The Philadelphia Flyers recalled Aleksei Kolosov from the AHL exactly one week ago, and he has yet to do so much as to dress as a backup goalie for even one game so far.

Kolosov, 23, has not appeared in an NHL game since Jan. 2, when he allowed four goals on 26 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Belarusian was subsequently reassigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, though he returned to the Flyers on Jan. 31, sat for a month, then returned to Lehigh Valley again on March 6.

Kolosov has played eight games for the Phantoms since Jan. 2, stopping 192 of 216 shots for a .889 save percentage and posting a 4-4-0 record.

Kolosov's numbers were actually tattered by a rocky start that saw him allow 10 goals in his first two AHL starts since October, and he's been much improved since returning to the AHL in early March.

The 23-year-old has won four of his last six starts for the Phantoms, stopping 136 of 150 shots for a .907 save percentage, which is a drastic improvement over his career .884 save percentage in the AHL.

So, when current Flyers backup goalie Ivan Fedotov allowed nine goals on 32 combined shots in games against Dallas and Chicago last weekend, Kolosov's return to the Flyers at least made some sense.

In a lost season where your backup is not playing well (again), give the kid a shot and see what he does in the last handful of games, right?

And yet, at least so far, all Kolosov has done is watch from the press box.

Perhaps the firing of head coach John Tortorella has played a role in this, though it's impossible to be certain.

Tortorella started the 2024-25 season insisting that Sam Ersson was the undisputed starter and Fedotov was the backup.

Then, Kolosov commandeered the backup role by November, just to hand it back over to Fedotov after a series of poor showings at the end of December.

Leading up to his dismissal, Tortorella then referred to Ersson and Fedotov as a "tandem" with both goalies struggling with consistency equally.

Then, the 28-year-old Fedotov had those two dreary outings, and up came Kolosov again.

The Flyers' evaluation of the goaltending situation changes almost monthly, which is understandably unsettling for many fans.

What we can say about Kolosov - and this is true for any developing player - is that there is little benefit to spending swaths of games in the press box instead of being on the ice gaining experience firsthand.

Another thing to note is that, because Kolosov is signed to a two-way contract, his salary while playing in the AHL is just $80k.

This pales in comparison to his $832.5k base salary, and we must also consider that Kolosov has to take care of his girlfriend as well as himself while shuttling back and forth between Philadelphia and Allentown as frequently as he has.

While Kolosov did play in the KHL for parts of four seasons, the league's salary cap is only $10 million in U.S dollars, and the Belarusian ruble is equivalent to only 0.31 USD at the time of this writing.

By spending time in the NHL with the Flyers, Kolosov makes substantially more money, which is undoubtedly a huge help for a player who is still acclimating to life in North America and speaks and understands a very limited amount of English.

It's unclear whether the Flyers are doing this as a favor to their young prospect or if they really do want him on the NHL roster for hockey reasons, but if it's the former, it makes plenty of sense.

Players are human and have lives away from the rink, too.

On that note, though, it would be strange to see Kolosov spend the rest of the NHL season with the Flyers without appearing in any games, then return to Lehigh Valley ice cold ahead of the Calder Cup playoffs.

Ideally, Ersson, Fedotov, and Kolosov each play two of the team's final six games before the latter returns for the Phantoms' postseason campaign.

That decision, of course, is ultimately up to interim head coach Brad Shaw and the Flyers brass. Expect more clarity on the situation soon. 

The San Jose Sharks have adjusted their roster significantly with injuries at the NHL and AHL levels.

On Monday, San Jose sent down defenseman Luca Cagnoni and center Patrick Giles to the Barracuda. And recalled defenseman Jack Thompson.

The #SJSharks have recalled D Jack Thompson from the @sjbarracuda.

D Luca Cagnoni and F Patrick Giles have been re-assigned to the Barracuda.

— San Jose Sharks PR (@SanJoseSharksPR) March 31, 2025

Cagnoni hasn't struggled in his five NHL games, but he has more development. The 'Cuda are trending toward the postseason, but injuries to top scorers Andrew Poturalski and Jimmy Schuldt mean they need help.

Cagnoni can drive offense from the back, especially on the power play, where Poturalski is missed. Giles is a big, defensive center who can help shut down the other team's top forwards. 

Thompson has played 24 games in the NHL this season and has shown flashes of being an NHL-caliber d-man. With looks to the young guys like Giles and Cagnoni taking at least a pause, Thompson will get a chance to play higher in the Sharks lineup for the first time since the Trade deadline.

The San Jose Sharks visit the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday before returning home for two games.

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Lane Hutson is right in the thick of the Calder race and right now, it’s too close to call. But being in the midst of that and in playoff position shows the impact the talented blueliner has had on the Montreal Canadiens. 

The NHL chronicled how close the vote was in the notice: 

Lane Hutson, who paced all rookies in the month of March with 14 assists and 15 points in 14 games (1-14—15) to lift the Canadiens (34-30-9, 77 points) into the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, has been named the NHL’s “Rookie of the Month” for March. Hutson edged Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov (5-9—14 in 16 GP), Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (3-10—13 in 15 GP), St. Louis Blues center Zack Bolduc (8-3—11 in 15 GP), and San Jose Sharks teammates Will Smith (4-7—11 in 13 GP) and Macklin Celebrini (3-8—11 in 13 GP) for the honor.

Hutson pierces the offensive zone like few can. His stick and puck control has always been exceptional. I knew when I was watching him with the NTDP and covering more than a few of his games live that he had a chance to be a good NHL player. There was always a question about how far could his offense take him and it’s going to go further than many thought including me. 

The fact that he’s averaging over 22 minutes a game and his 59 points in 73 games is amazing. For the people saying he’s not great defensively, he’s blocked 109 shots. Does he have a few too many giveaways, yes, but that will get better but the positives far outweigh anything else. 

He’s the fifth best scoring defenseman in the NHL! I saw the Canadiens beat the Rangers in 1979. Back then, their stud defenseman was Larry Robinson. We talked about that team in my new book Game Winners. 

The Edmonton Oilers had a busy practice on Tuesday morning.

The big news was the presence of the injured Connor McDavid, Trent Frederic, and Evander Kane in non-contact jerseys. None of the three will play against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night, but it's an encouraging sign for each of them as Frederic skates with his new team for the first time, and the door is open for McDavid to return during their four-game road trip.

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 The rest of the roster will have a formidable challenge in front of them as they take on the division-leading Golden Knights, who come into Tuesday's game riding a six-game win streak.

That hot streak, coupled with the recent injuries to McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, has effectively buried any chance the Oilers had at catching Vegas for the Pacific Division crown. The Golden Knights are nine points up on the Oilers with nine games remaining in the regular season.

EDM lines & pairings - Tuesday Morning Skate:

Podkolzin - Draisaitl - Arvidsson
Hyman - RNH - Kapanen
Skinner - Janmark - Brown
Jones - Henrique - Perry
(Kane - McDavid - Frederic)

Walman - Bouchard
Nurse - Stecher
Kulak - Emberson

Pickard
Rodrigue#Oilers

— Tony Brar 🚀 (@TonyBrarOTV) April 1, 2025

Absent from Oilers practice was Mattias Ekholm, still struggling with a nagging injury that's kept him out of the lineup for the past two games. He's missed eight of the Oilers' eighteen games since the 4 Nations Face-Off. With Ekholm out, Jake Walman will remain on an offense-heavy top pairing with Evan Bouchard.

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Up front, Jeff Skinner will slide back down to the third line, where he acquitted himself very well in McDavid and Draisaitl's absence, while Kasperi Kapanen brings his speed to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' second line.

The first line remains the same from their win over Calgary on Saturday, though Draisaitl will almost certainly see minutes with almost every winger as Kris Knoblauch double-shifts him against Vegas' deep lineup.

With Stuart Skinner still out day-to-day, Calvin Pickard will get his third consecutive start for the first time this season. Pickard rebounded from his debacle in Seattle with a solid 26-save win over the Flames on Saturday, lifting his record to 18-8-1 despite an .899 save percentage. 

The puck drops between the Oilers and Golden Knights at 8:00 PM, on Sportsnet.

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Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel has been named the NHL's first star of the month. 

The 28-year-old recorded eight goals and 23 points in 14 games in the month of March, propelling the Golden Knights to a 10-2-2 record. 

During the month, Eichel set the new Golden Knights record for points in a season and set a new career-high in points. This season, Eichel's scored 27 goals and 93 points, on pace to eclipse the 100-point mark for the first time in his career.

Here's what the NHL's press release had to say about his month:

"Eichel paced the League with 8-15—23 in 14 contests to propel the Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights (45-20-8, 98 points) to a 10-2-2 month as they seek their seventh playoff berth in eight NHL seasons. Eichel, who additionally finished among the March leaders in power-play assists (t-1st; 8), power-play points (2nd; 10), assists (t-4th; 15), even-strength points (t-9th; 13) and goals (t-12th; 8), found the score sheet in 13 of his 14 appearances – capped by a six-game run to close the month that featured four multi-point performances (March 20-29: 6-7—13). The No. 2 overall pick from the 2015 NHL Draft also collected his 600th career point in his 607th game, part of a four-point effort March 22 vs. DET (1-3—4); scored his fifth career hat trick and third with Vegas March 25 at MIN (3-0—3); and notched a pair of game-winning goals: March 5 vs. TOR (1-1—2) and March 23 vs. TBL (1-0—1). The 28-year-old Eichel ranks fourth in the NHL with 27-66—93 through 72 total appearances this season, already career highs for assists and points in a single campaign (ahead of 2018-19: 28-54—82 in 77 GP w/ BUF). He also sits among the 2024-25 leaders in power-play assists (3rd; 29), assists (t-4th; 66), plus/minus (5th; +35) and power-play points (t-5th; 34)."

Jack Eichel, John Tavares and Jordan Binnington have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of March presented by GEICO.#NHLStats: https://t.co/VIARokLrCkpic.twitter.com/A07ysorPht

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) April 1, 2025

Following Eichel as stars of the month were the Toronto Maple Leafs' John Tavares, who recorded 13 goals and 20 points in 15 games, and St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington, who posted eight wins, a .910 SV% and a 2.21 GAA.

Eichel is having a stellar season and has kept his name in the Hart Trophy race all season long. He likely won't win the award but could find himself in the top five, which would be the highest he's placed in his career. 

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Golden Knights' Jack Eichel Named Second Star Of The WeekVegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel has been named the NHL's second star of the week.

The Toronto Maple Leafs returned to practice at Ford Performance Centre on Tuesday following their three-game California road trip, preparing for a divisional matchup against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.

In a practice that lasted just 15 minutes, the most notable development was the presence of Max Pacioretty and Jani Hakanpaa, both skating with the team for the first time as they work toward a return from long-term injuries.

“It’s good that they’re out there. They’ve been working with our development crew and people back here skating and trying to get healthy. Hopefully, they can get healthy and be part of the team at some point,” said head coach Berube after practice.

Max Pacioretty and Jani Hakanpaa were full participants at Leafs practice today.

Craig Berube: “They've been working with our development crew and people back here skating and trying to get healthy. Hopefully they can get healthy and be part of the team at some point.” pic.twitter.com/0ZWgqzfb4U

— Nick Barden (@nickbarden) April 1, 2025

Pacioretty has been sidelined since February 8, when he last played against the Vancouver Canucks before the 4 Nations Face-Off break. He suffered an undisclosed injury in practice on February 19, landing him on injured reserve on February 28. The Maple Leafs moved him to long-term injured reserve (LTIR) on March 7, the NHL trade deadline, for salary cap flexibility. That move ensured he would miss a minimum of 10 games and 24 days.

Despite his absence, Pacioretty (and Hakanpaa) have, at times, been skating ahead of team practices, either on separate ice pads or before the rest of the team – last doing so on March 17. In his first season with the Leafs, Pacioretty has played 37 games, recording five goals and eight assists for 13 points.

“Pretty confident, yeah. I’m pretty confident,” said Berube last week when asked if Pacioretty would be ready for playoff action.

‘I’m Pretty Confident’: Head Coach Craig Berube And Maple Leafs Expecting Max Pacioretty To Return For Playoffs After Long-Term Injured Reserve StintToronto Maple Leafs forward Max Pacioretty has been sidelined since early February, but head coach Craig Berube believes the veteran winger will be ready to return for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Hakanpaa’s progression is also key. The 6-foot-7, towering defenseman has been out of the lineup since November 16, when he last played against the Edmonton Oilers. He underwent minor knee surgery in hopes of returning in the second half of the season but was placed on LTIR on December 2.

The 33-year-old has only played two games for the Leafs this season, along with two conditioning appearances for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies – remaining pointless in those four outings. He was initially named to Team Finland’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster but had to withdraw due to his recovery timeline.

'I Don't Have A Timeline': Jani Hakanpaa Will Not Play For Finland At 4 Nations Sparking More Questions About His NHL FutureHakanpaa hasn't played since Nov. 16 and had a second knee procedure in early December.

The Maple Leafs seem optimistic that both Pacioretty and Hakanpaa could be ready for the postseason, steadily progressing in their recoveries as the team moves closer to the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

With just $195,332 in salary cap space, Toronto has been able to utilize LTIR to manage Pacioretty’s $873,770 cap hit and Hakanpaa’s $1.47 million cap hit. However, once the playoffs begin, the salary cap no longer applies, giving the Leafs the flexibility to activate both players if they’re fully ready to return in April.

Starting Goalie Against the Cats

The Leafs have been rotating their goaltending tandem of Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz. Woll, who last played on Sunday in Anaheim, was seen getting extra work as Stolarz had already departed the ice on Tuesday – signaling the start for the 31-year-old against his former team on Wednesday. 

So, is that the plan? 

“Yeah, maybe. I don’t know yet,” said Berube after practice, not revealing his cards.

Anthony Stolarz was off the ice well before Joseph Woll after Maple Leafs' practice today.

Head coach Craig Berube, on if Stolarz will start against the Panthers tomorrow: "Maybe."

— Nick Barden (@nickbarden) April 1, 2025

Stolarz has lost both matchups against the Panthers when he’s been in the crease for the Leafs this season. When asked if that was a factor in the decision-making, Berube dismissed the notion. 

“No, not really. No,” said Berube. “It is what it is, the team is 0-and-2.”

Final confirmation on the starting goalie should become available on Wednesday, but all signs point towards Stolarz’s third start against Florida at Scotiabank Arena. 

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