The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Los Angeles Kings are two of the best power-play teams in the playoffs, so far. 

The Kings are sitting atop the league in power-play percentage (58.3 percent), and they are also first in the NHL in power-play goals with seven.

Toronto sits just behind the Kings in power-play percentage at 55.6 percent over three games. They are also third in total power-play goals with five, narrowly behind the St. Louis Blues, who scored three in their 7-2 win in Game 3, bringing their total to six.

Other than having similar success and statistics with the extra man, Toronto and L.A. have one more thing in common with their top power-play units – they are made up of five forwards and no defenseman.

The majority of teams in the NHL use four forwards, with their most offensive defenseman quarterbacking the power play. That’s not the case for the Leafs and Kings.

For the most part, Los Angeles uses Adrian Kempe at the point with Anze Kopitar occasionally coming short to receive the puck. The Kings do have the choice to put a D-man on the top unit with Drew Doughty and Brandt Clarke on the roster, but coach Jim Hiller has decided to put them on the second unit.

Toronto has Mitch Marner at the blueline dictating the play with his elite playmaking and ability to walk the line. In seasons past, Morgan Rielly would be the quarterback, but coach Craig Berube has found success with the five-man unit.

Former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau spoke about the Maple Leafs’ five-forward power-play unit in the latest episode of The Hockey News’ Big Show.

“The Leaf five, I find amazing. All five of them are so good,” Boudreau said. He further complimented Toronto’s top unit and highlighted how important Marner is to the formation.

“Marner, I think, is the best distributor this side of Connor McDavid of the puck, and he can defend when needed.”

While the five-man forward unit is a relatively new concept and not many teams use it, the NHL is a copycat league. Maybe next season, teams that don’t have an offensive defenseman will put this idea into consideration.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Brock Boeser has been quoted saying "it's unlikely at this point" that he will be returning to the Vancouver Canucks next season, and the free-agent market for the 28-year-old will be large and competitive.

Boeser recorded 25 goals and 50 points this season in 75 games, following a 2023-24 season where he set a career-high of 40 goals and 73 points. The former 2015 first-round pick is one of the more efficient scorers in the NHL, owning a 17.2 shooting percentage this season – the 41st highest percentage in the league among players with 70 or more games played 

With his impending exit from Vancouver, here are five possible free-agency destinations for Boeser.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs could be entering an offseason where major change is needed if they fall short of their playoff goals. Mitch Marner and John Tavares are pending UFAs, and the team needs to re-sign pending RFA Matthew Knies. If they decide to let Marner walk in free agency or he elects to seek a new opportunity, rumours have already swirled about the possibility of the Maple Leafs using Boeser and the Jets' Nikolaj Ehlers as replacements. 

Boeser is quite different in terms of play style compared to Marner. Marner is a pure playmaker, looking to pass as his first option, while Boeser is known as a shooter. The styles might be different, but the skill the Maple Leafs currently have should allow everyone to gel quite quickly.

Minnesota Wild

The Wild are an obvious choice for the Burnsville, Minn. native. They’ll have over $20 million in cap space this off-season and will be looking to add another scoring winger to complement the likes of Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek and Marco Rossi.

With prospects such as Liam Ohgren, Danila Yurov, Zeev Buium, David Jiricek and Jesper Wallstedt all expected to be key contributors sometime soon, Boeser would fit nicely in the Wild's lineup. 

When Boeser is at his best, he’s one of the league's most efficient scorers. Pairing him with a playmaker who generates chances at an extremely high rate, as Kaprizov does, it’s not far-fetched to envision Boeser possibly recording multiple 40-goal seasons. 

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings have been attempting to put the final touches on their rebuild for quite some time. In the Atlantic Division, they’ve been compared to the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres. Missing the playoffs this season and watching the Senators and Canadiens make it has upset some of the players.

"It was hard that we didn't do anything, and I felt the group kinda — we didn't gain any momentum from the trade deadline, and guys were kinda down about it," said captain Dylan Larkin during the team's exit interviews.  "So it'd be nice to add something and bring a little bit of a spark on the ice and maybe a morale boost as well."

Although adding Boeser to the fold wouldn’t solve every problem they have or instantly make them into a playoff team, it would be a good start. They’ll also need to sure up their goaltending and continue to integrate more of their top-end prospects to compete with the other wild-card teams. 

Carolina Hurricanes

GM Eric Tulsky showed the NHL world that he’s not afraid to make a big move after he traded for and then traded away Mikko Rantanen. Moving Rantanen and Martin Necas has opened up a lot of cap space for the Hurricanes, and it’s expected that they’ll be pursuing many of the top free agents this summer. 

The Hurricanes will likely prioritize a second-line center before looking for additional help on the wing, but if they do, Boeser could be a great fit. 

Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks are in a different position than the other four teams mentioned. They are at the peak of their rebuild, beginning to incorporate many of the players they hope to be key contributors in the future.

Making the playoffs seems quite unlikely for Chicago, but they'll be hoping to be in the race by the time the post-season rolls around in 2026. Pairing Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar and possibly a top-two pick with a proven scorer such as Boeser would help them accomplish that, similar to what Tyler Toffoli did for Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, William Eklund and the San Jose Sharks.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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 Ryan Kennedy react to everything that happened in the Montreal Canadiens' Game 3 win over the Washington Capitals.

Playoff Frenzy April 25, 2025 | 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 also take a quick look around the NHL, with the Tampa Bay Lightning's Brandon Hagel getting suspended and Calvin Pickard starting in net for the Edmonton Oilers.

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

Tampa Bay Lightning left winger Brandon Hagel is suspended for Game 3 after his Game 2 hit on Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.

Hagel received a major penalty for interference against Barkov in the third period of Thursday night's game, a 2-0 win for the Panthers over the Lightning.

Barkov tried to win a puck battle against Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh, but the latter swatted the puck around the boards. Barkov hadn't touched the puck and turned to pursue it, said the NHL Department of Player Safety's video explanation of the suspension.

"Long after the puck is gone, Hagel loads up and delivers a high, hard bodycheck that makes some head contact on Barkov," the video said.

Hagel reportedly argued he approached the play as if Barkov had touched the puck, but NHL Player Safety's video said the onus is on Hagel to ensure the player he's hitting is eligible to be hit. In this case, Barkov was ineligible.

This is Hagel's first instance of supplementary discipline. 

The 26-year-old has no points through two playoff games this season, and he had 35 goals and 55 assists for 90 points in 82 regular-season matchups.

As for Barkov, his status for Game 3 on Saturday remained unknown when Panthers coach addressed the media on Friday.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Mayhem broke loose after the second period in Game 3 between the Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens.

As the Canadiens and Capitals headed for the dressing rooms after the horn, subtle bumps and shoves between both teams escalated into a fight on an empty bench. 

Capitals right winger Tom Wilson found Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj in the large crowd before Josh Anderson pulled him away from the group. Wilson and Anderson eventually fell into the Capitals' bench and continued to throw punches at each other while a linesman tried to break them up. 

Washington coach Spencer Carbery needed to step over the bench to get out of the way.

Both players received two-minute minors for roughing and 10-minute misconducts. Xhekaj and Lars Eller also got two minutes for roughing.

It was only a matter of time before the Habs got their licks on Wilson. Before the game, during warmups, Xhekaj and Wilson were talking at the red line. This is Xhekaj’s first career playoff game. 

In between whistles, there have been plenty of scrums, shoves and bumps in efforts to throw each other off their games.

Montreal’s Cole Caufield scored a big goal with under nine seconds remaining in the period. Emotions were high for both teams and the fans at the Bell Centre in their first home playoff game in years.

No Matter How You Say 'Go Habs Go,' Canadiens Must 'Allez' Or Be 'Fini'Regardless of what the language commission in Quebec orders buses in Montreal to use on their signs, the Montreal Canadiens must be better at home than they were on the road if they want to extend their first-round series against the Washington Capitals.

Montreal led 3-2 going into the third period and is looking to earn its first win in these playoffs.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

If you told Toronto Maple Leafs fans their sixth- or seventh-best defenseman would be significantly responsible for two straight overtime goals in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, you would’ve been asked to immediately take a sobriety test. 

Lo and behold, Maple Leafs blueliner Simon Benoit – who had played exactly seven playoff games heading into this post-season, producing exactly zero playoff points in that span – was Thursday night’s hero. He scored the overtime-winner to put the Buds up 3-0 in their first-round series against the Ottawa Senators. 

Benoit also set up center Max Domi for the overtime-winner in Game 2, getting the primary assist.

Now – and at the risk of tooting our own horn here – you can’t say everyone didn’t see the potential for Benoit to have a coming-out party. Indeed, in THN.com’s playoff poll, your humble senior digital correspondent picked Benoit as the unlikely playoff hero. 

There was a legitimate reason why Benoit was our choice: as the regular season neared its end, Leafs coach Craig Berube was increasingly confident in Benoit.

Despite averaging only 16:33 of ice time in 78 games this season – slightly less than the 17:14 he averaged under former Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe in 2023-24 – Benoit averaged at least 19:44 in Toronto’s final five games of the regular season. In three of those five games, Berube gave Benoit at least 20:56 of ice time. 

You can’t chalk that up to the Maple Leafs playing in games where they had nothing at stake. Toronto fought for top spot in the Atlantic Division right down to its second-last game of the season, so Berube went with the players he trusted most – and that included Benoit.

Battle Of Ontario Has Turned Into The Battle Of The Big 4 — And So Far, The Senators' Stars Have Gone M.I.A.A bottom-six forward scored the overtime winner in Game 2 and a stay-at-home defenseman matched his season goal total with the OT winner in Game 3. But the reason why the Toronto Maple Leafs have a 3-0 lead in their first-round series against the Ottawa Senators has less to do with depth scoring and unlikely heroes — and more to do with which team’s stars have shone the brightest.

Despite Benoit’s unexpected success on offense against Ottawa, his excellent defensive play has earned him Berube’s trust. 

During the season, Benoit averaged 2:05 of shorthanded time per game  – the fourth-most on the team. While he was on the ice for slightly more chances against the Leafs during the PK, he was not far off the penalty-killing results of Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe. He also led the team in hits and was fourth in blocked shots. It’s not an accident that Benoit has become a key component of Toronto’s defense. He’s absolutely earned it.

Of course, the Leafs’ stingy defensive play is still a product of their top defensemen having sustained success defending their zone. Tanev, McCabe and Brandon Carlo are all doing their jobs in making life tough on Senators attackers. But with every shift he takes, in every game, Benoit is blossoming before our eyes. Given that he’s under contract for two more years at an average annual salary cap hit of $1.35 million, Benoit is turning into a bargain.

NHL Playoffs Are Here: Most To Prove, Cinderella Runs, Early Exits, Traditions And MoreThe NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs are full of storylines and tradition.

In 279 career regular-season NHL games, Benoit generated all of six goals. He may only produce at a similar rate through the rest of his career in hockey’s best league. But the playoffs are all about unlikely players stepping up and chipping in with much-needed offensive performances, and in Toronto’s strong playoff start, it’s Benoit who has emerged as a difference-maker.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The NHL fined the Ottawa Senators $25,000 and center Nick Cousins $2,083.33 for unsportsmanlike conduct tied to an incident in warmups before Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The NHL investigated an incident that occurred during the warmup ahead of Game 3, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. In it, Senators players, including left winger Nick Cousins, shot pucks at Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz.

The Senators' fine goes to the NHL Foundation, while Cousins' fine, which was the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement, goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Earlier on Friday, Senators coach Travis Green and Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube weighed in on the investigation between the two teams.   

"It's an active investigation. I don't know if I should be commenting on that now," Green said, getting a few laughs from the media in attendance. He said he was kidding.

“I saw the video,” Green said. “Nick Cousins and Stolarz have played together, he’s probably trying to laugh at him or make a joke or get him off his game. It is what it is.”

Cousins and Stolarz were teammates when playing for the Florida Panthers and won the Stanley Cup together last season. They were also teammates in the early stages of their careers with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2016-17.

Berube had less to say on the incident.

“I don’t think it’s anything,” he said.

Berube even recalled warming up before a game for the Flyers in 1992 when his teammate, Keith Acton, fired pucks at the New York Rangers’ net throughout the warmup to wind them up. Whatever happened with the Sens and Leafs on Thursday, it didn’t end like the brouhaha between the Flyers and Rangers.

The investigation doesn’t seem to concern either side of the Battle of Ontario, and it’s seen as a joke or light-hearted teasing if anything.

If Cousins was looking to get Stolarz off his game, it didn’t really work, as the Leafs goaltender stopped 18 of 20 shots the Senators threw at him. It was Stolarz’s 11th straight win dating back to the end of the regular season. In that stretch, Stolarz has recorded a.944 save percentage, 1.53 goals-against average and three shutouts.

Game 4 of this series will take place on Saturday. Toronto has a 3-0 series lead over Ottawa.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Weekend's Way Back When rewinds to 1972 when the New York Islanders franchise was born.

When it came to the name for the Long Island team, it was a no-brainer. But the Islanders' iconic logo keeps it all about hockey, home turf and Stanley Cup championships.

 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.       

Having missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years, the Boston Bruins' off-season plans have been the subject of recent media speculation.

On Wednesday, Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs expressed confidence in president Cam Neely and GM Don Sweeney getting the club back into playoff contention next season. During the hour-long press conference, Sweeney indicated he will use “every mechanism possible” to improve the roster during this off-season.

Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic reported Sweeney emphasized bolstering the Bruins' depth on the wings, indicating they only have two legitimate top-six wingers (David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie) under control. Geekie is an RFA with arbitration rights. Sweeney said contract talks are underway with the 26-year-old left winger.

Shinzawa believes the Bruins also need another top-six center. However, he thinks Sweeney will stand pat this summer due to the high cost of addressing that need.

Nick Goss of NBC Sports Boston suggested Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets as the best potential free-agent targets for the Bruins. However, it's uncertain if they'll be available when the UFA market opens on July 1.

Goss felt Sweeney could attempt to bring in a winger or two through the trade market. He pointed out the Bruins have considerable draft capital to use as trade bait, with four first-round picks and five second-rounders over the next three drafts.

Meanwhile, Joe Haggerty of Boston Sports Journal wondered if the Bruins might make any surprising moves involving their veterans. He noted that Jeremy Swayman is their only high-priced veteran lacking no-trade protection for next season. 

Haggerty cited Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman musing whether Swayman could be a trade candidate, citing his struggles this season following his ugly contract extension negotiations last summer. However, Friedman believes the Bruins will remain patient with the 26-year-old goaltender, hoping he rebounds next season. 

Swayman's difficult season contributed to the Bruins' decline this season, but they won't part ways with him. They have no one within their system or in the trade and free-agent markets to replace him as their starter. Their odds of a bounce-back season are greater with Swayman manning their crease.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Day 6 of the Stanley Cup playoffs was full of surprising moments, good and bad. 

The Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning are heading into dangerous territory as both teams are yet to earn a victory in their respective series. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues comfortably won their first game at home.

Here are the storylines from all four contests from Thursday.

Florida Panthers Defeat Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 (FLA Leads Series 2-0)

After a 6-2 loss in Game 1, the Lightning went through another discouraging defeat. This time, the Panthers shut them out 2-0 and snatched both games in Tampa Bay’s Amalie Arena.

While it’s not ideal to be down 2-0 in the series, the Bolts will play their next game on the road at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla.

Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped all 19 shots the Lightning fired his way. Defenseman Nate Schmidt scored his third goal of the playoffs, which puts him tied for third in the NHL for goals with Pavel Buchnevich, Nathan MacKinnon and Adrian Kempe.

He had five goals in the regular season. Not even Schmidt can believe it, but he’ll take what he can get to help the team.

“I’m going to save my stick… make sure it doesn’t go anywhere,” Schmidt told reporters after the game.

Toronto Maple Leafs Defeat Ottawa Senators 3-2 OT (TOR Leads Series 3-0)

The Senators face elimination after the Maple Leafs defeated them in overtime for the second straight game. 

This contest had a similar feeling to Game 2, where Toronto also won 3-2 in overtime. Even defenseman Simon Benoit was involved in the game-winner, taking a slapshot that beat Sens netminder Linus Ullmark with the help of a screen.

Despite being down 3-0 in the series, Ottawa is not lacking in belief that they can make a comeback.

“We are not going to lay down and go away. We are going to be ready to play,” Sens coach Travis Green said after the game.

Added Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk: “It's been done before, and I have the belief that it can be done again."

The Leafs’ power play and star players stay hot, with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner recording two points each. Marner now has six points while Matthews has five in three games. 

Battle Of Ontario Has Turned Into The Battle Of The Big 4 — And So Far, The Senators' Stars Have Gone M.I.A.A bottom-six forward scored the overtime winner in Game 2 and a stay-at-home defenseman matched his season goal total with the OT winner in Game 3. But the reason why the Toronto Maple Leafs have a 3-0 lead in their first-round series against the Ottawa Senators has less to do with depth scoring and unlikely heroes — and more to do with which team’s stars have shone the brightest.

Minnesota Wild Defeat Vegas Golden Knights 5-2 (MIN Leads Series 2-1)

The Wild took the lead in the series against the Vegas Golden Knights in a complete performance. The Wild won 5-2 for the second straight outing, and as the underdogs, they’re giving the Knights a run for their money.

Kirill Kaprizov continues to lead the team to glory with a two-goal night. He’s now the NHL’s joint leader in points with Kempe, recording seven in three games. 

This contest wasn’t a walk in the park against the 2023 Stanley Cup champions. Vegas made a valid push in the later stages of the match, drawing three power plays in the final frame. 

However, Filip Gustavsson was Minnesota’s best penalty-killer, finishing the game with 30 saves and a .938 save percentage. 

After the game, the Wild players credited the spirited crowd, who helped them push to their series lead. 

“You can’t hear anything,” Gustavsson said.

St. Louis Blues Defeat Winnipeg Jets 7-2 (WPG Leads Series 2-1)

The Blues destroyed the Winnipeg Jets in Game 3. St. Louis had two standout players in this performance in terms of production in D-man Cam Fowler and left winger Pavel Buchnevich.

Fowler seized his opportunity ever since he was traded to the Blues from the Anaheim Ducks earlier during the regular season. In this game, he scored one goal and a career-high five points. 

Buchnevich scored the first hat trick of these playoffs, with one tally on the power play. 

Toward the end of the game, the Jets became physical and undisciplined. The Blues took advantage and capitalized on three power plays out of eight attempts.

Blues coach Jim Montgomery approved of the team’s performance.

“What I liked was our fierce, competitive attitude,” he told reporters. “Our start was incredible."

St. Louis has one more game at home on Sunday before heading back to Winnipeg to continue the series.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.