Worldwide Sports News

It’ll be another chance for the St. Louis Blues to clinch a playoff spot on Wednesday.

The Blues (43-29-7), who had their franchise-record 12-game winning streak end on Monday in a 3-1 loss against the Winnipeg Jets, will get a second chance at clinching in the second of a season-ending three-game road trip against the depleted Edmonton Oilers (44-28-5) at 9 p.m. (TNT, TruTV, MAX, ESPN 101.1-FM).

Just like the scenario on Monday, the Blues can clinch Wednesday with a regulation win against the Oilers and the Calgary Flames lose to the Anaheim Ducks in regulation.

In the process, the Blues are also trying to stay ahead of the Minnesota Wild for the first wild card in the Western Conference.

The Blues lead the Wild by two points, and the Wild, who host the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, have a game in hand.

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The Blues appear to be making a couple tweaks to the lineup for Wednesday.

Jordan Kyrou and Jimmy Snuggerud look like will be swapping spots on right wing, while Dalibor Dvorsky, the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, will play in his second NHL game.

Jordan Binnington, who has won seven straight starts, will get the nod in goal on Wednesday.

The Oilers, on the other hand, have been decimated with injuries and will be playing without stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl along with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Mattias Ekholm, starting goalie Stuart Skinner and St. Louis native Trent Frederic, among others.

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Blues Projected Lineup:

Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jordan Kyrou

Jake Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Jimmy Snuggerud

Dalibor Dvorsky-Oskar Sundqvist-Zack Bolduc

Alexey Toropchenko-Radek Faksa-Nathan Walker

Cam Fowler-Nick Leddy

Philip Broberg-Justin Faulk

Ryan Suter-Tyler Tucker

Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Matthew Kessel and Mathieu Joseph. Colton Parayko (knee), Dylan Holloway (lower body) and Alexandre Texier (upper body) are out. Torey Krug (ankle) is out for the season.

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Oilers Projected Lineup:

Vasily Podkolzin-Adam Philp-Viktor Arvidsson

Zach Hyman-Adam Henrique-Corey Perry

Jeff Skinner-Mattias Janmark-Connor Brown

Max Jones-Kasperi Kapanen

Jake Walman-Evan Bouchard

Darnell Nurse-Troy Stecher 

Brett Kulak-Ty Emberson

Calvin Pickard will start in goal; Olivier Rodrigue will be the backup.

The Oilers have no healthy scratches. Leon Draisaitl (lower body), Mattias Ekholm (undisclosed), Evander Kane (hip, knee), John Klingberg (undisclosed), Connor McDavid (lower body), Alec Regula (knee), Stuart Skinner (concussion), Trent Frederic (ankle) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (illness) are out.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel was held out of the lineup against the Colorado Avalanche with an upper-body injury and joining him on the sidelines were Alex Pietrangelo and Nicolas Hague, both battling an illness. 

Prior to the puck drop, the Golden Knights announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Eichel would be out with an upper-body injury, and is considered day-to-day.

The 28-year-old had missed just one game before last night. In 76 games, Eichel has scored 27 goals and 93 points, setting a new career-high and the Golden Knights franchise record for points. If Eichel misses no further games, he'll need seven points in four games to record his first 100-point season. 

Pietrangelo recently returned from a lower-body injury after missing four games. He returned to play in three consecutive games before suffering an illness. 

The 2024-25 campaign has been a peculiar one for the 35-year-old. It started strongly, recording great offensive numbers and setting himself on pace to set career highs. The offence faltered, and his consistency has too. He's become prone to major turnovers and defensive blunders but remains a solid overall player. 

Hague dealt an injury earlier in the season, forcing him to miss 22 games. In the 66 games he's played, he's recorded five goals and 11 points, throwing 77 hits and blocking 73 shots. The 26-year-old is a pending RFA, averaging the fewest minutes among the Golden Knights' top six defenders. 

The Golden Knights are back in action on Thursday when they host the Seattle Kraken and will be hoping to add all three players back into their lineup. 

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Golden Knights Forward Tomas Hertl Nominated By Vegas PHWA Chapter For 2025 Bill Masterton Memorial TrophyLAS VEGAS -- The Vegas Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has nominated Golden Knights forward Tomáš Hertl as their nominee for the 2025 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is given annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.

The Chicago Blackhawks had three first-round picks in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and used them all to add even more great pieces to an already deep prospect pool.

Chicago drafted Artyom Levshunov at No. 2, Sacha Boisvert at No. 18, and Marek Vanacker at No. 27. Those weren't the only players the Blackhawks were looking to draft in the first round last year though. There were rumors that Ivan Demidov was a key target, but the team wasn't able to swing a deal.

According to Pierre LeBrun, the Blackhawks tried to draft Demidov at No. 4, but they couldn't acquire the pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blackhawks reportedly offered Columbus their unprotected 2026 first-round pick (that will likely be a lottery pick again) for the Blue Jackets' fourth overall pick in 2024.

This would've seen the Blackhawks grab two elite prospects and two other good ones in the first round, speeding up the rebuild just a little and setting them up very nicely for the future.

The Blue Jackets ended up taking their chances and instead of drafting Demidov themselves, selected Cayden Lindstrom. This allowed Demidov to fall to the Montreal Canadiens at fifth overall, and thus see him excel in the KHL this season and make his way over to the NHL and the Canadiens as they are slated to clinch the playoffs for the first time since the COVID season (2020-21).

We can't yet tell how this will play out long term for the Blackhawks as there should be some future stars at the top of the 2026 draft, but Demidov has proven himself outside of the NHL already and is going to be very good. Unfortunately, the Blackhawks just couldn't swing a deal.

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

On Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres were officially eliminated from post-season contention. Buffalo has not made the playoffs since 2011, which was the same season the Vancouver Canucks went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Fourteen years later, only one player from that roster remains active in the NHL, with that being Vancouver Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers.

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The 2010-11 season was Myers' second in the NHL. A year after winning the Calder Trophy, Myers recorded 37 points in 80 games, helping the Sabres to a third-place finish in the Northeast division. Buffalo would eventually be eliminated in seven games by the Philadelphia Flyers, with Myers also being the last player to record a multi-point effort for the Sabres in the playoffs.

Buffalo's lineup from April 26, 2011, also features other players who have suited up for Vancouver. The list includes Ryan Miller, Derek Roy, Thomas Vanek, Mark Mancari, and Marc-André Gragnani. Of note, Jhonas Enroth, who played in that game, is still active but is currently playing the SHL with Örebro HK.

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.

Just days after the Pittsburgh Penguins mourned the loss of former netminder and sports reporter Greg Millen, news broke on Wednesday morning that former Stanley Cup-winning General Manager Ray Shero had passed away at 62. 

Shero joined the Penguins in 2006 and helped guide them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2008 and 2009, earning his only championship in 2009. His father, Fred Shero, was a two-time winner with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1974 and 1975. 

The Penguins organization joins the family, friends and colleagues of former Penguins General Manager Ray Shero as we mourn his passing. pic.twitter.com/2TaU2AtBBj

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 9, 2025

Before coming to Pittsburgh, Shero worked for the Ottawa Senators (1993-1998)and Nashville Predators (1998-2006). He was relieved of his duties in the spring of 2014 after the Penguins' second-round playoff loss; however, he wasn't unemployed for long as the New Jersey Devils hired him on May 4, 2015. 

Shero was the Devils' general manager for five years before Lou Lamoriello replaced him on Jan. 12, 2020. Most recently, Shero was an advisor with the Minnesota Wild. 

Initially drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 11th round (216th overall), Shero played at St. Lawerence University from 1980 to 1985, serving as captain in his final season, but never played in the NHL.

Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winding down their 2024-25 season and will miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season, a first in Sidney Crosby's 20-year career. However, there is plenty to play for in the final weeks.

If you asked a hockey fan a week ago who the best player outside of the NHL is, you’d get a bunch of respectable answers. One name that may come up is Ivan Demidov, who Chicago Blackhawks fans may know well. 

Demidov was in the mix to be selected second overall by the Blackhawks in the 2024 NHL Draft. Instead, however, Chicago ended up taking defenseman Artyom Levshunov out of Michigan State University. Demidov ended up falling to the Montreal Canadiens at five. 

In 2024-25, playing for SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, Demidov had 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points in 65 games played. That is a great total for a KHL forward who isn’t even 20 years old yet. 

Whether Demidov is a center or wing in the NHL remains to be seen, but he is a shifty/highly skilled offensive powerhouse. His ceiling is an elite-level producer. 

On Tuesday, it became official that the Canadiens would be signing Demidov to his entry level deal. There was some uncertainty there as he was signed to a KHL contract. Ultimately, Demidov and St. Petersburg decided to part ways so he can pursue his dream of playing in the NHL. 

It is unclear when Demidov is expected to arrive in Montreal, but they are likely going to be playing in the playoffs, so he will help them there. He should also get some time in the regular season before the postseason begins. 

Next Monday (April 14th), the Blackhawks will be in Montreal to take on the Canadiens. This means that Levshunov and Demidov could face off in the NHL for the first time. After all of the dialogue comparing these two ahead of their draft, there will be some excitement surrounding their first matchup. 

Demidov has everything he needs entering his first stretch of NHL hockey. Montreal is winning a ton of games, they are likely going to the playoffs, and their building is incredible this time of year when the team is good. 

Young players like Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky, among others, will be perfect to surround a player like Ivan Demidov. They will create hockey magic together for a long time. 

How will they compare with the Blackhawks' young core? It is hard to tell right now because Chicago is a year or two behind in terms of the rebuild process, but they should play a good game against each other. If Demidov does live up to the hype,  the Habs are getting a consequential player at the most important time. 

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

The AHL's Player Safety Committee has announced that Bridgeport Islanders forward Adam Beckman has been suspended 10 games for abuse of official.

The incident occurred in a game against the Charlotte Checkers on Apr. 5 and falls under AHL Rule 40.3 for physical abuse of official (Category II) that triggers an automatic suspension.

A free agent at the end of the season, Beckman will miss the Islanders' final five games of the season and five games the next time he is on an AHL roster.

Beckman has 40 points in 55 games between Bridgeport and the Utica Comets this season. He was acquired by Bridgeport on Mar. 7 in exchange for Dennis Cholowski. 

Check out The Hockey News' New York Islanders team site for more updates.

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.    

Longtime NHL GM and executive Ray Shero died at 62 years old. 

Shero was a senior advisor with the Minnesota Wild, which announced the news on Wednesday.

“The Minnesota Wild is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Ray Shero,” the team wrote. “Our hearts go out to his family and friends and the countless people he impacted in the hockey community throughout his successful career. Ray was the best. He will be greatly missed by all of us.”

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also offered his condolences to the Shero family and shared what he remembered about him and his presence.

“Ray Shero’s smile and personality lit up every room he walked into and brightened the day of everyone he met,” Bettman said.

“Whenever we ran into each other at a rink when he was scouting, it was clear he loved what he was doing, and I always marvelled at his infectious enthusiasm. The (NHL) family mourns his passing and sends our deepest condolences to the Shero family and Ray’s many friends.”

Vice president and director of NHL Central Scouting, Dan Marr, also remembered Shero’s love for scouting. 

“He loved being in the rinks with scouts at games and tournaments and was very forward-thinking in approaching new concepts concerning the NHL draft combine and NHL draft,” Marr said.

Shero was in his fourth season as a senior advisor to GM Bill Guerin and the Wild organization. Before that, he was GM of the New Jersey Devils for five seasons and the Pittsburgh Penguins for eight seasons. Before that, he started off as an assistant GM for the Ottawa Senators from 1993 and 1998 and the Nashville Predators from 1998 to 2006.

Just two seasons after Shero got his first GM gig with the Penguins in 2006-07, he won the Stanley Cup in 2008-09. Later in his Pittsburgh tenure, he was named GM of the year for the 2012-13 season.

"Ray was instrumental in ushering in a new era of Penguins hockey, highlighted by the 2009 Stanley Cup championship," the Penguins said in a statement. "We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, his sons, Chris and Kyle, and all those fortunate enough to call him a friend."

After his time with the Penguins organization, he was brought on board as assistant GM for Team USA at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He was also part of the management crew for the U.S. in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

USA Hockey said Shero was a significant contributor to the organization and its men's national team program.

"Ray, thank you for everything," USA Hockey said.

In 2015-16, he began a new chapter with the Devils and would stay on board for the next five seasons. He drafted players such as Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, two centers who lead New Jersey today.

“Ray was a highly respected executive, enthusiastic mentor, and most importantly, tremendous friend to many during his time in New Jersey,” Devils GM Tim Fitzgerald said in a statement. “Ray came from a family that dedicated themselves to the game, and he continued to pass that commitment on.”