San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg's future in the Bay Area is up in the air at this point, but head coach Ryan Warsofsky made sure to do right by him as the 2025-26 season came to an end. 

Klingberg, who signed a one-year contract with the Sharks this past summer, entered the night with 699 career NHL games. He'll walk out of the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg having surpassed the 700-game plateau. 

The Sharks allowed Klingberg to wear an "A" on his jersey in honor of the milestone. Warsofsky also spoke about the importance of Klingberg hitting 700 games pre-game:

Warsofsky, on importance of Klingberg's 700th game: "He's been a really good pro for us. He's a young man that's played a lot of good hockey in his career in the National Hockey League, and has been through a lot...It's important for him to hit this milestone. It's a hard…

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 16, 2026

Klingberg was never guaranteed an opportunity to reach the NHL, as a fifth-round pick, the odds were actually against him appearing in a single game. He earned a reputation for being one of the best offensive-defensemen in the NHL during his time with the Dallas Stars during the mid-to-late 2010s. He was a one-time All-Star with the Stars during the 2017-18 season and lead the league in assists by a defenseman that same season.

Unfortunately, Klingberg's career has been plagued by injuries and he's become a journeyman in recent history. He's played for five different organizations over the last four seasons, including the Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, and of course, the San Jose Sharks.

This season, Klingberg has appeared in 56 games for the Sharks. He scored 10 goals, the most he's had since the 2022-23 season and the most he's had in a season with a single organization since the 2018-19 season. His 25 points were also the most since 2022-23 as well.

Although he produced at a high level offensively with the Sharks, his defensive game and tendency to turnover the puck did hinder his overall performances. As an unrestricted free-agent this summer, it's not impossible that Klingberg returns to the Sharks this coming season, but it's far from a guarantee. Regardless of what happens next, he hit a key milestone as a member of the Sharks organization. 

Rick Bowness agreed to a one-year contract extension to remain as coach of the Blue Jackets, team president and general manager Don Waddell said on Thursday, April 16.

"If you look at the body of work that happened here over the last 37 games, I'm very pleased with Rick's work," Blue Jackets president of hockey operations/general manager Don Waddell said. "I've said all along the strengths of this organization from a coaching standpoint has been the communication he's had with the players and getting the players ready to play on a regular basis."

More Blue Jackets news: Coach Rick Bowness rips team after playoff miss: 'They don't care'

Bowness, 71, took over the bench from Dean Evason on Jan. 12 and guided the Jackets to a 21-11-5 record that nearly took them from last in the Eastern Conference when he accepted the job to a playoff spot. In fact, they climbed as high as second in the Metropolitan Division before a 3-9-1 finish.

"It's always interesting when you do make changes, how players are going to respond, and even through all the exit meetings that have happened so far, every player to a man said they loved playing for Rick, they respect Rick and they were all hoping he'd come back for another year," Waddell said. "So, we're very pleased to announce that signing."

Bowness' first season ended with some turbulence after his meltdown following a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals in a season finale that didn't mean anything to either team in the standings. After bashing a wall outside the interview room at Nationwide Arena, presumably with a hockey stick, Bowness boiled over at a news conference that prompted pushback from players the next day.

“All you’ve got to do is look at the stat sheet,” Bowness said after the final game. “Three hits. Twenty-three giveaways. Like, I don’t know if I’m back, but if I’m back, I’m changing this culture. These guys, they don’t care. Losing is not important enough to them. It doesn’t bother them. Like, how can you go out and play like that?”

Those words resonated throughout a fan base that has felt largely the same way over much of the franchise's 25-year history. The Blue Jackets have qualified for the playoffs only six times and have won only one playoff series, a 2019 sweep of the heavily favored Tampa Bay Lightning.

They also upset the Toronto Maple Leafs in a five-game postseason series held inside the league's 2020 Toronto "bubble" during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that was just to qualify for the official playoff field.

Rick Bowness furious following the 2-1 loss to Washington.

The Blue Jackets finish the season losing six straight at home, barely missing the playoffs, more tonight @nbc4i#CBJpic.twitter.com/o7We2CEmTY

— Joe Nugent (@joenuge) April 15, 2026

The Blue Jackets haven't sniffed the playoffs since, extending their drought to six years after replacing former president of hockey operations John Davidson and former general manager Jarmo Kekalainen with Waddell in May 2024, and replacing head coaches Brad Larsen in 2023, Mike Babcock in 2023, Pascal Vincent in 2024 and Evason in January.

The initial goal in promoting Larsen to replace John Tortorella in 2021 was to maintain the winning culture built under Tortorella while doing so with a kinder, gentler approach that some feel is better suited to the NHL's youngest players. Larsen lasted two seasons before Kekalainen replaced him with Babcock, who had left his previous stop with the Maple Leafs under scrutiny for bullying allegations.

Babcock made it 78 days with the Blue Jackets before a forced resignation following allegations that he violated players' privacy by scrolling through their cellphones. That led to Vincent being promoted as an emergency fill-in option on a two-year contract, and Waddell opted not to let him coach a second season after replacing Davidson/Kekalainen.

That led to Evason's hiring, and he lasted only halfway into his second year before Waddell plied Bowness out of retirement to finish the season. Now, Bowness' turn at the rudder.

"Coming in, I knew, 'OK, this is a pretty good team, a lot of good pieces,'" Bowness said. "We had some success early and that made it a lot of fun, but it just scratched the itch a little bit more and I'm very excited ... because I am anxious to come back and finish the job that I came here to do, and that's to get the Columbus Blue Jackets in the playoffs."

As Bowness pointed out, things cruised along nicely during a 19-3-4 start to Bowness' tenure, boosting the Jackets into second place of the Metro, but the bottom soon fell out. Bowness bit his tongue through most of the collapse, slipping just once following a 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on April 2 in Raleigh, North Carolina, but all he had pent up came out following the season finale.

“Should’ve done this about a month ago,” Bowness said. “But this is why we are where we are. This is why we’re out of the playoffs, that kind of effort. Losing ... you have to hate losing. I don’t care if it’s a meaningless game. I don’t … care. Show up and compete. Three hits! Twenty-three giveaways! What else you want to know?”

Two days later, Bowness was asked if he regretted anything about the outburst and shook his head.

"No," he said. "Did I push the bar a little bit? Yeah. I know that, but that's me, right? So, I've got to live with myself. I'm not going to walk in here and say, 'Oh, I should've done this and I shouldn't have ..." did I push it? Yeah, I pushed that envelope a little bit, but that's who I am. I'm not going to come in here and B.S. you people, right? I'm going to tell you what I see and what I don't like, and was that a little over the top? Probably. I'll be the first to admit that, but I've got to live with myself, too, man."

Players pushed back while meeting with reporters during their first day of exit interviews April 15, saying they do, indeed, care about losing. Those who were asked about Bowness' future, however, all said they hoped to keep playing for him and that no fences needed mending.

"I'd be ecstatic if 'Bones' is back," defenseman Damon Severson said. "He's the best coach I've personally ever had. I've had a couple really good coaches. I've had some really ... not good coaches. Bones has been the best one so far. I read a little bit of the guys' comments (after the rant), who were around here with the media, and I think that was the biggest thing they said was, 'We're all big fans of Bones.'

"We just let the team down, we let the organization down and the fans down by not being in the playoffs, but Rick Bowness is not the issue at all. He's going to be part of the solution here."

Severson, who missed the final 10 games with a season-ending shoulder injury, met with reporters April 16 via teleconference. Mathieu Olivier did, too, after missing the final eight games with a fractured bone in his hand. His thoughts on Bowness echoed Severson.

"I'd love for him to be back, and I know my teammates feels the same way," Olivier said. "I just love the passion and the energy that he brings every day, and the communication with everyone. It's been really good to have him around. I've been working with him and we've started to build a really good relationship with him and the coaching staff, and everyone here. I'd be really excited for him to be back."

Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets agree to contract extension with Rick Bowness

When the topic of organizational depth is raised, the Ottawa Senators organization has been heavily criticized as being one of the worst in the league.

No one questioned the talent in Ottawa, but there was always a looming fear that the Belleville Senators didn’t have enough NHL-ready players and prospects to backfill in case the worst happened.

Well, in the final 6-7 weeks of the season, the worst happened.

The defensive core, in particular, was tested heavily at a time when the Senators were on the outside looking in on a playoff spot with multiple teams to overtake.

Now, after game 82 is in the books with a final victory in the Battle of Ontario, it’s time to look at the unsung heroes who came up played a pivotal role in the Senators qualifying for the postseason dance.

1) Lassi Thomson

The former Senators first rounder from 2019 took his act back to Sweden in 2024-25 and then returned to Belleville where he led all AHL defensemen in goals scored (14) before his recall.

When the Senators selected him, they likely hoped they had found what Jordan Spence appears to have become.

Thomson certainly hasn’t looked out of place in the 11 games he played in, logging an average of 13:23 in TOI in important games. He also did so playing the left and right sides.

Though the 25-year-old may never reach that level of production, he may have done enough to warrant a more permanent gig in the show next season based on how he played down the stretch.

As the Senators' walking wounded emerge from sick bay, Thomson may end up being relegated to the role of a black ace. He appears to have done enough to put Travis Green’s mind at ease that he can come in and backfill should the need arise.

2) Dennis Gilbert

Gilbert was acquired in exchange for Maxence Guenette to compensate for the loss of Donovan Sebrango on waivers to the Florida Panthers.

He toiled in the AHL for most of the season and was the primary recall when Jake Sanderson went down.

Gilbert also succumbed to injury, but he functioned effectively with Niklas Matinpalo in the bottom pair role before that. Depending on Tyler Kleven’s return status, he may be needed against Carolina at some point where his 119 career regular season games of experience could come in handy.

3) Carter Yakemchuk

The fan base breathed a collective sigh of relief when Yakemchuk played a pivotal role in his regular season debut against the Detroit Red Wings.

His no-look assist to Tim Stutzle on the power play, followed by his first career goal, showed the pundits that his year in Belleville had not been without reward.

Though he may never be regarded as a defensive stalwart, he certainly showed that he has a future in the Senators lineup and that that future may come sooner than later.

The fan base also breathed a collective sigh of relief when Yakemchuk cleared concussion protocol before his return to Belleville.

He may have only played four games, but he left an impression with an average of 14:32 per game and will likely serve as a black ace when Belleville wraps up its regular season.

4) Cameron Crotty

Crotty became the 13th defenseman to suit up for the Senators this season when Yakemchuk suffered his concussion.

The local product, who was acquired in the off-season, played a steady stay-at-home role in his six games, where he logged an average of 14:45 per game.

He certainly hasn’t looked out of place and even when Yakemchuk was cleared of concussion protocol, Ottawa kept him and let the latter go back to log the heavier minutes in Belleville.

With the defensive core returning to health heading into the playoffs, Thomson, Gilbert, Yakemchuk, and Crotty have done more than enough to instill confidence that they can deliver if called upon.

The ability to backfill for injuries says a lot, not only about the players in the system, but the system itself.

The structure that Travis Green and his staff have in place allows players to step into roles they are comfortable with and sets them up for success.

The Belleville Senators may not have a playoff run in them, but that's because they had to serve at the pleasure of the parent club. 13 B-Sens suited up for Ottawa throughout the season.

No matter what happens now, these unsung heroes certainly played a role in helping Ottawa get to the dance.

Pat Maguire
The Hockey News

This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:  

Through All The Noise, The Playoff-Bound Senators Held Their Ground
Drake Batherson's Eight-Year Career Climb Is One For The NHL History Books
Senators Announce Plans For 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff Ticket Sales This Week
Shane Pinto Isn’t Just In The Selke Conversation… He Should Be One Of The Favourites
Great Opportunities: The Rise Of Senators Defenseman Jordan Spence

The Devils are going all in on their pick to lead the team’s front office.

The team announced Thursday that they hired Sunny Mehta to be their new general manager, with the 47-year-old expected to be formally introduced at the Prudential Center on Tuesday.

Mehta, who brings over a decade of NHL management experience, was previously a professional poker player, playing in high-stakes Texas hold ’em games in the 2000s, and has co-authored two books based on his experience, focusing on different game strategies.

Following his professional poker stint, Mehta, who was raised in Wyckoff, New Jersey, started his NHL front office career with the Devils, spending four seasons in New Jersey (2014-18) as the director of hockey analytics.

“This is a dream come true for a New Jersey kid, who grew up watching Devils’ practices just 20 minutes away in Totowa,” Mehta said in a statement released by the Devils. “After meeting with (co-owners) David Blitzer, Josh Harris, Bob Myers, and other members of the organization, I knew this was the place I wanted to be. Thank you to Vinnie Viola, Bill Zito and the entire Florida Panthers organization for a fantastic six years and for the opportunity to take the next step in my professional career.

“New Jersey has a tremendous young core that will be looking to get back to being a contender, a complement of young assets and draft picks, and a passionate fan base hungry for success. I was fortunate enough to watch the New Jersey Devils raise three Stanley Cups and am excited to get to work to return to that level.”

Mehta spent the past six seasons as the Panthers’ assistant general manager and director of analytics, helping them construct back-to-back Stanley Cup championship-winning teams.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Sunny and his wife, Nicole, back home to New Jersey,” Blitzer said in a statement. “We quickly realized this job was in high demand and were incredibly fortunate to meet with many qualified candidates.

“Sunny’s familiarity with our organization and experience with a two-time Stanley Cup-winning team are characteristics that will serve as a foundation for future success. Our expectations are to be a perennial playoff team and compete for the Stanley Cup, and I look forward to Sunny leading us there.”

This decision for the Devils comes just days after they fired general manager Tom Fitzgerald amid a disappointing season, which saw the team finish near the bottom of the Metropolitan division.

Fitzgerald led New Jersey’s front office since January 2020, and saw the team reach the playoffs twice during his tenure, including their first postseason series win in over a decade with a victory over the Rangers in the 2022-23 season.

“After talking with David Blitzer, it was apparent to everyone that the best course of action is to move on for the benefit of the team,” Fitzgerald said in a statement. “I am incredibly appreciative to David, (co-owner) Josh Harris, and the entire New Jersey Devils organization for being a part of my life for the past decade.

“The Devils are fortunate to have a core of great players, vocal and passionate fans, but most importantly, tremendous people who worked with me toward a common goal.”

Aydar Suniev is starting to make an impression with the Calgary Flames during his latest call-up from the AHL Wranglers.

The 21-year-old has played five games since being recalled, recording his first NHL point - an assist - on April 12 against the Utah Mammoth. In his most recent outing versus the Colorado Avalanche, Suniev registered four shots on goal and generated multiple quality chances.

He’s been noticeable in limited action. Suniev has shown an ability to get up ice quickly, create opportunities, and hold his own defensively. At 6-foot-2, 198 pounds, he brings size along with a strong shot, giving the Flames another intriguing option up front.

Head coach Ryan Huska has seen progress over the short stint.

“I thought he was dangerous, he had some really good chances for us,” said Huska of Suniev. “He’s a strong man, he’s heavy on the puck. The one thing he does really well is protect the puck and then he gets himself into positions to shoot and his shot is very good.”

Suniev spent most of the season with the Wranglers, where the Flames’ 2023 third-round pick (80th overall) from Kazan, Russia posted 15 goals and 23 points in 55 games in his first professional season.

The foundation is there. For Suniev, it’s now about turning those tools into consistent production at the NHL level, but his early showing has been a positive step.

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While there will be plenty of work for Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman in the days and weeks ahead now that his club is in the offseason, he's taken care of one matter of internal business.

The club has announced that forward John Leonard, who was signed to a one-year contract last offseason and spent the majority of the campaign with the Grand Rapids Griffins, has been extended with another one-year contract. 

UPDATE: The #RedWings have signed John Leonard to a one-year contract extension. pic.twitter.com/aSctRQHkTo

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 16, 2026

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

Before signing with the Red Wings this past offseason, Leonard already had over 70 games of NHL experience with the San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes, and Nashville Predators under his belt.

He agreed to a one-year, $775,000 contract with the club after playing last season under contract with the AHL's Charlotte Checkers. 

He made his Red Wings debut in December after having led all American Hockey League scorers with 19 goals in 20 games played. 

Ultimately, he appeared in 11 games with the Red Wings this season, scoring twice while adding a pair of assists. He was also the leading scorer for Grand Rapids, tallying 32 goals with 21 assists in 46 games played. 

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Good evening.

Nothing but blue skies and Sunny days ahead.

Jersey, we brought Sunny home.

📰: https://t.co/wpT2ELjjhgpic.twitter.com/OqtxOnMgNL

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) April 16, 2026

Please react to the news below! And check out Jared’s article from yesterday where he reviewed Mehta’s candidacy. We will be back in a couple hours with a further breakdown of where the team is going from here.

Better times are ahead.

11:15 PM EDT update below

This hire certainly happened a lot quicker than I was expecting. However, with the New Jersey Devils needing to make tough decisions around the front office and behind the bench this offseason, I think it needed to happen quickly. Had Mehta been hired two weeks from now, the coaching market might look different than it does now, or it at least would have taken him longer to make evaluations of the remaining staff. The sooner Mehta can get to work, solidify his staff, and prepare for the NHL Draft and contract negotiations, the better.

Of course, many in the online Devils sphere have been calling for Sunny Mehta for awhile. Some have been banging the drum all season, and some for even longer. John, in his final post for All About the Jersey, mentioned Mehta by name twice while writing about how the Devils should be building their roster. Tim mentioned Mehta first among non-traditional General Manager candidates in February. Jackson also did so a couple weeks later. Looking back at the mentions of Mehta in AATJ articles, this was the first, by Nate in a Devils in the Details:

The Devils have hired former professional poker player Sunny Mehta to head their new analytics department. YES! [Fire and Ice]

Needless to say, this has been a long time coming. And some of his work while working with the Devils then was pretty impressive! Jared wrote yesterday,

While with the Devils in 2016, Mehta’s model had Jesper Bratt ranked as the #3 player in that year’s draft class. Fast forward a decade later and only four players from that class have had more points in the NHL than Bratt….#1 overall pick Auston Matthews, former lottery picks Matthew Tkachuk and Clayton Keller, and second rounder Alex DeBrincat.

Bratt went 162nd overall in the draft that season.

With the Devils in serious need of not just people who are capable of identifying hidden talent, but people in decision-making roles who seek out the bold move, this puts me at ease for the upcoming Draft. While Mehta has not worked with the New Jersey scouting department up to this point, that might not be a terrible thing. He has been working as an Assistant General Manager for the Florida Panthers, and I am sure he has kept tabs on the 2026 Draft Class in his own right. He will take his analytical mindset to the Draft, and his decisions on the roster will be driven much more by established and significant data than vibes and feelings of what a real hockey team looks like.

In his 6 seaons w/ the Florida Panthers, Mehta worked closely with coaching staffs & scouts on trade deadlines, free-agent evaluations & amateur scouting. He's regarded as one of the NHL's early and most influential analytics executives https://t.co/ddaLPnSbtX

— Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) April 17, 2026

But do not be fooled into thinking that Sunny Mehta has his eyes glued to an Excel sheet and does not know anything about the game of hockey being played on the ice. He is not just a poker player turned hockey executive. He is a New Jersey native. He is a Devils fan. He was there when the Devils were not just good, but a dynasty. He knows what good hockey looks like.

#NJDevils GM Sunny Mehta: "This is a dream come true for a New Jersey kid."

Full statement from the press release: pic.twitter.com/SyXSUQoom7

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) April 16, 2026

You might still be wondering: surely, the Devils will hire a more traditional President of Hockey Operations, right? Well, according to Ryan Novozinsky (who is leaving the Devils beat), Sunny Mehta has the “decision-making power in hockey ops,” meaning they will not hire anyone with him to guide him in his role.

Sunny Mehta is the one hire, I'm told. So no two-person structure up top for the #NJDevils.

He has the decision making power in hockey ops.https://t.co/8zJh4ernJe

— Ryan Novozinsky (@ryannovoNHL) April 16, 2026

Perhaps this was a request by Mehta in negotiations, who might not want to be in the shadow of a former player or NHL legend, such as Brenden Shanahan, who was linked to the Devils in rumors for that role. Perhaps the Devils valued the fact that Mehta has already been an Assistant General Manager for a few years, and that he has been in front offices for 12. Or, maybe, the two-headed operation rumor was just a rumor, and the Devils had no intention of doing something like that after Tom Fitzgerald was fired. I could have seen them keeping him around in a President, but I think the idea loses most of its utility when expanding the field of candidates. Having a GM who is comfortably implementing their vision was always the most important aspect of this search, and someone else in the President role could complicate that. So, I am rather unbothered by this particular development.

Mehta is scheduled to be introduced at Prudential Center on Tuesday at 3 p.m. I assume it would have been Monday, but Bruce Springsteen is scheduled that evening at The Rock so it'll be a tad busy in Newark.

— Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) April 17, 2026

When Sunny is introduced to Devils fans next week, I hope that he lays out a vision for the team. He already mentioned in his first statement that he believes the Devils have a good, young core. Knowing that he built his career in hockey through analytics, I highly doubt that he is going to be someone who wants to move Nico Hischier for an older, likely declining player or a winger. The Devils still have one of the best top six center duos in the league, and Sunny does not read to me like a guy who would give that up for a mere identity change. Rather, he seems like someone who is going to look for players to match Nico Hischier’s and Jack Hughes’s skills. (Never mind that Nico takes a million faceoffs and takes a ton of contact in those dots, and that he is one of the most prolific board battle winners in the league, for those advocating for a Tkachuk trade.) Additionally, I would expect the answers on the blueline and in net to be largely driven by analytic profiles.

Still, Mehta was a fan of the 1990s and 2000s Devils and has helped build the present-day Florida Panthers roster. I would expect him to keep the roster plenty capable of handling themselves in the physical game. The way I see Sunny, given his time in Florida, is someone who can find the players who can handle the NHL game while having solid analytic profiles. There is a balance to skill, athleticism, and physicality that is needed for players to reach their full potential in the league, and Mehta seems to understand that.

Too often, the Devils teams of the last three years have seemed imbalanced. Jack Hughes only just recently started playing on a line, with Jesper Bratt and Connor Brown, where both wingers can keep up with his speed and decision making. Too often, one of his wings just has not fit on the line well. Ondrej Palat’s struggles were well-documented. Fitzgerald gave a good shot with Tyler Toffoli, but his much-slower pace made that line a bit suboptimal (and looking back, to this point, Toffoli probably should have played with Hischier, who does not always want to go at a breakneck pace). Erik Haula slowed down too much to play a top six wing role. And Timo Meier has not been a fit there, either.

The problems have only been worse in the bottom six, except this season when Arseny Gritsyuk and Cody Glass got hot down the stretch. The third and fourth lines of the last few years have generally lacked identities, often reduced to just trying to play survival hockey, which came to a head this season when Paul Cotter and Luke Glendening had some of the worst defensive results in the league among fourth lines. I would expect to see lines that look like they are playing on the same team as 13 and 86. I would expect to see wingers who are defensively responsible enough to allow players like Luke Hughes, Dougie Hamilton, and Simon Nemec to play aggressively in the offensive zone. If you feel like 2022-23 was the last time the Devils had a bottom six with an identity, I think you might be relieved soon. I might not think Mehta will build a roster as focused on grit as someone like Jamie Langenbrunner, but the days of bottom six floaters who play to pray that they can block shots at a standstill in the defensive zone should be well-behind us.

With that, I look forward to Tuesday’s conference.

With the Philadelphia Flyers gearing up for their first round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, they have announced a series of roster moves.

The Flyers have announced that they have assigned Jacob Gaucher, Anthony Richard, Oliver Bonk, David Jiricek, Hunter McDonald, and Aleksei Kolosov to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. 

Gaucher played in four games this season with the Flyers, where he had zero points and a minus-1 rating. In 67 games with Lehigh Valley this season, he has 20 goals and 36 points. 

Richard was held off the scoresheet in his lone appearance for the Flyers this season. In 64 games this campaign with the Phantoms, he has 18 goals and 44 points. 

Bonk made his NHL debut for the Flyers against the Montreal Canadiens on April 14, where he had one goal and one assist. In 45 games this season with Lehigh Valley, he has six goals and 19 points. 

Jiricek made his Flyers debut against the Habs, where he had two penalty minutes and an even plus/minus rating. In 14 games with Lehigh Valley since being traded to Philadelphia by the Minnesota Wild, he has two goals and 13 points. 

Like Bonk, McDonald made his NHL debut for the Flyers against the Canadiens. He recorded his first career NHL assist in the contest and had four penalty minutes. In 63 games this season with the Phantoms, he has six assists and 90 penalty minutes. 

As for Kolosov, he had a 0-2-0 record, a 4.00 goals-against average, and an .830 save percentage in four games for the Flyers this season. He has a 15-21-4 record, an .895 save percentage, and a 2.98 goals-against average in 38 games this season with Lehigh Valley. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins held their first pre-playoff practice on Thursday, and it came with some good news.

Blake Lizotte and Connor Dewar were full participants during practice and took contact. Lizotte's been out for the last month with a hand injury, while Dewar has been out for the last four games with a lower-body injury. 

Assuming both players get through Friday's practice with no problems, they should be in the lineup for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Dewar and Lizotte were back in their usual places on the fourth line with Noel Acciari. Here's what the full lines looked like:

Forwards

Chinakhov-Crosby-Rust

Novak-Rakell-Malkin

Soderblom-Kindel-Mantha

Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari

Defensive pairs

Wotherspoon-Karlsson

Girard-Letang

Shea-Clifton 

- Both Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs got a lot of work during practice, but it'd be a surprise if Skinner wasn't the Game 1 starter. He has played in many massive playoff games for the Edmonton Oilers over the last two years and has been better than Silovs down the stretch of this season. 

- Lizotte spoke for the first time since suffering his hand injury back in March and is excited for the Penguins to open the playoffs against the Flyers. 

"I think it's great," Lizotte said about playing the Flyers. "They've been playing great hockey for them to get in (the playoffs) their last month of the season, so it's going to be a tough matchup. They've got a good team, and I think everyone kinda wanted the Battle of PA, and I think all the players included. I think both teams are really looking forward to this one."

His return will really help the penalty kill, which has dipped a little bit over the last month. It's still one of the best penalty kills in the NHL, but it's not fully the same without Lizotte on it. He's so good at winning puck battles along the boards, blocking shots, and getting clears. 

- Speaking of the penalty kill, it got some work against the Penguins' power play during practice. Both units will have to be on their game if the Penguins want to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

- The vibes were great for Thursday's practice, which ran for a little over an hour. Everyone was having fun on the ice and looked ready for Game 1 on Saturday.

The team will practice again on Friday before Saturday's game starts at 8 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh and ESPN. 

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According to PuckPedia, the Pittsburgh Penguins have placed defenseman Matt Dumba on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination.

With this move, Dumba is not required to report to the AHL playoffs with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In addition, with Pittsburgh's regular season over, he will not be losing any money with this contract termination. 

Dumba played in 11 games this season with Pittsburgh, where he had one goal, three points, 16 hits, and a minus-5 rating. In 27 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after clearing waivers, the right-shot defenseman had six goals, 14 assists, 20 points, and a plus-3 rating. 

The Penguins acquired Dumba from the Dallas Stars with a 2028 second-round pick in exchange for defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok. 

As Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin debates whether to retire or return for a 22nd NHL season, he has two big supporters for the second option.

"My kids are already asking me, 'Dad are you staying or not?'" he told reporters at his end of season media session. "I tell them, "We'll see.

"They're excited. They want me to come back because they love the city, they love the team, they love the boys."

The NHL's all-time leading scorer said on Thursday, April 16, that he hopes that the season-ending win in Columbus won't be his last game.

But he said he will have to talk to the team and to family before making a decision. He didn't give a timeline.

"If I'm going to come back, it would have to be a decision, first of all, are we going to make the playoffs and are we going to fight for a Cup?" he said.

The Capitals missed the playoffs by four points, just the fifth time Ovechkin hasn't been in the postseason. He thought he and his line were inconsistent at times and noted that the game has become a lot faster.

Still, at age 40, he played all 82 games and scored 32 goals, giving him an NHL-record 929. He's excited about the team's youngsters, particularly Ryan Leonard and late-season signee Cole Hutson.

Asked specifically what he'd like to hear when he meets with general manager Chris Patrick to discuss the team, he joked, "We want you for two more years. This is the contract. Sign it."

Asked if the free agent would consider signing with another NHL team, Ovechkin said, "Probably not. No."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Capitals' Alex Ovechkin says his kids want him to play, not retire

Game 1 of the Carolina Hurricanes first round series against the Ottawa Senators is set to take place in less than 48 hours, but so far, it looks like the Canes aren't quite yet decided on who'll start in net.

At least, that's what Carolina head coach Rod Brind'Amour told the media at Thurday's practice.

"We'll get to that when we have to," Brind'Amour said. "We have another practice and then we'll figure everything out after that. They both played really well in the last stretch there. Gave us exactly what we wanted and so we have a decision to make."

It should be noted though that Frederik Andersen had a crease to himself on Thursday — the prototypical starter's net — and if I were to make a bet, I'd say he has the best odds of starting Saturday.

Despite weak regular season numbers, the veteran netminder is an experienced goaltender who's proven that he can deliver in the postseason.

The Danish goalie is heading into his 10th year of playoff hockey and over the course of his career, he's been pretty reliable, with a career postseason record of 46-35 along with a 0.914 save percentage, 2.40 goals against average and five shutouts.

Andersen also looked much more like himself in the final weeks of the regular season, a promising sign.

"I like where my game's at," Andersen said on Thursday. "I've just been trying to build every day and continue to work on good habits. I know what it feels like when I'm playing well, so I'm just continuing to stretch for that every day."

And even if Andersen starts Game 1, there's no guarantee that he's the guy all the way.

"There's a likelihood that you'll see both, probably," Brind'Amour said.

Rookie netminder Brandon Bussi has had quite the year in Carolina, putting together the best numbers out of any Hurricanes goalie.

Bussi started the most games for the Canes this year, posting an outstanding 31-6-2 record.

However, he had just a 0.894 save percentage, a number that started to really slip post Olympic break.

Heading into the Olympics, Bussi had a 0.906 save percentage and looked to be the guy for Carolina. However, he struggled out of the break, posting just a 0.864 save percentage in that span.

But as Brind'Amour pointed out, Bussi had a good close to the year, stopping 50 out of the 53 shots he faced in back-to-back games, and overall, he probably has the higher ceiling between the two goaltenders at this point.

"I feel good," Bussi said. "I think over the course of the year, I've learned a lot. I've also learned that there's a lot about my game that I like. When I do those things right, I have success."

And even though he hasn't ever experienced NHL playoff hockey, he isn't a stranger to high-stakes games.

"I'm just really excited," Bussi said. "Obviously it's a little new, first time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but I've been in the American Hockey League playoffs, junior hockey playoffs, college, the one-and-done environments, so I'm not gonna say I'm used to it, it's going to be a little different, but I feel pretty prepared for situations like this."

Many fans have also been curious about the possibility of even seeing Pyotr Kochetkov in net, but it doesn't sound like the team is really considering him at this point.

The Russian netminder hasn't seen NHL action since Dec. 20 and has only seen 60 minutes of total game action of any kind following his surgeries thanks to a short conditioning stint down in the AHL earlier this month.

"We were hoping to get him in for that last game, but we had that little mishap there and weren't able to see where he's at," Brind'Amour said. "He's certainly healthy, but I wouldn't call him an option yet. But it looks like he could if we had to. You never know if you're gonna need that, but it's nice to know that if you get into a jam and guys do get hurt, we have some options."

So it's going to be between Andersen and Bussi and we probably aren't going to get any confirmation on that until Saturday.

"You'll get one of those two guys, I'll guarantee that," Brind'Amour said with a smirk.

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It wasn’t too long ago when Mark Messier, along with popular actor Danny DeVito, Isaac Chera of Crown Acquisitions, and more, unveiled the GAME 7 apparel collection to the NHL world. GAME 7 is a multi-platform sports and entertainment brand that, along with the NHL, works with the NBA for officially licensed apparel. 

 GAME 7 was also a five-part docuseries on Amazon Prime that received Emmy nominations and was directed by Connor Schell. They got the initial opportunity to work with the NHL and New York Rangers during their Centennial year and help design the patch they would wear on their jerseys. 

After initially expanding with NBA apparel, it partnered with the NHL in December for an officially licensed NHL collection of nine NHL teams, those being the Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Vegas Golden Knights, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, and the Florida Panthers.

Now, alongside a partnership withCentric Brands, they are introducing new apparel to six additional teams: the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, and Colorado Avalanche.

Here are some of the new pieces of merchandise they are offering for the Avalanche:

With the heightened energy of the Stanley Cup playoffs right around the corner, there is no better time for them to release a new line for some teams that are looking to make a deep run this season. We could very much see a second round that includes the Avalanche versus the Stars, with the winner facing the Oilers in the Conference finals and potentially the Lightning in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The NHL itself is covered in fashion, and we see it every day when players enter the arena before warm-ups. With the league dropping the formal dress code, players can express themselves more and wear what they see as “fashionable”. From the standard suit-and-tie style we see many adopt, we also see more outgoing styles worn by David Pastrnak, William “Willy Styles” Nylander, and Patrick Laine.

Highlights Of NHL Fashion In The First Half Of The Season With the formal NHL dress code a thing of the past, players have had more freedom in their gameday outfits, and a few players have taken the freedom to fully spread their wings in what they wear to arenas this season.

To see the full Colorado Avalanche and NHL collection from GAME 7, you can head to their Amazon storefront HERE.

The NHL has finally announced the start times for Game 1 of the eight first-round series.

The Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators will open up the postseason with a 3 p.m. showdown Saturday at Lenovo Center and streamed on both FanDuel Sports Network and ESPN.

Parking lots and team store will open at noon that day and there will also be a pregame plaza party beginning at 12:30 p.m.

The arena will open its doors at 1:30 p.m., with warmups set to take place at 2:30 p.m.

The Dallas Stars/Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins/Philadelphia Flyers will follow up that game on Saturday, with puck drops scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The Montreal Canadiens/Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins/Buffalo Sabres, Utah Mammoth/Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche series will all then kick off on Sunday at still to be determined times.

Finally, the Pacific #2/#3 series (which has yet to be decided) will start on Monday.

No other game information has been released yet, but the NHL will apparently announce the full first-round schedule after the regular season officially concludes tonight.

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Recent Articles

Why This Year Could Be Different For Carolina

Biggest Areas Of Concern For Carolina Hurricanes Heading Into Playoffs

Carolina Hurricanes To Face Ottawa Senators In First Round Of 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

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Macklin Celebrini breaks Joe Thornton's Sharks record for most points in season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

At just 19 years old, Macklin Celebrini just cemented one of the greatest individual seasons in Sharks history.

By earning his 115th point of the 2025-26 NHL season in the Sharks’ regular-season finale on Thursday night, Celebrini overtook Joe Thornton’s franchise record from 2006-07 for points in a single campaign.

The teenage phenom — who ironically lives with Thornton — scored a goal early in the third period for his third point of San Jose’s game against the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre.

Macklin's record-breaking moment 🫡 pic.twitter.com/Y1l5c2XfRC

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) April 17, 2026

The goal is Celebrini’s 45th of his remarkable second NHL season and gave the Sharks a commanding 6-1 lead in the regular-season finale.

Celebrini entered Thursday’s game needing three points to break Thornton’s record, and he recorded a pair of assists in the first period to match the mark.

JUMBO, YOU'VE GOT COMPANY 🙌 pic.twitter.com/crBxYxzXaN

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) April 17, 2026

With 45 goals and 70 assists, Celebrini has twice as many points as the Sharks’ second-highest scorer this season; Will Smith is next with 59 points after a goal and assist in Thursday’s game.

Celebrini is one of just three Sharks in franchise history and six teenagers in NHL history to cross the 100-point threshold. But he now has entered even more rarified air — trailing only Wayne Gretzky (137) and Sidney Crosby (120) for points in an age-19 season or earlier.

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft accrued an impressive 63 points in 70 games as an 18-year-old rookie last year. Still, Celebrini has catapulted himself into superstar territory with his superb second season.

A SEASON FOR THE AGES 🙌 pic.twitter.com/7RY69fEpPB

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) April 17, 2026

Though San Jose narrowly missed out on the Stanley Cup playoffs, the future appears very bright — or teal, if you will — thanks in large part to Celebrini’s emergence.

The only question that remains is whether Celebrini’s historic campaign is enough to win the Hart Trophy for the NHL’s most valuable player, and it’s hard to argue that he wasn’t this season.

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