Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov Continuing to Excel With Jake Guentzel’s Help
It was indeed a move that was stunning for the faithful of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team let Steven Stamkos sign with the Nashville Predators in NHL Free Agency…
Monthly Archives: March 2025
Blackhawks Sign Oliver Moore & Sam Rinzel to Entry-Level Contracts
On March 29, the Chicago Blackhawks announced they had agreed to terms with forward Oliver Moore and defenseman Sam Rinzel, both products of the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gophers hockey…
'Sid and the Kids': McGroarty, Koivunen Skate With Crosby, Top-Six In Practice
Sid the Kid may have broken a major Wayne Gretzky record in the Pittsburgh Penguins' 7-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
But it was Sid and the Kids at Saturday's practice in Cranberry, PA.
Top forward prospects Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen - both recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) on Friday - each had an opportunity to work with Sidney Crosby during drills and line rushes, as Koivunen saw minutes on the top power play unit and McGroarty was deployed on the first line with Crosby and Bryan Rust. The captain also took some time to work with the young forwards following practice.
Crosby thinks that both players brought some renewed energy to practice following a disastrous 0-2-1 road trip, and he is looking forward to working with them.
"I thought they brought good energy," Crosby said. "I thought it was a good pace in practice, and obviously, we're coming off a couple tough losses. The guys are excited for the opportunity they have, and as a group, we want to try to bounce back from a couple of tough ones."
McGroarty - who turns 21 on Sunday, when the Penguins will take on the Ottawa Senators in Pittsburgh - had a brief three-game look at the NHL level when the 2024-25 season opened before heading back to the AHL. He started off a bit slow production-wise, but registered 14 goals and 39 points in 60 games - including eight goals and 18 points in his last 19 contests.
Koivunen - the 2`1-year-old winger acquired as part of the Jake Guentzel trade in 2024 - led all AHL rookies in points and was sixth overall in AHL scoring with 21 goals and 55 points in 62 games.
Both McGroarty and Koivunen know that there is a massive opportunity in front of them, and they may have the chance to be placed in lineup positions conducive to their success on Sunday.
"I want to come here and play my best and help them," McGroarty said of playing with Crosby and Rust. "It's really cool getting to play with them, and hopefully, if that opportunity comes, I'll just put my best forward and do what I can do and help them."
Koivunen - who is slated to make his NHL debut on Sunday - is aware of the opportunity he is getting as well, and he has no interest in wasting it.
"I've got to play with my strengths and make an impact right away on this team," Koivunen said.
It's safe to say that most didn't expect the two young prospects to be deployed in top-six minutes from the jump. However, with only eight games remaining in the Penguins’ regular season schedule, playoff hopes all but gone, and both players presumably heading back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the team's Calder Cup run once the NHL regular season concludes, there is a very good opportunity for the organization to see what two of their higher-end prospects can do in those roles.
And based on conversations with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach Kirk MacDonald and Penguins management, head coach Mike Sullivan felt comfortable slotting them in high-leverage roles in practice right away, even if they decide to tweak some things by puck drop Sunday.
“When you have players of this caliber, you're trying to set them up for success," Sullivan said. "And we're also trying to put them in roles where they have an opportunity to play to their strengths. Both of these guys have high hockey-IQs, they're both real competitive guys, they both have an offensive dimension to their game... they're different in how they play, but we think that with the combinations we had out there today, potentially, they could be complementary on the lines that they're on."
He added: "As an organization, we felt it's important to reward guys for effort and performance," Sullivan said. "And these two guys are very deserving. It's exciting for us. They bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm, and I think it will be great for our group."
Whether or not McGroarty and Koivunen maintain their lineup spots from Saturday's practice when the team plays Ottawa remains to be seen. In any case, their captain and mentor had some sound advice for them as they navigate this final stretch with the NHL club.
"Just make the most of the opportunity," Crosby said. "Have fun with it. The game's the same. It will be a little bit faster, guys are a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger, maybe. But, for the most part, it's the same game. So, just trust your instincts and continue to learn with each and every game and practice. I think you've just got to learn as much as you can."
And it's safe to say that that the kids are certainly open to Crosby's advice. When asked what he wants to learn from Crosby's game and what traits of his that he wants to develop, McGroarty smiled.
"Seriously, everything," he said. "Like, actually everything."
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Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Tavares, Woll, Domi & Berube
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a tight three-way race for first place in the Atlantic Division, with just 10 games remaining as they head into their road matchup against…
Blue Jackets Must Overcome Back-to-Back Struggles Down Stretch
The Columbus Blue Jackets won an exciting game on Friday night to climb back into the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. This is despite just one regulation win…
Oliver Moore & Sam Rinzel Sign ELCs, Will Join Blackhawks Immediately
After some speculation following Minnesota's stunning loss in the NCAA Tournament, Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel are coming to Chicago.
Each signed a three-year entry-level contract with a cap hit of $950,000 and will begin their pro-hockey careers. Both Moore and Rinzel will join the Blackhawks immediately.
Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xwelcome to Chicago, Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel‼️
Moore and Rinzel agree to terms✍️ ➡︎ https://t.co/GMF2tvn0kIThis is big for the Blackhawks as they were both willing to finish the deal within a few days of being eliminated. Now, they will make their NHL debut sometime before the season ends.
Moore, a forward, brings speed and skill to any team he plays for and should see a bottom-six role to begin his NHL career.
As for Sam Rinzel, he is a number-two defenseman at minimum who could blossom into a star. With Artyom Levshunov, Alex Vlasic, and others in the mix, the Blackhawks have a special group developing on the back-end.
Both of these guys put up big numbers at Minnesota this season. Moore had 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points in 38 games. Rinzel had 10 goals and 21 assists for 31 points in 39 games for the Golden Gophers.
Each was a part of the 2024 World Junior Championship Gold Medal-winning Team USA squad. Moore won back-to-back Gold Medals, as he also won it with them in 2023. They've experienced both big-time winning and heartbreaking losses. Each is good for their development. Now, it's time for the NHL.
It is unlikely that they both spend the entire 2025-26 season in the NHL, as the AHL will be used for development too. That method has served the Blackhawks well with a lot of their recent top prospects. They can only skate in the NHL to end this year, though.
Chicago's next game comes against the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday afternoon at the United Center. We will see if this is their first opportunity to jump into the lineup.
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Maple Leafs’ Tavares Is Aging Like Fine Wine
Since joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2018, John Tavares has been a consistent offensive weapon. When he came to the team, he was known as an elite offensive player…
Five NHL Defensemen Having Breakout Seasons
The development path for an NHL defensemen can be quite long, having to add multiple elements to their game. For some, the transition happens almost seamlessly, like Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes or Miro Heiskanen, but for others, a season or two before it all clicks in is expected. Recently, defensemen like Thomas Harley, Brock Faber and Rasmus Sandin have taken advantage of developing in other leagues before becoming impact players in the NHL.
It’s quite rare for a defenseman to burst onto the scene and dominate, but these five defensemen are doing just that.
Jackson LaCombe, Anaheim Ducks
LaCombe was the 39th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and would spend four years at the University of Minnesota. The decision to stay for all four years proved to be a wise one, as it allowed him to mature and refine his game before joining the Ducks organization, who were in a massive rebuild.
His rookie season saw him average 19:23 of ice time, scoring two goals and 17 points. His sophomore campaign has seen him reach new heights, and it likely could get even better. The 24-year-old has scored 13 goals and 41 points, ranking in the top 10 in goals among NHL defensemen.
The Ducks are among the youngest teams in the NHL, and it’s partially why LaCombe has recorded just 28 assists. As the young Duck forwards get older and gain more experience, they’ll be able to turn LaCombe’s playmaking into goals. The Ducks are building a star-studded defensive core, headline by LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger.
Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators
Sanderson’s route to the NHL was quicker than LaCombe’s, spending just two seasons at the University of North Dakota. The fifth overall pick would make his NHL debut in the 2022-23 season, scoring four goals and 32 points in 77 games. Although the offensive numbers were quite impressive for a 20-year-old rookie defenseman, Sanderson had a plethora of issues in his own end.
His sophomore season saw improvements both offensively and defensively, earning an eight-year, $64.4-million contract extension per Puckpedia. While many argued that the contract was handed out too soon, Sanderson has put those critics to rest, scoring seven goals and 48 points in 70 games, averaging 24:23 of ice time and earning a nod to Team USA’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster, where he scored a goal in the final.
Thomas Chabot had been the Senators' No. 1 defenseman for quite some time but the play of Sanderson has changed things. The turning of the leaf began in the 2023-24 season and it’s come into full effect this season. The next step for Sanderson’s development is to be more aggressive and seek out his shot, but with the tools Sanderson has at his disposal, there’s no reason why he can’t be a double-digit scorer each year.
Alex Vlasic, Chicago Blackhawks
Vlasic followed a similar route to LaCombe, playing three years at Boston University. He never had his offensive breakout during his NCAA days, and it’s likely why he was never selected to play for Team USA’s world junior team. Despite that, the 43rd overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft was a defensive stalwart, using his 6-foot-6 frame to his advantage.
The 23-year-old spent the 2022-23 season playing with the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL, where he tapped into his offensive game for the first time. He replicated that production in his first full season, earning himself a six-year, $27.6-million contract extension, and now, in the 2024-25 campaign, he's flourishing.
His four goals and 28 points, coupled with his defensive game, have allowed him to average 23:27 minutes of ice time on a Blackhawks blue line that will soon feature Artyom Levshunov, Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro and Sam Rinzel. Korchinski and Levshunov will likely be the offensive contributors on the backend, but if Vlasic can add more offense to his game without sacrificing his defensive game, the Blackhawks will be a difficult team to play against.
Simon Edvinsson, Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings have been incredibly patient with Edvinsson, first allowing him to develop in the SHL before keeping him in the AHL for an additional two seasons. Heading into his first full campaign, Edvinsson had 25 games of NHL experience and has now revolutionized the Red Wings’ blueline.
Moritz Seider’s following seasons after winning the Calder Trophy were underwhelming. Playing alongside Ben Chiarot, the pair struggled greatly in the consistency department. Although the pair have still spent most of the season together, Seider’s best results are when he plays with Edvinsson. Seider’s expected goals percentage with Chiarot is 41.96 percent, and with Edvinsson, it’s 48.57 percent.
Edvinsson is a tremendous skater and offensive player for a 22-year-old listed at 6-foot-6, and as his ice time grows, the offensive numbers are sure to follow.
Dante Fabbro, Columbus Blue Jackets
Fabbro is the oldest player out of the five – already 26 years old – but since he was claimed off of waivers by the Blue Jackets, he’s revived his career. During his tenure with the Nashville Predators, Fabbro never averaged over 20 minutes of ice time, and in 52 games with the Blue Jackets, Fabbro is averaging nearly 22.
He’s set a career-high in goals, recording six goals and 20 points, proving to be the perfect partner for Zach Werenski, a Norris Trophy candidate this season.
Gustav Forsling was a surprise breakout candidate for the Florida Panthers, and Fabbro looks to be following the same trajectory as an astute defender with good feet and puck-moving ability.
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3 Takeaways From the Devils’ 4-0 Shutout Loss to the Jets
The New Jersey Devils continued their road trip, taking on the Winnipeg Jets on Friday, March 28. The Devils could not keep up their winning momentum against the Chicago Blackhawks last Wednesday.…
'Brain Turned Off For A Second': Maple Leafs Goalie Joseph Woll Explains Bizarre Goal In Maple Leafs Loss To Sharks
LOS ANGELES — It's one of those moments that can happen to any goaltender. This time, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll made a mistake.
'We've Got To Be Better, Goalie Included': Maple Leafs Salvage Point But Struggle In Shootout Loss Against SharksSAN JOSE, Calif. — The Toronto Maple Leafs fell to the San Jose Sharks 6-5 in a shootout at SAP Center on Thursday. Although they picked up a crucial point in the standings, it was yet another example of the Leafs struggling to pounce against a team at the bottom of the NHL standings as they gear up for a playoff run next month.
The Maple Leafs were trailing the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Thursday in the second period when Woll had the puck. In an attempt to clear or pass the puck, the goaltender instead bounced it off of Sharks forward William Eklund and into the back of the Toronto net.
Woll explained the incident from his point of view following Toronto's practice on Friday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
"I'm not too sure. Just a bad play. Sometimes you make bad plays," Woll said. "I think I was thinking looking up ice and brain turned off for a second. It's unfortunate."
Woll is not the first NHL goaltender to have a blunder like that and certainly won't be the last.
Perhaps one of the biggest goalie mistakes in Leafs history came against the Islanders when Rob Davison sent a bouncing puck toward goaltender Vesa Toskala, who had difficulty following the bounces.
Fortunately for Woll, the Leafs erased a two-goal deficit in the third period and salvaged a crucial point in the standings before falling 6-5 in a shootout.
Woll is expected to get one of the next two starts in goal as the Maple Leafs finish out their three-game road swing through California with a pair of games against the Los Angeles Kings, following up a game on Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center.
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