Flyers drop two spots in NHL draft lottery; Metropolitan team grabs No. 1 pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers didn’t have any luck in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

After the drawings Monday night, they finished at No. 6, their second-most likely landing spot.

The Islanders, who had the 10th-best lottery odds at 3.5 percent, won the first overall pick.

The Flyers came in with the fourth-best lottery odds and, per Tankathon.com, had an equal chance at grabbing either the first or second pick (9.5 percent). They were most likely to finish between fourth and sixth. More on that here.

Right now, the Flyers have 11 selections in the 2025 draft, which will be held June 27-28. They own three first-round picks and four second-rounders.

“There are all kinds of possibilities here,” general manager Danny Briere said over two weeks ago. “I think it’s really exciting going into it. It’s powerful to have so many picks like that. I think a lot of teams will be wanting to have discussions with us to make some things happen — teams that don’t have picks or teams that want to tweak things.”

Assistant general manager Brent Flahr has overseen the Flyers’ draft efforts since 2019. In the first round under Flahr, the Flyers have taken Cam York (14th overall — 2019), Tyson Foerster (23rd overall — 2020), Cutter Gauthier (fifth overall — 2022), Matvei Michkov (seventh overall — 2023), Oliver Bonk (22nd overall — 2023) and Jett Luchanko (13th overall — 2024).

Among the 2025 NHL draft prospects, Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer is considered the consensus top overall pick. James Hagens, Porter Martone, Roger McQueen, Anton Frondell and Caleb Desnoyers are five players that could be available for the Flyers at No. 6.

2025 lottery results

1. Islanders
2. Sharks
3. Blackhawks
4. Utah
5. Predators
6. Flyers
7. Bruins
8. Kraken
9. Sabres
10. Ducks
11. Penguins
12. Rangers
13. Red Wings
14. Blue Jackets
15. Canucks
16. Canadiens (via the Flames)

Welcome to a new episode of The Hockey News Wraparound, where we discuss NHL and hockey topics in rapid-fire segments.

Burning NHL Questions Ahead Of Round 2 by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan and Michael Augello discussed in this episode:

0:00: Could the Winnipeg Jets’ Game 7 historic victory vs. the St. Louis Blues propel them to a deep run?

4:15: Was Mikko Rantanen’s Game 7 performance vs. the Colorado Avalanche one of the best playoff performances ever?

9:04: Which Toronto Maple Leafs player needs to reach another level to defeat the Florida Panthers?

13:50: Should the Edmonton Oilers stick with Calvin Pickard against the Vegas Golden Knights?

17:38: Will Frederik Andersen’s availability be the biggest factor for the Carolina Hurricanes against the Washington Capitals?

19:45: What to make of the Hurricanes’ recent extensions

22:23: Could Matt Coronato’s seven-year extension end up being a steal for the Calgary Flames?

24:05: Breaking down the Jack Adams finalists

26:55: Can Mike Sullivan lead a turnaround with the New York Rangers?

29:45: Did the Los Angeles Kings make the right decision by parting ways with GM Rob Blake?

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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The Carolina Hurricanes kick off their second-round series against the Washington Capitals on May 6. The Hurricanes' goal will be to stay hot after defeating the New Jersey Devils in the first round in just five games.

As the Hurricanes prepare for their Game 1 matchup against the Capitals, they have made a roster move. The Hurricanes have re-assigned goaltender Ruslan Khazheyev to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.

Khazheyev, 20, was called up to the Hurricanes' roster ahead of their series against the Devils and served as an extra goaltender. However, with this latest roster move, he is heading back to the AHL.

The Hurricanes selected Khazheyev with the 158th overall pick of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He just completed his first professional season in North America after signing his entry-level contract with the Hurricanes last May. He spent the bulk of this campaign with the Wolves, posting a 5-13-0 record, a .876 save percentage, and a 3.49 goals-against average in 20 games. He also made one ECHL appearance with the Bloomington Bison, saving 12 out of 15 shots in a loss.

Recent Hurricanes News 

3 Carolina Hurricanes Who Could Be Extended NextThe Carolina Hurricanes have been busy since their first-round series win against the New Jersey Devils, signing forward Taylor Hall and goaltender Frederik Andersen to contract extensions. Hurricanes Made Right Call Extending Frederik AndersenOn May 3, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that they signed goaltender Frederik Andersen to a one-year, $2.75 million contract extension. This was just three days after the Hurricanes signed forward Taylor Hall to a three-year, $9.5 million extension. With this, the Hurricanes have certainly been busy since defeating the New Jersey Devils in the first round last week.  Former Hurricanes Star Has Big Playoff GameSince being traded to the Colorado Avalanche in January, former Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas has undoubtedly had plenty of success. In 30 regular-season games following the trade, the 26-year-old forward recorded 11 goals, 28 points, and a plus-1 rating in 30 games. Now, he is only continuing to make a big impact during the post-season.

Although his NHL career ended, Marc-Andre Fleury is reuniting with Sidney Crosby.

Team Canada added another Stanley Cup champion, Fleury, to the men’s World Championship squad.

Fleury retired from the NHL when the Minnesota Wild were eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights. He left the ice for the last time, saluting the crowd.

However, that won’t be the last moment in his hockey career, as Fleury’s agent, Allan Walsh, said Fleury accepted an invitation to join the Canadians. 

This will be Fleury’s first World Championship during his 21-year NHL career. The 40-year-old hasn’t played a game for Canada in a tournament since he played in the World Junior Championship in 2002-03. Despite playing in two world junior tournaments, Canada only earned silver in both competitions.

Fleury was selected for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, but he didn’t play since Roberto Luongo and Martin Brodeur were ahead of him on the goaltending depth chart. Canada took home the gold medal in those Olympics.

Not only will this likely be Fleury’s last dance, but he’ll be doing it with longtime teammate and friend, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. It was announced on Sunday that Crosby will join Canada for the World Championship after multiple weeks of consideration.

The two were teammates for 12 seasons with the Penguins between 2005 and 2017. They won the Stanley Cup together in 2009, 2016 and 2017.

The IIHF World Championship begins on May 9, and Canada’s first game is on May 10. They’ll take on Slovenia to kick off their campaign.

Canada played their first exhibition game on Sunday, defeating Austria 5-1. New York Rangers prospect Dylan Garand stopped 22 of 23 shots in net for the Canadians. Their next and final pre-tournament game is on Tuesday, when they visit Budapest to take on Hungary.

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

While the New York Rangers haven’t made this information public, more details on Mike Sullivan’s contract are being revealed. 

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has sources that lead him to believe that the Rangers awarded Sullivan with the highest annual value for a coach, beating out Mike Babcock who was making $6.25 million with the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

“Just a bit of information on the contract, it’s a five-year deal,” Friedman said. “Mike Babcock had the largest contract ever signed by a coach. It was eight years at approximately $50 million, front-loaded, $6.25 million-ish the AAV. The number is north of that. I don’t have the exact number, but Sulivan did sign the richest AAV of any head coach, north of Babcock’s number.”

Peter Laviolette's Fall From Grace With The Rangers: A Sad Tale The tenure of Peter Laviolette with the New York Rangers should be considered a sad tale. 

Sullivan’s reported five-year deal beats out Gerard Gallant who got a four-year contract and Peter Laviolette who got a three-year contract. 

Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury views Sullivan as one of the top coaches in the NHL, which is why he went all in to get him onboard. 

“Mike Sullivan has established himself as one of the premier head coaches in the NHL,” Drury said. “Given his numerous accomplishments throughout his coaching career - including two Stanley Cups and leading Team USA at the international level – Mike brings a championship-level presence behind the bench.”

With great power comes great responsibility. The Rangers are fresh off missing the playoffs as Sullivan will be tasked with getting the most out of all the team’s talent and propelling them back to Stanley Cup contention. 

That’s the goal when you bring in a coach for that amount of money, the expectations are high, and rightfully so. 

Sullivan spent ten years with the Pittsburgh Penguins where he won two Stanley Cups. This is a new challenge for the 57-year-old coach. 

He’s expected to address the New York media for the first in his introductory press conference on Thursday morning. 

Rob Blake’s time with the Los Angeles Kings has come to an end.

The GM and club mutually agreed to part ways on Monday, the Kings announced Monday.

The Kings will search for a replacement immediately.

Blake was on an expiring contract after deciding to play out the season and not sign an extension last summer, according to TSN and The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.

The decision comes four days after the Edmonton OilerseliminatedLos Angeles from the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Kings had a 2-0 series lead before the Oilers won the next four games to win the series in Game 6 on Thursday.

To add to the Kings’ wounds, this was the fourth straight year of losing to Edmonton in the first round of the playoffs.

“On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Rob for his dedication to the LA Kings and the passion he brought to his role,” team president Luc Robitaille said in a statement. “Reaching this understanding wasn’t easy, and I appreciate Rob’s partnership in always working toward what is best for the Kings.”

Blake was the Kings’ GM for eight seasons, earning the job ahead of the 2017-18 season. Before that, he was the assistant GM for Los Angeles and the GM for its AHL affiliate in Manchester and Ontario. He was also the VP of hockey operations for the Kings and held that title since 2013-14.

Throughout Blake’s time as the Kings' GM, the team has never advanced past the first round in five post-season appearances. They finished third in the Pacific Division in the last three seasons.

In terms of regular-season results, this was Blake’s best campaign as his team finished second in the Pacific. They capped off the year with a 48-25-9 record and 105 points. It was the first time they earned home-ice advantage in the first round since the 2016 playoffs.

The Kings had the best home record in the NHL in the regular season, giving the team a chance to put away the Oilers once and for all. They also went 17-7-1 in the last 25 games of the year, tied for the most points in the NHL in that span.

Los Angeles also missed the playoffs from 2019 to 2021 but added talent at the NHL draft. They selected center Alex Turcotte fifth overall in 2019, Quinton Byfield second overall in 2020 and defenseman Brandt Clarke eighth overall in 2021. They also drafted defenseman Brock Faber but traded him to the Minnesota Wild with a 2022 first-rounder in exchange for Kevin Fiala in 2022.

“Rob deserves a great deal of credit and respect for elevating us to where we are today,” Robitaille said. “He has been an important part of the Kings and will always be appreciated for what he has meant to this franchise.”

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

As per LA Kings PR, Rob Blake and the Los Angeles Kings have mutually agreed to part ways following the team's failure to make it past the 1st round of the playoffs for the fourth straight year.

 

pic.twitter.com/THvaPrLfHM

— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) May 5, 2025

Hired on April 10, 2017, Blake had the fourth longest tenure as general manager, behind only franchise legends Rogie Vachon, Dave Taylor, and two-time Stanley Cup winner, Dean Lombardi. 

Under Blake's leadership, the Kings posted a regular season record of 309-238-71 (.557 PTS%), qualifying for the playoffs in five of his eight-year tenure. The Kings, however, are still looking for their first playoff series win since the 2014 Stanley Cup Final against the New York Rangers. 

The Kings and long-embattled general manager Rob Blake have mutually agreed to part ways, the team announced Monday, four days after the team’s fourth consecutive first-round playoff loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

“On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Rob for his dedication to the L.A. Kings and the passion he brought to the role,” president Luc Robitaille said in a statement. “Reaching this understanding wasn’t easy and I appreciate Rob’s partnership in always working toward what is best for the Kings.

“Rob deserves a great deal of credit and respect for elevating us to where we are today. He has been an important part of the Kings and will always be appreciated for what he has meant to this franchise.”

The search for a new general manager will begin immediately, the Kings said.

Read more:Why can't the Kings beat the Oilers? A familiar pattern emerges in playoff elimination

Speaking to reporters Monday, Kings coach Jim Hiller said he hadn’t talked with Robitaille yet regarding his future. Hiller, 55, signed a three-year contract with the Kings last May.

Robitaille is scheduled to to speak Tuesday about the coaching situation and the search for a new general manager.

After taking over on an interim basis for Todd McLellan midway through the 2023-24 season, Hiller rallied the Kings to a playoff berth. He had success in his first full regular season as coach but has taken much of the blame for the team’s early postseason exit.

Blake, 55, was a Hall of Fame defenseman whose 20-year NHL playing career included two stints with the Kings. He spent several of those seasons playing alongside Robitaille. He was brought back to the Kings as assistant general manager ahead of the 2013-14 season, which ended with the team winning its second Stanley Cup.

Less than four years later the team fired general manager Dean Lombardi, the architect of its two Stanley Cup champions, and promoted Blake, who quickly went about expanding the team’s player-development program, adding strength and conditioning coaches, a sports dietitian, a psychologist and other specialists, making it one of the most robust in the NHL.

Yet the Kings haven’t won a playoff series since.

This spring’s early exit from the postseason may have been the most painful of Blake’s team as general manager. The team tied franchise records for wins (48) and points (105) while breaking the record for home wins (31), giving it home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. But after dominating the first two games at home, the Kings were swept in the next four.

That extended another franchise record, marking the 11th straight season the Kings have failed to win a postseason series.

Unlike Lombardi, who was frequently visible around the team and available to the media, Blake, who was in the final year of his contract, rarely spoke publicly. Additionally, he has long been a target of fans critical of his roster construction and poor trades, such as the one that brought Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Kings in the summer of 2023 in exchange for Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, Gabriel Vilardi and a second-round draft pick. Dubois signed a cap-squeezing eight-year, $68-million contract with Blake, then promptly proved to be a bust, setting career lows with 16 goals and 24 assists.

Read more:Kings' season ends in another playoff loss to Oilers: 'This one hurts a little more'

But Blake fixed that last summer, moving Dubois to the Washington Capitals in exchange for goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who had a career season and is one of three finalists for the Vezina Trophy. Blake also made an important deal at the March trade deadline, acquiring forward Andrei Kuzmenko from the Philadelphia Flyers, who also agreed to split the remainder of Kuzmenko’s salary.

The trade immediately improved the Kings’ offense and rescued an impotent power play, helping win 17 of its final 22 games to place second in the Pacific Division, the best finish of Blake’s term as general manager.

But that luck — and Blake’s time with the team — ended in the playoffs.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The NHL draft lottery is the most exciting time of the post-season for the clubs that missed out on a playoff spot.

Heading into the 2025 NHL draft, it’s been 10 years since Connor McDavid was drafted. Widely considered the best player in the NHL today, we’ve seen the draft lottery change a few times since then.

There was one lottery draw in McDavid’s draft year. From 2016 to 2020, there were three lottery draws for picks Nos. 1 through 3. After that, it went down to two draft lotteries. 

The odds were tweaked each time, and the NHL has tried to deter tanking, but teams have continued to tank. While they aren’t tanking at the same level as the Edmonton Oilers, Arizona Coyotes and Buffalo Sabres were that McDavid year, we still get, as some like to call it, strategically losing.

Before we head into the 2025 NHL draft lottery Monday at 7 p.m. ET, where we will see the numbers drawn live, let’s look at the last decade of the draft lottery, starting with McDavid going to the Oilers in 2015.

2015: The Oilers Nab McDavid

After toiling at the bottom of the NHL despite getting some high-end picks, including three straight first overall picks between 2020 and 2012, the Oilers were once again praying for a lottery miracle.

In what was set up to be the biggest draft since Sidney Crosby came into the NHL, the Oilers finished third-last in the NHL with 62 points, ahead of super tankers Arizona (56 points) and Buffalo (54).

McDavid has more than lived up to the hype, asserting himself as the game’s best player with three Hart Trophies, four Ted Lindsay Awards, five Art Ross Trophies, a Rocket Richard and even a Conn Smythe in a losing effort as playoff MVP.

2016: Matthews Is A Maple Leaf

After narrowly missing out on McDavid the year before in the lottery, the Hockey Gods had something different in store for the Maple Leafs.

Toronto finished last in the standings, but it was the first year in which three lotteries would be held to determine the top three picks. 

The Leafs had 67 points, which was a very respectable number for a last-placed team, and the team was happily gifted with the lottery win. They took their franchise center, arguably a top-three player in the world and the league's best goal-scorer since he stepped into the NHL. Matthews has a Calder Trophy, a Hart, three Rocket Richards and a Ted Lindsay, and he’s become one of the best two-way centers in the world.

 

NHL Sour Rankings: What Lies Ahead For Every Non-Playoff TeamThe NHL is so often focused, for good reason, on the races at the top of the standings, but the NHL Sour Rankings looks at the bottom. 

2017: New Jersey, Philadelphia And Dallas Win Lotteries In Chaotic Results

The 2017 draft lottery was a wild one. 

Colorado had one of the worst seasons in recent history with 48 points, while Vancouver (69) and Arizona (70) each had terrible years in hopes of getting first overall.

There was no surefire bet like McDavid or Matthews in the class, but Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick were both promising young players. 

On lottery night, we saw pure chaos. 

The New Jersey Devils moved from fifth to first, the Philadelphia Flyers moved from 13th to second, and the Dallas Stars moved from eighth to third. 

Hischier went first overall, and he’s become one of the NHL’s top two-way centers. Colorado and Vancouver were both rewarded with Cale Makar and Elias Pettersson at fourth and fifth overall, arguably the top two players in the class.

2018: Sabres Finally Get First Overall Pick, Carolina Takes Massive Jump

After years of toiling near the bottom of the standings, including their former GM Tim Murray openly being displeased with “only” getting the second overall pick in 2015, the Sabres won the lottery.

It was a very good year to get the top pick because Rasmus Dahlin was the top prospect, and he was a virtual can’t-miss blueline prospect. His career has had some ups and downs because Buffalo has continued to toil near the bottom of the league, but Dahlin has been one of the most prolific offensive defenseman to come out of Europe ever.

2019: New Jersey Wins The Hughes Lottery

Two years after getting the Hischier pick, the Devils were back in the lottery, finishing third-last in the NHL. They were fortunate to move up three spots to first, but the chaos that ensued after that was fun for fans. 

The Ottawa Senators finished at the bottom of the NHL and moved down to fourth overall, while the Los Angeles Kings fell from second-last to fifth. The New York Rangers jumped from sixth to second, and the Chicago Blackhawks went from 12th to third overall. 

Hughes has been a stud for New Jersey when healthy, becoming one of the most dynamic and entertaining centers in the NHL. 

2020: Rangers Lose In The Play-In, Win The COVID Lottery

The COVID-19 year was certainly a weird one. After the NHL shut down in early March, it resumed the season in the summer but chose to just do an extended post-season, including the top 24 teams instead of the top 16.

The league held a lottery with the eight teams out of the extended playoffs, as well as eight teams designated as Team A through Team H. Team E won the first overall pick, followed by the Kings and Senators. 

Once the play-in round was held and the initial eight teams were eliminated, they held a second lottery for those teams to see who would be granted the distinction of being Team E and winning the first overall pick.

The Rangers won that lottery and picked first overall in one of the oddest drafts in league history, with so many players worldwide playing limited games because of the global pandemic.

The Rangers selected Alexis Lafreniere, who has been a solid scoring winger, but he’s been overshadowed by Tim Stutzle (third overall), Lucas Raymond (fourth) and Jake Sanderson (fifth overall) among others to this point in the careers of the 2020 draft class.

2021: Buffalo Tanks Successfully By Accident, Seattle Joins The League At Second Overall

In what would be an even weirder draft, the Sabres won the second COVID-19 lottery as the NHL went down to two lotteries instead of three to help offset the odds of a team finishing last and picking fourth.

Buffalo retained its first overall slot, and it took Owen Power in a year that was horrible for scouts. 

Players played limited games, and the OHL shut down for the year. It was an incredibly tough year to evaluate, as almost all scouting was done on video, which put NHL scouts out of their comfort zone. 

Power returned to the University of Michigan immediately after being drafted, but he would join the Sabres shortly after his season ended, and he’s been a solid defenseman, albeit a work in progress.

The Seattle Kraken, meanwhile, received the second overall pick in their inaugural draft. They took Matty Beniers, who won the Calder Trophy as the top rookie in 2022-23.

2022: Montreal Wins The Wright-Slafkovsky Sweepstakes

As the hockey world – and real world – began to return to normal after COVID, the NHL draft world was hyper-focused on Shane Wright in the OHL, returning to play after losing a full season to the pandemic. 

Wright was very good, but some scouts had questions about the developmental lapse the time off would have and his lack of dynamism. Montreal won the lottery after finishing last in the league. 

The Habs hosted the draft that year, and although fans outside of the arena were already wearing Canadiens jerseys with Wright’s No. 51 on the back, they instead took hulking Slovak winger Juraj Slafkovsky. 

While Wright has slowly worked his way into the NHL and looks poised for a breakout next season in Seattle, he fell to fourth overall. The Habs have been ecstatic with the development of Slafkovsky as he’s found chemistry with their top players and become an integral part of their future.

2025 NHL Draft Lottery Day Announced: How It Works, And What Are The Odds?The 2025 NHL draft lottery is scheduled for Monday, May 5, when we will know which team has the top pick in June.

2023: Chicago Is Bad For Bedard

Chicago fully embraced its new reality as a bottom-feeder rather than a Cup contender, and it paid off. 

The Hawks moved from third to first in the lottery, giving them the chance to select WHL superstar Connor Bedard, a player many deemed generational. There was plenty of tanking in the NHL because of the prospect of drafting Bedard, but with Leo Carlsson, Adam Fantilli and Matvei Michkov also available, this draft was loaded with talent up top for anyone who missed out on first overall. 

Chicago has a bright future because of Bedard, but growing pains in Year 2 after winning the Calder as a rookie showcase Chicago’s need to do more for their franchise star. 

2024: San Jose’s Tank Pays Off With Celebrini

The Sharks committed fully to tanking, and they’ve done a masterful job. It’s only been a year since they retained the first overall pick and selected Macklin Celebrini, but the spirits in San Jose have been sky-high because of how complete of a player he’s been since stepping foot in the NHL. 

They are once again in position to select first overall as they finished dead last for a second straight year. They could have back-to-back franchise-altering picks that shape their franchise for the next 15 years with Celebrini as their No. 1 center and a possible future top-pair defender in Matthew Schaefer or a second franchise center in Michael Misa.

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

Sharks drop to No. 2 pick in NHL draft lottery despite best No. 1 odds originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The ping-pong balls did not fall in the Sharks’ favor Monday night as San Jose fell during the 2025 NHL Draft lottery, ending up with the No. 2 overall pick.

Just in: The Sharks will pick No. 2 in the 2025 #NHLDraft!#TheFutureIsTealpic.twitter.com/rCEZs60XKT

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) May 5, 2025

Despite entering the lottery with the best odds to win the No. 1 pick at 25.2 percent, the Sharks lost out on the opportunity to do so for the second time in as many years after selecting consensus top prospect Macklin Celebrini first overall in 2024. Celebrini tied for second among NHL rookies with 63 points (25 goals, 38 assists) in 70 games this season and is a Calder Trophy finalist.

The New York Islanders ended up with the No. 1 selection after entering Monday with the NHL’s 10th-best odds at 3.5 percent, and will pick first for the first time in 16 years.

In the 2025 draft, Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League, is the favorite to be the No. 1 pick. But there are plenty of other top prospects for San Jose to choose from at No. 2, including center Michael Misa of Saginaw (OHL).

With a strong crop of young talent already, the Sharks certainly will be able to add to their teal future with the second pick in the draft.

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast

Daniel Sprong

Sprong was a member of the Vancouver Canucks for a grand total of nine regular-season games in the 2024–25 season. After some defensive gaps were spotted in his play, he was quickly traded to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for future considerations. He was dealt to the New Jersey Devils at the Trade Deadline in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2026. Sprong played one playoff game with the Devils and did not register a point. 

Justin Dowling 

Dowling only played 22 games for Vancouver, but stayed within the Canucks organization from 2021 to 2023. A free-agent signing by New Jersey in 2023, Dowling has been with the Devils for the past two seasons. He played in all five of the Devils’ playoff games this round, but failed to register a point. 

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Jacob Markström

Markström is no stranger to carrying a team to success (as Canucks fans are well aware of), and in this season’s series against the Carolina Hurricanes, that was evident. After almost seven years with the Canucks, Markström joined the Calgary Flames in 2020 and was eventually traded to the Devils. Despite only having one win on his record during this postseason, he posted a 2.78 GAA and a .911 SV%. 

Jalen Chatfield

Chatfield was the first former Canuck to advance to the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Chatfield and the Hurricanes took down the Devils in five games, with the former Canucks defender potting one goal during this effort. 

Anthony Beauvillier

Beauvillier has moved around quite a bit since his 55-game stint with the Canucks. He ended up with the Chicago Blackhawks in November 2023, the Nashville Predators in March 2024, the Pittsburgh Penguins in July 2024, and finally the Washington Capitals in March 2025. In a five-game takedown of the Montréal Canadiens, Beauvillier had a goal and four assists. 

Nic Dowd

It’s been seven seasons since Dowd played his 40 games with the Canucks, and since then he has stayed a consistent member of the Capitals. He played in all five of Washington’s first-round games this postseason, tallying one assist in Game 4. 

Nate Schmidt 

In his time with Vancouver, Schmidt may be best known for his attempts to get Brandon Sutter a McFlurry after the forward scored his first NHL hat trick. Schmidt joined the Winnipeg Jets for three seasons before moving onto the Florida Panthers this year. He opened Florida’s five-game first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning with three goals in two games. 

Adam Gaudette

Despite an impressive season, Gaudette and the Ottawa Senators fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games. Gaudette, who was drafted by the Canucks in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft and departed from the team in 2021, scored a goal and two assists in his team’s playoff run. 

Matthew Highmore 

Highmore played 64 games with the Canucks from 2021 to 2022, putting up nine goals and 17 assists. He only slotted into one of Ottawa’s games in the first round and did not record a point. 

Chris Tanev

Once known as “Tequila” by his Canucks teammates, Tanev returned to his hometown team, the Maple Leafs, during the 2024 off-season. This postseason marks the fifth time in his career that he has made the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs — two of these instances were with the Canucks. In Toronto’s six-game first round series, Tanev registered one assist in Game 4. 

Oliver Ekman-Larsson 

Ekman-Larsson was the second piece in a trade that sent Conor Garland to the Canucks back in 2021. The former Arizona Coyotes Captain has since been bought out by Vancouver, signed with the Panthers and won a Stanley Cup in 2024, and is now competing for his second championship as a member of the Maple Leafs. He had two goals in Toronto’s first-round series. 

Tanner Pearson 

Pearson’s time with the Canucks was characterized by his friendship with former Captain Bo Horvat and a brief reunion with L.A. Kings linemate Tyler Toffoli. In his 221 games with the Canucks, Pearson scored 55 goals and 59 assists. He had 27 points in 78 games played with the Vegas Golden Knights this season and had one assist in three games played during their first-round, six-game series against the Minnesota Wild.  

Andrei Kuzmenko 

The Canucks pulled out all the stops to get Kuzmenko to sign with them during the 2022 off-season, and after his debut NHL season, it was clear why they did so. Kuzmenko had 39 goals and 35 assists in his first season with the Canucks. However, things dropped off the season after, resulting in the forward being moved to the Flames. After a couple more trades, Kuzmenko ended up in Los Angeles. He had five goals and 12 assists in 22 regular season games with the Kings, and averaged a point-per game with them in the postseason before being eliminated in six matches. 

Vasily Podkolzin 

Podkolzin, the 10th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in August of 2024. The change of scenery has seemed to have gone well for him, as Podkolzin has taken things up a level since the playoffs began. He has been on the ice in the final minutes when the Oilers have a lead, and he has noticeably increased the physicality of his presence while on the forecheck. He currently has four assists in all six of the Oilers’ games. 

Casey DeSmith 

While DeSmith did not start any of the Dallas Stars’ first-round games, he did play in relief after Jake Oettinger was pulled during Game 4. He only let one goal in on 14 shots against, putting up a .929 SV%. 

Luke Schenn 

Schenn has been a reliable defender for the Winnipeg Jets since joining the team via trade. He played in all seven of the team’s first-round games, including nearly 30 minutes in their Game 7 double overtime win. His lone assist came during their 5–3 Game 1 win. 

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Montreal Canadiens left winger Patrik Laine missed his club's final three playoff games against the Washington Capitals. The 27-year-old suffered a series-ending broken finger in Game 2.

Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette believes it doesn't matter that Laine was sidelined because he felt the Canadiens were better without him. He thinks the power-play specialist would've been in the lineup if the Habs needed him, busted finger or not.

Hickey suggested Laine is reaching a crossroads in Montreal after only one season. Calling him “a one-trick pony,” he claimed teams have to hope his “rocket shot” compensates for his poor play in the defensive zone. He felt Laine doesn't fit into coach Martin St-Louis' system and has to go.

Likewise, The Hockey News' Jim Parsons said Laine hasn't kept pace with the Canadiens' fast-paced, high-pressure system.

Laine's return from a knee injury last December played a key part in the Canadiens' rallying from last place in the Eastern Conference into a playoff contender. However, 15 of his 20 goals this season came on the power play, as did 19 of his 33 points. His production also declined down the stretch, netting just two goals during the Habs' last 10 regular-season games.

Trading Laine will be difficult. PuckPedia indicates he has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $8.7 million and a 10-team no-trade list. 

Hickey believes the Canadiens might have to package him with a draft pick and retain part of his salary. Failing that, he suggested they buy out his contract.

Canadiens Face Tough Questions About Patrik Laine’s FutureThe off-season has officially arrived for the Montreal Canadiens, a team that proved they are closer to being contenders, and one that gave the Washington Capitals a decent fight in Round 1. However, one player who wasn’t memorable in the series was forward Patrik Laine. He was not involved in Wednesday's Game 5, and speculation has surfaced about his future with the team. 

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres must find a steady, right-shot defense partner for Owen Power. 

Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo Newsobserved that Power already has 242 NHL games under his belt, but his defensive game remains consistent. The 22-year-old blueliner could benefit from being paired with a veteran mentor. 

The Sabres could turn to the free-agent market to address that issue. However, Lysowski suggested dangling rearguard Bowen Byram as trade bait.

Byram was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche last season in exchange for center Casey Mittelstadt. They won that deal, as the 23-year-old defenseman had a career-best performance this season with 38 points in 82 games and a plus-minus of plus-11. 

Completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.85 million, Byram can become an RFA with arbitration rights on July 1. Lysowski believes he will be expensive to re-sign, claiming the Sabres would rather put that money toward signing forwards Alex Tuch, JJ Peterka and Ryan McLeod to contract extensions. 

Lysowski listed several possible trade targets, including the New York Islanders' Noah Dobson and the Calgary Flames' Rasmus Andersson. Dobson is also an RFA with arbitration rights this summer, while Andersson is a year away from UFA eligibility.

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EDMONTON – History repeats itself.

For the Edmonton Oilers, they are hoping that won’t be the case.

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After eliminating the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, they turn to their next challenge – exorcising the demons that haunt them in the form of the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Oilers got huge performances from Connor McDavid, Calvin Pickard, Connor Brown, and Evan Bouchard in the opening round. They are going to need a lot more players collectively pushing the boulder up the mountain to put the pesky Golden Knights away.

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Since the Oilers lost their second-round series to them two seasons ago, they have been haunted by what could have been. At the time, players on the Golden Knights said that the Oilers were the toughest team they faced in that Stanley Cup-winning run.

A flattering, but infuriating compliment. 

The Oilers will face a less dominant Golden Knights team this year than two years ago. The Oilers are a deeper team with more experience and more heartbreak fueling their determination to come out on top.

On the surface, the Oilers have more at stake. Looking at the series from the outside, most hockey pundits view the Oilers as the underdogs, but they like it that way.

With a deeper roster and more consistent goaltending, they certainly have a better team on paper than they did two years ago. Will history repeat itself or will the Oilers write another chapter in their underdog story this year?

It all starts Tuesday.

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The Florida Panthers kick off their second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs on May 5 with Game 1. The Panthers' goal will be to start the series on the right foot against a very talented Maple Leafs squad.

If the Panthers hope to start this series with a victory, they will need all of their players to be on their A-game, but especially these three.

Sergei Bobrovsky

Bobrovsky was a notable reason why the Panthers knocked out the Lightning in the first round in only five games. The 36-year-old put together a solid series, as he had a 4-1 record, a 2.21 save percentage, a .901 save percentage, and one shutout. If he continues to play like that in Game 1 against Toronto, it will greatly help the Panthers' chances of winning.

Going up against the Maple Leafs will not be a walk in the park for Bobrovsky, as they have plenty of elite forwards like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares. However, he has shut them down before, and it will be interesting to see if he does again in Game 1.

Sam Reinhart

Reinhart has been excellent for the Panthers this post-season thus far. He currently has two goals and leads the team with six points in five games. This includes posting three points in his two games alone. With this, the 29-year-old forward will look to stay hot in Game 1 against the Maple Leafs from here.

When Reinhart's offense is going, the Panthers are an incredibly challenging team to beat. It will be interesting to see if he can put up another big performance in an important Game 1 against Toronto.

Aleksander Barkov

Without any surprise, Barkov has also been one of the Panthers' best players this post-season so far. In five games, he has one goal, five points, and a plus-2 rating. He has been nothing but consistent for the Panthers, but his responsibilities in Game 1 will be even higher.

As noted above, the Maple Leafs have several high-impact forwards who create plenty of offense. With Barkov being the Panthers' best defensive forward, his top goal will be to shut them down in Game 1. If he is strong defensively, it will greatly improve the Panthers' chances of winning.

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The 2025 NHL Draft Lottery will be held on Monday, May 5 at 4 pm PST. There will be two lotteries held, one for the first overall selection and one for the second.

2025 Anaheim Ducks Draft Lottery Preview

The Anaheim Ducks enter Monday with a 6% chance to win the lottery and select first overall for the first time in franchise history.

Unlike most years, the 2025 Draft does not have a true consensus top prospect. As of now, most experts’ lists have either defenseman Matthew Schaefer or forward Michael Misa as this year’s prize at the very top of the draft.

Of the 11 teams eligible to win the top pick in the draft, the Ducks are the most deserving of the lottery balls bouncing their way on Monday.

Too Bad for Too Long

The Ottawa Senators took a major step in their journey toward contention in 2024-25 by qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In doing so, it rendered the Ducks' current seven-year playoff drought as the third-longest in the NHL.

Only the Detroit Red Wings (eight years) and the Buffalo Sabres (14 years) have longer sustained playoff droughts. 

The Red Wings are ineligible for first overall after finishing 21st in league standings, leaving just the Sabres as the only team in contention with a longer playoff drought than the Ducks.

Never Been Done

Of the 11 eligible teams in 2025, the Ducks, Nashville Predators, and Seattle Kraken are the only teams to have never made a first overall selection in the history of their franchises.

Of those three teams, the Ducks and Kraken are the only ones to have never had a first overall pick even suit up for them.

Cruel Lottery Luck

Under the new NHL Draft Lottery odds calculator, the team that finishes at the bottom of the NHL standings each year has roughly a 25% chance of winning and selecting first overall.

Despite those odds, the team that finished at the bottom of the standings has won the subsequent lottery three out of the last four years.

The Buffalo Sabres had the highest odds (25.7%) of winning the 2021 Draft Lottery and the right to select first overall. They did (Owen Power).

The Montreal Canadiens had the highest odds (25.5%) of winning the 2022 Draft Lottery and the right to select first overall. They did (Juraj Slafkovsky).

The Anaheim Ducks had the highest odds (25.5%) of winning the 2023 Draft Lottery and the right to select first overall. They didn’t (Connor Bedard).

The San Jose Sharks had the highest odds (25.5%) of winning the 2024 Draft Lottery and the right to select first overall. They did (Macklin Celebrini).

The Ducks were the only team in the last four years to finish a season at the bottom of the standings and not win the subsequent lottery, a lottery whose prize was the most highly-touted prospect in recent years, receiving the label of “generational.”

Always a Bridesmaid

In the salary cap era of the NHL (2005-present), there have been three draft-eligible prospects to have earned the label of “generational” heading into their respective drafts: Sidney Crosby (2005), Connor McDavid (2015), and Connor Bedard (2023).

In two of those three drafts, the Ducks had to select second behind one of those said-to-be generational talents.

In 2005, every team had the opportunity to win the lottery, as that draft followed the 2004-05 lockout season. Four teams had a 6.25% chance of drafting first overall (New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, ten teams had a 4.17% chance (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Atlanta Thrashers, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, and Phoenix Coyotes), and the remaining 16 teams had a 2.08% chance.

The Pittsburgh Penguins won the 2005 lottery and selected Sidney Crosby, who would captain them to three Stanley Cups and is widely considered to be on the “Mount Rushmore” of NHL players in history. The Ducks selected Bobby Ryan second overall, who played 866 career NHL games, including 378 for the Ducks, where he scored 289 points (147-142=289).

In 2023, the Ducks had the very best odds to win the draft lottery after the worst season in franchise history and were the NHL’s worst defensive team (4.09 goals allowed per game) in 27 years.

The Chicago Blackhawks won the lottery and the rights to select Connor Bedard. Despite the Blackhawks' two seasons finishing 31st in the NHL standings with Bedard on the roster, Bedard has seen personal success so far in his young career, with 128 points (45-83=128) in 150 games while adding the 2024 Calder Trophy to his cabinet. The Ducks selected Leo Carlsson second overall in 2023, who has been electrifying in stretches during his two seasons in Anaheim, but the production hasn’t followed. He’s totaled 74 points (32-42=74) in 131 games.

In conclusion, if there were a team who deserves to win the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery and the right to choose between Matthew Schaefer or Michael Misa (or someone else), it would be the Anaheim Ducks, as they 1. Have the second-longest playoff drought among eligible teams 2. Have never won a draft lottery 3. Have been the only team of the last four years with the best odds to win not to do so 4. Have had to watch generational talents drafted right in front of them twice in 20 years.

The defense rests.

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