On April 15, 2024, the New York Rangers clinched the 2023-24 Presidents' Trophy with a 4-0 shutout of the Ottawa Senators. They entered this season considered among the Stanley Cup favorites. 

However, the Rangers endured a tumultuous 2024-25 campaign and find themselves eight points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. The Hockey News’ Adam Proteau believes Rangers GM Chris Drury should be held accountable for the roster that led to this drop in the standings.

Drury was very busy in this season's trade market, attempting to remake his roster. He could have more changes in store during the off-season, even if his club manages to rally and push the Canadiens out of that wild-card berth. 

Chris Kreider was frequently mentioned as a trade candidate this season. Larry Brooks of the New York Post believes the 33-year-old left winger is playing his final games with the Rangers. 

This was a difficult season for Kreider. Plagued by a nagging lower-back issue, his production dropped to 20 goals and five assists. His name was on Drury's memo of trade candidates leaked to the media last November. 

With a projected cap space of $9.6 million for next season, Drury must shed some salary if he intends to be active in this summer's trade and free-agent markets. Kreider has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million. 

Kreider's struggles hurt his value in this season's trade market. However, Brooks believes his previous production could make interested GMs willing to pay fair market value in the off-season. 

That could be wishful thinking. Interested clubs could attempt to squeeze Drury to retain some salary or accept a lesser return if he wants to clear the entirety of Kreider's contract from his books.

The New York Rangers Are Out Of AnswersCoach Peter Laviolette and the New York Rangers haven’t figured it out.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers' firing of coach John Tortorella two weeks ago generated ongoing speculation about his potential replacement. 

They could stick with interim bench boss Brad Shaw, given the club's 3-1-0 record since he took over on March 27. The Hockey News’ Siobhan Nolan reports Shaw hasn't had any formal conversations yet with GM Daniel Briere, but he'd like to have the opportunity to remain in the job full-time. 

Some observers are musing about outside options. Philly Hockey Now's William James listed David Carle of the University of Denver and current Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet among his potential candidates. 

Meanwhile, Briere is planning his off-season moves to bolster his roster. On April 4, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported the Flyers GM is open to using some of his draft capital as trade bait to acquire young NHL-ready talent. 

LeBrun pointed out the Flyers have three first-round picks and four second-rounders in this year's draft. Briere indicated he's open to moving one of those first-round picks. 

In addition to their pick, the Flyers have the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche's first-rounders, which will be lower in the draft order. They're the ones more likely to be moved, though Briere could part with the Flyers' first-round pick for a substantial offer.

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The Colorado Avalanche are one step closer to having captain Gabriel Landeskog return to the lineup.

The Avalanche announced on Wednesday they loaned Landeskog to the AHL's Colorado Eagles for a conditioning assignment.

Landeskog, 32, hasn't played since the team won the Stanley Cup on June 26, 2022. He's been recovering from a right knee injury that included having cartilage transplant surgery in May 2023. The Avalanche have him on long-term injured reserve in the meantime, and he'll remain there during the conditioning loan.

Under the collective bargaining agreement, a player on LTIR can be loaned on a conditioning assignment for a period up to the longer of six days and three games, solely for the purpose of determining whether they are fit to play. If the team believes it needs more time to assess the player's fitness to play, it can request the NHL an extension of the loan for two more games.

While Landeskog has practised with the Avalanche occasionally, the AHL assignment allows him to get into some game action. He hasn't played in the AHL before, going straight from OHL Kitchener in 2010-11 to the NHL in 2011-12.

Landeskog had 30 goals and 59 points in 51 games in 2021-22, as well as 11 goals and 22 points in 20 playoff games.

The Colorado chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association nominated Landeskog for the Masterton Trophy on Wednesday. The award goes annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.

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The Montreal Canadiens got a pretty special talent in Ivan Demidov. 

Without being hyperbolic in any way, Demidov might be the best teenage talent the Canadiens are bringing into the fold since they drafted Guy Lafleur first overall in 1971. 

A team can rarely inject a player with this level of skill into the lineup at this stage of the season. We see NCAA and major junior players join NHL clubs around this time of year, but a Russian player is rarely granted a release from his KHL club. 

Now that Demidov did get released and signed an entry-level contract on Tuesday, the biggest question is what he will bring to the Canadiens’ lineup and how he can help add an element to the team that it lacks as it works toward the playoffs.

Demidov is a highly skilled player in various ways. His puckhandling his intentional and artistic. He can weave and dart through traffic, working off his edges in unorthodox ways at times, presenting a unique challenge for defenders. While he’s not a burner, Demidov brings the elusiveness and shiftiness that players like Lane Hutson or Mitch Marner bring to the game. 

Demidov’s mobility, shiftiness and puck skill give defenders fits. While most players telegraph what they will do with the direction of their feet or the way they handle the puck, Demidov can instantly shift his weight or work off his inside edge to change direction in ways that most NHLers simply don’t do. 

WHAT A GOAL 🤫
🚨 Ivan Demidov #GoHabsGo
1-0 SKA pic.twitter.com/mXCEhidHGp

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) January 3, 2025

So much of hockey is reading and reacting to what is developing on the ice as it happens, and the best players find ways to dictate play. Demidov consistently creates small advantages by finding gaps or recognizing how defenders choose to play him and then exploiting whatever they give him. 

His spatial awareness was elite at the KHL level. While there will be a bit less space in the NHL, Demidov’s ability to adapt and maneuver through pressure has made him successful. He is clinical with his skill, attacking play head-on. Demidov commands the puck and takes the burden of being the driving force off his teammates. 

When he gets into the offensive zone, Demidov is ready for just about anything. He scans and reads the zone, recognizes where his teammates are and where they are going, and then makes the best play to put his team in a position to score. 

Demidov is a wickedly skilled playmaker at heart, showcasing the combination of finesse and precision needed to feather pucks onto his teammate’s stick or a willingness to assert himself with a hard pass through traffic to flip the ice laterally. 

Sheesh... Ivan Demidov with a 5-game assist streak and this one is 🥵 pic.twitter.com/G8yruEq30A

— KHL (@khl_eng) February 13, 2025

His shooting talent is wildly underrated as he can rip the puck from various hand positions, whether the puck is extended out in front of him or tight at his feet. Demidov’s shot pops off his stick quickly, which makes life difficult for goalies trying to read it. 

He still has some room to grow defensively, but he is a relentless worker who always hunts the puck down. He is a nifty stick lifter and can pull pucks off opposing players in the neutral zone and flip play in an instant. 

What really separates Demidov is his mentality. He is mentally built differently than so many other athletes. While many are motivated and driven, Demidov is cut from the same cloth as the most intense athletes in sports. Take what he said at the draft, for example, when asked if he is ready to be the game-breaking talent the Canadiens were missing.

“I am ready,” Demidov said. “Kobe Bryant is my idol in sports. I try to take his Mamba Mentality. It’s the first word I learned… killer instinct.”

Demidov wasn’t being tongue-in-cheek when he said that. He wants the pressure and the spotlight. He thrives when all eyes are on him. This is what he was born to do. 

When he steps into the Canadiens’ lineup, he will add an element of skill, tenacity and creativity they need. The diverse offensive skill he brings to the game will give them the depth scoring they need behind captain Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. 

Demidov would be an excellent fit on the team’s second line, instantly becoming the most dangerous player on the ice for Montreal. Playing opposite Patrik Laine would allow him to make the most of his playmaking and puckhandling ability. It would give Laine a running mate to produce offensively on the second line and fill the void they’ve been rotating players in and out of on the left wing. 

Demidov’s work rate and intensity away from the puck, along with his need to prove to coach Martin St-Louis he deserves a spot in the top six, will also help a player like Laine, who is less engaged defensively. 

The stars are aligning for Montreal this year in many ways. Nick Suzuki is the first Canadiens player to eclipse 80 points since Alex Kovalev in 2007-08. Cole Caufield will challenge 40 goals. Lane Hutson is the favorite to win the Calder Trophy. Ivan Demidov has arrived. 

Things are looking up for Montreal, and the top teams in the Atlantic division are on notice. Montreal is coming, and Demidov will be a massive piece of that puzzle.

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The defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers are resting some veteran players despite falling behind the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Panthers, which lost their last five games, are six points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs and four behind the Lightning. The Ottawa Senators, which sit in the first wild-card spot, are only two points behind Florida.

This has all led to the suggestion that the Panthers would be better off sinking in the Atlantic to set up a first-round series with the Maple Leafs instead of facing the Lightning, which won Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021 and improved from last season.

From this writer’s perspective, we think that’s inaccurate and disrespectful to a Maple Leafs team currently sitting second in the Eastern Conference and fifth in the NHL.

Yes, the Maple Leafs have a pattern of early exits in the playoffs. A similar thing can be said about the Colorado Avalanche, which didn’t make it out of the second round in 10 post-seasons between 2002-03 and 2020-21 before they won a Cup in 2021-22. The Leafs, meanwhile, are at 11 straight post-seasons without a Conference final appearance.

Eventually, many teams figure out how to win in the post-season. This year's Leafs could well be one of those teams.

Let’s remember, the Maple Leafs have two above-average goalies in Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll, the best defense corps in recent franchise history, a “Core Four” of star forwards that remains very dangerous and a Cup-winning coach in Craig Berube. 

Of course, like every team, the Leafs are flawed, but assuming they will fall on their face again is ill-advised. The stakes are sky-high for Toronto, but that pressure could power them to finally produce a lengthy playoff run this year.

Even with the Panthers’ injuries factored in, the way they’re playing right now – going 3-6-1 in their last 10 games and 4-8-1 since March 8 – makes us think some teams should hope they avoid the Leafs and instead play the Panthers when the playoffs kick off. It's not easy to just flip a switch when the post-season begins, and we think Florida could be in trouble if and when they get back to full strength.

As for the Maple Leafs, if they face the Senators or Montreal Canadiens in the first round, they should and will be favored to win that series. 

Toronto isn’t a lock to go far this year, but the notion that teams should be maneuvering to set up a series against the Leafs is bordering on preposterous. The Leafs are a very good team with something to prove – and anyone betting against them is playing with Blue and White fire.

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Top NHL prospect Ivan Demidov is coming to the Montreal Canadiens.

Canadiens fans followed KHL St. Petersburg all season because of Demidov, their fifth-overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft. With St. Petersburg’s season ending early in the playoffs just a few days ago, the watch was on to see if the super-prospect would head to North America to finish this season.

While there were many reports that Demidov was staying in Russia until June 1, when his contract officially expired, and was set to join the Habs in the fall, plans look to have changed. 

St. Petersburg said goodbye to its 19-year-old leading scorer.

“SKA (St. Petersburg) and Ivan Demidov have taken a joint decision, which will see the forward join the Montreal Canadiens this season,” the team said in an X post. “His KHL rights will remain with SKA. He will return to Saint Petersburg if he doesn’t gain a foothold in the NHL.”

NHL clubs cannot legally negotiate early releases from KHL clubs, which means Demidov’s representation did that. Although St. Petersburg released his rights, Canadiens GM Kent Hughes must still work out an entry-level contract with Demidov and his agent. 

There was some tension because although Demidov was clear in his desire to come to North America when his contract expired, his KHL club consistently said it felt his best development situation was to stay with SKA.

Demidov had 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points in 65 games this year, recording the most points in a season by a U-20 player in KHL history. He played in just six playoff games, notching five points for St. Petersburg before its elimination in the first round of the playoffs. 

Demidov is the No. 1 ranked prospect in The Hockey News' Future Watch issue after asking a scout, director of player personnel or GM from each NHL team.

Top 25 NHL Prospects In Future Watch 2025Some players make the NHL as teenagers, but many prospects take three, four or even five years to break through.

Routinely their most dynamic skater, Demidov’s relationship with coach Roman Rotenberg seemed strenuous, to say the least. He’s mentioned many times that he feels like Demidov has plenty to learn still and that Russia is where he can learn that. He’s limited Demidov’s ice time a number of times, including twice playing him under 10 minutes in the playoffs. 

As soon as the Canadiens sign Demidov, he can join their run toward the playoffs and possibly give them a secret weapon offensively. His dynamism and skill are unmatched on the Habs roster.

Demidov should be suiting up in a Habs sweater soon enough.

'I Try To Take His Mamba Mentality': Canadiens' Ivan Demidov Ready To Be a Game-BreakerIvan Demidov's sporting idol is Kobe Bryant. He wants to be the difference-maker the Montreal Canadiens need with the Mamba Mentality. And he feels ready – when the time comes.

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The Hockey News Big Show is back for another week of discussing some of the biggest NHL and hockey topics.

Breaking Down Ovechkin's New NHL Goals Record, The Playoff Chase, Lane Hutson And More by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Michael Traikos and guest co-host Steve Warne discussed in this episode:

1:04: Now that Alex Ovechkin broke the NHL all-time goals record, what's next for him? How will he add to his greatness?

6:28: Will Ovechkin’s new record ever be broken?

9:50: Where does Ovechkin rank on the NHL's "greatest players ever" list? 

11:36: The Ottawa Senators are now just two points behind the Florida Panthers for third place in the Atlantic Division. Could the Senators snag that spot?

14:20: On his 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman discussed what is being called the "Sunshine State Conspiracy" against Toronto. Do we think this "conspiracy" of the Panthers trying to get the first wild-card spot to face the Toronto Maple Leafs is real?

18:07: Both conferences’ second wild-card teams, the Minnesota Wild and Montreal Canadiens, have at least a four-point lead over the teams chasing them to get in. Can any team in the chase actually catch up, or is the playoff picture getting clearer?

22:53: Which trade acquisition who didn't hit the ground running with their new team is due for a hot streak?

26:27: Tage Thompson is up to 43 goals this season, the third most in the NHL. Is he the best value contract in the NHL? Are his prime years being wasted in Buffalo? Would they ever consider trading him?

31:36: Anthony Stolarz is 5-0-0 in his last 5 starts with a .944 save percentage. Is the Leafs’ Game 1 starter debate over?

33:33: Which Canadian forward who got snubbed at the 4 Nations Face-Off should be on the Olympic team?

34:40: Lane Hutson is feeling like a lock for the Calder. Should he also be getting some serious consideration for the Norris?

37:30: When asked about his message to his team following their 5-1 loss to the Lightning, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said, "I don't have a message right now. I don't go into the locker room after the game." Is it weird for the coach not to go in the dressing room after a game?

40:06: Ovechkin's first posts since breaking the NHL all-time goals record both expressed his love for longtime teammate Nicklas Backstrom. Are they the best bro-mance in hockey? 

Watch the full episode here. 

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

There is absolutely no doubt that Zayne Parekh is an offensive wizard, and he'll almost certainly help the Calgary Flames.

Sometime. That time is almost certainly not now.

With Parekh's Saginaw Spirit being eliminated from the OHL playoffs, Parekh is available to play for the Flames, which drafted him ninth overall last June.

Unless the Flames are either locked in or out of the playoffs before the end of the regular season, it's unlikely he'll play for the Flames. But his immediate hockey future might still be in Calgary, and his remarkable OHL season should have NHL fans keeping an eye out for him for years to come.

Today's video column explains why.

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NHL goaltender-turned-broadcaster Greg Millen died at 67 years old on Monday, the NHL Alumni Association announced.

No cause of death was announced.

“It is with heavy hearts we share the sudden passing of Greg Millen today,” the NHL Alumni Association wrote in a statement. “He was known and loved by all in the broadcasting world.”

It is with heavy hearts we share the sudden passing of Greg Millen today. He played 14 seasons between the pipes in the National Hockey League for six teams: the Pittsburgh Penguins, Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, Chicago Blackhawks, and Detroit Red Wings.… pic.twitter.com/8bW05zgSx6

— NHL Alumni (@NHLAlumni) April 7, 2025

Millen played for six teams across 14 seasons from 1978 to 1992. He stood between the pipes for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.

After his NHL playing days, Millen became a broadcaster and covered the Ottawa Senators for 11 seasons, beginning with their inaugural campaign in 1992-93. He joined Hockey Night in Canada in 1995 and worked alongside familiar voices in Bob Cole, Jim Hughson, Don Cherry and Harry Neale.

Millen covered 12 Stanley Cup finals, 12 NHL All-Star Games, three Olympic Games and two World Cups of Hockey, NHL Alumni wrote.

He also covered the NHL on Sportsnet, including Toronto Maple Leafs regional games. Most recently, he covered the Calgary Flames on Hockey Night in Canada.

"Greg left an indelible mark on the sport as as everyone who had the pleasure to know him, watch him, and listen to him," Sportsnet PR said in a statement. "With his infectious passion for the game, sharp insights, and quick wit, Greg was a trusted and familiar voice in the homes of millions of Canadians for more than 30 years."

The hockey community and old colleagues of Millen remembered him on Monday.

Former NHL goaltender Mike McKenna shared how much Millen meant to him and the impact he had on his life. 

“Greg Millen was my first hockey hero,” McKenna wrote on social media. “He's the reason why I became a goaltender. One day, Grandpa Bill took me to the St. Louis Arena for practice and took this picture. Years later we became friends. Thank you, Millsy. You gave me a reason to dream.”

Added Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on social media: “Awful day for everyone who worked with Greg. Loved hockey and his role in it. The only thing he loved more was his growing family: wife, children and, now, grandchildren. Very, very sorry for their loss.”

Analyst John Shannon said many people in the hockey and broadcast community lost a great friend who put family above everything else but was so passionate about the sport.

“As a player, Greg Millen accomplished something every Canadian kid aspires to do. He played in the NHL,” Millen wrote. “In fact, he played 14 seasons in the greatest league in the world. Greg worked hard every day at his craft, and that carried on when he became a broadcaster. I was proud to work alongside him in every NHL arena and at the Olympics.”

This is a sad day around here.

Many of us in the broadcast and hockey community lost a great friend today. Greg Millen worked hard to stay in the NHL for 14 seasons, and worked even harder on his craft as a broadcaster.

He loved the game so much. pic.twitter.com/NuIzOFk2a9

— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) April 8, 2025

The Senators also paid their respects to the longtime former commentator. 

“The Ottawa Senators were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Greg Millen, the first ever Sens TV color commentator and a beloved national broadcaster,” the team said on social media.

The team remembered his memorable call in the 2017 playoffs when Erik Karlsson made a long stretch pass to Mike Hoffman, who completed "the ol' hockey school move," a one-handed tuck past Boston Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask.

The Flames said they were fortunate to have him as part of the Flames on Sportsnet community.

Millen is survived by his wife and four children.

“To Ann and Caroline, Emily, Allison and Charlie, I am so sorry,” Shannon said. “You lost the greatest of husbands and the greatest of fathers. To the rest of Greg’s friends, I feel your pain on this day. I will miss his laugh, his stories and above all, his loyalty.”

Welcome to a new episode of The Hockey News Wraparound Show, featuring rapid-fire topics after a historic weekend in the NHL.

Is This The Year The Kings Eliminate The Oilers? by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan and Michael Augello discussed in this episode:

0:00: Is Alex Ovechkin’s all-time NHL goals record one of the most impressive feats in professional sports?

6:58: Could Nick Suzuki be one of the top centers in the NHL in the near future?

9:30: Does Nick Roberston deserve a spot in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ playoff lineup?

11:32: What is the Nashville Predators’ biggest need at the NHL draft?

15:28: Will Brock Nelson stick with the Colorado Avalanche beyond this season?

17:48: Should the Florida Panthers be resting players already?

19:52: Could this be the year that the Los Angeles Kings take down the Edmonton Oilers?

22:01: Have the St. Louis Blues shifted from being a feel-good story to a playoff threat?

24:30: Could Cale Makar end up hitting 100 points next season?

26:26: Should people think differently about the Buffalo Sabres’ future after the team’s hot streak at the end of the season?

29:34: Could we see Mitch Marner stick with the Toronto Maple Leafs long-term like Vladimir Guerrero Jr.?

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Milestone Monday rewinds to April 7, 1982, when the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Los Angeles Kings in a wild first-round opener.

Both teams kicked off the playoffs with full throttle on offense. It was 4-3 for the Oilers after the first period and 8-6 for the Kings after the second.

The Kings won 10-8, but both teams set an NHL record no other teams matched since.

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.