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By Alex Scott, The Hockey News Intern

The NHL trade deadline is a time for teams to load up on talent, restock the prospect cupboard or free up cap space for future moves. When players get traded, some find themselves on an exciting new team, preparing for a playoff push, while others find themselves suddenly out of contention.

Here are a few players who saw their fortunes change significantly this year.

Unlucky at the deadline

Poor Josh Norris moved to the Ottawa Senators just as franchise legend Erik Karlsson departed – Norris was part of the package that the San Jose Sharks sent to acquire the star defenseman – and as Ottawa firmly entered a rebuild. 

In Norris’ first full season with the Sens in 2020-21, he played very well, finishing tied for second on the team in points and placing fourth in Calder Trophy voting. He followed that up with a sophomore effort that saw him score 35 goals in just 66 games, which was good enough to earn him an eight-year, $63.6-million contract extension, per puckpedia.com. 

Norris’ next two seasons were abbreviated due to separate shoulder injuries, which limited him to eight games in 2022-23 and 50 in 2023-24. The Sens missed the playoffs both years, extending their playoff drought to seven straight seasons.

This season, things finally started to click for the Sens, and they found themselves firmly in playoff contention at the deadline, thanks in part to great seasons by Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot and Tim Stutzle.

The Sens then dealt Norris and teammate Jacob Bernard-Docker to Buffalo in exchange for Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert and a second-round pick in the 2026 draft. Ottawa has since clinched a post-season spot, ending their playoff drought, while Buffalo’s drought has reached 14 seasons and counting. To make matters worse, Norris found himself injured again and has only played three games for the Sabres since being traded.

Lucky at the deadline

When Seth Jones got to Chicago in 2021, he immediately signed an eight-year, $76-million extension, one which was supposed to have him anchoring the Blackhawks’ defense as they emerged from a rebuild. 

Things didn’t exactly go according to plan, as the Blackhawks’ rebuild stalled and the team missed the playoffs in each of Jones’ first three seasons. This year, the team found itself well outside of contention once again, and Jones requested a trade to a more competitive team.

Chicago obliged, trading Jones to the Florida Panthers along with a fourth-round pick in 2026 in exchange for goaltender Spencer Knight and a 2026 first-rounder. For Jones, this has meant playing almost 25 minutes a night for the reigning champs, while Chicago has found itself once again near the bottom of the league. 

Unchanged at the deadline

Mikko Rantanen has done a lap of the NHL this season and found himself almost right back where he started.

The star winger won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022 and scored over 100 points in each of the previous two seasons. This season, Rantanen and the Avs were unable to negotiate a long-term extension to keep him in town, and he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team deal with Chicago. 

Then, history repeated itself, as the Canes also found themselves unable to re-sign their new star. Having given up several assets to acquire Rantanen, including fan-favorite Martin Necas, Carolina decided to recoup some of its investment by trading Rantanen to the Dallas Stars, after he’d played just 13 games in red and black. 

Now, Rantanen is back in the Central Division and is once again playing for a playoff contender. In fact, he is currently facing his former Avs teammates in the first round of the playoffs. And Rantanen can probably unpack his suitcase for good, as the Stars have given him the eight-year, $96-million contract he was looking for. 

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By Jack Sponagle, The Hockey News Intern

We’ve seen many memorable NHL debuts over the years. Derek Stepan scored a hat trick in his debut with the New York Rangers, Auston Matthews found the net four times in an overtime loss in his first game and Al Hill had five points (two goals and three assists) in his debut with the Philadelphia Flyers back in 1977, which is still an NHL record.

However, what those three players all have in common is that their NHL debut happened early in the regular season. In Stepan and Matthews’ case, it was the first game of the year. Hill had his record-setting game in February.

Many NHL players did not lace up their skates for the first time on opening night. Some had to wait until the last few games of the season or even the playoffs to showcase their big-league talents. 

Lane Hutson

Hutson set a franchise record this season for most points by a rookie defenseman in Montreal Canadiens history, and he looks like a lock to win this year’s Calder Trophy as the league’s most impressive rookie.

This time last year, the 62nd pick in the 2022 draft was making his NHL debut. Following Boston University’s defeat in the Frozen Four, Hutson played his first NHL game in an overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Hutson played two games at the end of last season, registering two assists. 

Matty Beniers

Beniers won the Calder Trophy in 2022-23 after scoring 24 goals and 57 points in 80 games. But Beniers made his NHL debut when he played in the final 10 games of the 2021-22 season, putting up three goals and nine points.

Beniers was the first draft pick in Kraken franchise history when he was chosen second overall in the 2021 draft. He made his NHL debut on April 12, 2022, against Calgary, and managed a primary assist on a Ryan Donato goal in a 5-3 loss. He scored his first career goal against New Jersey on April 16, 2022. 

Ryan Poehling

Before Ivan Demidov, Poehling’s debut had Habs fans talking. The Canadiens played the Toronto Maple Leafs in their final game of the 2018-19 season.

Poehling scored his first career goal in the first period. He would go on to score in the second and third periods to complete his hat trick before adding the shootout winner. This made him the first Habs player to score three goals in his NHL debut since 1943.

Cale Makar

Before Makar won the Norris Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy in 2022, he was a standout collegiate defenseman for UMass Amherst. Following his last game with the Minutemen, he signed a three-year deal with the Avalanche on April 14, 2019.

The next day, he made his debut for Colorado in Game 3 of their playoff series against Calgary. Makar connected on a drop pass from Nathan MacKinnon and scored his first career goal. He became the seventh player and first defenseman to do so in the playoffs. 

Johnny Gaudreau

Another NCAA standout to get his first shot in the NHL in the springtime was the late, great Johnny Gaudreau. His cut-short 10-year NHL career began when he suited up for the Flames' final game of the 2013-14 season.

He signed his entry-level deal on the same day he was awarded the Hobey Baker Award. He debuted against the Vancouver Canucks and scored the Flames’ only goal on his first shot. 

Esa Tikkanen

Tikkanen made his NHL debut during the 1985 playoffs, getting into three games and failing to register a point with three shots on net and two penalty minutes. He was included by Oilers coach Glen Sather in Games 2, 3 and 4 in a 4-1 series victory against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Tikkanen's brief playoff appearance was enough to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup before his regular-season debut the following year. Tikkanen ended his career with five Stanley Cups.

Jarome Iginla

Iginla became the first 18-year-old to play a game for Calgary since 1983 when he took to the ice against Chicago during the 1996 playoffs.

The morning after Iginla’s Kamloops Blazers were ousted from the WHL playoffs, Iginla flew to Calgary to make his debut. He put up a goal and an assist in his first two games. Iginla made his debut wearing the No. 24, not the iconic No. 12 that hangs from the Saddledome rafters.

Brett Hull

The NHL’s fifth-highest all-time goal-scorer made his debut in the playoffs with Calgary during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final against Montreal in 1986. Hull had just posted a 52-goal, 84-point season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth. The Canadian-born American citizen played two playoff games in 1986 and went pointless. 

Mark Stone

Long before Stone roused debates about the long-term injured reserve being used as a way to subvert the salary cap, he was lighting the WHL on fire with a 41-goal, 123-point season with the Brandon Wheat Kings during in the 2011-12 season.

On April 21, 2012, Stone was added to the Ottawa Senators’ lineup for Game 5 against the New York Rangers in the first round. Stone assisted on Jason Spezza’s game-winning goal. 

Mike Richter

The final inclusion is the only goalie to be featured on this list. Richter played 666 games with the Rangers from 1989-90 to 2002-03. But his maiden voyage in the NHL came in the 1989 playoffs, when New York faced the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 of the Patrick Division semifinal. Richter allowed four goals on 30 shots in the game, which saw the Penguins come out on top.

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Breaking down the best value bets, futures to take and strategies to look out for ahead of the first round matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings

The Oilers and Kings battle for the fourth straight time in the first round. Edmonton has claimed all three series so far with LA desperately looking to get out of the shadow of their big brother. It's been a long time coming as the Oilers hold an all-time 36-18 playoff record with six straight series wins over the Kings dating back to 1989.

Things will most likely get heated after last year's first round matchup saw one game reach 92 penalty minutes as a flurry of brawls broke out in the third period after the Oilers went up 6-1 in Game three. LA looks like they'll have the best chance yet to get over the Edmonton hump after finishing with four more points and securing home ice advantage that could go far for a Kings team that has the best home record in the NHL at 31-6-4 through 41 games.

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

It should make for a thrilling series with some of the best players in the world on display like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Anze Kopitar. It should make for must-see tv and a series of games that any hockey fan won't want to miss. We want to add to your viewing enjoyment by providing a couple betting options that should enhance the viewing experience as you win some money along the way.

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

LA Kings +1.5 (-178)

Edmonton has been plagued by injuries down the final stretch of the season with a 14-13-1 record over their last 28 games which places them behind the likes of the Sabres, Utah Hockey Club and Flames during that span. It's not great to enter the postseason playing worse than some non-playoff teams but the Oilers did manage to win seven of their last ten games with McDavid and Draisaitl battling injuries.

More NHL: Predicting Which Wild Card Team Can Upset Top Divisional Seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Edmonton will also be without forward Evander Kane and possibly Zach Hyman, who is day-to-day with their biggest loss being key blueliner Mattias Ekholm. The Kings certainly don't have the same level of high-end talent that the Oilers have but LA has been playing as a cohesive unit for most of the season with almost no injuries.

Kuemper does his best HOLTBY impression 🤯👑Los Angeles Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper robs Seattle Kraken forward Jaden Schwartz with an unbelievable stick save reminiscent of Braden Holtby's miraculous s...

The Kings have also handled the Oilers through their season series with a 3-1-0 record, a 12 to four goal ratio and netminder Darcy Kuemper earning back-to-back shutouts in the final two matchups. This series should feature many under games like most LA Kings games are and it should keep them in this series to the very end.

Betting Strategies: Rely On Elite Goaltending

Under bets have been a regular for us and the Kings as they secured the second-best goals against average this season at 2.48 that improves to 1.98 when playing at home. This should keep almost every one of these games low-scoring with four of their last six Kings-Oilers matchups totalling under six goals.

I expect Kuemper to play the biggest role in this after going on a tear through his final 16 starts of the season with a league-best 13-3-0 record, a 1.27 goals against average and a .946 save percentage. The last time Kuemper was in the postseason was the 2022 Playoffs, where he helped lift the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup with a 10-4-0 record and a 2.57 goals against average. He should be a difference maker for this team but also don't count out the goaltender in the opposing crease.

Many Oiler fans having been doubting Stuart Skinner once again after finishing with a 2.81 goals against average but a .896 save percentage this season. If the Edmonton native can dial back in to what he accomplished last postseason, we should see almost all these games go under as Skinner finished with a 14-9 record and a 2.45 goals against average. 

More NHL: Blues Enter Stanley Cup Playoffs As Dark Horse Contender

The New York Rangers may already have a top coaching candidate in mind with Peter Laviolette officially out of the picture. 

While Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury said he’s open to hiring a first-time head coach if the fit is right, he reportedly prefers someone with experience according to Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today. 

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan has already emerged as a potential target for Drury. 

“The guy that I believe that Drury is targeting No. 1 on his list is not technically available, that would be Mike Sullivan, the two-time Stanley Cup winning coach from the Pittsburgh Penguins,” Mercogliano said. “He has two years remaining on his deal with Pittsburgh and said to the media in Pittsburgh on Friday that he plans on continuing to coach the Penguins. 

“I’ve heard that there could be some wiggle room there. I know the Rangers are waiting to find out if there is any chance of prying him away. I do believe Drury thinks highly of Sullivan. They have connections through USA Hockey.”

Pittsburgh’s struggles over the past couple of seasons have led to some rumblings about Sullivan’s future with the team and his potential departure. 

However, when addressing the media after the season on Friday, Sullivan made clear that he intends to remain with the Penguins. 

“My intentions are to be the head coach moving forward,” Sullivan said.

Things could obviously change and words are just words, but given Sullivan’s contract situation and his recent statements, prying him away from his current situation may be difficult.

For the record, the Ottawa Senators' rebuild lasted 2,878 days—that’s 412 weeks, or 7 years, 10 months, and 5 days. Along the way, some moments may have signalled the end, but calling the rebuild officially over always felt subjective.

On Sunday night in Toronto, as the Senators hit the ice to end the NHL’s third-longest active playoff drought, there’s no room for debate: the rebuild is finally, truly over. This is a better team. Better coaching. Better management. Better ownership.

Better everything.

Now the question becomes: Are they better than the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Based on the regular season standings, no. Toronto finished with 52 wins to Ottawa’s 45 and ended up 11 points ahead in the standings. Eleven. Numerologists among the Ottawa fanbase will have a field day with that one.

Assistant coach Daniel Alfredsson and head coach Travis Green are the only remaining bridges to the playoff wars of Ontario from a quarter-century ago. If history matters—and it probably doesn’t—it’s this: the Senators won all three games against Toronto in the regular season.

Sure, it doesn’t count for anything now. But it gives the Sens a little boost of confidence heading into a series where this young core has no reason to believe they can’t beat Toronto.

Since the start of March, following the Four Nations Face-Off, these two teams have been among the NHL’s hottest. And both are expected to be fully healthy for Game 1. Beyond the natural geographical rivalry, history adds some heat. Leafs fans are desperate to see a team that’s won one playoff series in 20 years take another step—and maybe, finally, end a 58-year Stanley Cup drought.

Senators fans, on the other hand, would love nothing more than to get revenge for the franchise’s 0-for-4 playoff record against Toronto and shut up the blue-and-white invasion that floods their building every time the Leafs come to town.

Game 1 Lineup Watch

At Ottawa’s game-day skate, the biggest surprise was seeing Matthew Highmore slotting in on the fourth line at left wing, with agitator Nick Cousins skating as the extra. Unless Cousins has had an injury setback, seeing him in the press box for Game 1 would definitely raise eyebrows.

Projected Senators Lineup:

Interestingly, while Ottawa might leave a Florida Panthers Cup winner out of the lineup, Toronto will lean heavily on two of them.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson returns for Game 1 after missing the final three games of the season with an upper-body injury. And 6'6", 240-pound Anthony Stolarz will make his first NHL playoff start at 31 years old.

And he could be a serious problem for Ottawa.

Stolarz went 21-8-3 this season with a 2.14 GAA and a .926 save percentage. Even scarier? He ended the season on an 8-0-0 tear, posting a 1.37 GAA, a .950 save percentage, and three shutouts.

But again, regular-season numbers just don’t matter anymore.

Projected Maple Leafs Lineup:

Forwards:

Knies – Matthews – Marner

Domi – Tavares – Nylander

McMann – Holmberg – Robertson

Lorentz – Laughton – Järnkrok

Defense:

Rielly – Carlo

McCabe – Tanev

Ekman-Larsson – Benoit

Goalies:

Stolarz
Woll 

Series Schedule:

Game 1: Sunday, April 20 – 7:00 PM ET

Game 2: Tuesday, April 22 – 7:30 PM ET

Game 3: Thursday, April 24 – 7:00 PM ET 

Game 4: Saturday, April 26 – 7:00 PM ET

If necessary:

Game 5: Tuesday, April 29 – Time TBD

Game 6: Thursday, May 1 – Time TBD

Game 7: Saturday, May 3 – Time TBD

The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs have started, this time without an appearance from the Vancouver Canucks. Despite the Canucks not making the postseason, there are still many teams and individual players that fans can cheer for. Here’s a list of who Canucks fans should cheer for during this season’s playoffs. 

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Nate Schmidt and Jonah Gadjovich 

Two former Canucks now on the Florida Panthers, Nate Schmidt and Jonah Gadjovich are two players who Canucks fans could root for throughout the playoffs. Schmidt was traded to the Canucks during the 2020 off-season and played 54 games with Vancouver before requesting a trade elsewhere. He ended up with the Winnipeg Jets for three seasons before moving on to Florida. This season, he had five goals and 14 assists in 78 games played. 

Gadjovich was drafted by the Canucks in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft and remained with the organization until 2021. He played one game for Vancouver. Last season, he won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Panthers organization. 

Anthony Beauvillier 

Another former Canuck with a limited sample size in Vancouver, Anthony Beauvillier and the Washington Capitals are on a quest to win the franchise their second Stanley Cup. Beauvillier was acquired by the Canucks in the 2023 Bo Horvat trade. He played 55 games with the team before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in November of the same year. In his time with Vancouver, he scored 11 goals and 17 assists. 

Jalen Chatfield and Spencer Martin 

The Carolina Hurricanes will also be entering the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs with two former Canucks. Jalen Chatfield, now a lineup regular with the Hurricanes, played 18 games with Vancouver and spent four seasons with the Canucks organization. In his time with Vancouver, he potted three assists. He had 18 points in 78 games played this season and averaged nearly 20 minutes a night with Carolina. 

Spencer Martin was a rock for the Canucks when they needed him to be. He faced 218 shots in his first six NHL games with the Canucks and didn’t let in more than two goals in each game. In his second NHL game, he faced 50 shots and carried his team to overtime. He left the Canucks organization after being claimed off waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets in September 2023. Another interesting tidbit about him is that Martin and Gadjovich are in-laws. 

Jacob Markström

Most Canucks fans know of Jacob Markström and his time with Vancouver. Acquired as part of the trade that sent Roberto Luongo back to the Panthers, Markström spent seven seasons as a member of the Canucks before he signed with the Calgary Flames in 2020. He made his mark on the Canucks organization in the 2019–20 season, backstopping his team to multiple wins despite facing 1420 shots in 43 games played. Markström is now entering his third career playoff run, this time with the New Jersey Devils. 

The Ottawa Senators 

Who doesn’t love a feel-good postseason story? The Ottawa Senators will play in their first playoff game since their Conference Finals loss in 2017. Not only do they sport a talented crop of young players, their roster also features some former Canucks. Senators Head Coach Travis Green spent almost five seasons with Vancouver, helping the team to their Bubble Playoff run in 2020. Also behind the Senators’ bench are former Canucks Assistant Coaches Nolan Baumgartner (2017–2021) and Mike Yeo (2022–2024). 

Also on the Senators are former Canucks Adam Gaudette, Travis Hamonic, Matthew Highmore, and Zack MacEwen. Gaudette was drafted by the Canucks in 2015 and spent three full seasons with Vancouver. Hamonic, a two-year member of the Canucks, spent a good chunk of his playing time with current Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes. Highmore was with the Canucks organization from the 2020–21 season to the 2021–22 season, putting up 17 points in 64 games. Ironically enough, he and Gaudette were traded for one-another in 2021. MacEwen, who played 55 games for Vancouver, is most remembered for standing up for Nils Höglander after he was tossed around by current Canuck Derek Forbort in 2021. 

Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson 

This may be a polarizing take. An original member of the 2011 Stanley Cup-contending team, Chris Tanev should be an easy pick for who Canucks fans should cheer for in the playoffs. However, Tanev also plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team that many fans are opposed to cheering for. The toothy veteran spent a decade with the Canucks before joining Markström and signing with the Flames in 2020. This is his first season with the Leafs, a team that he signed a six-year contract with in 2024. 

Oliver Ekman-Larsson is the other former Canuck on the Leafs that Canucks fans could cheer for. He wasn’t the most popular player during his tenure on the team, as most people will remember him for his contract that is still impacting Vancouver to this day. However, he did experience a rebound with the Panthers last season and has been a steady defender for his current price. 

The Winnipeg Jets 

Another Canadian team with ties to Vancouver, the Winnipeg Jets are a team Canucks fans could root for while feeling relatively safe in their choice. While Winnipeg has a history of not performing in the playoffs, they have one of the NHL’s best goaltenders in Connor Hellebuyck. They have been the strongest Canadian team during the regular season, finishing the season with 116 points and collecting the President’s Trophy (although, this in itself may be a bad omen). As well, the Jets recently acquired former Canuck fan-favourite Luke Schenn, who will be on the hunt for the third Stanley Cup of his career. Schenn joined the Canucks twice throughout his career — by trade in 2019 and by free-agency in 2021. 

The Montréal Canadiens 

The Montréal Canadiens are this season’s personification of an underdog team. Squeaking into the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, the Canadiens beat out a number of mid-tier teams to clinch their playoff spot. They are propelled by a youthful core that Canucks fans don’t see enough in one season to have a rivalry with. Another plus to cheering for them is that Canucks Ring of Honour member, Alex Burrows, is still part of their organization. A Canadiens Stanley Cup win would be Burrows’ first. 

Troy Stetcher 

Rooting for the man once known as Tony Stretcher is a double-edged sword. On one hand, the former four-year Canuck would win his first Stanley Cup — on the other hand, the Edmonton Oilers would also win. Given the fact that the Oilers knocked the Canucks out of the playoffs last season, it may not be as joyous to cheer for Stetcher as it would be for other teams. 

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