Shaw reportedly not returning to Flyers' coaching staff originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers will pretty much have a whole new coaching staff next season.

Brad Shaw will not be back with the Flyers, according to a report Thursday by Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports. Per the report, it was Shaw’s decision.

The 61-year-old was in Philadelphia for three seasons, mostly as the Flyers’ associate coach. He served as the club’s interim head coach for the final nine games of this season after John Tortorella was fired.

Shaw had an uphill battle at landing the Flyers’ full-time job. This was a huge decision for general manager Danny Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones. It was their first head coaching hire, one that could define their rebuild, so it felt likely that they would ultimately bring in their handpicked guy.

They did so Wednesday by landing Rick Tocchet.

The Flyers went 5-3-1 with Shaw running the bench and scored an impressive 3.89 goals per game. But they also allowed 3.56 per game.

As Tortorella’s right-hand man, Shaw was in charge of the back end and penalty kill. A number of the Flyers’ defensemen improved under Shaw’s watch, while the team’s penalty kill was a top-five unit in 2023-24 and scored an NHL-leading 16 shorthanded goals.

“He has meant so much to my game personally,” Travis Sanheim said at his end-of-the-season press conference. “I think a lot of guys on the D core could probably say the same thing. We don’t know what’s going to happen, time will tell. In saying that, I’m just super thankful for where he has taken my game and I really enjoyed my time working with him, so it would obviously be a disappointment if I didn’t get to continue that.”

A little over three weeks ago, the Flyers parted ways with three assistants, including power play coach Rocky Thompson. Goaltending coach Kim Dillabaugh, who isn’t on the bench for games, was not among the subtractions.

The Vegas Golden Knights were shut out by the Edmonton Oilers in Games 4 and 5 as their season ended disappointingly. 

Offence was hard to come by against the Oilers despite the high-scoring opening-round series they played against the Los Angeles Kings. In five games, the Golden Knights scored just 10 goals and gave up 16. In back-to-back must-win games, the Golden Knights managed just 47 shots. 

“Discipline. We only had one power play, that can usually get you going,” said HC Bruce Cassidy about what made the Oilers so difficult to score on. “Both teams checked well, not easy to get the the front of the net, so second chances were at a premium. We’re not a team that shoots first anyways. I think that cost us a little bit last year as well in lack of production. We’ll have to look at changing our mindset.”

Although the final results were far from what Cassidy and the Golden Knights were expecting, he felt the team played well and liked their game yesterday.

“I liked our game,” said Cassidy. “I thought we competed hard physically, we wanted to win puck battles, we wanted to take care of the puck, and we knew we couldn’t give up any easy goals. That’s going to take away some of your offence in the risk part, but it’s getting inside, getting second chances that was tough for both teams, and they got one in the end."

It's hard to avoid facts, and the most obvious one is that the Golden Knights roster has multiple key players over the age of 30. Outside of Jack Eichel, Pavel Dorofeyev, Noah Hanifin and Shea Theodore, many of their players showed fatigue or signs of aging.

William Karlsson and Mark Stone are both effective players, but have dealt with numerous injury issues that have hampered them at important times of the season. Alex Pietrangelo took another step back, dealing with injuries, but also looked a step too slow, creating several turnovers. 

Other contributors over the age of 30 include Tomas Hertl, Brayden McNabb, Brandon Saad, Reilly Smith and soon, Ivan Barbashev. The Golden Knights have maintained their stance that they can continue to add talent to their roster, but the fear was always that they could run into this problem. 

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"Show up and put your best foot forward"; Golden Knights Head Into A Must Win Game 5 With A Clear MindsetIt's been a poor display by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the playoffs, and now they find themselves on the brink of elimination, trailing the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 in the series.

The Ottawa Senators didn’t take long to replace Ryan Bowness as their AHL General Manager in Belleville.

Senators GM and president of hockey operations Steve Staios announced on Thursday that the club has hired former Brantford Bulldogs GM Matt Turek to take over the same role with the AHL's Belleville Senators. He’ll also oversee a player personnel role with the Sens organization.

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Turek is part of that Hamilton/Brantford connection, working for Staios and former Bulldogs owner Michael Andaleur.

Turek joined the Bulldogs during the 2015-16 season as a scout. He moved up in the organization and took on the role of director of player personnel ahead of the 2018-19 season. He took over as the club’s GM in 2022 when Staios left for a hockey ops job with the Edmonton Oilers. 

After three seasons at the helm, Turek left the Bulldogs late last month, which started the rumour mill turning that he might reunite with Andlauer and Staios. When Bowness parted company with the club 11 days ago, that added more fuel to the fire. 

“Matt has managed a successful Ontario Hockey League team and he has gained a critical management skills and experience at that level,” Staios in a club press release. “In addition to his experience, Matt will bring passion and leadership to our organization.”

As for the Bulldogs, now owned by Oilers forward Zack Hyman and his family, they announced on Thursday they've replaced Turek with Zack’s brother, Spencer Hyman. Former NHL player Gary Roberts also joined the Bulldogs as one of their directors of player development.

Meanwhile, his stop in Belleville has turned out to be the swan song for Sam Gagner.

Gagner has ended his long NHL playing career and was named Ottawa's director of player development. Gagner has a fine connecton to Staios as well. They were teammates in Edmonton for three and a half years. Staios was even teammates with Sam father's, Dave, during their time with the Vancouver Canucks.

Bowness’ Reported Departure Marks Big Shift In Staios’ Vision For Ottawa’s Front OfficeFive days after the Ottawa Senators were eliminated from the postseason, significant changes are already on the horizon for the organization's hockey operations department.

“Sam had an incredible career as a player and we look forward to launching his next chapter,” Staios said in the release. “A true character individual, Sam has contributed to the success of his organizations, both on and off the ice.”

Gagner played 1043 NHL games and is the only man in the past 36 years to score 8 points in a single NHL game. 

Steve Warne, Site Editor
The Hockey News Ottawa

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As we continue to consider potential offseason reinforcements for the Detroit Red Wings, two compelling candidates had their fingerprints all over the Florida Panthers 6–1 demolition of the Maple Leafs in Toronto.  That would be Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand, both of them pending unrestricted free agents.

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The broad case for acquiring each player is the same.  Both Bennett and Marchand could bring hard skill and championship experience.  Whether in February for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off or this spring in the playoffs as the Panthers fight toward a second straight Stanley Cup, both players clearly have the skillset and mentality to thrive in hockey of the highest stakes.

Bennett can play at center or on the wing.  He's an excellent defender.  Marchand is the league's most infamous agitator but also a gifted playmaker, adept at pulling pucks off the wall and snapping them into dangerous areas.  Like everything else about Paul Maurice's Panthers, both are perfectly suited to playoff hockey.

That's clearly what the Red Wings are after this summer, at least in part.  The challenge is that those are two profiles every team in the NHL would also covet.  Both players fit the mold of July 1 UFA overpays, especially if Florida can pull off another Cup run, the price tag will only go up.  As it stands, AFP Analytics projects Marchand at a two-year, $5.1 million AAV contract and Bennett at a six-year $6.64 million a year deal.

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There is some reason for doubt about splurging on either player.  With Bennett, it's fair to wonder whether a player with a career high of 51 points ought to command such a robust contract.  Meanwhile, at 37, Marchand is not just on the back nine of his career but a long way through it.  Presumably he will be signing his last contract this summer.

However, there's ample reason to see past those drawbacks.  In Bennett's case, value obviously stems from a lot more than just scoring (which could be acquired more cheaply elsewhere in the free agency), and Marchand is clearly showing that his scoring touch remains potent in a complementary role.

Both would be worthy free agent targets to help Detroit, if Steve Yzerman can get them at the right price.

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What we know about the NHL conference finals so far originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Two teams are on the doorstep of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.

The Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes have advanced to the conference final round of the NHL playoffs.

The Oilers, last year’s Stanley Cup runners-up, are back in the Western Conference Final as they eye the franchise’s first championship since 1990. Connor McDavid and Co. dropped their first two games of this postseason, but have only suffered one loss since.

Edmonton, the Pacific Division’s No. 3 seed, overcame a 2-0 first-round series deficit against the No. 2 Los Angeles Kings with four straight comeback wins before taking down the No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights in five games. McDavid and co-star Leon Draisaitl have combined for eight goals and 25 assists across 11 playoff contests.

The West final could be a rematch from last year, when the Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars in six games. Dallas currently holds a 3-1 second-round series lead over the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are making their second Eastern Conference Final appearance in three years. Carolina, the Metro Division’s No. 2 seed, needed just five games to bounce both the No. 3 New Jersey Devils and the East-leading Washington Capitals. Frederik Andersen has been stellar between the pipes for Carolina, boasting a 1.36 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage in nine playoff starts.

Now, the Hurricanes need to get past either the defending champion Florida Panthers or the Toronto Maple Leafs in order to reach their first Cup Final since the franchise’s lone championship triumph in 2006. Florida has a 3-2 series edge over Toronto after losing the first two games.

So, when will the conference finals start and who has home-ice advantage? Here’s what to know:

When do the NHL Eastern, Western Conference Finals start?

The NHL hasn’t yet announced when the conference finals will get underway. This story will be updated as schedule details emerge.

For what it’s worth, the final second-round game that’s currently scheduled is a possible Game 7 between the Jets and Stars on Monday, May 19.

What are the NHL Eastern, Western Conference Final matchups?

• Eastern Conference Final: Carolina Hurricanes vs. winner of Florida Panthers-Toronto Maple Leafs
• Western Conference Final: Edmonton Oilers vs. winner of Dallas Stars-Winnipeg Jets

Who has home-ice advantage in the Eastern, Western Conference Finals?

The team with the superior regular-season record gets home-ice advantage in the conference final round.

The Oilers won’t have home-ice regardless of opponent, as both the Jets and Stars finished ahead of them in the standings. The Hurricanes will have home-ice advantage if they face the Panthers, but will start the conference final on the road should they see the Leafs.

The Hockey News Big Show is here to look around the NHL playoffs and beyond with former NHL player Drew Shore providing some unique insight.

Is The Maple Leafs' Core Four On Its Last Legs – Again? by The Big Showundefined

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

1:03: After the Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 5, how do the Leafs go about forcing a Game 7? 

3:15: How do you block out a booing home crowd as a player?

4:44: If the Maple Leafs lose this series, does something drastic have to happen to the Core Four?

7:51: Would you make any changes to the Leafs' lineup in Game 6?

8:16: As a player, do you know when a series is all but over?

9:43: Is this Panthers team better than last year's Cup-winning squad?

11:47: How important is it for the Edmonton Oilers to have scoring depth and not rely on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for all offense?

14:02: Should a team in win-now mode use more third- and fourth-round draft picks in trades?

16:34: Is there an alternate universe where the Maple Leafs have Mikko Rantanen?   

17:31: Does Andrei Svechnikov still go second overall in the 2018 NHL draft, and how is his play this playoffs?

20:20: Is Carolina's recent play too much for Washington to handle? 

21:10: Hypothetically, who wins in the Eastern Conference final between Carolina and Florida? 

22:16: Have you ever seen a goalie or skater be so different on the road versus at home, as is the case with Connor Hellebuyck right now?

23:08: How much does Miro Heiskanen impact Dallas' chances of winning the Cup? 

24:48: Did the Vancouver Canucks make the right move by hiring Adam Foote? 

28:25: Is Rick Tocchet a good fit for the Philadelphia Flyers? 

31:17: Agree or disagree: will Jonathan Toews land with an NHL team, and if so, which one?

35:36: Should being a Long Island native influence the Islanders' decision to select James Hagens with the No. 1 pick?

39:07: Evan Bouchard or Matthew Knies, if you are a GM, who do you offer a contract to and why?

41:38: Would you rather have Florida's Finnish players or Dallas’ Finnish Mafia? 

42:46: Who's to blame for the Leafs this playoffs: Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner?

43:43: Will a Canadian team win the Cup this year?

 Watch the full Episode here 

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May 15th, 2025, marks 99 years since the city of Chicago was awarded a team in the National Hockey League. That marks the berth of the Chicago Blackhawks. 

The 2025-26 season will be the centenial season for the Blackhawks and they are ready to celebrate in a big way. 

It started with an informal revealing of a new logo that features their traditional "Chief Blackhawk" with a gold trim around it. There is also a secondary logo with the years 1926 and 2026 over a big 100 sign and of course, the new look Chief Blackhawk. 

In addition to this, the Blackhawks announced that they are finally going to have a "Blackhawks Hall of Fame". This is long overdue. Two players will be inducted via a vote each year. 

The players who have their numbers retired will automatically be put in. That includes Glen Hall, Pierre Pilote, Keith Magnuson, Chris Chelios, Bobby Hull, Denis Savard, Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito, and Marian Hossa. 

The players who can be voted in for 2025-26 will come from one of two ballots. The Modern Era Ballot includes players who completed their Blackhawks career in 2000-01 or later. They must also be three years removed from retiring from the NHL. 

This year, the Modern Era ballot includes Tony Amonte, Brian Campbell, Corey Crawford, Eric Daze, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp, Andrew Shaw, Steve Sullivan, Jocelyn Thibault, and Alexei Zhamnov. 

The other is the Heritage Era Ballot. It includes Ed Belfour, Doug Bentley, Johnny Gottselig, Dirk Graham, Dennis Hull, Cliff Koroll, Steve Larmer, Chico Maki, Mush March, Pit Martin, Bill Mosienko, Troy Murray, Eric Nesterenko, Jeremy Roenick, and Doug Wilson. 

Fans can go to these by visiting Blackhawks.com/HOF. Some of the greatest players in franchise history are going to get the recognition they deserve. 

With the slogan "Always An Original", the Blackhawks are going to have four chapters of celebration throughout the 2025-26 season. That will culminate in the fall of 2026 with a fan event which will go with the 100th anniversary of the first game in franchise history. The schedule of themes, chapters, celebrations, and giveaways will come shortly after the schedule is released. 

The Blackhawks are set to connect with generations of fans as they celebrate their 100th birthday in the coming year. 

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

Summers are the time for hellos and goodbyes.

The Calgary Flames need a little bit of both.

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In 2024-25, the Flames took a big step forward. After missing last year's postseason, they came up short of the playoffs by a lowly tiebreaker. Instead, the St. Louis Blues entered the playoffs and lost to the Winnipeg Jets.

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Regardless of the step forward this past year, the expectation for next year should be a similar, or better, result. In order to achieve that, every player on the team should be pulling their own weight.

Here are three players the Flames should not bring back, in order to make room for better players.

Kevin Rooney

Kevin Rooney is on an expiring deal paying him $1.3 million. While that doesn’t feel like a lot of money, this is one player the Flames need to let ride off into the sunset.

The 6-foot-2, 31-year-old forward collected 10 points and averaged 9:25 of ice time in his 70 games. The Flames could find someone with their AHL club who could provide similar numbers, with similar ice time, at less than half the cost.

Tyson Barrie (CAL), Dennis Cholowski (NYI) on waivers

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 20, 2025

Tyson Barrie

Tyson Barrie and the Flames were not a fit. He found himself on the short end of the stick when he was placed on waivers on February 20th, 2025. He never returned to the NHL.

The former Edmonton Oilers defender has been on a downward trajectory since his former team traded him to the Nashville Predators for Mattias Ekholm. Unless the Flames want to bring him back at a league minimum two-way deal, they are better off sticking to other players available in free agency.

Anthony Mantha

The Flames should move on from Anthony Mantha mainly because of his injury history. The 10-year NHL veteran has one 80-game season to his credit. However, he remained healthy for the 56-game 2020-21 season.

With the rising salary cap and better offensive options on the table in free agency, Mantha should not return in a Flames uniform for 2025-26.

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A recently-signed Pittsburgh Penguins forward - and former top prospect - has been recognized after a stellar 2024-25 campaign.

On Thursday, Filip Hallander - who inked a two-year deal with the Penguins on Apr. 29 - was named the Swedish Hockey League's forward of the year. 

In 51 games for Timra IK this season, Hallander recorded 26 goals and 53 points and finished second in the SHL in scoring.

Grattis Filip Hållander i @timra_ik som vinner pris som Årets Forward i SHL 2024/2025!

📲På https://t.co/debdgjppGr kan du läsa motiveringen och mer om priset som Årets Forward. pic.twitter.com/dyR9cYyI3o

— SHL.se (@SHLse) May 15, 2025

Hallander, 24, was selected by the Penguins in the second round (58th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft. As a prospect, he was actually dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a trade that brought forward Kasperi Kapanen back to Pittsburgh, and he returned to Pittsburgh when Jared McCann was shipped to Toronto prior to the 2021 expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken.

After that, he spent a few years in the Penguins' organization - mostly with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate - and put up decent numbers. In parts of two seasons with WBS, he registered 25 goals and 61 points in 104 games, and he saw three NHL games in those two years.

After signing a five-year deal with Timra IK in 2023, he was non-tendered as a restricted free agent by the Penguins and spent the last two years in the SHL building back up his game. His offense really took off during the 2024-25 season, but his two-way play has always been a trademark for him.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound center has the toolset to become an effective power forward at the NHL level, and he somewhat modeled his game after former Penguin and two-time Stanley Cup champion Patric Hornqvist. His combination of offensive talent, defensive details, and physicality should bode well for the Penguins looking ahead.

Given the Penguins' current trajectory, they are prioritizing young talent, and Hallander could very well figure into the middle-six next year for Pittsburgh.

His two-year contract carries an average annual value of $775,000 and will run through the end of the 2026-27 season.

Penguins Sign Former Second-Round Pick To Two-Year ContractIt appears an old friend is coming back to North America next season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

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The lights couldn’t be brighter, and the noise couldn’t be any louder after the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t just lose Game 5, they were humiliated.

On home ice at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday, the Leafs delivered one of their worst performances of the season in front of their fans, falling 6-1 to the Florida Panthers. They now trail the second-round series 3-2, with Game 6 set for Friday in Sunrise.

It was the kind of night Toronto fans have come to dread, boos raining down as the team headed to the dressing room trailing 4-0 after two, jerseys tossed onto the ice, and fans heading for the exits with half of the third period still left to be played.

‘I Don’t Think We Gave Them Much Reason To Stick Around’: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs React To Boos, Fans Leaving During Game 5 Blowout By the time the Florida Panthers scored their sixth goal midway through the third period on Wednesday night, Scotiabank Arena had become a sea of empty seats. However, fans began the booing and heading for the exits late in the second period when Florida made it 4-0.

Outside the building, the criticism and noise have understandably gotten louder. Social media can be a double-edged sword, and after Wednesday’s performance, it’s been overwhelmingly negative. Fans have voiced their frustrations – fed up with another no-show in the Stanley Cup Playoffs – basically declaring the series over.

That noise, both inside and outside the city, is nothing new to anyone in the Leafs dressing room. But with the team still alive and fighting to force a Game 7 on home ice Sunday, head coach Craig Berube is urging his players to take a step back and block it all out.

“I always tell them that,” Berube said Thursday when asked about players staying off social media. “Whether they do it or not, that's their choice. If you want to look at things, you look at things. I mean, I can't control what they do, but yeah, what we need to do is they need to stick together tonight as a team and take a breath and stop thinking about the game tonight.”

“Relax, we'll get thinking about the game the next day. When it matters. It boils down to a few things that we need to make sure that we have in the game. Aggressive, compete, puck battles. Enjoying the moment. This is what guys play for, and you have to enjoy it. Don't overthink the game,” he added.

Maple Leafs Fans Toss Jerseys Onto The Ice During Game 5 Debacle Against Panthers At Scotiabank ArenaThere was supposed to be a strong pushback on home ice from the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 5 after dropping two straight to the Florida Panthers, evening up the second-round series. Instead, it turned into one of the most humiliating playoff performances in the ‘Core Four’ era, and the frustration boiled over from the club’s fans accordingly. 

Veteran defenceman Morgan Rielly, the longest-tenured Leaf, said tuning out the noise is something each player handles in their own way. The 31-year-old has been through nearly every version of playoff heartbreak in a Leafs jersey, from blown series leads to Game 7 exits, and he knows better than most how loud the outside noise can get when things go sideways in Toronto.

“Everyone's different. For me, I think it's pretty simple,” Rielly said. “But I think ultimately our group just has to do what we have to do to get ready to play. So, again, for me, I think it's pretty straightforward. I think that our guys are just going to stick together today and just get ready for them all. We're still in a position where we're right in the fight. We've got to go down there. We've got to play our best game.”

Berube, who won a Stanley Cup as a head coach of the St. Louis Blues in 2019, is no stranger to blocking out distractions at this time of the year. The now-Leafs coach is leading the charge in putting his best foot forward, confirming the team would meet later Thursday after arriving in Florida to regroup ahead of a must-win Game 6.

And with the season on the line, Berube wants the Leafs to keep it simple.

“You have to skate. You've got to compete. It's going to be physical. We know that. It's tight. And take the thinking out. Go play. Be aggressive. You can't not be aggressive. You have to be aggressive,” Berube said. 

“You've got to get numbers in there. And then, like I said, the system and the structure takes care of the thinking. That's what I want them to do. Like, go out and play hockey. Play with structure, but be aggressive,” he added. 

'We'll Be A Lot Better': Maple Leafs Coach Craig Berube Urges Players To Stop Overthinking Ahead of Game 6 Vs. PanthersIf there's anything Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube wants to see out of his players in a do-or-die Game 6 against the Florida Panthers, it's that they're not overthinking things.

After a no-show in Game 5, Leafs fans have seen this movie before – and one too many times, it seems. A promising start was followed by a sudden collapse in a playoff series, raising familiar doubts about the team’s ability to handle pressure when it matters most. 

With that in mind, what’s the message to Leafs fans? 

“Well, believe like our team believes,” Berube said. “I think that's all you can do.”

At this point, it’s a tall ask for a fan base that’s been let down before, more than once, but the reality is that the Leafs still have life. And in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, that’s all a team needs.

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Philadelphia Flyers fans are hardened.

Missing the playoffs the last five seasons will do that. Ditto the fact the Flyers have won just one playoff series in the last 13 years. Or that they haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1975.

So the news Wednesday that Rick Tocchet, who once starred for Philadelphia as a player, was named the Flyers’ new coach didn’t send people scurrying to buy season tickets.

Instead, the appointment was treated with so-so reviews.

In the first 10 hours of a poll on X that had more than 800 responders, 40 percent said they loved the hire, 41 percent said it was “meh,” and 19 percent said they hated it.

“We will be saying told you so after Rick is fired in three years and Danny (Briere, the GM) and Keith (Jones, the club president) can go with him,” said one fan, explaining that fan favorites “don’t make good coaches.”

Some fans said they were tired of “recycled” former Flyers in key management positions.

That said, “outsiders” like Peter Laviolette, Dave Hakstol, Alain Vigneault and John Tortorella didn’t have a lot of success in Philly, either. Of those coaches, Laviolette had the best record (.586 points percentage), and he got the Flyers to the 2010 Stanley Cup final.

Tocchet, now 61, was one of the Flyers’ most popular players in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

Bleeds Orange And Black

And make no mistake, if a person’s love for the organization is a barometer, Tocchet will also excel as a coach in Philly.

“I’ve always been a Flyer at heart,” Tocchet said in a news release after taking the job.

He has to convince the fans he can turn things around. The Flyers finished at the bottom of the Eastern Conference this season.

“I hope he doesn’t come in with a ‘goon it up’ mindset like other past Flyers coaches have,” one fan said on X.

“Love the story, but not sure if he’s actually a good coach,” said someone else.

Some others were excited by Tocchet’s appointment.

“Best Flyers news in years,” tweeted a fan. “Need to get back the mojo and be hard to play against. This if awesome. Love Tocchet!”

Another fan tweeted that Tocchet, owner of a 286-265-87 coaching record with Tampa Bay, Arizona and Vancouver, as going “home” by returning to Philly. “Toughness, athleticism, leadership,” he said. “He embodies what the Flyers used to be and what they can be again!”

Flyers' Travis Konecny Is Excited For The Rick Tocchet Chapter: Emerging Star Also 'Loved Torts'STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - While Travis Konecny plays for Canada at the World Championship, his NHL team found its next bench boss.

Revered As A Player

As a Flyers player, Tocchet was adored.

What was not to like? He was scrappy and he frequently lit the lamp. As a Flyers analyst on Comcast Sportsnet, Tocchet was applauded for his honesty.

Tocchet, selected in the sixth round of the 1983 NHL draft, excelled with the Flyers.

After managing 14 goals in each of his first two seasons in Philadelphia, he became one of the NHL’s most dependable right wingers, scoring 21, 31, 45, 37 and 40 goals in his next five seasons. All told, he scored 232 goals (tied for 12th in franchise history) in parts of 11 seasons with the Flyers, including three years at the end of his career.

He finished with 440 career goals for six teams but spent the bulk of his career with the Orange and Black, including a stint as the captain.  Tocchet scored 130 of his goals on the power play, and he will be looking to help the Flyers improve dramatically in that area.

Tocchet, who won three Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins – one as a player, two as an assistant coach – will need major help from the front office if the Flyers are going to end their playoff drought.

The Flyers should have a No. 1 center, a dependable goalie and a defenseman on their wish list.

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Marchand has hilarious reaction to Leafs fans after Panthers dominate Game 5 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Hockey fans in Toronto are starting to show their frustration as another promising Maple Leafs season appears to be nearing a heartbreaking end.

After winning the first two games of their second-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers, the Leafs have now lost three straight, including an embarrassing 6-1 defeat in Game 5 at home Wednesday night.

One player who is responsible for the Leafs being pushed to the brink of elimination is Brad Marchand. The veteran left wing picked up an assist in his team’s Game 5 win, giving him five points (two goals, three assists) in the series.

As Marchand was exiting the ice toward the end of Wednesday’s victory, a few Leafs fans had some words for the Panthers forward, but he just smiled back.

Check out the funny scene in the video below:

Leafs fans go at Marchand as he leaves the game 🍿 pic.twitter.com/2KRFIUHP7C

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 15, 2025

Marchand is no stranger to tormenting the Leafs and their fans.

If the Panthers close out this series, Marchand will be 5-0 against the Leafs in his playoff career. He helped eliminate the Leafs from the postseason in 2013, 2018, 2019 and 2024 as a member of the Boston Bruins.

Speaking of the Bruins, one more win for the Panthers would send Florida to the Eastern Conference Final. And if that happens, the Panthers would send the Bruins a first-round draft pick to complete the Marchand trade from March 7.

The Bruins’ return in that trade was a conditional 2027 second-round pick that would become a first-rounder if the Panthers won two playoff rounds and Marchand played in at least 50 percent of those games. Marchand has not missed a playoff game for the Panthers so far.

New York Rangers goalie prospect Dylan Garand has an opportunity of a lifetime right now. 

Garand is one of the three goalies to represent Canada at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship as he is joined by Jordan Binnington and Marc-André Fleury.

When he was asked if he wanted to play for Team Canada, Garand was quick with his response. 

Dean Evason Praises Dylan Garand After Impressive Showing At The World ChampionshipNew York Rangers goalie prospect Dylan Grand finally got his moment in the spotlight.

“It was kind of a no-brainer to come,” Garand said. “Anytime you get to represent your country, it’s obviously a huge honor. Typically a tournament like this is mostly NHL players and I’m not at that level yet, so for me obviously it was a no-brainer for me to come here and learn. Our roster is pretty insane. It's really cool to be a part of it and be with these guys every day and just learn as much as I can.”

Fleury is playing his last hockey games of his career before officially retiring here in Stockholm, Sweden, and Garand not only gets to be a part of that, but he’s in the same goalie room as a true legend of the sport.

“It’s been pretty surreal,” Garand said about playing alongside Fleury. “I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is how good of a guy he is and how he carries himself off of the ice. Being around him has been great.”

The 22-year-old has started one game for Canada so far and he posted a shutout in their 4-0 victory over Team Latvia to open up the World Championship.

Garand played for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League all season long. While the Wolf Pack didn’t end up making the AHL Playoffs, Garand had an excellent individual season.

He recorded a 20-10-9 record, .913 save percentage, and 2.73 goals against average while also representing the Atlantic Division at the AHL All-Star Game this season.

Throughout the year, Garand felt himself making significant strides in his game. 

“I think obviously, as a team we didn't have a great year. We didn't get in the playoffs, which is obviously tough, but individually, I thought I had a really good year,” Garand said. “I think I just gave the guys a chance to win every night. We would have liked to win some more games and get in the playoffs. I think individually,I like where my game is at.” 

With Igor Shesterkin running the show in New York and the Rangers giving Jonathan Quick a one-year contract extension, it’s hard to envision Garand getting much of an opportunity in the NHL for the 2025-24 season. 

However, you never know what could happen and Garand is confident in his abilities to thrive at an NHL level if he’s called upon.

“I haven't gotten any opportunity in the NHL yet, but obviously I’m ready whenever my opportunity does come,” Garand said.

EDMONTON – Good goaltending and good defense.

You need both to be successful in the playoffs, and the Edmonton Oilers got both in their final two games of their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

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As a result, they have vanquished their Pacific Division rival. It only took the Oilers five games to do so, and they won all three of their road games in Vegas to clinch the series.

Many players contributed to the victory. Connor McDavid tied for the most blocked shots on his team (3). Adam Henrique also had three blocked shots while dominating in faceoffs with a whopping 70 percent success rate. Zach Hyman threw 13 hits in the victory.

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And Stuart Skinner pitched his second straight shutout. It was a true team effort on Wednesday night.

“I thought everyone dug in really hard,” McDavid said to the reporters present in Vegas after the game. “I thought Stu (Skinner) was great. (He) bailed us out whenever we had a breakdown. The (penalty) kill was great, defensively really, really good.”

Skinner now has a 5-1 record in series close-out games. He also has a .926 save percentage, a 1.97 goals against average, and one shutout.

Stuart Skinner has not allowed a goal in 127 minutes of hockey. 🧱 #StanleyCuppic.twitter.com/2dWQcjI6w0

— NHL (@NHL) May 15, 2025

Additionally, Skinner did not allow a goal for the final 127 minutes of the Vegas series. This is a tremendous comeback for the Oilers' starting netminder, who Calvin Pickard replaced in Game 3 of the Los Angeles Kings series.

McDavid had this to say about what Skinner's performance means to the team.

“Hopefully, it shuts a lot of people up that were talking about him,” McDavid said. “We’ve always had belief in him. He comes in, pitches two shutouts, can’t say enough good things.”

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The lack of a reliable second-line center was among the reasons behind the Montreal Canadiens' recent elimination from the playoffs.

It's a priority Canadiens management must address during the off-season.

PuckPedia indicates the Canadiens have over $8.66 million in projected cap space for 2025-26 with 18 active roster players under contract. They can garner another $10.5 million in cap flexibility by placing permanently sidelined goaltender Carey Price on LTIR. They could also move Price's contract to a club trying to reach the salary-cap floor next season.

Either way, the Canadiens should have the cap room to add a second-line center. They have two picks in the first round of this year's draft (16th and 17th overall) and could dangle one of them packaged with a quality prospect, but don't expect them to part with a promising youngster, such as Ivan Demidov, David Reinbacher, Jacob Fowler or Michael Hage.

The Hockey News’ Karine Hains observed that some Canadiens followers believe Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby might wish to end his playing career in Montreal because he grew up a Habs fan. However, she reminded readers that Crosby intends to retire as a Penguin and has given no indication he's changed his mind.

Sportsnet's Eric Engels also dismissed the Crosby-to-Montreal conjecture. Still, if the Penguins captain were available, he acknowledged that the Canadiens' cap space and depth in draft picks and prospects could give them an edge over other teams in the trade market.

It's difficult to gauge what the Penguins' asking price would be, but Engels believes it would be expensive, possibly including two first-rounders and two prospects.

Pat Hickey of The Montreal Gazette looked at free-agent options, suggesting they land a 30-something center to hold the fort until youngsters like Hage, Owen Beck or Jared Davidson are ready for prime time.

Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche, John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars and Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers are this summer's top potential UFA centers.

It wouldn't be surprising if all four re-sign with their current teams by July 1. Assuming they hit the market, a rebuilding club like the Canadiens might not be their preferred destination at this stage of their careers.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Canucks Leave Door Open For Boeser, Mammoth Could Have A Big SummerIt was reported last month that the Vancouver Canucks intend to let Brock Boeser test the NHL’s UFA market when it opens on July 1.

Hickey also proposed going the offer-sheet route by targeting Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks. The 23-year-old center would fit in well among the Canadiens' young core. However, the Ducks have the cap space to match any offer.

Pickings could be slim in the trade market. Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild has resurfaced in the rumor mill, but his small stature and style of play might not be suited for the heavy two-way game required for a second-line center. Dawson Mercer of the New Jersey Devils could be another possibility after struggling under coach Sheldon Keefe this season.

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