ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Wild announced on Friday the signing of defensive prospect Stevie Leskovar from the Brampton Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). 

Leskovar, 20, has one goal and five points in 33 OHL games this season. He is a very physical shutdown defenseman for the Steelheads. He has 70 penalty minutes in 33 games this year as well. 

The 6-foot-4 defenseman was drafted with the 174th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. The 216-pound native of Cambridge, Ontario, has recorded four goals, 16 assists, 20 points, and 237 penalty minutes in 158 career OHL games across four seasons. 

It will remain to be seen what kind of career Leskovar carves out but I would imagine he becomes a solid physical defenseman for the Iowa Wild (AHL) and the Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL). 

The Pittsburgh Penguins are well-aware of how every game matters from here on out.

And they will have a crucial matchup against a division rival - and a team they are chasing in the standings.

The Penguins will take on the Columbus Blue Jackets in Pittsburgh on Friday. They have won six of their last 10 games against Columbus, and the Blue Jackets bested the Penguins in a shootout, 4-3, on Jan. 7 - which was their first win in Pittsburgh since Dec. 21, 2015.

Columbus currently sits three points back of the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, while Pittsburgh is eight points back. Needless to say, this is a must-win game for both teams - and a clean two points is nearly essential.

Alex Nedeljkovic will get his first start in goal since Mar. 7, when the Penguins lost to the Vegas Golden Knights, 4-0. Sullivan stressed the importance of making sure both of their goaltenders get reps down the stretch, but he also realizes he needs to ice the guy who gives them the best chance to win.

"The reality is with the amount of games that we've just played and that we have moving forward, it requires us to get both guys involved," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "So, when we make these types of decisions, we're thinking in terms of helping the team win the game right in front of us... but, also, there's a little bit of 'big picture' decision-making. 

"How do we set both of these guys up for success, so when they do go in the net, they have the ability to give us a chance to win? Ultimately, if we can set them up for success, it's going to help the Penguins have success."

Nedeljkovic should certainly be tested, too, as Columbus has five players with 20 or more goals on their roster. They are also getting a lot of offense from their blue line - including from Zach Werenski, who is having a career year with 20 goals and 69 points in 67 games. 

"They generate a lot of offense from their defense," Sullivan said. "If I'm not mistaken, they might be second in the league in terms of goals scored by their defensemen. And Zach's a big part of that... he's a difference-maker as far as a defenseman with the way he drives offense."

Here is the rest of the lineup for the Penguins on Friday, which includes Kris Letang in a new home on the left side of the top defensive pairing alongside Conor Timmins:

How we're lining up tonight vs. CBJ ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/yYanM7mhNU

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 21, 2025

The Penguins have points in 16 consecutive home games against Columbus, and captain Sidney Crosby enters this game just six points shy of his 20th consecutive point-per-game season, which would break Wayne Gretzky's previous record of 19.

You can track Crosby's progress here.

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For Calgary Flames winger Matt Coronato, this week has been about more than just hockey; it's been a homecoming. As the Flames make their way through the New York area, Saturday’s game against the Islanders is particularly meaningful for the young forward.

Coronato, who grew up on Long Island as a passionate Islanders fan, is getting the rare opportunity to play in front of the family, friends, and mentors who helped him reach the NHL.

“It's awesome to get to have so many people come and watch and be a part of it,” Coronato told the Calgary Flames website team on Friday. “So thankful for so many people that helped me get to this point.”

With wins in Manhattan and New Jersey after a trip-opening loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs,  Coronato has already been in the area for a few days, making the most of the Flames’ schedule. With multiple games in close proximity, his support group has been able to watch him play live—something they haven’t had many chances to do as he chases his hockey dream.

“For them to be able to come to a few games this week has been really special,” Coronato added.

While the homecoming is a highlight, there’s no time to slow down. The Flames are in the thick of a heated battle for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, and every remaining game is crucial. With back-to-back wins to start this trip, they’ve positioned themselves well, but they know the job isn’t done yet.

“It’s been a great trip so far - two big wins,” Coronato said. “So, every game is so important right now. So, it'd be really big to finish this road trip off the right way.”

Coronato has played a key role in Calgary’s success, ranking fourth in team scoring with 18 goals and 35 points in 63 games. His elite shot and ability to find open space have made him a dangerous offensive weapon, and he’s been feeling confident with the puck on his stick.

“It’s great to see some pucks go in,” he said. “And I think when we're working and playing the right way, the offence will come.”

As the Flames continue their playoff push, Coronato’s homecoming serves as both a personal milestone and a reminder of just how far he’s come.

“Yeah, it’s cool,” he said. “It’s been nice being here this week, having all the support from family and friends. Definitely been enjoying it.”

Between the Stanley Cup Playoff race and the NHL GM Meetings, there was a lot to get to on this week’s episode of The Hockey Show.

That’s why hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork brought in some extra muscle to help go over everything.

Joining the show this week were Amazon Prime NHL host Adnan Virk, NHL Insider David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period and special guest host Jonathan Zaslow of ESPN Radio and the Zaslow Show 2.0. 

Among the tropics from the GM meetings that we discussed were potential rule changes, making cut-proof attire mandatory, extending overtime, changing the playoff format and the fact that power play opportunities across the league are down significantly this season.

We also touch on CBA negotiations, the idea of an NHL-KHL showdown floated by President Trump and how there is a real possibility that all seven Canadian NHL teams can make the playoffs this season.

Our wins and fails of the week included an OHL player losing his cup mid-game, an all-goalies game in Seattle, an empty-net blunder by Vegas, a referee assist and the conundrum that is Matt Rempe.

We also, as always, spend a full segment breaking down the latest happenings in and around the Florida Panthers. 

You can check out the full episode in the video below:

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ST. LOUIS -- For the St. Louis Blues, now comes the hard part.

It's one thing to be the hunter trying to chase down those in front of them for the Western Conference wild card, but now to be the hunted, which the Blues (35-28-7), who host the Chicago Blackhawks (20-40-9) on Saturday at 2 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM), are, being chased by three teams (Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Utah Hockey Club) makes the final 12 games that much more interesting.

But what it does is not change a thing.

"That's a pretty myopic vision right now," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said after a very brief practice Friday. "We have the Blackhawks at (2 p.m.) tomorrow. We're going to get ready for them.

"It's going to come down to the last game because there's just not enough games left and not enough point separation to be able to take a breath, and that's great. What we've been doing, it's what we're used to. Our mindset's in the moment. I sound like a broken record, but that's what we have been focused on."

That's the message relayed to the players, and they have had it ingrained in them since making this 11-2-2 run.

"Yeah 100 percent, that's the message," said forward Dylan Holloway, who scored in the third period to give the Blues a 3-2 lead. "We can't get too high or too low. It was a big win tonight, but we've got more games coming. It's tight. ... It's as tight as it's ever been, and we've just got to keep going."

But boy, that will be a task after such an emotional 4-3 overtime win on Thursday at home against the Canucks when Philip Broberg scored at 3:42 of overtime to put the Blues one point ahead of Vancouver, two ahead of Calgary and four ahead of Utah. The Canucks have a game in hand while the Flames have two games in hand.

"They have a tough schedule coming at some point, where they're not going to be able to take a breath," Montgomery said. "Coming up, we're going to have a couple of two days off in between games. That's going to be really beneficial, but until we get there, we've just got to push through and we've done that. Our mental toughness, the way we prepare, the way guys are going out shift after shift playing really good hockey has been very impressive."

Nonetheless, there was so much to like for Montgomery in a game that had so many range of emotions, both good and bad.

"I just the think the way we played," he said. "We were committed to playing the right way. Vancouver pushed in the second, and then we pushed back in the last eight and a half minutes of the second. The third period, I think it was a combination of nerves and it's not an excuse, but the density of the schedule we made some decisions that I don't think are common for us lately, more common in January. It's just an opportunity for us to reset, recharge the batteries and get ready for another two big games here."

The Blues had their team photo day at Enterprise Center on Friday and skated for a shade under 15 minutes.

Oskar Sundqvist was the lone absentee from the skate due to a maintenance day, but Montgomery said the forward would be available to play on Saturday.

The Blues will be going for their second-ever season series sweep of the Blackhawks; they own a 6-2 win at the 2025 NHL Discover Winter Classic at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Dec. 31 and a wild 6-5 shootout win at Enterprise Center on Feb. 8.

The Blues' only season sweep was in 2919-20 when they went 4-0-0.

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Jake Neighbours-Robert Thomas-Pavel Buchnevich

Dylan Holloway-Brayden Schenn -- Jordan Kyrou

Mathieu Joseph-Oskar Sundqvist-Zack Bolduc

Alexey Toropchenko-Radek Faksa-Nathan Walker

Cam Fowler-Nick Leddy

Philip Broberg-Justin Faulk

Ryan Suter-Tyler Tucker

Joel Hofer is projected to start in goal; Jordan Binnington would be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Alexandre Texier and Matthew Kessel. Colton Parayko (knee) remains out. Torey Krug (ankle) is out for the season.

- - -

Blackhawks Projected Lineup:

Ilya Mikheyev-Frank Nazar-Connor Bedard

Teuvo Teravainen-Jason Dickinson-Nick Foligno

Joe Veleno-Ryan Donato-Tyler Bertuzzi

Landon Slaggert-Lukas Reichel-Patrick Maroon

Alex Vlasic-Wyatt Kaiser

Ethan Del Mastro-Connor Murphy

Alec Martinez-Artyom Levshunov

Arvid Soderblom will start in goal; Spencer Knight will be the backup. 

Healthy scratches include Philipp Kurashev, TJ Brodie and Louis Crevier. Laurent Brossoit (knee) and Colton Dach (elbow) are out.

The Los Angeles Kings concluded their two-game road trip with a split 1-1 record after a commanding 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. This victory capped off a six-win out-of-seven-game stretch and was a good rebound from their disappointing 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Monday.

Road Trip Recap

A balanced effort across the roster marked the Kings’ latest trip to Chicago. Trevor Moore opened the scoring in the first period, giving Los Angeles an early lead. Alex Turcotte made it a two-goal cushion in the second period, depositing his eighth goal. 

LA Kings (@LAKings) on XThursdub 🙌 #GoKingsGo

Despite a Chicago surge that began when rookie sensation Connor Bedard got the Blackhawks on board, Joel Edmundson's empty-netter ultimately secured the win for the Kings. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper backstopped the Kings with 17 saves, extinguishing Chicago's limited scoring opportunities.

The victory followed Monday night's disappointing 3-1 defeat to the Wild that saw LA’s five-game winning streak snapped. The Kings could not penetrate Minnesota's tight defensive approach in that contest. 

Strength Against Strong Competition

Even though the Kings lost to the Wild, who have been playing solidly this season, Los Angeles is still an excellent team against top-heavy teams in the league. 

At 22-15-3 against teams with a record of better than .500, the Kings have consistently been able to push elite competition. Their success comes from the combination of defense-based structure and scoring at the correct times, exemplified in the Kings' latest victories over playoff contenders like the Washington Capitals, the Winnipeg Jets twice, and even the Vegas Golden Knights on three separate occasions this season. 

Quinton Byfield's extra-session heroism vs. Nashville on March 15 demonstrated the Kings' resiliency. During that span, Byfield extended his goal streak to six consecutive games.

Looking Ahead

The Kings are home now for a highly critical three-game homestand. They will start with back-to-back games this weekend against. Carolina and Boston before finishing off against the Rangers on Tuesday night. 

LA will also finish the season playing 11 of its remaining 15 games at home, which will be a big test in deciding where it will finish in the Pacific division and who its matchup will be come playoff time. 

Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) on XUpdated Pacific standings after tonight’s games. Kings finish with 11 of their remaining 15 games at home starting with a back-to-back this weekend vs Carolina and Boston.

With the Western Conference standings tightening up, Los Angeles must continue playing defense with discipline and convert on prime scoring chances to stay atop the pursuit.

Byfield and Moore are also guys to watch. Byfield is emerging as a consistent scoring threat, and Moore has rekindled his goal-scoring ability. Kuemper's ability to keep his cool in the net will also be key, particularly against high-scoring teams like Winnipeg and Edmonton.

With momentum restored after the win in Chicago, the Kings can ride their good play back home to Crypto.com Arena. As the playoff push intensifies, Los Angeles' performance against quality teams determines its postseason standing and capacity to perform when it counts most.

The Chicago Blackhawks took a tough loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night. The 3-1 final didn’t indicate how much LA dominated Chicago at United Center. 

The score was closer than it should have been because of Spencer Knight's play. He made 31 saves on 33 shots against a playoff-bound Kings team loaded with talent. Without Knight playing lights out, this game would have been ugly. 

Both goals that Knight gave up came within a minute of each other in the first period. One was a perfectly placed wrist shot by Trevor Moore and the other was a deflection by Alex Turcotte. Outside of those, he was perfect and you can’t ask for much more. 

The most notable fact about Knight’s game against the Kings is that he started it. The loss to the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday was hardly his fault, but he did allow six goals. Interim head coach Anders Sorensen went right back to him, and it paid off. 

This isn’t the first time that Knight has gone back-to-back, either. Last week, he made two consecutive starts for the first time in his Blackhawks career. This is contrary to Sorensen's statement that he would rotate with Arvid Soderblom when Knight was first acquired. 

It seems like Knight is the number one goalie in Chicago moving forward. Being a first-round pick, Stanley Cup champion, and main piece in the Seth Jones trade, Knight has the pedigree needed to be the main guy. 

The Blackhawks have a back-to-back this upcoming weekend. Saturday is a road tilt against the St. Louis Blues, and Sunday is a home match against the Philadelphia Flyers. Soderblom will go against the Blues and Knight will get the Flyers. 

"Good. Today he gave us a chance to stay in the game in the first period." Interim head coach Anders Sorensen said of Knight and how he's been playing. "Really good down low, reads the play, handles the puck well. There is lots to like."

Although Sorensen is likely not going to be the head coach next year, he is giving a hand in developing him right now. Sorensen has confidence in Knight as he continues to start him despite what he said when the deal to get him was first made. 

The organization is showing Spencer Knight that he is their guy and that they are going to ride with him through thick and thin. A champion can be built with that mentality if the right players are involved. 

If Knight can truly be a high-end number-one goalie for a long time, the Blackhawks have an incredibly important piece locked down. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

San Jose Sharks rookie defenseman Luca Cagnoni made his much-anticipated NHL debut on Thursday following the 3-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Cagnoni became the first defenseman from the 2023 NHL Draft to play in the NHL. The Sharks rookie told reporters he did not know that postgame.

"I mean, I've been saying it all week since the call-up, it's pretty surreal," Cagnoni said postgame. "Definitely where I started my career, like not getting drafted in the WHL. It's a pretty special moment, even for my family. Probably them the most. To see me go through it and them being by my side, It's pretty special to have them here."

Cagnonii confirmed. pic.twitter.com/98ibHdI5hb

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) March 21, 2025

Cagnoni led all Sharks players in ice time with 23:15. He was paired with Vincent Desharnais on defense, and head coach Ryan Warsofsky liked what he saw.

"The game started slowing down for him in the second and third period," Warsofsky said. "Luca helps from a puck-moving standpoint."

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