Charge Blank Victoire 1-0 in Game 3
On Tuesday, May 13, Game 3 of the Montreal Victoire and Ottawa Charge Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Playoff series took place in Ottawa. The game had a slow start,…
Monthly Archives: May 2025
Granlund's Hat Trick Leads Stars Past Jets; Drop Game 4 3-1
The Winnipeg Jets trail the Dallas Stars 3-1 in their second-round series after losing Game 4, 3-1.
The Jets outshot the Stars 10-5 after the opening frame but exited the period trailing 1-0. A Dylan DeMelo holding the stick penalty gave the Stars a power play, which Mikael Granlund took full advantage of, scoring his second of the postseason.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored as the Stars' penalty expired, tying the game at 1-1 with a sharp-angle shot. A poorly timed pinch from Neal Pionk awarded the Stars a man advantage, which Granlund once again made the Jets pay.
Granlund continued his dominance of Game 4 by recording a hat trick and extending the Stars' lead to 3-1. An ill-advised penalty by Jamie Benn gave the Jets a power play opportunity with less than five minutes remaining, but the Jets could not capitalize. With the goaltender pulled, the Jets threw the puck on goal as many times as they could but were unable to sustain pressure, failing to score.
Jake Oettinger was stellar once again, turning away 31 of the 32 shots he faced. Hellebuyck allowed three goals on 24 shots, making key saves when called upon.
The Jets have now lost all five road games in the 2024-25 playoffs and are on the brink of elimination. The series returns to Winnipeg on Thursday for a must-win Game 5.
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NHL Playoffs: The Return Of Stars' Heiskanen Should Terrify The Other Cup Contenders
The Dallas Stars entered this season as a Stanley Cup contender, but some injuries put their championship hopes in question.
Now, the Stars are virtually back at full strength, and that should terrify the Winnipeg Jets and the rest of the NHL teams still in the playoffs.
If there were any reason to believe Dallas wasn’t going to go far in the playoffs, it was injuries to key members Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson. The two veterans missed the first round of the playoffs as the Stars took on the Colorado Avalanche.
Dallas still found a way to win in seven games and move on to its second-round showdown against the Jets. After their Game 3 victory over Winnipeg, the Stars lead the series 2-1.
The Stars’ incredible depth allowed them to ease Robertson and Heiskanen back into the lineup without any pressure on them to do the heavy lifting.
Robertson returned to action in Game 1 against Winnipeg. He finally got on the scoreboard in Tuesday night’s Game 4, and it’s just a matter of time for him to produce points more often.
That said, the bigger impact will be Heiskanen returning to the lineup. The blueliner came off long-term injured reserve and played Game 4.
To say Heiskanen will have a positive impact on the Stars’ playoff hopes would be a gigantic understatement. We’re talking about one of the NHL’s top-five D-men who can play upwards of 25 minutes per game with few, if any, errors.
The ripple effect and calming influence of Heiskanen’s return should make Dallas the favorite to win it all – at least in our view.
What’s truly amazing about the Stars is they’re already super strong before mentioning their top players up to this point in the playoffs: goalie Jake Oettinger and right winger Mikko Rantanen.
Oettinger had a .911 SP and 2.71 GAA heading into Game 4 – numbers more than sufficient to allow Dallas’ offense to put up enough goals to win games.
Rantanen is far and away the best acquisition at the NHL trade deadline, and the Stars couldn’t be more pleased.
Rantanen leads all playoff players in points, with nine goals and 18 points in only 10 games. In the race to decide the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, Rantanen has to be considered the favorite. He came into this post-season with a championship pedigree, and his sense of urgency and determination set the tone for his Stars teammates.
As for Heiskanen and Robertson, the two longtime Stars are looking for their first career Cup win, and there may be no better opportunity to win one than now.
The Stars need all hands on deck if they’re going to beat the Jets and square off against either the Edmonton Oilers or Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference final. They now have nearly all their players back, except for Nils Lundkvist, who’s out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Still, the Stars have the talent and depth at every position to go far and win their second Cup in franchise history.
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Five NHL Playoff Underachievers: Who's Failing to Meet Expectations In Big Moments?
The NHL playoffs have already provided a fair share of players reaching another level, but for some high-profile names, the spotlight's not flattering.
Based on their regular-season results or post-season expectations, these five NHL players are underachieving when it matters most. While some of them simply have another gear they can reach in the second round, others are just not good right now.
Mason Marchment, LW, Dallas Stars
Mason Marchment enjoyed a solid regular season with more than 20 goals but has vanished in the playoffs for the Dallas Stars, contributing just one goal and three points.
Worse, his growing frustration boiled over when he tapped an official with his stick – a move widely condemned by broadcasters.
“You can’t make contact with an official under any circumstances,” said Sportsnet’s Kelly Hrudey.
Added ESPN’s Ray Ferraro: “I don’t know what the hell he was thinking.”
Marchment’s emotional edge, often an asset, has become a liability in the post-season. While he should feel fortunate that he escaped supplementary discipline, he’s taken five penalties and only drawn two. Combined with his low scoring, he’s not living up to the moment right now.
Darnell Nurse, D, Edmonton Oilers
Credit should go to the Edmonton Oilers and their blueline, which has stepped up in the absence of the injured Mattias Ekholm.
That said, Darnell Nurse struggles as often as he is useful in the playoffs, and this year is no different.
As the Edmonton Journal’s David Staples pointed out, in nine games, the Oilers’ highest-paid defenseman made major mistakes on nine even-strength goals against.
With Ekholm sidelined, Nurse was elevated to play alongside Evan Bouchard, but playing alongside a top-tier defenseman hasn’t changed Nurse’s underlying numbers.
Perhaps the most obvious of mistakes came in Game 3’s collapse against Vegas, which saw Nurse caught on his knees during critical goals.
Mitch Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs
Mitch Marner has excelled at times during this year’s playoffs with 12 points in 10 games. However, the Toronto Maple Leafs' pending UFA should achieve even more.
Marner has just two goals in the post-season, including zero shots in his last two games against the Florida Panthers. If Marner wants his next cap hit to be around Auston Matthews’ $13.25 million on his next contract, he can’t lack another gear when the Leafs had a chance to take a stranglehold on the second-round series.
Marner and Auston Matthews have now played four more games than Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, but they have combined for as many goals as their first-round opponent, with four.
It’s tough to complain about Marner recording 12 points, the sixth-most in the NHL, but a fellow right winger whose contract expires this summer is showing how it’s done.
The Stars’ Mikko Rantanen, who signed an eight-year contract extension worth $12 million per season, has nearly as many assists as Marner’s 10, with nine. The biggest difference is that Rantanen has nine goals, including two hat tricks, two game-winners and 12 even-strength points, double Marner’s six.
One X user put it bluntly: “Marner when it comes time to negotiate his contract: ‘Pay me like Rantanen.’ Marner when it comes time to play like Rantanen: ‘LMAO I’m not Rantanen.’ ”
Can Someone Please Tell Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews There's A Playoff Series Going On?Can someone please let the Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews know that there’s a playoff series going on that desperately needs his help.
Pierre-Luc Dubois, C, Washington Capitals
Pierre-Luc Dubois is an interesting case study of how a player can be hot and cold throughout an NHL career. His playoff woes continue after a productive 66-point regular season.
Dubois has yet to score in the post-season and has just three assists. Now with his fourth NHL team, Dubois’ reputation for disappearing remains a problem.
With the Washington Capitals on the verge of elimination now, Dubois is a key reason the team has struggled despite being one of the hottest clubs this season.
Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets
Connor Hellebuyck’s playoff numbers are staggering – and not in a good way.
With a .848 save percentage and 3.51 goals-against average, the Hart Trophy finalist has been a liability on the road, going 0-4 with a .772 SP and 6.65 GAA.
Outside of a Game 2 shutout, he’s failed to look anything like the goalie most expect to be a shoo-in for the Vezina this season. Not only that, but the Winnipeg Jets are now two losses away from elimination, and he must win a game in Dallas to avoid the Jets going down 3-1 in the series.
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Trading Into First Overall Pick Is Possible For Blackhawks
The New York Islanders jumped ten spots to select first in the 2024 NHL Draft by winning the first lottery. The Utah Hockey Club jumped from 14th to 4th by winning the second. That left the San Jose Sharks with the second overall pick and the Chicago Blackhawks at third.
There is a lot of speculation about who each team in the top four will take. It will shape how the rest of the draft goes from there, as there is no clear-cut order that any of these top prospects could go in.
Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman, is considered the number one prospect in the draft. Right behind him is forward Michael Misa. After that come names like James Hagens, Porter Martone, and Anton Frondell.
Hagens, however, is a native of Long Island. This may make the Islanders think twice about passing on him. They already had one number one overall pick leave on them to go home. Hagens would already be home.
If the Islanders wanted to select the hometown kid, the Blackhawks could help them while also helping themselves. With Connor Bedard, a smaller offensive-minded center, already in the mix, they would likely rather have Misa.
Swapping with the New York Islanders would cost Chicago, as they’d be moving up two spots and getting a player that everyone deems to be better. They have plenty of other draft picks in 2025 and 2026 to offer, and they also have a cupboard loaded with outstanding prospects.
It has been a long time since the number one overall pick in the NHL Draft has been traded. If there were a year that the streak would end, it would be this one. There isn’t a generational talent coming out, there isn’t even a sure-fire number one guy. There are plenty of great players, however, that will make teams take a pause.
This wouldn’t be the first time that these two organizations swapped first-round picks, either. In fact, it has happened within the last year. On May 24th, 2024, the Islanders took an extra 2024 second-round pick from the Blackhawks to swap their 2024 first and second picks.
Some new people are (and will be) in charge of the Islanders this time, but the organizations have worked well together many times before. If Kyle Davidson feels that Misa (or Schaefer) is his guy, he should be on the phone with the Islanders daily.
The risk is there, considering the Islanders could take Hagens first overall without trading down. He did come into the year as the projected number one guy. However, trading up guarantees the guy that the Blackhawks want, and it stops other teams from potentially trading into that spot. Anything can happen.
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Devils Should Trade Up for Nathan Behm in 2025 NHL Draft
The New Jersey Devils are about to head into a Draft that’s considered one of the weakest classes in recent memory. To make matters worse, they don’t even have a…
Jets Attempt To Tie Series In Game 4 Against Stars
The Winnipeg Jets currently trail their second-round series to the Dallas Stars, 2-1 and are looking to regain home-ice advantage with a win in Game 4.
The Jets were once again defeated on the road in Game 3. They imploded in the third period, allowing five goals for the fourth consecutive road playoff game. The game brought its own bit of controversy, but ultimately, the Jets did not do enough to warrant a victory.
Tonight, things will become increasingly difficult. The Stars will welcome Miro Heiskanen back into their lineup and have elected to run 11 forwards and seven defensemen. It'll be Heiskanen's first game since Jan. 28 after suffering a lower-body injury.
Despite his absence, the Stars have still won a plethora of hockey games and are in a great spot. While he was gone, the Stars ranked 31st in the NHL in 5-on-5 shots and expected goals against. They rank second and third-worst respectively by those metrics in the playoffs. His addition will help sure up their backend.
It's been a struggle for Connor Hellebuyck on the road, but also for Mark Scheifele. When away from the Canada Life Centre, HC Scott Arniel can't move Scheifele away from the opponent's top defensive line because he doesn't have last change. The only opportunity for him to provide Scheifele with a matchup advantage is on icing calls. In three road games, the 32-year-old is yet to record a point.
Despite that, the Jets need more from their 39 regular-season goal scorer.
The Jets have received inconsistent play from each line throughout the playoffs, but they still remain just one game shy of tying the series. If they are provided with consistency in their middle six, the top line should be able to feed off of it and cause damage offensively.
The difference between heading back to Winnipeg tied, or trailing 3-1, is extreme, and the Jets need to play with a level of urgency that shows that.
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Line Combinations: Game 4 - Winnipeg Jets at Dallas StarsThe Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars are set to do battle from Texas in Game 4 of the second round playoff series that currently sees the Stars up 2-1.
Will The Ottawa Senators Sign Shane Pinto To An Extension This Summer?
Shane Pinto is eligible for a contract extension this summer. As with every deal, the Ottawa Senators would like to be sure they're getting what they pay for.
But identifying the height of Pinto's ceiling as an NHL player isn't an easy task. On one hand, he's been an NHL regular for four seasons. On the other, between injury and suspension, he's missed 118 of a possible 328 games.
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If the Senators believe Pinto has already reached his full NHL potential as a classic third-line defensive center who can chip in with secondary offense, then there's really no rush to get something done. Pinto already makes $3.7 million, which is at least in the vicinity of fair market value for a player like that.
But if the Senators think he can and will be more than that in the future, then it's in their best interest to buy low right now and get an extension done long-term.
At the moment, the Senators believe they're set at centre with Tim Stützle and Dylan Cozens anchoring the top two lines.
But Pinto is the perfect plan B if Cozens isn’t what they hope he'll be. And that’s not based on random negative thinking. That’s based on the long-suffering Buffalo Sabres watching Cozens for four and a half seasons and then being willing to trade the 24-year-old for Josh Norris, one of the most injury-prone (and well-paid) players in Senators history.
Cozens will get every chance to fully establish himself in the number two slot next season, primarily because he has five years and $35.5 million left on his contract. Cozens has done some nice things in his early days as a Senator and finished the year with 16 points in 21 games.
But he also had some stretches where he wasn't noticeable, and the defensive side of his game was hit and miss. Some of that can be blamed on coming to a new team and a lack of familiarity with the system, but it's already easy to see he's not quite in Pinto's class on the defensive side of the puck.
Offensively, at least in the past couple of years, there hasn't been much to separate them. Cozens finished with 47 points for a second straight year. Meanwhile, despite missing 12 games, Pinto finished with 37 points—just 10 shy of Cozens. Cozens also had the advantage of over 200 power-play minutes, 122 more than Pinto.
When asked about his power play minutes, Pinto didn’t deny he'd like to see more action.
"I'm a competitive guy," Pinto said. "I don't think you get here without wanting to be the best. Obviously, I want to be on the power play, but yeah, that's out of my control. I think that's the thing I learned—sometimes you can't control some of the things that happen to you.
"At first I was a little bit bummed, but I had to play a different role for our team to win, and I tried to embrace that. Hopefully, in the future, they see me as a little bit more of an offensive guy. But like I said, I got put into a role this year where I tried to do my best to embrace it. It's going to be a new year next year, and we'll kind of see where it goes."
If all things were equal (spoiler: they're not), Pinto might enter training camp in September with a chance to battle Cozens for the number two role. For now, he's the plan B and provides excellent depth in the event of injury. And there's likely to be a premium that needs to be paid for that. The Senators now have to figure out what that’s worth, and whether an extension can wait or not.
As for Pinto, he's all for considering something long-term.
"Yeah, obviously, I love being here, love the boys. We're building something special. And I wouldn't be opposed to staying here for a long time."
Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa
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REPORT: Ex-Avs Adam Foote Now Finalist For Coaching Position
‘Tis the season
While the big dogs play in the playoffs, everyone else has the opportunity to tweak their lineup and organization.
The Colorado Avalanche are doing that by letting go of Ray Bennett. The (now) former Avalanche assistant coach was in charge of running the team’s powerplay.
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The Vancouver Canucks parted ways with Rick Tocchet earlier in their offseason. Now, several reports indicate two frontrunners for the vacant position.
Thomas Drance and I both reporting, Adam Foote is still very much in the mix in the Canucks head coaching job.
— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) May 13, 2025
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Manny Malhotra and Adam Foote are the two candidates still in the running for the head coaching position. Malhotra has been an NHL assistant coach for both the Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs. This season, he was the head coach for the Canucks AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks.
On the other hand, Foote is a former Avalanche defender who was on staff with Tocchet. Before that, he coached in the WHL as the head coach for the Kelowna Rockets.
According to one of these reports, Malhotra is the Canucks' "slight favorite." However, the team has not announced anything at the time of this writing.
📷
— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) May 13, 2025
Patrick Johnston on Bluesky
Echoing and extending on what Dhali and Drancer have put together: sounds like Canucks' head coaching job is coming down to Adam Foote or Manny Malhtora, with Malhotra the slight favourite.
The fluidity of these situations is not surprising. Much thought needs to be given to the individual tasked with running your team, and management must take extreme care in choosing the right individual.
Both candidates make sense for different (but similar) reasons. Malhotra is familiar with the AHL team and has more experience as a coach, while Foote is more familiar with the players' strengths and weaknesses with the NHL team.
Nevertheless, this story will be interesting to follow, especially for long-time Avalanche fans.
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NHL Draft: Three Candidates To Be Surprising Top Five Picks
Last year, the Anaheim Ducks surprised the NHL draft floor in Las Vegas when they selected Oshawa Generals right winger Beckett Sennecke third overall.
Sennecke himself was visibly (and famously) surprised, and while I can't say I predicted him going in the top five, some scouts had told me late in the season they saw his stock dramatically rising.
One year later, the Ducks are looking pretty smart. Sennecke has helped his Generals to the OHL final, where he has been one of the top playoff scorers in the league while playing a robust physical game.
That got me thinking: who could be this year's Sennecke?
The draft always holds surprises, and while there are some great candidates to go in the top five this season – Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, Porter Martone, Anton Frondell and James Hagens – there are also some names that could jump up into that range. Here are three candidates.
Brady Martin, C, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Martin will come into the draft hot, having scorched the field at the World Men's U-18s with Canada and winning a gold medal in the process. He didn't have much talent surrounding him in the Soo this year but still put up solid offensive numbers.
He's physical, he's a leader, and when it comes to off-ice training, the small-town Ontario farm boy hasn't even begun his ascent.
"Martin is right in there with the top OHL guys," said one scout. "When media guys do their redrafts in a few years, he'll be considerably higher. The way he plays, he might end up being one of the best pros. You've got a kid who has never done power skating or summer skill camps; he's just a hockey player. His compete level is off the charts. He plays both ends of the ice and in all the hard areas."
Roger McQueen, C, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
The knock on McQueen this season has been the injury that sidelined him for most of the campaign. Scouts suspect a back problem, and given what happened to Columbus Blue Jackets first-rounder Cayden Lindstrom, there is some reticence. However, Lindstrom just returned from his back injury and is playing for Medicine Hat in the WHL final.
On merit, McQueen is a 6-foot-5 center who skates well, has a great shot and hunts down pucks.
"Ability-wise, he's top-five, potentially even top-three," said one scout. "The injury, and being on the heels of Cayden Lindstrom not playing, I expect him to slide."
Having said that, it only takes one team to believe in McQueen and his long-term upside.
2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Ferrari's Post-Lottery Top 64One week after the NHL’s draft lottery decided which franchise received the first-overall pick, it’s time for a new round of draft rankings.
Jake O'Brien, C, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
When draft day actually arrives, the same thing happens every year: teams picking high go for centers or size or both.
O'Brien is a 6-foot-2 center who will only get stronger once he bulks up from his current 170 pounds. He's coming off a 98-point season with the Bulldogs and plays at both ends of the ice.
"He's in the Wyatt Johnston mold that thinks the game well," said one scout. "He's very elusive, but he's not going to run you over like Porter Martone. He'll steal pucks by lifting sticks or jumping pass routes. He's another guy who people will say 'you picked that guy over him?' in a few years. He has that potential."
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