Report: Sharks captain Couture to announce end of NHL career Tuesday originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It appears to be the end of an era for the Sharks.

Veteran San Jose center Logan Couture will announce the end of his NHL career in a press conference on Tuesday at SAP Center, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported Monday.

#sjsharks and captain Logan Couture are scheduled to hold a press conference Tuesday to announce that Couture is unable to continue his playing career as a result of injury.

Tough way to end an incredible career. Couture led playoffs (in separate years) in goals, assists and…

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) April 14, 2025

Couture was selected by the Sharks with the No. 9 pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, debuting in the 2009-10 season, and played 14-plus seasons with San Jose before suffering a deep groin issue, specifically osteitis pubis, in January 2024. Couture has not played since, and missed the entire 2024-25 NHL season as he attempted to work his way back to the ice.

In 933 career games with San Jose, Couture, a two-time NHL All-Star, recorded 701 points (323 goals, 378 assists) while being named to the 2010-11 All-Rookie Team in his first full season with the Sharks.

Couture played a pivotal role in helping lead San Jose on numerous playoff runs from 2011-2019, including three Western Conference Finals appearances (2011, 2016, 2019) and one Stanley Cup (2016) appearance during his tenure.

The 36-year-old is beloved by Sharks fans, and now appears to be hanging up his skates after a stellar career in San Jose.

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Drew O'Connor is set to make franchise history on Monday when the Vancouver Canucks take on the San Jose Sharks. Barring any last-minute lineup changes, the 26-year-old will become the first player in Canucks history to play over 82 games in an 82-game season. O'Connor is on pace to finish 2024-25 with 84 games played and is one of less than ten players who have a chance to play over 82 games this season.

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The reason O'Connor has this opportunity is because of the timing of his trade to Vancouver. When he was dealt from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Canucks, O'Connor had already played 53 games this season. Flash forward to today, and he has suited up for 29 games with Vancouver, which equals out to 82 games, despite the Canucks having only completed 80.

It is important to note that there are players in franchise history that have played either 83 or 84 games in a season. The difference is that the seven previous times it has happened were during 84 games seasons. Yes, the NHL had 84-game seasons at one point, with the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons being the only two to eclipse the 82-games played mark.

While playing over 82 games in a season is not uncommon in the NHL, it has never happened in Vancouver. According to the NHL's stat page, no Canucks player has finished the season with over 82 games in an 82-game season. In the end, it is a unique first in Vancouver's history as O'Connor will now become the answer to a Canucks-related trivia question.

Vancouver wraps up their season series with the Sharks on Monday night. The Canucks are 3-0 against their Pacific Division rivals, and will have their eyes on the season sweep. 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.

On Saturday’s Barn Burner podcast, NHL insider Darren Dreger criticized the fact that a livestream was made of Ivan Demidov’s arrival at Toronto Pearson’s airport on Thursday night. If you didn’t see it, there was live footage of Montreal Canadiens’ prospect’s arrival on Canadian soil on BPM Sports and Sick Podcast broadcaster Tony Marinaro’s X account. The post generated nearly 800,000 impressions and was very popular with Habs fans.

Ivan Demidov has arrived in Canada! Took the side route to avoid the commotion.#gohabsgo#thesickpodcastpic.twitter.com/lMlhCy6x3G

— The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) April 11, 2025

Granted, filming a 19-year-old’s arrival at the airport is a bit intense, but this fan base is intense. This fan base wants to see everything related to their team, and why shouldn’t it be given to them? Every year, the Canadiens are one of the biggest money-makers for the NHL, and that’s down to one thing: their passionate fanbase.

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The fact that so many people watched the stream is proof that it was a good idea. In the end, media members need to adapt to the times they live in. Last week, there was also talk that the excitement for Demidov was too intense and that it was even higher than when Guy Lafleur and Jean Beliveau joined the team.

Today, fans are more informed; they know what’s coming. Thanks to social media, we had a regular source of highlights from the KHL all season long. Every time Demidov made a great play, everyone saw the footage. Back when Jean Beliveau and Guy Lafleur were coming up the junior ranks, there was no social media, and their games weren’t broadcast on TV.

For the most recent generation of Habs fans that has been starved for offensive stars for years, Demidov looks like one of the missing pieces to bring the once offensively powerful Canadiens franchise back in the fold of the offensive juggernauts. Of course, they loved seeing Carey Price make save after save and keep them in games, but you need to score goals to win hockey games and eventually hoist the Stanley Cup. These young fans didn’t see the 1970s dynasty, which had fantastic goaltending with Ken Dryden, defending with the big three (Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe, and Larry Robinson), and attacking (Guy Lafleur, Yvan Cournoyer, and Steve Shutt to name a few).

Ivan Demidov is going to make an immediate impact in Montreal pic.twitter.com/gaOl8wOI16

— World Hockey Report (@worldhockeyrpt) April 8, 2025

Will it be too much pressure for the youngster? Some argue it will be, but I don’t think so. The way players are drafted these days after interviews designed to assess, among other things, their suitability for the market they would be going to, I’m convinced the Canadiens picked a player with the tools necessary to cope with both the pressure and the scrutiny Demidov will have to deal with.

He didn’t look scared or shocked when he saw the crowd at the airport; he smiled and waved, taking it all in stride. On Monday morning, Montreal woke up to find 93 “Ivan Demidov Is there for the Canadiens” signs on lampposts throughout the city, a fantastic marketing initiative from Warrior that is sure to make the fans even more excited. Let them enjoy it; they waited long enough.

Coup de génie marketing de la part de Warrior Hockey : la compagnie vient de s'associer à Ivan Demidov... et a installé une centaine de pancartes "électorales" pour en faire l'annonce.

En voici 2 aperçues sur l'Île de Montréal 👇 pic.twitter.com/enOddQBNQm

— Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) April 14, 2025

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Sharks secure best odds for No. 1 pick in 2025 NHL Draft Lottery originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

The Sharks are No. 1! The Sharks are No. 1!

In 2025 NHL Draft Lottery odds, that is.

By virtue of the Chicago Blackhawks’ 5-4 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night, San Jose, as the worst team in the NHL, now have guaranteed themselves the top draft lottery odds.

According to Tankathon, the Sharks will have a 25.5-percent chance of securing the No. 1-overall pick again. At the moment, the second-worst team in the league, the Blackhawks, have a 13.5 percent chance, while the third-worst Nashville Predators have an 11.5-percent chance

The Sharks can pick no worse than No. 3 in the 2025 Draft.

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The big day is finally here. After landing in Canada last week, tonight, Ivan Demidov should be making his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens as they take on the Chicago Blackhawks at the Bell Centre. The Illinois outfit is having another tough season and is currently 31st in the league with no hope of moving up or down.

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The Canadiens, who failed to clinch a playoff berth on their road trip last week, have another opportunity to do so, but they’ll have to avoid a trap they often fall into: playing down to the competition. In the only meeting between the two sides this season, Chicago got a 4-2 win, led by Nick Foligno and Tyler Bertuzzi.

The Hawks lost their last game and have a 3-5-2 record in their previous ten games, while the Canadiens have lost their last two but are 6-3-1 in their previous ten matches. Montreal had a day off on Sunday, so there’s been no official indication of a possible lineup change, but it seems logical that Michael Pezzetta will make way for Demidov and that Samuel Montembeault will be back in net, even though Jakub Dobes was excellent on Saturday night. While the Habs were off, Demidov, Lane Hutson and Arber Xhekaj were still on the ice in Brossard. 

Demidov as he enters the ice as a member of the Montreal Canadiens for the first time, welcomed by Arber Xhekaj #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/eyQ2Q8M26g

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) April 12, 2025

The Canadiens' number one netminder has a 2-1-1 record against the visitors, a 2.71 goals-against average, and a .908 save percentage. Dobes has never faced them and doesn’t have the greatest record at home.

Arvid Soderblom was on duty when Chicago beat Montreal in January, but the Hawks have since acquired a new number one goaltender in Spencer Knight. Still, the backup has a 1-0-1 record against the Habs with a 1.92 GAA and a .937 SP. Meanwhile, Knight has a 1-1-0 record with a 3.52 GAA and a .875 SP and was in the net for Saturday night’s 5-4 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

Bel arrêt!!
Nice save 🚀 pic.twitter.com/bHxhxlkliD

— xy - Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) April 13, 2025

Up front, Patrik Laine is by far the Canadiens’ most productive forward against the visitors; he has 27 points in 29 games, and he’s followed by Christian Dvorak, who has nine points in 16 games, and David Savard, who has nine points in 30 games.

Meanwhile, Nick Foligno leads the Hawks with 24 points in 54 games, followed by Teuvo Teravainen with 21 points in 23 games and Tyler Bertuzzi with 14 points in 21 games.

Monday night’s tilt will be the 576th between the two sides, and they have each won five of the last ten games. The puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, and fans should get to their seats early if they want to witness Demidov’s rookie lap. The Canadiens could have qualified for the Spring dance on Sunday, but the Columbus Blue Jackets stayed alive thanks to a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals. If they want to make it, the Canadiens will have to book their playoff spot themselves. 

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Toffoli makes NHL history with 30th goal in Sharks' loss to Flames originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

Tyler Toffoli will need one more stop to match an NHL record.

Toffoli scored his 30th goal of the season on Sunday night, in the Sharks’ 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames.

It was the fourth different team where the veteran sniper has reached that milestone: The Los Angeles Kings in 2015-16, the Flames in 2022-23, the Winnipeg Jets last year, and now, the Sharks.

When we sing Toffoli’s praises, of course, it’s not just about the scoring.

“He’s been outstanding for our group. The goal-scoring is one thing, but what he does for our dressing room as a leader, helping these young players,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said of Toffoli. “As much as Toff wants to score, he wants to win, and that’s what we need around here. We need guys that want to win and love to win more than they hate to lose. And that’s what Toff is all about.”

An alternate captain and a 2014 Stanley Cup champion, Toffoli has been a big brother to teen Sharks Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, a guy who connects everybody in the locker room, and a good example of winning.

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Lysell scoring first Bruins goal is encouraging sign for future originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Fabian Lysell has played much better of late for the Boston Bruins, and his hard work was finally rewarded Sunday afternoon when he scored his first career NHL goal in a 4-1 road win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Bruins right wing found himself all alone in front of the net during a second-period power play when he took a pass from Pavel Zacha and beat Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry to give Boston a 2-0 lead.

Lysell made his NHL debut back on Dec. 28 but didn’t play another game for the Bruins until he was called up in March. He’s now played 11 games for the Bruins this season and has two points in his last three games, in addition to seven shots on net over the last two matchups.

“I think it means a lot for a guy like him,” interim head coach Joe Sacco told reporters in Pittsburgh on Sunday. “He sees himself as a little bit more of an offensive player, and when you’re in that position, you want to produce offensively.

“Especially getting your first one in the National Hockey League, it’s always a weight lifted off your shoulders. I think it’s been 11 games. Good on him. He’s doing some good things with the puck at times offensively. He’s attacking through the neutral zone, he’s attacking in the offensive zone. There are some things to like in his game, that’s for sure.”

Sometimes it takes time for young players to acclimate to the speed and physicality of the NHL game. Lysell failed to make much of an impact early in this recent call up, but he has looked much more comfortable of late and has really been using his speed to put pressure on opposing defensemen, draw penalties and create good looks at the net for himself and teammates.

Since making his return to the Bruins lineup on March 22 against the San Jose Sharks, Lysell ranks second on the Bruins at 5-on-5 in shots (20), third in shot attempts (35) and fifth in scoring chances (16), per Natural Stat Trick. He has been credited with just two turnovers during that span at 5-on-5, too, a sign that he’s improved his puck protection and is consistently making the right reads.

Even though the Bruins’ season ends Tuesday with a matchup versus the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden, Lysell will get more reps with the Providence Bruins in the AHL playoffs later this month. It’s a great opportunity for him to play in some high-pressure situations.

Lysell is arguably the Bruins’ top prospect right now. He was a 2021 first-round pick, and he has an impressive offensive skill set including an excellent shot, great speed and above-average playmaking ability. It hasn’t been easy for Lysell to crack the lineup since he was drafted, but more opportunity was created for him as a result of the Bruins dismantling their roster at the trade deadline in early March.

The Bruins are about to embark on a summer retool, and they need young players such as Lysell, Fraser Minten, Casey Mittelstadt, Matt Poitras and Mason Lohrei, among others, to play a meaningful role in that process. It’s time for the B’s to start building the next generation.

Lysell still needs to be a little more consistent, but the last few games have no doubt been encouraging. It’s something to build on for the 22-year-old forward as he enters an important offseason. One of the best-case scenarios for the Bruins going into 2025-26 would be Lysell showing he belongs in Boston on a permanent basis.

On Sunday, the Anaheim Ducks played their final home game of the 2024-25 season when they hosted the Colorado Avalanche. The Ducks were coming off a 6-1 beatdown at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday after back-to-back victories over the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames.

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This was the Avs’ season finale, and as they were locked into the third spot in the Central Division standings, they rested several of their impact players, including Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Devon Toews.

The Ducks signed defenseman Ian Moore to an ELC on Saturday, and he made his NHL debut in this game. He was paired alongside Jacob Trouba, and Olen Zellweger served as a healthy scratch.

Ducks head coach Greg Cronin shuffled the lineup for this game, switching Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras on their respective lines.

Lukas Dostal got the start in this game for the Ducks and saved 20 of 23 shots.

Scott Wedgewood was in the Colorado crease and stopped 18 of 20.

“We started out poorly and we ended poorly,” Cronin said after the game. “To me, it’s extremely disappointing. I’ll leave it at that.”

Here are my notes from this game:

Rush Defense-Typically, when the Ducks have given up rush opportunities this season, it’s been a failure to pick up assignments despite getting back on the backcheck and beating trailers up ice.

That wasn’t the case in this game. They allowed two goals off rush chances and were beaten back up ice both times.

“Everything went off of turnovers,” Cronin said of what went wrong in the last ten minutes of the game. “It wasn’t like they stripped us. We had full possession of pucks.

“I don’t care what game it is during the season; you either play the right way, or you play the wrong way. We played the wrong way, and they took advantage of the turnovers and put them in the back of the net.”

On Colorado’s first, Pavel Mintyukov tried to make a backhand pass from the top of the zone to a low forward in the corner and was picked off, igniting a 4-on-3 that turned into a 4-on-2 the other way.

On Colorado’s third, Troy Terry and Mason McTavish were caught below the offensive goal line without possession. McTavish was the weak side forward who should have tracked back when the puck was sent up the opposite wall.

Ian Moore-Moore was able to showcase what could potentially evolve him into a quality modern defensive defenseman, specifically his skating. He has an explosive stride and elite four-way mobility that allow him to eliminate time and space as well as recover from broken plays.

His willingness to take control of the play in the offensive zone and walk the blueline confidently in search of a shooting or passing lane was on display and has been something missing from that aspect of the Ducks’ attack this season.

“I can’t really put it into words this quick,” Moore said after his first career NHL game. “It hasn’t sunk in. I was just trying to play simple out there, just trying to stick to the basics. It would have been nice to get the win, but it’s still a dream come true for me to play tonight.”

Trevor Zegras-For as long as Zegras is a member of the Ducks’ organization, it would appear he’s destined to be a winger. He is most effective when leading rushes and with the entire ice in front of him, so it’s imperative to manufacture ways to put himself in those positions.

Mitch Marner, Artemi Panarin, and Kirill Kaprizov have no issue getting to the middle of the ice in the defensive or neutral zones to build speed and drive play into the offensive zone. As an outlet, Zegras is too stationary and could stand to start his movements to open ice before outlet passes are made so he can make the next play with speed.

The Ducks will hit the road for their final two games of the season on Tuesday and Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets, respectively.

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