Category: Sports News

Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley ranked third with an A grade in a recent poll that ranked all 32 NHL owners by The Athletic.

When Foley set a goal of winning a Stanley Cup inside the first six years of the franchise's existence, it raised plenty of eyebrows, but Foley and the Golden Knights have proved the doubters wrong.

The Golden Knights have played in eight seasons, winning a Stanley Cup, losing in the finals and making another two conference finals appearances. Their willingness to continue to trade or sign established players instead of developing drafted prospects is a philosophy that is very uncommon in today's game due to the salary cap, but it has changed the league.

ICYMI: Ranking the NHL's 32 ownership groups. Lot of great comments in here from fan bases from every team https://t.co/1Ujtz1CPTX

— James Mirtle (@mirtle) March 18, 2025

Recently, teams have been more inclined to ship draft picks and prospects at the deadline in search of players who drastically upgrade their lineup and improve their chances of winning the Stanley Cup.

The all-out mindset in pursuing greatness stems from the owner, and the fans who voted in The Athletic's poll recognized this.

"VGK ownership is second to none. He supports his organizational team to the max and lets them do their jobs without any interference from him."

"Love his willingness to go all-in from Day 1."

Ranking ahead of Foley were Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik and Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola, both owners of teams that haven't been shy about spending their cash and assets to acquire top NHL talent.

What separates Foley from other owners is the situation he stepped into and the speed at which he found success. The Seattle Kraken, the league's most recent expansion team hasn't found garnering success as easily as the Golden Knights, but what the Kraken are going through was to be expected. 

"It’s almost ridiculous what the Golden Knights have accomplished in fewer than eight seasons in the league," said James Mirtle, the author of this article. "A trip to the Final in Year 1 as an expansion franchise. Four trips to the final four in their first seven postseasons. A pile of blockbusters trades and players flocking to a market many were skeptical of when Vegas was awarded an expansion team less than a decade ago. Foley set a lofty goal of winning a Stanley Cup within six seasons, and he certainly delivered. And, as a bonus, there may not be a more entertaining building to be at for a big game. Vegas fans voted Foley No. 1 in willingness to spend to win and fifth in franchise vision."

The Golden Knights are once again in a great situation to go on a long playoff run with a roster filled with super stars and depth.

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

The NHL announced Tuesday that the Nashville Predators will participate in the 2025 Global Series presented by Fastenal in Stockholm, Sweden. 

The Predators will play two regular-season games against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. CT (8 p.m. CET) and on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 8 a.m. CT (3 p.m. CET).

The @NHL, @NHLPA and Live Nation announced the 2025 #NHLGlobalSeries Sweden presented by Fastenal, a pair of regular-season games featuring the @PredsNHL and @Penguins in Stockholm, Sweden on Nov. 14 and Nov. 16.

For more: https://t.co/qQJZorUSf8pic.twitter.com/PnCCBSKlWv

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) March 18, 2025

Filip Forsberg, a native of Ostervala, Sweden, and the Predators' all-time leading goal scorer, spoke Tuesday morning at Bridgestone Arena about the opportunity to play NHL games in his native country for the first time.

"It's going to be a great time," Forsberg said. "[It's] a great opportunity, obviously, for me. I have a lot of people that might not be able to travel here to watch and now get the chance to watch me play in the NHL at home. It's pretty special."

Forsberg played junior hockey in Sweden for Leksands IF, about 160 miles northwest of Stockholm, before being drafted by the Washington Capitals in 2012.

"I don't know if I have any fans in Stockholm," he chuckled. "But I do know the Leksands proud will travel well and hopefully be well represented [at the Global Series games]."

Forsberg leads Nashville this season with 59 points (25 goals, 34 assists) in 66 games, played at the 4 Nations Face-Off and has scored at least 40 goals in two of the past four seasons. He is joined on the Predators' by fellow countrymen Adam Wilsby and Andreas Englund, both of whom are from Stockholm.

The NHL and Live Nation will offer ticket presales for the Global Series on Tuesday, March 25 at 4 a.m. CT; tickets will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, March 26 at 4 a.m. CT at LiveNation.se. The first opportunity to purchase tickets to both games will be available to fans in attendance at the first-ever Hockey Day in Sweden celebration, hosted this year by the city of Linköping on March 21-22.

The Anaheim Ducks hold a league-best 46-21 record against the spread this season with six more covers over the next closest team

Tuesday night is the ultimate opportunity for NHL fans, with a loaded slate of thrilling matchups that fans eagerly anticipate. The game that sticks out is the Dallas Stars looking to bounce back after two straight losses in a matchup versus the league's best betting team in the Anaheim Ducks.

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 6-2 record on our last eight picks and our 16-6 record on our last 22 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.

Anaheim Ducks vs Dallas Stars Best Bets:

• Ducks +2.5 (-170)

This is an easy spot where we can fade the public and profit from it. The Ducks have quietly been the best betting team in the NHL this season with a resounding 46-21 record against the spread with six more covers over the next closest team.

They have been able to maintain this dominant status away from their home building as well with a 24-10 road record against the spread this season. Anaheim has lost five out of their last six road games but have won two straight matchups versus Dallas.

More NHL: MacKinnon or Draisaitl? Predicting Who Prevails in Tight Art Ross Trophy Race

Despite already beating the Stars not long ago in early February, no one believes the Ducks have a remote chance in this one with Dallas garnering just short of 80 per cent of the bets on the puck line and 96 per cent of the bets on the moneyline.

This is a game that the sportsbooks will be really pulling for the Ducks as virtually everyone wins if the Stars do. They are coming off two straight losses to the Jets and Avalanche but return home for this seemingly softball matchup.

Leo Danglesson 🤩🦆Ducks forward Leo Carlsson scores on a breakaway to give Anaheim the 5-4 overtime victory over the Utah Hockey ClubBreaking news, scores, stats, analysis & r...

There is no doubt they will come out swinging as the Stars are just two points ahead of Colorado and would very much like to keep their standing to maintain home ice in a first round matchup. Every points to the Stars in this one and this is where we get sucked into the trap as we are getting a horrible value yet people still want to ride with Dallas.

More NHL: Maple Leafs Present Best Betting Value in Tight Divisional Race with Panthers, Bolts

 The odds continue to climb for the Stars and continue to get a better for the Ducks, so much so that we can afford to take them at two goals to cover and still get a modest -170 odds that can give a decent return as they take on a Dallas team that is 31-35 against the spread this season.

The anticipated Future Watch issue is when The Hockey News looks at the future of the game, including the top 100 prospects in hockey.

This year's edition, which is available to purchase online as a single issue or with a subscription, features a top 100 list with plenty of intriguing prospects who rose, fell or dropped from the 2024 rankings.

The Hockey News reached out to a scout, director of player personnel or GM from each NHL team to list which prospects look to be the best five to 10 years down the line.

Every year, there are plenty of changes to the top 100 prospects list because many players graduate to the NHL, and a new draft class takes many of those spots.

Last year’s list, for example, had Matvei Michkov, Cutter Gauthier, Will Smith, Simon Edvinsson, Brandt Clarke and Jiri Kulich in the top six. They’re all in the NHL now, as well as Logan Stankoven (22nd), Dustin Wolf (36th) and Lane Huston (49th).

The Montreal Canadiens' fifth-overall pick in 2024, Ivan Demidov, is already hockey’s top prospect, while Beckett Sennecke, Zeev Buium, Artyom Levshunov, Zayne Parekh, Sam Dickinson and Tij Iginla are other 2024 draft picks making the top 10.

Biggest Risers

As for the biggest risers from the top 100 prospects in 2024 to the 2025 list, New York Islanders center Calum Ritchie (53rd to 13th) claims the throne.

Ritchie’s 40-spot jump correlates with his emergence as one of the best players in the OHL last season and a stint in the NHL to start this campaign. He earned seven games with the Colorado Avalanche after recording three points in four pre-season games.

Recovering from the shoulder injury that plagued him throughout his draft year and showcasing the full potential of his game was what saw him fly up the list. The Islanders acquired him as part of the package that sent Brock Nelson to the Avalanche.

Quentin Musty (plus-32), Tanner Molendyk (plus-31), Fedor Svechkov (plus-30) and Lian Bichsel (plus-30) rounded out the top five biggest risers. Musty’s strong year in Sudbury saw him go from 73rd to 41st, and it likely would have been higher had he not delayed the start of his OHL season due to a trade request. He has 59 points in 33 games.

Burning Flame: Calgary Prospect Zayne Parekh Intent On Becoming Dominant At NHL LevelBy Tony Ferrari, Features Writer

Biggest Fallers

On the flip side, Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Rutger McGroarty (minus-41) was among a trio of players who fell 40 or more spots, along with Joakim Kemell (minus-40) and Colby Barlow (minus-40). Gavin Brindley (minus-38) and Noah Ostlund (minus-35) round out the top five fallers.

McGroarty was expected to be in the NHL to start the season with Pittsburgh. While he made the team initially, he looked to be in over his head and behind the pace of play, not recording a point in three games. Falling from 35 to 76 was a drastic fall, but a relatively underwhelming AHL year contributed to the steep decline. He has 14 goals and 38 points in 56 games for AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Barlow (17th in 2024) and Ostlund (25th in 2024) both fell out of the top 50. Barlow has 57 points in 59 OHL games despite having 58 in 50 last season, and Ostlund has 24 points in 37 AHL games in his first full season in North America.

Brindley (55th to 93rd) is one of the more interesting players to fall. The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect had a slow season from a production standpoint, but he started the year late because of an injury, and it’s his first pro season. He could be a prime candidate for a bounce-back campaign next season, and we could see him shoot right back up this list.

Some prosepcts fell from the list altogether. Hunter Brzustewicz ranked 52nd in 2024 but now ranks sixth in the Calgary Flames’ prospect pool after the team drafted Parekh, Matvei Gridin and Andrew Basha in 2024. Other notable dropped players include Theo Lindstein (65th in 2024), Matthew Wood (87th in 2024) and William Dufour (90th in 2024).

For a full look at the Future Watch issue, including all of the players mentioned here and more, subscribe to The Hockey News today. You’ll also gain access to the entire history of The Hockey News magazine’s digital archive going back over 75 years.

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.

March 16th, 2002, started just like any other day. That night, the Columbus Blue Jackets were playing the Calgary Flames at Nationwide Arena, and I would be there. Little did we know how bad the day would turn out for one family though.  

The Jackets would beat the Flames 3-1 that night. Geoff Sanderson scored, Cole Sillinger's dad Mike would score, and Ray Whitney would put on a show, scoring a goal and getting two assists. 

The game also had some legends playing. Players like Bob Boughner, Jarome Iginla, Marc Savard, Craig Conroy, and Craig Berube were playing for the Flames. The Jackets had Jody Shelley, Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, Kevin Dineen, Mike Sillinger, and Rusty Klesla playing. It was the O.G. days of CBJ hockey for sure. 

That night I sat in section 219, staring down at the attack twice net for the Flames. Midway through the second period, Norwegian forward Espen Knutsen took a harmless shot that was deflected way up into the stands behind Columbus goalie Ron Rugnutt. That happened a lot, with pucks flying into the stands. You can usually see the ushers walking down to where the puck landed and giving a thumbs-up if everyone is okay. 

1st Annual Gaudreau Family 5K Run/Walk & Family Day Set For May 31st In New JerseyOn May 31st, the 1st annual Gaudreau Family 5K Run/Walk & Family Day will occur in Washington Lake Park, Sewell, NJ. If you’re in Columbus, Calgary, or anywhere else in North America and would like to participate, you’ll be able to do just that by completing a virtual 5k.

But on this one, someone was hurt. A few minutes later, you could see what looked to be a teenage girl walking with a coat pressed to her head, and leaving. Usually, that means the puck drew blood and that they were going to get patched up. The game continued, the Jackets won, and fans went home happy. 

Little did we know though, that the young girl who was struck, suffered a skull fracture and had been taken by ambulance to Children's Hospital in downtown Columbus. Reports say that she suffered a seizure and was kept for observation. She seemed to be doing fine according to reports, even still holding the puck that hit her while sitting in her hospital bed. 

The hospital performed a CT Scan on Brittanie but failed to see that she had a torn vertebral artery, which resulted in severe clotting, causing her brain to swell. On March 18, 2002, young Brittanie Cecil passed away at 5:15 PM after developing a high fever and losing consciousness. She was just 13 years old. She died two days before her 14th birthday. 

When the local news and newspapers reported Brittanie's passing, fans in Columbus and around the league were shocked. How could this happen? What could be done to prevent this? 

Jackets forward Espen Knutsen said about the incident, "I think about it all the time. It was a terrible accident, and I cannot get it off my mind." Knutsen was given the option of sitting out the next game but chose to play. Reports say that Knutsen was sobbing in the Columbus locker room after he heard of Cecil's passing. 

"I'm not sure what being haunted by something really means, but if it means feeling the pain of what happened to that little girl all these years, feeling so bad for her family, wanting to tell them how sorry I am, then I guess that's what this is for me," Knutsen told the Columbus Dispatch in 2010. Former CBJ head coach Dave King said, "That incident ended his career. Espen was a wonderful person, and he had talent. But he was never the same player after that." King also said, "He was beyond consoling, and that was for weeks and weeks."

Knutsen, who had two stellar seasons for the expansion Jackets, scoring 22 goals and totaling 95 points, was never the same. In the next two seasons, he played just 45 games, mainly due to injury. He would retire in 2005 after playing just 211 NHL games. 

Flames defenseman Derek Morris said,  "You try to say, 'It happens all the time,' but you can't. I don't know how many times pucks get deflected over the glass, but it doesn't make it any better. You can always say, 'It's not my fault,' but you always feel like it is, a little." Morris would go on to play 1107 NHL games over 16 seasons. 

In the aftermath of Cecil's death, the NHL implemented certain safety measures to prevent something like this from happening ever again. Gary Bettman ordered that glass be a standardized height in all arenas, and also protective netting be added to prevent high-speed pucks from going into the stands. Nowadays, most fans don't even notice the netting, as it has just become part of the experience. 

Cecil's family would set up The Brittanie Nichole Cecil Memorial Scholarship Fund. Per their website -  "The Fund will award scholarships to graduating seniors of Hilliard Darby and Twin Valley South High Schools who wish to become the best person they can be."

On this date, March 18th, we remember young Blue Jackets fan Brittanie Cecil, who would be 37 years old on March 20th.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story. 

Blue Jackets Stop Scoring Drought At 183 Minutes, But Drop Fourth Straight GameWell, it finally happened. After approximately 183 minutes, the Columbus Blue Jackets scored an NHL goal. In a strange twist, Mathieu Olivier is the one who scored the last goal against the Devils last Tuesday and scored the lone goal against the Devils on Monday. It is his 16th goal of the season.  Blue Jackets Weekly Injury Report: Week 22The NHL season is winding down, but injuries are piling up across the league. For the Columbus Blue Jackets, they have 16 games left in the season, but unlike most teams, they’re getting players back from injury.