NHL Rumor Mill – April 4, 2025

by | Apr 4, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 4, 2025

Will there be more offer-sheet attempts this summer? Could the Devils be among the clubs targeting other clubs’ RFAs? What’s the latest on the Islanders? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL THERE BE MORE OFFER-SHEET ATTEMPTS THIS SUMMER?

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Chris Johnston report some NHL executives and general managers bracing for “a summer of offer sheets” during the 2025 offseason.

They cite the rising salary cap, the St. Louis Blues’ bold signings of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg from the Edmonton Oilers last summer, and the lack of quality depth among this summer’s unrestricted free-agent class.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

According to PuckPedia, 88 of 95 potential restricted free agents are eligible to sign offer sheets. They include Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard, Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies, Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller and forward Will Cullye, New York Islanders blueliners Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov, and Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka and defenseman Bowen Byram.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some of those players could be targeted for offer sheets this summer. However, Russo and Johnston also cited several general managers pointing out that the rising cap can make it easier for clubs to match if one of their players signs an offer sheet.

Johnston recently suggested that mid-tier or emerging talent is more vulnerable than established stars. That’s because contending teams want to avoid overpaying those players. Johnston cited Holloway and Broberg as notable examples.

COULD THE DEVILS GO THE OFFER-SHEET ROUTE THIS SUMMER?

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Citing The Athletic report on the potential for a rise in offer sheets this summer, James Nichols pondered the possibility for the Devils.

In The Athletic piece, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald seemed to suggest he could be interested in going that route if the opportunity arose.

Nichols believes the Devils need to bolster their forward depth. He suggested Ottawa Senators (and former Devil) winger Fabian Zetterlund, Seattle Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko, and Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi as possible options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils might not have the cap room to sign a rival player to an offer sheet. They have a projected $13.8 million available for 2025-26 with 18 active roster players under contract. Rising star Luke Hughes is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. Re-signing him could eat roughly half of that cap room.

THE LATEST ON THE ISLANDERS

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple believes the harsh public criticism New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy levied on struggling winger Anthony Duclair is a sign of worsening times for the club.

Duclair signed with the Islanders last summer. He played with Roy in the QMJHL so he knew what he was getting into. He started the season well but was sidelined for 29 games by a torn groin and hasn’t been the same since.

Staple believes Duclair will be staying because he has three years left on his contract. Roy has a multi-year extension and isn’t leaving unless he wants to. General manager Lou Lamoriello is likely sticking around for at least one more year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duclair has been granted a leave of absence to reflect following what Roy called a “good conversation” between the two on Thursday morning. Nevertheless, it’ll be interesting to see if this incident has any effect on the club’s offseason plans. 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 4, 2025

by | Apr 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 4, 2025

A milestone game for Cale Makar as the Avalanche clinch a playoff berth, the Senators and Canadiens strengthen their wild-card positions, the Blues match a franchise record, the league plans to address LTIR issues with the NHLPA, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar tallied his 30th goal of the season in a 7-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, clinching a playoff berth in the Western Conference. Makar also collected two assists while Nathan MacKinnon, Charlie Coyle and Devon Toews also each had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche as they sit third in the Central Division with 98 points. Sean Monahan, Zach Aston-Reese and Boone Jenner replied for the Blue Jackets, who sit four points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 77 points.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar is the ninth defenseman in NHL history to record a 30-goal season, and the first to do so since Mike Green (31) in 2008-09. He also reached the 60-assist and 90-point plateaus, becoming the first defenseman to achieve consecutive 90-point campaigns since Paul Coffey and Al MacInnis in 1990-91. Makar joins Coffey, Raymond Bourque, Denis Potvin and Bobby Orr as the only blueliners in NHL history to have 30 goals and 60 assists in one season.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1, strengthening their grip on the first Eastern wild-card spot while snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Linus Ullmark stopped 31 shots while Shane Pinto and Jake Sanderson scored for the Senators (86 points), giving them a five-point lead over the Montreal Canadiens. Brandon Hagel netted his 34th goal for the Lightning (93 points), who remain three points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators also reached the 40-win plateau for the first time since 2016-17, when they last clinched a playoff berth. They got this win without team captain Brady Tkachuk. He remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of the Canadiens (81 points), they got a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins to open a two-point lead over the New York Rangers for the final Eastern wild card. Brendan Gallagher and Nick Suzuki each had a goal and an assist and Cole Caufield tallied his 35th goal of the season. Elias Lindholm replied for the Bruins, who’ve dropped 10 straight games and sit last in the Eastern Conference with 69 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 81 points, Suzuki is the first Canadiens player to reach the 80-point plateau since Alex Kovalev in 2007-08. Caufield is the first Hab to score 35 goals in a season since Max Pacioretty in 2016-17. In other Canadiens news, they’ve reportedly signed prospect goaltender Jacob Fowler to an entry-level contract.

The last time the Bruins finished last in the Eastern Conference was in 1996-97. They also finished last overall, selecting Joe Thornton with the first overall pick in the 1997 NHL Draft.

The St. Louis Blues tied their franchise-record win streak of 11 games by squeaking past the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on an overtime goal by Robert Thomas, who also collected an assist in regulation. Jake Neighbours tallied twice while Jordan Kyrou had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who surged past the Minnesota Wild (89 points) into the first Western wild-card berth with 91 points. Penguins rookie Rutger McGroarty collected his first NHL points with a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues forward Dylan Holloway left this game after the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no post-game update regarding his condition. Penguins center Evgeny Malkin missed his fourth straight game with an upper-body injury.

Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman scored twice to down the Anaheim Ducks 4-1. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves and Yegor Sharangovich picked up two assists for the Flames (84 points), putting them five behind the Wild in the Western wild-card race. Olen Zellweger replied for the Ducks, who were officially eliminated from the postseason chase.

The Edmonton Oilers’ 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks was overshadowed by Leon Draisaitl’s departure in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Draisaitl picked up an assist before he left the game while teammate Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Tyler Toffoli picked up his 28th goal for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl recently returned from an injury. There was no postgame update regarding his current status. The absence of their leading scorer is cause for concern for the Oilers, who are also without team captain Connor McDavid, defenseman Mattias Ekholm, and starting goalie Stuart Skinner. Meanwhile, Sharks defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin missed this game with an upper-body injury and is still being re-evaluated.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Eric Comrie kicked out 26 shots to shut out the Vegas Golden Knights 4-0. Mark Scheifele netted his 37th goal of the season as the Jets tied their franchise record with their 52nd win, sitting three points ahead of the Washington Capitals atop the overall standings with 108 points. The Golden Knights hold first place in the Pacific Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers left this game in the third period with an injured left leg. In his post-game interview, head coach Scott Arniel indicated that he felt Ehlers’ injury wasn’t too serious.

The Dallas Stars picked up their seventh straight win by defeating the Nashville Predators 5-1. Wyatt Johnston extended his goal streak to six games while Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, Jason Robertson and Mason Marchment each had two points as the Wild sit second in the Central Division with 104 points. Steven Stamkos replied for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen became the third-fastest Finnish-born NHL player to reach the 700-point plateau, achieving the milestone in 645 games. Jiri Kurri was the fastest (483 games) followed by Teemu Selanne (541). Stars captain Jamie Benn missed this game with a “maintenance issue”, ending his streak of 371 consecutive games played.

Los Angeles Kings forwards Kevin Fiala and Trevor Moore scored 44 seconds apart for a 4-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Darcy Kuemper turned aside 28 shots and Drew Doughty had a goal and an assist for the Kings (95 points), moving within three points of the first-place Golden Knights in the Pacific Division. Lawson Crouse and Jack McBain scored for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah forward Dylan Guenther suffered a broken nose, two black eyes and nine stitches during Tuesday’s game against Calgary, but suited up for this contest wearing a protective bubble cage attached to his helmet. “I mean, your nose is a long way from your legs. It doesn’t really affect you,” he said.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reported negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association began this week. The league intends to bring up the ongoing issue of long-term injury reserve where players on LTIR return in time to skate in the playoffs. That’s been a contentious issue because several teams soar over the salary cap during the playoffs because there is no cap in the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether the two sides can find an adequate solution remains to be seen.

One suggestion is the salary cap should be extended to the playoffs, but that issue can be seen as penalizing teams for having injured players. Another suggestion was having sidelined players scheduled to return by the opening round of the playoffs prevented from playing in that round, but that would unfairly punish them for getting injured, which could violate Canadian and American labor laws.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders winger Anthony Duclair has been granted a leave of absence from the team after head coach Patrick Roy publicly criticized his play following a recent loss. Roy told reporters that he and Duclair had a good discussion following the incident, and the winger is taking time off to reflect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That raises questions over whether Duclair is done for the season and about his future with the Islanders.

DAILY FACEOFF: Michigan State forward Isaac Howard, University of Denver defenseman Zeev Buium, and Boston College forward Ryan Leonard are the 2025 Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalists. Howard is a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, Buium is a prospect of the Minnesota Wild, and Leonard recently joined the Washington Capitals on an entry-level contract.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 3, 2025

by | Apr 3, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 3, 2025

Check out the latest on the Penguins and Red Wings in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PENGUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports everything is in play for the Pittsburgh Penguins this offseason. He indicated that general manager Kyle Dubas is willing to trade draft picks for young, NHL-ready players hoping to turn the club back more quickly into a playoff contender.

Dubas also doesn’t appear to be against targeting other teams’ restricted free agents with offer sheets. However, Yohe isn’t betting on him using that tactic this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins have a projected cap space of $24.5 million for 2025-26 with 18 active roster players under contract, including all their core players. They have the room to acquire established young NHL players this summer.

That includes going the offer-sheet route, but it must be remembered that it takes two to tango. The targeted player must be willing to entertain such offers from rival clubs.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (NHL Images).

This summer’s top RFAs include Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard, New Jersey’s Luke Hughes, the New York Islanders’ Noah Dobson, Winnipeg’s Gabriel Vilardi, Toronto’s Matthew Knies, Buffalo’s JJ Peterka, and the New York Rangers’ K’Andre Miller.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Matt Vensel believes Dubas must sort out his goaltending situation before next season.

It feels like the Penguins are headed for a split this summer with the inconsistent Tristan Jarry. Dubas isn’t a contract buyout proponent but that is an option if they can’t find a trade partner. They could also attempt to swap him for another team’s unwanted contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry has three more seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $5.375 million and a 12-team no-trade list. Dubas could also attempt to retain up to half of Jarry’s cap hit to make him more palatable in the trade market but those three years remaining on his contract could still be a deal-breaker.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dave Molinari reports the Penguins’ one-year investment in Matt Grzelcyk paid off as the 31-year-old defenseman proved to be a good addition. He set career highs this season with 34 assists and 35 points.

Grzelcyk is due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Penguins will presumably attempt to re-sign him given their lack of depth among skilled left-shot defensemen within their system.

RED WINGS

THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman was recently asked what player in this summer’s UFA market could help the Detroit Red Wings. He thinks Vladislav Gavrikov of the Los Angeles Kings would fit well alongside Moritz Seider on their top line.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: General manager Steve Yzerman could feel pressured to make one or two significant additions this summer if the Red Wings miss the playoffs again. Improving their defensive depth could be a priority with Gavrikov among the targets if he’s available.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2025

by | Apr 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2025

Alex Ovechkin is within a hat trick of becoming the all-time goals leader while the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes clinch postseason berths. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin netted his 892nd regular-season goal but his club fell 5-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes. Ovechkin is only three goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth for the seventh straight season as Jackson Blake scored twice and Seth Jarvis tallied his 30th goal of the season.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Washington sits first in the Eastern Conference with 105 points but only one win in their last five games (1-3-1). They remain a point back of the Winnipeg Jets, who sit atop the overall standings. Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson left this game with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The Hurricanes are on a roll, winning 12 of their last 14 games. They sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got goals from John Tavares, Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies as they held off the Florida Panthers 3-2 to clinch a playoff spot. Anthony Stolarz made 29 saves as the Leafs sit first in the Atlantic Division with 96 points. Gustav Forsling and Sam Reinhart replied for the Panthers, who are four points behind the Leafs in third place in the division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toronto has the longest active postseason streak (nine seasons) but has only one playoff series win thus far. Leafs forward David Kampf left this game with an upper-body injury.

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (upper-body injury) and center Nico Sturm (undisclosed) missed this game and are listed as day-to-day. The Panthers are 0-2-1 in their last three contests.

An overtime goal by Vincent Trocheck lifted the New York Rangers over the Minnesota Wild 5-4. Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists for the Rangers, who are tied with the Montreal Canadiens with 79 points. Marcus Johansson had a goal and two assists for the Wild to regain the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand over the Rangers. The Wild are tied in points with the St. Louis Blues but have 33 regulation wins to the Blues’ 30, putting the latter into the final Western wild card.

Shootout goals by Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen gave the Colorado Avalanche a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Martin Necas tied the game for Colorado with 11 seconds remaining in the third period. The Avalanche hold third place in the Central Division with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin left this game after the first period with a lower-body injury. There was no postgame update about his condition.

Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord made 24 saves to shut out the Vancouver Canucks 5-0. Jared McCann collected three assists and Andre Burakovsky had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was another blow for the Canucks’ fading playoff hopes, leaving them eight points out of the final Western wild card.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars head coach Pete DeBoer said there’s a chance sidelined forward Tyler Seguin and defenseman Miro Heiskanen could return to the lineup for the start of the postseason, which begins on April 19.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: With Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler sidelined, Luke Hughes has stepped up as the Devils’ No. 1 defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was only a matter of time until Hughes moved into that role. The injuries to Hamilton and Siegenthaler opened that pathway earlier than expected. The 21-year-old blueliner has seized the opportunity with 41 points in 66 games, putting him six shy of last season’s career-best of 47.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Edmonton sportswriter Bruce McCurdy passed away on Wednesday. He wrote for the now-defunct blog “Copper and Blue” and was co-writer of the Journal’s “The Cult of Hockey” and co-host of the eponymous podcast.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sincere condolences to Bruce’s family, friends, and staff of the Journal, especially David Staples, his co-host on “The Cult of Hockey” podcast. I started following Bruce’s work during his “Copper and Blue” days, occasionally interacted with him, and cited his work on this site from time to time. He was a passionate follower of the Oilers and I will miss his insight.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 2, 2025

by | Apr 2, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 2, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: a look at possible options for the Maple Leafs if they don’t re-sign Mitch Marner and the latest on the Kraken.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel and James Mirtle look at the Plan B options for the Toronto Maple Leafs if Mitch Marner departs on July 1st as a free agent.

They believe the likelihood of re-signing John Tavares increases if Marner leaves. The Leafs will be reluctant to part with two core players in the same offseason. There also aren’t many suitable options available to replace him.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Marner’s departure would promote William Nylander to the first-line, leaving the Leafs searching for another top-six winger like Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers or Vancouver’s Brock Boeser if they’re available in this summer’s free-agent market. They could also wait until next summer when better options (Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov, Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor, Edmonton’s Connor McDavid) might be available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs will likely re-sign Marner unless his asking price goes ridiculously high. They’re better off with him than without because there’s no one in this summer’s UFA or trade markets to replace him, and as Siegel and Mirtle acknowledged, most of the best players in next summer’s free-agent market will be re-signed by their current clubs.

If Marner proves too expensive or another early playoff exit leads to big roster changes, they’ll definitely search for a reasonable replacement this summer. They could also use the money they intended to pay Marner to add two good, affordable players to boost their roster depth.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kate Shefte looks at what the offseason could hold for the Kraken after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. She cited team CEO Tod Leiweke maintaining that ownership still has faith in general manager Ron Francis. “I don’t think this is a rebuild,” he said.

The Kraken’s goals-per-game average improved over last season’s 2.61 (currently 2.97, sitting 16th overall). However, the goals allowed increased (3.23, sitting as the tenth-highest) while their special teams rank among the league’s bottom third.

Shefte expects the Kraken will have an active summer. They’re set to land a top-five draft pick and they have trade capital to acquire proven scorers – “really do it right this time.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Carter Hutton looked ahead at the Kraken’s possible offseason plans. Hutton points out they lack a superstar, making it difficult to succeed in today’s NHL. He acknowledged the difficulty of finding one via free agency as they tend to be homegrown.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t expect the Kraken to pursue someone like Mitch Marner this summer via free agency. They’ll have to draft and develop a superstar.

Seattle has a projected cap space of $20.8 million next season with 15 active roster players under contract. Notable restricted free agents include Kaapo Kakko, Tye Kartye and Ryker Evans but they should be affordable re-signings. They have no core players eligible for UFA status.

The Kraken have two second-round picks and two fourth-rounders in this year’s draft, two first-rounders, two fourth-rounders and two seventh-round picks in 2026, and two first-round picks and two second-rounders in 2027. They have the cap space and draft capital to draw on for trade bait to add a scorer or an all-around defenseman this summer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 2, 2025

by | Apr 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 2, 2025

Alex Ovechkin within four goals of becoming the all-time goal-scoring leader, the Golden Knights clinch a playoff berth, the Blues pick up their 10th straight win, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 891st NHL regular-season goal in a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins. Third-period goals by Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson enable the Capitals (105 points) to hold off the Bruins, moving to within one point of the first-overall Winnipeg Jets. David Pastrnak scored twice to reach 37 goals on the season for the Bruins, who are 0-8-1 in their last nine games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs four more goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. The Capitals have eight games remaining in their regular-season schedule.

The Vegas Golden Knights dropped a 3-2 decision to the Edmonton Oilers but became the fourth team to clinch a playoff berth. Second-period goals by Jake Walman, Leon Draisaitl and Viktor Arvidsson gave the Oilers (91 points) the win, moving them two points behind the second-place Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division. Nicolas Roy and Pavel Dorofeyev scored for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the Pacific with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights signed top prospect Trevor Connolly yesterday to a three-year entry-level contract.

An overtime goal by Cam Fowler lifted the St. Louis Blues over the Detroit Red Wings 2-1, extending their win streak to 10 games. Fowler also assisted on Jordan Kyrou’s 32nd goal of the season as the Blues moved one point ahead of the Minnesota Wild into the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 89 points. J.T. Compher scored for the Wings (75 points), who sit four points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Speaking of the final Eastern wild card, the Montreal Canadiens (79 points) opened a two-point lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers with a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers. Nick Suzuki scored the tying goal with nine seconds remaining in the third period and the winning goal 29 seconds into overtime. Lane Hutson collected assists on all three goals for the Canadiens as they swept their season series with the defending Stanley Cup champion. Niko Mikkola and Mackie Samoskevich scored for the Panthers, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 92 points.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson became the 10th rookie defenseman in league history to reach the 60-point plateau, finishing the game with 62 points. The 21-year-old blueliner leads this season’s rookie class with 57 assists, 62 points, power-play points (25) and ice time per game (22:40).

Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko tallied a hat trick and collected an assist in an 8-4 drubbing of the Nashville Predators. Sean Monahan scored twice and added two assists and Adam Fantilli netted two goals and an assist as the Blues Jackets kept pace with the Canadiens in the Eastern wild-card race. Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored his 29th goal of the season.

The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the New York Islanders 4-1. Nikita Kucherov had two assists to extend his points streak to nine games as the Lightning (93 points) moved one point ahead of the Panthers into second place in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bo Horvat replied for the Islanders, who sit five points behind the Canadiens in the wild-card chase.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning’s Ryan McDonagh became the eighth player in NHL history to reach the 2,000 blocked shots milestone. Meanwhile, Islanders coach Patrick Roy singled out winger Anthony Duclair for his poor play, calling him “god awful”.

Los Angeles Kings forwards Anze Kopitar, Andrei Kuzmenko and Adrian Kempe each had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. The Kings sit second in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Cole Perfetti scored for the Jets, who remain first overall with 106 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’ll have to call Kopitar, Kuzmenko and Kempe the “AK Line” if they keep producing together at that pace.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored to extend his goal streak to five games as his club upset the Ottawa Senators 5-2. Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who’ve won five of their last six games. Claude Giroux and Jake Sanderson scored for the Senators (84 points), who sit five points ahead of the Canadiens in the first Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk missed this game with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the club is close to a deal with Canadian Tire to extend their arena naming rights agreement by another five years.

The Utah Hockey Club dealt a blow to the Calgary Flames’ playoff hopes with a 3-1 victory. Karel Vejmelka stopped 33 shots while Kevin Stenlund, Barrett Hayton, and Clayton Keller scored for Utah. Rasmus Andersson replied for the Flames (82 points), who are six points behind the Wild for the final Western wild-card berth.

A shootout goal by Mason McTavish lifted the Anaheim Ducks over the San Jose Sharks 4-3. McTavish also had three assists in regulation time. Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored his first goal of the season for the Sharks.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares, and St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington are the league’s Three Stars for March 2025. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson was named Rookie of the Month.

ROTOWIRE: Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal (lower body) is doubtful for Wednesday’s game against the Capitals.

ESPN.COM: Vancouver Canucks center Filip Chytil might miss the rest of the season as he attempts to recover from another concussion.

TORONTO SUN: Former NHL goaltender Mark Laforest died suddenly on March 31 at 62. He spent six seasons in the NHL between 1985-86 and 1993-94 with the Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators. He had a record of 25-54-4 in 103 games played with two shutouts, a 4.23 goals-against average and a .868 save percentage.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Laforest’s family, friends, former teammates and coaches.