The Toronto Maple Leafs are on the cusp of standing alone with the longest active NHL playoff streak.

Toronto clinched a playoff spot for the ninth straight season on Wednesday night, while it’s a matter of time before the Eastern Conference’s last place team, the Boston Bruins, are eliminated from contention. Both clubs were tied for the longest streak at eight seasons.

In the most important sense, the Leafs’ streak of playoff appearances doesn’t mean much besides the fact that the pressure to win at least a couple of rounds is higher than ever. They’ve only won one playoff round in eight seasons. 

Not only that, but since 2016-17, the Leafs have the 15th-most playoff wins and the 15th-most playoff games played. This is a stark reminder of how many chances the Buds have blown.

Toronto’s active playoff streak is an emotional double-edged sword for Leafs fans. Most of them remember the lean years, when the Buds didn’t make the playoffs in 10 of 11 seasons beginning in 2005-06. So, having playoff games for what will be nine straight years now is far preferable to the alternative of no playoff games.

Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews Logs More PK Minutes, But At What Cost?Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews hasn’t scored as many goals this year, but he has a significant career high elsewhere.

However, if the Maple Leafs do get eliminated in the first or second round of this year’s post-season – or even if they win two playoff series and then get unceremoniously swept in the Eastern final – there will be no moral victories.

There won’t be any more excuses that will satisfy Leafs fans if they don’t excel in the playoffs under all that pressure. There will be no more press conferences where Leafs brass talks about patience and the learning process. Those days are long over. 

The only thing Leafs fans will want is turnover. If that means saying goodbye to pending Leafs UFAs Mitch Marner and John Tavares, Leafs fans may say, “so be it.” This should be the team's last chance at running it back with the same core in hopes that things eventually improve because they already changed the coach, and they changed the GM two years ago.

It’s no wonder that the stakes are sky-high for the Buds this spring. They may win the highly competitive Atlantic Division, but imagine the fallout if they follow up with a first-round loss to the Ottawa Senators or Montreal Canadiens. Or imagine the blowback if the Leafs get out of Round 1, only to be demolished by the defending Cup-champion Florida Panthers or Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 2. The mushroom cloud of anger and frustration that could envelop the franchise will return bigger than usual.

So, while it will be a slight moral victory if the Leafs extend the longest active playoff streak and win the division for the first 82-game season since the 1999-2000 campaign, it won’t matter one iota if Toronto doesn’t reward its customers with a serious playoff run. 

They’ve shown encouraging signs of grinding out wins and playing playoff-style hockey this season, so it’s about time they take advantage of it in the post-season. Otherwise, all these years of getting into the playoffs will amount to a Blue-And-White hill of beans.

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Welcome back to The Hockey News' NHL power rankings, where we rank all 32 teams based on their weekly performance.

With fewer than 10 games to go, the playoff picture doesn’t look that much clearer.

While the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals remain first and second in the NHL standings, the Dallas Stars have now joined the century club thanks to a six-game winning streak. 

Speaking of winning streaks, there is no team hotter right now than the St. Louis Blues. With Cam Fowler’s overtime-winner Tuesday, the Blues have now won 10 straight games. Much credit goes to Jobu, the mysterious voodoo doll bobblehead from Major League that’s suddenly brough all the good vibes to their dressing room.

Upcoming key matchups with major playoff implications include Lightning at Senators on Thursday; Oilers at Kings, Blue Jackets at Maple Leafs on Saturday; Panthers at Red Wings on Sunday; and also the Golden Knights’ back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday against the Flames and Canucks, respectively. 

The great chase – for playoff positioning and also Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record – is at full attention. 

1. Winnipeg Jets (51-20-4, +80. Previous: 1)

A 4-1 loss to the Kings was the only blemish for the NHL’s only 50-win team (so far). Winning the Presidents’ Trophy will mean a lot to this organization despite its history of not being a good indicator of future playoff success. 

2. Dallas Stars (49-21-4, +65. Previous: 5)

The Stars’ six-game winning streak – even if the matchups were pretty easy – finally knocks the Jets and Capitals off the top two spots. The Robertson-Hintz-Rantanen line looks like it might be the best in the NHL, amassing 24 points over their past six games.

3. Washington Capitals (48-17-9, +71. Previous: 2)

A tough stretch for the Capitals allowing 12 goals in two games following an overtime loss to the Jets, and narrowly beating the horrific Bruins after blowing a 2-0 first-period lead. However, the good vibes keep coming; Alex Ovechkin is on the verge of tying Gretzky’s record and top prospect Ryan Leonard has joined the club.

4. Carolina Hurricanes (45-24-4, +42. Previous: 4)

The Hurricanes finished March with the best record in the East (11-3-0) despite having the seventh-worst power play. They’re an excellent team nonetheless and seemed locked into a first-round matchup against the Devils, which they will likely win. Maybe they'll advance one more round before it all falls apart, right?

5. Colorado Avalanche (45-26-4, +40. Previous: 3)

A big 4-0 win over the Kings followed a 2-1 loss to the Blues and then a 3-2 shootout loss to the Flames where they blew a 2-0 lead. It’s not often you see the Avs score so few goals. Good thing, though, the Hawks and Jackets are coming up, which are allowing the second-most and sixth-most goals per game, respectively. 

6. Edmonton Oilers (43-26-5, +22. Previous: 8)

Leon Draisaitl’s spectacular performance against the Flames and being a virtual lock to win the Rocket Richard is just more resume padding to be the league MVP. The Oilers will be the only team to have two different winners of the Rocket Richard since the award was introduced, following Vincent Lecavalier and Steven Stamkos for the Lightning.

Is Oilers' Leon Draisaitl A Better Goal-Scorer Than Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews? Not QuiteAt the moment, there are only two active NHL players with three or more 50-plus-goal seasons: Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin and…wait, you were expecting us to say Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, weren’t you?

7. Vegas Golden Knights (45-21-8, +54. Previous: 7)

Despite the loss to the Oilers, the Knights become the first team in the Pacific to clinch a playoff spot. They’ll likely be able to decide who gets the final wild-card spot, too, with two games each against the Flames and Canucks to finish the season. 

8. Toronto Maple Leafs (45-25-4, +23. Previous: 11)

I don’t think the Maple Leafs are getting enough credit for grinding out games. They have the best points percentage (.692) in one-goal games, the second-best winning percentage (.885) when leading after one period, the sixth-best (.939) when leading after two and the most wins (eight) when trailing after two. They’ve improved in each of these categories significantly from last season. 

9. Los Angeles Kings (42-23-9, +32. Previous: 6)

Despite losing to the Avalanche and Leafs, wins over San Jose and Winnipeg keep the Kings second in the Pacific. They currently hold home-ice advantage against the Oilers in the first round if the playoffs started today. That said, L.A. is 2-6 against Edmonton at home in the last three playoff series, compared to 4-6 on the road.

10. Tampa Bay Lightning (44-25-5, +72. Previous: 9)

The Lightning could have as many as five (!) 30-goal scorers this season – Anthony Cirelli is four away from 30 – which has not been done since the 1992-93 season. Their lineup feels deeper and like a legit contender for the first time in three seasons.

11. St. Louis Blues (41-28-7, +18. Previous: 12)

There are the NHL’s hottest team with shades of 2019, but instead of "Gloria!" it’s the mysterious Jobu and his voodoo magic. The Blues are doing this without a bona fide superstar, which is perhaps the most amazing thing about their run.

Five First-Year Coaches Having Strong Impacts On Their NHL TeamsIf we’re going to talk about new NHL coaches doing good things this season, we probably shouldn’t look past our newest candidate. 

12. Montreal Canadiens (35-30-9, -25. Previous: 13)

We need playoff games at the Bell Centre. The hockey gods demand it.

13. Florida Panthers (44-26-4, +34. Previous: 10)

Consecutive losses to the Canadiens and zero regulations wins (!) over the past two weeks drop the Panthers into the worst slump of their season since mid-November when they went 1-6-0. There’s no panic with this club, but having home ice in Game 7 in the opening round of the Atlantic Division matchup – there’s no way it doesn’t go seven – would be huge.

14. New Jersey Devils (40-29-7, +26. Previous: 17)

The Devils are limping into the post-season, virtually a lock for the third seed in the Metro with a first-round matchup against the Canes. Since the season-ending injury to Jack Hughes, the Devils are barely over .500 at 7-6-1. 

15. Minnesota Wild (41-28-6, -10. Previous: 15)

The good news is Joel Eriksson Ek and Kirill Kaprizov are getting closer to returning. The bad news is, if the Wild slip any more, they could slip out of a playoff spot. The Flames and Canucks each have one game in hand, and the Wild face both of them on the road in a back-to-back next Friday and Saturday.

16. Ottawa Senators (39-29-6, -1. Previous: 14)

They secured a key win against the Jackets but somehow scored zero – zero! – goals against the Pens and lost to the Sabres for the fourth straight time. While the Sens’ playoff hopes have likely been sealed, they do have tough matchups coming up, including a home-and-home series against the suddenly red-hot Jackets.

Almost There: Ottawa Senators Set To End Playoff Drought Before Red Wings, SabresThe Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings all had the same goal this season.

17. Columbus Blue Jackets (34-30-9, -4. Previous: 21)

How wonderful to see the Jackets’ offense get back on track following a stretch where they scored just one goal in four games. The returns of Sean Monahan and Boone Jenner have provided a huge boost, and despite some close shaves, the Jackets have now won three of their past four with 21 goals scored. 

18. Utah Hockey Club (34-29-12, -17. Previous: 18)

It’s likely too little, too late for Utah, whose win against the Flames on Tuesday moved them two points closer. The losing streaks in December and January ultimately did them in, and despite playing the Preds twice in their final seven games, they have a tough schedule to finish the season.

19. Calgary Flames (35-27-12, -25. Previous: 16)

An impressive four-game winning streak but then only three points out of eight possible points against conference foes. The Flames are really close, but they’ll need to win – good thing they face the Ducks and Sharks in three of their next four – and the Wild to keep stumbling. 

20. Vancouver Canucks (34-27-13, -16. Previous: 20)

That the Canucks managed to stay in the playoff race despite battling so many injuries and internal strife is a testament to this team’s potential. But it’s been just one thing after another, and now contract talks with coach Rick Tocchet further threaten the continuity of this team. 

21. Anaheim Ducks (33-33-8, -28. Previous: 27)

It’s not talked about enough how the Ducks have really improved from last season, though they’re likely next to be eliminated from the playoff race in the West. The Ducks have had plenty of losing streaks over the past few seasons but since Jan. 21 have not lost more than two games in a row. 

22. New York Rangers (35-32-7, +2. Previous: 19)

The sea change that Chris Drury is probably still in process because not a whole lot has changed with the Rangers. They have only three regulation wins since March 5 and face a gauntlet of Carolina, Florida and Tampa Bay to finish the season.

23. Buffalo Sabres (32-36-6, -19. Previous: 24)

Trust the Sabres to win games when it no long really matters. They’re 7-3-0 in their last 10, the best record outside of the East’s top six teams, including wins over the Jets and Caps. They’re doing this with James friggin’ Reimer in net. The Sabres have the talent but only ever seem to win when it doesn’t really matter.

24. Detroit Red Wings (34-33-7, -23. Previous: 23)

Since March 1, the Wings have the second-worst record in the league (4-10-1) and lost key points to the Sens. Now, they face the daunting task of facing teams that are higher in the standings for the rest of the season. At this point, I’m not sure if this is a sabotage of the Yzerplan or another massive miss.

25. New York Islanders (32-32-10, -26. Previous: 22)

Patrick Roy had some choice words for Anthony Duclair, and he’s probably the most entertaining soundbite since the Flyers fired John Tortorella. They’ve lost six in a row and now fall five points back of a wild-card spot. The Isles can’t score, but this is inevitably what happens when you fill your roster with a few top six players and a bunch of bottom six ones.

26. Pittsburgh Penguins (30-34-11, -56. Previous: 25)

Tristan Jarry looked so promising – as did the Pens’ playoff hopes, however slim – but then they imploded once again, and now find themselves basically on the outside looking in again. While Sidney Crosby’s Pens had much more success earlier in his career, the contrast between them and Alex Ovechkin’s Caps has been really stark. 

27. Seattle Kraken (31-38-6, -21. Previous: 26)

With one win in their past six games and no playoffs yet again, you wonder how the Kraken can pull themselves out of mediocrity. Will they take some big swings again, as they did this off-season, or patiently wait until Matty Beniers and Shane Wright are top-tier NHL players? 

28. Philadelphia Flyers (31-36-9, -46. Previous: 32)

The coaching bump under Brad Shaw seems to be real, and at least the Flyers are scoring again. Let’s face it, though – no coach could’ve coaxed much out of this lineup, and John Tortorella’s patience finally ran out, not that he had a wealth of it to begin with.

29. Nashville Predators (27-40-8, -55. Previous: 28)

Juuse Saros was pulled Tuesday against the Jackets in an 8-4 loss. Never mind the disappointing offense; when their best player isn’t their best player, they have zero chance. The key question is if Barry Trotz makes big moves again in the summer or steps back and hopes this team can resolve its problems itself.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Trade Stamkos? Go Young? What's Next For The Predators?A season that began with high expectations for the Nashville Predators after a summer of notable free-agent signings will end in disappointment. 

30. San Jose Sharks (20-44-10, -89. Previous: 29)

Even when Macklin Celebrini’s car gets hit by the opposition’s team bus – intentional or not, who knows – and despite sitting last in the standings, the Sharks have this aura about them that good things really going to come. They’re a really entertaining team. They’re dynamic on offense, while their defense and goaltending is worth watching for all the wrong reasons.

31. Chicago Blackhawks (21-44-9, -68. Previous: 31)

Yes, the Hawks have won consecutive games just once since Dec. 19, but things keep getting better, if only slightly. We’ll overlook Spencer Knight’s numbers because the team in front of him isn’t very good, but he’s shown flashes of a potential future No. 1, and top prospects Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel recently signed. The question for them, and the NHL’s marketing team, is when we can see Connor Bedard in the playoffs. 

32. Boston Bruins (30-36-9, -52. Previous: 30)

Ranking the Bruins third-last last week felt a little strange and somewhat insulting for a team that had been dominant for nearly two decades, but that crash you hear with that nine-game winless streak is the sound of this Bruins era catastrophically collapsing.

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New York Islanders coach Patrick Roy didn’t mince his words when he discussed Anthony Duclair’s game in their 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.

“He was god awful,” Roy told reporters after the game. “He’s lucky to be in the lineup. Sorry if I lose it on him right now, but that’s how I feel.”

Duclair had 12:15 of ice time against Tampa Bay, about three minutes less than his season average. He had the third-lowest ice time among Islanders skaters in that contest.

Roy thought the 29-year-old had a bad game, and “that’s why I didn’t play him a lot.”

“He’s not skating, not competing, not moving his feet, he’s not playing up to what we expect from him,” he said, adding he thinks it’s an “effort thing.”

Less ice time has been the theme of Duclair’s last three games. In their outing against the Lightning on Saturday, he played 11:05, a season low. 

However, the Isles took on the Carolina Hurricanes the next day, and he played even less, clocking 10:10 in a 6-4 loss.

Duclair’s recent ice time comes during some of the lowest offensive production of his 11-year NHL career. 

In 44 games this season, Duclair has seven goals and four assists for 11 points. His 0.25 points per game is a career low, as is his minus-15 plus/minus rating. 

In comparison, Duclair put up 24 goals and 42 points in 73 appearances last season playing for Tampa Bay and the San Jose Sharks. That earned him a four-year deal worth $3.5 million per season with the Islanders, the longest contract with the biggest cap hit of his career.

What Direction Should The New York Islanders Take?Despite flirting with a Stanley Cup playoff spot, the New York Islanders look more like pretenders right now. 

The Point-Claire, Que., native hasn’t had a point in his last six games. He also hasn’t recorded an even-strength point in 17 games and has just three points in his last 25.

With eight games remaining in the regular season, the Islanders are five points back of the Montreal Canadiens, who control the last wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

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The New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin set a high standard when he signed an eye-catching contract earlier this season – but his results afterward haven’t met it yet.

Shesterkin’s pending UFA status and impending extension were among the NHL’s top storylines early in the season. Often regarded as one of the best goalies in the league, there were reports before his extension that he looked to reset the market for top-tier backstops. 

He did just that with an eight-year deal worth $11.5-million annually that kicks in next season.

But there’s immense pressure and expectations of being a highly paid starter, where great isn’t good enough. Shesterkin will be the highest-paid goalie in 2025-26, and his play has to justify that investment. It's questionable at the moment.

He’s now amid one of his most challenging seasons since debuting with the New York Rangers in 2019. His 2.84 goals-against average and .906 save percentage are respectable but not elite, especially considering the record-setting cap hit. They're both career worsts for him.

While few will ever reach the numbers that will justify an $11.5-million cap hit, the Rangers' eventual willingness to commit to him as a franchise cornerstone sent a message. They believed in him.

It’s way too early to declare the massive investment a mistake or a success.

It should also be noted the Rangers have been abysmal defensively in front of Shesterkin. He still has 22.2 goals saved above expected, which ranks third in the NHL, according to moneypuck.com. In a season that didn't go to plan for the Rangers, Shesterkin has had to bail out his teammates, and The Hockey News' Remy Mastey wrote that Shesterkin is proving his worth.

But his drop in goals-against average and save percentage does raise the question about how consistently strong goalies like him need to play to justify eight-digit cap hits.

Can Igor Shesterkin Save The New York Rangers This Season?The New York Rangers made goaltender Igor Shesterkin the highest-paid goalie in NHL history in December, but he hasn't played like it.

His current stats echo what happened to Sergei Bobrovsky when he signed a monster contract with the Florida Panthers.

Bobrovsky left the Columbus Blue Jackets for a lucrative $10-million cap hit in Florida after already winning the Vezina Trophy twice and recording a 2.58 GAA and .913 in 2019-19. His numbers with the Panthers worsened, and he recorded a 3.23 GAA and .900 SP in the first season of his new contract. It took him multiple seasons to rediscover his elite form. While he eventually led the Panthers to a Stanley Cup in 2024, the journey to justifying his contract was a long one. 

Now, with nearly 50 career shutouts – including five this season and six last year – he’s proving his worth. But for years, there were questions about whether his deal was one of the worst in the league and how big a mistake the Panthers might have made.

While elite goaltenders can be game-changers, big-money deals come with significant risk. Shesterkin now has the pressure to prove they are worth the investment. Similar questions about Bobrovsky could surround Shesterkin if his numbers don’t rebound when the new contract begins.

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If we’re going to talk about new NHL coaches doing good things this season, we probably shouldn’t look past our newest candidate. 

Brad Shaw is a perfect 3-0-0 with the Philadelphia Flyers since taking over for John Tortorella last Thursday, so it doesn’t get any better than that.

But sample size is important. The candidates for this list of the NHL’s most effective first-year coaches all have at least 50 games with their new teams this year. 

Craig Berube hit that mark, but he missed the cut because he’ll be measured by his playoff results with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

With all that in mind, here are the five NHL bench bosses who have had the most impressive impacts on their new teams this season.

Travis Green, Ottawa Senators

Hired: May 7, 2024 – Record 39-28-6 – .575 points percentage

The Ottawa Senators have become a shining example of how strong ownership can lead to team success. It took Michael Andlauer a minute to get all his ducks in a row, but the organization is now headed in a positive direction after committing to Steve Staios as GM and to Travis Green as coach.

The Sens have deployed a dangerous power play, received decent goaltending and pumped up their offense since the trade deadline, going 8-3-1 and all-but-locking-in their first playoff berth since 2017. 

The team has also brought out the best in Green: Ottawa’s .575 points percentage this season is a career high, better than his parts of five seasons coaching the Vancouver Canucks and 21 games as interim coach of the New Jersey Devils last season.

Scott Arniel, Winnipeg Jets

Hired: May 24, 2024 – Record 51-19-4 – .716 points percentage

When Rick Bowness retired last spring after guiding the Jets to their second-best season in franchise history, Scott Arniel’s main task was to avoid letting the team slide backward after being elevated from an associate role.

Instead, he took them to new heights, starting the season with an eight-game winning streak and maintaining the pace to sit in pole position for their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy. 

Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is a luxury to build from, but he’s not a one-man show. Top scorers Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers are all headed toward career years, Cole Perfetti has taken the next step, and the power play is one of the most dangerous in the NHL.

For Arniel to deliver a season this dominant is a win in itself for the Jets. If he can help erase the memory of last year’s playoffs with a meaningful post-season run, all the better.

Top Five NHL Teams At Home In 2024-25: Kings, Jets And MoreBy Anthony Carbone, The Hockey News intern

Ryan Warsofsky, San Jose Sharks

Hired: June 13, 2024 – Record 20-44-9 – .336 points percentage

You may be surprised to see the coach of a last-place team on this list. But Warsofsky deserves credit for delivering some positives in a tough environment, especially as a first-time NHL bench boss. 

It’s never easy to make the transition from assistant coach into a head job. Warsofsky has swept away the memories of his two years working under David Quinn and approached his task at hand with vigor and positivity — and it doesn’t hurt that good-natured alumni and franchise legends Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau are both lending a hand behind the scenes.

Even after a trade-deadline sell-off, Warsofsky has maintained buy-in from veterans like Tyler Toffoli and can build off the infectious enthusiasm of future stars Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. Add in another top lottery pick this summer, and the future is getting brighter in the Bay Area.

Dean Evason, Columbus Blue Jackets

Hired: July 22, 2024 – Record 33-30-9 – .521 points percentage

Evason hasn’t matched the .639 points percentage he put up during his 251 games coaching the Minnesota Wild. but he’s being measured by a different standard this season.

He hasn’t just moved the Blue Jackets from the Eastern Conference basement into potential playoff contention. He’s done it under the dark cloud of tragedy after Johnny Gaudreau’s passing in August.

On Monday’s 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman declared that Evason would be his man if he had a Jack Adams vote. Evason started his new job by giving the players the space they all needed to grieve in their own ways, then offered a clean sheet for everyone to show what they could bring to the table.

That environment has brought the very best out of established players like Zach Werenski, allowed role players like Mathieu Olivier to thrive and helped youngsters like Kent Johnson, Adam Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko all take steps forward. 

It’ll be tough to root against them if they can sneak into a playoff spot.

Jim Montgomery, St. Louis Blues

Hired: Nov. 24, 2024 – Record 31-16-6 – .642 points percentage

The only coach on this list who already has a Jack Adams, Montgomery is riding high now in St. Louis, barely four months after the Boston Bruins fired him.

He was the architect of Boston’s record-breaking regular season in 2022-23. Now, he’s doing special things in the Gateway City, as the Blues’ refusal to lose is starting to draw comparisons to their storybook run of 2019.

Montgomery is making GM Doug Armstrong look like a genius for acting fast and presenting an irresistible five-year contract offer just days after he became available last fall. If he can keep doing what he’s doing, he might be one of the few coaches to break through and enjoy a multi-year tenure in one market.

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It’s time for The Hockey News Big Show, where we explore some of the biggest NHL and hockey topics 

Debating Who Wins A Senators And Leafs Playoff Series - Ft. Steve Warne by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Michael Traikos and guest co-host Steve Warne discussed in this episode:

1:07: The Ottawa Senators hold a decent lead on the Eastern wild-card standings. What has allowed this group to nearly seal a spot in the post-season? 

4:08: Are there any similarities between this year's Senators and the 2017 team that made it to the Eastern Conference final?  

7:24: We could see the Battle of Ontario in the first round if the Toronto Maple Leafs earn the top spot in the Atlantic Division. Who wins it?

10:32: Are the Montreal Canadiens running out of steam? Which team looks likeliest to get the second wild-card spot?

13:38: Leon Draisaitl is up to 51 goals this season. There are now just two active players with four or more 50-plus-goal seasons. Could Draisaitl be a better goal-scorer than Auston Matthews?

16:43: Where do we think Brad Marchand could end up next season?

19:44: Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog was seen this week working on special teams with one of the power-play units. Will he return for the playoffs? If so, what kind of impact would his comeback have on the Avalanche? 

23:50: Which team has the most pressure to win in the first round of the playoffs?

27:19: The Seattle Kraken and the Nashville Predators are the newest teams to be "officially eliminated" from the playoffs. What moves would you like each team to make this off-season? 

30:08: Only four players from the Senators’ last playoff appearance are still active in the NHL. Can you name them?

31:19: College hockey studs Jimmy Snuggerud (STL) and Ryan Leonard (WSH) are both expected to make their NHL debut Tuesday night. Who do we think will make a bigger impact as an NHL player?

32:59: The New York Rangers' bus reportedly hit San Jose rookie Macklin Celebrini's car. What is a bigger bummer: losing in a blowout to the Rangers or having your car hit?

35:01: The NCAA Hockey Frozen Four is officially set. Denver is back to defend its title and will face Western Michigan. Penn State continues its Cinderella run and will take on Boston University. Who are your picks to win it?

37:10: Gavin McKenna has nine points in just two playoff games. If he was draft-eligible this year, would he go first overall?

Watch the full episode here.   

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform

As if the Washington Capitals aren't good enough, they're getting one of the top prospects outside of the NHL for the stretch run and the playoffs.

The No. 2 NHL prospect in The Hockey News' annual Future Watch edition signed an entry-level deal with the Capitals after his Boston College Eagles were eliminated from the NCAA playoffs Sunday night.

Leonard has the complete package - skill, size, competitiveness, toughness. He has the opportunity to make an immediate impact with a Stanley Cup contender.

Can he do what Cale Makar did in 2019? That might be a bit of stretch, considering he'll be eased into the Capitals' lineup on the bottom six, but don't be surprised if he proves very quickly that he can make a tangible contribution.

Today's video column has more.

Capitals' Leonard, Rangers' Perreault Lead The Most Promising NCAA Talents Signing NHL DealsThe flood of NCAA players signing their entry-level NHL contracts has begun. 

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The NHL and Rogers agreed to a new Canadian television broadcasting deal worth $7.7 billion, according to multiple reports.

With one season remaining on Rogers’ current rights deal, the media giant negotiated another 12-year deal with the NHL, Sportico first reported Monday. The Associated Press and Globe and Mail also reported the agreement, which hasn’t been officially announced. Rogers hasn’t commented on the reports.

Sportico reported owners would vote on the agreement this week.

NHL and Rogers agreed on the current 12-year deal in 2013 for $5.2 billion Cdn. It lasts through the 2025-26 campaign before the new deal – roughly $11 billion Cdn – kicks in for 2026-27 through 2037-38.

This deal is expected to keep most, if not all, national hockey broadcasts on Rogers’ Sportsnet network. The telecommunications company and the NHL agreed on a two-year deal with Prime Video to broadcast a game online every Monday, but that expires with Rogers’ current rights deal.

Rogers has a large imprint on sports in Canada. In September, it announced it’s acquiring Bell Media’s 37.5-percent stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), which owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, MLS’ Toronto FC and CFL’s Toronto Argonauts.

The company has also owned the MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays since 2004.

The Graeme Roustan Show: Edward Rogers And Tony StaffieriEdward Rogers, the executive chairman of Rogers Communications, and Tony Staffieri, the president-CEO of Rogers Communications, discuss their backgrounds in hockey, why the Rogers company wanted to invest in the Maple Leafs and when a Stanley Cup is coming to Toronto.

As for NHL coverage in the U.S., ESPN and TNT hold the media rights through the 2027-28 season after reaching an agreement in 2021. That deal is worth a reported $4.5 billion.

According to the NHL, the 2024 calendar year was the best the league has seen in terms of revenue and business. This season, the NHL said it’s projected to surpass $6.6 billion in revenues.

After stagnated salary caps due to COVID-19, the NHL and NHLPA announced earlier in the season that there will be a $7.5-million increase from the current $88-million cap in 2025-26. In three years, the league projected a $113.5-million salary cap upper limit, $25.5 million more than the current cap.

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Welcome back to Screen Shots, a regular THN.com feature in which your humble correspondent breaks down a few hockey topics and analyzes them in a handful of brief paragraphs.

On to it, we go:

Relatively quietly, Vegas Golden Knights star center Jack Eichel has been having a career season and demolishing his previous bests on offense. 

The 28-year-old center has 66 assists – 12 more helpers than his previous career high – and 93 points, 11 points more than his previous career high, set in 2018-19. 

In his last 15 games, Eichel has 16 assists and 24 points, putting up at least a point in 14 of those outings.

Eichel is far and away Vegas’ top point-producer, with 27 more points than Golden Knights captain Mark Stone in second place. But this isn’t the first time Eichel has had to do all the heavy lifting for his team. For example, when Eichel posted 82 points for the Buffalo Sabres in 2018-19, he had 17 more points than second-place Sam Reinhart. 

The difference for Eichel between ‘18-19 and now is that, in Vegas, Eichel has a far better supporting cast – and he’s playing for an organization that has shown it knows how to win. Now, Eichel is thriving and has a chance to win the second Stanley Cup of his career.

Who’s Surging In The NHL Since The 4 Nations Face-Off?There’s always a risk of peaking too early. But if all goes well, NHL players and teams hope that the positive momentum that’s built down the home stretch of the regular season will carry into playoffs and boost them when it matters most.

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The Anaheim Ducks aren’t going to make the playoffs this season, but since Jan. 21, they’ve gone 14-11-2 – something to build on when they begin next season. 

In the relatively weak Pacific Division, the Ducks have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18 – and given that Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek will have about $39.56 million in salary cap space this summer, you have to think the Ducks will be a major player in free agency and trades.

Anaheim’s biggest area of need is on offense, as they’re currently 26th overall in goals-for per game, with 2.71. Their defense isn’t great, either, as they’re 21st overall with 3.12 goals against per game. But bringing in veterans who can produce points is an easier fix than landing defensive specialists, so that’s the direction we expect the Ducks to take next year.

Regardless, it’s clear Anaheim is taking steps forward. They won’t be a legitimate Cup front-runner for a while longer, but for Ducks fans who’ve watched their team stumble time and again for the past seven seasons, seeing Anaheim produce positive results is a very welcome harbinger of what’s ahead for them.

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Finally, on Canada's East Coast, two separate incidents of fighting at hockey games have triggered league investigations.

The incidents – one of which came in a senior league in Miramichi, N.B., while the other came in a U-18 tournament game in North Rustico, P.E.I. – saw fights breaking out on the ice. In the senior league game, the fights continued in the hallway, and fans of opposing squads fought in the stands as well. 

In both cases, the response from the leagues is another indication of the increasing lack of tolerance there is for this over-the-top behavior.

“The worst thing about it is it was a great hockey series, and everybody’s focused on a fight that took place at the end of the game and the fights in the crowd,” Doug White, co-owner of the Miramichi Northmen in the New Brunswick-based Beausejour Senior Hockey League, told CTV News. “It kind of took away (from the game) a bit.”

Hockey P.E.I. called the U-18 melee a “disgraceful representation of our game and completely contrary to the values of good sportsmanship, respect, and safety that Hockey PEI upholds at every level of play” in a statement.

Although there will always be a segment of players and fans who respond with glee over fights, the reality is that hyper-aggressive, violent behavior at hockey games is less acceptable as the years go by. The optics of players and fans gone wild are not ideal – to the contrary, they’re seen more and more as a stain on the image of the sport. 

Fans and players should always feel safe on the ice and in the stands, and this is why these types of incidents should be fewer and farther between. There’s no rationalizing it or promoting it anymore, and when punishments are handed out by the respective governing bodies for these events, no one should be surprised.

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Despite flirting with a Stanley Cup playoff spot, the New York Islanders look more like pretenders right now. 

The Islanders lost seven of their last 10 games, and they’re currently on a five-game winless skid that included a 5-3 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday and 6-4 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.

They now sit three points out of a playoff spot and are behind four other teams in the battle for the second wild-card place. It’s looking like another wishy-washy campaign for GM Lou Lamoriello’s Islanders, and there are very real questions about the direction of this team and past decisions.

This is to take nothing away from Lamoriello, a deserving Hockey Hall of Famer who doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. And in fairness, Lamoriello got a 2026 first-round draft pick and top prospect center Calum Ritchie in the trade that sent veteran pivot Brock Nelson to Colorado at the trade deadline. The Islanders’ future isn’t all bad news.

That said, the Islanders currently being on the outside of the playoff picture makes some contracts look pretty questionable.

Let’s start with the contract handed out to left winger Pierre Engvall – a $3-million cap hit that runs for another five years and has a 16-team no-trade list. Engvall was already placed on waivers this season, with no takers for him. 

Engvall has eight goals and 13 points in 53 games. Five of those points came in the past eight games, but more often than not, the team looks like it could have benefited more from using that cap hit elsewhere. The team was under no pressure to lock up a depth player in Engvall for so many years with protection, but that mistake can’t be undone.

Defenseman Scott Mayfield has five years left on his contract with a $3.5-million cap hit, and his playing time has dropped. His plus-13 rating leads the team, which is admirable for a defensive defenseman, but he’s averaging 16:50 of ice time, the lowest since 2016-17, and he’s been a healthy scratch. 

The 32-year-old still has a full no-trade clause through 2026-26 and a 16-team no-trade list afterward – a lot of protection for someone the team no longer thinks is a lock in the lineup. You could get a young player to play those minutes for far less money than what Mayfield is getting.

Center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, meanwhile, has another season left at a $5-million cap hit. He has 12 goals and 37 points in 70 games this year, which comes after 33 points in 82 games last year and 40 points in 70 games in 2022-23. He’s good in his role, but whether that’s a $5-million role is the question – we don’t think it is.

Cap space being used this way contributes to mushy-middle results – not good enough for the team to go on a long playoff run and not bad enough to land a top draft pick, which the Isles have needed for quite some time.

NHL Sour Rankings: 2025 Mock Draft For The Bottom 10 TeamsThe NHL’s playoff picture is coming into focus, which means the bottom-end teams are solidifying their spots in the draft lottery – and the NHL sour rankings. 

Most prospect experts see the Islanders’ talent pipeline ranked near the bottom of the NHL, and they have the sixth-oldest roster in the NHL, according to eliteprospects.com. That makes it even tougher for the team to do damage in the foreseeable future.

The Islanders have all their draft picks in 2025 and two first-rounders in 2026. That will help further down the line, but right now, they don’t have many youngsters who can slot into the lineup – Ritchie is their only prospect projected to make the NHL in the next two seasons, according to The Hockey News’ Future Watch issue.

This summer will be crucial as the Islanders have seven RFAs and five UFAs to deal with. What management does this off-season could be a game-changer – one way or another – for their short- and long-term future. The last thing they need is more long-term contracts with trade protection for players that ensure the team remains in the mushy middle.

The short-term pain of choosing a direction and prioritizing a replenished prospect pool is worth it if it means acquiring elite players at the top of the draft and setting themselves up to have a terrific core for a decade or longer. Right now, this team isn’t threatening in the playoffs, the regular season or in a draft lottery.

From this writer’s perspective, it will be tough sledding for them for a long time. Lamoriello’s been running the Islanders for seven seasons now, and the team currently has its lowest points percentage since seven seasons ago. There’s legitimate cause for frustration with having next to nothing to show for this group after making the playoff semifinals in 2020 and 2021.

What matters most is whether this tough sledding results in a refreshed core a few years down the line or a similar-looking squad. If it’s not the former, it’s just more pretending.

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