Fireworks possible in rematch between Panthers and Canadiens that comes with major playoff implications

Mar 30, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (14) moves the puck past Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Don't be surprised to see some fireworks on Monday night when the Florida Panthers open their latest road trip in Montreal.

The Panthers and Montreal Canadiens faced off on Sunday afternoon in Sunrise, with the Habs coming away with a 4-2 victory, snapping Florida's seven-game home winning streak.

It was an important victory for the Canadiens, who are clinging to the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Entering play Tuesday, Montreal is tied with the New York Rangers, each holding 77 points, but the Habs have played one less game than the Blueshirts and, as such, hold the tiebreaker.

Sunday's game was important for Florida, too, as the loss dropped the Cats down to third in the Atlantic Division.

Florida and Tampa Bay each have 91 points and 73 games played, but the Lightning have two more regulation wins than Florida, which is the next tiebreaker. Toronto is currently three points clear of both Florida and Tampa, though with one more game played.

So yeah, plenty of playoff intrigue and implications on Tuesday night at Bell Centre.

But wait, there’s more!

In literally the final seconds of Montreal’s victory on Sunday, Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola fired a howitzer of a slapshot down the ice into the Canadiens’ zone, nearly hitting David Savard and incited a ruckus that had several Habs players trying to get at Mikkola.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety responded quickly, fining Mikkola $5,000, the maximum amount allowable, for unsportsmanlike conduct.

We’ll see if anything happens when Panthers and Canadiens reconvene on the ice in Montreal.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Tuesday's clash with the Canadiens:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Brad Marchand

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Jesper Boqvist

A.J. Greer – Nico Sturm – Evan Rodrigues

Gus Forsling – Seth Jones

Niko Mikkola – Nate Schmidt

Tobias Bjornfot – Uvis Balinskis

Scratches: Jonah Gadjovich, Tomas Nosek, Dmitry Kulikov

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Crosby, Acciari Take Penguins Team Awards

Mar 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates after being named a star of the game against the Ottawa Senators at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

It should come as no surprise that Sidney Crosby has been, once again, recognized by his Pittsburgh Penguins teammates. 

On Monday, the Penguins announced that Crosby was the recipient of the Penguins' Most Valuable Player award for the fifth consecutive season, as voted by his teammates. It is the 13th time he's been named Team MVP, which breaks Mario Lemieux's previous franchise record of 12.

He was also given the Player's Player Award by teammates, which is awarded to the player whose leadership shines through both on the ice and away from it.

Crosby, 37, surpassed Wayne Gretzky to become the NHL's all-time leader in point-per-game seasons with 20 on Thursday in a 7-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. The captain's 27 goals and 81 points in 73 games pace the Penguins once again, and he ranks third in the NHL in five-on-five points with 53.

In addition, forward Noel Acciari was named by teammates for the Penguins' Unsung Hero Award, which is given to the player who best exemplifies extreme effort despite little recognition. 

Mar 21, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Noel Acciari (55) reacts after scoring a goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Acciari leads the Penguins in both hits (168) and blocked shots (98), and he is well on his way to earning the second 100-block season of his career. He also has 179 shorthanded minutes this season, which also leads the team. 

He registered seven hits and two blocked shots in Sunday's 1-0 win over the Ottawa Senators

"He's an important player for us," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "I think a lot of his contributions don't always show up on the highlight reel or they don't show up on the scoresheet. Those are the 'thankless jobs' that we're talking about.

"He pays a price. There's a cost to winning, and he's willing to pay it. I think Noel's been an invaluable player for us throughout the course of the year."


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Screen Shots: Eichel's Highs, Ducks' Rise And Fighting Gone Way Too Far

Jack Eichel and Jackson LaCombe (Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images)

Welcome back to Screen Shots, a regular THN.com feature in which your humble correspondent breaks down a few hockey topics and analyzes them in a handful of brief paragraphs.

On to it, we go:

Relatively quietly, Vegas Golden Knights star center Jack Eichel has been having a career season and demolishing his previous bests on offense. 

The 28-year-old center has 66 assists – 12 more helpers than his previous career high – and 93 points, 11 points more than his previous career high, set in 2018-19. 

In his last 15 games, Eichel has 16 assists and 24 points, putting up at least a point in 14 of those outings.

Eichel is far and away Vegas’ top point-producer, with 27 more points than Golden Knights captain Mark Stone in second place. But this isn’t the first time Eichel has had to do all the heavy lifting for his team. For example, when Eichel posted 82 points for the Buffalo Sabres in 2018-19, he had 17 more points than second-place Sam Reinhart. 

The difference for Eichel between ‘18-19 and now is that, in Vegas, Eichel has a far better supporting cast – and he’s playing for an organization that has shown it knows how to win. Now, Eichel is thriving and has a chance to win the second Stanley Cup of his career.

Who’s Surging In The NHL Since The 4 Nations Face-Off?Who’s Surging In The NHL Since The 4 Nations Face-Off?There’s always a risk of peaking too early. But if all goes well, NHL players and teams hope that the positive momentum that’s built down the home stretch of the regular season will carry into playoffs and boost them when it matters most.

The Anaheim Ducks aren’t going to make the playoffs this season, but since Jan. 21, they’ve gone 14-11-2 – something to build on when they begin next season. 

In the relatively weak Pacific Division, the Ducks have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18 – and given that Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek will have about $39.56 million in salary cap space this summer, you have to think the Ducks will be a major player in free agency and trades.

Anaheim’s biggest area of need is on offense, as they’re currently 26th overall in goals-for per game, with 2.71. Their defense isn’t great, either, as they’re 21st overall with 3.12 goals against per game. But bringing in veterans who can produce points is an easier fix than landing defensive specialists, so that’s the direction we expect the Ducks to take next year.

Regardless, it’s clear Anaheim is taking steps forward. They won’t be a legitimate Cup front-runner for a while longer, but for Ducks fans who’ve watched their team stumble time and again for the past seven seasons, seeing Anaheim produce positive results is a very welcome harbinger of what’s ahead for them.


Finally, on Canada's East Coast, two separate incidents of fighting at hockey games have triggered league investigations.

The incidents – one of which came in a senior league in Miramichi, N.B., while the other came in a U-18 tournament game in North Rustico, P.E.I. – saw fights breaking out on the ice. In the senior league game, the fights continued in the hallway, and fans of opposing squads fought in the stands as well. 

In both cases, the response from the leagues is another indication of the increasing lack of tolerance there is for this over-the-top behavior.

“The worst thing about it is it was a great hockey series, and everybody’s focused on a fight that took place at the end of the game and the fights in the crowd,” Doug White, co-owner of the Miramichi Northmen in the New Brunswick-based Beausejour Senior Hockey League, told CTV News. “It kind of took away (from the game) a bit.”

Hockey P.E.I. called the U-18 melee a “disgraceful representation of our game and completely contrary to the values of good sportsmanship, respect, and safety that Hockey PEI upholds at every level of play” in a statement.

Although there will always be a segment of players and fans who respond with glee over fights, the reality is that hyper-aggressive, violent behavior at hockey games is less acceptable as the years go by. The optics of players and fans gone wild are not ideal – to the contrary, they’re seen more and more as a stain on the image of the sport. 

Fans and players should always feel safe on the ice and in the stands, and this is why these types of incidents should be fewer and farther between. There’s no rationalizing it or promoting it anymore, and when punishments are handed out by the respective governing bodies for these events, no one should be surprised.

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Los Angeles Kings Sign Defenseman Otto Salin to three-year contract: What It Does for the Future?

(Photo by Gary A. Vasquez/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Kings have continued to add depth to their blue line by signing Finnish prospect Otto Salin to a three-year entry-level contract. 

The 21-year-old defenseman, drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, has spent the past couple of years developing in Finland's top league, Liiga. His signing is an investment in bringing young talent into the mix with the hope of integrating it into the team's future, and his potential contribution over the next few years could be significant.

Who is Otto Salin?

Salin, who hails from Helsinki, has moved steadily up the ranks of Finnish hockey. He started playing for HIFK Helsinki and later TPS Turku, where he set career highs with eight goals and 20 assists for 28 points in 56 games last season. The right-shot defenseman is a playmaker with solid skating and is noted for his offense and skills in quickly moving the puck out of the defensive area.

Standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 205 pounds, Salin is not imposingly large, but his quickness and hockey smarts allow him to be an effective two-way defenseman. He also showed flashes of being a power-play specialist, utilizing his vision and puck skills to create scoring chances.

What the Signing Means for the Kings

The Kings' blue-line defense has struggled the last few years, though it's been better this season. Veterans like Drew Doughty and Darcy Kuemper are the anchors on the back end, while young guns like Brandt Clarke and Jordan Spence battle more significant minutes. Adding Salin into the mix gives the franchise another right-shot defenseman in the works, something of a precious gem in today's NHL.

Salin's deal suggests that the Kings see a real future for him within the organization. Even if he doesn't receive a direct promotion to the NHL, the agreement ensures he'll be in the team's system, likely starting with the AHL's Ontario Reign. If he fits into the North American game well, he could be in contention for a call-up in the next few years.

What Salin Adds to the Organization

Salin's most appealing characteristic is arguably his puck-moving ability. His skating is a huge asset, allowing him to escape the defensive zone in trouble and deliver clean breakout passes. The Kings have prioritized puck-moving defensemen over the past few seasons, understanding that speed and agility from the backend are needed in the modern NHL.

Defensively, Salin is not the most physical, primarily due to his size, which will be tough to overcome and adjust in the NHL, but he plays with a good positional awareness that enables him to close down plays. 

His reading of the game and anticipation will be important factors in enabling him to adapt as quickly as possible to North American hockey, where the rink is tighter and time and space are limited.

With his offensive potential, he could be a valuable power-play player in the future. His game with TPS Turku proved that he can produce offense, and the Kings, with all their young talent and veterans to guide them, could have great scoring from the blue line in the future.

What's Next for Salin?

Upon signing, Salin is set to play for the rest of the season with the Ontario Reign. AHL time will serve as valuable experience in getting used to the game's style, particularly in adapting to keep up with the quicker and harsher pace of the game than Liiga.

His priority will be establishing himself as a reliable defenseman in the AHL, playing top-four minutes, and demonstrating his ability to withstand the demands of the pro level in North America. 

If he performs well, he may receive an NHL call-up as early as next season, but the most probable scenario is that he will spend at least one complete season in the AHL before competing for a roster spot in 2026.

Long-Term Outlook with the Kings

Salin's future with the Kings will depend upon how quickly he can develop in the AHL. If he thrives with the Ontario Reign and shows he can handle defensive responsibilities while also contributing offensively, he could force his way into an NHL role sooner rather than later.

The Kings' right defense now is staffed by Doughty, Clarke, Spence, and Joel Edmundson, so breaking into the rotation won't be easy. But injuries and roster changes always leave opportunities, and Salin will be ready when his moment comes.

His best role in the NHL is that of a second—or third-pairing defenseman with power-play ability. If he can solidify his end without sacrificing his offense, he can become a valuable asset on the Kings' roster as they try to maintain success.

Final Thoughts

Signing Otto Salin is another part of the Kings' quest to assemble youth. While he will not be on the ice right away in the NHL, he can be an effective defenseman in the short term. His skating, vision, and offensive skill set make him an intriguing player as he transitions to North American hockey.

For now, Kings fans can follow his development in the AHL, where he'll be given the chance to demonstrate what he has to offer and gain experience for a potential spot in Los Angeles. Salin could be one to watch as a component of the Kings' blue line.

 

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Nashville Predators vs. Philadelphia Flyers: Live Game Thread

The Nashville Predators (27-38-8, 62 points) kick off a three-game road trip with a visit to the Philadelphia Flyers (30-36-9, 69 points) Monday at Wells Fargo Center.

The Predators are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, while the Flyers have won two straight games since firing head coach John Tortorella late last week.

Nashville is also navigating multiple injuries to its forward group, including Colton Sissons (week-to-week, lower-body) and Jonathan Marchessault (day-to-day, lower-body).

Justus Annunen will make his second consecutive start in goal for the Predators, while the Flyers will turn to Ivan Fedotov in net.

Brady Skjei, Nashville Predators

How the Predators Lined Up vs. Philadelphia

Forsberg-O'Reilly-Stamkos
Bunting-Svechkov-Evangelista
Smith-McCarron-L'Heureux
Vrana-Bellows

Skjei-Blankenburg
Del Gaizo-Barron
Englund-Stastney
Oesterle

Annunen
Saros

Extra: Sissons (week-to-week, lower-body), Marchessault (day-to-day, lower-body), Wood
IR: Lauzon, Wilsby, Josi

With the injuries to Sissons and Marchessault, the Predators went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen against the Flyers. Matthew Wood, who signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Predators on Saturday, has yet to make his NHL debut.

Predators at Flyers: Live Updates

First Period (NSH 0, PHI 0)

The Flyers outshot Nashville, 7-1, to begin the first period, and Annunen came up with some key saves early. Eventually, the Predators started to click offensively; while neither team found the back of the net during the first 20 minutes of play, Nashville was able to pull even with Philadelphia with seven shots on goal by the end of the frame.

Second Period (NSH 0, PHI 0)

What Direction Should The New York Islanders Take?

Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Scott Mayfield (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Despite flirting with a Stanley Cup playoff spot, the New York Islanders look more like pretenders right now. 

The Islanders lost seven of their last 10 games, and they’re currently on a five-game winless skid that included a 5-3 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday and 6-4 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.

They now sit three points out of a playoff spot and are behind four other teams in the battle for the second wild-card place. It’s looking like another wishy-washy campaign for GM Lou Lamoriello’s Islanders, and there are very real questions about the direction of this team and past decisions.

This is to take nothing away from Lamoriello, a deserving Hockey Hall of Famer who doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. And in fairness, Lamoriello got a 2026 first-round draft pick and top prospect center Calum Ritchie in the trade that sent veteran pivot Brock Nelson to Colorado at the trade deadline. The Islanders’ future isn’t all bad news.

That said, the Islanders currently being on the outside of the playoff picture makes some contracts look pretty questionable.

Let’s start with the contract handed out to left winger Pierre Engvall – a $3-million cap hit that runs for another five years and has a 16-team no-trade list. Engvall was already placed on waivers this season, with no takers for him. 

Engvall has eight goals and 13 points in 53 games. Five of those points came in the past eight games, but more often than not, the team looks like it could have benefited more from using that cap hit elsewhere. The team was under no pressure to lock up a depth player in Engvall for so many years with protection, but that mistake can’t be undone.

Defenseman Scott Mayfield has five years left on his contract with a $3.5-million cap hit, and his playing time has dropped. His plus-13 rating leads the team, which is admirable for a defensive defenseman, but he’s averaging 16:50 of ice time, the lowest since 2016-17, and he’s been a healthy scratch. 

The 32-year-old still has a full no-trade clause through 2026-26 and a 16-team no-trade list afterward – a lot of protection for someone the team no longer thinks is a lock in the lineup. You could get a young player to play those minutes for far less money than what Mayfield is getting.

Center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, meanwhile, has another season left at a $5-million cap hit. He has 12 goals and 37 points in 70 games this year, which comes after 33 points in 82 games last year and 40 points in 70 games in 2022-23. He’s good in his role, but whether that’s a $5-million role is the question – we don’t think it is.

Cap space being used this way contributes to mushy-middle results – not good enough for the team to go on a long playoff run and not bad enough to land a top draft pick, which the Isles have needed for quite some time.

NHL Sour Rankings: 2025 Mock Draft For The Bottom 10 TeamsNHL Sour Rankings: 2025 Mock Draft For The Bottom 10 TeamsThe NHL’s playoff picture is coming into focus, which means the bottom-end teams are solidifying their spots in the draft lottery – and the NHL sour rankings. 

Most prospect experts see the Islanders’ talent pipeline ranked near the bottom of the NHL, and they have the sixth-oldest roster in the NHL, according to eliteprospects.com. That makes it even tougher for the team to do damage in the foreseeable future.

The Islanders have all their draft picks in 2025 and two first-rounders in 2026. That will help further down the line, but right now, they don’t have many youngsters who can slot into the lineup – Ritchie is their only prospect projected to make the NHL in the next two seasons, according to The Hockey News’ Future Watch issue.

This summer will be crucial as the Islanders have seven RFAs and five UFAs to deal with. What management does this off-season could be a game-changer – one way or another – for their short- and long-term future. The last thing they need is more long-term contracts with trade protection for players that ensure the team remains in the mushy middle.

The short-term pain of choosing a direction and prioritizing a replenished prospect pool is worth it if it means acquiring elite players at the top of the draft and setting themselves up to have a terrific core for a decade or longer. Right now, this team isn’t threatening in the playoffs, the regular season or in a draft lottery.

From this writer’s perspective, it will be tough sledding for them for a long time. Lamoriello’s been running the Islanders for seven seasons now, and the team currently has its lowest points percentage since seven seasons ago. There’s legitimate cause for frustration with having next to nothing to show for this group after making the playoff semifinals in 2020 and 2021.

What matters most is whether this tough sledding results in a refreshed core a few years down the line or a similar-looking squad. If it’s not the former, it’s just more pretending.

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Kings Blow Out Sharks in 8-1 victory

© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Los Angeles, CA — The Los Angeles Kings (41-23-9) defeated the San Jose Sharks (20-44-9) in an 8-1 victory at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, March 30. 

This victory was a bounce-back from the previous two losses against some of the tougher competition in the Stanley Cup playoffs—the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Colorado Avalanche. It also helped the Kings regain their top home-ice record.

Among the standout players during this match were LA Kings right wing Adrian Kempe and left wing Warren Foegele, who scored goals during a power play and again in the Kings' offensive onslaught in the second period. 

In the first period, Los Angeles drew first blood when center Phillip Danault hit a slap shot from the left side of the San Jose net to score the first goal, 1-0. The Sharks' offense was later given two power plays off of penalties by the Kings — slashing and sticking —but could not utilize their advantages. 
Meanwhile, the Sharks also gave up penalties. During the second power play, which the Kings received after a hooking penalty, Kempe hit a snapshot to the hockey net to score another goal for the Kings, 2-0. 

As the second period skated by, San Jose scored their only goal of the night by center Cam Lund, 2-1. They could not hold back the offensive prowess of Los Angeles. 

Kings left wing Trevor Moore took advantage of a defensive miscalculation by the Sharks—too many players on one person—and hit a wrist shot to the net, scoring for Los Angeles, 3-1. The Sharks gave up three penalties to the Kings, and on the second power play of the period, Foegele was able to muscle the puck into the San Jose net with a deflected shot from their goaltender, making it 4-1.

Towards the end of the second period, Foegele scored again for the LA Kings, only this time he tipped in a shot from defenseman Mikey Anderson to blow up the lead, 5-1. Even as the period was coming to a close, as the puck was being passed along nicely by Los Angeles, Kempe struck again with a slap shot from the left side of the Sharks net for a goal, 6-1.

The third period came around for the LA Kings, but San Jose's offense skipped town despite the penalties the Kings took—roughing and cross-checking by Mikey Anderson, both in the same play. 

As the latter half of the third period came, as did left-wing Andrei Kuzmenko when he shot the puck right by the neutral zone with an impressive wrister, ballooning the lead to 7-1. Los Angeles center Trevor Lewis chimed in with insurance goals near the end, nailing a wrist shot to the Sharks net, making it 8-1 and marking the end of the offensive rampage by the LA Kings with a win.

Despite the offensive magic, the Kings will face perhaps one of the biggest challenges yet in the Winnipeg Jets, considered one of the favorites to make a deep run in the Stanley Cup playoffs.