The NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad for the next two games on Tuesday.

Ekblad laid a high hit on Tampa Bay Lightning left winger Brandon Hagel during Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Monday. Ekblad’s forearm landed on Hagel’s face. Hagel was forced to leave the game, and Bolts coach Jon Cooper said Hagel won’t play in Game 5.

“Ekblad takes his right hand off of his stick, raises his elbow, pulls it back and uses the extended arm to deliver a blow that strikes Hagel in the head with force, causing an injury,” NHL player safety’s video explanation said.

“This is a direct blow to an opponent’s head with an extended elbow delivered with requisite force for supplemental discipline,” the video said.

Cooper Frustrated After Hagel Injured In Game 4 'It’s Getting Tiresome Answering Questions About A Hit Every Single Game'Jon Cooper sounded frustrated. But he also sounded defeated.

Ekblad played his second game of the series on Tuesday after returning from a 20-game suspension for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.

Ekblad scored a crucial goal in the Panthers' dramatic Game 4 comeback. He and Seth Jones scored a goal each within 11 seconds to take a 3-2 over the Lightning late in the third period, eventually winning 4-2 and taking a 3-1 series lead.

The 29-year-old has a minus-three rating in his two appearances and averaged 21:16 of ice time.

There have been a handful of disciplinary actions from NHL player safety involving this series. Hagel was suspended for Game 3 after a heavy hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. Florida D-man Niko Mikkola was also fined $5,000 for boarding Zemgus Girgensons in Game 4.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins did what many expected Monday morning, parting ways with coach Mike Sullivan after more than nine years on the job. 

Sullivan won two Stanley Cups in his first two years on the job in Pittsburgh, and he guided them to the playoffs in each of his first seven years. However, Sullivan failed to guide the Penguins to the post-season in each of the past three years, and they finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division – his lowest finish with Pittsburgh.

Sullivan’s championship pedigree will lead to multiple NHL teams seeking to bring him aboard as their bench boss. While there are currently seven teams seeking to name a permanent coach, there are three front-runners to land Sullivan’s services.

Boston Bruins

The Bruins fired Jim Montgomery early last season, replacing him with interim coach Joe Sacco. But the fact Boston hasn’t removed the ‘interim’ tag from Sacco so far tells you all you need to know about the likelihood of Sacco getting the permanent job in Beantown.

Sullivan makes sense for the Bruins on several fronts. For one thing, Boston is looking at a retool, not a rebuild, so Sullivan could take the B's job knowing Bruins management will be making roster moves to push the team back into the post-season right away. 

Sullivan also cut his teeth as an NHL coach in Boston, coaching the Bruins from 2003 to 2006. Sullivan’s familiarity with the Bruins organization gives Boston an advantage as teams try to bring him on board. Sullivan is also a Massachusetts native who appreciates what it means to coach an Original Six franchise. 

For all those reasons, Boston has to be seen as a front-runner for Sullivan. The Bruins don’t want to miss the playoffs for a second straight season, and while there would be big-time pressure on Sullivan if he took the job in Boston, he would welcome that pressure and is capable of handling the accompanying challenge.

NHL Rumor Roundup: What's Next For The Penguins Following Mike Sullivan's Departure?The Pittsburgh Penguins made headlines on Monday by announcing they and coach Mike Sullivan agreed to part ways.

New York Rangers

The Rangers gave GM Chris Drury a vote of confidence late last week, signing him to a multi-year contract extension. But the Blueshirts need a new coach after firing veteran Peter Laviolette nearly two weeks ago, and Sullivan could be the ideal replacement for Laviolette. 

Like the Bruins, the Rangers missed the playoffs, but the Rangers also intend to be a playoff team in 2025-26, and Sullivan would probably see Manhattan as an attractive option.

Sullivan also knows what it's like to coach the Rangers, as he was an assistant coach for them from 2009 to 2013. Getting a kick at the can as a head coach would make the Rangers an intriguing opportunity for Sullivan, and money wouldn’t be an object for the franchise.

The Rangers have an elite goalie in Igor Shesterkin, and every coach knows how crucial it is for a team to have a star in net if they intend on going on a deep playoff run. That will be a distinct possibility in New York City next season, and Sullivan could get right back into the playoff mix with the Rangers. 

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers don’t have an organic connection to Sullivan, but given Philadelphia’s arch-rivalry with the Penguins, Sullivan knows the passion Flyers fans have for their team. And Philadelphia is a young team many believe is on the rise, so Sullivan could see them as an attractive destination.

Philadelphia GM Daniel Briere dismissed veteran bench boss John Tortorella late in the regular season, but he shouldn’t be afraid to hire a well-versed replacement in Sullivan, who was part of Tortorella’s staff with the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks.

The biggest stumbling block for Sullivan may be the Flyers still rebuilding and lacking a clearly reliable starting netminder, but Briere may be able to sell the job on Sullivan by sharing the plan forward.

To get ahead of the Rangers and Bruins, the Flyers will have to be creative and forceful. But stranger things have happened than Philadelphia hiring Sullivan. A motivated and well-supported Flyers team may be extremely appealing for Sullivan.

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Jon Cooper sounded frustrated. But he also sounded defeated.

Like someone who had lost control of a situation and had given up trying to get it back.

The Tampa Bay Lightning had just lost 4-2 to the Florida Panthers on Monday night, putting them down 3-1 in a best-of-seven series. But the Lightning coach’s reaction had less to do with the score and more to do with another on-ice incident that is becoming far too common in a series where we’ve seen more instances of star players getting hurt — than showing off their skill.

In Game 2, Tampa Bay's Brandon Hagel was suspended for a game after delivering a late hit to an unsuspecting Florida's Aleksander Barkov.

In Game 2, Florida's Matthew Tkachuk was ejected after doing something similar to Tampa Bay's Jake Guentzel.

In Game 4, Hagel then received payback for his hit on Barkov, with Aaron Ekblad delivering a forearm to the face of Hagel, who left the game after smacking the back of his head against the ice.

In Game 5, what do we expect?

Rinse. Wash. Repeat.

The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Reaction To Panthers' Comeback Win Vs. Lightning After Game MisconductWelcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

“It’s getting tiresome answering questions about a hit every single game,” said Cooper, who asked reporters what they thought about the hit. “If anybody in here has something, stand up and let me know. Alright, let’s move on.”

Adding insult to injury was that Ekblad scored the goal that tied the game 3-3 in the third period. Eleven seconds later, Seth Jones scored the game-winner, putting the Lightning one loss away from being eliminated.

"I want to be consistent with what I've said," Panthers coach Paul Maurice told reporters. "On the Hagel (hit), I saw it. I've seen it before. Saw it last year. We'll all coach, the players will play, the refs will make the calls, and the league will do what they will. I just want to be — I don't want to use this platform to start making my case on this. Everybody's got a job to do. I'll stay in my lane."

In other words, it crossed a line. And it wasn't the first time.

Lightning Coach Jon Cooper Is Sick Of Talking About Dirty HitsGame 4 was an incredibly frustrating one for the Tampa Bay Lightning. After being up 2-1, the Lightning allowed three unanswered goals to the Florida Panthers in the third period and lost by a 4-2 final score. With this, the Lightning are now down 3-1 in the series and need to win their next three games to advance to the second round. If they are unsuccessful in doing so, it will mark the end of their season. 

We all love the physicality of the playoffs. What makes hockey so unlike other sports is that the playoffs are so different than the regular season. It can sometimes be like watching a different sport. There's a different standard.

You can say that there’s a different standard of officiating. But the bigger issue is that there is a different standard of hatred.

Teams are not just trying to win. At times, it seems like they are also trying to hurt. Or injure.

We’re obviously seeing that in the Battle of Florida, which features some of the roughest players in the league. But we’re seeing it everywhere.

In the Battle of Ontario, Ottawa's Artem Zub somehow got away with a headshot on Toronto's John Tavares that prevented the former Leafs captain from being on the ice in overtime in Game 4. The following night, Habs fans were freeze-framing Washington's Tom Wilson’s massive hit on Montreal's Alexandre Carrier to see if it was a headshot or not.

Matthew Tkachuk hit on Jake Guentzel won't lead to disciplinary hearing, per report Matthew Tkachuk will not be facing any supplemental discipline following Game 3 between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Even the coaches are getting in on the action, with Maurice and Cooper taking turns chirping each other in their post-game news conferences.

After the Hagel hit in Game 2, Maurice told reporters: “The only players we hit are the ones that have pucks.”

After Tkachuk hit Guentzel in Game 3, Cooper trolled Maurice by repeating the line: “The only players we hit are the ones with pucks.”

To the refs' credit, they are calling penalties. And to the league's credit, they are doling out suspensions and fines. And yet, it's not really changing anything.

At some point, the players have to police themselves.

Playoffs or not, they can't go around injuring one another and then offering supplemental retribution in the following game. If they do, no one will be left standing by the end of the first round — much less the Stanley Cup final six weeks from now.

Winners And Losers From Week 1 Of The 2025 Stanley Cup PlayoffsWhenever he’s asked about expanding the Stanley Cup playoff pool, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has come up with a response that’s tough to argue: the current format creates the most compelling first round in all of sports. 

Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines, provide updates on the rest of the night's NHL slate and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Emma Lingan and Andrew McInnis react to the Florida Panthers beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 after a third-period comeback. It was full of hits, including one that earned Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola a game misconduct.

Panthers Vs Lightning Game 4 - Playoff Frenzy | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

They'll also give updates of the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars game as part of a quick look around the NHL.

Check out the show right now and share your opinions in the live chat and in our comment section.    

Heading into the NHL’s 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, we knew there would be brutal battles right from the start of the first round. For the most part, that’s what’s happened. 

In the Western Conference, all four first-round series were tied at two games apiece after Sunday’s games.

With that in mind, let’s look at where the momentum in each of the first-round series is at the moment and whether that’s changed this writer’s pre-playoff predictions. Remember, what follows are educated guesses. You may disagree with some or many of our picks, but that’s the beauty of predictions – there’s rarely consensus, and that’s what makes things so compelling.

Winnipeg Jets (C1) vs. St. Louis Blues (WC2)

Where’s The Momentum? In St. Louis’ favor

Does That Change Our Prediction Of Jets Winning In Six Games? Yes

What’s Our Prediction Now? Blues in seven games 

Why? The Jets narrowly won both games at home to start the series. But the Blues stormed back convincingly, winning Game 3 by a 7-2 score, then pulling even by beating the Jets 5-1 on Sunday. Outscoring Winnipeg by a 12-3 combined score does not bode well for star Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who now has a 4.24 GAA and .817 SP.

In our initial prediction, we believed the Blues would win a couple of games, but they’ve already done that, and the momentum has swung in their direction. Home-ice advantage still favors the Jets, but we’re now of the opinion St. Louis can win a game in Winnipeg, either in Game 5 or Game 7. And if the Blues win in St. Louis, the series will end in the Blues’ favor.

That would spell big moves this summer for the Jets, who will be at a competitive crossroads. But unfortunately for Winnipeg, the Blues can physically dominate the Jets at crucial times, so we're switching up our pick for this series and going with St. Louis in seven games.

Why The NHL's Three Vezina Trophy Finalists Each Deserve To WinThe NHL revealed the final three goaltenders who can win the Vezina Trophy. 

Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Minnesota Wild (WC1)

Where’s The Momentum? In Vegas’ favor

Does That Change Our Prediction Of Golden Knights Winning In Five Games? Yes

What’s Our Prediction Now? Golden Knights in six games

Why? We’re owning our cynicism about the Wild, but we have to give them their due – Minnesota stunned Vegas with 5-2 victories in Games 2 and 3, momentarily stealing home-ice advantage from the Golden Knights, which won Game 1. However, the resilient Knights edged out the Wild in a 4-3 overtime win in Game 4 to even things up.

Obviously, our pick of Vegas in five games must be adjusted, but we’ve seen enough from the Golden Knights to double down on them. They’ve hung on to home-ice advantage without high-impact performances from stars Mark Stone and Jack Eichel, and we don’t believe the Wild will be able to hold that dynamic duo down much longer. 

Vegas has taken Minnesota’s best blow and still managed to keep a series win well within its reach. The Golden Knights should and can win Game 5 to put the Wild on the brink of elimination, and we foresee Vegas winning Game 6 as well to send Minnesota home for the summer. The Knights’ depth separates them from the Wild, and that’s why we’re still comfortable picking Vegas to win this showdown. It’ll just take a couple more games for the Golden Knights to get it done.

Post-Trade Check-In: How Rantanen, Necas And Stankoven Are Faring With New Teams As Playoffs Heat UpThe fallout from the NHL’s biggest blockbuster trade of the past season continues to be seen, as all the main players involved in the trade tree – Dallas Stars right winger Mikko Rantanen, Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven, and Colorado Avalanche left winger Martin Necas – all continue to be active in their team’s Stanley Cup playoff action. 

Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (C3)

Where’s The Momentum? In Colorado’s favor

Does That Change Our Prediction Of Avalanche Winning In Seven Games? No

What’s Our Prediction Now? Avalanche in seven games

Why? For a while there, the Stars had the Avalanche in a vulnerable position. After Colorado won Game 1 by a 5-1 score, Dallas pushed back by winning 4-3 and 2-1. Despite being behind the Stars, that still tracks for our initial prediction of an Avs series win in seven games.

After Colorado’s 4-0 blanking of Dallas in Game 4 – a game in which the Avalanche outshot the Stars 48-23 – it’s clear the Avs now have the momentum. The Avalanche have already shown they can win on the road in this series, and we expect they’ll win two of the next three games to eliminate the Stars.

Without injured superstar defenseman Miro Heiskanen and left winger Jason Robertson, Dallas doesn’t have the horses to close out a deeper, stronger Avs squad. Colorado flexed its muscles in Game 4, and nothing we’ve seen in the first four games has changed our mind about the winner of this series. Until further notice, the road to the Western Conference final goes through Denver. And Dallas will be the Avalanche’s first of many victims.

Oilers' Evan Bouchard Joins Rare Company With Clutch PerformancesWhen you put Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard in the playoff spotlight, he can put up points from the blueline like not many others.

Los Angeles Kings (P2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (P3)

Where’s The Momentum? In Edmonton’s favor

Does That Change Our Prediction Of Kings Winning In Six Games? Yes

What’s Our Prediction Now? Kings in seven games

Why? The Kings scored a ton against the Oilers in this series’ first two games, posting six goals against Edmonton in each of Games 1 and 2. But the Kings weren’t exactly a defensive menace, as they surrendered a combined seven goals in those first two games. And the Oilers pounded the Kings by a 7-4 score in Game 3 before tying the series on Sunday. 

In Games 3 and 4, Edmonton had to overcome multiple Kings leads, and that earned last year’s Stanley Cup finalists more respect in our eyes. That said, we did expect the Oilers to win a couple of games in our first prediction, so we’re not seeing anything that’s a gigantic surprise. 

Yes, the momentum is in Edmonton’s favor, and we expect Edmonton to win another game, but the Kings still have home-ice advantage. That strong play at home is likely to be the difference, but it may take seven games for L.A. to send Edmonton packing. That’s a credit to the Oilers, but we remain a skeptical of Edmonton’s lineup, especially with key defenseman Mattias Ekholm out of action. The Kings remain our pick to win here, even if it takes one additional game to eliminate the Oilers.

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The Wraparound is here to discuss a bunch of rapid-fire NHL and hockey topics in the playoffs and elsewhere.

Does Capitals' Wilson Deserve Discipline For Hit On Canadiens' Carrier? by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan and Michael Augello discussed in this episode:

0:00: Should the Washington Capitals' Tom Wilson have received supplemental discipline for his hit on the Montreal Canadiens' Alexandre Carrier?

4:56: Can the Winnipeg Jets overcome Connor Hellebuyck’s poor start to the playoffs?

8:33: After recording back-to-back victories, should the Edmonton Oilers stick with Calvin Pickard in net?

10:30: Can Kirill Kaprizov lead the Minnesota Wild to an upset win over the Vegas Golden Knights?

13:31: Have the Ottawa Senators planted a seed of doubt within the Toronto Maple Leafs after winning Game 4?

16:09: Has Gabriel Landeskog’s return shifted from being a feel-good story to him being the X-factor for the Colorado Avalanche?

19:14: After finally generating offense on Sergei Bobrovsky, can the Tampa Bay Lightning come back in their series versus the Florida Panthers?

21:48: How much will Frederik Andersen’s potential absence affect the Carolina Hurricanes?

24:26: What to make of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ decision to fire Mike Sullivan

28:10: Will Gavin McKenna generate the same level of hype as Connor Bedard and Connor McDavid?

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

Apple Podcasts

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Amazon

Rumors of big off-season changes for the New York Islanders had been percolating since the March 7 trade deadline.

They wasted little time getting started, not bringing back GM Lou Lamoriello last week. 

Led by team co-owner John Collins, the Islanders are searching for Lamoriello's replacement. It would be ideal to have the new GM in place by the end of May, giving them enough time to prepare for the 2025 NHL draft on June 27 and 28 and the start of free agency on July 1. 

The Hockey News' Stefen Rosner said some top candidates might not be available to interview for the position while the Stanley Cup playoffs are on. They can, however, prepare to move quickly once they do become available.

The Athletic's Arthur Staple reported former NHL GMs, such as Marc Bergevin, Jarmo Kekalainen and Peter Chiarelli, are among the names getting the most play. However, it remains to be seen if the Isles choose one of them or opt for someone else.

Whoever gets the job has a lot to deal with throughout the summer. 

Ethan Sears of the New York Post reported Isles coach Patrick Roy and his staff remain in limbo until Lamoriello's replacement is found. He believes Roy's future behind their bench depends on whether he can establish a rapport with the new GM.

Rosner reacted to the Pittsburgh Penguins parting with coach Mike Sullivan on Monday, calling it a game-changer for the Islanders and any team with coaching questions.

Before his firing, Lamoriello was having contract extension talks with Kyle Palmieri, but those discussions are on hold for now. The 34-year-old right winger is slated to become a UFA on July 1. 

Sears wondered if the new GM would entertain trade offers for long-time Isles forwards Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Lee, 34, and the 32-year-old Pageau are a year away from UFA eligibility.  

Defensemen Noah Dobson, Alexander Romanov and winger Simon Holmstrom are the Islanders' notable RFAs. 

Before Lamoriello's firing, Staple believed both defensemen would be re-signed. He speculated the 25-year-old Dobson could get a four or five-year contract worth an average annual value of $7.5 million and $8 million. Romanov could receive a six or seven-year deal between $6.5 million and $7 million annually. 

The changes in Islanders management likely won't affect the club's plans to re-sign Dobson and Romanov. They're too valuable to their blueline to trade, and they won't risk another club signing them to offer sheets. 

Contract buyouts could also take place under new management. Sears suggested forward Pierre Engvall and defenseman Scott Mayfield as buyout candidates.

The Hockey News' Adam Proteau, meanwhile, believes the Islanders should be more aggressive pursuing a full rebuild with a new GM.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins kind of, sort of, tried it Mike Sullivan's way. Not only were they not good enough to contend for a Stanley Cup, but they weren't good enough to contend for a playoff spot.

It's over. By parting ways with their coach, the Penguins appear to have finally realized what the hockey world did a couple of years ago. This is a roster, even though it's top-heavy with highly paid veterans, is in desperate need of a total rebuild. There is no other way to go. And that starts with parting ways with Sullivan, who was part of the process of holding up that rebuild.

In the words of Mike Babcock, there will be pain. Probably even more than there has been recently. But it will pay off if the Penguins do it right.

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Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen, who turns 30 on April 28.

Lankinen set a career high in games played this season with 51 for the Canucks, more than double the number of matches he appeared in with the Nashville Predators last season. After some 4 Nations Face-Off action for Finland, Lankinen's sticking around with the Canucks for a while longer.

Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media.  And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.        

The NHL revealed the final three goaltenders who can win the Vezina Trophy. 

The finalists for the award, going “to the goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at this position,” are the Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and Los Angeles Kings’ Darcy Kuemper. The three netminders are all competing in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

GMs of all 32 NHL teams vote for this award.

Hellebuyck and Vasilevskiy won the award before. Hellebuyck earned the honor in 2020 and 2024, meaning he could win the Vezina in back-to-back years for the first time since Martin Brodeur did so in 2007 and 2008. Vasilevskiy won the Vezina Trophy in 2019.

Kuemper has never won the award, but he did finish fifth in voting in 2018-19 and seventh in 2019-20 when he played for the now-inactive Arizona Coyotes.

Hellebuyck is the favorite to win this award, leading in nearly every goaltending stat throughout the regular season. He finished the 2024-25 campaign with the best goals-against average (2.00) and the most shutouts (eight) among goalies who played at least 25 games. 

He finished second in the league in save percentage with a .925 SP, just behind Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Anthony Stolarz, who recorded a .926 SP.

Hellebuyck also won his second straight William M. Jennings Trophy as the goaltender who allowed the fewest goals against among goaltenders with at least 25 appearances.

Bruce Boudreau Believes The Jets Are The Real Deal, Rooting For Them To Win The Stanley CupThe Winnipeg Jets entered the playoffs with the best regular-season record (56-22-4), winning the Presidents’ Trophy and looking utterly dominant in front of Hart Trophy Candidate, Connor Hellebuyck. Despite that, many fans and analysts still do not believe the Jets can win the Stanley Cup.

Vasilevskiy drastically improved from last season, when he posted a .900 save percentage and a 2.90 goals-against average. This season, he recorded a .921 SP with a 2.18 GAA while playing 11 more games.

Early last season, he required surgery to address a lumbar disk herniation, and it affected his performance for the Lightning. However, he’s now a Vezina Trophy finalist for the fifth time in his 11-year career.

As for Kuemper, the Kings have never had a Vezina Trophy winner in franchise history. They were close in 2011-12 and 2015-16 when Jonathan Quick was the runner-up for the award.

Kuemper has the opportunity to be the first King to claim the Vezina, while having one of the best seasons of his career at 34 years old. 

The Kings’ netminder finished the regular season with a 31-11-7 record and was a key component for the team earning a second-place spot in the Pacific Division. He recorded the most wins in a season for Los Angeles since Quick’s 33 in 2017-18.

He was steady all year for his team, posting a 2.02 GAA and a .922 SP. Last season, with the Washington Capitals, Kuemper recorded a 3.31 GAA and a .890 SP, so the former Stanley Cup champion really bounced back this year.

The winner of the award will be announced during the Stanley Cup final.

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