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The Cheat Sheet: First-Round NHL Playoff Odds, Early Conn Smythe Look And More

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Jack Eichel (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)

It's time to preview the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs from a betting and fantasy hockey lens on The Cheat Sheet.

First-Round NHL Playoff Odds, Early Conn Smythe Look And More by The Cheat SheetFirst-Round NHL Playoff Odds, Early Conn Smythe Look And More by The Cheat Sheetundefined

Here's what George Nassios and Andrew McInnis discussed in this episode:

0:00: Do the New Jersey Devils have any chance at taking down the Carolina Hurricanes?

3:32: Are the Dallas Stars (+104) a smart underdog bet against the Colorado Avalanche? (-125)

6:55: Betting the length of the Battle of Ontario series

10:15: Best bets to target in the Battle of Florida series

14:11: Can the St. Louis Blues (+188) have a tight series with the Winnipeg Jets? (-230)

17:46: How should bettors look at the Minnesota Wild (+195) in their series against the Vegas Golden Knights? (-240)

22:58: Could the Los Angeles Kings (+116) be a strong upset candidate in their series against the Edmonton Oilers? (-146)

27:11: Is Jack Eichel (+1700) a strong candidate for an early Conn Smythe bet?

30:38: Would you rather have Jake Sanderson or Lane Hutson in a fantasy keeper league?

33:24: Should Kirill Marchenko be a high fantasy draft pick next season?

Subscribe to The Hockey News Cheat Sheet on your preferred platform and come back on Wednesdays for the latest episodes.

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How The Oilers Stole Kris Knoblauch From The Rangers

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Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images

By hockey standards, the disaster that is the New York Rangers has a touch of the Titanic and Hindenberg about it. 

Everybody – even in distant Edmonton – seems to be talking, wondering. how the richest NHL team in America has become the square root of ignominy and ineptitude.

Well folks, Edmonton is part of the problem because the Oilers got the right coach in Kris Knoblauch and the Rangers did not.

What's more, you could say that Knoblauch was purloined right from under GM Chris Drury's watch. After all Kris was doing wonderful things in Hartford where the Wolf Pack just happens to be the New Yorkers supply store.

"The natural order of progression," says The Old Scout, "should have been Knoblauch replacing Gerard Gallant when Drury fired Gallant. Ignoring Knoblauch was a huge mistake on Drury's part."

Nobody who knew Knoblauch in Hartford was surprised when Kris orchestrated McDavid, Inc. to within one win of the Stanley Cup last spring. Nor will they be surprised if he does it again.

Kris can coach. Period!

As for Laviolette,  nobody will be particularly surprised if –  by next week – Pistol Pete will be on the unemployed line alongside John Tortorella.

These things happen when a veteran coach's game plan falls apart like an ill-built Lego set.

Put it this way, "The Disaster On Seventh Avenue" would not have happened had Kris Knoblauch been in charge; as he should have been.

Thus the NHL equation: Lucky Oilers=Ruined Rangers!

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American Hockey League Announces 2024-25 All-Rookie Team

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© Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The American Hockey League has officially announced the 2024-25 All-Rookie Team.

The team is voted on by players, coaches and media from all 32 teams.

The 2024-25 team is:

  • Goaltender ― Nikke Kokko, Coachella Valley Firebirds (32 GP, 20-9-2, 2.23 GAA, .914 SV%)
  • Defenseman ― Luca Cagnoni, San Jose Barracuda (62 GP, 14-35-49, 10 PPG)
  • Defenseman ― Tristan Luneau, San Diego Gulls (56 GP, 7-41-48, 1 PPG, 2 GWG)
  • Forward ― Justin Hryckowian, Texas Stars (66 GP, 20-38-58, +14, 4 PPG, 1 GWG)
  • Forward ― Ville Koivunen, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (62 GP, 21-34-55, 4 PPG, 2 GWG)
  • Forward ― Bradly Nadeau, Chicago Wolves (63 GP, 30-26-56, 8 PPG, 7 GWG)

Nadeau leads all rookies in goals and is second in rookie scoring to Hryckowian. He is the fifth U20 player in AHL history to score 30 goals in a season. He was selected 30th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023. 

Koivunen is third in AHL rookie scoring and his offensive ability has immediately come through for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He has five assists in seven NHL games this season. A second round pick of the Hurricanes in 2021, he was acquired by Pittsburgh in the trade that sent Jake Guentzel to Carolina. 

Hryckowian leads all rookies in scoring in what is his first full pro season. He has one point in five NHL games this season. He was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Stars in 2024 after three seasons at Northeastern University. 

Cagnoni was a fourth round pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2023 and has been dominant offensively in his rookie season, sitting fourth in scoring by AHL defensemen this season. He recorded two assists in six NHL games this season.

Luneau is fifth in scoring amongst AHL defensemen this season after missing most of what was intended to be his rookie year last season due to injury. A second round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2022, Luneau won QMJHL Rookie of the Year in 2021 and Defenseman of the Year in 2023. He is pointless in six NHL appearances this season.

Kokko has stepped up admirably for Coachella Valley this season as they look to make their third straight Calder Cup Final. A second round pick of the Seattle Kraken in 2022, he made his NHL debut earlier this season. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.        

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Blues Had To Be Near-Flawless From 4 Nations Face-Off On To Reach Playoffs

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The St. Louis Blues, who reached the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2022, went 19-4-3 after the 4 Nations Face-Off. (Jeff Le-Imagn Images)

ST. LOUIS – For the St. Louis Blues to accomplish what nobody thought they could do coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off on Feb. 22 was nothing short of remarkable.

And even in going 19-4-3, good for a .788 points percentage, it still took until the final game of the regular season to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

That’s just the degree of difficulty of gaining entry into the playoffs as the second wild card from the Western Conference, no less, was what it took to get this done.

So how did it happen?

Coach Jim Montgomery knows.

“Great leadership, led by our captain who scored the first goal tonight,” Montgomery said, referring to Brayden Schenn. “I thought consistency by the staff and the players with our communication and I just thought that we grew so much culturally and in our team identity. And those two things, when our players started using words like togetherness. The words I used were their words this morning. Selfless, sacrifice, love.”

Let’s start at the top:

When Montgomery was hired to replace Drew Bannister on Nov. 25, mere days after being fired by the Boston Bruins, the Blues were 9-12-1 and sort of running amuck, through a quagmire of sorts.

And sure, there was a coaching surge initially, winning five of their first seven games under Montgomery, but then there were also challenges of not being able to string wins together regularly. Consistency was a topic of discussion. The Blues were the last team in the NHL to put together a three-game winning streak this season.

How could they possibly be a playoff team, let alone be considered to be taken seriously? Their coach stayed the course, and the players bought in.

“System, positivity, always great to be around, believing in you, how you’re a good player, let you do stuff in the offensive zone,” forward Pavel Buchnevich said of Montgomery. “Everybody was super-pumped when ‘Monty’ was coming. Half of the team know him from previous work here (2020-22 as an assistant coach under Craig Berube) and we know how good he is as a coach and even a better person.”

The Blues won their last game prior to the 4 Nations, 6-5 against the Chicago Blackhawks, and came out of the gates and dropped a 4-3 shootout loss against their first-round playoff opponent, the Winnipeg Jets, a game in which they led in the final minute of regulation. It’s a game in which the Blues liked more so than the one they lost, but then on the following night on Feb. 23, the team began a stretch of what’s laid the foundation for where they are now, winning six of seven before starting their franchise-record 12-game winning streak on March 15, and here we are.

“A lot goes into it,” Schenn said after scoring his 18th and final goal of the regular season Tuesday. “This is what you train for in the summer, and this is what you play for all year -- to have a chance at the Stanley Cup. You just have to get in and anything can happen. We saw that years ago. We've been on a good run here and, at the same time, we just can't be happy that we're in. Playing Winnipeg, Winnipeg is obviously a good team and they're going to present a good challenge for us. But I don't think anyone gave us a chance really, where we were. I'm glad we kept it together. They're too many good pieces in this locker room to not get in the playoffs. We felt if we played hard for one another, we can get the job done and it just took 82 games.”

Several things stood out, too many to name.

“I mean, there's a lot of things,” Schenn said. “I've talked about it all along, guys being selfless, playing hard for one another. Something we've been trying to do for a couple of years now ... when you start winning hockey games, you actually start getting more individual results and guys feel better about themselves individually and about the team. It's just a mindset that you have to come in and play for a team and good things happen when you do that. It's nice to be in and some pressure relieved of how the past week’s gone, and it's nice to seal it that way.”

In goal, things tightened up as well between Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer.

At the break, Binnington was 15-19-4 with a 2.89 goals-against average and .897 save percentage. Hofer was 10-7-1, 2.88 GAA and .903 save percentage.

From the break on, Binnington was 13-1-1 with a 2.10 GAA and .910 save percentage; Hofer went 6-1-2 with a 2.19 GAA and .904 save percentage.

When the Blues lost Colton Parayko on March 5 to a left knee injury that required it to be scoped in a 3-2 shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings, much hope was lost.

Parayko was having a career season offensively and leading the Blues in minutes played. But instead of playing the oh-woe-is-me card, the Blues went on a 13-3-1 run without their top defenseman, who returned on Saturday in a 4-3 shootout loss at the Seattle Kraken. The Blue line held it together, including Cam Fowler, who was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 14 and chose St. Louis because he thought he would win here.

The 33-year-old, who last played in the playoffs in 2016-17, really helped fuel his career with an incredible run with the Blues from the moment he played his first game.

“There’s a lot that goes into it,” Fowler said. “We looked at the makeup of the team and where I could come in and try and make an impact. You just look at the players they have, guys that have won the Stanley Cup (Schenn, Parayko, Oskar Sundqvist, Robert Thomas, Binnington), world class goaltending, high-end players offensively. I just felt like it was a good fit for me and my family and I’m grateful that they trusted me to come in here and try and help this team. It’s been a heck of a ride for the last few months and I feel like I’ve been here much longer than that just by the way everyone’s treated me and the guys that we have in this locker room. I’m thankful for that and looking forward to the opportunity of playing in the playoffs again.”

The Blues were third in goals against average at 2.31 per game, behind the Jets (2.20) and Kings (2.29) since the break.

From a forward perspective, it starts with Robert Thomas.

Thomas finished the season with a 12-game point streak (four goals, 21 assists) and was tied for second in the NHL since Feb. 1 in points with 45 (nine goals, 36 assists) behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (46 points; 14 goals, 32 assists) and Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak (45 points; 19 goals, 26 assists).

Thomas is first since the 4 Nations break with 40 points (eight goals, 32 assists); Jordan Kyrou was a point-per-game player (26 points; 13 goals, 13 assists) in 26 games; the injured Dylan Holloway (lower-body injury suffered April 3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins) had 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 21 games, followed by Pavel Buchnevich, who also had 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 22 games; Fowler had 22 points (three goals, 19 assists) in 25 games, and Jake Neighbours had 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 26 games.

The Blues were No. 1 in the NHL since the break averaging 3.81 goals per game.

“I feel like break really help us,” said Buchnevich, who scored in six of the final eight games. “Everybody kind of (reset) thinking how their game (is) going and now we start playing for each other, support everywhere, sacrifice blocking shots. You look at all lines, everybody contribute. We come (together) as a team, but everybody like to be around (each other). It’s positive energy every time and it’s helped us.”

And let’s not discount the young guys, like Zack Bolduc, who tied Kyrou for most goals since the break (13). Bolduc finished the season with 19 goals, and Jimmy Snuggerud, playing in just his sixth game since coming out of college at the University of Minnesota, had a goal and an assist, his first NHL goal and multi-point game, in a 6-1 convincing win over Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday to punch their ticket.

“What they’ve learned is what it takes to win in this league,” Montgomery said. “It’s such a great experience to understand the grind and the mental grind, more than a physical grind, that it takes to win battles, to win every foot of ice in this league that’s the greatest league in the world in big moments and being able to come through in big moments. This is going to give us years of good vibes because the experience of learning how to win, it’s not easy to find that in the league.”

For Snuggerud, it’s gone fast, but it’s been enjoyable.

“It's cool, honestly,” he said. “I grew up watching hockey and the dream goal is to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs and to have this group in here to do it with, it's so special. It should be a fun upcoming few weeks.”

And now they go in playing with house money as the underdogs against the Presidents’ Trophy winners and Central Division winners.

“Everyone looks at Winnipeg and that's the first-place team in the league,” Schenn said. “We've got a lot of work to do, they're a good team and they don't give up much. You don't really pay attention to Winnipeg a whole lot, and then I started watching when my brother [Luke] got traded there and they're a good defensive hockey team with a good goalie. It's going to be an exciting series and we're looking forward to the challenge.”

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Stanley Cup Blueprint: Believe It Or Not, The Jets, Kings And Lightning Have The Most Makings Of A Champion

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Ryan McDonagh and Mark Scheifele (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

What does a Stanley Cup winner actually look like? It’s a question that all 32 NHL teams ask every season. 

By analyzing the regular-season profiles of the last 10 champions, there are statistical trends that consistently lead to post-season success and can be used to see which 2025 Cup contenders match the mold.

The general framework for this experiment prioritizes some key aspects that have historically dictated a team’s success in the playoffs: offensive depth, puck possession, defensive strength and goaltending.

Here’s a rundown of the stats and criteria being used, and why each of them is important.

After that, it's time to see which NHL teams fit the bill the most.

(Stats courtesy of moneypuck.com, naturalstattrick.com and hockey-reference.com.)

What Stats Often Determine A Stanley Cup Champion?

Goals against per game: While offensive efficiency in the regular season has varied across previous champions, defense has always been consistent. Seven of the last 10 Cup winners have ranked in the top 10 in goals against per game.

Expected goals differential: How dangerous are the chances you are creating, and how dangerous are the ones you are giving up? They can individually be valuable, but the best teams are good at both. Eight of the last 10 champions finished in the top 12 in expected goal differential.

Goal differential: While expected stats provide a good measurement of a team’s overall process, results are truly what matter. Seven of the last 10 Stanley Cup champions finished in the top four in goal differential.

Power-play percentage and penalty-kill percentage: Special teams have always had the potential to decide which team wins a game, which can apply to an entire playoff run. Seven of the last eight winners finished with a top 10 power play in the regular season.

Corsi-for percentage: Possession dominance at even strength has increasingly become a factor leading to success in the regular season, which translates to success in the playoffs. Seven of the last 10 Stanley Cup winners finished in the top 10 in Corsi-for percentage during the regular season.

PDO: Every team needs bounces to go their way in the quest for the Stanley Cup. While not perfect, PDO is the best indicator of favorable bounces throughout a season. It measure shooting percentage plus save percentage. Five of the last 10 teams that won it all finished in the top five in PDO, and nobody finished lower than 13th.

Regulation wins: With no 3-on-3 overtime, wins in regulation can be a way of measuring even-strength dominance. Nine of the last 10 Stanley Cup champions have finished top-10 in regulation wins.

Here are some other factors being taken into consideration that aren’t accounted for with the analytics above.

Weight: Playing “heavy hockey” has been an important part of today’s game. While the 2014-15 Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2015-16 and 2016-17 ranked in the bottom half of average weight, five of the last seven Stanley Cup rosters have been in the top 10.

Star talent: Defining a “star” isn’t always a linear process, but for the sake of this exercise, it’s defined as a player who averages over a point per game throughout the regular season. Seven of the last 10 champs have had at least one in their lineup, and five of them have had two or more.

Depth scoring: While the stars lead you to the playoffs, having offensive depth has always been an important part of every Stanley Cup run. Six of the last 10 winners had four or more 20-plus-goal scorers, and every team other than the 2020-21 Tampa Bay Lightning (shortened season) had three.

Goaltending stability: When nothing seems to be going right, the best teams have historically had a goaltender to rely on to potentially steal a game or two in the post-season. Seven of the last 10 champions have had a goaltender with at least a .915 save percentage, and six teams had at least one that finished top-10 in goals saved above expected (GSAx)

2024-25 NHL Teams That Match The Blueprint The Most

Winnipeg Jets

Canada’s best chance of winning a Stanley Cup in 2025, according to this exercise, lies in the hands of the Winnipeg Jets.

The Presidents' Trophy winners are primed for a deep playoff run with Hart Trophy candidate Connor Hellebuyck and the dynamic offensive duo of Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. This team has long felt like a contender, but now the pieces might finally fall into place.

This year is different. The Jets’ offense seemingly struggled throughout the regular season last year, finishing 15th in goals-for per game (3.16). With scoring dropping around the league this year, the Jets have only produced offense at a slightly higher clip (3.37) and rank fourth in goals per game. For even further context, that pace would have them finish ninth in league scoring last season.

Last year’s first-round matchup with the Colorado Avalanche was a track meet the Jets simply could not keep up with, especially with a power play that ranked in the bottom 10 in the NHL. Now, the Jets are the best team in the NHL with the man-advantage and have the best goaltender in a league where nearly every other team has had offensive regression.

NHL Power Rankings: Each Team's MVP As Jets Finish On TopNHL Power Rankings: Each Team's MVP As Jets Finish On TopWelcome to the last edition of the NHL power rankings for the 2024-25 season. Thanks for following along in what has been another unpredictable and exciting season. 

Los Angeles Kings

What the Los Angeles Kings lack in star power, they make up for in structure and depth. 

They’ve arguably been the best defensive team in the NHL this season, ranking first in expected goals against and second in total goals conceded. Their penalty kill is also among the league’s best, ranking seventh.

While the Kings play a tight brand of defense, goaltender Darcy Kuemper deserves a ton of credit for his efforts. 

The 34-year-old is outperforming his 2021-22 Cup-winning campaign with a .922 save percentage, a top-six GSAx ranking and a 2.02 goals-against average – tied with Hellebuyck. 

The Kings haven’t had any real stability in their crease since the departure of Jonathan Quick, and a resurgence like this could give them the edge in playoff rounds where they might not be favored.

Offense has, and will continue to be, the biggest question for the Kings. 

Adrian Kempe is their only player with over 70 points. They rank 28th in power-play percentage and 13th in goals-for per game (3.06). 

That said, their formula seems to be working, putting together an absurd 41-0-2 record when scoring three goals or more. 

Aside from Kempe, Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala and even Quinton Byfield have all been significant contributors to this balanced offense. It will be guys like Alex Laferriere, Warren Foegele and Trevor Moore who leverage matchup opportunities and drive them on a deep run.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning just won’t go away. 

Even after losing two integral pieces to their core in Steven Stamkos and Mikhail Sergachev last off-season, the Lightning built a regular-season resume that has them looking just as dangerous as they were in their pursuit of back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.

The Lightning arguably have the most star power out of any playoff team this season, led by Art Ross leader and Hart Trophy candidate Nikita Kucherov. They also have three other players who have scored at least 35 goals and averaged over a point per game in Brandon Hagel, Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel. 

This high-powered offense is third in even-strength goals while also having the fifth-best power play, leading them to score more total goals than anyone in the NHL. There isn’t an on-ice scenario where the Lightning aren’t capable of scoring, and they do it at a rate higher than any other team in the league.

GM Julien BriseBois also deserves credit for the additions made in the summer and at the trade deadline. Aside from Guentzel fitting in perfectly as the Lightning’s new trigger man, re-acquiring Ryan McDonagh has also been a huge win, covering up a lot of the defensive shortcomings this blueline looked to have heading into the season. 

Oliver Bjorkstrand was also a nice pickup, adding a defensively responsible winger with some scoring upside to a bottom-six group that already wins most of its matchups offensively. Having him recovered from injury would give the team another depth boost in the playoffs, but he's currently out week-to-week.

The Lightning also have the best goal differential in the Eastern Conference, largely due to a Vezina-caliber season from Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Russian netminder is quietly having one of the best statistical years of his career, boasting a .921 SP and 2.18 GAA while sitting only behind Hellebuyck in GSAx.

There’s no perfect formula for winning the Stanley Cup – but there are some patterns. Teams that have depth scoring, dominant goaltending and strong defensive structure tend to be the ones lifting the Cup this summer. The margin between contenders and pretenders is razor-thin, but these three teams have set themselves up for success in the coming weeks.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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NHL Nugget: Calgary Flames' Dustin Wolf's Birthday Backcheck

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Dustin Wolf (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf, who turns 24 on April 16.

Wolf is the fifth-fastest American-born rookie goalie to hit 20 wins in a season. He was the goaltender of the year in the CHL in 2020, the AHL in 2022 and 2023 and the AHL's MVP in 2023.

Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media.  And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.      

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Flames set to inject youth into season finale with Parekh, Morton, Brzustewicz and Suniev expected to debut

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With this season’s goal now out of reach, the Calgary Flames are looking toward the future. 

Flames fans should get a good look at as many as four first-timers who may make their NHL debuts on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena in California.

Terrence Lee-Imagn Images

The sting of playoff elimination still fresh after Tuesday night’s disappointing news that the Flames were ousted by the second intermission of their comeback win over the Vegas Golden Knights, the Flames called up defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz and centre Sam Morton from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers on Wednesday. 

With prospects Zayne Parekh and Aydar Suniev already inked to their entry level deals and having joined the Flames in recent weeks following the end of their own seasons, it is anticipated they will all suit up in the season finale. 

Interestingly, Thursday’s game is a do-over for the game that was originally scheduled for Jan. 8 but had to be rescheduled because of the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. So the ‘bonus’ game offers a real glimpse into the future for the Flames with a chance to see prospects in NHL action. 

None are more anticipated than Parekh — last spring’s top Flames pick at No. 9 overall in the NHL draft. Parekh had an incredible junior season and is in the odd position of either having to play in the NHL or the CHL next year with the AHL’s Wrangler’s not an option because of his age and junior experience under the current rules. 

Brzustewicz has five goals and 31 points in 69 games with the Wranglers so far in his first professional season. The 20-year-old is a third-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks but came to Calgary in the Elias Lindholm trade last season. He was a standout junior blueliner with 92 points in 67 games for the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers in 2023-24 before graduating to the AHL this season.  

Morton is an older prospect at 25 after being signed out of the NCAA ranks just over a year ago. He was a strong performer in Penticton this past fall and has 20 goals and 45 points in 69 games with the Wranglers in his first full pro season. He’s a natural centre who was the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s player of the year and a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2024 while starring for Minnesota State University – Mankato.

Suniev has stomed up the prospect rankings in recent months. The 20-year-old Russian posted 20 goals and 18 assists in 35 games for the University of Massachusetts Amherst — who upset the No. 3-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Fargo Regional Semifinals in NCAA action before inking his NHL deal. 


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Penguins Notebook: Letang's Surgery, Rebuild On-The-Fly Discussion, And More From Final Practice Of 2024-25

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The Pittsburgh Penguins partake in their final full practice of the 2024-25 season on Apr. 16, 2025 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa. (Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News)

On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins took the ice for what will be their final full practice for the 2024-25 season. 

And there were a few notable absences. 

Forward Kevin Hayes - who also missed Tuesday's practice - is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and did not skate. And defenseman Kris Letang - fresh off successful surgery to repair a hole in his heart - also did not participate.

Head coach Mike Sullivan said that Letang's surgery was not reactionary and that it has been in the works for a while. He is expected to be in recovery for 4-6 weeks. 

"This wasn't a reaction to anything from an injury most recently," Sullivan said. "This is something that Kris and the medical team have discussed for a long time. Given the circumstance with Kris right now, he's banged up, dealing with a lot of bumps and bruises... we collectively thought as a group that it made the most sense to have the procedure done at this particular time.

"So, it wasn't anything that caused it. It was just something that's been an ongoing discussion for a long period of time now, and we just felt that this was the opportune time to do it."

Teammates also reacted to the news of Letang's surgery and commented on the resiliency that the veteran defenseman - who turns 38 next week - has shown throughout his career.

"His ability to keep himself in peak physical condition separates him from a lot of people and allows him to be as good as he is," longtime teammate Bryan Rust said. "And as long as he's been that good and played so many minutes, I think his conditioning level and his commitment to health and nutrition and making sure his body is as good as it can be... it shows."

Penguins Defenseman Kris Letang Has Surgery To Repair Hole In HeartPenguins Defenseman Kris Letang Has Surgery To Repair Hole In HeartIt appears the Pittsburgh Penguins will be down one more man for their final game of the season on Thursday against the Washington Capitals.

Defenseman Erik Karlsson mentioned that he had talked to Letang and that his fellow blueliner was at the rink on Wednesday - which came as no surprise.

"He was in here today and seemed in a good spirit," Karlsson said. "I'm happy everything went well, and like they said, hopefully it's 4-6 [weeks], and he can keep doing his thing.

"He's a maniac. I was kind of expecting to see him yesterday, to be honest."

-  Defenseman P.O Joseph - out since took line rushes and skated in a full-contact capacity for the second consecutive day.

And also - for the second consecutive day - he took line rushes as a forward on a fourth line with Vasily Ponomarev and Valtteri Puustinen.

If Hayes is out for tomorrow's game, the Penguins - without an emergency recall - will not have enough forwards to ice 12. If Joseph is available, don't be surprised to see him slotted into the lineup as a forward for the first time in his NHL career.

-  When asked about his no-movement clause expiring this summer, Rust remained staunch on his desire to remain in Pittsburgh for, at least, years 4-6 of his current contract:

"Yeah. I will say it to you guys, too. I don't want to leave here. This is home for me, this is where I intend to be, where I want to be, and, obviously... we'll talk more about that Friday [on locker cleanout day]."

Sidney Crosby Named 'Most Complete Player' For Sixth Consecutive Season In NHLPA Player PollSidney Crosby Named 'Most Complete Player' For Sixth Consecutive Season In NHLPA Player PollFor the sixth consecutive season, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has earned a prestigious honor from his NHL peers.

-  I also asked Karlsson about Crosby being named in the NHLPA's Annual Players Poll as the league's most complete player for the sixth consecutive season.

"Did you say it was six years in a row?" Karlsson said. "I would have guessed it would have been, you know, 18 or 19. I think I voted for him every single year I've been in this league.

"For me, it was even easier to vote this year now that he's my teammate. When you know him and the effort he puts into this game and how much he dedicates himself to the sport of hockey and this organization and this team, and himself... nothing surprising for me."

-  In his post-practice press conference, Sullivan was asked about whether or not he and POHO/GM Kyle Dubas have had discussions about trying to model the Washington Capitals' rebulid on-the-fly strategy. 

His answer was pretty interesting:

 “We’ve certainly had discussions about where we’re at and strategizing on where we want to go and how to get there. And there’s different ways to do that. There are some teams that want to strip the team right down to the studs. That’s one strategy. There’s others that have reshaped their teams on-the-fly. Washington is an example of that. There’s a number of those examples. I know Kyle’s done a deep dive on all of those different examples, and then looking at our team and trying to strategize as a group on what makes the most sense for this organization and where we’re at right now and how to return this group to a Stanley Cup contender and a competitive organization. 
I guess that’s a long-winded answer, but the answer is, yes, we have had those discussions over the last year-plus on what it should look like and what, potentially, we’re able to do and how we’re going to go about doing it.”
-

In case folks haven't noticed, the Penguins have not "stripped the team to the studs." Read into this quote what you will, but I think it's safe to ascertain that the Penguins are exploring how to get this thing accomplished as quickly as possible.

Like Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipLike Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipOn Sunday, the hockey world got to witness Alexander Ovechkin - The Great “8” - surpass The Great “One” for the most goals in NHL history.

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NHL Power Rankings: Each Team's MVP As Jets Finish On Top

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Connor Hellebuyck (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

Welcome to the last edition of the NHL power rankings for the 2024-25 season. Thanks for following along in what has been another unpredictable and exciting season. 

The Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals have ranked first and second for much of the season, even though neither was considered a top-tier contender. Yet, here we are, one day away from the last day of the regular season with the Jets winning their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy and the Capitals clinching the Eastern Conference title.

What’s left? Aside from wondering when the Canadiens will clinch the final spot in the East – or how the Blue Jackets will steal it from right under their noses – the last thing to do is to name the MVP for each team this season.

1. Winnipeg Jets (55-22-4, +85. Previous: 1)

The Jets have allowed the fewest goals this season. With already the fourth-highest single-season wins total in the cap era, Connor Hellebuyck is not only a shoo-in for the Vezina, but he also could be the first goalie since Carey Price since 2014-15 to win the Hart as NHL MVP.

2. Washington Capitals (51-21-9, +59. Previous: 2)

The sentimental pick would be Alex Ovechkin, and truly, he’s solidified himself as the greatest after breaking the all-time goals record. But every triggerman also needs a good set-up man. Dylan Strome is one of five Caps forwards slated to play all 82 games and will finish the season as the Capitals’ top scorer with career highs across the board.

3. Vegas Golden Knights (49-22-10, +53. Previous: 4)

Jack Eichel has blossomed into an elite, top-tier, two-way superstar for the Knights. He’s scored nearly 30 points more than the next highest scorer, Mark Stone, and has also played the most games since his breakout 2018-19 season with the Sabres. 

4. Los Angeles Kings (48-24-9, +48. Previous: 5)

It’s difficult to pinpoint a singular player on such a balanced team. The Kings’ two stalwarts have been captain Anze Kopitar, who’s on the shortlist for another Selke Trophy, and Darcy Kuemper, who’s quietly had a terrific season. The last time Kuemper won 30 games and finished with a save percentage above .920 was his Cup win in 2022 with the Avs. Foreshadowing?!  

5. Colorado Avalanche (49-29-4, +43. Previous: 3)

Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon are nearly inseparable as a unit and deservedly share the recognition for how they’ve carried the Avalanche. Even when the Avs made the shocking decision to trade Mikko Rantanen, they barely missed a beat thanks to their two play-driving superstars.

6. Toronto Maple Leafs (51-26-4, +36. Previous: 7)

Mitch Marner reached the century mark, and he’s been the Leafs’ most consistent and reliable player all season. It’s very conceivable he finishes top-three in Selke voting for the second time in three seasons.

7. Tampa Bay Lightning (47-26-8, +79. Previous: 9)

How crazy is it that Nikita Kucherov can win consecutive Art Ross Trophies and not win any other major award? Kucherov’s 1.56 point-per-game average over the past five seasons trails only Connor McDavid. He has the highest career point-per-game average among all Russian-born NHL players and will soon become just the sixth to score 1,000 points. 

8. Florida Panthers (47-31-4, +29. Previous: 11)

Sam Reinhart just quietly does his thing, notching his fourth straight 30-goal season even with Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk missing significant time. He ranks first among Panthers forwards in ice time per game and plays an important role on their penalty kill and power play. 

9. Carolina Hurricanes (47-28-5, +37. Previous: 8)

It feels like it’s Sebastian Aho every year, and rightfully so. He’s led the Hurricanes in scoring in all but two (!) seasons since joining the team in 2016-17.

NHL Playoffs: Six Teams That Can't Afford An Early ExitNHL Playoffs: Six Teams That Can't Afford An Early ExitThe stakes are too high for some of the NHL’s top playoff teams to go home early.

10. Dallas Stars (50-25-6, +57. Previous: 6)

With so much star power up front, we’re going slightly off the board here with Thomas Harley, who leads all Stars defensemen in nearly every single statistical category. Since Miro Heiskanen’s game on Jan. 28, Harley has scored 27 points, including 12 on the power play, in 29 games while averaging 25 minutes per game. The Stars' defense would be in shambles without him picking up the slack.

11. Edmonton Oilers (47-29-5, +20. Previous: 10)

Leon Draisaitl is the top challenger to Connor Hellebuyck for the Hart Trophy. With Connor McDavid having a subpar season – for his standards – Draisaitl has picked up the slack with his third 50-goal campaign in four seasons and become just the third player not named Ovechkin, Crosby, Stamkos or Matthews to win the Rocket Richard in the past 15 seasons.

12. St. Louis Blues (44-30-8, +21. Previous: 12)

It’s easily Robert Thomas, one of the league’s top playmakers and premier No. 1 pivot that nobody really talks about. He’s just one of five forwards (Kucherov, MacKinnon, McDavid, Pastrnak) to score at least 20 goals and 60 assists in each of the past two seasons. 

13. Ottawa Senators (44-30-7, +7. Previous: 13)

Tim Stutzle has faded a little down the stretch with just five goals in 22 games, but he will finish as their top scorer for the second time in three seasons. He is the team leader in even-strength points (45), power-play points (31) and average ice time among forwards (19:50).

14. New Jersey Devils (42-32-7, +23. Previous: 15)

There is a very, very strong case for Nico Hischier to win the Selke. Along with his 35 goals, he plays tough matchups with lots of defensive-zone starts, has excellent underlying possession numbers, gets a lot of ice time on the league’s second-ranked PK, and ranks first in faceoffs taken and second in faceoffs won. 

15. Minnesota Wild (45-30-7, -11. Previous: 16)

It’s easily Kirill Kaprizov had he not missed half the season, but Filip Gustavsson’s big bounce-back season is arguably the biggest reason why the Wild are where they are right now. Gustavsson solidified himself as the team’s No. 1 and ranks tied-sixth in wins (31), third in saves (1,547) and sixth in minutes played (3423:35). Did I mention he’s also scored a goal?

16. Columbus Blue Jackets (39-33-9, even. Previous: 19)

If Zach Werenski doesn’t finish at least second in Norris Trophy voting, we’re not watching the same game. If the Jackets clinch the last playoff spot – and given the way things are trending, it’s very, very possible – does that tip the scales in Werenski’s favor to win the Norris? P.S. It’s a small source of pride that the power rankings has quite accurately reflected the 16 playoff teams before the end of the regular season in the past couple of seasons – don’t disappoint me, Columbus. 

17. Montreal Canadiens (39-31-11, -22. Previous: 14)

The Habs have been streaky and they’re taking forever to clinch a playoff spot, but the one constant this season has been Nick Suzuki. We could argue that Lane Hutson’s contributions have completely changed the Canadiens’ dynamic on offense, but they’re not in this spot without the steady guidance and clutch scoring from their captain.

Canadiens And Blue Jackets Have Divergent Expectations With Playoff Spot On The LineCanadiens And Blue Jackets Have Divergent Expectations With Playoff Spot On The LineAnyone who suggested prior to the season that the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets would be battling for the final playoff spot in the final days of the 2024-25 campaign might have been laughed out of the room.

18. Calgary Flames (40-27-14, -17. Previous: 18)

Dustin Wolf’s incredible rookie season – in any other season, he’d be a lock for the Calder – is just another feather in his cap for an undersized goalie nobody (except maybe himself) expected to be this good. There are shades of Miikka Kiprusoff here, another undersized goalie picked late in his draft year who dominated in other leagues before dominating the NHL. 

19. Utah Hockey Club (38-31-13, -10. Previous: 17)

You can tell Clayton Keller was doing his darndest to carry this team into the playoffs in its inaugural season in Utah. He set career highs in assists and points and also finished nearly 30 points ahead of their next top scorers, Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz, who also wouldn’t have put up the numbers they did without playing with Keller.

20. Vancouver Canucks (38-29-14, -14. Previous: 20)

It’s a crying shame the Canucks wasted another brilliant season from Quinn Hughes, who could still finish as high as third in Norris voting despite missing 14 games. He ranks third in even-strength points (47), second in power-play points (29), and second ice time per game (25:44) among defensemen. He’s their biggest play driver and the Canucks rate out as a mediocre club without him on the ice.

21. Detroit Red Wings (38-35-7, -23. Previous: 23)

Someone other than Dylan Larkin has to really step up because this supposed brilliant Yzerplan is really getting long in the tooth. Lucas Raymond will finish as the team’s scoring leader but his impact still doesn’t quite rival Larkin’s, who plays more minutes and often in tougher situations. 

22. Buffalo Sabres (35-39-7, -21. Previous: 21)

Rasmus Dahlin is getting so little attention he’s really entering underrated territory even though he’s a top-10 defenseman. He will likely finish top-five in scoring among defensemen in the league and currently leads all Sabres defenseman with a plus-11 rating on a team that has a minus-21 goal differential.

23. Philadelphia Flyers (33-38-10, -47. Previous: 27)

It’s Travis Konecny almost by default in a season where the Flyers really took a step back. He was one of their few constants all season and ranks 11th in ice time among all forwards. Over the past three seasons, Konecny is the only Flyer to have scored more than 200 points, and only one other active Flyer, Owen Tippett, has more than 100. 

24. New York Rangers (38-36-7, -3. Previous: 24)

The Rangers would be a lottery team without Igor Shesterkin, who’s saddled with a team that needs significant changes in just about every area except the crease. Per naturalstattrick.com, Shesterkin has the second-highest expected goals against and the most high-danger shots faced at 5-on-5, and yet the Rangers are just slightly below average ranking 21st in goals against per game. 

25. Anaheim Ducks (35-37-9, -41. Previous: 22)

For the first time in four seasons, no Duck will score 60 points, which means Lukas Dostal is the MVP almost by default. His play trailed off after a brilliant start to the season (.945 SP in October) but, for the most part, he was a big reason why the Ducks were able to stay competitive in most games. Dostal was able to overcome the fifth-worst power play in the cap era to maintain a .500 record. Incredible stuff.

26. Seattle Kraken (35-41-6, -18. Previous: 26)

Joey Daccord set career highs in starts, wins and saves. He trails only Hellebuyck and Anthony Stolarz in total goals saved above average at 5-on-5 over the past two seasons, according to naturalstattrick.com.

27. Boston Bruins (33-39-10, -50. Previous: 30)

This team is basically David Pastrnak and Pastrnak’s 17 kids.

NHL Rumor Roundup: More Speculation About The Rangers And Bruins' Off-Season PlansNHL Rumor Roundup: More Speculation About The Rangers And Bruins' Off-Season PlansAfter winning the Presidents' Trophy last season, the New York Rangers missing the playoffs is generating growing conjecture about their off-season plans. 

28. Pittsburgh Penguins (33-36-12, -53. Previous: 25)

We need to get Sidney Crosby out of Pittsburgh stat, but the problem is Crosby won’t ever leave Pittsburgh. He is still one of the NHL’s most complete players and his 20 seasons of averaging a point-per-game or better doesn’t get enough respect for just how tough it is to accomplish.

29. Nashville Predators (29-44-8, -64. Previous: 28)

Filip Forsberg is absolved from the blame in the Preds’ disastrous season, scoring at least 30 goals for the third time in four seasons. The Preds’ supposed high-octane offense produced just one 30-goal scorer, and what’s interesting is that Forsberg’s decline in shot volume wasn’t picked up by Steven Stamkos or Jonathan Marchessault. The Preds offense, in general, took a huge leap backwards in terms of generating chances.

30. New York Islanders (35-34-12, -31. Previous: 29)

Bo Horvat stood out from the rest for being their most consistent and reliable player. He scored goals, took a ton of faceoffs and won a ton of them, played on the power play and penalty kill and was the only Islanders forward to average over 20 minutes per game while playing more than half the season.

31. Chicago Blackhawks (25-46-11, -70. Previous: 31)

Connor Bedard’s sophomore season was met with fresh challenges, including a mid-season coaching change, but one thing that stayed consistent was the Blackhawks funnelling their offense through their franchise player. 

32. San Jose Sharks (20-49-12, -102. Previous: 32)

Despite a bevy of losses, the Sharks were able to enjoy themselves once in a while. That’s not hard to do with Macklin Celebrini coming off an excellent rookie season. The Sharks have featured a different scoring leader in each of the past five seasons, but it certainly seems like Celebrini will be topping their leaderboard for many, many seasons to come.

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Canucks Linus Karlsson Is Finding His NHL Role As A Netfront Presence

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Apr 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars goaltender Casey DeSmith (1) and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin (46) and Vancouver Canucks center Linus Karlsson (94) look for the puck during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Vancouver Canucks acquired 2018 third-round draft pick, Linus Karlsson, back in 2019. He made his NHL debut on November 16, 2023, and scored his first NHL goal on January 29, 2025 against the Nashville Predators. Now, the forward has 26 total NHL games under his belt as well as two postseason NHL games. Despite finding a goal-scoring home with the Abbotsford Canucks as the franchise’s leading scorer, Karlsson looks to find his role with Vancouver. 

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Karlsson scored his third goal of the season Monday night against the San Jose Sharks — a tidy one that involved him crashing the net to tuck home a rebound. He scored his first NHL goal in a similar manner, keeping himself planted in front of the opposing goaltender to bat in any possible bounces. 

“If you want to score in this league, you have to have some natural presence. And I love to be that guy,” Karlsson commented on Monday about the style of his goal. “I just try to find a role that helps the team. And if I can help, it’s getting me a better chance to play up here.” 

“He’s a guy that can [do that],” Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet said of Karlsson wanting a netfront role. “He should embrace that role, because he can do it.”

Tip-ins and netfront goals are something Karlsson has been practicing for awhile. In fact, Karlsson’s first goal with Abbotsford came from crashing the net and maintaining his presence in-tight. For Karlsson, carving out a full-time NHL role like this is definitely possible — he’ll just need to continue working at it.  

“I think there’s something there, [but] he’s got to get stronger,” Tocchet said. “That’s just part of the maturation.” 

“I think it’s a lot of technique. I’m probably not the strongest guy, but I work a lot with this kind of stuff,” Karlsson added regarding his playstyle. “Most of the game is along the board. So really, that’s probably why I’m up here. That’s what I’m good at, like along the walls, and try to get the puck out of there.” 

Ultimately, Karlsson’s goal for next season should be cementing himself in Vancouver’s regular lineup and continuing to play the way he has since being called up this time around. If that means playing netfront and collecting as many tip-ins and rebounds as possible, then that’s what he’ll have to do. 

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