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NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman met with the media on Wednesday following the annual three-day general managers' meetings in Florida. Bettman gave a recap of the discussion from the three days, as well as provide some details on plans for the 2025-26 season. There was also an update on the 2025 NHL, which will be decentralized this year.

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Starting with the regular season, Bettman announced that next season will begin on October 7, 2025. This lines up with the schedule from the 2024-25 season, as the main kickoff date for this year's season was October 8, 2024. It was also announced earlier in the week that the NHL would be having another Global Series, with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators playing in Sweden on November 14 and 16, 2025.

Bettman also discussed the 2026 NHL All-Star Game, which the New York Islanders will host. The event will happen just before the 2026 Winter Olympics, with players departing for Italy once the weekend is concluded. Thanks to the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off, the NHL is looking at ways to improve the All-Star Game so that there is a similar level of engagement from both the players and the fans. 

Lastly, Bettman also provided some information about the 2025 NHL Draft. While the event will be held in Los Angeles, it will be decentralized, meaning all management groups will be located in their home cities. The top 50 draft picks will be invited to the event, while picks outside of first overall will be announced by celebrities or people with ties to the franchise. 

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Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore practiced in full contact at this morning's skate. 

Theodore returned to practice for the first time in a non-contact jersey since suffering an arm injury in the first game of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Prior to the injury, Theodore had scored seven goals and 48 points in 55 games, leading all Golden Knights defensemen in multiple offensive categories.

Following yesterday's practice, HC Bruce Cassidy mentioned that the 29-year-old "likely won't be cleared this week, but being on the ice is a good step in returning to the lineup."

The step Theodore took in his return process was much larger today, practicing with contact. He wore a grey jersey and not a white one, white indicating skating inside the top four, and Theodore wore grey, skating alongside healthy scratch Ben Hutton. 

As the season slowly inches to a conclusion and the playoffs begin, allowing William Karlsson and Theodore to get multiple games in before the postseason would be a major boost. They can shake off the rust of missing an extended period of time and rebuild the chemistry with their linemates. Vegas has dealt with their fair share of injuries this season, but they look to be getting healthy at the right time. 

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ST. PAUL - Wild defenseman David Jiricek has not played in a game since Feb 28. His last game was in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Iowa Wild. 

The Wild recalled him on March 1st with injuries to Zach Bogosian and Jonas Brodin. Before the next game, Bogosian was healthy to play which left Jiricek out of the lineup. He has now been a healthy scratch for eight consecutive games and could be on his way for the ninth consecutive game. 

Despite Jiricek being with the team and healthy, the Wild don't feel they need to place him into the lineup. They are 4-3-1 in the eight games that he has been a scratch. 

"Yeah, you know what? It's a difficult one with David," Wild head coach John Hynes said. "He's been great. We've tried to use it where he hasn't gone in, but he's put in a lot of extra work. We've done some things I think are beneficial to him individually as a player. He knows the situation. We have to keep him here right now. If there is an injury, then he's going to be the next man up. So I think being around the team, being around the environment, getting the extra work he's put in, is not a bad thing."

The Wild feel that even though Jiricek has not played in 19 days, being with the NHL club is beneficial for him. He hasn't been super productive with the Iowa Wild in the AHL either. 

In 26 AHL games with Iowa, Jiricek has zero goals and six assists. He is a minus-3 in those 26 games as well. 

Having him up with the Wild has given Jiricek the opportunity to learn from the Wild's coaching staff and skate with one of the best skating coaches in the NHL. If there are any more injuries, Jiricek is the next man up. 

That being said, once Brodin comes back and that seems soon, Jiricek will likely be sent down. 

So the rational that you are healthy scratching a 21-year-old and former 6th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft for eight consecutive games, and maybe soon to be nine, may seem confusing. 

But the Wild view this as something of benefit to him but they also understand he needs to play. 

"Obviously, the game action is important as well. So if, let's say, [Jonas] Brodin comes back or we don't get any injuries, it is on our mind to let him go down [and] play for his development. So I think overall, it's been a positive." 

When the Wild traded for Jiricek along with a 5th-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft for Daemon Hunt, a 1st-round pick in 2025, 3rd-round and 4th-round picks in 2026 and a 2nd-round pick in 2027, General Manager Bill Guerin said that the move was more of a future move. 

The plan wasn't to play him in the NHL right away. That being said, Jiricek played in six games with the Wild in January and had one goal and one assist. 

“Look, he’s young. He’s a young player. He just turned 21 on Thanksgiving day. He’s a young player. He's got a lot to learn," Guerin said after the trade. He’s going to continue to improve just like all young players. Brock Faber’s got to get better, Matt Boldy’s still going to get better. All these guys are going to continue to improve because they’re so young. So just because they’re in the NHL doesn’t mean they’re not going to develop their game and get better. That’s our job as the coaches, management. That’s our job to help him get better.”

He has played ok in the AHL with the Iowa Wild but the Wild felt he deserved the call-up after the trade deadline. 

"I actually think he can bring a lot. Look, he's got all the tools. He's just young. But when he's, I mean, you guys watch the games too, like he's got a different element to him, moving the puck, getting in the play, he makes some nice outlet passes, and he's not afraid to jump in in the offensive zone," Guerin said on March 2nd. "So it's just a matter of kind of getting him back into it at this level."

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we will see Jiricek at 'this level' for the time being. That being said, the Wild gave up a haul for the young 6-foot-4 defenseman. He has a future in Minnesota and despite low point production in the AHL and nine consecutive healthy scratches in the NHL, Jiricek's future with the Wild is still bright. 

As Guerin said the day they acquired him, he is an investment. It might not make sense with how they handle him to the general fans but there is a plan for him. 

"Yeah, now we are getting into that phase where we can do that – we did. Yeah, so it just made sense. He’s not 30, he’s not a rental. He’s a 21-year-old defenseman that we can invest in," Guerin said. "And we did. That’s how I look at it. It’s an investment."

Welcome back to The Hockey News' NHL power rankings, where we rank all 32 teams based on their weekly performance.

“As of now, you guys are in a playoff spot.” 

The words said to Josh Anderson following their 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators drew huge cheers in Montreal, and it was very apt. As of now, the Canadiens are indeed in a playoff spot. 

The key phrase is “as of now” because things can change quickly in one week. A week ago, the Columbus Blue Jackets still felt destined to make the playoffs, the Florida Panthers had a five-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic, and the Los Angeles Kings were on the verge of moving ahead of the Edmonton Oilers.

This week, the Canadiens are in the wild-card spot, and the Jackets are now three points out, the Panthers are barely clinging onto the division lead, and the Oilers are on the verge of moving ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights. A lot can still change.

For the first time in seven (!) weeks, the Washington Capitals are back in the No. 1 spot. A win against the Detroit Red Wings and the Winnipeg Jets’ loss to the Vancouver Canucks gives the Caps the highest points percentage in the NHL. The great chase is on – not just for Alex Ovechkin and his quest to be the league’s all-time goal scorer, but for the Capitals to secure their fourth Presidents’ Trophy and first since 2016-17.

1. Washington Capitals (45-15-8, +72. Previous: 2)

It’s weird to say the NHL’s No. 1 team is getting disrespected, but going into the playoffs, are you more terrified of the Capitals, Lightning or Panthers? I think most would still pick the latter two. The Caps have rattled off seven wins in their last eight games with some thanks to an easy schedule. Saturday’s matchup against the Panthers will be a big litmus test.

2. Winnipeg Jets (47-18-4, +77. Previous: 1)

A loss to the Canucks and a Caps win drops the Jets to second in the standings based on points percentage even though they have two more wins than the Caps. The good news: barring some sort of dramatic drop-off, the Jets can lock up the division and conference titles – both will be firsts for the franchise.

3. Carolina Hurricanes (41-22-4, +39. Previous: 6)

The Hurricanes have rattled off seven wins in a row, including four since the trade deadline after moving Mikko Rantanen, and they’ve allowed on average of 1.29 (!) goals per game during their winning streak. It was not an easy schedule, either, with wins over the Jets and Lightning. The question is if they can continue this in the playoffs and if you can win with a goalie rotation.

4. Colorado Avalanche (41-24-3, +31. Previous: 5)

An overtime win over the Stars vaults the Avalanche ahead in the power rankings, even though they’re four points behind with one more game played. After a tough January, the Avs are first in points percentage (.767) since Feb. 1. The Avs will only face divisional opponents three times in their remaining 14 games, and none of them are against the Stars or Jets, which means we won’t get to see a final tune-up to gauge the matchups before the playoffs.

5. Dallas Stars (43-21-3, +52. Previous: 3)

The Stars went 1-2-1 during their road trip since winning seven of eight games. It’s important for the Stars to stay ahead of the Avs in the standings since neither team is particularly good on the road. The Stars play eight of their remaining 15 games at home while the Avs play six of their remaining 14 at home, and that could decide the final standings.

6. Florida Panthers (41-24-3, +37. Previous: 4)

The Panthers have dropped three of their last four, including two blown leads against the Bruins and Islanders. Scoring has suddenly become a problem, and their lead in the Atlantic is now very precarious with just a two-point lead on the Lightning and Leafs.

7. Tampa Bay Lightning (39-23-5, +57. Previous: 7)

Andrei Vasilevskiy isn’t getting enough attention for his brilliant campaign, and he’s a worthy challenger to Connor Hellebuyck for the Vezina. The Lightning are not a good road team (15-15-3), which means winning the Atlantic or finishing at least second is most ideal. They are, however, 1-5-0 against the Panthers and Leafs this season, so it may be moot.

8. Edmonton Oilers (40-24-4, +26. Previous: 8)

Here’s the question no one dares to really ask about the Oilers: what if Calvin Pickard is their best option in net right now? The Oilers have allowed just three goals in three games, but two of them were with Pickard in net, and a key matchup looms on Thursday against the Jets.

9. Los Angeles Kings (36-21-9, +14. Previous: 9)

The Kings have been powered by Quinton Byfield, whose six-game goal streak was snapped in a 3-1 loss to the Wild. The Kings are one of the biggest Jekyll-and-Hyde teams in the league with only three (!) regulation losses at home but 18 on the road. Good thing only five of their remaining 11 games are on the road.

Five NHL Teams That Are Elite At Home But Shocking On The RoadHome-ice advantage is a real thing for a handful of NHL teams, especially when seeing how ugly their results are on the road.

10. Vegas Golden Knights (39-20-8, +38. Previous: 10)

They’re slumping at a bad time right now with four losses in their last five games and are in danger of losing the top spot in the Pacific. It’s the difference between facing the Wild in the wild-card spot of facing the Kings or Oilers in the first round.

11. Montreal Canadiens (33-27-7, -16. Previous: 15)

What a statement game Tuesday against the Sens, rallying with a five-goal third period. The Bell Centre was absolutely rocking, and we’ve missed a playoff atmosphere in that building for four seasons. It’s a pretty incredible turnaround for a team that went through five- and six-game losing streaks earlier this season, and they’re back in playoff position for the first time since Jan. 21.

12. Ottawa Senators (36-26-5, +5. Previous: 13)

The loss against the Canadiens definitely stung after blowing two one-goal leads, but the Senators are still firmly in control of their own destiny with a four-point lead on the Habs in the wild-card race. If the Maple Leafs win the division and we get Leafs-Sens and Panthers-Lightning in the first round, NHL TV ratings will blow through the roof.

13. Toronto Maple Leafs (40-24-3, +17. Previous: 11)

It’s a bit like rock-paper-scissors. The Leafs lost to the Senators, and the Sens lost to the Habs. The Leafs are still the best team of the three, and they’re still in the fight for the division title, but they’ve also lost five of their last seven with only one regulation win. A 6-2 win against the Flames was a nice reprieve, and the schedule softens up with the Preds, Sharks and Ducks coming up. The Leafs need to take advantage.

14. New Jersey Devils (37-26-6, +28. Previous: 12)

Jake Allen has won three straight, and the Devils are slowing working their way into a rotation in net. It’s highly unlikely the Devils fall out of third spot in the Metro, but they might be the weakest team entering the playoffs right now. The Devils announced Dougie Hamilton likely will not be available for Round 1, further hurting their chances of going on a deep playoff run.

15. St. Louis Blues (34-28-7, +3. Previous: 19)

Since play resumed after 4 Nations, guess who has earned the most points? The Blues are 9-2-2 with the NHL’s best offense since Feb. 22 and tied with the Canucks at 75 points for the last wild-card spot. I joked previously about shades of 2019 if the Blues make the playoffs, but I don’t think the other teams are laughing anymore.

16. Minnesota Wild (38-25-5, -8. Previous: 16)

Scoring continues to be an issue. The Wild are 4-0-0 when they score at least three goals and 3-8-1 when they don’t since Feb. 1, and they rank 25th in points percentage during that span. Like the Devils, the Wild may be the weakest team heading into the playoffs due to the lack of momentum and injuries to key players.

17. Utah Hockey Club (30-27-11, -14. Previous: 21)

Rock-paper-scissors, part 2: the Flames lost to the Canucks, and the Canucks lost to Utah. This is the very mushy middle where rankings and standings can change dramatically over the course of a week. Utah needs to be much better defensively with a tough schedule coming up, facing the Lightning twice and the Panthers in their next five games.

How Blues And Utah Climbed Into NHL's Western Playoff Race – And How Canucks And Flames Let ThemAll season long, a handful of the NHL’s Eastern Conference clubs have been jockeying for playoff positions. By comparison, the West looked straightforward.

18. Vancouver Canucks (32-25-11, -14. Previous: 22)

It’s been more good than bad lately. A shootout win against the Flames gave them an extra point over a key rival and they secured emphatic wins against the hated Hawks and the West-leading Jets. The loss to Utah left a lot to be desired, but most importantly, their recent surge has a lot to do with Quinn Hughes returning to the lineup and Elias Pettersson’s resurgence. The center has eight points in his last seven games.

19. Calgary Flames (31-25-11, -24. Previous: 20)

The Flames’ playoff chances rests on Dustin Wolf’s shoulders. They’re arguably the league’s worst team on offense and will need to grind through all their games. They have not been able to win consecutive games since Feb. 23 to 25, and they’re averaging just 2.08 goals per game after the 4 Nations, second-worst in the league.

20. New York Rangers (33-30-6, -1. Previous: 17)

Speaking on behalf of everyone: what the heck was that? Playing the Flames, which just got shellacked the night before, the Rangers mustered just 13 shots on goal in a whimpering loss, ceding their wild-card spot to the surging Habs. It’s not outrageous to say that without Igor Shesterkin, the Rangers belong in the lottery.

21. Columbus Blue Jackets (31-28-8, -5. Previous: 14)

All of a sudden, the scoring has dried up and that’s really worrisome for a team that can only win when they score a lot of goals. They’ve lost six of their last seven, including three shutout losses. Even when they put in a valiant effort Monday with 46 shots against the Devils, they ended up getting goalied and lost 2-1. It feels like they’re losing steam, and quickly, too.

22. New York Islanders (31-28-8, -15. Previous: 24)

The Islanders have won two straight games via comebacks, putting them right back in the midst of a playoff race. It’s been an impressive stretch – albeit short – aided by some losses suffered by the Rangers, Wings and Jackets. Only Linus Ullmark has made more saves (226) than Ilya Sorokin (215) in March.

23. Detroit Red Wings (32-30-6, -20. Previous: 18)

They’re 2-8-0 in their last 10 after looking like they were going to lock up a playoff spot just two weeks ago. The Red Wings are incredibly streaky, and their hope is to string together a bunch of wins, but their schedule to finish the season is super tough. Their final eight games are against opponents currently in playoff position, with the Habs being the only team who isn’t a top-three seed in their division.

24. Seattle Kraken (30-34-5, -14. Previous: 28)

The Kraken have secured at least a point in five of their last six games, and mathematically they’re still in the playoff race, but this is the unofficial playoff cut-off line. The Kraken will need to run the table and hope all the other teams fall off in the race to make the post-season.

25. Pittsburgh Penguins (28-32-10, -50. Previous: 29)

Who would’ve thought Tristan Jarry would do this? He still stopped 34 of 37 shots (.919 SP) he faced when his four-game winning streak was snapped, and he continues to be excellent despite the loss. It’s too little, too late for the Pens, but this late-season surge does provide a glimmer of hope for next season.

26. Anaheim Ducks (29-31-8, -33. Previous: 25)

There were high hopes for the Ducks, but it’s hard to make the playoffs when you lose two games for every win – at least they’ve been pretty consistent that way. They’ve allowed seven goals twice in their last five games, and they just don’t have enough high-end, consistent scoring talent to overcome that.

27. Buffalo Sabres (27-33-6, -23. Previous: 30)

They were close calls in extra time, but wins are wins, and the Sabres have earned three of them in their last four games. Their playoff chances were shot following their six-game losing streak, but this (again) provides a glimmer of hope for their future. They’ve still got a really young, talented core. OK, I’m just trying to find the silver lining, OK?

28. Boston Bruins (30-30-9, -35. Previous: 23)

It’s a big drop for the Bruins, but since Feb. 1 only four teams have been worse than the Bruins in points percentage and three of them are ranked below. They have trouble scoring goals, don’t defend very well and are not getting enough quality goaltending.

29. Nashville Predators (25-34-8, -46. Previous: 27)

The Predators scored 17 goals during a four-game stretch – all wins – and then scored just two goals during the next three-game stretch – all losses. Their recipe to success is obviously scoring, but their problem is they can’t score consistently.

30. Philadelphia Flyers (28-33-8, -42. Previous: 26)

Aside from their goaltending, just about everything for the Flyers has come crashing down. They’ve managed to score at least two goals just twice in March, and they’re 1-1-0 in those games with no regulation win. The Flyers’ rebuild is not a linear path, but this season was definitely a step back.

Flyers Vs. Penguins: Who Will Be Cup Contenders Sooner?Remember when the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins rivalry was arguably the best in the NHL, matching hated cross-state rivals who were usually among the league’s elite?

31. San Jose Sharks (18-41-9, -77. Previous: 32)

The Sharks are losing a lot of games, there’s no mistake about that, but at least they don’t look miserable all the time. They’re one win away from tying last season’s total with 14 more gams to play. Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini look like the dynamic duo the Sharks can build around for the next decade.

32. Chicago Blackhawks (20-39-9, -59. Previous: 31)

The Hawks lost 4-2 to the Sharks in the toilet bowl last Thursday, and a five-game losing streak pits them dead last in this week’s rankings. They had zero response to the Canucks in a blowout loss when Connor Bedard was mugged, and then blew a 2-0 lead to the Kraken in their following game.

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