Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella looked inward after his team fell just short of the playoffs during his second season at the helm.

"I'm a little frustrated that I couldn't get the team to close the deal," he told reporters Friday. "That's what we wanted to do. It was a concern of mine with 25 games left or so in the season, 'Can we stay with it?' I think it's my job to get it to the end.

"I think the team played hard right to the end. I just didn't close the deal. ... So that's something that I've got to evaluate over the summer. Could I have done some things differently?"

The Flyers were battling for a playoff spot for most of the campaign but suffered an untimely eight-game losing streak, with five losses coming against teams outside the postseason picture.

Despite the disappointing finish, Philadelphia surpassed preseason expectations, and Tortorella said the experience has given the team "a good footing" for the future.

But the Flyers aren't there just yet.

"We are a ways away," Tortorella said while defending general manager Danny Briere's decision to prioritize the future at the trade deadline. "We have so much work to do with this team."

He added: "I think we still need to add talent to our team. There's no question on that."

The hard-nosed bench boss also reaffirmed his commitment to the team following reports that Philadelphia wants him back next season.

Though other changes may be coming to the Flyers, Tortorella made it clear that his coaching style won't be one of them.

"You got the wrong coach here if we're gonna be hugging like, 'We're here guys, we played a lousy period and a half there, but it's OK,'" he said. "You're not getting that from me, ever. Those are the decisions management has to make if they think I made a mistake and they show me the door. So be it.

"I'm not coming off of that because that's how you build a hockey team."

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In case there was any doubt, Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas wants captain Sidney Crosby to be a Penguin for life.

"The intention has always been clear," the executive told reporters Friday. "I think he should finish his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. How long that is? I'm not going to put any limits on Sidney Crosby. He's capable of great things and is still performing at an extraordinarily high level."

Crosby has one season remaining on his 12-year, $104.4-million contract and is eligible to sign a new extension July 1.

"Obviously, I'm going to talk to Kyle and have a conversation with him," the future Hall of Famer said Thursday, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby. "We'll see."

Dubas added it's "imperative" for contract talks to be kept private, according to team reporter Michelle Crechiolo.

Crosby was outstanding in his 19th NHL season, leading the Penguins with 42 tallies and 94 points while appearing in all 82 games for the second straight year. This campaign marked the third time he's eclipsed the 40-goal mark in his career.

Like Dubas, the future Hall of Famer also didn't put a limit on how many seasons he might have left.

"Obviously, at my age, and things like that, there will be a lot of factors," the 36-year-old said, adding, "I don't look any differently at how much longer I can play based off that. It's always just evaluating my game for what it is, not my age."

The Penguins missed the playoffs for the second straight season, falling outside the postseason picture by three points despite going 6-2-1 in April.

Dubas traded winger Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes before the March 8 deadline. A despondent Crosby said at the time that he wasn't sure what kind of message the front office was trying to send, and the reeling Penguins went on to lose seven of their next nine games.

On Friday, Dubas said he was "surprised and disappointed" by the players' response to the trade.

"If we had shaken the doldrums a little bit earlier, we might not be in this position," he explained, per The Athletic's Rob Rossi.

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Though Red Wings veteran Patrick Kane said he enjoyed his time in Detroit, he admitted "it's hard to say" what his future holds as a pending unrestricted free agent.

"I guess we'll see what happens," he told reporters Thursday. "I'm sure my agent and (Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman) will have those conversations and go from there."

Kane signed a one-year, $2.75-million deal with the Red Wings in November following his recovery from hip resurfacing surgery. He chipped in with 47 points (20 goals and 27 assists) in 50 games, good for the second most on the Red Wings since his season debut Dec. 7.

"Coming into this year, my decision was based on playing on a good team," Kane said. "A team where I thought I fit in well, obviously the comfort of playing with Alex (DeBrincat) again was something I was looking forward to. ... I was put in a great situation to succeed and play a lot of minutes."

He added: "I think it will be similar going forward: How do I fit in with the team, who would I play with, things like that. … (I'm) maybe looking for a little bit more stability as far as term. I think the right situation matters, too."

With three Stanley Cup championships and 143 playoff games (the 12th most among all active players) under his belt, Kane was key to the Red Wings' postseason push. They fell just short of the mark after finishing the season with the same amount of points as the Washington Capitals but five fewer regulation wins.

Detroit's playoff drought has now extended to eight years. Kane doesn't think that dry spell will last for much longer, though.

"I think they're in a great spot," he said. "(Dylan) Larkin, his competitiveness, young players stepping up at the right times and playing so well in the important games - (Moritz) Seider, (Lucas) Raymond, DeBrincat, (Simon) Edvinsson. ... I think the future's really bright for the team."

As for his own future, Kane said he was able to play pain-free this campaign and that he's looking forward to having a normal offseason in terms of his training.

"I think I can play for a long time, to be honest with you," he said with a smirk. "I'm 35, hopefully play to 40. Who knows? You just keep playing."

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Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk said this season was "the most difficult year" he's had mentally after his team failed to meet rising expectations.

"I think at the end of the day, we just didn't make steps forward this year," he told reporters Thursday, including TSN. "We took a couple steps back. It's frustrating, it's difficult. I'm not gonna lie to you, (I had) very high hopes coming into this year and for it to not happen, it's pretty disappointing. Upset, frustrated, all the words you can use there."

"To disappoint (fans) that spend money to support you ... is tough," Tkachuk continued. "It's the first year that I've really, truly felt that. Disappointed a lot of people that stuck with us through the thick and thin."

The Senators had aspirations of making the playoffs for the first time since 2017 after missing the cutline by six points last season. This time last year, Tkachuk boldly proclaimed that he and he teammates "wouldn't be done in April anymore."

Ottawa finished the 2023-24 campaign 13 points outside the postseason picture after losing 41 games in regulation, tied with the Arizona Coyotes for the fifth most in the league.

"Just finished Year 6, and haven't done a thing," Tkachuk lamented Thursday. "I haven't played in those meaningful playoff games that I've imagined, and the rest of the group has imagined playing in."

Ottawa had to battle its fair share of drama this year, including GM and coaching changes, new ownership, and a half-season suspension to Shane Pinto for violating the league's gambling rules.

However, veteran forward Claude Giroux wasn't about to lean on those factors as an excuse.

"We know our potential," he said. "Yes, we are a very young team, but saying that, our game's gotta grow. We need to help each other better, play more as a team."

There are plenty of experienced head coaching options available for the Senators, from Dean Evason, to Todd McLellan, to Craig Berube. Tkachuk said his team is in need of more "accountability," while Giroux knows a new bench boss won't magically solve all of Ottawa's problems.

"There's no coach with a special recipe. ... At the end of the day, it's on the players," Giroux said.

The Senators reportedly hope to have their new head coach in place by the 2024 NHL Draft in late June.

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Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov became the fifth player in NHL history and the second this year to notch 100 assists in a single season Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Kucherov entered the contest with 99 helpers and hit the century mark with an assist on Brayden Point's power-play goal.

Kucherov joins Connor McDavid, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Orr as the only NHLers to accomplish the feat. McDavid reached the milestone on Monday.

Prior to 2023-24, Gretzky was the last to do it in 1990-91, which was his 11th consecutive campaign with at least 100 assists. Lemieux (1988-89) and Orr (1970-71) each hit the milestone once in their careers.

Kucherov is the only winger among the five members of the 100-assist club.

He leads the league with 144 points this season - six up on Nathan MacKinnon in the Art Ross Trophy race.

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Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov became the fifth player in NHL history and the second this year to notch 100 assists in a single season Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Kucherov entered the contest with 99 helpers and hit the century mark with an assist on Brayden Point's power-play goal.

Kucherov joins Connor McDavid, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Orr as the only NHLers to accomplish the feat. McDavid reached the milestone on Monday.

Prior to 2023-24, Gretzky was the last to do it in 1990-91, which was his 11th consecutive campaign with at least 100 assists. Lemieux (1988-89) and Orr (1970-71) each hit the milestone once in their careers.

Kucherov is the only winger among the five members of the 100-assist club.

He leads the league with 144 points this season - six up on Nathan MacKinnon in the Art Ross Trophy race.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov became the fifth player in NHL history and the second this year to notch 100 assists in a single season Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Kucherov entered the contest with 99 helpers and hit the century mark with an assist on Brayden Point's power-play goal.

Kucherov joins Connor McDavid, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Orr as the only NHLers to accomplish the feat. McDavid reached the milestone on Monday.

Prior to 2023-24, Gretzky was the last to do it in 1990-91, which was his 11th consecutive campaign with at least 100 assists. Lemieux (1988-89) and Orr (1970-71) each hit the milestone once in their careers.

Kucherov is the only winger among the five members of the 100-assist club.

He leads the league with 144 points this season - six up on Nathan MacKinnon in the Art Ross Trophy race.

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Buffalo Sabres star Tage Thompson thinks his team's new coach needs to bring two core concepts to the table: accountability and consistency.

"There needs to be repercussions - whether it's being benched or in the press box - if you're not playing winning hockey," he told reporters during his end-of-season availability on Wednesday. "I think, at times, you could see that we were a great team, and other times we were too casual. I think that's something that's gotta be instilled in us. ... That's something I don't think we had enough of this year."

"I think a lot of times this year, we got away with some stuff that we shouldn't have gotten away with," he added. "I think if you clean those things up, then it sends a message."

The Sabres fired Don Granato on Tuesday after they failed to make the playoffs for the 13th straight season. Many expected Buffalo to end that drought this campaign, but the young team fell short of those lofty expectations, finishing eight points outside of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Thompson made it clear that he has "nothing but respect and admiration" for Granato. The bench boss moved the 6-foot-6 forward to center when he took over the reins three years ago, which prompted his 38-goal breakout season in 2021-22.

Since making his debut in 2017-18, Thompson has played under three different head coaches: Phil Housley (2017-19), Ralph Krueger (2019-21), and Granato (2021-24).

"I would like to say that each time, it kind of lights a fire under you because it shows you that you're replaceable," Thompson said. "That's kind of the business you're in. So, hopefully, the response is intensity. I think comfort can be the death of you, and I think we were a little too comfortable this year."

Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin echoed Thompson's wishlist in a new head coach, adding that they need to be "pushed hard."

However, the team's probable next captain believes the players themselves are better equipped to handle the pressure of growing expectations.

"In that way, this year was good for us," Dahlin said. "We weren't really prepared and ready as a group for what it meant, really. That was a big learning lesson. ... Going into next year, we're very prepared for what it means."

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Travis Konecny hopes the heartbreaking end to the Philadelphia Flyers' season can help them become a consistent playoff contender in the future.

"We have all the tools to do it," he said during the Flyers' exit availability on Wednesday. "I think this year was good for us being in the spot we were at. ... Maybe it makes you realize that nothing game on a Tuesday in a random city, that game matters. It's a good mindset for our team to have."

"I'd love to say right now that it's going to be next year," he added. "I don't know."

After occupying a playoff spot for much of the campaign, the Flyers officially finished outside the postseason picture on Wednesday night. Philadelphia lost nine out of its last 11 games, ultimately dashing any hopes it had of playing beyond the regular season for the first time since 2020.

Despite falling short, the Flyers were still one of the biggest surprises of the season, something that is not lost on Konecny.

"I think it was awesome for a lot of the guys to prove a lot of people wrong, and maybe even prove themselves wrong. ... Now, it's just believing," he said.

Only five players on the current roster have suited up for a playoff game while donning a Flyers jersey:

"It's tough when we put ourselves in such a good spot at the start of the year," veteran forward Scott Laughton said. "You're pushing towards that goal of making the playoffs and you get that taste a little bit, you want to get back there. I haven't experienced playoff hockey in Philly in quite some time and there's nothing really like it."

He added: "This one stings the most out of my career. ... It could have been a lot different."

Laughton said he needs some time to decompress before he can fully focus on the positives that came from this campaign.

Konecny's performance was arguably one of those bright spots. He posted a career-high 33 goals and 68 points in 76 games.

The 27-year-old has one more season remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $5.5 million. He's eligible to sign an extension this summer, though he admitted contract talks haven't been at the front of his mind.

"I'm sure down the road here I'll deal with that," he said. "I've been focusing so much on trying to get (into the playoffs). But we'll see moving forward.

"I love Philly."

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Marc-Andre Fleury isn't hanging up his pads just yet.

The veteran netminder signed a one-year, $2.5-million extension with the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.

The pact includes a no-move clause, per The Athletic's Michael Russo.

"I'm grateful to keep doing what I love for one more season," Fleury said. "I thought about it a lot this year, but I still love to compete."

The beloved goalie added that he expects next season to be his last.

Prior to the start of the 2023-24 campaign, Fleury said he would wait until the end of the season to make a decision on his playing future.

In late March, he conceded that he initially thought this year would be his last in the NHL, but he ended up rediscovering "the joy of playing hockey." He added that if he were to come back, it'd only be as a member of the Wild.

Fleury owns an .895 save percentage and 2.98 goals against average across 39 appearances in his 20th NHL season. He's also saved 5.83 goals above average and 1.73 goals above expected at five-on-five, according to Evolving-Hockey.

Minnesota failed to make the playoffs this campaign, putting an end to Fleury's streak of 17 consecutive postseason appearances. He won the Stanley Cup three times as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins and owns a career .911 save percentage in the postseason.

Fleury is nearing the end of his second full season with the Wild. The Chicago Blackhawks traded him to Minnesota at the 2022 trade deadline.

The Wild will play their last game of the 2023-24 campaign on Thursday against the Seattle Kraken, and Fleury is slated to make the start.

The 39-year-old is just three years removed from winning his first Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender. A member of the Vegas Golden Knights at the time, Fleury registered a .928 save percentage and 1.98 goals against average to go along with a 26-10-0 record.

Fleury already ranks second in wins (561) and fourth in games played (1,024) by a goaltender in NHL history.

Though he won't pass Martin Brodeur's 691 victories, Fleury is only six appearances away from passing Patrick Roy for third on the all-time list and 21 removed from supplanting Roberto Luongo for second place.

Fleury will turn 40 years old on Nov. 28.

Elsewhere in the Wild's crease, Filip Gustavsson is signed for two more seasons with a cap hit of $3.75 million, while they'll need to continue developing 2021 first-round pick Jesper Wallstedt.

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