The NHL coaching carousel got a whole lot more interesting on Tuesday when it was announced by the Vancouver Canucks that head coach Rick Tocchet decided not to return to his position for the 2025-26 season. 

“I'm choosing to move on from the Vancouver Canucks,” Tocchet said in a statement. “Family is a priority, and with my contract lapsing, this becomes the opportune time. While I don't know where I'm headed, or exactly how this will play out for me over the near term, I feel like this is the right time for me to explore other opportunities in and around hockey."

Rick Tocchet's Agent Speaks On Why The Canucks Former Head Coach Decided To Leave Vancouver Tuesday was a shocking day for the Vancouver Canucks organization as head coach Rick Tocchet decided to depart the club and look for a different opportunity. While the Canucks did have an option on Tocchet's contract for next year, they elected not to use it. In the end, Tocchet spent two and a half seasons with the organization, guiding them to Game 7 of the second round last year, while also winning the 2024 Jack Adams Award. 

Tocchet's departure from the Canucks came just one day after it was announced that the Pittsburgh Penguins and coach Mike Sullivan had mutually agreed to part ways. With Vancouver and Pittsburgh now both in the market for new coaches, they are two of eight current teams in need of a voice behind the bench.

It was reported by TSN's Pierre LeBrun Tuesday that five teams had already checked in on Sullivan. Even if the former Penguins' coach is the frontrunner for most teams, Tocchet will still be in high demand.

And this begs the question: Would Tocchet be a fit for the Penguins?

The 61-year-old coach has a long history with Pittsburgh. He won a Stanley Cup with the franchise in 1992 and was behind the bench as an assistant coach for the Penguins' back-to-back championship runs in 2016 and 2017. 

He also has a great relationship with Sidney Crosby and many of the Penguins' veterans, and he is notoriously good with young players - which is something that POHO and GM Kyle Dubas will certainly be looking for in any new hire.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean he is the man for the job.

Yes, Tocchet is well-known as a great coach and - like Sullivan - is highly respected in coaching circles around the league. He has seen head coaching stints with the Arizona Coyotes and the Canucks, and he won the Jack Adams Award in 2024 after leading Vancouver to a Pacific Division title. 

There have been some ups and downs, but his body of work at the NHL level has been mostly positive. That much is clear.

But Dubas and the Penguins - in the midst of a rebuild - are putting their primary focus on player development. They appear to want a coach who has gone through stages of development and has a proven track record of success at developmental levels. 

“We'll have deep questions as we go through the process on what their experience has been developmentally,” Dubas said. "Sully had that. Sully was in player development with [the Chicago Blackhawks], he coached in the American League, an [NHL] assistant coach...that's something I think, especially now in the salary cap era, you have to be developing your own guys."

'I Started To Think That It May Just Be Time': Takeaways From Kyle Dubas's Press Conference Regarding Departure Of Mike SullivanOn Monday, Pittsburgh Penguins’ president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas shook the hockey world when he announced that head coach Mike Sullivan would not be returning to coach the Penguins in 2025-26.

He added: "It'd be tough for me personally to go with somebody that has no record or real passion for development. Those are becoming fewer and fewer in that brethren of coaching right now, so it will be a vital component, for sure."

This can be read into a number of different ways, but it seems more likely that Dubas is going to target someone along the lines of a Spencer Carbery or a Jim Hiller - now head coaches of the Washington Capitals and Los Angeles Kings, respectively - who possesses a great track record at the AHL level or collegiate and junior levels and, perhaps, does not have a ton of NHL experience.

In other words, some like a Todd Nelson - head coach of the AHL's Hershey Bears - or David Carle - head coach of the University of Denver - are more likely candidates.

If Tocchet comes knocking at the door, Dubas and the Penguins will surely answer. But whether or not they open the door - and whether or not Tocchet would be even be open to the undertaking in Pittsburgh - is a different story.

8 Possible Replacements For Mike Sullivan As Penguins Head CoachWith the shocking news that the Pittsburgh Penguins and longtime coach Mike Sullivan have mutually agreed to part ways, it comes as no surprise that one of the first talking points is who will be the one replace him.

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EDMONTON – When there is a fit, you stick with it.

The Edmonton Oilers know that feeling.

The team has certainly felt like the match of Mattias Ekholm and the organization is the work of divine intervention. However, they aren’t the only team that feels similarly about a new addition to the roster.

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Mikko Rantanen didn’t stick around, but the other major player who came over to the Carolina Hurricanes in the blockbuster deal with the Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks looks to have found a place to roost.

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Earlier Wednesday morning, Taylor Hall signed a three-year extension with the Hurricanes. The team was fresh off a series-winning game against the New Jersey Devils. They eliminated their opponents in five games.

Hall has been rock solid this playoff, recording three points in five games. His one goal kickstarted the Hurricanes offense on Tuesday night. They were down 2-0 going into the second period, but Hall’s goal brought them to life.

The #Canes have signed forward Taylor Hall to a three-year contract extension ✍️

Details » https://t.co/TOm9Vn8ruHpic.twitter.com/NjdBnk0yGj

— x - Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) April 30, 2025

He is currently in the final year of a four-year contract paying him $6 million. Hall and the Hurricanes agreed to a contract paying him $3.116 million.

In 31 regular season games, Hall recorded 18 points while playing 15:27 a game. The Hurricanes will play against the winner of the Montreal Canadiens-Washington Capitals series.

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Scott Laughton hopes his line, alongside Calle Jarnkrok and Steven Lorentz, can find a goal sooner rather than later.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' fourth line has been a mainstay for head coach Craig Berube throughout their series against the Ottawa Senators. They've been Toronto's most consistent forechecking line, outchancing and outworking their opposition on a nightly basis.

Berube started the trio, whose minutes suggest they're more of a third line than fourth, in the first and third periods of Toronto's 4-0 loss to Ottawa in Game 5, which he's done with past groups.

In 2019, Berube started his fourth line in three of the seven games during the Stanley Cup Finals against the Boston Bruins. For this Maple Leafs team, though, their fourth line has helped set the tone for the game. They'll need that again entering Game 6.

"I think we can have that mentality more as a team for sure," Berube said Wednesday before heading to Ottawa.

'All I Hear Around Here Is Core, Core Core': Maple Leafs' Craig Berube Wants Whole-Team Contribution Ahead of Game 6 Against SenatorsThe Toronto Maple Leafs core players may be feeling a bit of pressure after the Ottawa Senators kept the entire club off the scoresheet in a 4-0 win in Game 5 of their best-of-seven series. 

The Lorentz, Laughton, and Jarnkrok line has combined for 36 hits in this series, the most of Toronto's four lines, and that's why they've had so much success against the Senators.

"You have to have that work mentality and that checking mentality," added Berube. "Checking’s not just playing defense. Checking is offense. You check for your chances. You get on the inside. You work and hound.

"It creates turnovers from the other team. It creates chaos for the other team. We can do a better job of that as a team."

‘We’ve Got To Be More Direct’: Maple Leafs’ Power Play Stalls, Surrender Another Short-Handed Goal As Special Teams Struggle In Game 5 LossThe Toronto Maple Leafs’ special teams were a struggle in their Game 5 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. 

One area that hasn't come from the fourth line, however, is goals. Laughton and Jarnkrok were a part of Toronto's first tally of the series from Oliver Ekman-Larsson, but have since gone cold.

It's not from a lack of trying, that's for certain.

The line understands they haven't produced offensively and are hoping that with how they're playing, a bounce will eventually go their way.

Why The Maple Leafs' Confidence In Anthony Stolarz Hasn't Faltered After Back-To-Back Losses To SenatorsAs Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot fired a shot from the point in the second period of Game 5, Anthony Stolarz did his best to track the puck. But he couldn't see anything until it was too late.

"I think we can provide a little bit more offense for us, but at the same time, still do our job and make it hard for them," Laughton said, as he revered his linemates.

"I thought both those guys were really good last night. Just trying to help them out where I can and be good on the forecheck and create some momentum for our team to the shifts we get."

Laughton had 24 playoff games under his belt before arriving in Toronto in March. He enjoys this time of year. The 30-year-old didn't have to say it, given that you can see it through his play in this series.

It only gets tougher from here on out, though. The Senators have played well throughout the last two games of the series, which they've won to force a Game 6 back in the Nation's capital.

‘No One Expected It To Be Easy’: Morgan Rielly, Maple Leafs Focused On Regrouping After Back-To-Back Missed Opportunities To Close Out SenatorsWith the Battle of Ontario tightening up, Morgan Rielly and the Toronto Maple Leafs are doing their best to remain composed following consecutive missed opportunities to eliminate the Ottawa Senators in their first-round playoff series.

Aside from eliminating the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023, the Maple Leafs haven't capitalized on ending their opponents' season. However, with another elimination game on Thursday, will it be different?

Laughton says, "Embrace [the pressure]," so we'll see.

"It’s the best time of year, up 3-2 in the series in a good spot here. Going on the road, these guys have been good on the road all year and ever since I came here," he added.

"Every bounce counts. Every inch on the ice. We’re going to have to fight for it, we know it. But it’s going to be a lot of fun and I think we’re all excited for it."

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With the Battle of Ontario tightening up, Morgan Rielly and the Toronto Maple Leafs are doing their best to remain composed following consecutive missed opportunities to eliminate the Ottawa Senators in their first-round playoff series.

After dropping Game 4 on the road and suffering a 4-0 shutout loss at home in Game 5 on Tuesday night, the Leafs are headed back to the Canadian Tire Centre for Game 6 on Thursday – still holding a 3-2 series lead, but fully aware that the Senators have gained some momentum.

On Wednesday morning, defenseman Morgan Rielly spoke to reporters at the team’s media availability, saying the club is in good spirits ahead of another important game on Thursday. 

“Everyone is doing great. I think all the guys have been great. That comes and goes over the course of a season. I think in moments like this or in the past in playoff series, it kind of brings you together,” Rielly explained.

“When you face a little bit of adversity and you hope it brings the best out of people. It's a good challenge. I mean, we expected it to be challenging. No one expected it to be easy. So, again, we're up in a series, and we're in a position where we have a chance to regroup and refocus and go out there and play some good hockey," he added.

Toronto is now 1-13 in elimination games since 2018, a stat that has continued to worsen and seemingly hung over the core group’s playoff narrative. But as the 31-year-old believes, the adversity is having the opposite effect, bringing the Leafs together rather than tearing them apart.

'All I Hear Around Here Is Core, Core Core': Maple Leafs' Craig Berube Wants Whole-Team Contribution Ahead of Game 6 Against SenatorsThe Toronto Maple Leafs core players may be feeling a bit of pressure after the Ottawa Senators kept the entire club off the scoresheet in a 4-0 win in Game 5 of their best-of-seven series. 

Regardless, a regroup is necessary after two straight losses in potential elimination games. Despite outshooting the Senators 27-19 in Game 5, the Leafs failed to generate many high-quality chances as they were blanked on home ice. 

They’ve now been outscored 8-3 across the last two games and haven’t scored a power-play goal since Game 3, going 0-for-7 over the last two contests. To make matters worse, they’ve allowed a short-handed goal in each of the last two games as a lack of execution has arisen on special teams.

“Lots of areas (to improve). Breakouts, forechecks, the whole thing, just about managing the game. I always say, at the tip of the spear, it's execution. And then from there, it goes into being competitive, structure and whatnot. But I think it's just about executing. I think that the D have our areas of focus, gaps, breakouts, all that stuff, all those cliches, and the forwards kind of have their areas. So it's important that we just look at everything and, I mean, use today as a day to kind of refocus, regroup, and just get ready to play some hockey,” said Rielly.

‘We’ve Got To Be More Direct’: Maple Leafs’ Power Play Stalls, Surrender Another Short-Handed Goal As Special Teams Struggle In Game 5 LossThe Toronto Maple Leafs’ special teams were a struggle in their Game 5 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. 

For a team long criticized for its inability to close out in crunch time, the pressure is mounting. 

Yet, one area that’s led the charge is Toronto’s defensive corps. As a defensive unit, the Leafs ranked last in goals from defensemen in the regular season, but in the playoffs, they have stepped up and produced offensively throughout the series with five goals from Rielly (2), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (2), and Simon Benoit (1). Though the offense has dried up in the moment, Rielly harped on rediscovering that success heading into Game 6. 

“I think if you look at our group and how we want to generate offense as D we want to get pucks in, we want to get opportunities off rebounds. Again, when I talk about execution off breakouts, that often leads to carrying the puck up the middle of the ice. So, there are lots of areas that we've got to improve on. Creating offense would be one,” said Rielly. “So for us, we have all the faith in the world and our guys and our structure. And, I mean, like I said, we're going to use today to refocus and just be ready to play tomorrow.”

'That's An Easy Decision For Me': Maple Leafs Miss 4-Minute Overtime Power Play, Squander Chance to Sweep SenatorsKANATA, Ont. — The Toronto Maple Leafs were afforded a golden opportunity to complete a four-game sweep of the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. 

The former first-round pick expects the Canadian Tire Centre to be “rocking” on Thursday, with the Senators having a chance to even the series and send the game to a winner-take-all Game 7. 

And for good reason. 

Ottawa is playing like a team with nothing to lose. In their first postseason appearance since 2017, the Senators have clawed their way back with opportunistic hockey, and they’ve now beaten Toronto five times in eight meetings this season, including a regular-season sweep. Despite their lack of playoff experience, they’ve had the Leafs’ number.

“They're playing great. They're playing hard. It's been a close series the whole way through. Again, that's what we expected,” said Rielly. “It's pretty much par for the course. Both teams are competing. Both teams are doing their best to execute. It's been tight. It's been very competitive.”

'I Don't Think There's Any Panic': "Maple Leafs Miss Another Series-Closing Opportunity in Frightening Déjà Vu'It was that familiar feeling of tension that Toronto Maple Leafs fans at Scotiabank Arena have felt before. The crowd went silent when Dylan Cozens finished off a 2-on-1 opportunity to give the Ottawa Senators a 2-0 lead midway through the third period in Game 5. Reality set in, when Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk scored empty-net goals to defeat Toronto 4-0 and force a Game 6 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Thursday.

Toronto's locker room includes players with championship pedigree, including head coach Craig Berube and former Florida Panthers additions in Anthony Stolarz, Steven Lorentz, and Ekman-Larsson. Rielly, who has three points (2G, 1A) in five games this series, says their presence has helped steady the group as the players “lean on each other” in these moments.

“It's nice to have experience. In times like this, you're just trying to lean on each other,” Rielly explained. “It's fun, though. I mean, this is why you play. It can be nerve-wracking at times, but that's where the joy comes in, and it's very competitive, and you're doing what you love, and the stakes are high. So we're going to try to enjoy it and really come together and play well.”

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Vegas Golden Knights forwards Jack Eichel and Mark Stone finally introduced themselves into the series in Game 5, but the true headliner was video assistant coach Dave Rogowski detecting a possible offside on a Minnesota Wild goal.

With just over a minute remaining in regulation, Ryan Hartman went in on a rush, beating Alex Pietrangelo and Ivan Barbashev to score the go-ahead goal. The NHL immediately reviewed the goal for a kicking motion but determined there was no kick. The time it took to review the goal allowed Rogowski and the Golden Knights to determine it was worth a shot to challenge the goal for offside.

Fortunately for the Golden Knights, Gustav Nyquist entered the zone a fraction too early, causing the goal to be erased and allowing the game to head to overtime. Brett Howden scored his third of the series 4:05 into the overtime frame to give the Golden Knights a 3-2 series lead. 

Following the game, all the talk was about Rogowski. 

"He's looking at it, he shows you one angle and says you should challenge it. He gives us a recommendation of percentage-wise," said HC Bruce Cassidy. "I mean, there's a minute left in the game, you're probably going to challenge no matter how close it is unless it's blatantly onside... It was a great pickup by him and it saved our ass."

The nerves were high on the bench after the Wild thought they had scored, as it appeared the Golden Knights would be heading back to Minnesota for Game 6 with their season on the line. Similarly, to every player or coach, the process quickly began for Rogowski after the goal was scored. 

"Our video coach, Rogo, he's looking at probably both things, but then he realizes they're going to look at the kicking motion," said Cassidy. "That's a league rule. There are certain things that get looked at no matter what. So now he's looking at if there's goaltender interference and then goes back to the offside."

If the Golden Knights had lost the challenge, they would have been given a minor penalty, likely diminishing any possibility of mounting a comeback. Everyone on the staff agreed that it was that the probability of the goal being called back was 100%. 

Stanley Cups aren't won because of one player or person in the organization. It's a group effort that requires every person to do their job to the best of their ability. The Golden Knights displayed that perfectly in their Tuesday night Game 5 victory. 

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Golden Knights Beat Minnesota, 3-2, In Wild Overtime Finish To Take 3-2 Series LeadLAS VEGAS -- Brett Howden scored his third goal of the playoffs 4:05 into overtime to lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild, and a 3-2 series lead in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs.L Wild Backup Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury Returns To The Net Against Golden Knights, Loses In OvertimeLAS VEGAS -- Minnesota backup goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury returned the ice at T-Mobile Arena to oppose the Golden Knights, as Wild starting goalie Filip Gustavsson didn't return to the game due to illness, per the team.

This past season was one to remember for the Columbus Blue Jackets. They fell just short of a playoff spot, but in the face of adversity, they battled hard and had the entire hockey world pulling for them.

There was a lot to like. Zach Werenski is finally getting the recognition he deserves, landing as a finalist for the Norris Trophy. Both Kirill Marchenko and Adam Fantilli accomplished something that hadn’t been done in Columbus since 2015-16—each hit the 30-goal mark and had dominant seasons.

Fantilli & Marchenko Achieve Rare Feat Not Seen Since 2015-16When Adam Fantilli scored his 30th goal of the season the other night, it was a feat of its own. It was his first time hitting the 30-goal mark and only the ninth time a player has done so in Columbus Blue Jackets history — the 17th occurrence overall.

The Blue Jackets also had a record-tying five players hit 20 goals this year. Werenski, Fantilli, and Marchenko were joined by Kent Johnson and Dmitri Voronkov in reaching that mark.

They were just one goal away from making it six, but Sean Monahan missed time due to injury and finished the season with 19.

Regardless, it’s another sign of progress in what turned out to be a fun and challenging season in Columbus.

Columbus Blue Jackets Prospect Luca Marrelli Ties 59 Year Old Oshawa RecordColumbus Blue Jackets draft pick Luca Marrelli tied a record last night for the Oshawa Generals. One that has stood for 59 years.  2025 NHL Draft Lottery Odds/Date Set The NHL has announced that the NHL Draft Lottery will be on May 5th at the NHL Network’s Secaucus, N.J., studio.