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.

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. 

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 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 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 ShipOn Sunday, the hockey world got to witness Alexander Ovechkin - The Great “8” - surpass The Great “One” for the most goals in NHL history.

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!     

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. 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Canucks Quinn Hughes Joins Elite Company With 350th Career Assist

Each Of Brock Boeser’s Seasons With The Canucks Described In Less Than Four Words

Canucks Quinn Hughes Nominated For The 2025 King Clancy Trophy

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.”

Linus Karlsson scores his first career AHL goal, and it’s an overtime winner for Abbotsford! pic.twitter.com/wcU6VMBiMn

— 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 Faber 🔥🎙️ (@ChrisFaber39) October 16, 2022

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.” 

pic.twitter.com/vyL6fuSlWp

— Izzy 🪿 (@izzycheung37) April 4, 2025

“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. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have done it again. 

Last night, they beat the Philadelphia Flyers and put all the pressure on the Montreal Canadiens to win against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight. 

As of right now, the Blue Jackets sit just two points behind Montreal and have a game against the New York Islanders on Thursday night. 

If the Canadiens lose tonight against the Hurricanes, they need to lose in regulation. If they manage to get a point, it puts an end to the Blue Jackets' season. 

As it currently stands, the Hurricanes are slated to give their star players a night off as it is their final game. Based on what Hurricanes reporters are posting on social media, these are the players who aren't at the morning skate:

Here is who is NOT on the ice for the #Canes at morning skate in Montreal:

• Sebastian Aho
• Jackson Blake
• Jalen Chatfield
• Seth Jarvis
• Jordan Martinook
• Jaccob Slavin
• Jordan Staal

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) April 16, 2025

It is worth noting, just because they aren't at morning skate doesn't mean they won’t be playing. However, if they don’t, it does give the advantage to the Canadiens. That said, they are winless in their last four games. Yes, they will be hungry, but with how they’ve played recently, the Hurricanes still have a good chance to win this game. 

Carolina Hurricanes To "Rest" Several Players In Key Game TonightTonight, the Montreal Canadiens have to lose in regulation to the Carolina Hurricanes for the Blue Jackets to have a chance to make the playoffs. But that road might be a little harder tonight. 

All eyes will be on this game tonight. There are a lot of Blue Jackets fans eager to find out what happens — and fans around the NHL as well. It’s a very exciting situation to witness: two teams fighting for the final playoff spot, and it all comes down to the wire. 

It doesn't get better than that.

Led By A Jet Greaves Shutout, Columbus Stays In Playoff RaceDante Fabbro(8), Kent Johnson(24), and Adam Fantilli(30) scored the goals for Columbus, while Jet Greaves absolutely dominated in the net to beat the Flyers 3-0 and survive another day in the playoff race.  Werenski Snubbed In Player Poll Despite Norris-Caliber SeasonThe NHL and NHLPA released the results of their 2024-25 player poll — always a fun look at what the players think around the league. But this year, there were some decisions that left a lot of people scratching their heads. Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski Nominated For King Clancy Memorial TrophyThe NHL has officially announced the 32 nominees for the 2025 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, and representing the Columbus Blue Jackets is defenseman Zach Werenski.

The Vegas Golden Knights will face the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the 2024-25 playoffs.

The Golden Knights have finished the season as the second seed in the Western Conference, giving them home-ice advantage against every team but the Winnipeg Jets. 

The Wild and the St. Louis Blues have been going back and forth, each team taking and losing the first wild card spot. Both teams played their final games of the season last night and after the Wild defeated the Anaheim Ducks in overtime, they clinched the higher seed.

The Golden Knights and the Wild have played one another three times this season, with the Golden Knights claiming victory each time. The first meeting, dating back to Dec. 15, saw the Golden Knights defeat the Wild 3-2 thanks to a third-period goal by Victor Olofsson.

The next two contests were won in a more dominant fashion. Without Kirill Kaprizov, the Wild couldn't generate enough offence to keep up with the Golden Knights, resulting in 4-1 and 5-1 wins. 

Kaprizov's return to the lineup will pose a difficult challenge for the Golden Knights. In the 3-2 win, Kaprizov scored both of the Wild's goals, and he finished the season with 25 goals and 56 points in 41 games, ranking fifth in points per game. Slowing him down will be challenging but vital to their success. 

The playoff schedule has not been released the beginning of the playoffs are expected to start on Saturday, Apr. 19 or Sunday, Apr. 20.

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

A Glance Into The Possibilities For The Golden Knights' First Round Opponent In The PostseasonLAS VEGAS -- The Vegas Golden Knights are back in the postseason, a place they've become all too familiar with since arriving in the NHL eight years ago.

Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov made his NHL debut, potentially the most highly anticipated debut in 2024-25, on Monday in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored a goal and notched an assist in his first period of NHL hockey, causing many to question how he slipped to the Habs at five, similar to questions many had in June of 2024.

Konnor Smith Signs ELC With Anaheim, Will Report to Gulls

Demidov (19) was selected fifth overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft despite consensus suggesting he was the number two prospect behind San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini. Demidov scored 60 points (23-37=60) in 30 MHL (Russia’s top junior league) regular season games in the 2023-24 season and added 28 points (11-17=28) in 17 playoff games.

Demidov’s draft profile radiated talent but came with significant question marks, as did every draft-eligible player outside of Celebrini. He had creativity dripping from his pores while displaying elite puck skills, manipulation skills, and hockey IQ.

The downside was the perceived questionable translatability of his skating and production, as he had only ever played before Russian eyes, in Russia, and had played all but six games in the MHL, a league he was clearly too advanced for.

Following Celebrini’s selection at first overall and ahead of Demidov’s fifth, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Artyom Levshunov second, the Ducks selected Beckett Sennecke third, and the Blue Jackets selected Cayden Lindstrom fourth.

In 2024-25, Demidov played 65 regular season games for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL, scoring 49 points (19-30=49) in limited minutes. He added five points (3-2=5) in six playoff games. His season quelled practically all concerns regarding his translatability as he was now producing and positively impacting games in one of the world’s top professional leagues.

Demidov’s NHL debut on Monday captured the attention of the hockey world. He instantly met and exceeded expectations, electrifying fans with a couple of highlight-reel plays, resulting in his two-point night.

He made one critical error on Chicago’s game-tying goal in the third period with a pitiful backchecking effort that ended up costing Montreal the extra point.

The good far outweighed the bad and the conversation within the Ducks sphere centered again around why and how the Ducks passed on who most considered the second-best prospect in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Ducks director of amateur scouting and assistant general manager Martin Madden met with local media ahead of the 2024 Draft to discuss his team’s approach.

“It’s not about what they look like today, it’s what they’re going to look like five years from now and the impact they’re going to have on our team five years from now,” Madden said when asked about his approach at the draft.

“We’re going to go with the old boring way and say that we’re going to go with the best player available according to our opinion and projection,” he continued.

It’s clear that translatability is a considerable factor for Madden and the Ducks at the draft. There’s also always the perceived “Russian Factor” when it comes to players under contract with KHL clubs. Teams don’t have access to the development of those players as they do with prospects in other leagues around the world.

Madden stated the Ducks did meet with Demidov at the Gold Star pre-draft combine, a camp put on by Demidov’s agency.

“Five years ago, I would have said not at all,” Madden said when asked if he was comfortable drafting a Russian player at the top of the draft. “By now, we are comfortable with the process (of assessing players strictly on video). We’ve had enough live viewings of these players through Konstantin Krylov, our Russian scout.

“For me, it’s nice to have been able to get a live look in terms of Ivan Demidov. He’s still hurt, so he didn’t get on the ice. But to talk to him and so on and so forth. To answer your question, we are comfortable. It’s not a big deal.”

The Ducks ended up selecting exceptionally skilled winger Beckett Sennecke with the third overall pick. He was the draft’s “late riser,” solidifying his draft profile with a spectacular final string of regular season and playoff games.

If Madden is to be taken at his word, at the time of the draft, the Ducks viewed Sennecke as the highest projectable player available to them with the number three pick.

Sennecke (19) has dazzled in the 2024-25 season, scoring 86 points (36-50=86) in 56 regular season games for the Oshawa Generals of the OHL, and has added 10 points (4-6=10) in six playoff games.

Sennecke remains a justifiable selection by Anaheim regardless of how Demidov arrived in the NHL. Like Madden had said nearly a year ago, “It’s not about what they look like today, it’s about what they’re going to look like five years from now.”

The Ducks' decisions at the 2024 draft shouldn’t be evaluated less than a year from conclusion, but several years down the road.

Radko Gudas Selected as Ducks’ King Clancy Memorial Trophy Nominee

Tim Washe Signs ELC With Anaheim, Will Make NHL Debut Against Minnesota

The Columbus Blue Jackets are going to win their games. Their locker room is galvanized and their goalie Jet Greaves is playing as well as any goalie in the NHL currently. This is something the Montreal Canadiens have to worry about IF they continue to lose. They still hold control their playoff destiny.

Blue Jackets defenseman, Dante Fabrro talked about this scenario.

“We have to do what we can do. Just win hockey games and put pressure on them. I’ve felt we’ve been doing a pretty good job of that so far and again it’s coming down to the last game for each of us now. We were all watching last night in the hotel room and the third period, overtime and the shootout. Coming into today we knew this was a big game and we came out the winner.”

It’s about playing desperate hockey and Adam Fantilli spoke to that.

“It’s awesome. We dropped a couple of games we weren’t happy about and knew we had to win games. We are trying to do our part and doing a great job of it. Jet (Greaves) has been playing great. We’ve been in desperation mode for however many games.”

It’s simple, yet complex. The Canadiens just have to take care of business. At the very least, get the game into overtime. Sometimes that’s easier said than done and the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t going to roll over but they might sit some of their starters. There is an opportunity here. 

No team ever wants to back in. You want to go into the playoffs hot. So far, the Canadiens aren’t doing it right but they’ll get another crack at it.

The Vancouver Canucks 2025 NHL draft lotterry odds are offically set. Regardless of what happens on Wednesday versus the Vegas Golden Knights, the Canucks will finish the campaign with a 97.9% chances of drafting 15th overall. As for their other odds, according to NHL Tankathon, Vancouver has a 1.1% chance of getting fifth overall, and a 1.1% chance of landing the 16th overall pick.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Canucks Quinn Hughes Joins Elite Company With 350th Career Assist

Each Of Brock Boeser’s Seasons With The Canucks Described In Less Than Four Words

Canucks Quinn Hughes Nominated For The 2025 King Clancy Trophy

If the Canucks do end up with the 15th overall pick, it will be the second time in franchise history they select from this slot. The only other time was in 2022, when they selected Jonathan Lekkerimäki. The Swedish winger made his NHL debut this season, recording three goals and six points in 24 games with Vancouver.

The San Jose Sharks have the best odds of winning first overall this year, at 25.5%. The second-best odds are the Chicago Blackhawks at 13.5%, followed by the Nashville Predators in third at 11.5%. Teams can only move up ten spots in the draft lottery, which means even if the Canucks win the lottery, they will not move up to first overall.

Vancouver concludes their season on Wednesday against the Golden Knights. This game will be emotional for players and fans, as it could be the final Canucks game for players like Brock Boeser and Pius Suter, who are pending unresticted free agents. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT from Rogers Arena.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.