NHL Rumor Mill – April 28, 2025

by | Apr 28, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 28, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the latest on Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad and what could be next for the Islanders after parting ways with Lou Lamoriello.

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker reported that Mika Zibanejad knows his disappointing performance this season has put him at a crossroads with the Rangers.

The 32-year-old center was among several notable underperforming Rangers. He also reportedly didn’t like how general manager Chris Drury handled “certain business” this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would be Drury waiving popular checking-line forward Barclay Goodrow last June, his attempts to peddle Jacob Trouba last summer before trading him to Anaheim in December, and the league-wide memo last November indicating veteran leaders like Trouba and Chris Kreider were available.

New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (NHL Images).

Walker indicates there is speculation about Zibanejad’s future in New York. He has five years left on his contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million and a full no-movement clause. She wondered if Zibanejad and the Rangers could put this season aside and trust each other going forward, or would Drury sit down with him and convince him to accept a trade.

“I know what my contract says,” Zibanejad said the day before the Rangers’ final game of the season. “Both parties agreed to it, and like I said, I think I’ve earned it. Until it’s time to adjust it, I have no plans of going anywhere. I’ve invested a lot of years here.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad saying “until it’s time to adjust it” suggests he could be open to waiving his no-movement clause for the right team. He was rumored to be part of the return to the Vancouver Canucks for J.T. Miller but was said to have refused to waive his clause. The Rangers part with Filip Chytil instead.

Zibanejad could be difficult to move even if he agreed to be traded. He turned 32 earlier this month, his production has steadily declined since his career-best 91-point performance in 2022-23, and few teams will be willing to take on his cap hit for the next five years.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple recently looked at what lies ahead for the New York Islanders after parting ways with general manager Lou Lamoriello.

Certain players will want to know what the future holds. Kyle Palmieri was said to be close to a contract extension with Lamoriello before the latter was fired last week. Restricted free agents Noah Dobson, Simon Holmstrom and Alexander Romanov will also want to know where they stand.

There’s also the possibility of contract buyouts when the two-week window opens in late June. Winger Pierre Engvall and defenseman Scott Mayfield could be buyout candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dobson, Holmstrom and Romanov will likely be re-signed. Palmieri’s future is less certain if the next GM believes the money would be better invested in pursuing a younger player.

Engvall has five years left on his contract with an AAV of $3 million. Buying him out would count as $1 million annually against the Isles’ cap until 2034-35. Mayfield also has five years left with a $3.5 million AAV. His buyout would run through 2034-35 with an annual cap hit of $1.166 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 28, 2025

by | Apr 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 28, 2025

The Penguins part ways with head coach Mike Sullivan, Oilers and Blues tied their playoff series while the Capitals and Hurricanes took stranglehold leads in their respective postseason rounds. Check out the recaps and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

**BREAKING NEWS**

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas announced this morning that the club and head coach Mike Sullivan have agreed to part ways. Sullivan took over as head coach in December 2015. He guided them to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sullivan had a year remaining on his contract and had intended to honor it. It’ll be interesting to learn what brought about this development and where Sullivan’s next coaching job will be. It’s rumored the New York Rangers could be interested if he became available. 

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl scored his first NHL playoff overtime goal as his club overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 in Game 4 of their opening-round series, tying it at two games apiece.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (NHL Images).

The Kings opened a 2-0 lead on goals by Trevor Moore and Warren Foegele and Kevin Fiala made it 3-1 after Corey Perry got Edmonton on the board. Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard scored two unanswered third-period goals to set the stage for Draisaitl’s OT winner. Calvin Pickard made 38 saves for the Oilers while Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper stopped 44 shots.

Game 5 of this best-of-seven series is Tuesday, Apr. 29, at 10 pm ET in Los Angeles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard has been clutch for the Oilers in this series. The puck-moving blueliner had three assists in Game 1 as the Oilers’ rally fell short in a 6-5 loss. He also scored twice (including the winning goal) in Game 3.

The St. Louis Blues scored three unanswered second-period goals en route to a 5-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4 of their first-round series, tying it at two games apiece.

Jake Neighbours led the way with a goal and two assists and goaltender Jordan Binnington kicked out 30 shots for the Blues. Kyle Connor scored for the Jets, who replaced Connor Hellebuyck with Eric Comrie early in the third period after Hellebuyck gave up five goals on 18 shots.

Game 5 of this series returns to Winnipeg on Wednesday, Apr. 30, at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the second straight game Hellebuyck gave up five goals. Jets followers are worried that the two-time Vezina Trophy winner could suffer another meltdown like last year against the Colorado Avalanche and in 2023 against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Blues are getting plenty of production from their defensemen in this series. Cam Fowler picked up an assist in Game 5 for his team-leading eighth point. Colton Parayko had two assists and Justin Faulk scored, giving them three points each in four games.

Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker left this game after injuring his right leg (knee?) in the second period. There was no immediate postgame update, but he could miss the remainder of this series.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov scored his second NHL playoff hat trick to lead his club over the New Jersey Devils 5-2 in Game 4 of their first-round series.

Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns also scored for the Hurricanes, who took a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Nico Hischier and Timo Meier replied for the Devils.

The Hurricanes can wrap this up in Game 4 on home ice in Raleigh on Tuesday, starting at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Svechnikov is the only player in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers history to score hat tricks in the postseason.

Canes goaltender Frederik Andersen left this game in the second period with an undisclosed injury following a collision with Meier. He was replaced by Pyotr Kochetkov, who stopped 14 of 15 shots. Andersen will be evaluated on Monday and an update on his status should soon follow.

The Washington Capitals scored four unanswered third-period goals (two of them empty-netters) for a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 of their series.

Andrew Mangiapane snapped a 2-2 tie for Washington with 3:37 remaining in the third period. Forward Brandon Duhaime tallied twice for the Capitals. Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield scored on the power play for the Canadiens while rookies Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov each collected two assists.

The series returns to Washington for Game 5 with the Capitals holding a 3-1 lead. They can wrap it up on Wednesday starting at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals forward Tom Wilson’s physical play made the difference in this contest. His thunderous (but clean) bodycheck on Montreal defenseman Alexandre Carrier in the third period resulted in a turnover that led to Duhaime’s tying goal. It also knocked Carrier out of the game with an undisclosed injury, leaving the Canadiens without their best all-around defenseman at a critical juncture in the game.

Capitals starting goaltender Logan Thompson returned to action in this contest after an injury forced him to leave Game 3 in the third period. Canadiens starter Sam Montembeault remained sidelined by a lower-body injury suffered in Game 3 and is considered day-to-day. Jakub Dobes took his place in Game 4, stopping 21 shots.

One bright spot for the Canadiens was the performance of their top power-play unit of Slafkovsky, Hutson, Demidov, Caufield and Nick Suzuki. Those young guns continue to give their fans a tantalizing glimpse at a promising future for this club.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 27, 2025

by | Apr 27, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 27, 2025

Could Joel Quenneville become the next coach of the Ducks? What’s the latest on Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

QUENNEVILLE THE NEXT DUCKS COACH?

RG.ORG: James Murphy cited a well-connected NHL source claiming the Anaheim Ducks have offered their open head-coaching job to Joel Quenneville.

“The job is his if he wants it, and I’ll be stunned if he doesn’t take it,” said Murphy’s source, who believes it is all but certain Quenneville will become the next coach of the Ducks.

Former NHL head coach Joel Quenneville (NHL.com).

Quenneville hasn’t coached since Oct. 2021 when he abruptly stepped down as the bench boss of the Florida Panthers. The move came two days following an independent investigation into the Chicago Blackhawks’ handling of sexual assault allegations against their former video coach by prospect Kyle Beach in 2010.

Quenneville was the head coach of the Blackhawks at the time. The investigation’s report indicated he and others who knew what happened were instructed by then-Blackhawks CEO John McDonough to keep silent and focus on the club’s Stanley Cup run.

The source added that Quenneville is an old friend of Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek, going back to their days as teammates with the New Jersey Devils in 1982-83. He won three Stanley Cups with Chicago (2010, 2013, 2015) and sits second among NHL coaches with 969 regular-season wins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quenneville had a well-deserved reputation as one of the league’s best coaches before the Blackhawks scandal broke in 2021. Soon after he resigned from the Panthers, he was banned by league commissioner Gary Bettman. However, he was cleared to return to the NHL coaching ranks last July.

Former Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman was among those involved in that scandal. He received clearance from the league to return to management and was hired as GM of the Edmonton Oilers last summer.

WHAT CAN THE CANUCKS DO TO ENSURE QUINN HUGHES’ LONG-TERM FUTURE?

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma recently looked at what it would take for the Vancouver Canucks to ensure Quinn Hughes’ long-term future. He believes they’re facing a pivotal offseason, suggesting next season could determine the 25-year-old defenseman’s career direction.

Getting Rick Tocchet signed to a contract extension is one way. The rumor mill has linked the Canucks head coach to the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers. The 2024 Jack Adams Award winner earned $2.75 million this season and is in line for a hefty raise.

Kuzma noted that Hughes has close friendships with Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators, Josh Norris of the Buffalo Sabres, and Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings. Bringing one of them to Vancouver could make him happy, but that’s unlikely to happen. Tkachuk and Larkin are captains of their respective teams and are under lucrative long-term contracts. Norris was recently acquired by the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Re-signing Tocchet should be the easy part but that depends on whether he wants to return to the Canucks and if they’re willing to offer up a significant pay hike for his services.

Tkachuk, Norris and Larkin aren’t going anywhere. Meanwhile, the Canucks need to find a reliable second-line center and a first-line right wing if Brock Boeser departs via free agency on July 1.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 27, 2025

by | Apr 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 27, 2025

The Senators stave off elimination, the Avalanche and Golden Knights tie their respective series, the Lightning get a much-needed win against the Panthers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S NHL PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators avoided being swept by the Toronto Maple Leafs with a 4-3 overtime victory in Game 4 of their best-of-seven first-round series.

Jake Sanderson tallied the winning goal and collected an assist to finish the night with two points. Tim Stutzle and Shane Pinto joined Sanderson in scoring their first-ever playoff goals, and Linus Ullmark stopped 31 shots for the win. John Tavares, Matthew Knies and Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored as the Leafs overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to force overtime.

This series returns to Toronto for Game 5 on Tuesday, Apr. 29, at 7 pm ET with the Leafs holding a 3-1 lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An entertaining game filled with drama as the Senators live to play another day. The Leafs remain firmly in control of this series and could wrap it up on Tuesday, but they’re now 1-12 in series-clinching games since 2017.

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog scored his first goal in three years to lead his club over the Dallas Stars 4-0 in Game 4 of their opening-round series, tying it at two games apiece. Game 5 will be in Dallas on Monday, Apr. 28, at 9:30 pm ET.

Landeskog also picked up an assist and Mackenzie Blackwood turned in a 23-save shutout. Logan O’Connor, Nathan MacKinnon and Samuel Girard were the other scorers for the Avalanche. Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger gave up three goals on 34 shots before being replaced late in the second period by Casey DeSmith.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche outplayed the Stars in this contest, outshooting them 48-23. They also got a big lift from Landeskog’s performance as he continues his remarkable comeback after losing three seasons to knee surgeries.

The Vegas Golden Knights tied their series with the Minnesota Wild at two games apiece following their 4-3 win in Game 4. Ivan Barbeshev scored in overtime and collected an assist and Adin Hill made 29 saves. Tomas Hertl and Nicolas Roy also each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights. Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson kicked out 42 shots.

This series returns to Las Vegas for Game 5 on Tuesday, Apr. 29, at 9:39 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights did a good job neutralizing Minnesota forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy. The duo had multi-point performances in the first three games, but Boldy was held scoreless while Kaprizov managed one assist. Wild forward Marcus Johansson missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists as his club picked up its first victory of this postseason by dropping the Florida Panthers 5-1 in Game 3 of their series. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 33 shots and Nikita Kucherov collected three assists for the Lightning. Matthew Tkachuk scored for the Panthers, who hold a 2-1 lead in this series. Game 4 is Monday, Apr. 28, at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk could face supplemental discipline after being ejected from this game late in the third period for a late hit on Guentzel. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov played in this game after leaving Game 2 with an undisclosed injury following a late hit by Lightning forward Brandon Hagel, who received a one-game suspension for his actions.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson and Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson were each fined $5,000.00 for unsportsmanlike conduct in Game 3 of their series on Friday.

Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault is questionable for Game 4 on Sunday against the Capitals. He left Game 3 in the second period favoring his left leg. The Habs had no update on his condition as he was still being evaluated on Saturday. Backup Jakub Dobes could get the call to start Game 4 if Montembeault remains unavailable.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery had no update on the condition of starting goalie Logan Thompson, who left Game 3 in the third period with an injured left leg following a collision with teammate Dylan Strome. Backup Charlie Lindgren is expected to get the start for Game 4.

Carbery said forward Aliaksei Protas could make his series debut in Game 4. He’s been sidelined since Apr. 4 after suffering a skate cut to the foot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Protas’ return should boost the Capitals’ offense. The 6’6”, 247-pound center finished third among their leading scorers this season with 30 goals and 66 points.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi is a game-time decision for Game 4 on Sunday against the St. Louis Blues. He’s been sidelined since March 23 with an upper-body injury.

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes officially registered an entry-level contract for Alexander Nikishin with the league. The 23-year-old defenseman could make his debut in Game 4 of their series with the New Jersey Devils.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: University of Denver head coach David Carle has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Blackhawks’ head-coaching position.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 26, 2025

by | Apr 26, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 26, 2025

What’s the latest Blue Jackets speculation? Are the Bruins about to part ways with Joonas Korpisalo? Why haven’t the Hurricanes signed prospect defenseman Alexander Nikishin to a contract? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE BLUE JACKETS

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline expects to see the Columbus Blue Jackets make changes to their goaltending and defense corps this summer.

Goaltending demands the most attention. Starter Elvis Merzlikins improved over last season, but the temperamental netminder struggled down the stretch. He’s signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $5.4 million. Meanwhile, the coaching staff has lost confidence in backup Daniil Tarasov, who is a restricted free agent.

General manager Don Waddell goes into the offseason with a projected $41 million in salary cap space. He also has two first-round picks in this year’s draft, one of which could be used as a trade chip.

Waddell has been willing to pursue other clubs’ RFAs with offer sheets. However, his club doesn’t have its second-round pick in this year’s draft, which limits what kind of offer he could make, as he’d need that pick as compensation for a successful signing.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov (NHL Images).

Portzline asked Waddell if he might consider buying out Merzlikins or defenseman Damon Severson, who was a healthy scratch 10 times this season. The Blue Jackets GM said he couldn’t say how the summer will play out, but it wasn’t something they were looking at.

Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He seeks a seven or eight-year contract but the Jackets could be unwilling to go that far. They’d also like to re-sign pending UFA blueliner Dante Fabbro.

Forward Yegor Chinakhov was sidelined by an injury for most of this season. Given Waddell’s tendency to ship out oft-injured players, Portzline wondered if he might become a trade candidate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets narrowly missed the playoffs this year. They’re loaded with young talent up front but they must improve between the pipes and on the blueliner. Expect Waddell to be among this summer’s busiest general managers attempting to bolster his roster.

Fixing the goaltending will be a challenge. The best potential UFA options are Jake Allen of the New Jersey Devils and Frederik Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson’s been a fixture in trade rumors over the last two years, but injuries, inconsistent play and his $6.4 million AAV through 2026-27 have kept him in Anaheim.

COULD THE BRUINS SHOP JOONAS KORPISALO?

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports that numerous sources said the agent for Boston Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo told the club’s management that his client would welcome a trade this summer if he doesn’t get more starts next season.

Korpisalo started 27 games this season, with 11 wins, a 2.90 goals-against average, and a save percentage of .893. Agent Markus Lehto was unavailable for comment, and there was no official confirmation that a trade request was made.

“He’s not happy and thinks he’s earned more playing time,” one source told Murphy. “He’s more than open to exploring trade options.”

Teams reportedly checked on Korpisalo’s availability before the March 7 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Korpisalo was traded to the Bruins by the Ottawa Senators last summer in exchange for Linus Ullmark. He has three more seasons remaining on his contract with an AAV of $4 million, of which the Bruins carry $3 million annually and the Senators $1 million.

Korpisalo had starter opportunities with the Senators, Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets. However, his inconsistency has made it difficult to remain in those roles. He’s the backup for Jeremy Swayman in Boston and might not get more playing time next season if the latter rebounds from his disappointing performance this season.

HURRICANES HAVING DIFFICULTIES SIGNING ALEXANDER NIKISHIN?

RG.ORG’s Sergey Demidov cited the agent for Carolina Hurricanes prospect defenseman Alexander Nikishin had harsh words for the club’s efforts to sign his client to an NHL contract.

Earlier this month, Nikishin was released from his KHL contract with SKA St. Petersburg, enabling him to sign his entry-level deal with the Hurricanes. His agent, Alexander Chernykh, called the Hurricanes “one of the most complicated teams to deal with regarding management.” He added that his client would return home or request a trade if this issue wasn’t resolved.

Demidov believes Chernykh is trying to justify himself. “It seems he wasn’t able to bring Nikishin to Carolina before the end of the season, as the Canes’ coaches wanted.”

SPORTSNET’s Elliotte Friedman reports Ryan Barnes, Nikishin’s North American agent, said they continue working on his client’s status with the Hurricanes. “Our Russian partners are simply excited to see Alexander play for the Hurricanes and so are we.”










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 26, 2025

by | Apr 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 26, 2025

The Canadiens, Devils and Oilers pick up big wins in their first-round series. Check out the recaps plus the latest news in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Three unanswered third-period goals by Christian Dvorak, Juraj Slafkovsky and Alex Newhook gave the Montreal Canadiens a 6-3 victory over the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of their best-of-seven first-round series.

Newhook and Cole Caufield finished with a goal and an assist each. Connor McMichael, Jakub Chychrun and Alex Ovechkin replied for the Capitals, who hold a 2-1 lead in the series. Game 4 is Sunday, Apr. 27, at 6:30 pm ET.

The two teams lost their starting goaltenders to injuries during this contest. Canadiens starter Sam Montembeault suffered an undisclosed injury in the second period and made way for Jakub Dobes. Capitals netminder Logan Thompson injured his left knee following a third-period collision with teammate Dylan Strome and was replaced by Charlie Lindgren. There were no post-game updates regarding their conditions.

Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the most complete game I’ve seen the Canadiens play this season. After being dominated in the first two games in Washington, they fed off the energy in the Bell Centre, outshooting the Capitals 40-19, winning 53.7 percent of the faceoffs, going two-for-five on the power play, and outhitting the Caps 45-26.

Winger Josh Anderson didn’t collect any points, but made his presence felt as Montreal’s physical leader, dishing out six hits and battling Washington winger Tom Wilson in a scrap at the end of the second period that spilled into the Capitals bench. Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj made his playoff debut and led all blueliners with four hits.

Canadiens winger Patrik Laine missed this game with an upper-body injury. That might explain his subpar performances in the first two contests.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec scored in double-overtime as his club nipped the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in Game 3 of their first-round series.

The Devils had a 2-0 lead on goals by Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer, but the Hurricanes got two unanswered third-period goals by Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho to tie it. Game 4 is Sunday at 3:30 pm ET, with the Hurricanes holding a 2-1 series lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A big win for New Jersey after two lifeless losses to the Hurricanes in Carolina. Nemec set the franchise record as the youngest player (21 years, 69 days) to score a playoff overtime goal.

Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler returned to action after being sidelined by a lower-body injury in early February. However, blueliner Johnathan Kovecevic left the game with an undisclosed injury.

The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Los Angeles Kings 7-4 in Game 3 of their series. Evander Kane and Evan Bouchard scored the tying and winning goals 10 seconds apart in the third period.

Bouchard and Connor Brown each had two goals and Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists for the Oilers. Adrian Kempe and Drew Doughty each had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who lead the series two games to one. Game 4 is Sunday in Edmonton at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s tying goal came under automatic review for a kicking motion. It was determined he did kick the puck, but then knocked it into the net with his stick, making it a good goal.

Kings head coach Jim Hiller challenged for goaltender interference but the call went against him, leading to a delay-of-game penalty with Bouchard’s winning goal on the subsequent power play.

HEADLINES

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Vegas Golden Knights need more production from their top line of Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and Ivan Barbeshev if they hope to defeat the Minnesota Wild in their first-round series. The trio has yet to register a point in the series, with the Wild leading two games to one.

THE DENVER POST: Gabriel Landeskog has been promoted to the Colorado Avalanche’s second line and their top power-play unit. After being sidelined for the past three seasons by knee surgeries, the 32-year-old winger returned to action in Game 3 of their series with the Dallas Stars. The Stars have a 2-1 series lead over the Avalanche.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel received a one-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for a late hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov in Game 2 of the series between the two clubs on Thursday.

Barkov left that game and remains questionable for Game 3 on Saturday.

NHL.COM: The league also fined the Ottawa Senators $25,000.00 for unsportsmanlike conduct and Senators forward Nick Cousins $2,083.33 for unsportsmanlike conduct for an incident during warm-ups for Game 3 of their series with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cousins’ offense was shooting a puck down the ice at Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: A mistrial was declared by the presiding judge in the Hockey Canada sexual assault case. A new trial will begin once new jurors are selected, which was expected to occur on Friday.

Former NHL players Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart and Cal Foote face one charge each of sexual assault for an alleged incident that occurred in 2018 while members of Canada’s World Junior team. McLeod faces an additional charge as a party to the offense.