafs would get, thanks to some big stops by Bobrovsky down the stretch.

On to Montreal.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Bennett extended his point streak to four games, with three goals and five points during the run.

He’s also averaging more than a point per game dating back to late January.

Samoskevish has now accumulated six points over his past six games and eight points in 10 games since the start of February.

Sam Reinhart picked up a pair of assists, giving him six points over his past four games.

After going six straight games without a point, Greer now has four points over his past seven outings.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Atlantic Division foes battle as Florida arrives in Toronto looking to keep 1st place

Florida Panthers drop off Stanley Cup Ring at Hockey Hall of Fame

WATCH: Footage of Brad Marchand skating with Florida Panthers in Boston

Three takeaways: Panthers burn themselves in Boston collapse

Panthers blow 2-goal third period lead, lose in Boston 3-2

It was only last year that Vancouver Canucks bench boss Rick Tocchet was on top of the coaching world. 

He led the Canucks to the top spot in the Pacific Division with a 50-23-9 record. The NHL recognized Tocchet for his success, winning the Jack Adams Award as the coach of the year.

Things are notably different for Tocchet's team this season. 

The Canucks fell to fifth place in the Pacific, and they’re behind the Calgary Flames for the second wild-card berth in the Western Conference. 

That makes Tocchet’s future a little hazier than expected heading into the campaign. 

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported in January that the Canucks have a team option to keep Tocchet for one more season, but the coach reportedly has the right to decide whether or not he would sign. Injuries have been a factor in the team’s drop in the standings this season, but there have also been a fair share of distractions, including the rift between J.T. Miller and center Elias Pettersson and Pettersson’s drop in production this season leading to more trade rumors.

On Sportsnet 590, Canucks journalist Rick Dhaliwal pointed out there’s no extension in place for Tocchet down to the homestretch of the season, even though he's the reigning coach of the year.

“I know the media’s getting to Tocchet, because he made a couple of comments in the last two games that tells you the media’s getting to him,” Dhaliwal said.

“It’s been a really trying year,” he added. “He’s had to babysit Miller, Pettersson, the feud. Media’s all over him now. If this team doesn’t make the playoffs, what’s going to happen then? But he’s got a decision to make, Rick Tocchet.”

Another factor that could decide Tocchet’s future is that his former team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, could be looking for a new coach if they decide to move on from longtime bench boss Mike Sullivan. The Penguins have been committed to Sullivan since 2015 and gave him a vote of confidence early this season. His job on Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off also shows why Pittsburgh values him so much.

But Pittsburgh’s inability to make the Stanley Cup playoffs for likely three-straight years could put Sullivan’s job in jeopardy.

If the Penguins do part ways with Sullivan, Tocchet would be an excellent fit with the Pens. Tocchet won a Cup as a player with Pittsburgh in 1992 and as an assistant coach in 2016 and 2017, so he’s very familiar with the organization. As good a coach Sullivan has been for Pittsburgh, changing things up could spark the club. Tocchet could give the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson a real bump, the same way he did for Canucks players last season.

The Penguins clearly would still want an experienced hand as they try to retool on the fly, and that describes Tocchet to a ‘T.’ That said, there are no guarantees the Penguins would pursue Tocchet or that the Canucks would even make him available.

Vancouver still has time to keep Tocchet around. Despite being caught battling for a wild-card spot instead of first place in the Pacific Divsion, the Canucks’ power-play percentage under Tocchet is still about as good as last season, and their penalty-kill rate is slightly better, at 82.1 percent compared to 79.1 percent in 2023-24. But with Demko’s injury issues, the team’s goals against per game increased from 2.70 last season to 3.03. The goals-for per game also fell from 3.40 to 2.71.

It’s tough to overly fault Tocchet for his team’s struggles, but the closer we get to the off-season with no extension, the more talk there will be about his future. The NHL’s coaching carousel spins fast these years, after all, with teams having less patience than usual for their bench bosses. 

The Canucks might be squandering the improvement Tocchet created in Vancouver if they don’t bring him back, whether it’s their choice or the coach’s. Either way, the Penguins may want to stay tuned to his situation.

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.

The Colorado Avalanche have been one of the NHL's toughest teams of late, going 10-3-1 since Jan. 28. That stretch of hockey has allowed the Avs to vault over the Minnesota Wild for third place in the incredibly-competitive Central Divsion. And if the Avalanche are going to catch the Dallas Stars for second spot in the Central, they're going to have to be almost as good, if not better. But let's break down their remaining 16 games and project how well they'll be doing.

According to the very useful Tankathon web site, the Avs have the NHL's 11th-toughest remaining schedule. Starting Friday in Calgary, Colorado has nine straight games against either teams who are in serious contention for a playoff spot, or who already occupy a playoff spot -- the Flames (twice), Dallas, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Detroit, Los Angeles, and St. Louis. After that, they've got Chicago, Columbus, the Blues, Golden Knights, Canucks, Kings, and Ducks. So if they can play well in those first nine games, the Avalanche's remaining seven games should be considerably easier.

Getting into second spot in the Central is important for the Avs in many ways -- most notably, in terms of their home and road record. When they're playing in Denver, the Avalanche are an impressive 22-10-2 this season. But away from home, the Avs are only 17-14-1. Nine of their remaining 16 games are on the road, and that means Colorado needs to be better than that in order to challenge the Stars for second place and home-ice advantage in Round One of the post-season this spring.

Either way, it certainly seems like the Avs are destined for a first-round showdown with Dallas. And considering their season series record against the Stars is 1-1-0 -- with a less-talented squad than the Avalanche are after this season's trade deadline -- Colorado should feel confident they can hang with Dallas and get at least to the second round for the sixth time in the past seven seasons. The Avs did lose to the Stars in the second round of last season's playoffs, but this is a much stronger Colorado team we're talking about this season.

The Avalanche have arguably the deepest defense corps in the NHL, a strong goaltending tandem, and legitimate superstars in Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. Most teams do not have that combination of depth and elite skill.

It took them a while to get up to speed this season, but as it stands right now, the Avs are as dangerous as any team in the league -- and they could wind up winning their second Stanley Cup in the past four years. Time will tell how they fare this season, but the Avalanche look like they can do a whole lot of damage the rest of the regular-season and the post-season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will look to build on the momentum of two consecutive victories against Western Conference playoff teams when they take on the St. Louis Blues in Pittsburgh on Thursday.

And they will - once again - deploy the same guy between the pipes to do it.

Goaltender Tristan Jarry has allowed just three goals on his last 67 shots against, which is good for a .955 save percentage in those last two outings. 

His teammates believe he can keep things going in positive direction, especially after the tough season that Jarry has endured:

Crosby: "Being put in that situation, going to Wilkes, coming back, responding the way he has says a lot about him, his work ethic, and his willingness to keep working and battle through it. He’s done a great job."

Penguins proud of Jarry's response: https://t.co/EcPH5mbrS1

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) March 12, 2025

Jarry has not been the only player carrying the torch for the Penguins in the last few games, however. Captain Sidney Crosby has four goals in the last two games, and he is just 10 points shy of clinching his 20th consecutive season at point-per-game, which would break the previous NHL record set by Wayne Gretzky.

Although goaltending and the Crosby effect has carried the Penguins through most of these last two wins, other parts of the lineup are beginning to find some traction. The second line combo of Evgeni Malkin and Philip Tomasino - with the addition of Danton Heinen for this game - has been generating chances. 

And another player who will get a second chance in an elevated role is Blake Lizotte, who registered five goals and nine points in nine games earlier this season during a brief stint as the team's third-line center. He will slot in there again tonight alongside newcomer Connor Dewar and Noel Acciari.

Here is the rest of the Penguins' lineup:

How we're lining up vs. the Blues ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/BroDcdiSV2

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 13, 2025

Although they are still two points removed from the second wild card spot in the West, the Blues have been one of the league's hottest teams. They are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games and have outscored the opposition, 39-25. 

St. Louis is a balanced team up and down the lineup, and their leading scorer, Robert Thomas, has 17 goals and 51 points in 53 games.

---

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

Calgary Flames star left winger Jonathan Huberdeau has had a stellar season this year. But in this cover story from THN's 2022 Trade Deadline Preview, writer Matt Larkin covered Huberdeau's ascent as an elite competitor with the Florida Panthers:

APPRECIATION VALUE

By Matt Larkin

A 1999 Saturn Station Wagon? Really?

Imagine being an impressionable teenager, thrilled to pass your driver’s test and own your first car. Better yet: mom and dad run a used-car dealership. You’re not getting driven onto some dusty lot to buy the cheapest thing on wheels; you have your pick of the family fleet. This will be sweet.

But…nope. You get that ’99 Saturn, the blandest, most forgettable vehicle on the lot.

Alain Huberdeau has run Prev-automobiles Inc. in Prevost, Que., for more than 30 years, and even he admits the car he gave his youngest son, Jonathan, was second-rate. “It was not a nice car,” said Alain with a laugh. “Five-speed nowhere nothing.”

But that car did exactly what it was supposed to. It was an intelligent, efficient purchase. It got great gas mileage. It was affordable. It smoothly transported 16-year-old Jonathan to and from Saint John, N.B., where he began playing for the QMJHL’s Sea Dogs in 2009-10. It forced him to learn how to drive a stick shift. It also instilled a brainy sensibility in young Jonathan.

Rather than feeling entitled to the fanciest sports car on the lot, he learned the value of making the most out of what he had. He learned he would have to work harder than everyone around him if he wanted to make it as an NHL hockey player with ordinary skating ability. Even when he earned his first NHL contract and signing bonus after the Florida Panthers drafted him third overall in 2011, he made the sensible choice of another used car from the Huberdeau family dealership, this time a Honda Civic. He wanted to think his way to success – behind the wheel and on the ice.

Everything in Huberdeau’s life was a slow build to progress – tracing back to his early childhood. Ironically, one of the greatest current puck wizards in hockey got his start on ice without a puck, without a stick and almost without hockey skates. Huberdeau pushed back on the latter when his parents enrolled him in speed skating as a five-year-old. That’s not to be confused with power skating, which many future hockey players try before starting organized hockey.

We’re talkin’ actual speed skating, the kind you see in the Olympics, consisting of athletes with tree-trunk legs in bodysuits zooming along the track on flat blades. Huberdeau refused to wear those, so he took speed skating in his hometown of Saint-Jerome, Que., as the only kid in the class wearing hockey skates. But he wasn’t the typical youngster yawning his way through each session, complaining of frozen feet and wishing he was playing real hockey. “I was OK with it,” Huberdeau said. “It was actually better for me to start doing speed skating because you got to learn how to skate without a stick.”

Once he got a stick in his hands, speed skating had granted him the mobility to play keepaway with other kids – particularly when playing on ponds with far more people than are allowed in a regular game. “You do learn a lot of things when you play with 40 kids who want to keep the puck for themselves,” Alain Huberdeau said. “You have to work hard to keep it, so that’s probably where he learned a lot of hockey.”

Jonathan, his older brother Sebastien and their younger sister Josiane also learned a lot about the game watching their beloved Montreal Canadiens and, more specifically, the Canadiens facing the Panthers in Florida. The Huberdeaus dabbled in the snowbird life. Every Christmas, they’d head down to South Florida in an RV, and they’d catch games whenever the Habs and Panthers overlapped on the schedule. And after beach days, the kids played for hours on end at a local roller rink.

“We’d take a break to eat dinner quick, and we’d go play a big game,” Huberdeau said. “And I feel like, in Florida, there weren’t a lot of people playing with rollerblades and playing roller hockey, so we’d have the rink to ourselves.”

Being drafted by Florida, then, constituted a homecoming for Huberdeau. By the time the Panthers called his name in 2011, he was considered a star in the making, having led Saint John to a Memorial Cup weeks earlier. But he never viewed himself as a can’t-miss prospect. He wasn’t the child phenom who had video-game stats and agents sniffing around when he was barely starting puberty. Even in bantam, he was only playing BB. His parents didn’t sense he had NHL potential until he began to excel in U-18 AAA.

The speed skating had Huberdeau’s footwork at an acceptable baseline when he started hockey, but he was no burner. He never even felt he stood out on his own teams as a kid. “I was a good player, but I wasn’t the best player,” he said. “I wasn’t the fastest guy, so it wasn’t all pretty what I was doing out there. I had good vision, and I liked to pass the puck. When you’re young and you’re not that fast, you think you’re not special. I feel like special players are fast, and they’re really skilled, and that’s not what I was. But my hockey sense brought me to where I am right now, and that’s what I had when I was younger. I tell kids sometimes, no need to give up if you’re not always the best at everything. Sometimes you just get better when you get older.”

Huberdeau carried that modesty with him into the NHL, where he embarked on what was trending toward a good-but-not-great career. He won the Calder Trophy in the shortened 2012-13 campaign but with a mere 31 points in 48 games during a down year for rookies. Across his first five seasons, he amassed 198 points in 303 games, amounting to an average stat line of 18 goals and 54 points per 82 games. He played in one playoff series over the span. No one would’ve characterized him as a bust, but he wasn’t dominating in the same way he did in his final major-junior years.

Even if he was too humble ever to see himself as that player, he did believe he could evolve himself into that player. “His biggest ability was to persevere,” Alain said. “He had some tough years in Florida, but he wanted to stick there, and he really believed in that organization. They always treat him well. He could see that one day, they would be better.”

Slowly, the Panthers surrounded Huberdeau with talent. They selected center Aleksander Barkov with the No. 2 overall pick in 2013, and defenseman Aaron Ekblad with the No. 1 pick in 2014. They stole defenseman MacKenzie Weegar in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. The company Huberdeau kept began to improve, and something started to change in his game.

He could always rag the puck, but he started to pile up points once he had teammates who could finish his setups. In 2017-18, he had a career-best 69 points. The following season, he leaped to 92. Then it was 78 in just 69 games, then 61 in 55 games, and then, by the 2021-22 all-star break, 64 in 47 games, good for the NHL scoring lead. Was it simply a natural progression of talent causing his numbers to explode? Was it the influx of high-quality teammates? GM Bill Zito has peppered the Panthers lineup with effective forwards since he took over in September 2020. Zito’s additions – from right winger Anthony Duclair to left winger Carter Verhaeghe to center Sam Bennett to right winger Sam Reinhart – have been difference-makers.

In Huberdeau’s mind, the steady incline of his play came from understanding what he did best and what gaps in his game needed filling once he reached his mid-20s. He feels he’s transitioned from support player to star-caliber by improving his play without the puck and becoming more involved in every aspect of the game, whether it’s physical play, general intensity or killing penalties. He cites defensive play as the area of his game in which he’s least confident, and he’s worked to improve it.

He has shown an innate ability to rub off on his linemates – who may have more raw physical skill – and use his brain to make them better. According to Bennett, who came over in a trade in April 2021 and has been Huberdeau’s most common linemate this year, Huberdeau has a massive influence on the team because he works so hard that he spurs others to follow him. Add in the playmaking skill and it’s no wonder Huberdeau’s linemates are always over the moon to have him on their left wing. The sense of humor doesn’t hurt, either. “He does a really good job of bringing life to our room, and he’s pretty much in the middle of every joke or every friendly chirp that’s going on,” Bennett said. “He’s always involved. He really is a leader off the ice. Of course, on the ice, too, but he really is one of the main leaders off the ice as well.”

Over the past five seasons, Huberdeau, 28, ranks sixth in the NHL in assists, seventh in points and 14th in points per game. Those are hardly the types of numbers that make a player invisible. And yet he’s played in two All-Star Games, has one second-team post-season all-star selection to his name and has received Hart Trophy votes in only one season, though that will surely change after this one. 

You know he’s been cloaked in obscurity when a new linemate is surprised to learn how good he is. “When I got to actually play with him every day and see what he’s like, it’s pretty remarkable,” Bennett said. “I had no idea how talented he really was, his vision, the way he can make plays. He makes plays that I don’t think anyone else would even attempt. So it’s been really cool to actually see how gifted he is and get the chance to play with him so much.”

Has Huberdeau taken the unofficial crown from Mark Stone to become the NHL’s most underrated player? Yes, if we judge him based on how those around him evaluate his skills. “He’s deceptively fast,” said Panthers coach Andrew Brunette. “If you asked me which skill of his is underrated, it’s his puck protection and ability to hang onto the puck. It’s a little bit like Sidney Crosby, a little like Pavel Datsyuk, where they get it on a string, they get it in their feet, and you just can’t get it off him when he gets on that roll.”

There’s no clichéd chip on Huberdeau’s shoulder, no indication he feels he deserves more acknowledgment. He’s aware of the “underrated” label but unfazed. “We’re in a market where we don’t get talked about too much, playing in Florida, but I don’t care,” he said. “I know what I’m worth. I know what I can do, and that’s all that matters for me. Obviously, I think I’ve stepped up my game, but I don’t care if I’m the most underrated player. I know I’m a good player, and I know I can make a difference out there.”

Fulfilling his duty like pretty much every Canadian hockey player when asked to sing his own praises, Huberdeau prioritizes the team instead. There’s something to it in this case, however. The Panthers have achieved such strong group chemistry that, in another recent interview with The Hockey News, Zito expressed reticence over making any major trades that might upset the vibes. Huberdeau says 2021-22 is the most fun he’s had as a Panther, that the team operates like a family, that he’s never felt closer to his teammates.

The harmonious atmosphere shows in the standings, too. As of Feb. 16, Florida held the Eastern Conference’s highest points percentage at .734. How dominant were they? Not only was it by far their highest mark in franchise history, but only 21 teams in NHL history have posted a higher points percentage over a full season – out of 1,599 teams total. That puts the Panthers’ current pace in the 98th percentile of every NHL team, ever. Now it makes more sense that Huberdeau would turn the attention toward team goals.

Florida has easily the best team in its 28-season history. Through the all-star break, it averaged an incredible 4.09 goals per game, the most of any NHL team since the 1995-96 Pittsburgh Penguins. The Panthers are a clear Stanley Cup threat. But they must conquer the chore of sharing a division – and, woof, a playoff bracket – with the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning.

We should know better than to bet against Huberdeau’s crew by now, though. Their improvement in recent seasons, from .524 to .565 to .705 to .734 hockey, has been steady and methodical, just like the improvement in his personal play – and to his car collection. No more Saturns or Civics for Huberdeau now.

He earned his way to a two-year bridge deal on a $3.25-million AAV coming off his entry-level contract and is now five seasons into a six-year contract with a $5.9-million AAV. According to capfriendly.com, his estimated career earnings exceed $36 million. So, yes, he can afford the sexy cars now. Lots of them. Among his favorites: a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, a Cadillac Escalade and a Tesla.

But Huberdeau’s most cherished automobile symbolizes everything he has accomplished to date: the Ferrari. It personifies loud, flashy success. It’s everything Huberdeau wasn’t for so much of his career, but it’s what he’s becoming. He’s a superstar now, and he can’t hide from that, even if he still feels like a 1999 Saturn on the inside.

The Detroit Red Wings desperately needs the type of scoring they had against the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday night.

Detroit beat the Sabres 7-3, with Patrick Kane recording two goals and five points and Alex DeBrincat getting a goal and four points.

The win ended a six-game losing streak that caused them to flail in the standings – they’re now sixth in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the race for two wild-card spots. But the Red Wings scored more goals on Wednesday than in their previous four games combined.

This team was imploding because it couldn’t score. The Red Wings scored only 11 times during the six-game skid, and they’re now 18th in the NHL with 2.86 goals-for per game. 

“We still got to figure out how to score some goals,” Detroit winger Alex DeBrincat told reporters after the Red Wings’ loss on Monday – a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Ottawa Senators. 

The Wings seemed to “figure out” how to score some goals on Wednesday. It came at a good time because the lack of offense was starting to look like a condemnation of where Detroit is as a team. That came after Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman looked at his roster at last week’s trade deadline and decided to acquire only a bottom-six forward in Craig Smith and a subpar goaltender in Petr Mrazek despite having the cap space for a bigger move.

For a while after the Red Wings changed coaches after Christmas, they looked like they’d finally turned the corner as a team and were on pace to make the playoffs. But they’ve gone 2-7-1 in their last 10 games, essentially squandering all their gains leading up to that point. Not only did their offense drop, but their goals against increased by more than a goal per game between the beginning of Todd McLellan’s time as Wings coach and Feb. 8 onward.

NHL Trade Deadline 2025: The Five Biggest LosersNow that the NHL’s trade deadline has come and gone, it’s as good a time as any to examine the deals that were made – and the ones that weren’t – and identify winners and losers at the deadline. We might have a different list of winners and losers months and years from now, but we’re still going to take some time and do our best to point out winners and losers at the moment, 

There are encouraging signs from Wednesday’s game that suggest the Red Wings could recover from the two-point deficit and retake a wild-card spot. Marco Kasper got three points after going six outings without a point, and five players had multi-point nights.

But they faced the Sabres, which have allowed the third-most goals against per game in the league and sit last in the Eastern Conference by six points. The Sabres have conceded four or more goals seven times in their last eight games. 

The real challenge is whether Detroit can carry that momentum into games against the Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals, which all sit in the top 10 for fewest goals against per game. The Red Wings don’t have Buffalo to beat up every night, and they still have the most difficult schedule in the league in their remaining 17 games, according to tankathon.com.

The Wings will have a tough time to make up for their slump, even though Wednesday was a good start. If they figured out how to score goals for good this time – and how to shut the door a bit more on defense – then ending their lengthy playoff drought looks far more probable. But if they fail again, the responsibility will fall at the feet of Yzerman. 

Detroit must now prove whether they’re a playoff team or whether they’re a flawed group that desperately needed an infusion of talent by the deadline. They didn’t get it, and they could end up paying the price for it.

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.

Patience is often the most difficult virtue in hockey.

When a team makes a big trade for a young, talented defenseman like Jamie Drysdale, the expectations come swiftly. Everyone wants to see the payoff immediately—to witness the kind of electrifying, game-changing play that justifies the move.

But development is rarely linear, especially for defensemen. Injuries, system adjustments, and plain old growing pains all play a role in the process. And while Drysdale's journey to this point has required patience, the way he's playing lately makes one thing clear: it's all been worth the wait.

Over his recent stretch of games, Drysdale has started to look like the player the Flyers always believed he could be—a smooth-skating, dynamic puck-mover with the ability to dictate play from the back end. 

He's playing with confidence, making assertive decisions with the puck, and showing a more refined defensive presence than he had in the beginning of his time with the Flyers. 

For a 22-year-old blueliner still learning his craft, it's an exciting sign of things to come.

Adjusting to a New System Takes Time

When Drysdale was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in the blockbuster trade for Cutter Gauther in January 2024, it wasn't just a change of scenery—it was a complete overhaul of his hockey reality.

The Flyers play a structured, aggressive defensive system under John Tortorella, one that demands commitment, sharp reads, and physical engagement. That's a tough adjustment for any defenseman, let alone one who had spent his early formative NHL years in a very different setup with the Ducks.

To his credit, Drysdale never looked overtly out of place in the Flyers' system, but it was clear early on that he was thinking his way through the game rather than playing instinctively. He had all the tools—elite skating, strong passing, high hockey IQ—but the game wasn't flowing naturally for him yet. That's not uncommon for young defensemen, who often don't hit their stride until their mid-to-late 20s.

But recently, we're seeing the switch flip. The hesitation in his game is vanishing. He's trusting his instincts more, activating in the offensive zone without fear, and making cleaner reads in transition. Instead of deferring to simplet plays, he's embracing his natural ability to create offense from the back end. That's the player the Flyers envisioned when they brought him in.

Injuries Delayed His Development, But Not His Potential

It's easy to forget how much time Drysdale has lost to injuries in his young career. He played only eight games in the 2022-23 season due to a torn labrum in his shoulder. 

Then, just as he was finding his footing with the Flyers, he missed more time in 2024 when a hit in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins caused him to re-injure that same shoulder. He underwent surgery that summer, but those absences still matter—not just in terms of game action, but in missed opportunities to refine his game, build chemistry with teammates, and gain the invaluable experience that comes with consistent playing time.

Flyers defenceman Jamie Drysdale has gone to the dressing room after receiving a hit from Jansen Harkins. pic.twitter.com/Nr6mHiGoVR

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 25, 2024

In many ways, it's impressive that Drysdale has looked as good as he has despite these setbacks. Defensemen need reps to develop, and he simply hasn't had as many as some of his peers. That he's playing this well now, despite those lost seasons of growth, speaks volumes about his natural talent and work ethic.

Now, with a clean bill of health and regular minutes, we're seeing what he can do when given the chance to settle in. He's making crisp breakouts, holding the blue line with more authority, and even jumping into the rush more frequently. His skating—always one of his biggest assets—is allowing him to evade pressure and open up passing lanes, making him a vital piece of the Flyers' transition game.

The bottom line? The best is still yet to come. With a healthy run of games, Drysdale is only going to get better.

A Glimpse of the Future

What’s most exciting about Drysdale’s recent surge is what it signals for the Flyers moving forward. He’s still just 22, still learning the finer details of the defensive side of the game, but already showing glimpses of a player who can be a foundational piece of the blue line for years to come.

I don't know if there are going to be a ton of positives the rest of the way for the Flyers. But Jamie Drysdale sure looks like he's gonna be one of them. You can kinda see the light turning on in his head in real-time out there, trying to do more and pulling it off.

— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) March 12, 2025

With his skill set, there’s real potential for him to develop into the elite rover Tortorella has said multiple times he envisions Drysdale being. His ability to transport the puck with ease makes him a valuable asset in today’s fast-paced NHL, where teams prioritize quick transitions and puck-moving defensemen. The more he refines his defensive game, the more complete a player he’ll become.

"He's been playing really well," defensive partner Nick Seeler said of Drysdale. "His confidence has been a lot better. You can just see it in his skating ability—he's getting up the ice; his first instinct is usually the right one, and he's acting on that now. It's fun to see."

And perhaps most importantly, he’s fitting into the Flyers' identity. This is a team that prides itself on work ethic, resilience, and commitment to playing the right way. Drysdale has embraced that mindset, showing not just skill, but a willingness to battle, block shots, and play with an edge when needed. He’s not just a flashy offensive defenseman—he’s growing into a well-rounded player who can be trusted in all situations.

At the End of the Day

Jamie Drysdale’s emergence has been a process, but it’s one that is proving to be well worth the wait. 

After navigating injuries, adjusting to a new system, and simply needing time to develop, he’s starting to look like the player the Flyers envisioned when they traded for him. His confidence is growing, his game is evolving, and his impact is becoming more noticeable with each passing game.

For Flyers fans, that should be an exciting thought. Development takes time, but when a young defenseman with this much talent starts putting the pieces together, the payoff can be something special. 

And if Drysdale keeps trending the way he is, we might just be watching the foundation of a star being built in real time.

The Buffalo Sabres 7-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings was another in a long line of poor defensive performances this season. The Sabres allowed four third-period goals and three power-play markers, with Buffalo native Patrick Kane posting a five-point (2 goals, 3 assists) night. The loss was the 21st instance where they allowed five or more goals and the club is on pace to allow 291 goals this season.

"Some of the (defensive) zone turnovers, it's hard to recover from a couple of the plays we made." Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said after the game. "We got a little bit out of position on the one goal. (Detroit is a) good power play."

Pat Kane, 5-3 PPG #Sabrehood#LGRWpic.twitter.com/9K80bgNLoF

— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) March 13, 2025

The Sabres, with 18 games remaining, are a lock to miss the playoffs for the 14th straight year, and in their first season under Ruff, their young players have regressed instead of showing any signs of improvement.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen cannot be faulted for the club’s defensive downturn, but it is also apparent that he has not put forth the same level of performance as last season. In 48 starts this season, he has allowed 146 goals and has a sub .900 save percentage. Last season, in 54 games, he allowed 132 goals and posted a .910 save percentage.

Everyone upset and wrestlin' #Sabrehood#LGRWpic.twitter.com/cgxnYfQcAc

— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) March 13, 2025

With just over a month left on the schedule, all aspects of the Sabres organization have to be under intense scrutiny. The future of GM Kevyn Adams is tenuous, and with most clubs, his record would lead to a dismissal, but there are questions about whether owner Terry Pegula is ready to fire him. Ruff has a year remaining on a two-year contract, but the poor showing of the club has to call into question whether he should be back, and about the makeup of the roster and how the club can improve.

The Sabres will take on Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday afternoon.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo