Nazem Kadri’s return to the Colorado Avalanche was so seamless, it feels like it happened forever ago, but really, it’s only been 24 days since Calgary dealt Naz back to his old club in exchange for Victor Olofsson, Max Curran, a 2028 2nd, and 2027 first. Just a few weeks later, Kadri will face his former teammates and coaches of the Calgary Flames tonight at Ball Arena.
Colorado suffered defeat at the hands of Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets, but were winners of four straight ahead of that contest. The Flames are at the bottom end of a Pacific Division that’s been described as “a pillow fight.”
Can the Avalanche assert its will, or does Calgary rise to the occasion?
Colorado Avalanche: 48-14-10
The Opponent: Calgary Flames (31-34-8)
Time: 6:30 p.m. MT
Watch: Altitude, Altitude+, ESPN+
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
I don’t think the Avalanche need to trigger a rebuild after losing to Winnipeg, but the style of play, and the eventual outcome can yield some lessons.
It does appear that, although the hockey landscape has changed over the years, the best approach to beating the Avalanche (albeit the most boring) is to establish an early lead and hunker down/muddy up the neutral zone to limit clean entries and effective possession.
Couple that with stout goaltending, and you just might hang on and beat this Avalanche squad.
The strategy described above isn’t new, but this version of the Avalanche is likely the deepest it’s been since the 2022 team that broke through and captured ultimate glory.
There are subtle differences between the two teams, with the 2022 juggernaut having that same competitive advantage on the back-end with decent net-minding, and the 2026 Avalanche harbouring great net-minding but less of an overarching advantage on the back-end.
Let’s see if Calgary attempts to implement the strategy we saw from Winnipeg, but some teams are much better at executing this approach than others.
The downside to this approach? You risk getting down early and might have to abandon it altogether if things get out of hand.
The Flames did Naz a solid with likely plenty of suitors on the open market, and they landed him in Colorado. The mutual interest in having him move on stemmed from the lack of playoff potential in Calgary. Kadri is nearing the end of his career, and the Flames are in no position to fulfill Stanley Cup aspirations any time soon.
That doesn’t mean the Flames aren’t working toward something. They will have 5 picks in the top 3 rounds of this upcoming and next year’s NHL Draft. We know firsthand how that sort of capital can thrust a team into the limelight.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have made a roster move ahead of their Monday night contest against the New York Islanders.
The Penguins have announced that they have recalled forward Avery Hayes from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Hayes has played in his first 11 career NHL games this season with Pittsburgh, where he has recorded two goals and 12 penalty minutes. Now, he will be aiming to impress after getting this latest call-up to Pittsburgh's roster.
Down in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Hayes has posted 22 goals, 13 assists, 35 points, 48 penalty minutes, and a plus-8 rating. This included him recording three goals and five points in his last two games alone for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
With this, there is no question that Hayes has earned this latest chance on Pittsburgh's roster. It will be interesting to see how much of an impact he can make with the NHL club from here.
Six of the last nine head-to-head meetings between the Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights have featured six goals or fewer.
These Pacific Division foes consistently play lower-scoring games, and my Canucks vs. Golden Knights predictions and NHL picks see that trend continuing.
Canucks vs Golden Knights prediction
Canucks vs Golden Knights best bet: Under 6.5 (-115)
Kevin Lankinen has played better of late. He's allowed three goals or fewer in five of his last seven starts, with the exceptions coming against Tampa Bay and Anaheim — two high-tier offenses.
Lankinen stopped 1.13 goals more than expected during that sample, showcasing the ability to hold the fort despite a hefty workload.
He should have an easier time slowing down a Vegas Golden Knights squad that has scored just 12 goals over its last seven games and is lacking confidence offensively.
On the other side, the Golden Knights rank third in shot suppression and sixth in penalty kill percentage. That should help them keep the puck out.
Canucks vs Golden Knights same-game parlay
Marcus Pettersson has averaged 2.2 blocks and cleared this line in 61% of his away games against Top-16 shot generation teams, including six of the past seven.
Jake DeBrusk has generated 19 shots on target over his last seven games. He lives around the net and has a higher on-target rate due to his proximity to the paint, meaning he doesn’t need much volume to go Over his total. That’s important as Vegas is buttoned up defensively.
Canucks vs Golden Knights SGP
Under 6.5
Marcus Pettersson Over 1.5 blocked shots
Jake DeBrusk Over 1.5 shots
Canucks vs Golden Knights odds
Moneyline: Canucks +245 | Golden Knights -310
Puck Line: Canucks +1.5 (+105) | Golden Knights -1.5 (-125)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 | Under 6.5
Canucks vs Golden Knights trend
The Golden Knights have cashed the Under in 11 of their last 15 games for +6.65 units and a 40% ROI. Find more NHL betting trends for Canucks vs. Golden Knights.
How to watch Canucks vs Golden Knights
Location
T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, NV
Date
Monday, March 30, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet Pacific, SCRIPPS
Canucks vs Golden Knights latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche open a pivotal final stretch Monday night against the Calgary Flames, with playoff positioning tightening and little margin for error.
The Avalanche enter a critical stretch of their season, beginning their final 10 games with this matchup against Calgary. Every point carries added weight—and this three-game season series could prove pivotal. The teams will meet again in Denver on April 9 before closing out their regular-season meetings in Calgary on April 14.
Colorado comes into the contest looking to rebound from a 4–2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets at Ball Arena on Saturday.
Despite the defeat, there were notable moments. Cale Makar reached a major milestone, recording his 500th career NHL point with an assist—further cementing his place among the league’s elite defensemen.
Goals from Brock Nelson and Parker Kelly kept the Avalanche within reach, but Winnipeg pulled away late with a third-period surge, including an empty-netter from Kyle Connor.
Nazem Kadri following his first game back with the Avalanche.
Star Power Driving Colorado
Even in the loss, Colorado’s offensive firepower remains undeniable—largely driven by Nathan MacKinnon. The superstar center continues to lead the NHL in goals with 48 while sitting near the top of the league in both points and assists. Alongside him, Makar’s production from the blue line remains among the best in hockey, and Martin Necas has emerged as another key contributor, ranking among the league’s top scorers.
Victor Olofsson may bring some more steam with the Flames. Credit: Sergei Belski
It will mark Nazem Kadri’s first game against Calgary since being traded on March 6. On the other side, Victor Olofsson will face Colorado for the first time since being dealt to Calgary as part of that same trade, giving both teams a firsthand look at familiar faces in new roles.
Historically, the Avalanche have held the edge in this matchup, posting a 66-54-8-6 record over 134 regular-season meetings. The two teams have only met once in the playoffs, when Colorado defeated Calgary in five games during the 2019 Western Conference First Round.
Flames Finding Their Offense
The Flames, meanwhile, enter Monday’s game riding momentum after a dominant 7–3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Calgary erupted offensively, scoring seven goals from seven different players in a balanced attack. Matt Coronato and Joel Farabee helped set the tone early, while contributions continued throughout the lineup, including tallies from Morgan Frost and Ryan Strome.
Calgary’s offense has been more by committee this season. Mikael Backlund leads the team in points and assists, while Frost paces the club in goals. Coronato has also been a steady presence, ranking near the top of the roster in multiple offensive categories.
Special Teams Could Be The Difference
Special teams could end up swinging this game. Colorado’s power play has found a real rhythm lately, clicking at 26.7 percent since early March—one of the hottest stretches in the league. But what’s been even more impressive is their work on the penalty kill, shutting things down at a 95 percent success rate. It’s the kind of efficiency that not only keeps opponents off the board, but can completely shift momentum when the game tightens up.
For Colorado, it usually starts with MacKinnon, who’s made a habit of stepping up against Calgary over the years. But it’s not just him—Makar and Necas have also found ways to make an impact in this matchup, giving the Avalanche multiple threats who can tilt the game offensively.
Necas has been particularly explosive since the Olympic break, tallying 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points in 17 games.
The Avalanche are fighting to lock in momentum and sharpen their game for the postseason, while the Flames are pushing to close their season with purpose and pride. Layer in the emotion of familiar faces meeting again, and this becomes more than just another game—it’s a high-stakes clash with edge, intensity, and something to prove on both sides.
Zach Whitecloud has been a blocked shot machine for the Calgary Flames.
His ability to clog up the shooting lanes has been evident nightly, and my Flames vs. Avalanche predictions expect that to remain the case against a Colorado team that generates shots at an elite clip.
Flames vs Avalanche best bet: Zach Whitecloud Over 2.5 blocked shots (+140)
Zach Whitecloud ranks 14th among defensemen in blocked shots since the trade deadline. He soars up the leaderboard on a per-game basis, ranking first with an average of 2.77 blocks.
Whitecloud has blocked at least three shots in four of his last five games, with the lone Under coming against a weak Canucks team that doesn’t threaten offensively.
It should be a different story against the Colorado Avalanche. Colorado leads the NHL in shot attempts per 60 minutes on home soil and plays with a ton of pace.
That should create a high-event game environment in which Whitecloud has plenty of opportunity to get in shooting lanes.
Flames vs Avalanche same-game parlay
Mikael Backlund has generated multiple shots on goal in seven of his last nine games and leads Flames forwards in ice time since the deadline. His high usage is leading to plenty of shot volume.
I’ll round out the parlay with an Under on the total. Devin Cooley has allowed three goals or fewer in all but one start since December 20. Meanwhile, the Avalanche have conceded a league-low 2.46 goals per game.
The Calgary Flames have hit the game total Under in 11 of their last 15 away games (+6.70 Units / 40% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Flames vs. Avalanche.
How to watch Flames vs Avalanche
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Monday, March 30, 2026
Puck drop
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
Prime, Altitude
Flames vs Avalanche latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Five games are on the NHL schedule this evening, and I’ve done my research to find the top NHL player props.
I’ll highlight John Carlson, Martin Necas, and Rickard Rakell in today's NHL picks below.
Best NHL player prop bets today
Player
Carlson Over 0.5 assists
-115
Necas Over 0.5 assists
-140
Rakell anytime goalscorer
+205
img alt="Get a first bet encore up to $800 with the BET99 promo code COVERSNHL" width="100%" loading="lazy" src="https://img.covers.com/promo-articles/bet99nhlcreative2526.jpeg"Get a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL. (not available in Ontario)
Our best NHL player props for Monday, March 30
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Prop #1: John Carlson Over 0.5 assists
-115 at BET99
John Carlson is lighting up lately for the playoff-bound Anaheim Ducks. He’s cashed the Over in helpers in three straight games and has notched seven assists over that span. He’s collected 44 helpers overall this season.
The 36-year-old has handed out two assists in each of the last two contests, and he has 17 helpers in 30 home games as the Ducks welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs to town tonight. Carlson has also produced against the Leafs, posting two assists in two meetings in 2025-26.
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Sportsnet Ontario, TVA Sports
Prop #2: Martin Necas Over 0.5 assists
-140 at BET99
Martin Necas is having a marvelous campaign for the Colorado Avalanche, scoring 34 goals and tallying 55 assists. He’s a terrific player who can do it all offensively. The Czech native has logged an assist in three of his last five games.
Necas has a pair of multi-assist games during that span, and he’s really produced at home. Necas has 26 assists in 33 outings at Ball Arena, and the Avs host the Calgary Flames this evening, a team that's not great defensively.
The 27-year-old is a big piece of this electric offense, and he’s usually playing his part. I’ll take him to notch a helper.
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Prime
Prop #3: Rickard Rakell anytime goalscorer
+205 at BET99
Rickard Rakell is not exactly a household name, but he’s a key piece for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 32-year-old has 17 goals this season, and he’s scored seven times in March. In fact, Rakell has found the back of the net in three of his last five.
The veteran scored twice on Thursday against the Senators, and he also had a goal last Tuesday against the Avalanche. Tonight, the Pens take on the New York Islanders, and Rakell has a goal against them across two meetings.
He’s also generated 11 SOG across the last three games, which is above his average. More chances equal a higher likelihood of him lighting the lamp.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Vancouver Canucks (21-43-8) continue their road trip on Monday as they visit the Vegas Golden Knights. Both teams have struggled as of late and have combined for just five wins over their last 20 games. Based on the standings, Monday is a must-win for Vegas as they are dangerously close to the playoff bar.
Monday will feature a debut from the Golden Knights side as John Tortorella will be behind the bench for the first time. Vegas announced on Sunday that they had fired Bruce Cassidy and replaced him with Tortorella. Earlier this year, Tortorella helped Team USA win Gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics and brings over 1,500 games of experience behind the bench.
Shifting to the Canucks, all the focus remains on whether they can sort out their second-period issues. Vancouver is the only team that has allowed over 100 goals against in the second, as they enter Monday's game with 103 against in 72 games. At this stage of the season, the team needs to show some level of progress, which could be as simple as not allowing a goal in the middle frame against the Golden Knights.
Players To Watch:
Evander Kane:
Monday will feature a milestone moment for Evander Kane as he skates in his 1,000th career regular-season game. In 999 career games, the 34-year-old has 338 goals along with 647 points. As for this season, Kane has played 69 games and recorded 30 points.
Mitch Marner:
All eyes will be on Mitch Marner and how he responds to Tortorella taking over as coach. The 28-year-old has not lived up to expectations in his first year with Vegas, but he does sit second on the team with 71 points in 73 games. The question now is, can Tortorella help Marner unlock another level, or will personalities clash over the next few weeks?
Feb 4, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) keeps the puck away from Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) during the third period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Vancouver Canucks (21–43–8):
Points:
Elias Pettersson: 15–30–45
Filip Hronek: 8–33–41
Brock Boeser: 17–21–38
Jake DeBrusk: 16–18–34
Linus Karlsson: 13–18–31
Goaltenders:
Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1
Kevin Lankinen: 8–25–5
Nikita Tolopilo: 5–7–2
Jiří Patera: 0–1–0
Vegas Golden Knights (32–26–16):
Points:
Jack Eichel: 25-53-78
Mitch Marner: 20-51-71
Mark Stone: 23-41-64
Pavel Dorofeyev: 34-26-60
Tomas Hertl: 24-30-54
Goaltenders:
Akira Schmid: 16-10-6
Adin Hill: 9-9-5
Carter Hart: 5-3-3
Carl Lindbom: 2-4-2
Game Information:
Start time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: T-Mobile Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 2: Evgeni Malkin #71 tall with Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the game against the Ottawa Senators at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 2, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Penguins could be getting a big boost ahead of their pivotal game against the New York Islanders that has heavy playoff implications.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who each missed Saturday’s game against the Dallas Stars with injuries, returned to practice yesterday and Crosby will be traveling with the team for tonight’s game. Malkin’s status to travel is unknown.
Both players were full participants in practice and were in their usual spots in the lineup, but it’s unclear whether or not either are expected to play against the Islanders.
#LetsGoPens lines and D-pairs with Crosby/Malkin, and without Rust/Acciari:
“Obviously, it’s very encouraging,” Erik Karlsson said. “Whether they play or not, I don’t know. They’re out there grinding away and trying to keep up the speed and staying in it for when they are ready to return.”
Crosby returned from his injury suffered during the Olympics and played five games for the Penguins before leaving the team’s game against Ottawa last week with a lower-body injury, missing Saturday’s game against Dallas.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are tied with the Penguins with 88 points and sit in the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot.
According to MoneyPuck, the Penguins have a 70.7% chance of making the playoffs and with just nine games remaining in the regular season, a win would be a big boost to those chances.
MoneyPuck has the Penguins’ playoff chance jump to 83.3% with a regulation win. A regulation loss would have the Penguins’ chances fall to 57%.
DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 28: Logan O'Connor #25 of the Colorado Avalanche smiles with teammates prior to the game against the Winnipeg Jets at Ball Arena on March 28, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
Logan O’Connor returns to Avalanche lineup without participating in a conditioning stint — or a 5-on-5 practice. [Denver Gazette]
Jets praise MacKinnon after witnessing dominance: ‘He’s absolutely fantastic’. [TSN]
Sidney Crosby applauds Brent Burns nearing major milestone with Avalanche. [Sports Illustrated]
Colorado teen who survived shark attack walks runway at Avalanche charity event. [KDVR]
Golden Knights fire Bruce Cassidy, hire John Tortorella. [ESPN]
‘They’re not NHL championship caliber players’: Legendary Oiler with hard truth about Edmonton’s skill level. [The Edmonton Journal]
Ottawa Senators playoff hopes struck by Lightning. [Ottawa Sun]
If the NHL playoffs started today: Projecting all 8 matchups and analyzing the teams. [NY Times]
Bill Riley, first African Nova Scotian to play in NHL, remembered as inspiration. [CBC]
Jagr, not officially retired, says professional hockey career likely complete. Legendary NHL forward, 54, played past 9 seasons with Kladno in native Czechia. [NHL]
Stop me if you've heard this before - The Columbus Blue Jackets blew a 3-goal third-period lead.
Boone Jenner (11), Mason Marchment (18), and Charlie Coyle (18-PPG) scored the goals for Columbus, while Jet Greaves stopped 35 of 38 Bruins shots, including 3 of 5 on the power play, in a stunning 4-3 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday night.
The Bruins looked shellshocked after the CBJ scored three first-period goals, but after that, it was all Bruins. And when I say it was all Bruins, that's actually an understatement. The Bruins absolutely dominated every aspect of the second, third, and overtime periods. Columbus had 12 shots in the first period, but after that, they combined for 12 total shots over the next 45 minutes.
The good news is that they didn't let David Pastrnak beat them. The bad news is that Pavel Zacha torched the Blue Jackets for two power-play goals, an assist, and five shots on goal. It was his goal with 11 seconds left to tie the game that sank Columbus. That goal tied the game, but it felt like the game-winner if we are being honest.
What has happened to the Columbus Blue Jackets?
Rick Bowness said after the game, "I thought we got very selfish with the puck. Some of these guys have a lot to learn about how to play in this league at this time of year. It gets harder and harder and harder, and we're going to keep reminding them and reminding them every day how hard it is to win at this time of the year. There's a lot there to be learned from some of these guys, and they better damn well start listening."
He went on, "We'll move on. We'll get them ready for Tuesday. We had a great game against Carolina last game. We'll address what needs to be addressed."
Team Notes
The Blue Jackets have earned points in 13 of their last 14 home games (9-1-4) as well as in 17 of their 19 contests played at Nationwide Arena in 2026 (12-2-5).
The Blue Jackets scored first for the 45th time this season (30-8-7) and for the 26th time at Nationwide Arena (17-5-3).
Columbus fell for just the second time in the shootout this season (6-2).
The Jackets skated in front of their third-straight and 12th sellout crowd of the season tonight.
Final Stats
cbj app
Player Stats & Notes
Boone Jenner scored his 11th goal, had 5 shots, and had 4 PIMs. He played in his 800th career NHL game (210-207-416). The franchise leader in games played, he now sits three goals shy of tying Cam Atkinson (213) for the second-most in club history. Jenner has now posted 10-4-14 in 25 career games against Boston, with 3-3-6 in his past eight overall.
Mason Marchment scored his 18th goal and picked up his 20th assist. He notched his sixth multi-point game as a Blue Jacket with his goal and assist tonight (14-11-25 in 32 GP). He ranks second on the team in goals since making his debut with the club on Dec. 20, 2025. He has now tallied 3-6-9 in 10 career matchups against the Bruins, with four-straight multi-point performances against the club (2-6-8).
Charlie Coyle scored his 18th goal. He is now tied for the second-most points in a campaign in his 14-year NHL career (82 GP with Minnesota in 2016-17).
Kirill Marchenko recorded his 35th and 36th assists and had one shot. He posted his fifth multi-assist, and 11th multi-point performance of the season to reach the 60-point plateau for the second consecutive campaign (31-43-74 in 2024-25). He has now notched points in three of his past four games against Boston (2-4-6) with 3-4-7 in 10 overall career matchups.
Ivan Provorov tallied his 21st assist.
Conor Garland got his 21st assist. He now has 7 points in his 13 games as a Blue Jacket.
Team Stats
The Jackets went 1/2.
The Columbus PK gave up two power plays goals on four Bruins man advantages.
Columbus won 45.8% of the faceoffs - 27/59
The Blue Jackets had 23 hits and 24 blocks.
Next Up For Columbus: The Blue Jackets are home for the final game of a three-game homestand to face the Carolina Hurricanes.
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The New York Islanders enter Monday night's matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 42-27-5 record, good for 89 points and the second seed in the Metropolitan Division.
The Islanders sit just one point ahead of Pittsburgh and three points clear of the Ottawa Senators, the first team currently outside the playoff picture.
CoreNHL’s most probable Eastern Conference playoff matchups, following the conclusion of all games played on 3/29/2026: pic.twitter.com/cGyH9yjhjw
As things stand entering Monday's slate, the Islanders control their own fate.
All eight of the Islanders' remaining games come against Eastern Conference opponents, with six against teams realistically competing for a playoff spot and four against Metropolitan Division opponents, including Monday's tilt with Pittsburgh and two against the Carolina Hurricanes.
To make things more difficult, just six points separate fifth place from 11th in the Eastern Conference, setting the stage for one of the tightest playoff races in recent memory.
For the Islanders, the playoffs are by no means a lock, but if they do get in, the path starts to take shape.
According to CoreNHL, New York has an 82.3% chance of making the playoffs, up slightly following the Boston Bruins' three-goal comeback against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night.
The Islanders' odds rank fifth in the Eastern Conference and second in the Metropolitan Division.
Despite two remaining games against the division-leading Hurricanes offering the chance to tighten Carolina's nine-point lead in the standings, the Islanders have just an 0.1% chance to win the division, making first-round home ice an unlikely outcome.
As for potential playoff matchups, there is a 49.7% chance the Islanders face the Penguins in Round 1.
The two teams have split their season series so far, with Monday night being the deciding factor. The Islanders fell 5-4 in their season opener on October 9 before responding with a 5-4 win on February 3.
The Islanders have a 17.5% chance of facing the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team they have gone 3-1-0 against this season with a plus-1 goal differential.
Other potential opponents include the Washington Capitals (6.5%), Philadelphia Flyers (3.7%), Carolina Hurricanes (2.9%), Tampa Bay Lightning (1.4%), and Buffalo Sabres (0.5%). The odds of facing the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, or Detroit Red Wings all sit below 0.1%.
Washington’s two remaining games against Pittsburgh, along with one against Columbus, present a more favorable opportunity to gain ground in the Metropolitan Division than most teams chasing a top-three seed.
CoreNHL projects the Islanders with a 47.4% chance to reach Round 2, a 14% chance to make the Eastern Conference Final, a 5% chance to reach the Stanley Cup Final, and a 1.4% chance to win the Stanley Cup.
While low, that Stanley Cup probability ranks second among Metropolitan Division teams, behind Carolina at 17.6%.
A regulation win over Pittsburgh on Monday could boost the Islanders' playoff odds by more than six percentage points, but a regulation loss could drop them to around 60%, depending on other results around the conference.
Puck drop between the Islanders and Penguins is set for 7:00 PM EST at UBS Arena.
The Boston Bruins had themselves a very productive weekend with back-to-back wins against quality opponents that have significantly boosted their odds of reaching the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Bruins defeated the Minnesota Wild 6-3 at TD Garden on Saturday and then erased a 3-0 third-period deficit to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets in a shootout on the road Sunday.
Let’s dive in to a few takeaways from these important victories for the Bruins.
Playoff odds rocket higher
The Bruins’ chances of reaching the playoffs stood at 70 percent, per MoneyPuck’s model, about a half hour before puck drop of Saturday’s game against the Wild.
After two straight wins, those odds are now up to 90.9 percent with Boston having eight games remaining.
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The Bruins could still make the playoffs as a top-three team in the Atlantic Division. They trail the third-place Canadiens by only two points but also have one more game played than Montreal.
The most likely path to the playoffs is via the wild card. Boston enters Friday in the East’s first wild card spot with a four-point lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets and a six-point edge on the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators. Both the Red Wings and Senators have a game in hand on the Bruins.
The B’s have the fourth-toughest remaining schedule, per Tankathon, but they are now on pace for about 100 points.
Pavel Zacha could reach 30 goals
Pavel Zacha might have one of the most team-friendly contracts in the NHL. The veteran forward has a $4.75 million salary cap hit on a deal that doesn’t expire until after the 2026-27 campaign.
He is outperforming that contract this season with a career-high 28 goals, which ranks third-most on the team. He needs one more point to hit 60 for the first time in his career. Zacha has been especially hot lately with 13 goals in his last 13 games, including the tying tally with 11 seconds left in the third period of Sunday’s win over the Blue Jackets. He also scored a power-play goal and picked up an assist versus the Blue Jackets in a three-point outing.
There are 31 line combos in the league that have played 275-plus minutes this season, and the Arvidsson-Zacha-Mittelstadt trio has the fourth-best goals scored percentage of that group. The Bruins are scoring 70.6 percent of all goals (38 for, 16 against) when that trio is on the ice, per MoneyPuck.
If the Bruins make the playoffs, this line needs to maintain that level of success (or close to it) for the team to potentially win a round.
Viktor Arvidsson addition paying big dividends
Making trades is what Bruins general manager Don Sweeney does best, and giving up a 2027 fifth-rounder to acquire Viktor Arvidsson from the Edmonton Oilers last summer has been a stroke of genius.
Arvidsson scored the shootout winner Sunday, and he also tallied an assist on all three of Boston’s goals.
Arvidsson has 47 points in 62 games, which is 20 more than he had in 67 games for the Oilers last season. His 3.04 points per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 is fourth-highest among all players who have played 700-plus minutes, per Natural Stat Trick. Two of the three players ahead of him — Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon — are former Hart Trophy winners.
It’ll be interesting to see if he re-signs in Boston when his contract expires after the season, but for now, he’s one of the Bruins’ most important forwards.
Jeremy Swayman making Vezina Trophy case
Swayman started both games this weekend. It was the third time in his career he made starts on back-to-back days. Even though these two performances wouldn’t rank among his best of the season, he still made plenty of clutch stops to give the B’s a chance to win.
No goaltender has played better than Swayman over the last 20 games. During that span he ranks No. 1 with 19 goals saved above expected.
Swayman, for the whole season, ranks No. 3 in goals saved above expected and No. 3 in wins above replacement. These stats are even more impressive when you consider the Bruins have been a bottom-third team in defense for a lot of the season. He’s not getting a ton of help in front of him, and yet the 27-year-old netminder is still playing at an elite level.
New York Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin is the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy. He would be a deserving winner. But if the Bruins make the playoffs, it would be a huge mistake if Swayman is not voted one of the three finalists for the award.
He’s the No. 1 reason why Boston has a strong chance to return to the postseason.
Mar 28, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) and New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (43) battle during the third period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | James Guillory-Imagn Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
The Devils scored two goals in 19 seconds to give themselves a third-period lead and then held on to claim a 5-3 win over the Blackhawks on Sunday. [Devils NHL]
A familiar result against the Hurricanes as of late: Three second-period Carolina goals pushed the Hurricanes to a 5-2 win over the Devils on Saturday. [Devils NHL]
“Markstrom ranks 52nd in save percentage (.884), 46th in goals-against average (3.09) and 55th in goals-saved above average (minus-13.02) among goalies with at least 1,000 minutes played this season. Couple that with the Devils’ 27th-ranked offense, and it’s easy to see why the Devils are 11 points out of a playoff spot with 10 games left.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]
“The Devils’ prospect pool is middling to say the least, recently placing 22nd in The Athletic’s ongoing pipeline rankings. The reality is, the Devils’ blue-chip prospects have either graduated to full-time NHLers (Luke Hughes, Simon Nemec) or have floundered a bit since being drafted (Anton Silayev). Outside of a couple of truly projectable talents, the Devils don’t really have a whole lot to offer at any particular position. Most prospects have concluded their seasons at this point, with the exception of a couple of players whose seasons have progressed into the playoffs and the Utica Comets’ players.” [Infernal Access ($)]
Hockey Links
Vegas makes a coaching change out of the blue:
The Vegas Golden Knights have relieved Bruce Cassidy of his duties as head coach.
A look at the league’s most disappointing players this season: [The Athletic ($)]
“Alex Ovechkin has not given any indication yet of his NHL future, while Anze Kopitar is retiring, and Jaromir Jagr said he is likely not playing pro hockey again. They could make the 2029 Hockey Hall of Fame class very memorable.” [The Hockey News]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
ELMONT, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 03: Ryan Shea #5 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck against Matthew Schaefer #48 of the New York Islanders during the third period at UBS Arena on February 03, 2026 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (36-21-16, 88 points, 3rd place Metropolitan Division) @ New York Islanders (42-27-5, 89 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division)
When: 7:00 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and MSGSN, nationally broadcast on NHL Network
Pens’ Path Ahead: Another big one tomorrow back in the ’Burgh against the Red Wings. The games keep coming in quick succession with a trip to Tampa on tap for Thursday night, then a return to Pittsburgh next weekend for two games against the same opponent (Florida Panthers) on both Saturday and Sunday. After that is a three-day break in the schedule to recharge, regroup and get ready for the four final games of the regular season.
Opponent Track: The Islanders have been looking to stay hot, and they have won two in a row (including a 5-2 victory over Florida on Saturday). Then again, they’ve given up seven goals in a loss to Montreal and been defeated in regulation by Chicago recently, so who knows what to expect from a team all over the map. NYI won a 1-0 playoff-like game against Columbus last week, they’ll certainly be in that type of desperation mode for today’s big game.
Season Series: There were only three regular season PIT/NYI games this season, an issue that will be solved next season by moving to an 84-game schedule and allowing all division rivals to play four times in the years to follow. Pittsburgh is 1-0-1 against the Islanders so far this year, beating them 4-3 in regulation on NYI’s opening night and then the Pens dropped a 5-4 OT decision on Feb 3 to the Isles that featured two third period blown leads by Pittsburgh. Today is the final game, though it could be a preview of a first round playoff matchup.
Hidden Stat: Per Pens PR, Rickard Rakell has points in his last five of his last six visits to Long Island (5G-4A).
Getting to know the Islanders
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Anders Lee – Bo Horvat – Emil Heineman
Calum Ritchie – Brayden Schenn – Mat Barzal
Ondrej Palat – J.G. Pageau – Simon Holmstrom
Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb
DEFENSEMEN
Matthew Schaefer / Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech / Carson Soucy
Scott Mayfield / Adam Boqvist
Goalies: Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich
Potential scratches: Maxim Shabanov, Anthony Duclair, Isaiah George
Injured Reserve: Tony DeAngelo, Kyle Palmieri, Pierre Engvall, Alexander Romanov, Semyon Varlamov
Schaefer played his first career game against the Pens, and it was one of those moments from the very beginning where you knew you were seeing a special player. His talent and skill was undeniable from the start, which will be leading to the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year (and he’s got a good case to be a unanimous first place vote).
I found Mathieu Darche’s deadline moves to be fairly uneven. Add a rental in Soucy for a third round pick? OK, you can see how that could be needed and help out while not breaking the bank. Add Palat (who is under contract next season at a $6.0m cap hit) for only a third and sixth coming back? That doesn’t seem like a good price to take on a bad player/contract, though they did clear out the dead weight of Max Tsyplakov and his $2.5m cap hit for next season. Trade a first+third (although being Colorado’s first, it could be very, very late) for 34-year old Brayden Schenn and his $6.5m cap hit through 2027-28? Woof. Darche was a finalist for the Penguin job before Kyle Dubas was fired in Toronto, it’s always interesting to see how his career will go. Overall, Darche has done some good things, while having the incredible draft lottery luck. Could be worse though we’ll see how much these deadline adds actually help considering he’s added players on the wrong side of 30 that have fairly decent future cap commitments.
One Darche move that does look promising was getting Calum Ritchie to the Island in the Brock Nelson trade. Ritchie is a pretty solid NHL player in only his draft+3 season and has a lot of upside to grow into. Other than someone like Barzal it’s been a while since the Isles have developed a talented, young scoring forward (though I guess Simon Holmostrom going on his second-straight 20 goal season might have something to say about that).
Heineman with a 21-9 goal/assist split might be on his way for a Cy Young this season.
Key Matchup: They could also call the sport ‘goalie’ just as easily
Goaltending is an essential part of hockey and no team gets better goalie inputs than the Islanders. Ilya Sorokin has not yet won a Vezina trophy in his career for goaltender of the year (he did finish second back in 2023-24), this just might be the year to change that. His value to the team is basically immeasurable. On the whole, the Islanders might not be a playoff-quality team, except for the fact that they’re in the race anyways in large part due to the superb effort of their goalie. This team (with their 30th ranked power play and 23rd best 5v5 offense) would be heading for the draft lottery if not for Sorokin serving as the rising tide to raise their ship.
Major playoff implications
Tonight is not quite a true ‘must win’ situation for the Penguins or Islanders, but it’s getting mighty close to that territory. A result tonight in regulation would do wonders in the models for the winner’s chances and deal a major blow to whomever losses. An overtime game kicks the can down the road a bit more for the loser, and would be most unwelcome news for the folks in Columbus, Ottawa and Detroit to see the possibility of a three-point game.
Needless to say, this is one that both teams have to have. Doesn’t get much better than that.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby* – Bryan Rust*
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Anthony Mantha
Rutger McGroarty – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau
Elmer Soderblom – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari*
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kris Letang
Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton
Goalies: Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs
Potential Scratches: Evgeni Malkin* (injured), Ilya Solovyov, Blake Lizotte (injured), Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Ville Koivunen
IR: Filip Hallander, Jack St. Ivany
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin both returned to practice yesterday, in good news. Crosby will travel with the team to NY, coach Dan Muse didn’t know (or wasn’t saying) it Malkin would be on the trip. Both Bryan Rust and Noel Acciari sat out practice yesterday on official maintenance days but they will also be traveling with the team to NY.
Malkin reportedly stayed on the ice for almost an hour after practice, which typically isn’t something that a player planning to play the next day would do. Combine that with the fact that Muse didn’t green light Malkin for travel unlike Crosby is what tips the balance to project him as out again for today. Perhaps if Malkin is feeling way better by today then something will change and get him back out there, for now it doesn’t look like the signs are pointing to Malkin playing tonight though.
The Penguins didn’t alternate goalies and used the same netminder in two consecutive games for the first time in over two months this weekend when Skinner played against Dallas. The gamble didn’t pay off much, being as the Pens got in penalty trouble and eventually fell behind the Stars and dropped a game in regulation. That makes for an interesting decision today, do they go back to Skinner? Or play Silovs in what could be the most important game of the year when Silovs has given up 24 goals over his last six appearances?
Crosby: ‘We’re going to leave it all out there’
Sidney Crosby: "It’s a pretty tested group, and it’s a big stretch here. Regardless of who’s in or who’s out, I know that we’re going to leave it all out there and give ourselves the best chance."
This is go time, the most exciting time of the year in hockey for so many teams competing for the same spots and trying to stake their claim to a playoff position.
After Saturday’s setback, Rust said the team’s next game against the Islanders will be an easy one to get up for, especially with the two clubs battling against each other for a playoff spot. That sentiment carried over to today.
“We know how much that means to us, playing against that team, and how important every point is,” Rickard Rakell said. “It’s truly like a playoff game.”
“They’re all important at this point,” Crosby said. “It’s a big race, a big stretch for us. As a player, these are the ones that you want to be in. These are big games.”
The Penguins knew how challenging their schedule would be in March, with 17 games in 31 days. Now, at the end of the month’s gauntlet, the Penguins have to keep digging deep to stay in the fight.
“I think you have to enjoy it. We have to embrace the situation that we’re in,” Karlsson said. “It’s a fantastic spot to be in. I think with the experience that we have in here, a lot of the guys have been through it before, but for the guys that haven’t, just don’t lose sight of how much fun it is to be playing in these types of games.”
As expected, Jakub Dobes was back in the net for the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday afternoon as they took on the Carolina Hurricanes in the second game of their back-to-back. However, someone who wasn’t back was Josh Anderson, who must still have been affected by the illness, which made him leave Saturday’s game. With Alexandre Texier still in Montreal, nursing a lower-body injury, Martin St-Louis opted to insert Arber Xhekaj in the lineup as a fourth liner.
Patrik Laine is travelling with the team, and while he is technically still on IR, he’s been a full participant in practice for the last two months. In the run-up to the trade deadline, he hoped to be traded, and in his wife’s blog on deadline day, she said they were happy to stay in Montreal if it meant Laine could get to play. In one episode of the Basu and Godin notebook, Arpon Basu and Marc-Antoine Godin spoke about the big Finn’s predicament and said they believed the Canadiens had agreed to keep him on injured reserve rather than have him be a healthy scratch again.
Whatever the case may be, though, the fact that the coach opted to use Xhekaj in a position he had never played before, with the stakes so high, just tells us everything we need to know.
A Copy-Paste from Tuesday
Just like in Tuesday’s game, the Hurricanes took the Canadiens’ zone by storm in the first period. There were only eight minutes left in the first when Montreal finally got its first shot on goal through Zachary Bolduc, and had it not been for Dobes, the Habs would have been trailing by much more than one goal.
He stopped 12 of the 13 shots he faced, and while Carolina does shoot from everywhere on the ice, the netminder still has to make those saves, and he made them. While he may not look as calm or as in control in his net as Carey Price once was, but he does ooze confidence, and that’s great for the team.
All through the game, he was there and making the big saves, only surrendering that one goal in the first frame.
A Career-High For Suzuki
Despite the Hurricanes dominating puck possession, shots, and the physical side of the game with more hits, the Canes still found themselves trailing 3-1 after the second frame. In that period, the Habs scored three unanswered goal and Nick Suzuki took part in each of them, scoring two and assisting on Cole Caufield’s 46th of the season.
That gave the captain 91 points on the season, two more than he had in 82 games last season. At 26 years old, the centerman just keeps improving year after year, and it doesn’t even look like we’ve seen the best of him yet. After all, both of his linemates are younger and still improving as players; the better they get, the more successful the captain will be.
For the first time since 2017, the Canadiens won a fifth consecutive game in regulation. Given the fact that regulation wins are a tie breaker if there’s a tie in points at the end of the season, this is huge. Montreal now has 30 regulation wins, the same number as the Boston Bruins. The Habs remain two points ahead of Boston, four points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and eight points ahead of the ninth-place Ottawa Senators.
With that win, the Canadiens stay four points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning, who also won on Sunday, and as luck would have it, they are their next opponents on Tuesday. Last season, when the stakes were this high and the Canadiens needed a point to qualify for the playoffs, they struggled to get it as if the pressure was too much to handle. This year, with the pressure just as high, they have a five-game winning streak, which says a lot about this young team's progress.
Carlson Over 0.5 assists
Necas Over 0.5 assists
Rakell anytime goalscorer
