The Colorado Avalanche aren't as dominant as they were at the beginning of the season, but they have a chance on Friday, March 20, to become the first team to clinch a 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs berth.

The Avalanche had only two regulation losses on Jan. 1. That's up to 13 now and the Dallas Stars are just two points back in the race for the Central Division title. But the early goodwill puts Colorado in position to clinch less than four weeks before the end of the regular season.

The Columbus Blue Jackets, surging after a coaching change, moved into a playoff position on Thursday night by improving to 17-2-4 under Rick Bowness. The New York Islanders dropped below the playoff line.

Here's what to know about the NHL standings, tiebreaker procedures and playoff field for the 2025-26 season:

Who can clinch today?

The Colorado Avalanche will clinch a playoff berth if they get at least one point against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.

NHL games today (Friday, March 20)

All times p.m. ET

• Carolina at Toronto, 7
• New Jersey at Washington, 7
• Colorado at Chicago, 8:30
• Florida at Calgary, 9
• Anaheim at Utah, 10

NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26

Metropolitan Division

• Carolina Hurricanes (92)
• Pittsburgh Penguis (84)
• Columbus Blue Jackets (83)

Atlantic Division

• Buffalo Sabres (92)
• Tampa Bay Lightning (88)
• Montreal Canadiens (84)

Wild card

• Boston Bruins (84)
• Detroit Red Wings (84)

Sitting out of playoff position: New York Islanders (83), Ottawa Senators (79), Philadelphia Flyers (78), Washington Capitals (76), New Jersey Devils (72), Florida Panthers (71), Toronto Maple Leafs (70), New York Rangers (64)

NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26

Central Division

• Colorado Avalanche (98)
• Dallas Stars (96)
• Minnesota Wild (90)

Pacific Division

• Anaheim Ducks (78)
• Edmonton Oilers (77)
• Vegas Golden Knights (76)

Wild card

• Utah Mammoth (78)
• Los Angeles Kings (72)

Sitting out of playoff position: Seattle Kraken (71), Nashville Predators (71), San Jose Sharks (70), Winnipeg Jets (67), St. Louis Blues (65), Chicago Blackhawks (64), Calgary Flames (61), Vancouver Canucks (50)

NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended

• Carolina (M1) vs Detroit (WC2)
• Pittsburgh (M2) vs. Columbus (M3)
• Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)
• Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card

NHL Western Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended 

• Colorado (C1) vs. Los Angeles (WC2)
• Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
• Anaheim (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
• Edmonton (P2) vs. Vegas (P3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card

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

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

1. Regulation wins
2. Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
3. Total wins
4. Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded.
5. Goal differential
6. Total goals

When does the NHL regular season end?

The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.

When do the NHL playoffs start?

The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are expected to begin on Saturday, April 18.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff standings, latest 2026 bracket, tiebreaker scenarios

The Colorado Avalanche are on the verge of becoming the first team to secure a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs this season, with a pivotal matchup set for Friday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.

With the postseason less than a month away—set to begin April 18—the Avalanche need just a single point against Chicago to officially punch their ticket to the playoffs. But Colorado will surely want more than an overtime or shootout consolation; they want, and need, a decisive victory over the Blackhawks, who enter the contest with the second-worst record in the NHL at 26-30-12.

The Avalanche may be facing a team that isn’t quite on their level, but Chicago has shown they can disrupt expectations. Colorado holds a slim two-point lead—a margin that once seemed unassailable but has shriveled since the Olympic break. That lead has continued to erode as the Avalanche have struggled, while the Dallas Stars have surged with an 8-1-1 run over their last 10 games. Meanwhile, Colorado has gone 6-3-1 in the same span and has dropped its last three games, including a 2-1 shootout loss to Dallas in their most recent outing at Ball Arena.

Previous Matchups Offer a Glimpse

These teams have already squared off twice this season, and in both instances, the Blackhawks demonstrated they can hang with the Avalanche.

The first matchup came on November 23 at the United Center. Scott Wedgewood stopped 22 shots to backstop a 1-0 Colorado victory, while Cale Makar scored the game’s lone goal. That contest marked only the 25th game of the season, and at that point, Colorado had suffered just one regulation loss—highlighting the Avalanche’s early-season dominance.

Waffleboarded ❌ pic.twitter.com/iYFVYcttt8

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) November 24, 2025

Fast forward to February 28 for their most recent meeting. Colorado was entering only its third game since the Olympic break and had lost four of its previous seven contests, signaling some midseason turbulence. Chicago struck first when Connor Bedard netted an early goal to take a 1-0 lead. But the Avalanche quickly regained control, responding with three unanswered goals over the next two frames to secure the win.

The Blackhawks managed just 15 shots on net that night, while Mackenzie Blackwood guarded Chicago’s crease, making Colorado’s path to victory appear controlled, yet far from effortless.

The Road Ahead

Colorado has 15 games remaining in the regular season, and in a league as unpredictable as the NHL, anything can happen. Under the playoff format, the division winner with the best record in each conference faces the wild-card team with the lesser record, while the wild-card team with the better record takes on the other division winner.

If the playoffs were to start today, the Avalanche would face the Los Angeles Kings, while the Anaheim Ducks would square off against the Utah Mammoth—a team quietly loaded with talent and rising stars.

With the division race tightening and the postseason looming, the Avalanche know there’s no room for complacency. It’s time to put the pedal to the metal.

Tonight’s game against Chicago kicks off at 8:30 p.m. ET at United Center.

Since their 2–1 win against the New Jersey Devils on December 14, the Vancouver Canucks have put up clips on social media showing their team-assigned player of the game award handoff. The award itself is a custom axe given to the team by Vancouver Firefighter Charities, which the Canucks brought into the locker room as “a symbol of all the first responders and what they do for [...] the city.” 

The axe has been distributed 10 times so far this season, with only one player earning it twice. Here’s a list of all the Canucks’ axe recipients since December 14. 

March 17vs. Florida Panthers: Kevin Lankinen 

21 saves on 23 shots

.913 SV% 

March 12vs. Nashville Predators: Filip Hronek 

Scored game-tying goal, 1A, 3 blocks

29:03 TOI 

March 6@ Chicago Blackhawks: Brock Boeser

2 G, 4 SOG 

19:31 TOI 

January 29vs. Anaheim Ducks: Nikita Tolopilo

32 saves on 32 shots

1.00 SV% 

January 21vs. Washington Capitals: Teddy Blueger 

First game back since Oct. 19 

3 SOG, 4 hits

18:24 TOI 

December 29@ Seattle Kraken: Conor Garland 

2 SOG, 1 block, 2 hits

16:15 TOI 

December 20@ Boston Bruins: Kevin Lankinen 

39 saves on 43 shots 

.907 SV% 

7/7 shootout attempts stopped

December 19@ New York Islanders: Tyler Myers 

1100th NHL game

1 SOG, 1 block

21:22 TOI 

December 16@ New York Rangers: Thatcher Demko 

23 saves on 23 shots

1.00 SV% 

December 14@ New Jersey Devils: Zeev Buium 

1G, 3 SOG

23:59 TOI 

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

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

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There are five games on the ice on Friday, March 20, and I’ve got three NHL player props to cover you through the night.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers leads off my NHL picks, with a big night for Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson, and Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin rounds out the betting card.

Best NHL player prop bets today

img alt="Get a first bet encore up to $800 with the BET99 promo code COVERSNHL" width="100%" loading="lazy" src="https://img.covers.com/promo-articles/bet99nhlcreative2526.jpeg"Get a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL.
(not available in Ontario)

Our best NHL player props for Friday, March 20

Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.

Prop #1: Nikolaj Ehlers Over 2.5 shots

-110 at BET99

Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers has recorded just five shots across his past four games despite registering 17 attempts, so I’m anticipating improvement to that miniscule 29.4% conversation rate given his 47.2% mark through the first 64 games of the season.

Of course, the Toronto Maple Leafs are also allowing shots in bunches with the most in the league for the year (32.2 per game), and an even higher 35.0 SOG out of the Olympic break.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NHL Network, Sportsnet Ontario

Prop #2: Logan Thompson Over 25.5 saves

-130 at BET99

Washington Capitals No. 1 Logan Thompson has found a groove with a .923 save percentage and 15.55 goals saved above expected across his past nine starts, including turning away 34 and 32 shots across his past two.

With the New Jersey Devils ranking fifth in the league with 30 shots per game, I’m anticipating Thompson piling up saves again tonight. 

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MSGSN, Sportsnet East

Prop #3: Valeri Nichushkin Over 0.5 points

-125 at BET99

Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin has primarily skated on the No. 1 line with Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas the past two games, and the trio hasn’t exactly clicked with just 1.31 expected goals despite a 67.4 Corsi For percentage at five-on-five.

With a script-flipping matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks on deck, I’m expecting Nichushkin to mark the scoresheet tonight.

After all, Chicago has surrendered a healthy 3.13 goals per game this season.

• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN, Sportsnet+

These props are available now at BET99, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

When Montreal Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes heard Noah Dobson was available to be had on the trade market, he didn’t hesitate, and he acquired the right-shot defenseman on draft day, even though it meant trading his two first-round picks and promising young forward Emil Heineman. After 68 games with the Sainte-Flanelle, the blueliner has shown Hughes that he was right to make the move, especially given the Canadiens’ lack of depth when it came to NHL-ready right-shot defenseman.

Dobson has put up 45 points in his first 68 games with the Habs, and he’s on pace for a 54-point season, which would be a big improvement on his totals from last year. Of course, when Hughes acquired him, it was because of how offensively gifted he is, but there’s more to his game than just that.

Canadiens’ St-Louis: Laine Is Not An Option
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Canadiens Talked Patrik Laine Trade With 2 Teams

While he’s not as defensively sound as he is offensively gifted, he’s still fully committed to the defensive side of the game. Right now, he’s second in the league in blocked shots with 163, just two behind the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Jake McCabe. He’s on pace for 197 blocked shots on the season; last year, he only had 126 with the New York Islanders.

He currently has a plus-10 rating, a significant improvement from the minus-16 he posted for the New York Islanders last season. Of course, there’s still room for improvement when it comes to his defensive game; he could definitely stand to throw his body around a bit more and use that big frame of his (6-foot-4, 200 lbs).

He’s only got 45 hits so far this season (14th on the team), and he’s able to dish out more than that. In 2023-24, he registered 84, and the Canadiens aren’t the most physical team out there, so they could use it. He could also use a bit more intensity in his net front battles; clearing the goaltender’s sightline is always a plus. Still, one must admit that Dobson is having an impressive season with the Canadiens and that he thrives in Martin St-Louis’ brand of hockey.

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Montreal Canadiens•Detroit Red Wings

St. Louis Blues rookie defenseman Theo Lindstein is experiencing his first bit of life in the NHL to end the 2025-26 season, and he’s showing he’s up for the task.

It’s been just five games, but the 21-year-old has shown a level of comfort that the Blues are more than pleased with. 

In these five games, Lindstein has recorded one assist, fired five shots on goal, thrown two hits, and blocked two shots while averaging 14:06 of ice time. His counting stats indicate he has impacted the game across multiple facets, and his analytics show he is helping guide the Blues to success.

According to naturalstattrick.com, the Blues are outscoring their opponents at 5-on-5, 3-2, with Lindstein on the ice. Additionally, they own 64.94 percent of the expected goals, 60 percent of the high-danger chances, and own a 57.72 CorsiFor percentage. 

Coach Jim Montgomery has done a solid job of putting Lindstein in advantageous situations, yet he’s feeling more comfortable putting him in defensive situations. Through his first five games, Lindstein has started eight shifts in the offensive zone, 18 in the neutral zone, and 14 in the defensive zone, while 64 have started on the fly. 

When looking at Lindstein’s AHL numbers with the Springfield Thunderbirds, some may have been deterred or thought he wasn’t ready. His six goals and 14 points in 56 games aren’t exactly eye-popping or league-shattering, but the six-foot defender was in the process of getting accustomed to North American hockey while trying to learn a new system.

Theo Lindstein's NHL Debut A Success For Blues Despite OT Loss To IslandersThe 2023 first-round pick (No. 29 overall) collected an assist in a 4-3 loss, moved pucks well and used his skating ability to fit in, which is a good sign moving forward

The adjustment took some time, but once he found his game, he excelled, and now, he’s proving it at the NHL level. 

Lindstein has played nearly every second of his NHL career alongside Colton Parayko. While they might be different players physically and stylistically, Parayko is a great defender for a rookie to start his career with and learn from. While the lessons he can learn from Parayko are worth it on their own, the fact that their numbers are great together is a positive sign.

With Justin Faulk gone, there’s a vacancy on the blueline, and Lindstein is showing that he is ready for it. He’ll have to prove himself in training camp before next season, as players like Adam Jiricek are expected to compete for that roster spot, but his play during this call-up is showing a lot of positive signs to coach Montgomery. 

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The Florida Panthers are set to visit the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome tonight.

My top Panthers vs. Flames predictions and NHL picks are calling for Calgary to show up and keep things low-scoring on Friday, March 20.

Panthers vs Flames prediction

Panthers vs Flames best bet: Under 5.5 (+100)

The Calgary Flames draw the Florida Panthers on the second leg of a back-to-back road set after the Cats topped Edmonton in a Stanley Cup rematch on Thursday.

This sets up as a great schedule spot for Calgary, which has allowed the fourth-fewest goals per game on home ice (2.7). Meanwhile, the Flames have also scored the fewest goals per game overall (2.44).

With Calgary also hitting the Under in 15 of its last 25 games, I’m expecting another low-scoring matchup between these two teams.

Panthers vs Flames same-game parlay

This is a potential letdown spot for a Florida roster that’s also missing multiple key veterans.

On the opposite bench, Calgary has a number of players pushing to establish NHL jobs for next season. The Flames are also a respectable 17-12-4 at home for the season.

Turning to Calgary rookie Matvei Gridin, he’s picked up two or more shots in 11 of his past 15 games. The 2024 first-round selection has made a quick jump to the highest level, and his consistent shot volume has been a spark for the Flames during a tough stretch.

Panthers vs Flames SGP

• Flames moneyline
• Under 5.5
• Matvei Gridin Over 1.5 shots

Panthers vs Flames odds

• Moneyline: Panthers -110 | Flames -110
• Puck Line: Panthers -1.5 (+220) | Flames +1.5 (-275)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-120) | Under 5,5 (+100)

Panthers vs Flames trend

Calgary has hit the Under in 15 of its last 25 games (+6.10 Units / 22% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Flames.

How to watch Panthers vs Flames

Panthers vs Flames latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Friend and Predators reporter Alex Daugherty is back to talk about Vladimir Orszagh, a Slovakian import who was undervalued as an Islander but was instrumental to establishing Nashville’s – and Alex’s – love for hockey.

The late 1990’s were a terrible time for the Islanders. The loses were many and prospects had little support in advancing to the NHL. After a few dozen unimpressive games in North America, young Vladimir Orszagh took a sabbatical to Europe for a season, then returned to the NHL with the fourth-year Predators. There, he became a consistent scorer and joined with fellow Euros Denis Arkhipov and Martin Erat to form “The Vowel Line,” the first named unit in Nashville’s ice history. The trio helped the Predators make the playoffs for the first time and showed that with a good, hardworking team, hockey in Music City could work.

For Alex, a Predators fan since high school when they played their very first game, Orszagh is among the most important players in the team’s early history. He tells us about skipping out of work to see a 1-0 win with Orszagh scoring the lone goal, how he helped the team and fanbase grow in a new market, and about his legacy in Nashville to this day. We also talk about Orszagh’s international career, which includes being on one of the sickest rosters ever conceived and serving as the head coach of a Slovakian team that made some noise at the recent Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy.

We can’t thanks Alex enough for coming on again, telling us these great stories and saying such nice things about the show. You should be reading him for all things Predators in The Tennessean and elsewhere. We also have a Weird Islanders Extra! bonus episode with him as well, where we share some weird stories about our teams’ respective owners.

WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL

• Written proof of two of Orszagh’s three goals for the Islanders, which happened during one of the franchise’s most woeful seasons. In 1999-00, he scored in a 4-2 loss to the Habs amidst a 2-9-1 stretch at home. Later that season, he beat Glenn Healy in a 2-1 loss to the Maple Leafs in which Darcy Tucker severely injured Steve Thomas. Shocking.
• Orszagh signed with Nashville as a free agent in 2001. He had 15 goals for the fourth year Predators, and counted as a legit offensive threat for them. They signed him to an extension and he gave them 16 goals in each of the next two seasons. 
• He scored twice in Nashville’s first ever playoff series, a six game loss to Detroit in 2004. He tied Game 2 and slid face-first into the goal post.

• Then in Game 4, he scored the second of three Predators goals in a 3-0 series-tying shutout. Great, uh, call by Pierre McGuire here. Way to keep your eye on the puck, man.

• After playing in the IHL and the Swedish Elite League, Orszagh was claimed by the Blues off waivers.
• Orszagh was part of Slovakia’s 2002 IIHF gold medal winning team, which had an undeniably sick roster of early 2000’s NHLers, many of whom had Islanders connections: Him, Zigmund Palffy, Miroslav Satan and Lubomir Visnovsky. Here’s the documentary about it.

• The whole reason we’re doing this: Orszagh coached Team Slovakia at this year’s Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. They finished fourth after losing in the bronze medal game to Finland.

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What makes a “Weird Islander?”

We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:

• Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
• Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.

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With a big divisional game against Detroit looming on Saturday night, you could be forgiven for worrying that the Bruins might overlook a home game against a fading Winnipeg Jets team.

However, the B’s showed up and then some, jumping out to a 4-0 second period lead before eventually gliding to a 6-1 win at TD Garden.

The B’s got goals from six different players, including Lukas Reichel, who scored on a fortuitous bounce in his Bruins debut.

Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves in the win, earning himself a First Star for his efforts.

After a scoreless start to the first period, David Pastrnak got the scoring started when he collected a loose puck out of mid-air and beat Connor Hellebuyck to make it 1-0 Bruins.

Hellebuyck was in the spotlight for the next Bruins goal, when he failed to collect a wraparound that ended up on Reichel’s stick for a chip-in to make it 2-0 Bruins.

Viktor Arvidsson was the beneficiary of a puck that ramped off a stick and looped up and behind Hellebuyck to make it 3-0 Bruins late in the second period.

Pavel Zacha continued his hot streak with a laser to beat Hellebuyck and make it 4-0 Bruins in the third period.

Jonathan Toews got the Jets on the board with a nice tip-in goal on the power play to make it 4-1 Bruins just two minutes after Zacha’s goal.

Fraser Minten restored the four-goal lead off a great spinning pass from Pastrnak to make it 5-1 Bruins late in the third.

Jonathan Aspirot added insult to injury, beating Hellebuyck with a wicked shot to make it 6-1 Bruins.

And that was that! Bruins win, 6-1, sweeping the season series with Winnipeg.

Game notes

• While the final score makes the entire game seem like a blowout, it’s worth noting that this was a 2-0 game until the last two minutes of the second period. Swayman played well for the Bruins, making 16 saves in the first two periods, including a highlight-reel stop.
• Those second and third goals by the Bruins are the kind of weird goals that feel like your team doesn’t get them when they’re struggling but does when things are going OK. I think back to weird moments like the stick-snap in the game against Florida that went against the B’s, or Charlie McAvoy blowing an edge in OT against the Devils. Tonight, the bounces went the Bruins’ way, but they also deserve credit for building on the lead after those bounces.
• David Pastrnak is up to 4G-4A-8PTS totals in his last five games, as he had a goal and an assist tonight. Countryman Pavel Zacha is right on his heels in that same stretch, with 4G-2A-6PTS totals.
• Lukas Reichel is so new to the B’s that he doesn’t even have a photo on the NHL website. SOMEONE GET THE KID A CAMERA. While he benefited from Hellebuyck’s misplay, he showed good speed and instincts to get himself into he right spot to make a play.
• All six Bruins goals were scored at even strength, as they came up empty in one power play opportunity.
• While we’re all tired of hearing about “this is a big game,” this was a pretty big win for the Bruins given other results. Ottawa, Detroit, Columbus, and Philadelphia all won on Thursday night, meaning the B’s didn’t really gain much ground. Both the Bruins and Red Wings are now tied on points with Montreal, while Columbus and the Islanders are a point behind. The Isles actually fell out of the playoff picture based on a games-played tiebreaker with Columbus, so…it’s getting tight!

The B’s will be back in action in Detroit on Saturday night, a primetime 8 PM Eastern start on ABC.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have certainly changed the expectations for themselves this season. When the 2025-26 season began, most people were anticipating a bad team, going through a long season that was going to put them closer to the top of the NHL Draft Lottery than the top of the NHL standings. But as we enter the stretch run of the regular season, they remain in second-place in the Metropolitan Division with an excellent chance of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

At this point the playoffs are the expectation. As they should be given the way they have played and the position they have put themselves in with the standings. This is a good team, and the expectations should be treated as such. But whether they make the playoffs or not, and whether they do anything if and when they get there, this season is still part of a rebuild and the long-term outlook is still important. Very important. There have been some significant long-term developments that should be seen as highly encouraging.

The most significant of those developments remains the performance of 18-year-old rookie center Ben Kindel.

He scored another big goal for the Penguins on Wednesday night, helping them secure an important point on the road against the Carolina Hurricanes. It is his 17th goal of the season in just 65 games, putting him on a pace for around 20 goals for the season.

That would be a significant number to reach as an 18-year-old rookie going right to the NHL in his draft year. The list of players that have done that in the modern era is both pretty short, and also a significant who’s who list of stars.

Even 17 goals is a big number for somebody his age.

Going back over the past 30 years, only 15 players have scored at least 17 goals in their age 18 season. Most 18-year-olds are not even a serious option for the NHL, and the ones that do make the NHL do not hold their own enough to get more than a nine-game look in the league before being sent back to Juniors or taken out of the lineup.

Kindel not only proved himself enough to stay and become a regular part of the lineup, he has become a significant contributor. He is not a passenger on a good team. He is one of the reasons this is a good team.

It is also relatively uncharted territory for a player drafted where he was to be this good, this productive, and this important so soon.

Of the 15 players that have matched his goal total at this age, the overwhelming majority of them were players picked with a top-two pick in the draft.

The list and each player’s draft position:

• No. 1: Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, Steven Stamkos, Ilya Kovalchuk, Connor Bedard, Matthew Schaefer, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Rick Nash
• No. 2: Andrei Svechnikov, Patrik Laine, Jordan Staal
• No. 3: Marian Gaborik
• No. 4:
• No. 5:
• No. 6:
• No. 7: Jeff Skinner
• No. 8:
• No. 9:
• No. 10:
• No. 11: Ben Kindel
• No. 12:
• No. 13:
• No. 14:
• No. 15:

Unless you are a top-two pick, you really do not step right into the NHL in your draft year and make this sort of impact. The fact the Penguins got Kindel where they did, and that he has been as good as he has, is a huge score for the team’s front office and perhaps even the type of good luck they needed to really accelerate any sort of a rebuild.

It is not just the goal numbers that are significant, either. It is also the fact he is simply legitimately a good player that has taken on so many roles and been such a major contributor outside of the offense.

Of the 16 Penguins skaters that have played at least 500 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey he ranks third in shot attempt share, seventh in expected goal share, seventh in scoring chance share and fourth in high-danger scoring chance share.

Since the start of the 2007-08 season when such data started to be tracked, he is one of just two 18-year-olds that have scored at least 17 goals and had a shot-attempt share of more than 52 percent (Andrei Svechnikov is the other).

He has taken on more of a penalty killing role as the season has gone on, and entering play on Friday ranks first on the team in goals against per 60 minutes and expected goals against per 60 minutes when he is on the ice in shorthanded situations.

In most years he would be a serious contender for the Calder Trophy as the league’s Rookie of the Year, but I feel like Matthew Schaefer has such a lock on that award that it is not even worth discussing. But Kindel should still get significant votes and at least be worthy of a top-five finish.

I am still not sure what his long-term upside and ceiling is, but the company he is keeping right now in his first year is impressive. He may not be a franchise-changing player on the level of a Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon or Macklin Celebrini, but he at least looks like a long-term, cornerstone player that can be a foundational piece for a contending team. That is the most important development of this season. Perhaps even more than anything the team as a whole does.

Well, never mind about that. 

After a promising stretch of wins and a tightly contested loss to the Buffalo Sabres, the Vegas Golden Knights suffered a heavy setback on Thursday night, falling 4-0 to the Utah Mammoth. The defeat marked Vegas’ second consecutive shutout loss and the third this month, highlighting ongoing challenges both offensively and defensively.

Three unanswered goals in the first period from Utah runs Adin Hill out of the net 🫣 pic.twitter.com/fKAX10deWs

— Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) March 20, 2026

Adin Hill Needs Help

Vegas goaltender Adin Hill was given a sixth consecutive start by head coach Bruce Cassidy, adding to a heavy workload accumulated over the past week. The decision, aimed at maintaining consistency in net, proved costly. Utah struck early, scoring three goals on three shots within the first eight minutes, putting the Golden Knights in a significant deficit that persisted for most of the game.

The first two goals were partly the result of defensive lapses, including leaving Clayton Keller unmarked, while the third highlighted Hill’s positioning, as he was unable to react quickly enough to a high-percentage scoring chance.

Hill was replaced following the third goal, with backup Akira Schmid stepping in. The early concession of goals underscored the need for a reliable goaltending tandem in Vegas. With Carter Hart reportedly nearing a return from injury, competition for the starting role could intensify in the coming weeks, though Hart’s injury history raises questions about his long-term availability.

Offensive Struggles Persist

Offensively, the Golden Knights were unable to generate consistent pressure against Utah. While expected goals models, such as Moneypuck, suggested over four scoring chances, the team struggled to convert zone entries into meaningful opportunities. Many shot attempts were blocked or misfired, and high-danger scoring chances were rare.

The power play, limited to just two opportunities, failed to make an impact, while the penalty kill remained a positive element, successfully neutralizing all Utah advantages with disciplined execution. Vegas also registered a few unlucky bounces, including shots off the post, further limiting offensive production.

Implications

The loss extends Vegas’ recent record to seven wins in the last 22 games, highlighting the team’s inconsistency. Since January 19, the Golden Knights are 0-12-1 when allowing the first goal, emphasizing the importance of strong starts and reliable goaltending. With playoff positioning still in contention, the team must address the defensive lapses and offensive inefficiencies exposed against Utah while managing the workload for Hill and Hart moving forward.

It could have been a night to forget. Goal after goal after goal was called back on coaches’ challenges—a series of gut-punches that might have rattled even the most seasoned competitors.

Yet the Calgary Flames stayed composed. They stuck to the game plan, and in the end, they walked away with two points from their homestand opener against St. Louis two nights ago.

Tonight, the team hopes to reproduce that success, though anyone in the locker room would likely prefer a cleaner 60-minute performance.

“We do have good character, we have good people in our room,” Flames Head Coach Ryan Huska said after the St. Louis game when asked about his team’s resilience. “I thought we stayed with it, even though the three (goals) were taken back.

“And I thought we stood up for each other as well, which was maybe the most important thing for me, was the way they kept connected on that side of the game.”

Zary Continues to Impress

Forward Connor Zary was a bright spot Wednesday against the Blues. The Saskatoon native not only scored the game’s first goal, but his slick stick handling also set up a Yegor Sharangovich goal that was later overturned by video review.

Huska noted that Zary has steadily improved throughout the season, particularly after battling injury setbacks in the second half of 2024-25.

Zary is precisely the type of player who could cement a bigger role as the regular season winds down, and that’s exactly what Huska wants to identify: players who can elevate their performance and help the team move forward.

Panthers On Winning Streak

Florida comes to Calgary following a 4-0 shutout of the Edmonton Oilers Thursday night at Rogers Place. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped all 21 shots for the win, while Cole Reinhardt, former Flame A.J. Greer, Anton Lundell, and Carter Verhaeghe supplied the offense.

The victory marked the 454th of Bobrovsky’s NHL career, tying him with Curtis Joseph for seventh-most wins by a goaltender in league history.

Despite being three games over .500, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions remain 13 points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Injuries have plagued the roster all season: Captain Aleksander Barkov has not played since last June’s Stanley Cup Final, and key forwards Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart did not make the trip west.

Reinhart leads the team with 61 points this season, while among the players on Thursday’s ice in Edmonton, former Flame Sam Bennett tops the lineup with 53 points. Florida’s win marked their first on a four-game Pacific Division road swing, which concludes in Calgary tonight.

Flames Seek Series Sweep 

Although the Panthers carry some momentum into tonight’s game, Calgary will look to complete a season-series sweep after a 5-3 victory at Amerant Bank Arena in late November. That Black Friday matchup saw five different Flames find the scoresheet—including Yan Kuznetsov, who recorded his first NHL goal—helping the team erase an early 2-0 deficit.

The Flames have now won six consecutive home games against Florida, a streak that dates back to the 2018-19 season.

Flames to Keep an Eye 

After 23 games this season, Zayne Parekh has tallied just two assists, highlighting the growing pains of adapting to the NHL. While his offensive instincts show flashes of potential, his overall game is still developing, and he has yet to find the consistency needed to make a sustained impact at the professional level. Despite the obvious struggles, he has been steadily increasing his ice time in recent weeks, so we'll see if the additional playing time improves his game. If not, it might be time to send him down to the AHL.

Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman have been key contributors for Calgary against the Panthers in recent matchups. Backlund has tallied one goal and two assists over his last three games versus Florida, while Coleman has added a goal and an assist during the same stretch. Florida has dropped two of their last three meetings with Calgary, though in the second-to-last contest on March 1, 2025, the Panthers earned a 3-0 shutout victory.

Tonight's game starts at 7 p.m. local time. 

On Saturday, the New York Islanders conclude their three-game road trip against the Montreal Canadiens before returning home to host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night.

After falling 3-2 to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, the Islanders find themselves out of a playoff spot, giving every game going forward that must-win feeling.

Islanders head coach Patrick Roy, in tandem with goaltending coach Sergei Naumovs, has a major decision to make about who starts each game.

Now, there are a few different mindsets.

With the Blue Jackets now the team the Islanders are trying to catch in the standings, giving Sorokin that game feels automatic.

So that would mean backup David Rittich should get Montreal, right?

Not exactly. 

With the way Roy works — most NHL teams, really — the focus is always on the next game on the schedule, nothing else.

The Islanders aren't focused on Columbus. All their focus is on beating Montreal.

So, Sorokin should get that game and go from there.

There is a world where Sorokin gets both games of the back-to-back.

It's not a decision that will be made prior to Saturday's result. But the reality is, Sorokin gives the Islanders the best chance to win, even on short rest.

Sorokin has not played both games of a back-to-back this season, while Rittich did so on Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, when Sorokin was out injured.

However, Sorokin has played both games of a back-to-back before. Last season, Sorokin played both games of a back-to-back four times, going 2-2-0 on the front ends and 3-1-0 on the second ends.

Again, the focus is on Montreal. 

The Buffalo Sabres brought in multiple new players ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. Sam Carrick was among them, as the Sabres acquired the veteran forward from the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick.

Now, early on in his Sabres tenure, there is no question that Carrick is playing some strong hockey for the Atlantic Division club.

In seven games with the Sabres since the trade, Carrick has four goals, one assist, 11 hits, a 60.0 faceoff winning percentage, and a plus-3 rating. With this, he has been providing the Sabres with solid secondary scoring, grit, and help at the dot early on in his time with the club. 

Carrick also just had a strong game for the Sabres in their 5-0 win over the San Jose Sharks, as he scored two goals. 

With this, it is hard not to be happy with what Carrick is providing the Sabres early on. If he continues to play this well down the stretch, he will end up being an excellent addition for Buffalo. 

ST. PAUL, Minn. — For Hunter Haight, the moment finally came after a long wait. Despite the loss, in the Minnesota Wild's (39-19-12) game against the Chicago Blackhawks (26-30-12).

Skating in just his sixth NHL game of the season, and his first in over two months, Haight recorded his first career NHL point. A milestone that every young player imagines long before it becomes reality.

“Yeah, definitely something you dream of as a kid,” Haight said. “It’s nice to get the first one.”

The buildup to the moment wasn’t without its quirks. Haight joked that he avoided a tough morning skate bag skate after being informed of his call-up ahead of time.

Kirill Kaprizov was on the ice for morning skate, testing out his injury. He came off the ice and later told the staff he was not going to play. The Wild then let Haight know to get off the ice and that he would be playing.

“They actually let me know before that happened, so I was able to get off the ice,” he said with a smile.

Once the puck dropped, Haight didn’t look out of place. In addition to his first point, he put together a couple of strong shifts and even drew a penalty, small details that reflect growing confidence at the NHL level.

Still, the milestone came in a losing effort, something Haight kept in perspective.

“I mean, I think we did a lot of good things,” he said. “At the end of the day, our chances didn’t go in and theirs did. Just move on to the next one.”

In the second period, he set up Nico Sturm for the goal, which put the Wild within one. It happeded to be the first ever point for the rookie in his second professional season.

“It’s great. Really happy for Hunter," Wild head coach John Hynes said. "He’s developed his game. I think (Greg) Cronin and those guys have done a good job down there with him and you’ve seen progressive growth from him. This is basically the end of his second year pro. So, he looked quick, strong and confident. He was pretty good in the faceoff circle."

Haight's mindset has been shaped during his time in the American Hockey League with Iowa, where Haight has spent the bulk of the last two seasons developing his game. While the numbers may not always jump off the page, the growth behind the scenes has been steady.

“Yeah, for sure, I think I’ve been developing these last two years pretty well,” Haight said. “The American League obviously helps with that. So, yeah, no, it’s good.”

For prospects like Haight, the AHL serves as a proving ground, a place to refine details, adjust to the pro pace and build the habits needed to stick at the NHL level.

His performance in this call-up, capped by that first point, is a sign that the development path is starting to translate.

"You see that with young players, where they get opportunities, then they go back down," Hynes said. "I think he’s put in some work. I think the coaching staff has done a good job with him, and it’s nice to see a young guy come up and play the way that he did. So, that’s good for him.”

It may have taken time to get back into the lineup, but for Haight, the first NHL point is now in the books and likely just the beginning.

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