NHL Rumor Mill – May 19, 2025

by | May 19, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 19, 2025

Check out the latest on the Leafs and the Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE LEAFS?

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin believes the Toronto Maple Leafs cannot return with the same core next season following another disappointing playoff meltdown.

Larkin doesn’t think Auston Matthews and William Nylander are going anywhere because they’ve just commenced their long-term extension. However, forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 and face uncertain futures.

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby expects changes among the “Core Four” forwards. He doubts the Leafs will break the bank to keep Marner in Toronto. Meanwhile, Tavares will be 35 when next season starts, and his idea of a hometown discount could differ from management’s.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Hornby pointed out that winger Matthew Knies is coming off his entry-level contract, becoming a restricted free agent unless he signs an extension before July 1. The 22-year-old power forward could also receive a lucrative offer sheet from a rival club.

THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle doesn’t see the Leafs retaining team president Brendan Shanahan. After 11 years at the helm, his contract is up at the end of this season.

Mirtle doesn’t expect Marner will be back, pointing out his unwillingness to negotiate a contract during this season and the club’s attempt to move him at the trade deadline. They could retain Tavares at a deep discount, but that might not make sense given he had only three even-strength points in this postseason.

Chris Johnston believes the clock is ticking on Marner’s days with the Leafs. He could become the highest-profile player in this summer’s UFA market. Shouldering a disproportionate share of the blame for the Leafs’ playoff failures could make free agency more alluring to him.

Jonas Siegel sees this as the end of the “Shanaplan” and the “Core Four” era in Toronto.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ve expected changes from Toronto since they blew a 3-1 series lead and lost to the underdog Montreal Canadiens in 2021. This time, however, it feels like significant change is finally coming. They have to. The patience of Leafs Nation is finally tapped out.

Shanahan, Marner and Tavares are on expiring contracts. It’s time for a change in oversight, and it’s time for a shakeup among their core players.

Letting Marner and Tavares walk enables the Leafs to put the dollars they would’ve invested in those two into players who might better suit their needs.

They have a projected cap space of $26.8 million with 16 active roster players (including Matthews, Nylander, and Morgan Rielly) under contract for next season.

That’s enough to make a significant addition or two via trade or free agency and have enough to re-sign Knies to a long-term deal.

THE LATEST ON THE SENATORS

SPORTSNET: Alex Adams was asked about possible offseason targets for the Ottawa Senators.

He thinks pending UFA winger Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets would be a perfect fit alongside Tim Stutzle. Adding a right-shot defenseman like Florida’s Aaron Ekblad or Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames would be nice, but Adams wondered if they could make a move for a Nick Jensen-type player like Michael Kesselring of the Utah Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators have $17.5 million available with 14 active roster players under contract, with UFA-eligible forward Claude Giroux and pending RFAs Fabian Zetterlund and Tyler Kleven to re-sign. They’ll also need a backup for Linus Ullmark if Anton Forsberg departs via free agency.

Assuming those players are affordable re-signings, the Senators won’t have much wiggle room to pursue guys like Ehlers and Ekblad. Andersson has a year left on his contract but could sign an extension with the Flames this summer. If he becomes available, the Flames will set a high asking price. Kesselring is also under contract for another year. Utah has no reason to move him.

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie was asked if the Senators might go the offer-sheet route this summer.

McKenzie is keeping his expectations low, pointing out the Senators are keeping their 2025 first-round pick, meaning they’ll forfeit their 2026 pick because of the Evgenii Dadonov trade debacle three years ago. He also pointed out they don’t have their 2026 second-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators only have the necessary offer-sheet compensations for deals worth an average annual value of between $1.544 million and $2.34 million. That will cost a 2026 third-rounder. Anything under $1.544 million has no compensation penalty.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 15, 2025

by | May 15, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 15, 2025

Has the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup window closed? Is the end of the Maple Leafs’ “Core Four” era approaching? What’s the latest on former Isles GM Lou Lamoriello? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS?

THE ATHLETIC: Jesse Granger looked at whether the Vegas Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup window is closing after their second-round elimination by the Edmonton Oilers.

Many of the Golden Knights’ core players (including Mark Stone, Alex Pietrangelo, and William Karlsson) are over 30. Their “younger players” include Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin (both 28 years old), and Shea Theodore and Adin Hill (both 29). Hanfin, Theodore and Hill had their difficulties during this postseason.

With a projected cap space of $10.5 million next season, the Golden Knights have the space to re-sign most (if not all) of their pending free agents. They include Reilly Smith, Victor Olofsson, Tanner Pearson, Brandon Saad, and Ilya Samsonov. However, they could also use it to upgrade on the wing, where notables like Mitch Marner, Nikolaj Ehlers and Brock Boeser could be available in the free-agent market.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

Granger pointed out that Eichel has a year remaining on his contract. He’ll be eligible to sign what could be a massive contract extension on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granger also reminds us that the Golden Knights have a well-earned reputation for aggressive moves. They can also be ruthless, parting company with aging stars in favor of young options.

Stone and Pietrangelo each have full no-movement clauses, while Hanifin has a full no-trade clause. The only way to move them is if they request it or management somehow talks them into it.

Theodore has a five-team no-trade list this season, but his new contract that begins on July 1 carries full no-trade protection. Hill has a 10-team no-trade list on his current and upcoming contracts. Center Tomas Hertl has a full no-trade for this season, but it reverts to a modified no-trade list on July 1.

It seems unlikely Theodore, Hill or Hertl would be moved so soon after signing contract extensions with the Golden Knights. Nevertheless, we can’t dismiss the possibility of one of them getting peddled before July 1 to create more cap space for other moves.

The Golden Knights don’t have much draft or prospect capital to draw on for trade bait. They dealt away their 2025 and 2026 first-rounders, but they could part with their 2027 first-round pick if it fetches immediate help for their roster. They’ve previouly used their top prospects as trade chips (the Montreal Canadiens thank them for Nick Suzuki) and could do the same with promising Trevor Connelly.

END OF THE MAPLE LEAFS’ “CORE FOUR” ERA APPROACHING?

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston wonders if we’re seeing the last of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ “Core Four” era following their 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers, putting them on the brink of elimination from the second round of the 2025 playoffs.

Johnston noted that Mitch Marner is only seven weeks away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility on July 1. He doubts the 28-year-old winger will sign an extension with the Leafs before then, not after refusing to negotiate during the season or the club’s request to waive his no-movement clause at the trade deadline.

According to Johnston, there’s a growing sense that Marner will seek a fresh start elsewhere after enduring endless criticism for the Leafs’ shortcomings.

Former captain John Tavares is also UFA-eligible. He wants to stay, but Johnston doubts the 34-year-old center will get the chance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unless the Leafs stage a big comeback against the Panthers, this is the end of the “Core Four Era”. It’ll also be the end of the “Shanaplan”, as team president Brendan Shanahan’s contract expires at the end of this season.

Even if the Leafs overcome the Panthers and get into the Conference Final, this is likely to be the last season for Marner and Tavares in Toronto. There have been too many disappointing postseasons and too many expectations dashed. They’ve been running it back with the same core, yet the results remain the same.

The Leafs in this era have only two postseason series victories. It doesn’t matter that they’ve been a good regular-season team that has qualified for the playoffs in every season since 2016-17. What matters is a lack of real postseason progress for a franchise whose Stanley Cup drought is approaching 60 years.

LOU LAMORIELLO SIGHTED IN BUFFALO

TSN: Darren Dreger took note of a recent sighting of former New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello being spotted at the Buffalo airport. He thinks the Sabres would be interested in adding Lamoriello to their braintrust, “but nothing’s imminent”, jokingly suggesting he was there to renew his Nexus. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That sighting raised speculation that the Sabres were about to hire Lamoriello, but his presence at the airport is reportedly unrelated to the team.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 14, 2025

by | May 14, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 14, 2025

The latest on the Canadiens and Senators, potential destinations for coach Rick Tocchet and the Canucks’ search for a new head coach in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT WOULD IT COST THE CANADIENS TO ACQUIRE SIDNEY CROSBY?

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels was asked what it would take for the Montreal Canadiens to acquire Sidney Crosby if the Pittsburgh Penguins captain became available in the trade market.

Engels prefaced his response by citing Crosby’s intent to retire as a Penguin, and no indication that this will change. The future Hall-of-Famer grew up a Canadiens fan, prompting a perception among some Habs fans that he might want to finish his career in Montreal.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

If Crosby became available, Engels believes the Canadiens would be better-positioned to meet the Penguins’ asking price than, say, the Colorado Avalanche or Los Angeles Kings. They have the cap space to take on his contract, plus depth in draft picks and prospects to make a competitive pitch.

Engels suggested packaging their two first-rounders (16th and 17th overall) as part of the return. They could also offer up one of those picks and their unprotected 2026 first-rounder, plus one of the two second-rounders they have in each of the next two drafts. They could also throw in “any combination of two prospects not named Demidov, Reinbacher, Fowler, or Hage” in the deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Engels ended his piece by reminding everyone again that Crosby might never request a trade from the Penguins, adding it’s difficult to gauge what his value in the trade market would be and what it would take to get him to Montreal.

The Canadiens need a reliable second-line center. Finding one will be difficult because there aren’t that many available in the trade market. Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild could be available, as could Dawson Mercer of the New Jersey Devils.

Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks is often mentioned, but he’s more of a winger now, and his stock has tumbled due to injuries and inconsistency. Teammate Mason McTavish has also been mentioned, but that seems like wishful thinking.

Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers, Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche, John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars are the top centers eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Bennett would be the ideal fit, but he’d draw the most interest around the league if he hits the open market. The rest are in their mid-thirties with their prime years behind them. It’s doubtful any of them will consider the rebuilding Canadiens a prime destination.

COULD THE SENATORS TRADE DRAKE BATHERSON?

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie was asked about a recent rumor suggesting Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson might become a trade candidate.

McKenzie doesn’t see the logic in moving Batherson unless they’re getting a bona fide top defenseman or a young goal-scoring forward. He pointed out that the 27-year-old winger is in his playing prime with a team-friendly annual cap hit of $5 million through 2026-27.

Dealing away Batherson would only exacerbate the Senators’ need to add more scoring. If they do trade him, McKenzie believes it’ll mean they’re making a full-court press on somebody through trade, free agency or other means to supplement their scoring.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Batherson rumor appeared in the Ottawa Sun last month after the Senators were eliminated from the playoffs. I concur with McKenzie’s take. Batherson isn’t going anywhere unless the Sens are clearing cap room to add a better scorer.

THREE POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS FOR TOCCHET

TSN: Darren Dreger reports of “strong indications” that Rick Tocchet will soon be hired by a new NHL team. The 2024 winner of the Jack Adams Award, Tocchet stepped down last month as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks.

Dreger claimed the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Seattle Kraken were among the leading contenders for Tocchet’s services.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers are seen as the favorite given Tocchet’s ties to the team during his playing career, spending 11 of his 18 NHL seasons in Philadelphia.

CANUCKS NARROW DOWN THEIR REPLACEMENTS FOR TOCCHET

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports the Vancouver Canucks are getting close to finding their replacement for Tocchet behind their bench.

He listed Manny Malhotra, Adam Foote and Marco Sturm as the leading candidates. Malhotra is seen as the front-runner, partly due to his success coaching the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Malhotra took over as Abbotsford’s head coach last season, earning praise for guiding them to a franchise record 44-24-2-2, finishing second in the AHL’s Western Conference with 92 points. They’re in the division finals against the Colorado Eagles, starting on Friday.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 12, 2025

by | May 12, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 12, 2025

Check out the most recent Canadiens and Oilers speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Pat Hickey looked at ways the Canadiens can address their need for a second-line center during the offseason.

He suggested finding a 30-something center who can hold the fort for a few years until promising players like Owen, Beck, Michael Hage or Jared Davidson are ready for prime time. That list included pending unrestricted free agents like Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche, Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars, or John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All three would be ideal, and all three aren’t likely to suit up for the Canadiens next summer. They’ll be expensive and likely prefer signing with Cup contenders at this stage of their long careers.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett (NHL Images).

Hickey suggested Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers as an ideal option if Canadiens management isn’t sold on those young centers as long-term solutions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers will probably re-sign Bennett, who’ll be more affordable to retain than Sam Reinhart was last summer. He would be the perfect choice to center the Canadiens’ second line, but they’ll face stiff competition from other clubs for his services.

If the Canadiens wish to go the offer-sheet route, Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks would be a suitable target. The 22-year-old center has good size, wins faceoffs, and might relish an opportunity to escape a losing team in Anaheim.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hickey’s not the only pundit or blogger to muse about McTavish’s availability. I recall one speculating that he could become expendable if the Ducks decide to move Cutter Gauthier to center their second line. That’s probably wishful thinking, but he would be worth pursuing if available.

Like Bennett, McTavish would draw interest from a lot of teams. The Ducks also have the cap space to match any offer, so a trade might be the only way to get him.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins generally agrees with the criticism of the defensive play of Oilers blueliner Evan Bouchard. The 25-year-old reargaurd will become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1.

However, Leavins also pointed out that Bouchard has proven he’s a big enough player with a long enough reach to defend capably in the playoffs. He’s also an elite point getter and they don’t grow on trees.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks scoff when I’ve suggested Bouchard could get over $10 million annually on a long-term deal from the Oilers. His timely offense, especially in the playoffs, ensures he’ll get a substantial raise on his next contract.

Bouchard’s an invaluable part of the Oilers’ core. They’ll be fortunate if his camp accepts less than $10 million annually.

Leavins also weighed in on Oilers fans who howled for the club to acquire a true starting goaltender at the trade deadline. He believes the offseason was always going to be the better time to find one of those.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The pickings were slim for goalies before the trade deadline and they’re not much better this summer. Jake Allen of the New Jersey Devils is the best of the bunch in the UFA market, followed by Anton Forsberg of the Ottawa Senators, Dan Vladar of the Calgary Flames and David Rittich of the Los Angeles Kings. They’re solid backups, but none of them are reliable starters.










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 – March 21, 2025

by | Mar 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2025

The Capitals become the first team to clinch a playoff berth as Alex Ovechkin moves closer to breaking the goals record, the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck and the Leafs’ John Tavares reach notable milestones, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Washington Capitals became the first team to clinch a 2025 playoff berth by nipping the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Alex Ovechkin tallied his 888th regular-season goal and Anthony Beauvillier collected two assists as the Capitals sit first overall in the standings with 100 points. Ryan Poehling had a goal and an assist for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is seven goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals. Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since March 11 and is now listed as day-to-day.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped 21 shots for his 40th win of the season in a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Kyle Connor’s shorthanded goal in overtime gave the Jets the win as they sit first in the Western Conference with 100 points. Jeff Skinner tallied twice for the Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck reached the 40-win plateau for the second time, joining Marc-Andre Fleury as the only active goaltender to achieve that feat and joined Ryan Miller as the second American-born netminder to do so. He also joined Hall-of-Famer Ken Dryden as the fourth-fastest goalie to reach the 40-win single-season milestone.

The Oilers entered the game with leading scorer Leon Draisaitl sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Captain Connor McDavid missed the third period with an upper-body injury for precautionary reasons and goaltender Stuart Skinner was pulled late in that period due to concussion protocols following a collision in the crease.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares scored twice and collected an assist to reach the 1,100-point plateau in a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers. Jake McCabe had three assists as the Leafs got their third straight win to tie the Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers with 87 points. Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck each had two points for the Rangers (72 points), who’ve lost three straight and sit two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Speaking of the Panthers, they got an overtime goal from Aleksander Barkov to blank the Columbus Blue Jackets 1-0. Sergei Bobrovsky turned in a 25-save shutout as the Panthers hold first place in the Atlantic with 35 regulation wins. Elvis Merzlikins turned aside 27 shots for the Blue Jackets as they dropped their fifth straight game and sit three points back of the Canadiens.

Meanwhile, Montreal (74 points) picked up a point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders. Bo Horvat tallied twice, including the game-winner, and Ilya Sorokin kicked out 38 shots and collected two assists for the Islanders, who are two points behind the Canadiens. Patrick Laine and Brendan Gallagher scored as the Habs overcame a 3-1 deficit to force the extra period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Gallagher announced his mother Della passed away on March 8 following a long battle with brain cancer. My condolences to Gallagher and his family.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev tallied a hat trick in a 5-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Dorofeyev reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time while Jack Eichel, Brandon Saad and Noah Hanifin each had two points for the Golden Knights, who sit first in the Pacific Division with 88 points. Morgan Geekie scored for the Bruins, who’ve lost four straight and sit five points behind the Canadiens.

An overtime goal by Philip Broberg lifted the St. Louis Blues over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3, vaulting them one point ahead of the Canucks into the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 77 points. Dylan Holloway and Tyler Tucker each had a goal and an assist as the Blues picked up their fourth straight win. Canucks winger Brock Boeser scored twice, including the tying goal with four seconds left in the third period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holloway and Broberg have become key contributors for St. Louis this season. Since being signed away from the Oilers last summer, Holloway sits second among Blues scorers with 56 points while Broberg (22 points) leads their defensemen with a plus/minus of plus-13 and sits fourth in ice time per game (20:21).

The Carolina Hurricanes extended their win streak to eight games by beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho and Sean Walker were the goal scorers as the Hurricanes sit second in the Metro Division with 88 points. William Eklund scored for the Sharks, who played without defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (upper-body injury).

Brock Nelson scored his first two goals with the Colorado Avalanche in a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. Cale Makar, Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton each collected two points as the Avalanche put this game away early with four goals in the first period. Dylan Cozens scored for the Senators, who pulled goalie Linus Ullmark after he gave up those four first-period goals on 13 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche sit third in the Central Division with 87 points. The Senators have lost two straight but hold the first Eastern wild card with 77 points, three up on the Canadiens. Senators defenseman Nick Jensen missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1, mathematically eliminating the latter from the 2025 playoff race. Trevor Moore, Alex Turcotte and Joel Edmundson scored for the Kings, who’ve won six of their last seven contests to sit two points behind the Oilers with 83 points. Connor Bedard replied for the Blackhawks, who’ve lost six straight games.

Four unanswered third-period goals by Connor Zary, Daniil Miromanov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri lifted the Calgary Flames over the New Jersey Devils 5-3, putting them within two points of the Blues for the final Western wild-card spot. Devils captain Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist as his club sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points.

Shootout goals by Nikita Kucherov and Gage Goncalves gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli each had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (85 points), who sit two points behind the Panthers and Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. Oskar Back and Mason Marchment replied for the Stars, who got a 38-save performance from Casey DeSmith. They sit second in the Central with 90 points.

The Anaheim Ducks got 33 saves from goalie John Gibson to defeat the Nashville Predators 4-1. Gibson had missed seven games with a lower-body injury. Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the Ducks while Steven Stamkos scored for the Predators.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Dylan Guenther, Kevin Stenlund and Mikhail Sergachev got the Utah Hockey Club a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. The Stenlund goal resulted from an attempted pass by Sabres center Tage Thompson on a 6-on-4 situation that inadvertently went into his own net. The win puts Utah (73 points) four points behind the Blues for the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres announced defenseman Jacob Bryson signed a one-year, $900K contract extension before this game.