The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators faced the prospect of playing nothing games on Thursday night.

Both had every reason to simply mail it in and avoid injuries facing two-goal deficits in the third period, but both roared back for victories.

Now bring on the Battle of Ontario. In order to win, the Senators will have to hope their pre- and regular-season mastery of the Maple Leafs over the course of the regular season continues. The Leafs must ensure their stars don't get pushed out of the series and are rendered invisible, something that has had a history of happening.

The Leafs are the NHL's hottest team down the stretch, and only the St. Louis Blues had more points after the 4 Nations Face-Off.

But that and 12 dollars will get you a coffee at Starbucks. As Chris Tanev and Scott Laughton said, "Now the fun starts."

Today's video column has more.

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The NHL's scoring and goal-stopping races wrapped up as awards season begins.

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl won the Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy for the first time in his career. Tampa Bay Lightning right winger Nikita Kucherov is also now a three-time Art Ross Trophy winner, while Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck won the William M. Jennings Trophy for the second time.

Draisaitl, 29, scored the most goals in the NHL in 2024-25, with 52 in 71 games. He finished seven goals ahead of second place, Toronto Maple Leafs right winger William Nylander, who had 45.

Of Draisaitl's total goals, 36 came at even strength, 16 were on the power play, six were scored in overtime and 11 overall counted as game-winners.

But while this is Draisaitl's first time winning the 'Rocket' Richard Trophy, 52 goals is not his career high. He scored 55 times in 2021-22, when Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored 60. Draisaitl also had 52 goals in 2022-23, when teammate Connor McDavid potted 64.

Fifty-two goals are the lowest total for the 'Rocket' Richard winner since Matthews scored 41 in the 56-game 2020-21 season. They're also the fewest in an 82-game season since 2018-19, when Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin had 51.

Draisaitl sat alone in first place in the goal-scoring race from Dec. 16 onward despite missing 11 of the Oilers' 51 games remaining, the NHL said in Thursday night's announcement.

Kucherov, meanwhile, only got up to a tie for first place on March 29.

He and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a late-season Art Ross Trophy race, with MacKinnon ending the campaign on an eight-game points streak. But with Kucherov recording five points in his final three games, he won the Art Ross with 121 points, five more than MacKinnon's 116.

The two-time Stanley Cup champion is the 10th player in NHL history to win the Art Ross Trophy at least three times since it was first presented in 1947-48. 

Kucherov, 31, recorded a point in 65 of his 78 games played this season, according to the NHL. He also produced three points or more in 17 games, which ranked him first in the league.

On Wednesday, the NHL acknowledged Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck for clinching the 2024-25 William M. Jennings Trophy, presented annually to the goaltender or goaltenders who played a minimum of 25 games for the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season. 

The Jets finished with 190 goals against – 191 including shootout-deciding goals – while the second-place Los Angeles Kings had 203 goals against and 206 including shootout-deciders.

Hellebuyck, 31, conceded 125 goals in 63 games this season. He finished the regular season with a 47-12-3 record, .925 save percentage, 2.00 goals-against average and eight shutouts. Jets backup Eric Comrie played 20 games and had a .914 SP, 2.39 GAA and two shutouts.

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The Edmonton Oilers might be missing Mattias Ekholm for their opening-round series against the Los Angeles Kings, but Connor McDavid insisted that last year's Stanley Cup finalists are not limping into the playoffs.

If anything, the team might be healthier than it appears.

“We have this like aura about us that we’re the walking wounded, but we’re just fine,” McDavid told reporters. “Everybody’s going to be ready to roll. Everybody is doing whatever they can. I don’t like this whole notion that we’re the walking wounded here. We’re ready to roll.”

Those comments come days after Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch gave an extensive injury report that made it sound like Edmonton might indeed be dressing a "B squad" for the playoffs. However, you might want to wait before counting out the Oilers just yet.

McDavid is healthy. And by the sounds of it, he is anticipating another long playoff run.

“I just don’t like the theory that people are counting us out," he said. "We’re a great team here; bumps and bruises along the way. We’re a great team when we’re healthy. And we are healthy."

The Oilers And Kings' Bad Blood Returns: That's Why The NHL Playoff Format Hasn't ChangedYou can say what you want about the NHL’s current Stanley Cup playoff format, but it ignited the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings’ rivalry.

Unfortunately for the Oilers, injuries have plagued the team at the worst possible time of the year.

Ekholm isn't expected to be available in the first round. McDavid, who has appeared in 63 games, recently missed eight games with an undisclosed injury. Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman are banged up. Same goes for Jake Walman, Troy Stecher and Trent Frederic.

The bodies have been piling up to the point where the team was forced to play a game against the Kings earlier this week with what Phillip Danault described as a "B-squad."

"They just have their B-squad in trying to hurt us." 😳

Phillip Danault soudned off in the midst of a chippy Kings-Oilers game last night. pic.twitter.com/JkpeRlJv3n

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 15, 2025

However, don't expect the Oilers to pack it in when they face the Kings in the first round of the playoffs. Instead, don't be surprised if McDavid uses the injuries as a way to further motivate the Oilers, who many believe are the underdogs despite having defeated the Kings in each of the past three playoffs.

“Maybe it's good. Everyone's going to be rested,” said McDavid of having so many players miss so much time in the past month. "Would it have been nice to get some games with a full lineup? Sure, but like I said, not everything is as it seems.

“I've felt, personally, night and day better from before the injury, just in terms of rest. Not getting a break there with the Four Nations — which I'm not complaining about at all — I feel night and day better since the injury. I'm sure Leon's going to feel the same way.”

Welcome to the latest episode of The Hockey News Wraparound, featuring rapid-fire analysis of the NHL and hockey.

What Role Will The Canadiens Give Ivan Demidov Against Washington? by The Wraparoundundefined

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

0:00: How strong of a chance do the Montreal Canadiens have of upsetting the Washington Capitals?

4:12: What to make of the Dallas Stars’ injuries heading into their first round series against the Colorado Avalanche

9:04: With Dougie Hamilton returning for the New Jersey Devils, could they have a tight series with the Carolina Hurricanes?

12:09: Have the Winnipeg Jets avoided some internal distractions heading into the playoffs by extending Neal Pionk and Alex Iafallo?

15:01: Did Corey Perry and Phillip Danault's exchange in the media set the Oilers and Kings up to be the most entertaining first-round series?

18:50: Will Logan Couture go down as one of the best San Jose Sharks of all-time?

21:36: Will Ivan Demidov play in a depth role or top-six role for the Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs?

24:26: Could Jet Greaves earn a full-time position with the Columbus Blue Jackets next season?

26:37: Breaking down the NHLPA player poll results

29:19: Should the Detroit Red Wings be concerned that their current core has peaked?

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

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Podbean

iHeartRadio

Amazon

The Ottawa Senators came up with a plan to limit a flood of Toronto Maple Leafs fans from attending the Canadian Tire Centre for Games 3, 4 and potentially 6 of their first-round series. 

When the Maple Leafs visit the Senators, the crowd often features a lot of blue and white competing with Ottawa’s red and black.

The Senators organization took a step-by-step approach to selling tickets for the Battle of Ontario and limiting Leafs fans. Their strategy to maximize Sens fans is through season ticket holders and newsletter followers.

Season ticket holders were able to purchase up to four tickets – two for them and two extra for other Sens fans. The Senators have an additional 902 season ticket holders from five weeks ago, team president Cyril Leeder told the Ottawa Citizen. The team also opened single-game ticket sales to subscribers to its newsletter on Thursday at 10 a.m. ET for two hours.

That didn’t leave many single-game tickets available for the general public when sales opened at noon.

“You won’t see much blue,” team owner Michael Andlauer told reporters at a Senators flag-raising ceremony at city hall on Wednesday.

This isn’t the first time that other teams have tried to limit Leafs fans from their rink. When Toronto faced the Florida Panthers in the second round of the 2023 playoffs, the Panthers restricted ticket access to purchasers with a U.S.-based credit card billing address.

The Senators and Maple Leafs faced off in the playoffs four times between 2000 and 2004. In 2004, the Leafs defeated the Sens in seven games. 

The Senators organization will not only hope to push out the blue-and-white noise but also win the latest edition of the Battle of Ontario. Game 1 takes place Sunday at 7 p.m. ET in Toronto.

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After falling to the Dallas Stars in the second round one year ago, the Colorado Avalanche will look to use that experience toward a different result as they start their 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs looking for revenge.

“They’ve ended our year a couple of different times since I’ve been here,” said Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar on Wednesday. “They’re a very good team. They’re very opportunistic. You’ve got to find ways to expose them on all areas of the ice.”

This spring, there’s one big change: longtime Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen is playing on the other side. The Avalanche and Stars start their first-round seriesthis weekend.

Over seven seasons, Rantanen put up 101 playoff points in 81 games and was a key cog in Colorado’s run to the Stanley Cup in 2022.

“Mikko’s a playoff player,” Makar said. “That’s what he’s born and bred to do. So it’ll definitely be tough to defend. But that team in general – they’re very good.”

Before the Avalanche won their championship three years ago, then-GM Joe Sakic shored up his team’s roster by acquiring goaltender Darcy Kuemper during the summer of 2021, then bringing in Josh Manson, Artturi Lehkonen and Andrew Cogliano at the 2022 deadline.

This year, Chris MacFarland has pulled off even more extensive roster renovations. 

He handed the goaltending reins to Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood on top of adding forwards Martin Necas, Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle, along with defenseman Ryan Lindgren.

“I look back at the year we won, and they made some key additions at the deadline,” Makar said. “Those were huge to finding success in the playoffs and we've only done more of those throughout this year – what the management thinks we need. It’s definitely great that they have trust in us, and they give us the best opportunity to win.”

Two familiar faces from ’22 are also getting back in the mix: veteran blueliner Erik Johnson, who was re-acquired at the deadline, and left winger Gabriel Landeskog.

The Colorado captain, 32, hasn’t played an NHL game since he hoisted the Cup overhead after the Avalanche dethroned the Tampa Bay Lightning. But after nearly three years of rehab, Landeskog successfully suited up for a pair of AHL games with the Colorado Eagles. He also looked every bit like his usual feisty self when he joined his Avs teammates for practice on Wednesday in Denver.

“He definitely hasn’t lost a step,” Makar said. “It’s going to take some time to get back to where he was. Missing three years of gameplay is pretty crucial, but I think he’s doing the right thing, making the right steps here. Hopefully he just keeps progressing, and it’s nice to have him around the team. That’s for sure.”

Makar was part of a group that made the trek out to Loveland to take in Landeskog’s return to action last weekend. As an added bonus, he also got to see his younger brother and Avs prospect, Taylor Makar, suit up for the first-place Eagles, just two weeks after the left winger turned pro following a Hockey East championship at the University of Maine.

“Really cool experience,” Cale Makar said. “I haven't got the chance to watch my brother live since such a long time ago – probably, like, minor hockey.”

Already a past winner of the Calder, Conn Smythe and Norris Trophies, Makar just finished his most productive season yet. 

He led all NHL defensemen with 92 points while landing in the top 10 in overall scoring. He also became just the ninth blueliner of all time to score 30 goals and the first since Mike Green of the Washington Capitals tallied 31 in 2008-09. 

As he sits in pole position for his second Norris while NHL Awards voting takes place this week, perhaps the only person in the hockey world who’s not impressed is Makar himself.

“I think it just goes back to the team, and how well they've done at giving us good players to succeed,” he said. “You’re not achieving any of that without good teammates. For us, they’ve found great fits here, and I think that’s only elevated everybody’s play.”

With playoffs set to begin, Makar and Florida Panthers left winger Matthew Tkachuk are this year’s faces of the ‘Check In To Win’ sweepstakes at Great Clips, the official hair salon of the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association.

From now through May 19, fans who download the Great Clips app and check in will be entered for a chance to see epic on-ice checks live from the stands at the 2025 Stanley Cup final. Other prizes include gift cards for Great Clips and NHLshop.com.

“It's pretty exciting for them to be sending one person to a Stanley Cup final game,” Makar said. “It's an honor to do a partnership with them.”

On top of a good haircut, Makar says “a lot” goes into his preparation to bring his best each game day.

“Nothing too superstitious or ritual-wise, but just making sure your body’s physically and mentally ready to get it going.”

Cale Makar and the Avalanche will start their first-round series against the Stars on the road on Saturday, April 19, at American Airlines Arena.

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The first-round matchups are finalized for the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs. That means it’s time for the time-honored tradition of THN.com playoff predictions. 

We begin with this writer’s picks for who wins each Western Conference first-round series. There's expected to be a lot of thrilling action and some bitter rivals punishing each other.

To hedge our bets, we’re also going to entertain the possibility that the teams we see as first-round losers might be able to win instead.

With that said, here are our guess-timates for the four Western Conference series:

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

Season series: 3-1 Winnipeg

Why Winnipeg will win: As the NHL’s best regular-season team, the Jets were dominant from post-to-post this year, winning 55 games. They’ve also got an intimidating home record of 29-7-4 – and combined with the Blues’ mediocre road record of 20-16-5, it’s clear Winnipeg is the rightful favorite to win this series. 

The Jets will face major changes if they flame out in the opening round, but they’ve got too much talent – especially in net, with Vezina Trophy front-runner Connor Hellebuyck leading the way – to be upset in the first round of this year’s post-season.

Why St. Louis will win: The Blues overcame a 25-26-6 record by going 19-4-2 the rest of the season – essentially playing must-win hockey for two months – so they’re now in peak form. 

The Jets beat them 3-1 in their most recent showdown on April 7, but that was with backup goalie Joel Hoefer in net. The Blues will turn to starter Jordan Binnington to begin their first-round series. As we know, Binnington can live up to the moment, winning gold for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He has a 2.69 goals-against average on the season and a 2.23 GAA after the 4 Nations pause. 

St. Louis has the essentials to at least extend the series to six games – and from there, it could be either team’s series to win.

Prediction: Jets in six games

The Jets have an enormous amount of pressure on them, having lost both of their first-round showdowns in the last two seasons. But Winnipeg is as deep as they’ve ever been, and the Blues – in spite of their late-season hot streak – are considerably less talented in an all-around sense. It isn’t going to be a sweep for the Jets, but they should be able to send St. Louis home for the summer.

NHL Power Rankings: Each Team's MVP As Jets Finish On TopWelcome to the last edition of the NHL power rankings for the 2024-25 season. Thanks for following along in what has been another unpredictable and exciting season. 

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

Season series: 3-0 Vegas

Why Vegas will win:The Golden Knights handled Minnesota easily this season, outscoring the Wild 9-2 in their most recent two games. 

Vegas’ underrated offense is superior to Minnesota’s. The Golden Knights rank fifth in the NHL at an average of 3.33 goals-for per game, compared to the Wild’s 25th-ranked offense at 2.74. 

The Knights’ defense is also impressive, as it has the fourth-best defense at 2.62 goals against per game, compared to Minnesota’s 14th-best defense at 2.88. 

The Golden Knights also have the NHL’s second-best power play at a 28.3 percent success rate, while the Wild ranked 20th in that regard. Both squads’ penalty kills rank in the bottom 10, but Vegas still has a higher kill rate.

By virtually any metric, the Golden Knights are better than the Wild, and that should be reflected with a Vegas series win.

Why Minnesota will win:The Wild have the best goalie in this series in Filip Gustavsson, who has a .914 save percentage, a 2.56 goals-against average and five shutouts this year. Contrast that with Vegas starter Adin Hill’s .906 SP and four shutouts, and you see where Minnesota may have the edge in net. 

The Golden Knights went through a stretch from the first week of January through the beginning of February where they went 3-8-3, so they’re far from perfect. 

The Wild also have Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek back in the lineup. Kaprizov missed more than two months of action, while Eriksson Ek missed over a month. Minnesota ranked eighth in the NHL before Kaprizov’s injury, so they have looked promising when everyone’s healthy.

Prediction: Golden Knights in five games

Full disclosure – we haven’t been big on the Wild for years now, and this season is no different. Minnesota might have the most dynamic player in this series with Kaprizov, but there’s a reason why the Wild haven’t won a playoff series since 2014-15 – they just don’t have enough high-end depth to run-and-gun with the league’s best teams. Vegas, on the other hand, is a proven Cup champion, so we expect the Knights to dispose of Minnesota in short order.

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

Season series: 2-1 Colorado

Why Dallas will win:The Stars finished second in the highly competitive Central Division via a stunningly potent offense. They have the NHL’s third-most goals-for per game at 3.35.

Dallas’ defense also was no slouch, ranking sixth overall at 2.71 goals against per game. That’s better than the Avalanche in both categories – and imagine how much better Dallas would be if they had star right winger Mikko Rantanen all season long. 

The Stars also have veteran Tyler Seguin back from injury, adding another terrific asset to their already formidable lineup. They’ve got all the components to go on a lengthy playoff run.

Why Colorado will win: The Stars won the first game against the Avalanche this season, but that was back on Nov. 29. In the two games that followed, the Avs took it to Dallas, beating them by a combined score of 10-6. 

Colorado has added incredible depth, especially on the back end, with a defense corps that is now the envy of virtually every other NHL team. The presumed absence of star Dallas blueliner Miro Heiskanen, at least at the beginning of the first round, gives the Avalanche an advantage. Stars left winger Jason Robertson’s status is also uncertain after leaving the rink Wednesday nightwearing a knee brace. 

So long as goalie Mackenzie Blackwood doesn’t fall apart, the Avs will push the Stars to their limit and end Dallas’ season prematurely. 

Prediction: Avalanche in seven games

This is going to be the toughest first-round series this season, and the truth is it could go either way. That said, Colorado has the best player in the series in center Nathan MacKinnon and the best blueliner in the series in Cale Makar. 

All other factors being equal, the Avalanche’s superstars will be the difference-makers, and the Avs will move on to the second round by beating the Stars in a hugely entertaining seventh game.

These NHL Veterans Hope Their First Stanley Cup Win Is Coming This SpringFrom the first day they strap on a pair of skates, aspiring NHL players dream of hoisting the Stanley Cup. 

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

Season series: 3-1 Los Angeles

Why Los Angeles will win:The Kings are a team to reckon with this year, particularly at home, where they’re a league-best 31-5-4. 

Los Angeles has thrived since the NHL’s trade deadline, going 17-4-0 since then. The Kings are doing it with the league’s second-best defense averaging 2.44 goals against and the seventh-best penalty kill, averaging 81.3 percent efficiency. 

The Kings may not have a generational talent to rival the Oilers’ Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, but they have a well-balanced lineup and a patient game that can clamp down on Edmonton’s high-octane attack when it counts.

Why Edmonton will win: The Oilers got within one game of a Cup last season, and they have many familiar faces from that run. They’ll get a boost from the eventual return of left winger Evander Kane, and they’ve added depth in center Trent Frederic and defenseman Jake Walman. 

Edmonton has a slightly better offense than the Kings, and L.A. has no one who can compare to McDavid and Draisaitl. If either or both of those two superstars impose their will on the series, there will be nothing the Kings can do about it. So long as the Oilers’ goaltending holds up, Edmonton can eliminate the Kings for the fourth straight season.

Stanley Cup Blueprint: Believe It Or Not, The Jets, Kings And Lightning Have The Most Makings Of A ChampionWhat does a Stanley Cup winner actually look like? It’s a question that all 32 NHL teams ask every season. 

Prediction: Kings in six games

Playoff series against L.A. have gone in Edmonton’s favor in the last three years, but this time will be different. It’s largely because L.A.’s goaltending is better than the Oilers’. Kings starter and Cup champion Darcy Kuemper has stats (2.02 GAA, .922 SP) better than those of Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner (.894 SP, 2.87 GAA). 

Due to the Kings’ smothering defense, we see them shocking the Oilers and eliminating them before the series gets to a seventh game.

Share your predictions for each series in the comments.

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Most of the speculation regarding the Philadelphia Flyers has focused on their potential replacements for fired coach John Tortorella. 

Candidates range from interim coach Brad Shaw and the University of Denver's David Carle to Vancouver Canucks bench boss Rick Tocchet.

As the off-season approaches, there is growing conjecture over their roster plans. GM Daniel Briere is reportedly open to using one of his three first-round picks in this year's draft as trade bait to acquire an established young player. 

Kevin Kurz of The Athletic wondered if Briere might consider going the offer-sheet route this summer. He pointed out the Flyers GM isn't afraid to make bold moves during the off-season.  

Kurz suggested Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks, Matt Boldy of the Minnesota Wild and Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs as potential offer-sheet targets. However, there's no certainty that those pending RFAs will be open to entertaining offers from other clubs.

McTavish could be an intriguing possibility. Anaheim has a projected cap space of $38.6 million with 16 active roster players under contract for next season. Kurz points out that the rebuilding Ducks usually don't spend to the cap ceiling, noting they must ensure they have sufficient long-term space for rising stars Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier.

Kurz believes fixing their goaltending should be the Flyers' priority. Their team save percentage (.879) and goals-against per game (3.43) are among the league's worst.

The Flyers could stick with Samuel Ersson as their starter and have Ivan Fedotov as their No. 3. Aleksei Kolosov is reportedly returning to Belarus following this season. 

Kurz suggested Jake Allen of the New Jersey Devils and oft-injured Frederik Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes could be the best option in a thin free-agent market for goaltenders. 

Trade options could include John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks. Thatcher Demko might be available if the Canucks decide to part with him after signing Kevin Lankinen to a contract extension. 

Briere could also be in the market for a young prospect with another club who could soon be NHL-ready. 

The Hockey News' Jonathan Bailey suggested the Flyers' seven picks in the first two rounds of this year's draft could help them make a competitive bid for Isaac Howard if the Tampa Bay Lightning decide to trade the 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner.

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It was back in September — long before the Montreal Canadiens went on a Cinderella run that resulted in a wild card berth in their final game of the regular season — that Nick Suzuki revealed to The Hockey News that this year might just be more than another rebuilding year.

In other words, forget about getting another top-5 pick in the draft. The Habs captain was more interested in grabbing a playoff spot.

"Personally, I feel like you can’t just keep stockpiling prospects," Suzuki said back then. "I want to be in the playoffs. I’ve been in the playoffs twice now and they haven’t been on normal circumstances, so I haven’t got to play at the Bell Centre in front of a sold-out crowd. That’s definitely something I’m itching for this year."

On Wednesday, Suzuki scratched that itch.

The Canadiens have done the improbable — if not the seemingly impossible.

They are a playoff team.

Ole, ole, ole, ole... Habs are going to the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/aZyJIHyjy4

— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) April 17, 2025

That they did it before the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings ended their playoff droughts should not be lost on the Chicago Blackhawks or San Jose Sharks or any other franchise that preaches a long rebuild in order to get back to the playoffs. Yes, the Canadiens haven't been in the post-season since reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2021. But compared to the Ottawa Senators, who missed for seven years, this return to the playoffs feels very premature.

No one was picking the Habs to be a wild card when the season began. Now, they will  face the top-seeded Washington Capitals in the first round, where the Canadiens are the "underdogs."

However, bet against them at your own peril.

"We wanted to make playoffs no matter what and we did it. That was our main goal all the time," Suzuki told reporters after the playoff-clinching 4-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night. "You can't talk loud about it. It was our little goal that we kept between us and, yeah, it happened."

Mission Accomplished, The Canadiens Are Back In The PlayoffsThe puck dropped on the Montreal Canadiens’ 82nd game of the season at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night, with the Carolina Hurricanes in town. Martin St-Louis’ men had already failed to clinch a playoff berth in their last three games, and expectations were high in Montreal, especially since the visitors decided to rest some of their regular players. Rod Brind’Amour even went as far as using Jesperi Kotkaniemi as his top-line center.

It happened mostly because of Suzuki, who since the March 7 trade deadline has scored the fifth-most points of any player in the NHL. But the Canadiens probably wouldn't have qualified without the unlikely contributions from their youngsters.

Defenseman Lane Hutson, who is the favorite to win the Calder Trophy, led all NHL rookies with 66 points in 82 games. Juraj Slafkovsky, who was the No. 1 overall pick in 2022 draft, had a breakout year with 51 points. Cole Caufield, who is still only 24, led the team with 37 goals. Even 18-year-old Ivan Demidov, who has played in two games since coming over from Russia, has contributed with a goal and an assist.

And then, there were the players who everyone thought would have been gone by now.

Instead of trading Jake Evans at the deadline, the team signed him to an extension. On Wednesday, he rewarded that decision by scoring the empty-netter that sealed the win. Marc Savard, another player who was rumored to be moved, led the team with 180 blocked shots.

"Top to bottom, we have really deep forwards," said Suzuki. "I think our young D will just keep getting better. We’re adding probably some young guys that will make the team and give us a boost. From the first line to the fourth line, I think we could be one of the deepest at that position."

Canadiens' Suzuki Itching For Playoff Hockey In Sold-Out Bell CentreMontreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki knew exactly what he wanted to accomplish this season before it began.

Add it up and Montreal looks like they could be one of those dark horse teams that goes further than anyone expected. By making the playoffs, they've already done that.

Now, who knows what else they can do.

From the first day they strap on a pair of skates, aspiring NHL players dream of hoisting the Stanley Cup. 

When they make it to the league, the dream gets even closer. But championships can be elusive, and some NHL stars can play well into their 30s or even 40s while still striving to sip from the silver chalice.

Last summer, the Florida Panthers’ roster was rich with veterans who finally realized their Stanley Cup dreams, from Sergei Bobrovsky to Kyle Okposo, through Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Dmitry Kulikov and on down the line. 

Here’s a look at this year’s longest-tenured veterans who are looking for their storybook ending in 2025 and, for many, a boost that will help them maximize their bargaining power for next season.

Ryan Suter, St. Louis Blues, 1,526 games

At 40, Ryan Suter has been the oldest skater in the NHL this season, 54 days younger than goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. After signing in St. Louis on a one-year, league-minimum contract following his buyout by the Dallas Stars, the 2003 seventh-overall pick appeared in all 82 games for the Blues and skated nearly 20 minutes a night. 

Suter’s 1,526 games played lead all active players, and he hasn’t missed a game since 2018. His personal ironman streak stands at 535 games and counting. 

But in 20 NHL seasons, Suter has not yet appeared in a Stanley Cup final. He has been getting closer — his longest runs to date came in his last two playoffs, when he got to the Western Conference final with Dallas.

After the Blues’ storybook run through the second half of the season, Suter now gets another chance to see if this is the year.

Cam Fowler is another veteran St. Louis defender who’s looking to make the most of this opportunity. 

At 33, the longtime Anaheim Duck has 1,042 games on his resume. With 36 points in 51 games since his December trade to St. Louis, he has been a crucial addition to the Blues’ top pair. Under contract for one more year, Fowler is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2017. His best playoff run came in 2015, when the Ducks lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference final. 

Brent Burns, Carolina Hurricanes, 1,495 games

With 923 consecutive games played, Brent Burns is the NHL’s reigning active ironman and the only man ahead of his fellow quadragenarian, Suter. 

Burns has been to the Stanley Cup final once, putting up 24 points in 24 games before the San Jose Sharks fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016. With 120 total playoff games, Burns also reached the Western Conference final with the Sharks in 2019 and the Eastern Conference final with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023.

The Hurricanes are making their seventh straight playoff appearance – one of the NHL’s longest active streaks. With free agency looming for the bearded one, is this the year that Carolina finally puts it all together and raises the Cup for the second time in franchise history?

Claude Giroux, Ottawa Senators, 1,262 games

As a 22-year-old, Claude Giroux put up 21 points in 23 games during the Philadelphia Flyers’ Cinderella run to the 2010 Stanley Cup final. He’s been trying to get back ever since, but his last attempt fizzled in the second round when he joined the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Panthers for their 2022 playoffs – a couple of years too early, as it turned out.

Now, at 37, Giroux is back where he grew up in Canada’s Capital Region. This spring, he’ll chase the Cup in front of an Ottawa Senators fan base that’s thrilled to finally put its seven-year playoff drought to bed in just the second season under new owner Michael Andlauer.

Giroux is also on the cusp of free agency, finishing out the three-year deal he signed with Ottawa in 2022.

Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars, 1,191 games

The pattern continues. At 35, Jamie Benn is in the final season of the eight-year extension that he signed all the way back in 2016. His Art Ross Trophy days are nearly a decade in the rearview mirror, and he has been excruciatingly stuck on 399 career goals for more than a month. But since Benn took over the captaincy from Brenden Morrow in 2013, his Stars have gone to the Stanley Cup final in the 2020 bubble and, more recently, had back-to-back appearances in the final four.

The Stars’ Matt Duchene also sits high on the list of Cupless vets at 1,137 games. After making his first-career trip to a Conference final last year, he re-upped with Dallas in hopes of finishing the job. This season, Duchene has played some of his best hockey, cracking the 80-point mark for just the second time in his 16 years.

NHL Playoffs: Skinner, Tkachuk Headline New Faces To Watch In The Cup ChaseWith just over a week to go in the 2024-25 NHL regular season, our 16 playoff competitors look about set.

John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs, 1,183 games

For every pundit who predicted that John Tavares’ seven-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs would be an albatross in its later stages, the 34-year-old silenced them with yet another point-per-game campaign, ace face-off work and 18 reliable minutes a night under new taskmaster coach Craig Berube, consistent with his ice-time average in Toronto.

Both team and player have indicated they’d like to continue the relationship, but as always, the Leafs’ future plans will hinge on their playoff results. Though he ceded the captaincy to Auston Matthews last summer, Tavares might end up being named a Leaf for Life if he and his teammates can find a way to erase the curse of 1967 this spring.

James van Riemsdyk, Columbus Blue Jackets, 1,081 games

He’s not in yet. But the fact that James van Riemsdyk could still qualify for the playoffs with the Columbus Blue Jackets after 81 games deserves a mention. 

Just a few weeks before he turns 36, van Riemsdyk has played an important leadership role in Columbus as part of the feel-good story of the season. The Blue Jackets refuse to go away, and he has been skating in the top six while chipping in five points in his last four games.

In 16 NHL campaigns, van Riemsdyk has only made the playoffs eight times so far. His best run came all the way back in his rookie year, with Giroux on the 2010 Flyers team that fell to the Blackhawks.

Signed to his second-straight one-year deal at a bargain-basement rate, van Riemsdyk has shown he can still make a meaningful contribution at the NHL level.

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets, 567 games

Approaching age 32 with six years to play on his current contract, Connor Hellebuyck’s situation is different from most of the players on this list. 

He still has plenty of runway left to chase a Cup. But as the favorite to win his third-career Vezina while part of a Presidents’ Trophy-winning team, there’s no time like the present for him to check a championship off his to-do list.

Last year, Bobrovsky was the goalie who’d played the most games without a Cup win — and got it done. Semyon Varlamov (621 games) is now the only active Cup-less goalie with more games played than Hellebuyck, but his New York Islanders didn’t qualify for the dance.

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