Category: Ice Hockey

Who's in the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery? These 11 teams can win the No. 1 pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Which NHL club will hit the lottery in 2025?

The order for the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery was set on the final night of the 2024-25 regular season Thursday. And the two teams with the best odds to land the No. 1 pick are the same as last year.

The San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks finished 32nd and 31st in the league standings, respectively, for the second straight season. San Jose has a 25.5% chance of winning the lottery, while Chicago boasts 13.5% odds of leapfrogging the Sharks for the top pick.

San Jose last year won the Macklin Celebrini sweepstakes for the franchise’s first-ever No. 1 pick. And the Sharks can now become the first team since the Edmonton Oilers from 2010-12 to pick first overall in consecutive drafts.

Chicago, meanwhile, could be selecting in the top two for a third straight year. The Blackhawks jumped from third to first in the 2023 lottery to secure Connor Bedard and they retained last year’s No. 2 pick before selecting Artyom Levshunov.

So, which other teams are in the running for this year’s top pick? And when will the lottery be held? Here’s what to know:

What is the NHL draft lottery?

The draft lottery is used to award the top two picks in the draft and set the order of the first 16 selections, which includes all of the non-playoff teams. But not all teams in the draft lottery are eligible to win the No. 1 pick.

How does the NHL draft lottery work?

That’s because the most spots a team can move up in the lottery is 10, giving 11 clubs a chance to land the first pick and 12 teams a shot at the second pick.

For the lottery, 1,001 different four-number combinations are distributed among the teams, with the worst team having the most combinations, the second-worst team having the second-most combinations, and so on.

Fourteen ping pong balls numbered 1 to 14 are placed into a lottery machine and four are randomly drawn. The team that owns that four-digit combination gets the top pick, and the process is then repeated to award the second pick. Once the top two picks are awarded, the rest of the top 16 is set in inverse order of the regular-season standings.

If, for instance, the Detroit Red Wings, who enter the lottery sitting in the 12th draft slot, win the first drawing, they would move up 10 spots to No. 2 and the league-worst Sharks would get the No. 1 pick.

A rule introduced starting with the 2022 lottery bars a team from improving its draft position via the lottery more than twice over any five-year span. But, since the 2022 lottery, no team has moved up in the order more than once.

What are the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery odds?

Here are the 11 teams with a chance to win the No. 1 pick, along with their odds:

1. San Jose Sharks: 25.5%
2. Chicago Blackhawks: 13.5%
3. Nashville Predators: 11.5%
4. Philadelphia Flyers: 9.5%
5. Boston Bruins: 8.5%
6. Seattle Kraken: 7.5%
7. Buffalo Sabres: 6.5%
8. Anaheim Ducks: 6%
9. Pittsburgh Penguins: 5%
10. New York Islanders: 3.5%
11. New York Rangers: 3%

The teams slotted from 12th to 16th are, in order, the Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Utah Hockey Club, Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames. Detroit has a 5.1% chance of jumping up to second, Columbus has a 4.2% chance of jumping up to third, Utah has a 3.2% chance of jumping up to fourth, Vancouver has a 1.1% chance of jumping up to fifth and Calgary has a 1.1% chance of jumping up to sixth, according to Tankathon.

Calgary’s pick is currently set to convey to the Montreal Canadiens.

You can check out a full odds breakdown from Tankathon here.

When is the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery?

The NHL hasn’t announced a date for the draft lottery yet. Last year’s event was on May 7.

When and where is the 2025 NHL Draft?

The draft will be held at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles from Friday, June 27, to Saturday, June 28.

How many rounds are in the NHL draft?

The NHL draft features seven rounds. The first round is set for June 27 followed by Rounds 2-7 on June 28.

Who will be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft?

OHL defenseman Matthew Schaefer is expected to be the first player taken in this year’s draft. Schaefer, 17, had seven goals and 15 assists with a plus-21 rating over 17 games this season with the Erie Otters before suffering a broken collarbone while playing for Canada at the world junior championship in December.

The last time a defenseman went No. 1 overall was in 2022 when the Sabres took Owen Power.

The regular season may not be over, but the NHL is wasting no time in shifting focus to the playoffs.

On Thursday, the league sent out a full schedule for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Well, almost full.

There are still several start times that remain TBD.

For the defending Stanley Cup Champion Panthers, they'll open their repeat bid after every other series has begun.

Game 1 between the Cats and Bolts is set for Tuesday night from Amalie Arena in Tampa, with a start time of 8:30 p.m.

Two nights later, Game 2 will be played with a start time two hours earlier, at 6:30 p.m.

Florida's first home game of the series, scheduled for Saturday at Amerant Bank Arena, has a 1 p.m. puck drop.

The rest of the series does not have set start times yet.

You can see the full schedule below:

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The Edmonton Oilers might be missing Mattias Ekholm for their opening-round series against the Los Angeles Kings, but Connor McDavid insisted that last year's Stanley Cup finalists are not limping into the playoffs.

If anything, the team might be healthier than it appears.

“We have this like aura about us that we’re the walking wounded, but we’re just fine,” McDavid told reporters. “Everybody’s going to be ready to roll. Everybody is doing whatever they can. I don’t like this whole notion that we’re the walking wounded here. We’re ready to roll.”

Those comments come days after Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch gave an extensive injury report that made it sound like Edmonton might indeed be dressing a "B squad" for the playoffs. However, you might want to wait before counting out the Oilers just yet.

McDavid is healthy. And by the sounds of it, he is anticipating another long playoff run.

“I just don’t like the theory that people are counting us out," he said. "We’re a great team here; bumps and bruises along the way. We’re a great team when we’re healthy. And we are healthy."

The Oilers And Kings' Bad Blood Returns: That's Why The NHL Playoff Format Hasn't ChangedYou can say what you want about the NHL’s current Stanley Cup playoff format, but it ignited the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings’ rivalry.

Unfortunately for the Oilers, injuries have plagued the team at the worst possible time of the year.

Ekholm isn't expected to be available in the first round. McDavid, who has appeared in 63 games, recently missed eight games with an undisclosed injury. Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman are banged up. Same goes for Jake Walman, Troy Stecher and Trent Frederic.

The bodies have been piling up to the point where the team was forced to play a game against the Kings earlier this week with what Phillip Danault described as a "B-squad."

"They just have their B-squad in trying to hurt us." 😳

Phillip Danault soudned off in the midst of a chippy Kings-Oilers game last night. pic.twitter.com/JkpeRlJv3n

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

However, don't expect the Oilers to pack it in when they face the Kings in the first round of the playoffs. Instead, don't be surprised if McDavid uses the injuries as a way to further motivate the Oilers, who many believe are the underdogs despite having defeated the Kings in each of the past three playoffs.

“Maybe it's good. Everyone's going to be rested,” said McDavid of having so many players miss so much time in the past month. "Would it have been nice to get some games with a full lineup? Sure, but like I said, not everything is as it seems.

“I've felt, personally, night and day better from before the injury, just in terms of rest. Not getting a break there with the Four Nations — which I'm not complaining about at all — I feel night and day better since the injury. I'm sure Leon's going to feel the same way.”

Welcome to the latest episode of The Hockey News Wraparound, featuring rapid-fire analysis of the NHL and hockey.

What Role Will The Canadiens Give Ivan Demidov Against Washington? by The Wraparoundundefined

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

0:00: How strong of a chance do the Montreal Canadiens have of upsetting the Washington Capitals?

4:12: What to make of the Dallas Stars’ injuries heading into their first round series against the Colorado Avalanche

9:04: With Dougie Hamilton returning for the New Jersey Devils, could they have a tight series with the Carolina Hurricanes?

12:09: Have the Winnipeg Jets avoided some internal distractions heading into the playoffs by extending Neal Pionk and Alex Iafallo?

15:01: Did Corey Perry and Phillip Danault's exchange in the media set the Oilers and Kings up to be the most entertaining first-round series?

18:50: Will Logan Couture go down as one of the best San Jose Sharks of all-time?

21:36: Will Ivan Demidov play in a depth role or top-six role for the Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs?

24:26: Could Jet Greaves earn a full-time position with the Columbus Blue Jackets next season?

26:37: Breaking down the NHLPA player poll results

29:19: Should the Detroit Red Wings be concerned that their current core has peaked?

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

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

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iHeartRadio

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The Ottawa Senators came up with a plan to limit a flood of Toronto Maple Leafs fans from attending the Canadian Tire Centre for Games 3, 4 and potentially 6 of their first-round series. 

When the Maple Leafs visit the Senators, the crowd often features a lot of blue and white competing with Ottawa’s red and black.

The Senators organization took a step-by-step approach to selling tickets for the Battle of Ontario and limiting Leafs fans. Their strategy to maximize Sens fans is through season ticket holders and newsletter followers.

Season ticket holders were able to purchase up to four tickets – two for them and two extra for other Sens fans. The Senators have an additional 902 season ticket holders from five weeks ago, team president Cyril Leeder told the Ottawa Citizen. The team also opened single-game ticket sales to subscribers to its newsletter on Thursday at 10 a.m. ET for two hours.

That didn’t leave many single-game tickets available for the general public when sales opened at noon.

“You won’t see much blue,” team owner Michael Andlauer told reporters at a Senators flag-raising ceremony at city hall on Wednesday.

This isn’t the first time that other teams have tried to limit Leafs fans from their rink. When Toronto faced the Florida Panthers in the second round of the 2023 playoffs, the Panthers restricted ticket access to purchasers with a U.S.-based credit card billing address.

The Senators and Maple Leafs faced off in the playoffs four times between 2000 and 2004. In 2004, the Leafs defeated the Sens in seven games. 

The Senators organization will not only hope to push out the blue-and-white noise but also win the latest edition of the Battle of Ontario. Game 1 takes place Sunday at 7 p.m. ET in Toronto.

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

Macklin Celebrini already hard at work day after Sharks' 2024-25 NHL season ends originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

There are no days off for Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini.

That’s hyperbole, of course, but it was striking to see Celebrini on the ice, a day after the end of San Jose’s 2024-25 NHL regular season.

The only Sharks on the ice were Celebrini and Jack Thompson, who’s coming back from injury and ramping up to join the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL playoffs.

Of course, Celebrini still has his own hockey to play too: He confirmed what was a given, that he would be representing Team Canada at the World Championships in May in Sweden and Denmark.

Individually, could the 2024 No. 1 pick’s rookie season have gone any better?

He led all rookies with a 0.9 Points Per Game average. His 63 points was tied with Matvei Michkov for second among all NHL rookies, behind only Lane Hutson’s 66. His 25 goals was also second among all rookies, just behind Michkov’s 26. He impressed on both sides of the ice and was the San Jose Sharks’ clear-cut No. 1 center by the end of the season.

About the only thing that he could’ve done individually was play the 12 games that he missed because of an early-season hip injury, an absence which might cost him the Calder Trophy.

But besides that, he showed all the makings of a genuine superstar, both on the ice and with his work ethic.

The Sharks were a last-place team once again, with just one more win and five more points than last season’s 47 points, but the future feels a lot brighter for the franchise, chiefly because of Celebrini.

Celebrini shared what he wants to improve in his game next year, living with Joe Thornton, the World Championships as an audition for the Olympics, and what he’d say to other players to get them to join him with the Sharks.

Read the full story at San Jose Hockey Now

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast

The Pittsburgh Penguins have, presumably, made a roster move ahead of their final game of the 2024-25 season against the Washington Capitals on Thursday.

According to the NHL's media website, the Penguins have recalled forward Sam Poulin from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) - Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate - on an emergency basis. 

With forward Kevin Hayes designated as a "game-time decision" due to a lower-body injury - and defenseman P.O Joseph ruled out after rotating in on forward line rushes in practice this week - the Penguins would have only had 11 healthy forwards and six healthy defenseman going into Thursday's game without an emergency recall.

Poulin, 24, was a first-round pick (21st overall) by the Penguins in 2019. He has played in six NHL games this season, registering one point, and he has two points in 12 career games.

At the AHL level this season, Poulin has 19 goals and 43 points in 56 games, including four points in his last four.

Like Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipOn Sunday, the hockey world got to witness Alexander Ovechkin - The Great “8” - surpass The Great “One” for the most goals in NHL history.

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Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

After falling to the Dallas Stars in the second round one year ago, the Colorado Avalanche will look to use that experience toward a different result as they start their 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs looking for revenge.

“They’ve ended our year a couple of different times since I’ve been here,” said Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar on Wednesday. “They’re a very good team. They’re very opportunistic. You’ve got to find ways to expose them on all areas of the ice.”

This spring, there’s one big change: longtime Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen is playing on the other side. The Avalanche and Stars start their first-round seriesthis weekend.

Over seven seasons, Rantanen put up 101 playoff points in 81 games and was a key cog in Colorado’s run to the Stanley Cup in 2022.

“Mikko’s a playoff player,” Makar said. “That’s what he’s born and bred to do. So it’ll definitely be tough to defend. But that team in general – they’re very good.”

Before the Avalanche won their championship three years ago, then-GM Joe Sakic shored up his team’s roster by acquiring goaltender Darcy Kuemper during the summer of 2021, then bringing in Josh Manson, Artturi Lehkonen and Andrew Cogliano at the 2022 deadline.

This year, Chris MacFarland has pulled off even more extensive roster renovations. 

He handed the goaltending reins to Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood on top of adding forwards Martin Necas, Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle, along with defenseman Ryan Lindgren.

“I look back at the year we won, and they made some key additions at the deadline,” Makar said. “Those were huge to finding success in the playoffs and we've only done more of those throughout this year – what the management thinks we need. It’s definitely great that they have trust in us, and they give us the best opportunity to win.”

Two familiar faces from ’22 are also getting back in the mix: veteran blueliner Erik Johnson, who was re-acquired at the deadline, and left winger Gabriel Landeskog.

The Colorado captain, 32, hasn’t played an NHL game since he hoisted the Cup overhead after the Avalanche dethroned the Tampa Bay Lightning. But after nearly three years of rehab, Landeskog successfully suited up for a pair of AHL games with the Colorado Eagles. He also looked every bit like his usual feisty self when he joined his Avs teammates for practice on Wednesday in Denver.

“He definitely hasn’t lost a step,” Makar said. “It’s going to take some time to get back to where he was. Missing three years of gameplay is pretty crucial, but I think he’s doing the right thing, making the right steps here. Hopefully he just keeps progressing, and it’s nice to have him around the team. That’s for sure.”

Makar was part of a group that made the trek out to Loveland to take in Landeskog’s return to action last weekend. As an added bonus, he also got to see his younger brother and Avs prospect, Taylor Makar, suit up for the first-place Eagles, just two weeks after the left winger turned pro following a Hockey East championship at the University of Maine.

“Really cool experience,” Cale Makar said. “I haven't got the chance to watch my brother live since such a long time ago – probably, like, minor hockey.”

Already a past winner of the Calder, Conn Smythe and Norris Trophies, Makar just finished his most productive season yet. 

He led all NHL defensemen with 92 points while landing in the top 10 in overall scoring. He also became just the ninth blueliner of all time to score 30 goals and the first since Mike Green of the Washington Capitals tallied 31 in 2008-09. 

As he sits in pole position for his second Norris while NHL Awards voting takes place this week, perhaps the only person in the hockey world who’s not impressed is Makar himself.

“I think it just goes back to the team, and how well they've done at giving us good players to succeed,” he said. “You’re not achieving any of that without good teammates. For us, they’ve found great fits here, and I think that’s only elevated everybody’s play.”

With playoffs set to begin, Makar and Florida Panthers left winger Matthew Tkachuk are this year’s faces of the ‘Check In To Win’ sweepstakes at Great Clips, the official hair salon of the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association.

From now through May 19, fans who download the Great Clips app and check in will be entered for a chance to see epic on-ice checks live from the stands at the 2025 Stanley Cup final. Other prizes include gift cards for Great Clips and NHLshop.com.

“It's pretty exciting for them to be sending one person to a Stanley Cup final game,” Makar said. “It's an honor to do a partnership with them.”

On top of a good haircut, Makar says “a lot” goes into his preparation to bring his best each game day.

“Nothing too superstitious or ritual-wise, but just making sure your body’s physically and mentally ready to get it going.”

Cale Makar and the Avalanche will start their first-round series against the Stars on the road on Saturday, April 19, at American Airlines Arena.

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

Who's in the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery? These 11 teams can win the No. 1 pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Which NHL club will hit the lottery in 2025?

The order for the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery was set on the final night of the 2024-25 regular season Thursday. And the two teams with the best odds to land the No. 1 pick are the same as last year.

The San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks finished 32nd and 31st in the league standings, respectively, for the second straight season. San Jose has a 25.5% chance of winning the lottery, while Chicago boasts 13.5% odds of leapfrogging the Sharks for the top pick.

San Jose last year won the Macklin Celebrini sweepstakes for the franchise’s first-ever No. 1 pick. And the Sharks can now become the first team since the Edmonton Oilers from 2010-12 to pick first overall in consecutive drafts.

Chicago, meanwhile, could be selecting in the top two for a third straight year. The Blackhawks jumped from third to first in the 2023 lottery to secure Connor Bedard and they retained last year’s No. 2 pick before selecting Artyom Levshunov.

So, which other teams are in the running for this year’s top pick? And when will the lottery be held? Here’s what to know:

What is the NHL draft lottery?

The draft lottery is used to award the top two picks in the draft and set the order of the first 16 selections, which includes all of the non-playoff teams. But not all teams in the draft lottery are eligible to win the No. 1 pick.

How does the NHL draft lottery work?

That’s because the most spots a team can move up in the lottery is 10, giving 11 clubs a chance to land the first pick and 12 teams a shot at the second pick.

For the lottery, 1,001 different four-number combinations are distributed among the teams, with the worst team having the most combinations, the second-worst team having the second-most combinations, and so on.

Fourteen ping pong balls numbered 1 to 14 are placed into a lottery machine and four are randomly drawn. The team that owns that four-digit combination gets the top pick, and the process is then repeated to award the second pick. Once the top two picks are awarded, the rest of the top 16 is set in inverse order of the regular-season standings.

If, for instance, the Detroit Red Wings, who enter the lottery sitting in the 12th draft slot, win the first drawing, they would move up 10 spots to No. 2 and the league-worst Sharks would get the No. 1 pick.

A rule introduced starting with the 2022 lottery bars a team from improving its draft position via the lottery more than twice over any five-year span. But, since the 2022 lottery, no team has moved up in the order more than once.

What are the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery odds?

Here are the 11 teams with a chance to win the No. 1 pick, along with their odds:

1. San Jose Sharks: 25.5%
2. Chicago Blackhawks: 13.5%
3. Nashville Predators: 11.5%
4. Philadelphia Flyers: 9.5%
5. Boston Bruins: 8.5%
6. Seattle Kraken: 7.5%
7. Buffalo Sabres: 6.5%
8. Anaheim Ducks: 6%
9. Pittsburgh Penguins: 5%
10. New York Islanders: 3.5%
11. New York Rangers: 3%

The teams slotted from 12th to 16th are, in order, the Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Utah Hockey Club, Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames. Detroit has a 5.1% chance of jumping up to second, Columbus has a 4.2% chance of jumping up to third, Utah has a 3.2% chance of jumping up to fourth, Vancouver has a 1.1% chance of jumping up to fifth and Calgary has a 1.1% chance of jumping up to sixth, according to Tankathon.

Calgary’s pick is currently set to convey to the Montreal Canadiens.

You can check out a full odds breakdown from Tankathon here.

When is the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery?

The NHL hasn’t announced a date for the draft lottery yet. Last year’s event was on May 7.

When and where is the 2025 NHL Draft?

The draft will be held at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles from Friday, June 27, to Saturday, June 28.

How many rounds are in the NHL draft?

The NHL draft features seven rounds. The first round is set for June 27 followed by Rounds 2-7 on June 28.

Who will be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft?

OHL defenseman Matthew Schaefer is expected to be the first player taken in this year’s draft. Schaefer, 17, had seven goals and 15 assists with a plus-21 rating over 17 games this season with the Erie Otters before suffering a broken collarbone while playing for Canada at the world junior championship in December.

The last time a defenseman went No. 1 overall was in 2022 when the Sabres took Owen Power.

Last night, Senators prospect Luke Ellinas kept the Kitchener Rangers' season alive by scoring all three goals in their 3-0 win over the Windsor Spitfires. 

The Windsor offense, led by L.A. Kings prospect Liam Greentree and Washington Capitals prospect Ilya Protas, has had its way during the first three games of the series, scoring a total of 16 goals.

The offensive dominance is surprising given Kitchener's defensive prowess during the regular season. The Rangers allowed the second-fewest goals (183) while maintaining the second-best penalty kill in the OHL. 

In last night's game, the Rangers flipped the script by shutting out the Spitfires and registering the team's first shutout of the postseason. The Rangers outshot the Spitfires 35-24 with goaltender Jackson Parsons making all 24 saves. 

If Parsons can be recognized as the defensive star of the night, Ellinas was the other side of the coin.

He scored the eventual game winner early in the second frame on a bad-angle shot that found a small hole in Joey Costanzo's armor.  

Frontenacs Rally Late In Game Three To Win On Home IceFacing the dire prospect of going down 0-3 in the second round of the OHL PLayoffs, the Kingston Frontenacs found a way to win last night. They defeated the Barrie Colts 5-3 on home ice.

On a rush later in the period, the Toronto native cut to the middle of the ice on the rush and fired a shot that once again wormed its way through Constanzo to extend the Kitchener lead. His third and final goal was an empty-netter scored moments before the final buzzer.

Ellinas seems to thrive on playoff hockey. He has never broken 40 points in his two-year OHL career. However, during last year's playoffs, he scored at nearly a point per game pace, while after last night, he is averaging more than a point per game in this year's playoffs. 

The Ottawa Senators drafted Ellinas in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft. While he still has a lot to learn, his tendency to score during the postseason should interest a team like Ottawa that will return to the NHL Playoffs for the first time since 2017.

During last night's contest, he had multiple scoring chances that didn't find the back of the net and consistently pushed the pace offensively for his team. 

Henry Mews' Commitment Shows Why The OHL Could Be In Trouble?Early yesterday evening, Calgary Flames prospect Henry Mews announced his commitment to the University of Michigan to play NCAA hockey next season. The unique decision shows how players are forging new paths in the wake of the NCAA's decision to make CHL players eligible for Division I hockey. 

While the win is sweet, the Rangers have a very long and hard road ahead if they want to make it out of the second round of the OHL Playoffs. They need to regroup quickly and come back ready to play in game five. They will be in do-or-die mode for the rest of this series.

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The Abbotsford Canucks are getting some reinforcements ahead of the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. With the NHL regular season complete, the Vancouver Canucks assigned seven players to Abbotsford. The AHL Canucks still have two games on their schedule, and have a slim chance of finishing first in the Pacific Division.

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The seven players returning to Abbotsford are Kirill Kudryavtsev, Victor Mancini, Aatu Räty, Linus Karlsson, Max Sasson, Ty Mueller and Nikita Tolopilo. Most of the players on the list were called up under emergency conditions, as Vancouver dealt with continual injuries down the stretch. Of note, defenceman Elias Pettersson is not listed as the Canucks did not send him down before the trade deadline, making him ineligible for the AHL Playoffs.  

Some or all seven of the players could be in the lineup as early as Friday, when the AHL Canucks take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Abbotsford has already broken the franchise record for wins and points this season, and is three goals shy of setting the franchise record for most goals scored in a season. Puck drop for Friday's game is scheduled for 6:00 pm PT from Acrisure Arena.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

The first Battle of Ontario in the postseason since 2004 will begin on Sunday in Toronto.

The schedule for the well-anticipated Battle of Ontario, between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, has been announced.

The series will begin in Toronto on Sunday with Game 1 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Tuesday's Game 2 will start at 7:30 p.m. ET before the series shifts to Ottawa for Games 3 and 4. Below is the full schedule:

Sunday, April 20 - 7 p.m. Ottawa at Toronto
Tuesday, April 22 - 7:30 p.m. Ottawa at Toronto
Thursday, April 24 - 7 p.m. Toronto at Ottawa
Saturday, April 26 - 7 p.m. Toronto at Ottawa
*Tuesday, April 29 - TBD Ottawa at Toronto
*Thursday, May 1 - TBD Toronto at Ottawa
*Saturday, May 3 - TBD Ottawa at Toronto

On Tuesday, Toronto clinched the Atlantic Division title with a 4-0 win against the Buffalo Sabres, also locking in the Battle of Ontario. The Maple Leafs have lost all three games to the Senators this season and were outscored 9-3.

Maple Leafs 'Fairly Confident' Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, David Kampf Will Be Ready For Game 1 Of Playoffs Against SenatorsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are confident they'll have their injured players back for Game 1 of the playoffs against the Ottawa Senators.

"They’re a really good team. They defend well, good special teams, good goalie, their D. They have a lot going for them," Morgan Rielly said on Thursday. "The next couple days will be important as we make a strategy and plan out what we want this to look like."

The last time Toronto and Ottawa played in the playoffs was in 2004. The Maple Leafs eliminated them in seven games before being eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round.

Since then, Toronto has won just one playoff series, against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023.

"It’s been a little while, so it should be really exciting. It’s playoff hockey, you get to play for the Stanley Cup," John Tavares said of the series.

"This is what you work for all summer long, coming into training camp and earn a place in the playoffs, and certainly for us to win the division, put ourselves in a good spot, we’re excited, and that’s what it’s all about."

'It's Going To Be An Absolute War': Maple Leafs Prepare For Intense Battle Of Ontario Playoffs Series Against Senators John Tavares has fond memories of watching the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Ottawa Senators in the early 2000s.  

Toronto plays its final game of the regular season on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings. The Maple Leafs will have two days to prepare before playing Game 1 on Sunday inside Scotiabank Arena.

"It’s a good one for sure. I wasn’t around back when it was going on, but we’re excited. That’s a very good team over there, like I told you guys before," Craig Berube said of Ottawa.

"It’s a young team that’s grown together. They added some veterans but overall, they’re a good hockey team with a lot of good skill on the front end and the back end, and they play a gritty game. It’ll be a tough series."

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LAS VEGAS -- The Vegas Golden Knights will host the Minnesota Wild on Easter Sunday, as the teams open their Western Conference playoff series at T-Mobile Arena at 7 pm pacific.

Vegas, which earned the Western Conference's No. 2 seed, earned home ice, after winning the Pacific Division. The Knights have the home-ice advantage against every team in the conference except the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets.

The Wild are the Western Conference's top Wild Card.

The Golden Knights and Minnesota have played three times this season, with Vegas sweeping the regular-season series.

The first meeting saw the Golden Knights defeat the Wild 3-2 on Dec. 15. The next two meetings were won more dominantly, but the Wild were also without star Kirill Kaprizov.

Vegas turned in victories of 4-1 and 5-1.

Game 2 returns to T-Mobile Arena with puck drop set for Tuesday night at 8 pm.

Games 3 and 4 will shift to St. Paul.

Game 3 will be on Thursday at 6 pm pacific, with Game 4 scheduled for 1 pm.

If Games 5-7 are necessary, they've been scheduled for April 29, May 1 and May 3, with start times to be announced.

Games 5 and 7 would be in Vegas, with Game 6 being played in Minnesota.

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Maple Leafs netminder Joseph Woll should stay hot, hold game to under but in losing effort to Detroit Red Wings on Thursday

Thursday night is the ultimate opportunity for NHL fans, with a loaded slate of thrilling matchups to end of the season.

The game that sticks out is one with the Detroit Red Wings, who would like to end off their troublesome season on a strong note after missing the playoffs for the ninth straight season. 

They will face off against a fierce Toronto Maple Leafs team that will likely be shorthanded after securing the Atlantic Division with their last win on Tuesday and will likely be resting their horses in this one. It should give the Red Wings a good chance to get a win and make for an exciting matchup. 

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For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 11-4 record on our last 15 picks and our 17-6 record on our last 23 underdog picks.

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Detroit Red Wings Best Bets:

• Under 6.5 goals (-160)
• Red Wings ML (+136) or Red Wings +1.5 (-188)
• Patrick Kane Over 0.5 points (-125)

More NHL: The Battle of Ontario Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Futures for Maple Leafs versus Senators

Detroit should be more motivated to win this game after missing the playoffs yet again and will want to give their fans something to cheer for. A big gift for the Red Wings faithful is beating one of their longtime rivals in the Maple Leafs.

This will be the 687th meeting between Toronto and Detroit with the Maple Leafs holding the upper hand all-time with a 302-285-93-6 record. Detroit has gotten the better of Toronto lately with wins in five of their last eight matchups with a win Thursday evening up the season series at two wins a piece.

It'll be challenging as the Maple Leafs have a league-best 12-2-1 record over their last 15 games while the Red Wings have a 6-2-1 record over their last nine games. The man who should help Detroit get the job done is none other than legendary winger Patrick Kane, who has been one of the hottest player on the team as of late.

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The three-time Stanley Cup Champion has continued to play like an all-star even into old age with six goals and 12 assists for a team-lead 18 points over his last 17 games.

Kane has also done with historically versus Toronto with three goals and four assists for seven points over his last eight games against the Maple Leafs dating back to 2023.

Woll-y MolyDavid Pastrnak rips one off the post and back into Joseph Woll, but Woll's quick reaction allows him to save the puck from going into the net.Breaking news, ...

He should be one of the only Red Wings to score as Toronto's Joseph Woll has been sensational lately with a 5-2-1 record and a 2.49 goals against average over his last eight starts.

The Missouri native has also gotten the better of Detroit in the past with a 1-1-0 record and five goals allowed or a 2.54 goals against average and a save percentage of .900 in two career starts against the Red Wings.

Woll should do enough to keep the game to a low total but I don't expect a high-offensive performance out of Toronto. 

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