Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar wasn't impressed with his club's defensive effort in Sunday's 7-4 loss to the division-rival Dallas Stars.
"The defending breakdowns we had, we did some dumb stuff today," Bednar said postgame, according to DNVR. "They all led to really good scoring chances against."
Bednar was quick to defend goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, who allowed six goals on 36 shots.
"I thought he was great tonight, I did," Bednar said. "You can't fault him on any of the goals. I think there's probably one he would like back."
Dallas generated 6.68 expected goals in the contest, compared to Colorado's 3.86, per Natural Stat Trick.
Georgiev has been a workhorse this season, ranking second in the NHL with 60 appearances. But his .898 save percentage on the campaign pales in comparison to the .918 mark he posted a year ago. His save percentage over his last three games is just .833.
Rookie Justus Annunen has been Colorado's best goalie of late, sporting a .931 save percentage since his recall in January. The 24-year-old has only faced three playoff teams in his 12 appearances, though.
The Stars now hold a five-point edge over the Avalanche for the Central Division title.
Does anyone want the final two playoff spots in the NHL's Eastern Conference?
Six teams in the East have clinched, but third place in the Metropolitan Division and the second wild-card spot remain wide open. It's been a turtle race as of late, with none of the five clubs alive truly separating themselves from the pack. The five teams are separated by just two points, which should make for plenty of drama down the stretch.
Below, we break down each of the hopefuls, ordered by points percentage.
Points: 85 (.552) Playoff odds: 60.3% Last 10 games: 6-4-0 Games remaining: vs. NYR, vs. MTL, @ NYR, @ NJ, vs. PIT
Many thought the Islanders' playoff chances would be contingent on reigning Vezina Trophy runner-up Ilya Sorokin. But 35-year-old Semyon Varlamov has been handling the bulk of the workload as of late, starting five of the last eight games. He's won four of those and has a .938 save percentage.
Two games left against the division-leading Rangers is far from ideal, but there could be a lot at stake in the final game of the season against the Penguins.
Detroit Red Wings
Dave Reginek / National Hockey League / Getty
Points: 84 (.545) Playoff odds: 51.5% Last 10 games: 4-4-2 Games remaining: vs. WSH, @ PIT, @ TOR, vs. MTL, @ MTL
It's the second wild card or bust for the Red Wings, who are the only Atlantic Division squad in this race. Finishing just short would be awfully disappointing for Detroit, which is looking to snap a seven-year playoff drought - the second-longest streak in the NHL.
Detroit arguably has the most favorable remaining schedule of the five teams. Regulation wins against the Capitals and Penguins will essentially be worth four points apiece. The Leafs are pretty much stuck in third in the Atlantic Division and don't have a ton to play for down the stretch. The Canadiens are among the league's worst teams.
The Red Wings were once comfortably in a playoff spot, but five wins in their last 18 games means they're fighting for their lives.
Washington Capitals
Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Points: 83 (.539) Playoff odds: 24.3% Last 10 games: 3-5-2 Games remaining: @ DET, @ BUF, vs. TB, vs. BOS, @ PHI
Have the Capitals been lucky or opportunistic? Their minus-41 goal differential is the sixth-worst mark in the league and would be the worst by an NHL playoff team in the last 30 years. But despite being blown out a lot, Spencer Carbery's group seems to have a knack for coming out on the right side of tight games.
There are two primary reasons Washington is still alive. First is journeyman goaltender Charlie Lindgren, who's hidden many of Washington's flaws with his superb season. The second is that Alex Ovechkin is scoring again. After an uncharacteristically quiet first half, Ovi has found twine 21 times in his last 31 contests.
Regulation victories against the Red Wings and Flyers, plus another somewhere in between, could be all the Capitals need to head back to the playoffs after missing them for the first time since 2014 last season.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Points: 84 (.538) Playoff odds: 38.6% Last 10 games: 6-1-3 Games remaining: vs. DET, vs. BOS, vs. NSH, @ NYI
Can Sidney Crosby will his team to the playoffs? It seemed improbable at one point, which is why the front office traded star winger Jake Guentzel at the deadline. But the captain has put the team on his back lately, racking up 16 points during Pittsburgh's 6-0-2 run. The Pens are undoubtedly the hottest team on this list.
The Penguins have also been riding the hot hand in net with Alex Nedeljkovic starting eight straight games over Tristan Jarry, who signed a five-year, $26.9-million contract in the offseason. "Ned" has posted a .917 save percentage in that span.
Its schedule is pretty daunting, but Pittsburgh owns tiebreakers over the Flyers, Capitals, and Islanders by virtue of regulation wins.
Philadelphia Flyers
Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Points: 83 (.532) Playoff odds: 25% Last 10 games: 2-5-3 Games remaining: @ MTL, @ NYR, vs. NJ, vs. WSH
The Flyers were never supposed to be here. Against all preseason projections, they held the third spot in the Metro for much of the campaign. However, they've started to unravel and are clearly the coldest team on this list. Head coach John Tortorella recently rallied against suggestions that the team doesn't belong in the race. Can they get back on track?
An answer between the pipes will make or break Philadelphia's season. Samuel Ersson has started to run out of steam, and newcomer Ivan Fedotov has played just a handful of games in North America. Can one of them make enough saves down the stretch? The Flyers' final game of the season against the Capitals could be a do-or-die tilt.
Tomas Hertl will likely make his Vegas Golden Knights debut Monday against the Vancouver Canucks, head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters Sunday.
The Golden Knights acquired Hertl from the San Jose Sharks in a stunning deadline deal, but the forward hasn't played since Jan. 27 while recovering from knee surgery.
Referee Steve Kozari had to be stretchered off the ice after colliding with Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Haydn Fleury during Saturday's game between the Bolts and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Video of the collision between Steve Kozari and Haydn Fleury
Fleury skated off the ice under his own power, though he was bleeding from his face. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game with an upper-body injury.
Kozari was taken to a local hospital as a precaution, is conscious and alert, has the use of all his extremities, and is likely to recover fully, the NHL stated postgame.
He's been officiating at the NHL level for nearly 20 years, working his first game in 2005. He's been part of over 1,200 regular-season contests and 135 playoff tilts.
Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen will be "under evaluation for a while" after suffering an injury Friday against the Edmonton Oilers, head coach Jared Bednar told reporters postgame.
Rantanen was on the receiving end of a huge hit by Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm during the second period and didn't return. The collision visibly shook him up, and Colorado later ruled him out with an upper-body injury.
The referees didn't penalize Ekholm for the hit. Avalanche defenseman Jack Johnson received a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct for challenging Ekholm afterward.
Rantanen, an indispensable cog for the Avs, has 40 goals and 62 assists in 77 games this season, reaching the 100-point mark for the second straight year. He also owns 87 points in 70 career postseason contests.
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner is expected to return to the lineup Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens, TSN's Mark Masters reports.
"Excited," Marner said. "Just want to get back, get back in the rhythm of things, and try and contribute to help our team win games."
Marner has been sidelined since March 7 with an ankle injury, missing 12 games.
The 2022-23 Selke Trophy finalist skated on the club's second line alongside captain John Tavares during Friday's practice, according to Masters. The Leafs notably had Marner, Auston Matthews, and William Nylander on three different lines.
LW
C
RW
Tyler Bertuzzi
Auston Matthews
Max Domi
Bobby McMann
John Tavares
Mitch Marner
Matthew Knies
Pontus Holmberg
William Nylander
Connor Dewar
David Kampf
Ryan Reaves
Marner also rejoined the top power-play unit alongside Matthews, Nylander,Tavares, and Morgan Rielly.
Marner has 25 goals and 51 assists in 62 games this season. He ranks third on the team in points and leads all Leafs forwards in average time on ice (21:20).
Jonathan Drouin went to the Colorado Avalanche surrounded by significant question marks.
On the ice, he was coming off a season in which he scored just two goals in 58 games. He had failed to reach double-digit tallies since 2018-19. And he had a reputation as a poor defensive player.
Off the ice, he had dealt with anxiety and insomnia that caused him to miss an extended portion of the 2020-21 season.
But Drouin has put together one of his best campaigns, entering Friday with 17 goals and 34 assists in 73 games. He's three points away from establishing a new career high. That perseverance is part of the reason why Drouin was announced as Colorado's nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy on Friday.
"He comes in here, and to me it's his attitude and really working at his game, adding tools to his toolbox, especially when it comes to being a well-rounded player on the checking side of it," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said, per The Denver Post's Corey Masisak. "He's become a real trusted guy for us.
"The image that he had, he's been able to completely change that for me in a short period of time and do whatever it takes to be successful for a new coach, a new organization, new teammates. I think it is something that should be recognized."
The Avalanche were an obvious landing spot for Drouin in free agency because of his prior relationship with Nathan MacKinnon. The two players starred for the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads together before turning pro. Colorado drafted MacKinnon first overall in 2013, while Drouin went to the Tampa Bay Lightning two picks later.
"He's very dedicated. He brings it every day," MacKinnon said. "He has a great attitude, a great work ethic. He's always trying to get better and he loves the game. He's always trying to learn and loves talking about it. It's fun to be around guys like that. He definitely deserves that recognition, for sure."
With a cap hit of $825,000 this season, Drouin has been one of the league's best bargains. Excluding players on entry-level contracts, the 29-year-old leads all NHL skaters in cost per point, per CapFriendly. He's put himself in line for a notable pay raise this summer.
There's a new Mavrik in Dallas, and he doesn't play basketball.
The Dallas Stars recalled top prospect Mavrik Bourque from the AHL's Texas Stars on Friday, the team announced.
The 22-year-old has produced a league-leading 72 points in 66 games with Texas this season. He's yet to make his NHL debut, but could get a chance Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Dallas selected Bourque 30th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Bourque is the second promising AHL standout to earn a call-up from the Stars this season. Fellow top prospect Logan Stankoven has tallied 13 points in 18 games with the big club.
Part 1 of our offseason lookahead series examined what the Montreal Canadiens can do to keep their rebuild on the right track. Part 2 broke down what the Ottawa Senators must do to get over the hump. In Part 3, we analyze the best direction the Calgary Flames can go.
The Flames will miss the playoffs for the second straight year following a season with no shortage of distractions. Calgary entered the campaign with a rookie general manager in Craig Conroy, a rookie head coach in Ryan Huska, and a staggering five key pending unrestricted free agents. That's not an easy situation for anyone to handle.
Calgary extended captain Mikael Backlund before the start of the season but ended up trading the other four pending UFAs: Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, and Noah Hanifin.
The Flames now enter the offseason with eight picks in the first four rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft, several young up-and-coming players, and a core of aging veterans. Where do Conroy and Co. go from here?
Embrace a rebuild
Gerry Thomas / National Hockey League / Getty
The Flames could go all-in, adding immediate help to try and win before Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, and MacKenzie Weegar - three 30-plus players signed through at least 2028-29 - get too old. But that strategy would likely lead to more long-term pain.
We're not saying Conroy needs to completely tear the team down to its core, but he must resist the urge to hand out more long-term contracts to aging players and instead continue to try and get younger.
The Flames should be open for business. There are obvious trade candidates - like goalie Jacob Markstrom and 2025 pending UFAs Andrew Mangiapane and Andrei Kuzmenko - but nothing should be off the table if a team steps up with the right offer.
Without a new arena deal, a rebuild may have been out of the question. But after locking in a 35-year commitment to stay in Calgary - and a new rink coming by 2026 or 2027 - the Flames have the luxury of rebuilding the right way without having to worry about how plummeting attendance could put the franchise at risk of moving.
The Flames have only drafted in the top five once in the last 50 years and have never drafted in the top three in that span. Bottoming out and getting a chance to select a homegrown superstar over the next few years would be a great way to turn the franchise around.
Trade Markstrom
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
The Markstrom saga has been a prominent distraction during the 2023-24 season. The Flames and New Jersey Devils reportedly came close to a trade for the veteran goalie, which ultimately fell through. Markstrom, whose contract contains a no-movement clause, said he wasn't happy with how the Flames' front office handled his situation.
It's clear that both sides need to move on, and the Devils reportedly still plan to pursue Markstrom in the offseason. That's good news for the Flames, who should try and work out a deal to turn the page as soon as possible.
It's important to trade Markstrom this offseason because of how volatile the goaltending position is. He's in the midst of a stellar season with a .906 save percentage and 28.4 goals saved above expected - the second-most in the league, per Evolving-Hockey.
But Markstrom posted one of the worst seasons of his career last season with an .892 save percentage and 1.5 goals saved above expected. If he were to return to his 2022-23 form for the Flames next year, it could torpedo his trade value. That'd be far from ideal considering he's 34 years old and signed for two more seasons with a $6-million cap hit.
Extend Sharangovich
Gerry Thomas / National Hockey League / Getty
One 2025 UFA the Flames should look to keep is Yegor Sharangovich. At just 25 years old, he could still be part of the solution when the Flames try to turn the corner in a few years. He's been a great fit with the club, establishing new career highs in goals (29), assists (25), and points (54) through 75 games this season. A 17.8 shooting percentage may be unsustainable, but there's still some room for growth in other areas of his game.
A four- or five-year extension with an average annual value of around $5 million could be a good deal for both sides.
Weaponize cap space
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Even before trading anyone, the Flames will have about $18 million of cap space at their disposal. With Dustin Wolf as the team's only notable pending restricted free agent, Conroy should use that cap space to further improve his team's draft pick pool and prospect pipeline.
Contending teams are always trying to clear cap space ahead of free agency, and they're typically willing to add sweeteners to trades if it means ditching a bad contract. As long as it's a short-term deal, the Flames should definitely be willing to take on an unwanted player if it'll net them a premium draft pick or prospect.
The Flames should also be willing to retain salary as a third-party broker if it scores them a draft pick.
Sign playoff-type UFAs for trade bait
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Even as a rebuilding team, the Flames still have several holes on the roster they'll need to fill for the 2024-25 season - the majority of which are on defense.
Weegar, Rasmus Andersson, and Daniil Miromanov should be lineup mainstays. Joel Hanley and Brayden Pachal are good depth options. But otherwise, the Flames could use two-to-three blue-liners to fill out their lineup.
Oliver Kylington is a logical candidate to be re-signed. The smooth-skating Swede was understandably rusty after initially rejoining the lineup following a near two-year absence. But he's started to look more like his normal self of late. Trying to re-sign him to a one-year deal would be a wise move.
The Flames should also try and target UFA defensemen on one-year deals who they could flip at the deadline for draft picks. Even third-pairing-caliber defensemen can net third-round picks, as evidenced by the return the Washington Capitals received for Joel Edmundson this past deadline.
Targeting physical defenders whom playoff teams will covet should be Conroy's free-agent strategy. Edmundson, Brenden Dillon, Ian Cole, Derek Forbort, and Ilya Lyubushkin would all make sense on cost-friendly, short-term deals.
The Flames are largely set up front, but they could use another middle-six center option. Sharangovich has mostly played center since the deadline, but he's a better fit on the wing. UFA centers who'd make sense on short-term deals include Alexander Wennberg, Max Domi, Chandler Stephenson, Teddy Blueger, and Kevin Stenlund.
The San Jose Sharks signed Quinnipiac University product Collin Graf to an entry-level contract beginning in 2023-24, the team announced Thursday.
Graf was widely considered the best NCAA free agent this year.
"His on-ice awareness allows him to process the game at a high level, and (he) is a unique player with a quality 200-foot game who excels in the offensive zone," Sharks general manager Mike Grier said. "We are excited to have him join the organization."
The 21-year-old forward has been a Hobey Baker top-10 finalist in each of the last two seasons. He helped the Bobcats win the national championship in 2023, leading the club in goals (21) and assists (38) in 41 games. He paced the team again with 49 points in 34 contests this past season.
With the Sharks sitting last in the league's standings, Graf could get to make his NHL debut in the near future.
