NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2025

by | Mar 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2025

The Blue Jackets regain the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, Brad Marchand gets a point in his debut with the Panthers, Jets stars Connor Hellebucyk and Mark Scheifele set franchise records, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Columbus Blue Jackets regained the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, overcoming a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 7-6 on a shootout goal by Kent Johnson. Boone Jenner and Dante Fabbro each had three points for the Blue Jackets (75 points), who hold that wild card for the first time since March 14. Aatu Raty scored twice and Kiefer Sherwood and Pius Suter collected three assists each for the Canucks (81 points), who sit four points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets have won two straight in a shootout after going 1-7-1 over their previous nine games.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Jackson Blake had a goal and two assists to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. Second-period goals by Taylor Hall and Sebastian Aho gave the Hurricanes the win. They sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points. Josh Anderson scored for the Canadiens (75 points), who’ve dropped out of the final Eastern wild-card spot after going 0-3-2 in their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina winger Andrei Svechnikov scored in his first game since missing the last seven games with an upper-body injury. Hurricanes defenseman played in his 915th consecutive NHL regular-season game, moving into fourth place on the league’s all-time Ironman list.

An overtime goal by Mason McTavish lifted the Anaheim Ducks to a 5-4 win over the New York Rangers. Leo Carlsson had a goal and three assists as the Ducks a 4-2 deficit to force the extra frame. J.T. Miller, Adam Fox and Alexis Lafreniere each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (75 points), who have one win in their last six games (1-5-1) to sit outside the Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets, Canadiens and Rangers each have 75 points, but the Jackets hold the wild card with a game in hand over the Canadiens and two games in hand over the Rangers. The New York Islanders are one point back and the Detroit Red Wings are three points back.

Brad Marchand set up Sam Bennett’s overtime goal in his debut with the Florida Panthers as they nipped the Utah Hockey Club 2-1. Bennett scored both goals for the Panthers as they picked up their seventh straight home win, regaining first place in the Atlantic Division with 91 points. Sean Durzi scored for Utah.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebucyk made 24 saves for his league-leading seventh shutout in a 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils. Alex Iafallo tallied twice for the Jets, who’ve overtaken the Washington Capitals for first place in the overall standings with 104 points. New Jersey defenseman Luke Hughes was a late scratch for precautionary reasons with a lower-body injury. The Devils are third in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are the first team to reach the 50-win plateau this season. Hellebucyk’s shutout set a single-season franchise record. Scheifele also set a franchise record for the most multi-point games with 201, surpassing former teammate Blake Wheeler.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3. Victor Olofsson scored two goals and William Karlsson had three assists for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the Pacific Division with 96 points. Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato tallied his first NHL hat trick.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco provides a breakdown of what led the Philadelphia Flyers to fire head coach John Tortorella on Thursday, citing a source claiming a series of consistent events since the March 7 trade deadline culminated in his dismissal.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Cam York and the Flyers are moving past a reported incident that led to his benching on Thursday against the Canadiens. He said he took full responsibility for his actions.

The benching was described as for disciplinary reasons. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reported Friday that an incident occurred between York and Tortorella during Tuesday’s 7-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli claimed the incident was a heated verbal exchange between the two men.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: General manager Daniel Briere said it wasn’t any one thing that prompted the decision to replace Tortorella. Nevertheless, the incident with York contributed to their decision to make a coaching change following the incident. 

THE ATHLETIC: Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has been suggested by some pundits as a full-time replacement for Tortorella behind the Flyers bench. However, Thomas Drance cited a team source saying the club fully intends to use their club option next season to retain Tocchet. They also prefer to negotiate a contract extension for Tocchet this summer.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich returns to action on Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche after missing four games with an illness. The Blues also signed top prospect Jimmy Snuggerud to an entry-level contract.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning will honor Ryan McDonagh for reaching the 1,000-game plateau during a ceremony before Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders. McDonagh reached the milestone on Thursday against the Utah Hockey Club.

RG.ORG: Ryan Lindgren is enjoying his fresh start with the Colorado Avalanche after being traded by the New York Rangers before the March trade deadline. The 27-year-old defenseman is due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 but his current focus is on helping the Avalanche win.

TSN: Minnesota Wild defenseman David Jiricek is out for the season with a lacerated spleen. He suffered the injury playing for their AHL affiliate in Iowa and is expected to fully recover before the start of next season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin looks at whether last month’s 4 Nations Face-Off adversely affected the overall performance of the players who participated in the tournament.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL attendance is seeing nearly league-wide gains heading into the final stretch of the 2024-25 regular season. The biggest gainers include the Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 28, 2025

by | Mar 28, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 28, 2025

Check out the latest on the Oilers and Flames and a look at some potential new coaches for the Flyers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

OILERS

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples recently cited NHL insider Brian Lawton speculating over what the next contract for Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard might look like.

Lawton mentioned some observers believe the eight-year, $72-million contract extension that Jakob Chychrun signed this week with the Washington Capitals could be a comparable. The average annual value is $9 million.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (NHL Images).

According to Lawton, Bouchard ranks ahead of Chychrun. Given the huge points the Oilers blueliner has put him, he could gravitate toward the $11 million AAV of Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.

Staple cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli suggesting last year that Bouchard could come in at $10 million annually. He thinks that number could still hold up.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard’s production is down from last season’s 82-point career high but he’s still on pace for 60 points. He’s unlikely to get a deal similar to Dahlin because the latter is a better all-around defenseman and is in a leadership role.

The Oilers could use Chychrun as a comparable to keep the cost closer to $9 million annually. It’ll likely be around $10 million once the dust settles.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico cites sources claiming the Oilers attempted to acquire versatile two-way center Jean-Gabriel Pageau from the New York Islanders before the March 7 trade deadline.

Oilers general manager Stan Bowman wanted to shore up his club’s depth at center with someone who would be more than a playoff rental player. Pageau, 33, has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $5 million.

The Islanders had two reasons for rejecting the trade. They didn’t want to retain salary and weren’t interested in a return of draft picks.

FLAMES

CALGARY SUN: Kent Wilson believes Flames GM Craig Conroy faces a crossroads in his rebuilding project.

The Flames have exceeded expectations this season partly because of the strong performance of rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf. His presence makes it difficult for Conroy to collect futures by leveraging veterans on expiring contracts in the trade market. By making them competitive in the short term, it could be tempting to pursue some short-term help via trades and free agency.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy has stressed that he’s trying to retool the Flames roster and remain competitive rather than tearing it down and rebuilding. He’ll likely stick with that plan going forward. I doubt he’ll go chasing after aging talent.

Conroy’s next moves could be similar to his acquisitions this season of Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost, players in their mid-twenties who can fit into the Flames’ long-term plans.

SPORTSNET: A reader asked Pat Steinberg if the Flames will keep pending free-agent backup Dan Vladar or go with promising Devin Cooley as Wolf’s backup next season.

Steinberg believes Vladar’s solid performance in the second half of this season as Wolf’s understudy has contributed to keeping the Flames in the playoff chase. He thinks they’ll retain Vladar if he’s comfortable filling the backup role.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 27-year-old Vladar is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The market is thin for goalies this summer, which could work to his advantage if he wants a larger role with a bigger paycheck, something he’ll likely find with another club.

FLYERS COACHING OPTIONS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun proposed several options for the Philadelphia Flyers to replace John Tortorella, who was fired as head coach on Thursday. Brad Shaw is filling the role on an interim basis.

LeBrun pointed out that Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks is the only coach on an expiring contract. The Canucks do have an option year on his contract. Tocchet recently indicated he’s waiting until the end of this season before discussing an extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before Tortorella was fired, Ben Kuzma of The Province suggested Tocchet could use the Flyers’ coaching job as leverage if it became available.

LeBrun also mentioned Shaw, former NHL coach Joel Quenneville, and University of Colorado bench boss David Carle as potential candidates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2025

by | Mar 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2025

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby sets a notable offensive record, Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning with a four-point game, the Blues strengthen their hold on the final Western wild card, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby broke Wayne Gretzky’s record of consecutive seasons averaging a point-per-game in a 7-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Jiri Kulich scored twice for the Sabres while Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram and Peyton Kreb had two points each.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has 20 consecutive seasons averaging a point-per-game. That’s an impressive display of offensive consistency, especially at this stage of his career on a team rebuilding its roster.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves to shut out the Utah Hockey Club 8-0. Victor Hedman had a goal and two assists while Jake Guentzel and Oliver Bjorkstrand each scored twice for the Lightning (89 points), who moved within one point of the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning are tied with the Florida Panthers in points but the latter holds a game in hand.

Speaking of the Maple Leafs, they overcame a 5-3 deficit in regulation to the San Jose Sharks but fell 6-5 on shootout goals by Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini. Tyler Toffoli scored twice and picked up an assist for the Sharks. William Nylander tallied twice and Mitch Marner collected three assists for the Leafs, who sit atop the Atlantic Division with 90 points.

The St. Louis Blues strengthened their hold on the final Western Conference wild-card berth by nipping the Nashville Predators 3-2, picking up their eighth straight win. Dylan Holloway scored two goals, including the game-winner in the third period. Robert Thomas had two assists for the Blues (85 points), opening a five-point lead over the Vancouver Canucks. Fedor Svechkov and Brady Skjei scored for the Predators, who’ve been officially eliminated from the playoff race.

Minnesota Wild forward Frederick Gaudreau scored twice and Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Filip Gustavsson stopped 28 shots for the Wild, who remain two points ahead of the Blues for the first Western wild card. Matt Roy and Brandon Duhaime replied for the Capitals, who remain in first place in the overall standings with 103 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was held off the score sheet and remains six goals from breaking Gretzky’s all-time goals record of 894. Following the game, Ovechkin led his teammates in a handshake lineup for Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who is expected to retire following this season.

The Dallas Stars got a 46-save performance by backup goalie Casey DeSmith to beat the Calgary Flames 5-2. Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, Mikael Granlund and Mason Marchment each collected two points for the Stars, who picked up their fourth straight win to sit second in the Central Division with 98 points. Nazem Kadri scored both goals for the Flames (79 points), who sit six points back of the surging Blues in the Western wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames had two goals disallowed, leaving them feeling like the referees robbed them. They also lost forward Connor Zary as he left the game early in the third period favoring his left knee after colliding with Rantanen.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark turned aside 31 shots as his club held off the Detroit Red Wings for a 4-3 victory. Michael Amadio scored what proved to be the game-winner as the Senators (81 points) opened a six-point cushion over the Montreal Canadiens in the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Lucas Raymond had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings, who remain three points behind the Canadiens with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game featured two teams going in different directions. The Senators have won eight of their last 11 games while the Red Wings have only three wins in their last 14 contests.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens (75 points) blew a golden opportunity to expand their lead in the final Eastern wild-card spot by dropping a 6-4 decision to the Philadelphia Flyers, who had fired head coach John Tortorella earlier in the day. Sean Couturier and Matvei Michkov each had two goals and an assist for the Flyers, who got their first win under interim coach Brad Shaw. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson picked up two assists, becoming the first rookie defenseman since 1985-86 to have 50 assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere spoke to the media about the decision to fire Tortorella. He claimed a number of reasons led to the decision, not just Tortorella’s comments on Tuesday expressing frustration over the club’s losing skid in recent weeks. He declined to get into the specifics, saying it wouldn’t be fair to his former coach.

Flyers defenseman Cam York was benched for the entire game against the Canadiens. Shaw claimed it was for disciplinary reasons but didn’t go into detail.

The last rookie defenseman to reach the 50-assist plateau was Gary Suter with the Calgary Flames. He went on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy that season.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood had 22 saves to blank the Los Angeles Kings 4-0. Martin Necas scored twice and picked up an assist while Nathan MacKinnon had an assist to extend his home points streak to 23 games. The Avalanche sit third in the Central Division with 93 points, while the Kings are second in the Pacific Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon (108 points) holds a three-point lead over Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov atop the points race. Kings forwards Alex Turcotte and Tanner Jeannot missed this game as they’re day-to-day with undisclosed injuries.

A five-goal second period carried the Seattle Kraken to a 6-1 upset of the Edmonton Oilers. Jaden Schwartz scored twice and Joey Daccord kicked out 36 shots for the Kraken. Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers, who remain third in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins defenseman Michael Callahan was fined over $2,000.00 by the department of player safety for cross-checking Anaheim Ducks forward Jansen Harkins on Wednesday.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forward Matt Rempe is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 27, 2025

by | Mar 27, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 27, 2025

Could this season be John Tortorella’s last behind the Flyers bench? What’s the latest on the Bruins? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THIS BE TORTORELLA’S LAST SEASON COACHING THE FLYERS?

**UPDATE** The Philadelphia Flyers have relieved John Tortorella of his coaching duties. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This occurred mere minutes after I published the original post. You can read it below and laugh at how mistaken I was that they might keep him for another season. Cheers!

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James recently cited Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella taking responsibility for his club’s 7-2 loss on Tuesday to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tortorella also expressed frustration over the Flyers’ current losing skid.

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella (NHL.com).

James believes Tortorella’s comments signal the beginning of the end of Tortorella’s tenure behind the Flyers bench. While the long-time NHL coach has a year left on his contract, his frustration over the rebuilding team’s struggles could suggest he’s not up to another season.

If this season is Tortorella’s last coaching the Flyers, James believes his replacement should be David Carle of the University of Denver if he’s willing to make the jump to the NHL coaching ranks.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma believes Tortorella sounds a lot like he did when he “walked the plank” in Vancouver after his dismal one-year reign of error coaching the Canucks in 2013-14.

Kuzma wonders if the Flyers might try to woo Canucks current head coach Rick Tocchet, who is in the final year of his current contract, though there’s a club option for next season. It could give Tocchet leverage in his contract talks with the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speculation over the fates of coaches on losing teams always arises at this point in the season. Tortorella’s future in Philadelphia likely rests with him. For the most part, he’s done a good job in keeping the rebuilding Flyers competitive since last season. The front office could keep him in place for next season to see how things shake out.

Tortorella cannot be faulted for the Flyers’ weak goaltending or management’s decision to trade away a leader like Scott Laughton or long-time Flyers like Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost. Those are among the key factors contributing to their current slide.

LATEST ON THE BRUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes the Boston Bruins will need more speed in their lineup if they hope to improve next season. He cited several recent examples of how their inability to get to pucks and places quickly enough remains a problem.

The return of healthy puck-moving defenseman Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm will help next season. The blueline could undergo additional makeovers if management decides to add more speed. The Bruins also have only five forwards under contract for next year, giving management more flexibility in that area to address the issue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins will have nearly $28 million in cap space for next season with 12 active roster players under contract. The most notable player to re-sign is restricted free-agent winger Morgan Geekie. They could have sufficient room this offseason to add faster players.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports the Bruins are among a handful of teams interested in signing Cornell University forward Dalton Bancroft.

Bancroft, 24, is a 6’3”, 207-pound right wing in his third season with Cornell. He leads them with 15 goals and is second in points with 26 in 34 games. The Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets and Tampa Bay Lightning are also believed to be interested in the big power forward.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 27, 2025

by | Mar 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 27, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Flyers fire head coach John Tortorella, an update on Brad Marchand, Dylan Cozens is thriving since being traded to the Senators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars got a natural hat trick from Jason Robertson as they held off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Roope Hintz collected three assists and Jake Oettinger stopped 41 shots for the Stars, who’ve won their third straight game and sit second in the Central Division with 96 points. Corey Perry and Adam Henrique each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who lost goaltender Stuart Skinner following a third-period collision with Stars winger Mikko Rantanen. The loss leaves the Oilers in third place in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner will not be traveling with the Oilers to Seattle after being struck in the head by Rantanen’s knee. His teammates’ tepid response to the incident sparked criticism of the club’s toughness.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood scored twice and picked up an assist in a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Thatcher Demko made 26 saves while Pius Suter and Drew O’Connor had two assists each for the Canucks (80 points), who sit three points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Casey Cizikas had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (74 points), who remain one point back of the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

The Boston Bruins’ fading playoff hopes took another hit with a 6-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Leo Carlsson tallied twice and Jackson LaCombe had a goal and an assist for the Ducks. David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie replied for the Bruins (69 points), who’ve lost seven straight games and remain six points behind the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov missed this game to return to Boston to deal with a family matter.

New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer scored two goals to lead his club over the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3. Luke Hughes collected three assists as the Devils ended a three-game losing skid. They’re third in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points. Tyler Bertuzzi and Ilya Mikheyev replied for the Blackhawks, who’ve dropped eight of their last nine games.

HEADLINES

**UPDATE** The Philadelphia Flyers relieved John Tortorella of his coaching duties. 

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Brad Marchand is inching closer to his debut with the Panthers. Head coach Paul Maurice said the plan is for the 36-year-old winger to participate in a full team practice on Thursday and be in the lineup for Friday’s game against Utah.

The Panthers acquired Marchand from the Bruins at the March 7 trade deadline. He’s been sidelined with an upper-body injury since March 1.

SPORTSNET: Dylan Cozens has been thriving with the Ottawa Senators. Acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on March 7, he has three goals and five assists for eight points in nine games. The Senators have gone 6-3-0 during that stretch.

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn believes the Sabres’ long playoff drought is testing the limits of their fans’ patience. The club is seeing thousands of empty seats in their arena this season, with some season-ticket holders opting not to renew for 2025-26.

Fairburn points out the Sabres are 30th in attendance by average capacity with 84 percent. They’re 27th in average raw attendance with 16, 070. He believes the constant losing hurts the club’s bottom line.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres have been floundering for nearly 15 years under team owner Terry Pegula. Sabres fans are long-suffering but their patience could be nearing the breaking point. Buffalo is a hockey town with a rich history, However, if fan support keeps dwindling, whispers of franchise relocation won’t be far behind.

SPORTSNET: Eric Francis reported on some details for the Calgary Flames’ new arena. Construction began on the 18,400-seat venue eight months ago and is expected to open midway through 2027.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators CEO Cyril Leeder said the club is expected to remain in its current arena for at least five years. Talks are ongoing between the Senators and Ottawa’s National Capital Commission (NCC) to construct a new arena at LeBreton Flats.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2025

by | Mar 25, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2025

What position is a priority offseason for the Flyers? What players should the Senators pursue this summer via free agency? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Jordan Hall reports Flyers head coach John Tortorella isn’t sugarcoating his club’s goaltending situation. He said the departure of Carter Hart last season left the position in turmoil and must be fixed.

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella (NHL.com).

Tortorella acknowledged the Flyers’ inexperience between the pipes. They are using Samuel Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov this season, with Ersson tasked as a starter for the first time in his young NHL career. They have a league-low .873 save percentage this season.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz believes Fedotov’s future with the Flyers is in doubt despite being signed through next season with an annual cap hit of $3.275 million. In 24 games, Fedotov had a 5-13-3 record with a save percentage of .877 and a goals-against average of 3.20.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers will be hard-pressed to find a suitable solution in the offseason.

The pickings are slim for goaltenders in this summer’s free-agent market. The notables include New Jersey’s Jake Allen, Carolina’s Frederik Andersen, Florida’s Vitek Vanecek, Calgary’s Dan Vladar and Los Angeles’ David Rittich.

Anaheim’s John Gibson was the notable goaltender in this season’s trade rumors. However, he has a 10-team no-trade list which could put the Flyers out of the running.

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie believes the Ottawa Senators’ biggest offseason need is finding a top-scoring right wing.

Given the Senators’ cap situation, he considers Toronto’s Mitch Marner too expensive.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: But what a delicious heel turn that would be. It would take The Battle of Ontario to heights not seen in two decades.

McKenzie believes Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers and Dallas’ Mikael Granlund would be better options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Go with the 29-year-old Ehlers if you want decent long-term value. Granlund has played well the past two years but the 33-year-old is getting uncomfortably close to his “best before” date.

McKenzie doesn’t see the Senators (or anyone else) successfully signing away Toronto’s Matthew Knies with an offer sheet. He pointed to the Leafs $27 million in cap space this summer, especially if Marner signs elsewhere on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It won’t happen but Knies signing with the Senators would be another fun heel turn. McKenzie cites AFP Analytics projecting a cap hit for Knies’ next contract as high as $6.625 million annually. The Leafs can afford that.