Sparks, who was chosen as Toronto's backup ahead of Curtis McElhinney at the start of the year, has struggled mightily of late. The 25-year-old lost four of his last five outings and owns a .902 save percentage across 20 appearances this season.
Mike Babcock cautions reading too much into Garret Sparks' hiatus: "Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, let’s go through the process here. He won a Calder Cup for the organization last year, it’s important we treat him right and help him get his game to the level he should be at"
Hutchinson was acquired by the Maple Leafs for a fifth-round pick in late December after the team ran into injury problems. He made five starts, winning two of them with a .914 save clip, before being was sent to the AHL's Toronto Marlies, where he made 23 starts and went 14-5-1.
The Maple Leafs will wrap up their regular season on Saturday in Montreal, where starter Frederik Andersen is expected to be between the pipes. The club will then head to Boston for the start of its first-round playoff series.
The last time the Carolina Hurricanes made the playoffs, their head coach, Rod Brind'Amour, was the team's captain.
Carolina clinched its first postseason berth since 2008-09 after defeating the New Jersey Devils combined with the Montreal Canadiens' loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday.
The Hurricanes' nine-year playoff drought was the longest active streak in the league. Ironically, Thursday is exactly 10 years to the day since they clinched their last playoff spot, according to The Athletic's Sara Civian.
The road to the postseason was never a guarantee for Carolina. The Hurricanes sported a lackluster 16-17-5 record at the end of 2018 but have gone 29-12-2 in the new year.
Carolina's first-round opponent is yet to be determined. The Canes could still finish as high as third in the Metro Division and as low as the second wild-card spot.
The Buffalo Sabres now hold the NHL's longest active drought, having not reached the playoffs since the 2010-11 season.
The Colorado Avalanche locked down the last remaining playoff position in the Western Conference on Thursday by earning a point against the Winnipeg Jets, eliminating the Arizona Coyotes.
Colorado owns the last-place Ottawa Senators' first-round pick, giving the club the rare distinction of competing in the postseason while boasting the highest odds at landing the No. 1 pick at the NHL draft.
The Avalanche will make consecutive postseason appearances for the first time since 2004-2006 and will look for their first series victory since 2008.
Colorado can still move into the first wild-card spot if it wins its final contest and the Dallas Stars lose each of their two remaining games in regulation.
Nikita Kucherov continues to add to his case for the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player.
With his 40th goal and 126th point of the season Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Tampa Bay Lightning superstar set a new benchmark for points in a season in the salary-cap era.
Player
Points
Season
Nikita Kucherov
126
2018-19
Joe Thornton
125
2005-06
Jaromir Jagr
123
2005-06
Sidney Crosby
120
2006-07
Connor McDavid
116
2018-19
Dating back even further, Kucherov's 126 points are the most in a season since Jagr's 127 in 1998-99.
Kucherov's 40th tally helped make some team history as well, as the Lightning became the first club since the 1995-96 Pittsburgh Penguins to have three 40-goal scorers, according to FOX Sports Florida.
'19 Lightning
G
'96 Penguins
G
Steven Stamkos
44
Mario Lemieux
69
Brayden Point
41
Jaromir Jagr
62
Nikita Kucherov
40
Petr Nedved
45
The Lightning still have one game remaining in their historic season.
The Washington Capitals are Metropolitan Division champions for the fourth consecutive year after defeating the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Washington has put itself in an excellent position to make a run at back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. The Caps have guaranteed themselves home-ice advantage through the first two rounds and will open the playoffs against the first wild-card seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Capitals have now racked up a dozen division titles, including nine over the last 12 seasons.
The Pittsburgh Penguins officially clinched a playoff berth for a league-best 13th consecutive season with a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.
Pittsburgh turned things around following a sluggish start to its season, posting a record of 29-14-5 since Dec. 19.
Sidney Crosby will have another opportunity to continue his ascent up the all-time playoff scoring charts. The two-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner sits tied for 10th with 185 postseason points and is just six back of the top seven.
The Penguins have won five of their last six opening-round series and captured back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2017 and 2018.
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes has committed to playing for Team USA at the 2019 IIHF World Championship, TSN's Darren Dreger reported on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading".
Additionally, USA Hockey is considering bringing aboard Quinn's younger brother, Jack, as well. While no official decision has been made yet, Dreger reports it's "likely" that he'll be a part of Team USA for the tournament.
Quinn is coming off an impressive campaign at the University of Michigan, as he tallied 33 points in 32 contests. The smooth-skating defenseman turned pro last week and has suited up in four games for the Canucks. This will mark his second straight year representing USA at the worlds after tallying two assists in 10 contests in 2018.
Jack is the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. The shifty, highly skilled center has 48 points in 24 games with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program this season.
The worlds will be held from May 10-26 in Bratislava, Slovakia. The United States will be looking to build off a bronze-medal performance in 2018.
TORONTO - Barely 19 years old and only 80 games into his NHL career, Andrei Svechnikov is crafting a scene for a Hollywood movie script, whether he realizes it or not.
Roaming the ice past midnight, the rink emptied out after Carolina Hurricanes home games, Svechnikov will shoot pucks until it hurts. The next morning, the Russian rookie will arrive for a team function like everybody else, sometimes with cuts and calluses on his hands - marks from pushing himself to the limit.
Michael Martin / Getty Images
It's a late-night routine that legendary workhorse Jaromir Jagr would be proud of, and it's no stunt. He's already developed a reputation for being a tireless worker in the gym and on the ice, including last season while playing for the OHL's Barrie Colts.
"I'm young, you know, I have to work," Svechnikov smiled Tuesday, downplaying the late-night sessions in an interview prior to the Hurricanes' 4-1 win over the Maple Leafs.
Linemate Jordan Martinook nods at a suggestion that Svechnikov's postgame regimen belongs in an inspirational sports flick. "They might have to do one on him and have Drago play Svech," Martinook said with a laugh, referencing Rocky Balboa's Russian nemesis in "Rocky IV."
Despite that cinematic appeal, little fanfare has accompanied Svechnikov's strong rookie season. The Calder Trophy conversation is dominated by Elias Pettersson and filled out by the likes of Rasmus Dahlin, Jordan Binnington, Brady Tkachuk, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Miro Heiskanen. Svechnikov, despite being the No. 2 pick in the 2018 draft, probably won't crack the top five in voting.
Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
Even in Raleigh, Svechnikov's progress has been overshadowed by the Storm Surge phenomenon, the "Bunch of Jerks" rally cry, an 82-point season from No. 1 center Sebastian Aho, owner-driven headlines, trade rumors, and a late-season playoff push. With a regulation or overtime win against the Devils on Thursday and a Canadiens loss, the Canes will secure a playoff spot for the first time in a decade. (They'll also clinch with a shootout win if Montreal loses to the Capitals in regulation.)
"I love it," Svechnikov said of the stretch drive. "Everything from the games to having fun in the locker room. We've already been playing for three weeks like it's playoffs. I've never played in the playoffs but it feels that way. We have to win every game."
Svechnikov's basic stat line - 20 goals, 17 assists, plus-2 rating, 58 penalty minutes, 189 shots in 14:40 per night - may not jump off the page. His raw skills and physical package are tantalizing, though. Get used to seeing some variation of this power move for the next two decades:
ANDREI SVECHNIKOV. He burns Shea Weber and roofs it on Carey Price. Beautiful goal. 1-0 Hurricanes. pic.twitter.com/q6e3Qvc2Yq
"He's so good at driving the net, drawing people to him, and creating chances for his linemates," said Warren Foegele, a fellow first-year NHL forward. "You saw that at the beginning of the year, too, but it's his rookie year and there's a learning curve. He's such a smart hockey player - has so many tools - and you can just see now how much more comfortable and confident he is with the puck."
Against the Maple Leafs, Svechnikov skated for 13 minutes and 52 seconds, fifth among Hurricane forwards. The third-line left winger failed to collect a point, yet the team finished with a 12-4 shot margin with him on the ice. He registered five of those shots himself.
In the second period, Svechnikov prolonged an offensive-zone possession that led to Dougie Hamilton's second-period power-play goal. Moments later, he flashed that aforementioned confidence with the puck by going for a cross-ice skate through the slot before whiffing on a backhand:
Veteran Jordan Staal says he's noticed better "situational awareness" lately from Svechnikov, who's been a prolific goal-scorer at every level but needed to plow through some rough patches in the NHL.
“You could see it tonight," Staal said following the Toronto game. "When he's got the puck, he's got some strength, some speed, and some skill. He's learned how to play the NHL game. In juniors, he was probably freewheeling and he could probably do whatever he wanted."
In early January, Svechnikov experienced a nine-game goal-scoring drought. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder - described by Martinook as a "bulldozer" whose shot is "second to none" - expressed his frustration to the Canes inner circle,but he didn't brood for long.
"A couple of guys talked to him, coaches talked to him, and he comes back the next day and he's got a smile on his face," Martinook said. "Then he goes out and has a three-point night in Calgary. He's just very good to rebound and let stuff wash away."
Svechnikov, one of only nine Hurricanes to dress for all 80 games, is tied with Teuvo Teravainen for third on the team in goals. All 20 tallies came at even strength, giving him the rookie lead in that category. And it's no small feat considering that he's predominantly lined up with Martinook and Lucas Wallmark, a pair of depth NHLers.
As the table below shows, Svechnikov's produced basically the same amount of even-strength offense throughout the season, though he's recently improved his possession metrics and tidied up in the discipline department.
Category
Oct.-Jan.
Feb.-April
Change
Goals
1.2 per 60 min
1.2 per 60
0
Points
1.8 per 60
2.0 per 60
+0.2
Shots
57.0%
59.2%
+2.2%
Chances
56.6%
57.9%
+1.3%
Penalties
1.9 per 60
0.8 per 60
-1.1
(All even-strength stats via NaturalStatTrick.com; "shots" refers to shot attempts for percentage; "chances" refers to scoring chances for percentage)
With two regular-season games remaining, the third-youngest player in the league has also accumulated 29 minor penalties, ninth-most in the NHL. That would normally be an alarming statistic. However, Svechnikov has settled down, taking just six minors in the 30 games since Feb. 1.
"When you're 17 and you're probably one of the best players in the OHL, you're not going to get called," Martinook explained. "When you're a rookie in the NHL ... those guys don’t get the benefit of the doubt. I'd say for a couple of (the penalties) this year, he was on that side of it. Just growing throughout the year, he's started to understand where he can get away with one or he needs to pull the reins back a little bit."
There's one important contribution the table doesn't properly capture:Svechnikov has also influenced how frequently Carolina attacks from prime goal-scoring areas. Shot volume heat maps from HockeyViz.com suggest the Canes are much more dangerous in the crease and slot areas when Svechnikov is on the ice at five on five:
Hurricanes, with Svechnikov on the ice
HockeyViz.com
Hurricanes, without Svechnikov on the ice
HockeyViz.com
In these heat maps, red denotes a higher-than-average volume of shot attempts. The bottom map, without Svechnikov, includes a blanket of blue and an abundance of white.
The youngster's been a welcome addition to a franchise hamstrung for years by poor goaltending, along with an inability to generate and capitalize on scoring opportunities. Converting zone time and shot attempts into goals has been a major issue throughout the playoff drought. Drago - er, Svechnikov - is a comfy fit.
"To only be 18 - or 19 now - and to be able to do what he's doing at that age is, I think, unreal," said Hamilton, one of Svechnikov's closest friends. "He's a really good kid, works so hard every day. He's the last guy off the ice, always trying to improve. He's just going to get better and better."
John Matisz is theScore's National Hockey Writer. You can find him on Twitter @matiszjohn.
