The Anaheim Ducks head into the 2025 offseason with a new face behind the bench in the form of recently hired Joel Quenneville, and a new mandate from ownership and the front office to make the playoffs as soon as possible.

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They are coming off a year that saw them take a 21-point leap in the NHL standings, but numbers suggest their goaltending carried them, as they remained at or near the bottom of most statistical categories.

At 5v5 in 2024-25, the Ducks allowed the most shot attempts against (4445), shots on goal against (2063), and expected goals against in the entire NHL (195.91). Offensively, they ranked 23rd in shot attempts (3773), shots on goal (1772), and expected goals (161).

Special teams were just as pitiful, as they iced the league’s worst power play (11.8%) and fourth-worst penalty kill (70.7%).

When asked where the team needed to improve this summer at his post-season press conference, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek stated his focus would be on goal scoring.

“I think when you look at the roster on a whole, I think that I would (say) we need to score more goals,” Verbeek said. “Ultimately, we didn’t score enough goals, and certainly that became a contributing factor.

“What was interesting (was that) when we scored three or more goals, we virtually won all the games. We were almost undefeated when scoring three or more goals. That is going to be a goal that we’re looking to hit by being more offensive.”

While the offensive numbers weren’t spectacular, and improved offense begets improved defense as the more time a team spends attacking, the less they’re defending in their zone, the inverse is also true. Improved defense leads to improved offense as the quicker possession shifts, the quicker and more precise pucks exit the defensive zone.

To boil it down, the Ducks need to improve in every facet outside of the crease, and they'll enter the offseason with a projected $38.6 million in cap space to do so.

The Ducks currently have 16 players under contract on their roster for the 2025-26 season, with high-profile restricted free agents (RFAs) Mason McTavish and Lukas Dostal in need of new deals, as well as NHL regulars Isac Lundestrom, Brett Leason, and Drew Helleson. Bubble players who spent time in the NHL last season, like Nikita Nesterenko, Sam Colangelo, and Tim Washe, are also RFAs heading into the summer.

If no subtractions are made from the depth chart, the Ducks only have one top-nine forward spot to fill, and the addition of an impact defenseman would cause another logjam on the blueline that could potentially deter the development of one or several young players, as was the case for the majority of 2024-25.

With those factors in mind, Verbeek and the front office are faced with the question of what areas and positions the depth chart needs most and how to improve those aspects, whether it’s via trade or free agency.

Top of the Lineup Producer

The Ducks have a talented forward group consisting of impactful young players like Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, and Trevor Zegras, with Troy Terry bridging the gap between them and a group of veteran complementary players like Ryan Strome, Frank Vatrano, and Alex Killorn.

The potential to become one of the most potent offensive teams exists within this group, but the addition of a bona fide and proven offensive talent would alleviate some of that pressure from the young core and slot every player within the depth chart more efficiently.

Mitch Marner is the ultimate prize in this regard for the Ducks and any team looking to drastically improve their makeup for the foreseeable future. He’s the only true franchise-changing player potentially available on the market this summer in the NHL.

Odds would suggest Marner won’t be coming to Anaheim this summer, but it would benefit the Ducks to have an impact offensive producer at the top of their shopping list.

Two-way Center

The Ducks have five forwards on their roster with NHL experience who have played consistently at center for extended durations in their careers: Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Ryan Strome, Isac Lundestrom, and Trevor Zegras.

It’s become increasingly more apparent that Trevor Zegras isn’t seen as a center by the organization. Quenneville’s presence could alter that, as he’s known to consistently tinker with lines, but smart money would be on Zegras remaining on the wing in Anaheim.

Working under the assumption that Zegras is destined for the wing, that leaves the top nine center group as Carlsson, McTavish, and Strome. None of those three players are proven enough defensively to assume traditional, shutdown capabilities should they be tasked with matching up against an elite opposing top line. Lundestrom is a terrific defensive center, but his lack of offensive upside renders him most suited for a role on a fourth line.

While it can be noted that the best defense is a good offense, there will be times when the Connor McDavids and Nathan MacKinnons of the world will need to be relatively neutralized.

If the Ducks are to push for the playoffs, they’ll need a center who can go toe-to-toe with the NHL’s elite offensive players. They could benefit from adding their William Karlsson, Anthony Cirelli, or Anton Lundell-esque player who can absorb heavy defensive minutes and kill penalties while providing offense and dictating possession.

Dallas Stars forward Mikael Granlund is the free agent market’s most suitable fit. The potential drawback, however, of adding both a top-of-the-lineup producer and a middle-six two-way center is that, barring a subtraction, it would place a top-nine forward onto the fourth line and lower in the lineup than they’d have been playing in recent years.

Mobile Defensive Defenseman

On paper, the Ducks have a full blueline. They have six NHL regular defensemen remaining from 2024-25: Jackson LaCombe, Radko Gudas, Olen Zellweger, Jacob Trouba, Pavel Mintyukov, and Drew Helleson. Helleson is an RFA and the only member of that group in need of a new contract.

Tristan Luneau had an impressive rookie season in the AHL, leading all rookie defensemen in scoring with 52 points (9-43=52) in 59 games. Luneau (six games) and Ian Moore (three games) each saw NHL time with the Ducks last season and could fill a role as a sixth or seventh defenseman in 2025-26.

Like the forward core, the blueline is brimming with potential and complementary veterans. However, if the Ducks intend to make the jump from an 80-point non-playoff team to a 95-point wild-card team, they’ll need an impactful upgrade on the back end.

Gudas and Trouba represent a foregone archetype of what a defensive defenseman is. They could still be impact players in the proper circumstances, such as a potential defensive zone coverage scheme shift.

Still, the blueline could use the addition of a more modern variation of the position: a fluid and mobile defender who can mirror attackers, eliminate time and space, and apply pressure to puck carriers over the entire 200-foot ice surface. They need their version of a Mattias Ekholm, Gustav Forsling, or Jaccob Slavin.

Unlike with the potential forward needs, the free agent market doesn’t hold an ideal fit for the Ducks. The most high-profile defenseman on the market is Florida Panthers blueliner Aaron Ekblad. Ekblad has familiarity with Quenneville from their time together in Florida, but he’s seen his fair share of injuries in the past five years of his career, perhaps rendering his four-way mobility more limited than it once was.

If the Ducks intend to add to their blueline this offseason, the trade market could prove the way forward.

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For better or worse, Bruins are trusting Sweeney to get franchise back on track originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins have a pivotal offseason coming up as they try to fix their roster and get back in the playoff mix after a horrendous 2024-25 campaign that saw the franchise miss the postseason for the first time since 2015-16.

And they are entrusting general manager Don Sweeney to lead them back to prominence.

The Bruins announced Tuesday a two-year extension for Sweeney. His current contract was set to expire after next season, so this extension keeps him under contract through 2027-28.

Sweeney took over as Bruins GM in 2015, and his tenure has been controversial to say the least. The team has been quite competitive during this run, including eight playoff appearances, reaching Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final and having the most successful regular season in league history in 2022-23.

But his tenure also has been filled with plenty of disappointment. Despite having some very good teams, the Bruins have advanced past the second round only once since he became general manager. This run also includes a couple first-round exits and last season’s disaster. He also has fired three different head coaches, including two — Bruce Cassidy and Jim Montgomery — who have had success after leaving Boston. The B’s next coach will be the fourth of Sweeney’s tenure (the third he has hired).

Boston’s drafting and development has been mostly lackluster under Sweeney’s leadership, too. The Bruins haven’t drafted an impact player since taking Jeremy Swayman in the fourth round in 2017. The last forward they drafted who scored 20 goals in a season was Jake DeBrusk (first round, 2015), and he’s no longer on the team. There was very little accountability from Sweeney and team president Cam Neely when asked about their drafting and developing during the end-of-season press conference in April.

So, why is Sweeney getting rewarded with a contract extension?

You have to think that ownership believes Sweeney is the right person to get the franchise back on track. This Neely quote from the Sweeney extension press release hints at that.

“Don has navigated a disappointing period for our club with conviction, purpose, and a clear vision toward the future of the Boston Bruins,” Neely said. “He made difficult decisions around the trade deadline with the confidence they will pay dividends as we craft a path back to contention. He is continuing to follow that track with a robust and thorough search for our club’s next head coach, while also preparing for the upcoming NHL Draft and free agent signing period.

“I am confident in the plan he has followed these past few months – and excited for what’s to come for our team. The expectations in Boston have always been clear. It’s about winning championships.”

Sweeney did a great job at the trade deadline in March. He dealt away several veteran players, including captain Brad Marchand, and accumulated lots of valuable draft picks and some good prospects as a result of those moves. The Brandon Carlo trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Charlie Coyle trade with the Colorado Avalanche were particularly good.

When the Marchand trade completes Tuesday, the Bruins will have five first-round picks and four second-round selections over the next three drafts.

If the Bruins want to retool their roster and become a threat to win the Eastern Conference as early as next season, the trade market is probably their best route to achieve that objective. The free agent market is not very robust this summer — only a couple true difference-makers could be available.

And now that the Bruins have lots of draft picks and more prospects, they have the ammo to make deals to upgrade their roster — especially in the top-six forward group — should any impact players be available in the coming months.

Trades are the area Sweeney excels at the most. His trade record is very strong. So if the Bruins think the trade market is how they will largely fix the roster, Sweeney would be the guy for the job.

But his struggles in free agency and the draft should concern Bruins fans.

Sweeney has made a couple nice low-cost free agent signings in recent years, with Morgan Geekie being the best and latest example. But his larger free agent acquisitions — Matt Beleskey, David Backes, Elias Lindholm, etc. — have not been very good. The Backes and Beleskey deals were a disaster.

For better or worse, the Bruins are relying on Sweeney to get the franchise back to contender status. He has shown the ability to construct strong teams throughout his tenure, but his current challenge — one he largely created due to bad roster moves — is by far his toughest yet.

He has to make moves to be competitive in the short term while simultaneously setting up the franchise for future success, including a crucial 2025 draft in which the B’s own the No. 7 pick (their highest first-rounder since 2011).

Since re-joining the Philadelphia Flyers as the 25th head coach in franchise history, Rick Tocchet has been all the rage in the media and in national circles. And for good reason.

One of the main draws for Tocchet, in the eyes of Flyers GM Danny Briere, is his attractiveness to players around the league. Veterans, youngsters, and All-Stars from all kinds of different teams are apparently clamoring to play for Tocchet.

And, while many Flyers fans were skeptical of Briere's early Tocchet impressions and considered them to be tropes or buzzwords to generate hype, there's truth to it.

For instance, we know that Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes loves Tocchet. Now, we're coming to find that the love for Tocchet extends well beyond active players, too.

On Thursday's NHL Network panel, former NHL enforcer Stu Grimson and ex-All-Star goalie Cory Schneider sung Tocchet's praises and gave the Flyers props for landing the big fish of this offseason's hiring cycle.

"Yes, the Flyers are trying to improve their roster on the ice and become a perennial playoff team and eventually a contender, but, if you think about it, as much as anything, it's a cultural rebuild," Grimson said. "To me, Rick Tocchet actually picks up the mantle, picks up the baton and carries it forward. 

"You're picking up the development of these young guys and nurturing that, and to me, no better fit for a guy like Rick Tocchet. No knock on [John Tortorella], but when a guy like Rick Tocchet walks to the center of the room, a guy who's had a brilliant career... do you know a lot of guys who had 30 goals and 300 penalty minutes in a single campaign? 

"That's a pretty rare player, so when a guy like that walks to the center of the room, you've got the attention, you've got the respect of this group right out of the gate. This is an important place for the bookmark to be inserted and Tocchet takes over going forward. I'm really excited to see what this team looks like a couple years from now under the Tocchet regime."

Some strong words from Grimson and a ringing endorsement, especially given how Tortorella's reign in Philadelphia ended with sputtering, fumbling quotes about the state of the team and an alleged verbal clash with Cam York, among other things.

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When your coach has your respect and attention beyond a shadow of a doubt, that's not something that happens.

From Day 1, Tocchet will be an improvement in this aspect.

Schneider, too, believes Tocchet and the Flyers are a perfect match, even beyond the product on the ice. And that's just how the Flyers are as an organization, too. It comes with the territory, literally.

"I think when he opted out of Vancouver, it was a bit of fait accompli that he'd end up in Philly. The match just seemed too perfect," Schneider added, piggybacking off Grimson. "Tocchet and Philly just seemed to make sense. It's not just a team and organization. It's a city, it's a culture, it's an identity. And I think he fits that identity. 

"I think he's a great follow-up to Torts. I think he's like a Torts-lite, in the sense that he's a great communicator. I think that's his best attribute. Communication is so paramount in the league today with young players. You have to be able to talk to them, explain to them, let them know where they stand.

"I think a guy like Michkov is going to really thrive underneath him, because [Tocchet] may not demand quite as much defensively as Torts did; he might free you up a little bit offensively, but still instill those habits, the accountability, what he expects out of you. Continuing that culture while maybe freeing some guys up more to do more things, be more creative, use their skill more."

Flyers: Olympic Champion Predicts Matvei Michkov's Future Under Rick TocchetIlya Vorobyov, a former Russian national team head coach and Olympic champion, sees lots of defense in the future of Matvei Michkov under new Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.

Matvei Michkov, for example, had the ultimate challenge of playing for a disciplinarian like Tortorella in his first NHL season, and even sat out two games entirely as a healthy scratch to the chagrin of hockey fans everywhere.

But the budding Flyers star still managed to post 63 points and lead all NHL rookies in goals with 26. Just imagine where Michkov could go offensively with less emphasis on holding his position in the defensive zone.

Plus, wingers like Tyson Foerster, Owen Tippett, and Bobby Brink all had good, not great, seasons offensively and could all stand to take a step or two forward in that department. Tippett, especially, is rapidly losing developmental runway and is coming off his least productive full season in Philadelphia.

A drastic improvement from Tippett is just the tip of the iceberg of what the Flyers are tasking Tocchet with for the next five seasons.

Fortunately, Tocchet has believers in his ability well outside the confines of the Flyers Training Center and Wells Fargo Center, which should at least inspire a bit more of confidence in his skeptics and critics in the short term.

Who’s ready for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final in Raleigh?

Let’s just try and keep it to closer to 60 minutes this time.

For the second time in three seasons, the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes will fight for the right to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final.

Just like the last time, the series will begin at Lenovo Center.

Back then, Florida won both games in Raleigh…in overtime. Game 1 was a quadruple overtime marathon while Game 2 ended early in the first overtime, both on goals by Matthew Tkachuk.

This year, Carolina has not appeared to face much resistance en route to the Stanley Cup semifinal.

The Hurricanes dispatched the New Jersey Devils in five games in the first round, with three of their four wins coming by at least two goals.

They followed that up with a five-game series victory over the Washington Capitals, the top regular season team in the Eastern Conference, and also with three of four wins coming by multiple goals.

Carolina will face a different kind of beast in the Panthers, though.

Will Florida be able to crack the Hurricanes’ strong defensive systems?

Through 10 games, Carolina has allowed more than two goals only three times, and allowed one or fewer goals five times.

Meanwhile, the Panthers are averaging 3.75 goals per game during the playoffs, second to only the Edmonton Oilers mark of 3.91. To their credit, Carolina isn’t far behind Florida at 3.40 goals per game.

And while the Hurricanes are the stingiest team in the postseason, allowing just 1.80 goals per game, Florida is second, giving up 2.42.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Game 1 in Carolina:

Evan Rodrigues – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Jonah Gadjovich

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Nate Schmidt – Dmitry Kulikov

Scratches: Mackie Samoskevich, Uvis Balinskis, Jesper Boqvist, Nico Sturm, Jaycob Megna

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Photo caption: Jan 2, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) skates the puck up the ice against Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns (8) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images