Among the pleasures of international hockey is seeing familiar NHL stars adapt to new roles as they represent their countries.  For traditional powers like Canada or the United States, that means star players adapting to depth roles.  For nations without a robust NHL presence, it means NHL role players adapting to starring roles.  So it's gone for Marco Kasper and Austria at 2025 IIHF Worlds, where the 21-year-old has continued his strong rookie season with the Detroit Red Wings on a global stage, helping Austria scrap its way to a place in the tournament's quarterfinals.

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Kasper is the last Red Wing standing at the event.  Lucas Raymond, Simon Edvinsson, Erik Gustafsson, and Sweden just fell to Canada.  Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Norway have been knocked out.  Moritz Seider and the Germans fell to tournament co-host Denmark.  That leaves only Kasper and Austria, perhaps an unlikely success story but a compelling one.

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For the tournament, Kasper now has four goals and three assists in seven games played.  It's not as though Kasper was a marginal player for the 2024-25 Red Wings.  Instead, by season's end, he staked a strong claim to the number two center role.  Nonetheless, in bringing his game to an international context for an Austrian team thin on NHL talent, Kasper has to assume more responsibility, especially when it comes to contributing offense.

Marco Kasper GOAL🚨 wow. Really stepping up and becoming the “guy” for Austria. Goal and assist in the first period. #LGRW#MensWorldspic.twitter.com/uGZcoddgVs

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) May 12, 2025

If 2025 Worlds are any indicator, that's a responsibility Kasper is more than fit to handle, with the young centerman thriving as Austria's leader.  It should come as no surprise really, considering the various ways Kasper embraced added responsibility throughout the year in Detroit—whether in taking over a top line winger spot next to Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, or moving back down the middle to drive his own line.

The next challenge for Kasper and Austria is a quarterfinal match-up with Switzerland Thursday, where he will look to keep the unlikely run going.  Austria has never finished better than sixth in an Olympics (1948), and it's best Worlds finish is third (achieved twice, in 1931 and 1947).  Kasper will be looking to re-write that history, beginning with this spring's Worlds and continuing on through his fast blossoming career.

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The Philadelphia Flyers believe that their new head coach, Rick Tocchet, will help them attract key players and free agents in the coming years, but what does that look like in practice? And will any Vancouver Canucks be among them?

The Canucks, after having already lost J.T. Miller and Tocchet this year, are staring down the barrel of a long and grueling rebuild if they cannot rally behind and keep captain Quinn Hughes beyond his contract expiry date of July 1, 2027.

Therefore, we could be seeing a lot of changes in Vancouver over the coming months and years. The Flyers, as an up-and-coming team and one of the NHL's youngest, can take advantage of some of the roster turnover out West.

The Flyers have $2.5 million in cap space at the time of this writing, and while they will have to re-sign integral youngsters like Cam York, Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates, and, potentially, Jakob Pelletier, they will also have Cal Petersen, Tony DeAngelo's buyout, and Andrei Kuzmenko's salary retention coming off their books this summer.

In short, between the cap space and draft capital, the Flyers will have sufficient breathing room to be active in the NHL trade market and in free agency.

Who, or what, can the Flyers get with that? And which connections between Tocchet and the Canucks should be tapped?

No. 1: C Pius Suter, C, UFA 2025

The Flyers' center depth is looking mighty thin these days to say the least. Behind Sean Couturier is a pending RFA in Cates and Ryan Poehling, who was reportedly on the table for a trade with the New Jersey Devils a few months ago.

After them, options include Latvian journeyman Rodrigo Abols, 18 year old prospect Jett Luchanko, and rookie Karsen Dorwart.

That's where the 28-year-old Pius Suter comes into play.

After losing Scott Laughton in the Toronto Maple Leafs trade that ultimately yielded Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick, the Flyers could opt to find another veteran center with tantamount positional versatility in Suter.

Suter scored 39 goals and a total of 75 points in two seasons under Tocchet in Vancouver, and his 25 goals this past season were a career-high by a country mile.

Flyers Offseason: Dream Marco Rossi Trade Scenario Just Became a Real PossibilityIf the Philadelphia Flyers are still assessing the trade market for their highly coveted top-six center, they will be privy to the fact that Marco Rossi is increasingly likely to be traded by the Minnesota Wild this summer.

The Swiss forward can play center and wing and filled in as the Canucks' No. 1 center after Miller was traded to New York and Elias Pettersson went down with a season-ending oblique injury.

That's the kind of value the Flyers should be hunting for in free agency, but the center market will invariably heat up as soon as Sam Bennett signs his next contract.

Suter carried a $1.6 million cap hit this season and could potentially triple that on the open market with his career year.

No. 2: Thatcher Demko, G, UFA 2026 or Trade

If nothing else, the Flyers are the one NHL team that constantly strikes out at the goaltender position in the ugliest and most heartbreaking ways possible.

Don't ask us what Sergei Bobrovsky is doing this week.

Sam Ersson has yet to finish a campaign in the big leagues with a save percentage over .900, and newcomers Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov have struggled to adapt to the North American style of play despite showing occasional flashes of brilliance from time to time.

After two seasons, the Flyers still have no idea if Ersson is an NHL starter or if Fedotov or Kolosov can even be serviceable goalies at this level over a full year.

This makes Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko, eligible for an extension on July 1 and a 2026 free agent, an attractive trade target or potential future free agency addition.

Yes, Demko did have a career-altering knee injury, and yes, Demko's .889 save percentage this season was objectively awful. 

But, after regaining some of his pre-injury form and finding his game conditioning, the 29-year-old posted a .907 save percentage across his final 10 appearances of the season, allowing just 22 goals and shutting out the visiting Colorado Avalanche at home with a 25-save effort on Feb. 4

Demko has one year remaining on his contract at a $5 million cap hit and could potentially bargain for a raise after July 1, but beggars can't be choosers.

Flyers GM Teases Potential Top Pick Ahead of 2025 NHL DraftPhiladelphia Flyers general manager Danny Briere is not ignoring the possibility of selecting Caleb Desnoyers sixth overall at the 2025 NHL Draft in June. In fact, he's embracing it.

If the Flyers are desperate enough for a starting goaltender, Demko is the ultimate low-risk, high-reward option for them in their current situation, especially if a new goalie prospect is to be introduced to the NHL in the coming seasons.

No. 3: Aatu Raty, C 10.2 (c) RFA, Trade

Canucks center prospect Aatu Raty is a 10.2 (c) RFA this summer, meaning he cannot be the recipient of an offer sheet. That doesn't mean Tocchet and the Flyers shouldn't try to acquire him via trade, though.

Let's face it: the Canucks are desperate to remain competitive and need concrete roster players. The Flyers, on the other hand, are more apt to take risks on this kind of player, as they have already with Pelletier, for example.

The Canucks should be open to draft picks and/or roster players to either use or flip as part of a bigger deal for a bigger fish, and the Flyers should be square to the task on the other end of the deal.

Vancouver desperately needs speed in its lineup, which Raty doesn't have a lot of. Would a swap for a player like Poehling or Pelletier do the trick?

Tocchet will have his hands full with the number of wingers the Flyers already have, while Raty could be due for a breakout NHL season in a 3C role out of the gate.

Raty, a big, heavy center with average skating ability, a strong shot, and satisfactory puck skills, could be a nice change-of-pace option for the Flyers down the middle, and it wouldn't hurt for him to spend a few years picking Couturier's brain while playing under a familiar friend in Tocchet.

Raty showed up for the Canucks when they needed it the most this season, and a bigger opportunity with, say, the Flyers, could be all he needs to take the next step in his pro career.

The Florida Panthers took care of business in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Traveling directly to Raleigh from Toronto after their Game 7 win on Sunday, Florida looked plenty fresh as they skated to an impressive 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center.

Florida’s power play cashed in on their first chance of the series to get the Panthers off and running.

Sasha Barkov found Carter Verhaeghe between the circles, and Verhaeghe took the puck on his backhand and roofed it past Frederik Anderson to give Florida a 1-0 lead near the midway point of the first period.

About four minutes later, Evan Rodrigues jumped on a loose puck after it was lost by Jordan Staal and found a wide-open Aaron Ekblad in the left circle.

Ekblad sent a wrist shot past a screened Anderson to put the Cats up 2-0 with 7:31 on the clock.

Sebastian Aho got the Hurricanes on the board with just 15 seconds left in the period, deflecting a Seth Jarvis shot with his skate past Sergei Bobrovsky after the Panthers failed to get the puck deep into Carolina’s zone a few moments prior.

It only took a few minutes into the second period for Florida to regain their two-goal lead.

A play started by Niko Mikkola in his own zone led to Mikkola carrying the puck over Carolina’s blue line on an odd-man rush.

The massive defenseman slid the puck to A.J. Greer and his one-timer beat Anderson to put the Cats up 3-1.

Despite going over 15 minutes of game time without a shot after Greer’s goal, Florida would make their next one count.

While on the power play after a delay of game penalty by Scott Morrow, Sam Bennett fired a shot that found its way through a screen and past Anderson, extending Florida’s lead to 4-1 with 13:52 to go.

Late in the period, right off a faceoff in Carolina’s zone, Tomas Nosek went behind the net and backhanded a perfect pass to the red-hot Eetu Luostarinen.

Eetu’s one-time beat Anderson and gave the Panthers a 5-1 lead with 5:05 to go.

Jackson Blake added a late power play goal after a roughing call on Jonah Gadjovich, but by then it was too little too late.

Credit must go to Bobrovsky, who kept his cool between the pipes despite a rough night in terms of Hurricanes players trying to get in his kitchen.

Between an Andrei Svechnikov hit to Bobrovsky’s head or Shayne Gostisbehere shooting the puck directly at, and hitting, Brad Marchand, there will be plenty for the Panthers to ponder ahead of Thursday night.

On to Game 2.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Verhaeghe’s goal was his fifth of the playoffs, but it was his first point in four games.

Three of Verhaeghe’s five goals have come on the power play.

Barkov has logged three assists over his past two outings.

Ekblad is up to three goals and seven points in nine playoff games.

Bennett’s goal was his seventh of the playoffs.

Rodrigues has five assists over his past four games.

Greer has two goals and an assist over his past four outings.

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Photo caption: May 20, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe (23) celebrates scoring against the Carolina Hurricanes during the during the first period in game one of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

It’s best not to poke the bear.

A controversial play during the second period of Tuesday’s Eastern Conference Final Game 1 between the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes will likely be a hot topic ahead of Game 2.

With the Panthers leading 3-1 during the second period, Andrei Svechnikov took a shot from the left circle that was stopped and covered by Sergei Bobrovsky.

Svhechnikov crashed the net, which is perfectly fine, but it’s what he did after that had Panthers players quite upset.

Replay shows Svechnikov appear to look at Bobrovsky and skate through the crease, hitting Bob directly in the head with his upper leg.

Sure looks like Svechnikov knew exactly what he was doing when he hit Bobrovsky in the head. pic.twitter.com/vKhgm5f73s

— David Dwork (@DavidDwork) May 21, 2025

Fortunately for the Panthers, Bobrovsky seemed fine after the hit and continued in the game without issue.

The problem is that this is an incredibly dangerous play, targeting another player’s head, if that is in fact that Svechnikov was trying to do.

Whether or not the NHL Department of Player Safety decides to take a closer look at the play remains to be seen.

Throughout Game 1, Carolina was not shy about playing around Florida's goal crease. 

The Hurricanes haven’t been shy about making contact with Bobrovsky in Game 1 pic.twitter.com/vqoat1wYrw

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 21, 2025

One thing that can probably be counted on is the Panthers addressing this it in their own way, on the ice, regardless of what the league decides to do. 

This is only Game 1, after all.

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Photo caption: May 20, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell (15) defends against Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho (20) during the first period in game one of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images