Reilly Smith is coming to the end of a three-year, $5M contract he signed with the Vegas Golden Knights, but maintains he wants to remain a Golden Knight. 

The team held their end-of-season press conferences today, two days after the Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Golden Knights in Game 5 of the second round. The conclusion of the offseason brings new questions and challenges for the players and coaches, but more importantly, the management staff. 

Heading into the offseason, the Golden Knights roster six UFAs and three RFAs. One of those six UFAs includes Smith, a long-time Golden Knight whom they traded in the offseason after winning the Stanley Cup. The move was purely for salary cap reasons, and when the right moment occurred, the franchise reacquired the 34-year-old. Upon returning, Smith fit in like a glove. He and William Karlsson renewed their electric chemistry on the penalty kill and at 5-on-5, and Smith went on to score three goals and 11 points in 21 regular season games.

He chipped in an additional three goals and four points in 11 postseason games, maintaining his attentiveness to the defensive side of the puck. His best seasons have come while wearing the Golden Knights crest, and he isn't all that ready to move on. 

"If there's an opportunity to stay here, that would be great," said Smith. "I think the best hockey I've played in my career has been wearing this jersey."

He went on to mention how much he loves the city and how his family loves it too. The Mimico, On., native has played 919 career games, closing in on 1000, mentioning he'd love to achieve that in Vegas.

"I would like to play 1000 games in my career, and to do it in this jersey would mean a lot."

The Golden Knights fell short of their goal, and Smith knows that, but when he looks around the locker room, the possibility of making another run still exists in his eyes. 

"It was a fun few months, but it obviously wasn’t where we wanted to go. I think you need a lot of things to go right to challenge for the Stanley Cup. We just fell short."

At his age and where his production currently sits, Smith won't earn anywhere close to his current $5M salary, but cutting his salary under $2M will keep him on a cost-efficient contract and allow the Golden Knights to seek upgrades to their roster with the additional cap space. 

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

At the beginning of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, this writer picked the Toronto Maple Leafs to beat the Florida Panthers in seven games. 

While the Maple Leafs still can make that prediction accurate with a win in Game 6 Friday in Florida, the way the Maple Leafs played in Game 5 – or more to the point, the way they did not play in that game – we’re now of the opinion the Leafs will lose in seven games.

Isn’t that exactly what we’ve come to see from this core group of Leafs? We’re probably going to see them win Game 6, just to give their long-suffering fans some hope. But if they can extend the series, it would be just like these Leafs to lose another Game 7.

To be sure, there are things the Maple Leafs can do to win their next two games – things we saw in Games 1 and 2, when they beat the Panthers to establish a 2-0 series lead.

For one thing, the Leafs established their offensive presence early in the games. 

In Game 1, Toronto outshot Florida 14-3 in the first period and had a 2-0 lead 12:51 into the opening frame, eventually winning the contest 5-4. In Game 2, after the Panthers scored the first goal of the game, the Leafs answered back to tie it and built a 3-2 lead in an eventual 4-3 Toronto win.

Those performances gave Leafs fans hope that this year would be different, that the Buds would somehow get to the Eastern Conference final for the first time since 2002. But those hopes have evaporated after Florida roared back to win the next three games, outscoring the Leafs 13-5. 

While there wasn’t always a connection between the number of shots on net the two teams were putting up – Toronto matched Florida in Game 5 with 32 shots apiece in the game that ended with a demoralizing 6-1 drubbing – it was the quality of shots that told the story. 

Indeed, the Panthers were far superior when it came to limiting Toronto shots to the periphery, preventing second and third follow-up scoring opportunities, and allowing Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to build confidence in allowing only one goal in Games 4 and 5 combined.

And now, because of their inability to close out the series, the Maple Leafs are tasked with the near-impossible challenge of winning two games in a row yet again in this series. That’s why we’re seriously skeptical that, even if Toronto does win Game 6, they’ll eliminate the Panthers in a Game 7. Far more likely is the possibility that the Leafs either lose Game 6 or lay an egg in Game 7. 

NHL Rumor Roundup: Latest On The Maple Leafs, Golden Knights And AvalancheA crushing 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of their second-round series has the Toronto Maple Leafs facing elimination on Friday. 

If the Buds do fail to come back and win this series, the anger among Leafs fans will be hellacious and justified, and major roster changes will follow this summer. At the beginning of the season, Leafs players and management knew the stakes that were in play – get out of the second round, or get out of town – so there’s no sense of surprise that the mix of talent could change drastically for Toronto this summer.

It feels that bleak for Leafs fans, and while stranger things have happened than a Leafs comeback in this showdown, the likelihood that an era is coming to an end for the Blue and White is unmistakable.

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It’s been a very busy week in the world of the National Hockey League.

Between the Stanley Cup Playoffs moving toward the conference finals and head coaching and front office vacancies being filled, there was a lot to get to on this week’s episode of The Hockey Show.

Joining hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork to talk some playoff puck was friend of the show Adnan Virk from Prime Monday Night Hockey on Amazon.

First and foremost, the Florida Panthers are on the brink of advancing to their third straight conference final.

After falling behind 0-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs in their second-round series, Florida has come storming back with three straight wins and can eliminate the Leafs with a Game 6 victory on Friday.

Waiting for the Panthers in round three are the Carolina Hurricanes, the most boring team to ever play hockey. Jokes aside, the Hurricanes are leaning into their identity and hoping for a rematch of the 2023 conference final in which they lost to Florida in four straight.

Among other topics were the Oilers and Hurricanes advancing to their respective conference finals, Ken Holland being hired as the new GM in Los Angeles and a pair of coaching vacancies in Vancouver and Philadelphia being filled.

You can check out the full episode in the video below:

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After playing for one season in his native Russia, former Nashville Predators draft pick Egor Afanasyev may be back stateside in 2025-26.

The 24-year-old, whose deal with CSKA Moscow of the KHL was mutually terminated after the 2024-25 season, is now eligible to return to North America and sign with the San Jose Sharks. The Predators traded Afanasyev to San Jose last offseason when he became a restricted free agent, so his rights are still owned by the Sharks.

The Predators selected Afanasyev in the second round (No. 45 overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, and he spent three years in Nashville's system. A steady performer for the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, he had 54 points (27 goals, 27 assists) in 56 games in 2023-24. However, Afanasyev wasn't able to put it together at the NHL level, scoring just one goal in 19 games for the Predators.

Afanasyev's season in Moscow wasn't overly impressive, as he notched just seven goals and 14 assists through 53 games. He became an impact player in the postseason, however, recording four points in six playoff games.

If Anasyev does decide to give it another go with San Jose, he will be waiver-eligible if he doesn't secure a spot on the Sharks' roster. 

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Everything about the Washington Capitals in 2024-25 was a feel-good story. Until, of course, they ran into the buzzsaw known as the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Capitals' vaunted offense dried up, and they bowed out meekly, scoring just six non-empty-net goals in five games against a red-hot Frederik Andersen.

It was an enormous missed opportunity for the Capitals, who almost certainly will not have the confluence of great mojo they experienced this season ever again.

The off-season moves made by then-GM Brian MacLellan all worked out wonderfully, and almost every player on the roster had a career year. Alex Ovechkin chased, and passed, Wayne Gretzky's goal-scoring record, which brought a focus on both the Capitals and the NHL.

But what now? Logic would suggest that there's no way all those players are going to outperform their career numbers again. Some might, but not all of them. A regression looks to be in the cards here. The only question is how dramatic and quick it is.

Watch today's video column for more.

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Promo image credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

EDMONTON – The waiting game.

No one likes to wait, least of all hockey players. The Edmonton Oilers will have a breather while the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars duke it out to determine who will play Edmonton.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

In the meantime, that provides something injured players desperately need: time. Time to recover, rehab, and get back into game shape.

On Friday morning, Kris Knoblauch updated the press on Mattias Ekholm's and Calvin Pickard's status heading into the third round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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Oilers Now Wait For Their Next OpponentEDMONTON – That’s all she wrote.

Calvin Pickard

Pickard has been injured since Game 2 of the Oilers series against the Vegas Golden Knights. He finished the game, securing his sixth consecutive victory during this postseason.

Knoblauch said he won’t be available early on in the series, but he did say that he should return in the middle of the third round.

Mattias Ekholm

Ekholm has been injured for a while now, and his prognosis has been poor. Now, the Oilers appear to be getting some good news regarding his situation.

Knoblauch said that Ekholm would not be available for Games 1 or 2. He’s optimistic that Ekholm will return in the third round and describes him as “day-to-day.”

If the Oilers could get Pickard and Ekholm back for Game 3 or 4 of the third round, that would be a huge morale boost for the team. If not, they can keep trucking along with the current roster.

After all, they did finish off the Golden Knights without them.

Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features Edmonton Oilers right winger Corey Perry, who turns 40 on May 16.

Perry has played for six different teams in his NHL career, including 14 years for the Anaheim Ducks. The Stanley Cup champion also has a Hart Trophy and Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy win in his career.

Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media.  And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.    

Promo image credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs aim to force Game 7 as they trail 3-2, heading to Florida for a must-win Game 6 against the Panthers on Friday

One of the most important games in the recent history of the Toronto Maple Leafs as they stare down a daunting 3-2 series hole to the defending champions in the Florida Panthers.

The odds are stacked against them as only ten teams in history have come back and won a series after winning the first two games before dropping three straight.

A loss for the Buds on Friday would be the first time this season that they lost four straight games and with the way game five went, they should respond with a much better effort. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 38-29 record on our last 67 picks, including perfect records during Game 1 and 4 of the Maple Leafs-Senators series. 

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

More NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Best Bets:

• Under 5.5 goals (-105)
• Panthers Under 3.5 goals (-128)
• Sergei Bobrovsky Over 22.5 saves (-102)

The game got out of hand for Toronto in game five and because of it the over hit with the Panthers continuing to pile on to a emotionally defeated Leafs team. 

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I expect a much better response on defence as they will be playing for their playoff lives and put extra effort on the back end to prevent another blow up performance. 

It should lead to a busy night for netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, who has made 23 or more saves in three of the five games this series and with Toronto desperately looking to extend the series, I expect him to do it once again. 

Florida should respond with a similar type game as they will work extra hard to close out this series and punch their ticket to the Conference Finals versus Carolina. The home atmosphere has proven to be a massive advantage for the Panthers with a league-best 17-9 home playoff record over the last three postseasons. 

Their goals per game isn't especially terrifying during that stretch at three on average but their 2.54 goals against average is one of the best. It should mean a challenging night for the already-struggling Leafs offence that has just one goal over the last two games. 

Toronto typically finishes playoff series with tight, low-scoring games. For instance, their game seven against Boston last season ended with just three total goals. In their final game against Florida in 2023, only five goals were scored and their 2022 series-ending loss to Tampa Bay, totaled just three goals in game seven.

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This trend has been with the Buds in six of their last eight postseason runs dating back to 2017 so expect them to tighten up when they need to. The Panthers should find a way to win but it will be narrow and certainly not with four or more goals. 

On May 16, 2024, the Vancouver Canucks fought hard to secure a 3–2 Game 5 win against the Edmonton Oilers. With the victory, Vancouver took a 3–2 series lead, giving them the opportunity to close their second-round matchup out in Edmonton the game after. While the result ultimately didn’t go in Vancouver’s favour, at the time, belief was high in the Canucks. 

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The Oilers opened the scoring in this game, with Evander Kane grabbing his third of the playoffs less than five minutes into the first period. Vancouver appeared to have tied it up near the end of the first period off a goal from Carson Soucy, but Mattias Janmark found the back of the net 23 seconds after. By the end of the first period, the score fell 2–1 in the Oilers’ favour. 

Luckily for Vancouver, Edmonton’s two first-period tallies were the extent of their scoring for the night. Part of this was due to Vancouver’s perfect penalty kill, which stopped the Oilers from capitalizing on all five of their man-advantages. Another layer to the Canucks’ success was their ability to generate more chances than the Oilers. Vancouver finished the game with 35 shots on net, while Edmonton only had 23. Despite the close score, it was clear that the Canucks put as much as they could into this victory. 

Vancouver’s game-tying goal came during the second period, when Phil Di Giuseppe beat Calvin Pickard just over five minutes in. The game remained 2–2 for the rest of the second period as well as the bulk of the third. However, with 31.9 seconds left in regulation, J.T. Miller nabbed what would ultimately be the game-winning goal for the Canucks, sending Rogers Arena into a frenzy. While this was the last playoff win that Canucks fans would see in 2024, it was definitely one of the most memorable. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

His Vegas Golden Knights were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs on Wednesday, and on Friday morning, William Karlsson announced that he was heading home to Sweden to play for his country at the IIHF World Championship.

He will arrive in Stockholm on Sunday, Expressen.se reports. That should put him in the Swedish lineup for the team’s final Group A game on Tuesday against Canada, with first place probably on the line.

“Of course, it’s a very bitter feeling,” Karlsson said about the Knights’ second-round elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers. “I think we have a good team, so getting knocked out this early is really tough.”

However, Karlsson is excited to be joining a strong Swedish squad and said that he feels healthy since returning from LTIR on March 20 with a lower-body injury.

“The body feels good. I’ve been able to play pain-free since I came back, so it's great.”

“He is a fantastic hockey player, a really smart hockey player,” said Swedish and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Marcus Pettersson. “He’s a player who can play many different situations and in many different places in a line up. A very strong reinforcement.”

“It's good that the players are interested in coming,” said Swedish coach Sam Hallam, who added that he would only comment specifically on players who are already in Stockholm. “And when we have something clear to communicate, then we will do it.”

Along the same line of thought, Hallam refused to comment on whether Victor Olofsson, Karlsson’s Vegas teammate, might also join the team.

Filip Forsberg Praises Nashville Teammate Juuse Saros After Sweden-Finland Game It’s never dull when Sweden takes on Finland. On Tuesday at the IIHF World Championship in front of their home fans in Stockholm, the Swedes were dominant, outshooting the Finns 41-19 and controlling the game in terms of possession and zone time.

The updated Swedish roster:

Goaltenders: Samuel Ersson (Philadelphia Flyers, NHL), Jacob Markström (New Jersey Devils, NHL), Arvid Söderblom (Chicago Blackhawks, NHL).

Defensemen: Simon Edvinsson, Erik Gustafsson (both Detroit Red Wings, NHL), Rasmus Andersson (Calgary Flames, NHL), Jonas Brodin (Minnesota Wild, NHL), Gabriel Carlsson (EV Zug, SUI), Adam Larsson (Seattle Kraken, NHL), Marcus Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks, NHL).

Forwards: Leo Carlsson, Isac Lundeström (both Anaheim Ducks, NHL), Alexander Wennberg (San Jose Sharks, NHL), Anton Bengtsson (Rögle BK, SHL), Christoffer Ehn (Linköping HC, SHL), Max Friberg (Frölunda HC, SHL), Mikael Backlund (Calgary Flames, NHL), Filip Forsberg (Nashville Predators, NHL), Jesper Frödén (ZSC Lions, SUI), Marcus Johansson (Minnesota Wild, NHL), Elias Lindholm (Boston Bruins, NHL), Lucas Raymond (Detroit Red Wings, NHL), Mika Zibanejad (New York Rangers, NHL), Emil Heineman (Montreal Canadiens, NHL), William Karlsson (Vegas Golden Knights, NHL).

Nathan MacKinnon On Sidney Crosby, Gabriel Landeskog Nathan MacKinnon is, not surprisingly, one of the most popular targets for interviews among journalists covering the 2025 IIHF World Championship Group B in Stockholm. The Hockey News’ Remy Mastey spoke to him before Canada’s first game of the tournament, with the memories of the Game 7 loss to the Dallas Stars and Mikko Rantanen’s amazing performance still fresh in his and everybody’s minds.

This year's Stanley Cup playoffs have already been chock-full of great performances and unbelievable moments.

And many of those performances and moments have a common underlying theme.

Or, an underlying team, that is.

If you happen to be playing in the second round of the playoffs as a former Pittsburgh Penguin, you've probably experienced some good moments. In fact, three of the biggest moments from this past week in playoff hockey have belonged to former Penguins:

- Reilly Smith, a Penguin during the 2023-24 season, scored with just 0.4 seconds remaining in Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers to give the Vegas Golden Knights their only win of the series Saturday. Edmonton Oilers

- Mikael Granlund, a Penguin briefly following the 2023 trade deadline, recorded a hat trick to account for every Dallas Stars goal in their 3-1 Game 4 win over the Winnipeg Jets Tuesday. 

- Kasperi Kapanen, who had two different stints in the Penguins' organization and was with the NHL club from 2020-23, played hero and scored the series-clinching overtime goal for the Oilers in Game 5 against Vegas.

How Have Former Penguins Fared Through Round One Of Playoffs?The Pittsburgh Penguins may not be participating in the Stanley Cup playoffs this season.

Of course, those three second-round moments take the cake, but there are still other ex-Penguins who have contributed to their current team's playoff runs as well:

Smith (Vegas Golden Knights): Smith only had two points in the Edmonton series, but both of those points came in Vegas's only win of the series in Game 3 - with, obviously, the big one coming at the end.

Granlund (Dallas Stars): Granlund has five points in five games during the second-round series against Winnipeg, and overall, he has four goals and seven points in 12 playoff games.

Kapanen (Edmonton Oilers): Kapanen scored his overtime winner in just his second playoff appearance this postseason, and although it's his lone point, it was a big one.

Matt Murray (Toronto Maple Leafs): Although Murray's only contribution to the Leafs' playoff picture - as the third-string goaltender - was relieving Joseph Woll during the third period in a disastrous Game 5 loss, he did stop six of seven shots. And, being that it was his first playoff appearance since 2020, that's a personal win for Murray.

Former Penguins Goaltender Makes First Playoff Appearance Since 2020It's safe to say that things did not go well for the Toronto Maple Leafs in their lackluster 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series.

 Anthony Beauvillier (Washington Capitals): Beauvillier registered the lone goal in the Caps' 3-1 Game 5 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes - which sent them home for the summer - and he had two goals and six points in 10 playoff games for Washington.

Jordan Staal (Carolina Hurricanes): Staal hasn't exactly set the world on fire production-wise in the playoffs, but he does have a goal and two points in his last two games and has used his trademark shutdown play to frustrate opponents, so he's doing his part.

Evan Rodrigues (Florida Panthers): After missing the first game of the Panthers' second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Rodrigues has two points in four games and has been mixed up in just about everything.

Dmitry Kulikov (Florida Panthers): A Penguin for just a blip post-deadline in 2023, Kulikov scored a goal in Florida's Game 5 victory over the Leafs to help them earn their third straight win and put them ahead in the series. He has two points in the series and four points in 10 total playoff games. 

For a full list of former Penguins who have competed in this year's postseason, check out our comprehensive guide to ex-Penguins in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Your Guide To Ex-Penguins In The 2025 NHL PlayoffsThe Pittsburgh Penguins may not be participating in the Stanley Cup playoffs this season.

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Nick Suzuki has now proved he can be a legitimate first center on an NHL team, but the Montreal Canadiens still need to find a real second-line center. Kent Hughes has tried to address the issue a couple of times with the acquisition of Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook, but neither showed up to the task.

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Perhaps Dach could have done it had he stayed healthy, but given how the Canadiens are progressing, the GM cannot afford to wait and see anymore. His young core has shown it’s ready to take the next step, and having a real second-line would go a long way towards achieving that.

One particular pending unrestricted free agent would be an excellent option: Sam Bennett. The 28-year-old former fourth overall pick by the Calgary Flames has been a significant part of the Florida Panthers' success in recent years.

While he has never scored more than 51 points in the regular season, he shines brightly in the playoffs. His last three postseasons are proof of just how clutch he can be. In 2022-23, he put up 15 points in 20 games, then 14 points in 19 duels in 2023-24, and nine points in 10 games this year.

It’s not just the points; it’s the attitude, the sandpaper, and the intimidation factor. The six-foot-one and 193-pound center plays a big game and, sometimes, a game that toes the line. Remember that discreet hit to Anthony Stolarz’s head that went unnoticed by the referees? Like it or not, it was a turning point in the series.

Does Sam Bennett deserve a hearing with @NHLPlayerSafety for his collision with Stolarz? pic.twitter.com/B7LonzNEkG

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 6, 2025

And what about that brawl at the 4 Nations Face-Off with Brady Tkachuk? Bennet is a hard-nosed player who can get very physical but is still talented enough to exploit his winger’s potential fully, see what he has done with Carter Verhaeghe. Something tells me he could work wonders with Patrick Laine and Ivan Demidov.

As things stand, Bennet is in the last year of a four-season pact with a $ 4,425,000 cap hit. Undoubtedly, he’ll be due for a raise, but that raise won’t be as high as a point-per-game player raise. Some players get you to the playoffs, like Laine, according to Hughes, but some players allow you to be successful in the postseason, and Bennett is one of those.

As a soon-to-be 29-year-old, he’s not exactly young, and there’s a chance that he might not be as efficient in the later years of a long-term contract, but if his performances in the early years allowed the Canadiens to reach new heights, wouldn’t it be worth it?

Enticing free agents to come to Montreal hasn’t been easy, but now Hughes has a few new cards in his hand, a team that’s ready to take the next step, a respected coach who’s a Jack Adams Trophy nominee and Bennett has seen the Montreal crowd at its best at the Four Nations Face-Off.

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Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

New Closers, Game Breakers, HUT Champs, and Team of the Week cards were added this week in NHL 25 Hockey Ultimate Team. 

The Game Breakers cards can be acquired by completing related sets and objectives or purchasing packs in the HUT Store. All of the new Game Breakers are NHL Alumni, led by 96 overall Peter Forsberg and Jeremy Roenick, 94 overall Henrik and Daniel Sedin, and 93 overall Patrick Roy and Nicklas Lidstrom. 

The Closers cards celebrate great performances from the end of the NHL season, round one, and PWHL round one. 

The rewards for winning ten games or finishing top 100 in HUT Champs is a 93 or 94 overall Ryan Whitney. 

This week's featured TOTW card is 94 overall Filip Hronek. 

All new cards are in the video above. 

For more NHL 25 news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed. For gaming discussion check out our forum.   

Anaheim Ducks top prospect Beckett Sennecke saw his 2024-25 season come to an end on Thursday, losing at the hands of the London Knights in the OHL Championship series, which ended in five games (4-1).

Sennecke (19) scored 32 (14-18=32) points in 18 playoff games for the Oshawa Generals during their run to the OHL final, including five points (2-3=5) in five games against the Knights.

Ducks Name Joel Quenneville Head Coach

He totaled 86 (36-50=86) points in 56 regular season games for the Generals, an impressive 1.54 points per game, which he upped in the playoffs to 1.78. He was the OHL’s fourth-leading scorer in the playoffs, behind teammates Colby Barlow and Luca Marreli and Knights forward and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan.

Surprisingly, the Generals gave the Knights their toughest competition in any of their best-of-seven series, taking them to a game five. The Knights finished their run going 16-1 in the playoffs. They had the advantage in firepower over Oshawa, icing 12 NHL draft picks compared to the Generals’ seven.

Through the first three rounds, Sennecke, mostly on a line with Barlow and Calumn Ritchie, dominated, scoring 27 points in 13 games. He missed the final two games of round one and the first game of round two with an undisclosed injury after crashing into the end boards following a goal in game four of the Generals’ round one matchup against the Brampton Steelheads.

He was relatively neutralized in the Championship series, despite tallying five points. Knights head coach Dale Hunter hard-matched his top pair of Oliver Bonk and Sam Dickinson against Sennecke any time he could.

Sennecke was only able to unleash his brand of creative, skillful, and tenacious hockey in flashes against London, who practically operate as an NHL organization would on the ice, valuing attention to detail and playing a man-to-man defensive zone coverage scheme.

Dickinson especially gave Sennecke fits, mirroring his movements, closing gaps, and disrupting pass and dangle attempts with a smart stick. Dickinson was the victim of what could have been the CHL goal of the year back in early December, when Sennecke displayed one of the most skillful and creative moves in recent memory. Dickinson, however, got the last laugh.

In the deciding game five, Sennecke had a couple of effort lapses on London’s first and third goals that he’ll have to iron out if he’s to compete at the highest levels of the sport. His loss of coverage in the defensive zone directly led to what ultimately became London’s game-winning goal.

Sennecke’s future is somewhat up in the air at this point as far as where he’ll play in 2025-26. His production and nightly domination indicate he’s surpassed the skill level of the CHL, but his age dictates he’s ineligible to play in the AHL. His options are to either play in the NHL or again in the CHL next season.

Several CHL players are making the jump to the NCAA next season. Still, deductive reasoning suggests Sennecke will be unable to join them as he’s already signed his entry-level contract with the Ducks.

It will be one of the more interesting situations to monitor within the Ducks organization through training camp in Sept, as the goal for the NHL club is to make the playoffs and leave the rebuild in the rearview mirror.

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