The Chicago Blackhawks are in the process of looking for a head coach. Anders Sorensen took over on an interim basis when they fired Luke Richardson mid-season, but Sorensen is not expected to remain the coach. 

Coming out of the regular season, it was well known that University of Denver head coach David Carle was at the top of Kyle Davidson’s list. Over the weekend, however, Carle dropped out of this potential opportunity. 

Now, the Blackhawks have to pivot and look in a different direction. Recent NHL news has presented them with a new option. 

On Monday morning, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they have parted ways with head coach Mike Sullivan. He leaves behind the team with which he established himself as a top-flight coach. 

Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) on XThe Pittsburgh Penguins and Head Coach Mike Sullivan have agreed to part ways. Details: https://t.co/9AB8bPOijI

Sullivan, since becoming the head coach of the Penguins, has won the Stanley Cup twice. He was Team USA’s coach in their second-place effort at the 4-Nations Face-Off. Everywhere Sullivan has been, success has followed. 

The Blackhawks must try to pursue Sullivan in their search. A guy like David Carle has much potential as an NHL head coach, but Sullivan has proven it at the highest level more than once. 

Not only has Sullivan gotten the most out of NHL depth players, but he has also led stars like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang to great playoff success. That experience, if hired, may help him get Connor Bedard and other young stars in Chicago going. 

Pittsburgh has also had some tactical advantages under Mike Sullivan during his tenure there. One example came when he found a way to fit in Phil Kessel by taking him away from Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Getting Kessel on the third line with Carl Hagelin and Nick Bonino got him going and gave the Penguins three scoring lines. It became a matchup nightmare for the opposition because Pittsburgh had an Olympian driving play on every line.

He also perfectly handled the Marc-Andre Fleury & Matt Murray duo in 2016 and 2017. The right buttons were pushed to get each of them to do what was necessary to win back-to-back championships. 

One final example is how he handled Justin Schultz in those championship days. Whether Kris Letang was healthy or not, Sullivan knew how to get Schultz to execute whatever role was needed from him on the blue line. 

If he is on the radar for Chicago, they will have some competition. They aren’t even the only Original Six team with upside looking for a new coach. 

The Boston Bruins have a legit number one defenseman in Charlie McAvoy. He can lead a team from the back end in every offensive and defensive situation. He’s also married to Mike Sullivan's daughter. Having a star goalie and elite forward locked in to rebuild around doesn’t hurt their case either. 

The New York Rangers are also on the search for a great head coach. They had a horrific season following a deep playoff run one year prior. Will they try to reload with a veteran coach? Sullivan would be a great candidate for that role. 

Other younger teams like the Anaheim Ducks and Seattle Kraken are looking for a new bench boss as well. Chicago will be far from alone regarding teams that make sense for Mike Sullivan. 

Undoubtedly, he would be a great fit for this organization, looking to take a step. All Kyle can do is pursue him to the best of his ability. From there, it's on the coach to make a decision. 

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

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced on Monday morning that they have parted ways with longtime head coach Mike Sullivan.

Sullivan just completed his tenth season with the Penguins and after winning two Stanley Cups and leading his team to multiple playoff appearances, he’ll be moving on. 

“On behalf of Fenway Sports Group and the Penguins organization, I would like to thank Mike Sullivan for his unwavering commitment and loyalty to the team and City of Pittsburgh over the past decade,” Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said in a statement. “Mike is known for his preparation, focus and fierce competitiveness. I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons. 

“He will forever be an enormous part of Penguins history, not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, but more importantly, for his love and loyalty to the organization. This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but as we continue to navigate the Penguins through this transitional period, we felt it was the best course forward for all involved.”

This move by the Penguins has some major implications on the New York Rangers’ coaching search.

According to Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today, multiple league sources believe that Sullivan is Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury’s top choice to fill in the team’s head coaching vacancy. 

Sullivan and Drury have ties from Boston University and USA Hockey as this match makes perfect sense. 

Rangers Players Defend Peter Laviolette With A Tone Of Sympathy After Firing For the third time since 2021 the Rangers have fired their head coach. 

Drury also made a push for Sullivan in previous head coaching searches and now that he’s parted ways with the Penguins, now could be the perfect opportunity for the Rangers to sway Sullivan to make his way to New York.

The Rangers fired Peter Laviolette after missing the playoffs and going through a season filled with disappointments.

Drury has let go of three coaches since 2021 as the Blueshirts are in dire need of some stability behind the bench. 

Given Sullivan’s tenure in Pittsburgh and overall track record, he could provide that stability and help change the culture within the Rangers organization.

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen, who turns 30 on April 28.

Lankinen set a career high in games played this season with 51 for the Canucks, more than double the number of matches he appeared in with the Nashville Predators last season. After some 4 Nations Face-Off action for Finland, Lankinen's sticking around with the Canucks for a while longer.

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.        

Should Bruins consider Mike Sullivan as a head coach candidate? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins need to find a permanent head coach after firing Jim Montgomey back in November and naming assistant Joe Sacco as the interim head coach.

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said last week at the team’s end-of-season press conference that Sacco would be part of the coaching search.

“I spoke with Joe at length, obviously, we met with our coaches in a debrief, and I’ve spoken at length with Joe,” Sweeney said. “He’s aware that we’re going to have a head coaching search, he’s aware that he’ll be part of the final group of coaches that we get down to, because I think he’s earned and deserved that.”

Sacco did the best he could with a flawed roster, and to his credit, the Bruins didn’t quit and players played hard to the end. But frankly, if the Bruins want to be a legit contender in the Eastern Conference — and especially in a quick manner — they need an upgrade over Sacco at the head coach position.

A very good and highly respected coach hit the market Monday when the Pittsburgh Penguins announced they had parted ways with Mike Sullivan. The Massachusetts native became Penguins head coach in 2015 and helped guide them to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2015-16 and 2016-17. The Penguins made the playoffs in seven of his 10 seasons behind the bench, although they failed to qualify each of the last three years.

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Sullivan also has excelled as head coach of the United States men’s hockey team. Team USA reached the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off at TD Garden back in February and will go to the 2026 Olympics as one of the gold medal favorites.

The Bruins would be wise to consider Sullivan for their head coach job, assuming he has any interest. His resume, as described above, speaks for itself.

He also understands the market and has plenty of ties to the area.

He’s from Marshfield, Mass, and played college hockey at Boston University. He was once the head coach of the AHL’s Providence Bruins for one season (2002-03) and the Boston Bruins for two seasons (2003-04 and 2005-06). He has familiarity with the organization and the fan base. He’s also Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy’s father-in-law.

In total, Sullivan has 12 seasons of NHL head coach experience.

How much will NHL experience be a factor in the Bruins’ coaching search? Sweeney was asked last week.

“Does it have to include NHL experience on head coaching level? No, it has to include some form of it, should include some form of NHL exposure,” Sweeney said at the season-ending press conference. “But if somebody blows you away, they blow you away. I don’t think I’m going to narrow it down to just (that). I think that’s an (injustice) to the process.

Sweeney later added: “They don’t have to be currently an NHL coach, but exposure to the league is important.”

Sullivan could have plenty of options if he chooses to be an NHL head coach next season. In addition to the Bruins, the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks and Seattle Kraken are among the teams that have head coaching vacancies.

Bruins management said last week at the press conference that, if the team is healthy and a couple roster upgrades are made in the summer, this group could be back in the playoffs next season. If the Bruins were doing an actual rebuild, hiring Sullivan wouldn’t make sense. But if the goal is to win in the short term, Sullivan would be a good fit.

Multiple Czech media outlets reported on Monday that David Pastrňák has finally agreed to play for his home country in this year’s IIHF World Championship. Czech national team GM Jiří Šlégr confirmed the news after the team’s practise.

“I spoke with David today before practise and his final decision is positive for all of us,” said Šlégr. “He decided to participate in the World Championship, which we are all very happy about.”

It was previously confirmed that the Boston Bruins had medically cleared Pastrňák to play, and many had interpreted that as confirmation that he would. However, the player himself had not committed until now.

https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/no-gudas-kubalik-or-tomasek-for-czechs-at-this-years-worlds-but-what-about-pastrnak

Šlégr was also asked about Calgary Flames winger Adam Klapka, who became available when the Calgary Wranglers were eliminated from the AHL playoffs.

“We are in communication,” Šlégr said about Klapka. “On the way here, I communicated with the Calgary general manager and we are negotiating.”

Adam Klapka: “I knew deep down that I would play in the NHL one day”At 6-foot-8 and 236 pounds, Adam Klapka is a hard guy to miss. But the Czech winger managed to fly under the radar for much of his amateur career and even in his early years as a pro. He never played in the U18 Worlds or the World Juniors, was never drafted by an NHL team and at age 21, split the season between the Bílí Tygři Liberec of the Czech Extraliga and HC Benátky nad Jizerou of the tier-two Chance Liga.

The final leg of the 2024-25 Euro Hockey Tour will be played this weekend, Thursday through Sunday, in Brno, Czechia. This leg of the tour, which is almost always hosted by the Czechs, is used by the four teams as a final tune-up for the World Championship. It is generally the only part of the tour that includes any NHL players. Here is the lineup that the Czechs will take:

Goaltenders: Daniel Vladař (Calgary, NHL), Karel Vejmelka (Utah HC, NHL), Josef Kořenář (HC Sparta Prague).

Defensemen: Filip Pyrochta (BK Mladá Boleslav), Jan Košťálek (HC Vítkovice Ridera), Jiří Ticháček (Kladno Knights), Tomáš Kundrátek (HC Oceláři Třinec), Radek Kučeřík (Ässät Pori, Finland), Michal Kempný, Jakub Krejčík (both HC Sparta Praha), David Špaček (Iowa Wild, AHL), Filip Hronek (Vancouver Canucks, NHL), Daniel Gazda (Ilves Tampere, Finland).

Forwards: Jiří Černoch, Ondřej Beránek (both HC Energie Karlovy Vary), Petr Kodýtek (IFK Helsinki, Finland), Radan Lenc (HV 71, Sweden), Michal Kovařčík (Kärpät Oulu, Finland), Ondřej Kovařčík (HC Oceláři Třinec), Daniel Voženílek (EV Zug, Switzerland), Kristian Reichel (Adler Mannheim, Germany), Matěj Stránský, Filip Zadina (both HC Davos), Michael Špaček, Filip Chlapík, Pavel Kousal (all HC Sparta Praha), Kevin Klíma (Mountfield HK), Jakub Lauko (Boston, NHL).

Team Staff

General Manager: Jiří Šlégr, Manager: Milan Hnilička, Head Coach: Radim Rulík, Assistant Coaches: Marek Židlický, Jiří Kalous, Tomáš Plekanec, Goaltending Coach: Ondřej Pavelec.

Karel Vejmelka & Filip Hronek To Play For Czechs In World Championship; Pastrnak Maybe Goaltender Karel Vejmelka of Utah HC and defenseman Filip Hronek of the Vancouver Canucks will play for Czechia at this year’s IIHF World Championship in Herning, Denmark and Stockholm, Sweden, according multiple media sources.

The NHL revealed the final three goaltenders who can win the Vezina Trophy. 

The finalists for the award, going “to the goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at this position,” are the Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and Los Angeles Kings’ Darcy Kuemper. The three netminders are all competing in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

GMs of all 32 NHL teams vote for this award.

Hellebuyck and Vasilevskiy won the award before. Hellebuyck earned the honor in 2020 and 2024, meaning he could win the Vezina in back-to-back years for the first time since Martin Brodeur did so in 2007 and 2008. Vasilevskiy won the Vezina Trophy in 2019.

Kuemper has never won the award, but he did finish fifth in voting in 2018-19 and seventh in 2019-20 when he played for the now-inactive Arizona Coyotes.

Hellebuyck is the favorite to win this award, leading in nearly every goaltending stat throughout the regular season. He finished the 2024-25 campaign with the best goals-against average (2.00) and the most shutouts (eight) among goalies who played at least 25 games. 

He finished second in the league in save percentage with a .925 SP, just behind Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Anthony Stolarz, who recorded a .926 SP.

Hellebuyck also won his second straight William M. Jennings Trophy as the goaltender who allowed the fewest goals against among goaltenders with at least 25 appearances.

Bruce Boudreau Believes The Jets Are The Real Deal, Rooting For Them To Win The Stanley CupThe Winnipeg Jets entered the playoffs with the best regular-season record (56-22-4), winning the Presidents’ Trophy and looking utterly dominant in front of Hart Trophy Candidate, Connor Hellebuyck. Despite that, many fans and analysts still do not believe the Jets can win the Stanley Cup.

Vasilevskiy drastically improved from last season, when he posted a .900 save percentage and a 2.90 goals-against average. This season, he recorded a .921 SP with a 2.18 GAA while playing 11 more games.

Early last season, he required surgery to address a lumbar disk herniation, and it affected his performance for the Lightning. However, he’s now a Vezina Trophy finalist for the fifth time in his 11-year career.

As for Kuemper, the Kings have never had a Vezina Trophy winner in franchise history. They were close in 2011-12 and 2015-16 when Jonathan Quick was the runner-up for the award.

Kuemper has the opportunity to be the first King to claim the Vezina, while having one of the best seasons of his career at 34 years old. 

The Kings’ netminder finished the regular season with a 31-11-7 record and was a key component for the team earning a second-place spot in the Pacific Division. He recorded the most wins in a season for Los Angeles since Quick’s 33 in 2017-18.

He was steady all year for his team, posting a 2.02 GAA and a .922 SP. Last season, with the Washington Capitals, Kuemper recorded a 3.31 GAA and a .890 SP, so the former Stanley Cup champion really bounced back this year.

The winner of the award will be announced during the Stanley Cup final.

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When John Tavares was pulled off the ice by the NHL's concussion spotters in overtime Game 4 against the Ottawa Senators, he had no idea that the Toronto Maple Leafs were going to the power play.

The 34-year-old was removed from the game in overtime after Artem Zub hit Tavares in the head in front of Ottawa's net. Tavares was out for the entire power play, returning to Toronto's bench just under 11 minutes into overtime.

"I don’t think I really need to explain it. I think pretty obvious what happened on the play. Puck’s nowhere near me," Tavares said of his hit Monday. 

The forward had the Maple Leafs' first goal in Game 4 in Ottawa, deflecting William Nylander's pass into the net for his third goal of the series. Tavares has five points in the series, the fourth-most on the team behind Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner.

"I feel good," Tavares said. "A little bit of soreness in my jaw and cheek area, but felt good on the ice today."

alright, standard set pic.twitter.com/xRKrSqtnHA

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 27, 2025

There was no penalty or supplemental discipline from the NHL on the play, which head coach Craig Berube seemed displeased with. "I don’t like the hit. Puck’s nowhere near him. Looked like a headshot to me," he said Monday.

"You're interested to see why nothing gets called on that, but that's sometimes how the play goes," added Mitch Marner. "Lucky enough, Johnny's fine and good to go. That's all that matters."

Toronto had several chances, but didn't score on their four-minute power play in overtime. Tavares got three shifts after returning to Toronto's bench and was on the ice for Ottawa's overtime-winner.

'Just Keep Going': How The Maple Leafs Will Combat The Seed Of Doubt In Game 5 Against SenatorsAs the Toronto Maple Leafs walked into the dressing room following their 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators, they could have thought either of two ways: it was only one loss, or their sky was beginning to fall.

When Chris Tanev was with the Calgary Flames last season, the NHL's concussion spotter pulled him during a game. He looks back on that moment, remembering he wasn't happy to be taken off the ice.

What would it be like for Tanev if he were in Tavares' position on Saturday?

"Yeah, I'm probably not happy. I mean, yeah, they're doing their job," the defenseman said. "It's obviously a good thing that the league's done now for a long time to try to prevent head injuries, keep concussions to a minimum. I mean, you can't comment on that too much, but I'm sure he wasn't very thrilled."

'That's An Easy Decision For Me': Maple Leafs Miss 4-Minute Overtime Power Play, Squander Chance to Sweep SenatorsKANATA, Ont. — The Toronto Maple Leafs were afforded a golden opportunity to complete a four-game sweep of the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. 

Tavares detailed the protocol process, which took 10 minutes of game time and around 15 real-time minutes to complete. He added on Monday that he's gone through the process before.

"Just a series of tests and evaluation of where you’re at, and making sure that you’re OK," he said. "Obviously, it’s there for safety reasons, so you just go through it and determine how you’re feeling, along with medical and the checkpoints that have to be hit for you to return."

It appears all systems are a go for him to play in Game 5 at home in Toronto, where the Maple Leafs have another chance to close the series. He skated in his usual spot on the second line, between Pontus Holmberg and Nylander at practice on Monday.

If the Maple Leafs win on Tuesday, it'll be the first time they've closed out a series at home since the 2004 Battle of Ontario.

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We reported on Sunday that the NHL had warned the Montreal Canadiens and the Washington Capitals to be very careful about how they handled themselves during warmups, TV ad breaks, and the intermission periods.

Canadiens: About That Devastating Hit
Canadiens: Tough Loss In Hard Hitting Battle
Canadiens: About Laine's Injury

On Monday morning, both teams were fined $25,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct in the warmup. Canadiens’ defenseman Arber Xhekaj also received a $3,385.42 fine, and Capitals’ healthy scratch blueliner Dylan McIlrath a $2,018.23 one by the NHL Department of Player Safety.

There was nothing much to the incident, and one can wonder if the Department is aptly named. The players weren’t unsafe in warmup on Sunday night. Since the start of the series, actions have gone unpunished on the ice and could easily have been reviewed had the NHL not been wary of admitting its referees had missed some calls.

Those fines are unlikely to diffuse to a situation that is currently brewing between the two sides, and the physicality is likely to go up, not down, when the two sides meet again on Wednesday night for game five.

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

On April 28, 2024, the Vancouver Canucks clawed back from a 3–1 deficit in game 4 to put the Nashville Predators on the brink of playoff elimination. They ultimately won the game 4–3 in overtime, taking a 3–1 series lead. Keep reading to reflect on some of this game’s milestones. 

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For starters, Vancouver’s goaltending situation was up in the air. Earlier on in the series, Thatcher Demko had been ruled out for an indefinite amount of time (he later returned in December 2024). Casey DeSmith, who started games 2 and 3 against Nashville, was dealing with an ailment that forced young goaltender Artūs Šilovs into the crease for game 4. This was Šilovs’ first NHL playoff start. He made 27 saves on 30 shots against to help his team along to a win. 

Game 4 was notable for more than just the start of Šilovs’ surprising playoff run. After he opened the scoring 2:55 into the first period, Canucks forward Brock Boeser added two more goals in the third period to record his first NHL playoff hat trick. His third goal came with less than a minute left in the third period, sending the game into overtime. 

The game-winning goal was scored by mid-season acquisition Elias Lindholm, who ended the game slightly over a minute into the extra frame. This was his second goal of the 2024 playoffs, with his first being scored in game 1. With this win, Vancouver became the eighth team in NHL history to score twice in the final three minutes of the game and ultimately win in overtime. 

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.

The Montreal Canadiens have had some terrific battles this season, but there are no moral victories as they face elimination against the Washington Capitals.

The Canadiens had a 2-1 lead in Game 4 Sunday night, thanks to Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield, before the Capitals scored four unanswered goals in the third period and won 5-2. This game showed the Habs’ issue with their offense arising more often than not in this series.

This game was there for the taking, but the Canadiens ultimately failed on offense. They managed only 18 shots on net, half of which came in the first two periods combined. It was a far cry from the 35 shots they had in Game 1, the 26 in Game 2 and 40 in Game 3, so their lack of just getting pucks on net killed much of the momentum from Friday’s 6-3 win.

That said, no matter how many shots on net they’ve had, their goal-scoring is a bigger problem. Outside of that Game 3 win, the Canadiens have only scored five goals in the other three contests combined. Even when looking at expected goals on naturalstattrick.com, which evaluates the quality of the chances they’re creating, they’re below average during the playoffs, and that includes their Game 3 win.

The Canadiens have only been shorthanded 10 times in the first round, which is tied for the second-fewest in the NHL, but five of them came in Game 4. Even though they killed all of them, it’s much tougher to produce any sort of offense when they’re playing short, and it came at a brutal time when Montreal could have tied this series.

All these issues leave a lot of pressure on goaltending to hold the fort. Sam Montembeault is effective at that when he’s at the top of his game, helping the Canadiens force overtime in Game 1 and stay close in a 3-1 loss in Game 2. He’s not a top-tier goalie like Jake Oettinger or Connor Hellebuyck, and consistency is part of that reason, but he has shown his value when he’s hot.

That value became clearer when he couldn’t play Game 4, and Jakub Dobes had a .875 save percentage and minus-0.9 goals saved above expected, according to moneypuck.com.

Canadiens: About That Devastating HitThere was a before and an after the Tom Wilson hit on Alexandre Carrier in Sunday night’s Montreal Canadiens—Washington Capitals game. By obliterating Carrier, Wilson seemed to energize his team, directly resulting in the Caps’ game-tying goal and eventual win.

It is encouraging to see the Canadiens battle hard in this series, just like they did in the regular season to clinch a playoff spot when many expected them to miss again as part of the rebuild. But Montreal doesn’t have the experience to make a comeback all that likely, and Game 3 is starting to look like an outlier in a series where nothing can make up for their lack of goal-scoring.

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.

For a lot of Detroit Red Wings fans, winger Filip Zadina is the face of the failure of the late stages of Ken Holland's tenure as general manager, a measure of the mess Steve Yzerman inherited when he took over.  Two summers ago, Yzerman finally cut bait on Holland's failed project, and Zadina signed with the San Jose Sharks.  Zadina didn't stick in San Jose either, heading for Davos of the Swiss National League, where he spent the 2024-25 season.  Now, after a reasonably with Davos, Zadina appears to have his eye on an NHL return.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Holland selected Zadina with the sixth pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.  Zadina—whom most pundits tapped as a top two or three overall selection—falling to Detroit was considered a draft night coup for the Red Wings at the time, only for reality to prove otherwise.  Zadina totaled just 68 points in five seasons in Detroit.  To make matters worse, Quinn Hughes (whom the Vancouver Canucks selected one pick after Zadina and who finished his amateur career just a few miles down the road from the Red Wings at the University of Michigan) was in the process of blossoming into a Norris caliber defenseman.  His lone season with the Sharks did little to change Zadina's reputation: 23 points in 72 games.  In 2024-25, Zadina registered 34 points in 43 games for Davos in the regular season, before scoring six goals and giving three assists in 10 playoff games.

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In a recent interview with the Czech publication Sport Ceskatelevize, Zadina offered a window into his headspace following his first pro season outside of the NHL.  "We'll see. I think I did the best I could during the season. And if it comes, it comes. If not, of course I won't hang my head. I was there for a few years, I tried it, it was great, but in Davos I felt that they took me as a valid player, they gave me a role and I filled it," the 25-year-old winger said of his time in North America and transition back to Europe.

"If something like that could come from America, I would take it 100 percent. But on the other hand, I want to look to the future, I want to be a good player who helps the team decide games. And I didn't have that role in America. For me, that move was a smarter move for my development. I believe I was better now than last year," Zadina added.

While it was a reasonably successful year for Zadina, his numbers don't exactly leap off the stat sheet to an extent that you'd expect to see NHL clubs come calling to inquire about his services for '25-26. 

As a reference point, two former Red Wings finished in the top five in National League scoring for '24-25.  Austin Czarnik actually topped the league in scoring with 56 points in 49 games, while Dominik Kubalik finished fourth with 49 in 52.  When you consider that context, it seems unlikely Zadina's 34 points would be enough to attract NHL attention.

Do you think Zadina has played his last NHL game?  Let us know in the comments.

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After nearly 10 years, the Pittsburgh Penguins will have a new voice behind the bench for the 2025-26 season.

The Penguins and Mike Sullivan have mutually agreed to part ways, it was announced Monday by president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas. Sullivan was under contract with the Penguins through the end of the 2026-27 season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Head Coach Mike Sullivan have agreed to part ways.

Details: https://t.co/9AB8bPOijIpic.twitter.com/lPeZXj3HC1

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 28, 2025

“On behalf of Fenway Sports Group and the Penguins organization, I would like to thank Mike Sullivan for his unwavering commitment and loyalty to the team and City of Pittsburgh over the past decade,” Dubas said. “Mike is known for his preparation, focus and fierce competitiveness. I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons. He will forever be an enormous part of Penguins history, not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, but more importantly, for his love and loyalty to the organization. This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but as we continue to navigate the Penguins through this transitional period, we felt it was the best course forward for all involved.”

Sullivan has been the coach of the Penguins since Dec. 12, 2015, when he replaced Mike Johnston mid-season after starting the season as head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins, Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate. He coached Pittsburgh for parts of 10 NHL seasons and led the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017.

Between Pittsburgh and the Boston Bruins, Sullivan is 32nd on the NHL's all-time wins list for head coaches, and he is the Penguins' all-time leader in wins. During his 835-game tenure with Pittsburgh - including the regular season and the playoffs - Sullivan was 453-293-89 (.543 win percentage), which is good for 15th all-time for wins with a single franchise.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will have a new coach next season.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan and the team agreed to part ways, GM-president Kyle Dubas announced Monday. The team has missed the playoffs for the past three seasons.

“This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but as we continue to navigate the Penguins through this transitional period, we felt it was the best course forward for all involved,” Dubas said in a news release.

A thorough search for the next coach begins immediately, the team said.

Sullivan joined the team partway through the 2015-16 season after the team started 15-10-3 and fired Mike Johnston. Under Sullivan, the Penguins went 33-16-5 afterward to finish second in the Metropolitan Division and go all the way to win the Stanley Cup. Sullivan's Penguins then won it all again in 2016-17 to become the first team since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998 to win back-to-back Cup championships.

 The 57-year-old from Marshfield, Mass., coached 753 regular-season games for the Penguins, going 409-255-89. In 82 playoff games, he went 44-38. He became the 15th coach in NHL history to win 400 games with a single franchise this season.

“Mike is known for his preparation, focus and fierce competitiveness,” Dubas said. “I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons. He will forever be an enormous part of Penguins history, not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, but more importantly, for his love and loyalty to the organization.”

Sullivan also coached Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off, falling one goal short of winning the tournament against Canada.

On top of the Penguins, NHL teams currently without a permanent coach include the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken.

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Sullivan, Penguins part ways; is the two-time champion coach a fit for Flyers? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

As the Flyers search for a new head coach, we’ll look at potential candidates to fill the vacancy.

“Communication and teaching are probably two things that will be at the forefront of our next coach,” general manager Danny Briere said April 19 at his end-of-the-season press conference. “When you have a young team in place, I really think those two attributes are extremely important.”

We start our series with Mike Sullivan, whose tenure in Pittsburgh ended Monday as the coach and Penguins agreed to part ways.

Why Sullivan would be a fit

There’s a lot to like with Sullivan.

He led Pittsburgh to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017. He’s the franchise’s all-time wins leader (409) and had the Penguins in the playoffs for seven of his 10 seasons.

In his 12 seasons as an NHL head coach, eight of them have featured a .610 points percentage or better. For context, since 2012-13, the Flyers have had just one season with over a .600 points percentage: 2019-20 when they posted a .645 mark.

Sullivan’s pedigree would elicit instant respect from a rebuilding team that is starving for the next step. The Flyers have gone five consecutive seasons without a playoff berth, matching the franchise’s longest drought.

The 57-year-old would also check off the box of teacher. He has a Stanley Cup ring with the 2014-15 Blackhawks as a player development coach.

There’s a connection to Briere, as well. The two were teammates with the Coyotes for four seasons.

Why Sullivan would not be a fit

There’s always a concern about a team’s new hire being too similar to its previous coach.

That’s a possibility here. Sullivan was an assistant coach under John Tortorella with the Lightning, Rangers and Canucks. The Flyers fired Tortorella a little over a month ago. Sullivan has a sternness to him like Tortorella, a demanding style of playing the game the right way.

Briere appreciated how the old-school Tortorella laid a foundation of accountability. However, the GM did express the desire for the next coach to strike a balance between hard and lenient.

“Now it’s finding a coach that can take it to another level,” Briere said, “but at the same time, maybe give a little bit more freedom to the players to try things and to let their talent come out.”

While Sullivan wants structure, he does seem to allow for leash. Star players have succeeded under him because of it.

It’s also fair to wonder if Sullivan benefited greatly from Pittsburgh’s established stars, a talent level the Flyers simply don’t have right now. But it would be difficult to argue that Sullivan got the most out of his players and made them better.

He should have options for picking his next stop. Seven clubs are currently looking for a new head coach.

Cam Fowler and Corey Perry have a lot in common. Both were drafted by the Ducks in the first round, they played together for the Ducks and they were both part of one of the most historic moments in Ducks playoff history, the Comeback on Katella.

Both also had unceremonious ends to their Duck careers, as Perry was bought out in June 2019 and Fowler was dealt to the St. Louis Blues last December. Both players were just shy of 1,000 games played for the Ducks, a mark that has only been reached by their former teammate and captain, Ryan Getzlaf.

But Perry and Fowler have both been able to find success outside of Anaheim. Perry made it to four consecutive Stanley Cup Finals with the Montréal Canadiens, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning and Edmonton Oilers. 33-year-old Fowler has fit like a glove into Jim Montgomery's system in St. Louis.

On Sunday, both of those players helped their teams even their playoff series at two apiece. In the early game, Fowler contributed an assist in the Blues' 5-1 win to bring his points total to eight for this playoff run. Per NHL PR, he became the fourth defenseman in franchise history with at least eight points in a single series. He also joined Cale Makar (10 in 2022 & 8 in 2024), Paul Martin (8 in 2014) and Al MacInnis (8 in 1999) as the fourth defenseman in the past 30 years to record at least eight points through a team’s first four games of a postseason.

"He's been remarkable," Montgomery told reporters after the Blues' Game 3 win on Apr. 24. "I told him after the game, 'Thank god you're not in Anaheim anymore.' I thought our d-core was really good tonight and I thought (Fowler and Colton Parayko) led us tonight with their skating, their willingness to shoot. That goal by Cam Fowler, that's what our d-core can do and we have a lot of guys who can skate back there (on the blue line)."

Perry is no stranger to the playoffs with his laundry list of postseason experience. It can't get much more painful in striving for success than four consecutive Cup Final losses. As he nears age 40, he knows time is running out not only to hoist Lord Stanley again, but continue his playing career.

"The Worm," as he is fondly known to many, scored the Oilers' first goal in Game 4 as they worked to even not only the series, but the score as well, being down 2-0 at the time. Perry deftly batted the puck down before sweeping it past Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper on the power play. With 56 career playoff goals, Perry is tied with Denis Potvin, Steve Larmer and Brad Marchand for 44th on the all-time playoff goals leaderboard.

"He's just elite," Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl told reporters after their 4-3 overtime win. "He's nearly 40 years old and he has an impact on every single game. It's incredible. He's one of the smartest hockey players I've ever seen. He's so unique in the way he thinks and plays the game that I honestly feel like he could play till he's 50 just because of his brain."

Once down by two in their respective series, Fowler and Perry have found new life for their postseason hopes thanks to strong performances from themselves and their teammates.

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