What does a Stanley Cup winner actually look like? It’s a question that all 32 NHL teams ask every season. 

By analyzing the regular-season profiles of the last 10 champions, there are statistical trends that consistently lead to post-season success and can be used to see which 2025 Cup contenders match the mold.

The general framework for this experiment prioritizes some key aspects that have historically dictated a team’s success in the playoffs: offensive depth, puck possession, defensive strength and goaltending.

Here’s a rundown of the stats and criteria being used, and why each of them is important.

After that, it's time to see which NHL teams fit the bill the most.

(Stats courtesy of moneypuck.com, naturalstattrick.com and hockey-reference.com.)

What Stats Often Determine A Stanley Cup Champion?

Goals against per game: While offensive efficiency in the regular season has varied across previous champions, defense has always been consistent. Seven of the last 10 Cup winners have ranked in the top 10 in goals against per game.

Expected goals differential: How dangerous are the chances you are creating, and how dangerous are the ones you are giving up? They can individually be valuable, but the best teams are good at both. Eight of the last 10 champions finished in the top 12 in expected goal differential.

Goal differential: While expected stats provide a good measurement of a team’s overall process, results are truly what matter. Seven of the last 10 Stanley Cup champions finished in the top four in goal differential.

Power-play percentage and penalty-kill percentage: Special teams have always had the potential to decide which team wins a game, which can apply to an entire playoff run. Seven of the last eight winners finished with a top 10 power play in the regular season.

Corsi-for percentage: Possession dominance at even strength has increasingly become a factor leading to success in the regular season, which translates to success in the playoffs. Seven of the last 10 Stanley Cup winners finished in the top 10 in Corsi-for percentage during the regular season.

PDO: Every team needs bounces to go their way in the quest for the Stanley Cup. While not perfect, PDO is the best indicator of favorable bounces throughout a season. It measure shooting percentage plus save percentage. Five of the last 10 teams that won it all finished in the top five in PDO, and nobody finished lower than 13th.

Regulation wins: With no 3-on-3 overtime, wins in regulation can be a way of measuring even-strength dominance. Nine of the last 10 Stanley Cup champions have finished top-10 in regulation wins.

Here are some other factors being taken into consideration that aren’t accounted for with the analytics above.

Weight: Playing “heavy hockey” has been an important part of today’s game. While the 2014-15 Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2015-16 and 2016-17 ranked in the bottom half of average weight, five of the last seven Stanley Cup rosters have been in the top 10.

Star talent: Defining a “star” isn’t always a linear process, but for the sake of this exercise, it’s defined as a player who averages over a point per game throughout the regular season. Seven of the last 10 champs have had at least one in their lineup, and five of them have had two or more.

Depth scoring: While the stars lead you to the playoffs, having offensive depth has always been an important part of every Stanley Cup run. Six of the last 10 winners had four or more 20-plus-goal scorers, and every team other than the 2020-21 Tampa Bay Lightning (shortened season) had three.

Goaltending stability: When nothing seems to be going right, the best teams have historically had a goaltender to rely on to potentially steal a game or two in the post-season. Seven of the last 10 champions have had a goaltender with at least a .915 save percentage, and six teams had at least one that finished top-10 in goals saved above expected (GSAx)

2024-25 NHL Teams That Match The Blueprint The Most

Winnipeg Jets

Canada’s best chance of winning a Stanley Cup in 2025, according to this exercise, lies in the hands of the Winnipeg Jets.

The Presidents' Trophy winners are primed for a deep playoff run with Hart Trophy candidate Connor Hellebuyck and the dynamic offensive duo of Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. This team has long felt like a contender, but now the pieces might finally fall into place.

This year is different. The Jets’ offense seemingly struggled throughout the regular season last year, finishing 15th in goals-for per game (3.16). With scoring dropping around the league this year, the Jets have only produced offense at a slightly higher clip (3.37) and rank fourth in goals per game. For even further context, that pace would have them finish ninth in league scoring last season.

Last year’s first-round matchup with the Colorado Avalanche was a track meet the Jets simply could not keep up with, especially with a power play that ranked in the bottom 10 in the NHL. Now, the Jets are the best team in the NHL with the man-advantage and have the best goaltender in a league where nearly every other team has had offensive regression.

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. 

Los Angeles Kings

What the Los Angeles Kings lack in star power, they make up for in structure and depth. 

They’ve arguably been the best defensive team in the NHL this season, ranking first in expected goals against and second in total goals conceded. Their penalty kill is also among the league’s best, ranking seventh.

While the Kings play a tight brand of defense, goaltender Darcy Kuemper deserves a ton of credit for his efforts. 

The 34-year-old is outperforming his 2021-22 Cup-winning campaign with a .922 save percentage, a top-six GSAx ranking and a 2.02 goals-against average – tied with Hellebuyck. 

The Kings haven’t had any real stability in their crease since the departure of Jonathan Quick, and a resurgence like this could give them the edge in playoff rounds where they might not be favored.

Offense has, and will continue to be, the biggest question for the Kings. 

Adrian Kempe is their only player with over 70 points. They rank 28th in power-play percentage and 13th in goals-for per game (3.06). 

That said, their formula seems to be working, putting together an absurd 41-0-2 record when scoring three goals or more. 

Aside from Kempe, Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala and even Quinton Byfield have all been significant contributors to this balanced offense. It will be guys like Alex Laferriere, Warren Foegele and Trevor Moore who leverage matchup opportunities and drive them on a deep run.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning just won’t go away. 

Even after losing two integral pieces to their core in Steven Stamkos and Mikhail Sergachev last off-season, the Lightning built a regular-season resume that has them looking just as dangerous as they were in their pursuit of back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.

The Lightning arguably have the most star power out of any playoff team this season, led by Art Ross leader and Hart Trophy candidate Nikita Kucherov. They also have three other players who have scored at least 35 goals and averaged over a point per game in Brandon Hagel, Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel. 

This high-powered offense is third in even-strength goals while also having the fifth-best power play, leading them to score more total goals than anyone in the NHL. There isn’t an on-ice scenario where the Lightning aren’t capable of scoring, and they do it at a rate higher than any other team in the league.

GM Julien BriseBois also deserves credit for the additions made in the summer and at the trade deadline. Aside from Guentzel fitting in perfectly as the Lightning’s new trigger man, re-acquiring Ryan McDonagh has also been a huge win, covering up a lot of the defensive shortcomings this blueline looked to have heading into the season. 

Oliver Bjorkstrand was also a nice pickup, adding a defensively responsible winger with some scoring upside to a bottom-six group that already wins most of its matchups offensively. Having him recovered from injury would give the team another depth boost in the playoffs, but he's currently out week-to-week.

The Lightning also have the best goal differential in the Eastern Conference, largely due to a Vezina-caliber season from Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Russian netminder is quietly having one of the best statistical years of his career, boasting a .921 SP and 2.18 GAA while sitting only behind Hellebuyck in GSAx.

There’s no perfect formula for winning the Stanley Cup – but there are some patterns. Teams that have depth scoring, dominant goaltending and strong defensive structure tend to be the ones lifting the Cup this summer. The margin between contenders and pretenders is razor-thin, but these three teams have set themselves up for success in the coming weeks.

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Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf, who turns 24 on April 16.

Wolf is the fifth-fastest American-born rookie goalie to hit 20 wins in a season. He was the goaltender of the year in the CHL in 2020, the AHL in 2022 and 2023 and the AHL's MVP in 2023.

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.      

Welcome 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. 

The Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals have ranked first and second for much of the season, even though neither was considered a top-tier contender. Yet, here we are, one day away from the last day of the regular season with the Jets winning their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy and the Capitals clinching the Eastern Conference title.

What’s left? Aside from wondering when the Canadiens will clinch the final spot in the East – or how the Blue Jackets will steal it from right under their noses – the last thing to do is to name the MVP for each team this season.

1. Winnipeg Jets (55-22-4, +85. Previous: 1)

The Jets have allowed the fewest goals this season. With already the fourth-highest single-season wins total in the cap era, Connor Hellebuyck is not only a shoo-in for the Vezina, but he also could be the first goalie since Carey Price since 2014-15 to win the Hart as NHL MVP.

2. Washington Capitals (51-21-9, +59. Previous: 2)

The sentimental pick would be Alex Ovechkin, and truly, he’s solidified himself as the greatest after breaking the all-time goals record. But every triggerman also needs a good set-up man. Dylan Strome is one of five Caps forwards slated to play all 82 games and will finish the season as the Capitals’ top scorer with career highs across the board.

3. Vegas Golden Knights (49-22-10, +53. Previous: 4)

Jack Eichel has blossomed into an elite, top-tier, two-way superstar for the Knights. He’s scored nearly 30 points more than the next highest scorer, Mark Stone, and has also played the most games since his breakout 2018-19 season with the Sabres. 

4. Los Angeles Kings (48-24-9, +48. Previous: 5)

It’s difficult to pinpoint a singular player on such a balanced team. The Kings’ two stalwarts have been captain Anze Kopitar, who’s on the shortlist for another Selke Trophy, and Darcy Kuemper, who’s quietly had a terrific season. The last time Kuemper won 30 games and finished with a save percentage above .920 was his Cup win in 2022 with the Avs. Foreshadowing?!  

5. Colorado Avalanche (49-29-4, +43. Previous: 3)

Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon are nearly inseparable as a unit and deservedly share the recognition for how they’ve carried the Avalanche. Even when the Avs made the shocking decision to trade Mikko Rantanen, they barely missed a beat thanks to their two play-driving superstars.

6. Toronto Maple Leafs (51-26-4, +36. Previous: 7)

Mitch Marner reached the century mark, and he’s been the Leafs’ most consistent and reliable player all season. It’s very conceivable he finishes top-three in Selke voting for the second time in three seasons.

7. Tampa Bay Lightning (47-26-8, +79. Previous: 9)

How crazy is it that Nikita Kucherov can win consecutive Art Ross Trophies and not win any other major award? Kucherov’s 1.56 point-per-game average over the past five seasons trails only Connor McDavid. He has the highest career point-per-game average among all Russian-born NHL players and will soon become just the sixth to score 1,000 points. 

8. Florida Panthers (47-31-4, +29. Previous: 11)

Sam Reinhart just quietly does his thing, notching his fourth straight 30-goal season even with Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk missing significant time. He ranks first among Panthers forwards in ice time per game and plays an important role on their penalty kill and power play. 

9. Carolina Hurricanes (47-28-5, +37. Previous: 8)

It feels like it’s Sebastian Aho every year, and rightfully so. He’s led the Hurricanes in scoring in all but two (!) seasons since joining the team in 2016-17.

NHL Playoffs: Six Teams That Can't Afford An Early ExitThe stakes are too high for some of the NHL’s top playoff teams to go home early.

10. Dallas Stars (50-25-6, +57. Previous: 6)

With so much star power up front, we’re going slightly off the board here with Thomas Harley, who leads all Stars defensemen in nearly every single statistical category. Since Miro Heiskanen’s game on Jan. 28, Harley has scored 27 points, including 12 on the power play, in 29 games while averaging 25 minutes per game. The Stars' defense would be in shambles without him picking up the slack.

11. Edmonton Oilers (47-29-5, +20. Previous: 10)

Leon Draisaitl is the top challenger to Connor Hellebuyck for the Hart Trophy. With Connor McDavid having a subpar season – for his standards – Draisaitl has picked up the slack with his third 50-goal campaign in four seasons and become just the third player not named Ovechkin, Crosby, Stamkos or Matthews to win the Rocket Richard in the past 15 seasons.

12. St. Louis Blues (44-30-8, +21. Previous: 12)

It’s easily Robert Thomas, one of the league’s top playmakers and premier No. 1 pivot that nobody really talks about. He’s just one of five forwards (Kucherov, MacKinnon, McDavid, Pastrnak) to score at least 20 goals and 60 assists in each of the past two seasons. 

13. Ottawa Senators (44-30-7, +7. Previous: 13)

Tim Stutzle has faded a little down the stretch with just five goals in 22 games, but he will finish as their top scorer for the second time in three seasons. He is the team leader in even-strength points (45), power-play points (31) and average ice time among forwards (19:50).

14. New Jersey Devils (42-32-7, +23. Previous: 15)

There is a very, very strong case for Nico Hischier to win the Selke. Along with his 35 goals, he plays tough matchups with lots of defensive-zone starts, has excellent underlying possession numbers, gets a lot of ice time on the league’s second-ranked PK, and ranks first in faceoffs taken and second in faceoffs won. 

15. Minnesota Wild (45-30-7, -11. Previous: 16)

It’s easily Kirill Kaprizov had he not missed half the season, but Filip Gustavsson’s big bounce-back season is arguably the biggest reason why the Wild are where they are right now. Gustavsson solidified himself as the team’s No. 1 and ranks tied-sixth in wins (31), third in saves (1,547) and sixth in minutes played (3423:35). Did I mention he’s also scored a goal?

16. Columbus Blue Jackets (39-33-9, even. Previous: 19)

If Zach Werenski doesn’t finish at least second in Norris Trophy voting, we’re not watching the same game. If the Jackets clinch the last playoff spot – and given the way things are trending, it’s very, very possible – does that tip the scales in Werenski’s favor to win the Norris? P.S. It’s a small source of pride that the power rankings has quite accurately reflected the 16 playoff teams before the end of the regular season in the past couple of seasons – don’t disappoint me, Columbus. 

17. Montreal Canadiens (39-31-11, -22. Previous: 14)

The Habs have been streaky and they’re taking forever to clinch a playoff spot, but the one constant this season has been Nick Suzuki. We could argue that Lane Hutson’s contributions have completely changed the Canadiens’ dynamic on offense, but they’re not in this spot without the steady guidance and clutch scoring from their captain.

Canadiens And Blue Jackets Have Divergent Expectations With Playoff Spot On The LineAnyone who suggested prior to the season that the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets would be battling for the final playoff spot in the final days of the 2024-25 campaign might have been laughed out of the room.

18. Calgary Flames (40-27-14, -17. Previous: 18)

Dustin Wolf’s incredible rookie season – in any other season, he’d be a lock for the Calder – is just another feather in his cap for an undersized goalie nobody (except maybe himself) expected to be this good. There are shades of Miikka Kiprusoff here, another undersized goalie picked late in his draft year who dominated in other leagues before dominating the NHL. 

19. Utah Hockey Club (38-31-13, -10. Previous: 17)

You can tell Clayton Keller was doing his darndest to carry this team into the playoffs in its inaugural season in Utah. He set career highs in assists and points and also finished nearly 30 points ahead of their next top scorers, Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz, who also wouldn’t have put up the numbers they did without playing with Keller.

20. Vancouver Canucks (38-29-14, -14. Previous: 20)

It’s a crying shame the Canucks wasted another brilliant season from Quinn Hughes, who could still finish as high as third in Norris voting despite missing 14 games. He ranks third in even-strength points (47), second in power-play points (29), and second ice time per game (25:44) among defensemen. He’s their biggest play driver and the Canucks rate out as a mediocre club without him on the ice.

21. Detroit Red Wings (38-35-7, -23. Previous: 23)

Someone other than Dylan Larkin has to really step up because this supposed brilliant Yzerplan is really getting long in the tooth. Lucas Raymond will finish as the team’s scoring leader but his impact still doesn’t quite rival Larkin’s, who plays more minutes and often in tougher situations. 

22. Buffalo Sabres (35-39-7, -21. Previous: 21)

Rasmus Dahlin is getting so little attention he’s really entering underrated territory even though he’s a top-10 defenseman. He will likely finish top-five in scoring among defensemen in the league and currently leads all Sabres defenseman with a plus-11 rating on a team that has a minus-21 goal differential.

23. Philadelphia Flyers (33-38-10, -47. Previous: 27)

It’s Travis Konecny almost by default in a season where the Flyers really took a step back. He was one of their few constants all season and ranks 11th in ice time among all forwards. Over the past three seasons, Konecny is the only Flyer to have scored more than 200 points, and only one other active Flyer, Owen Tippett, has more than 100. 

24. New York Rangers (38-36-7, -3. Previous: 24)

The Rangers would be a lottery team without Igor Shesterkin, who’s saddled with a team that needs significant changes in just about every area except the crease. Per naturalstattrick.com, Shesterkin has the second-highest expected goals against and the most high-danger shots faced at 5-on-5, and yet the Rangers are just slightly below average ranking 21st in goals against per game. 

25. Anaheim Ducks (35-37-9, -41. Previous: 22)

For the first time in four seasons, no Duck will score 60 points, which means Lukas Dostal is the MVP almost by default. His play trailed off after a brilliant start to the season (.945 SP in October) but, for the most part, he was a big reason why the Ducks were able to stay competitive in most games. Dostal was able to overcome the fifth-worst power play in the cap era to maintain a .500 record. Incredible stuff.

26. Seattle Kraken (35-41-6, -18. Previous: 26)

Joey Daccord set career highs in starts, wins and saves. He trails only Hellebuyck and Anthony Stolarz in total goals saved above average at 5-on-5 over the past two seasons, according to naturalstattrick.com.

27. Boston Bruins (33-39-10, -50. Previous: 30)

This team is basically David Pastrnak and Pastrnak’s 17 kids.

NHL Rumor Roundup: More Speculation About The Rangers And Bruins' Off-Season PlansAfter winning the Presidents' Trophy last season, the New York Rangers missing the playoffs is generating growing conjecture about their off-season plans. 

28. Pittsburgh Penguins (33-36-12, -53. Previous: 25)

We need to get Sidney Crosby out of Pittsburgh stat, but the problem is Crosby won’t ever leave Pittsburgh. He is still one of the NHL’s most complete players and his 20 seasons of averaging a point-per-game or better doesn’t get enough respect for just how tough it is to accomplish.

29. Nashville Predators (29-44-8, -64. Previous: 28)

Filip Forsberg is absolved from the blame in the Preds’ disastrous season, scoring at least 30 goals for the third time in four seasons. The Preds’ supposed high-octane offense produced just one 30-goal scorer, and what’s interesting is that Forsberg’s decline in shot volume wasn’t picked up by Steven Stamkos or Jonathan Marchessault. The Preds offense, in general, took a huge leap backwards in terms of generating chances.

30. New York Islanders (35-34-12, -31. Previous: 29)

Bo Horvat stood out from the rest for being their most consistent and reliable player. He scored goals, took a ton of faceoffs and won a ton of them, played on the power play and penalty kill and was the only Islanders forward to average over 20 minutes per game while playing more than half the season.

31. Chicago Blackhawks (25-46-11, -70. Previous: 31)

Connor Bedard’s sophomore season was met with fresh challenges, including a mid-season coaching change, but one thing that stayed consistent was the Blackhawks funnelling their offense through their franchise player. 

32. San Jose Sharks (20-49-12, -102. Previous: 32)

Despite a bevy of losses, the Sharks were able to enjoy themselves once in a while. That’s not hard to do with Macklin Celebrini coming off an excellent rookie season. The Sharks have featured a different scoring leader in each of the past five seasons, but it certainly seems like Celebrini will be topping their leaderboard for many, many seasons to come.

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Anyone who suggested prior to the season that the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets would be battling for the final playoff spot in the final days of the 2024-25 campaign might have been laughed out of the room.

Vying for the No. 1 spot in the NHL draft lottery? Maybe. But the playoffs? No way.

But here we are in the final two days of the season with these two very promising but very flawed teams fighting for the last spot. Montreal needs to get to overtime Wednesday night against Carolina to secure its ticket. Columbus needs Montreal to lose in regulation, and the Jackets need to beat the New York Islanders in regulation Thursday night.

Even though both teams have overachieved, the Blue Jackets' season will have been a success regardless of what happens. The Canadiens, on the other hand, face a lot of questions and a disastrous 2024-25 if they don't lock this down.

Today's video column has more.

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The Minnesota Wild got the point they needed to clinch a playoff spot, so they made a switch in goal.

With the score tied at 2-2 against the Anaheim Ducks after regulation, the Wild pulled goaltender Filip Gustavsson to give Marc-Andre Fleury the final regular-season action of his NHL career.

The 40-year-old from Sorel, Que., announced last April this season would be his last. He stopped all five shots he faced in 4:42 of overtime action before Matt Boldy received a pass from Marcus Johansson in the slot and fired the puck past Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal for the OT-winner.

Fleury's teammates swarmed him to celebrate win No. 575 in Game No. 1,051 of his 21-season career. 

Afterward, Ducks players lined up to shake Fleury's hand with fans giving a standing ovation and Coldplay's Viva La Vida playing over the speakers.

'Flower' then saluted the crowd and fist-bumped his teammates as chants of "Fleury, Fleury, Fleury" emerged.

Heading into overtime, having already clinched a spot in the #StanleyCup Playoffs, the @mnwild put Marc-Andre Fleury in net. 🌸

The Wild won the game in the extra frame, and everyone in the building got to show their love for Flower after his final regular season game. 💚 pic.twitter.com/rGxFTGHMzA

— NHL (@NHL) April 16, 2025

Fleury has played and won the second-most regular-season games of any goaltender in NHL history, trailing only Hockey Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur in both categories. His 76 shutouts are tied for 10th all-time, and he has a career 575-339-2-95 record with a 2.60 goals-against average and .912 save percentage.

He won the Stanley Cup three times with the Pittsburgh Penguins and also won the Vezina Trophy and the William M. Jennings Trophy with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2020-21. He's the Wild's nominee for this year's Masterton Trophy as well.

Minnesota just needed one point to clinch a playoff spot. With the extra point, the team finished in the first wild-card place in the Western Conference and will face Fleury's former team, the Golden Knights, in the first round. 

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Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse received a one-game suspension Tuesday night for cross-checking Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield.

The 30-year-old will miss the Oilers' final game of the regular season Wednesday night against the San Jose Sharks. He'll be eligible to return for Game 1 of the playoffs against the Kings.

The Kings and Oilers faced off on Monday, with Los Angeles holding a 4-0 lead in the second period.

Near the Oilers' net, Nurse wrapped Byfield's upper body and took him to the ice, said the NHL's Department of Player Safety video explanation of the suspension.

"With Byfield on the ice, and after the play has ended, Nurse pulls back his stick and shoves downward onto Byfield, striking him in the head," the video said.

Darnell Nurse was issued a major penalty and a game misconduct for cross-checking Quinton Byfield. pic.twitter.com/J7yFs492ce

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

Nurse received a five-minute major penalty for cross-checking and a game misconduct. Byfield left the game and did not return in the Kings' 5-0 win.

NHL Player Safety agreed with the assertion that the cross-check was not delivered with "exceptional force," but it's for that fact the suspension wasn't longer.

Nurse has previously been suspended three times and fined once in his NHL career.

In May 2023, he was suspended one game for for instigating a fight in the final five minutes of regulation time against Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague. He received another one-game suspension in May 2022 for head-butting Kings center Phillip Danault, and in March 2016, he was suspended three games for being the aggressor in a fight with Roman Polak of the Sharks.

Nurse will forfeit $48,177.08, which goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund. His regular season ends with five goals, 28 assists, 33 points and an average ice time of 22:22 in 76 games played.

Danault reacted to the cross-check and the rough game during the second intermission of Monday's match, when the Oilers were without Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Mattias Ekholm and more.

"I think they just have their B squad in trying to hurt us," he told Patrick O'Neal of FanDuel Sports Network.

Oilers right winger Corey Perry was asked to address those comments post-game.

"What the f---?" Perry told reporters. "Did he not look at what's happened over the last couple weeks? Like, what do you want us to do? We're not out there to hurt anybody."

This year's first-round matchup between the clubs will be the fourth straight year they battle in the playoffs. The Oilers won the previous three series, but the Kings will have home-ice advantage this time.  

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You 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.

The ultimate goal of the current division-based playoff format is creating and improving rivalries between teams. In the Atlantic Division, the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs will likely battle their provincial rivals, the Ottawa Senators, and in the Central Division, the Dallas Stars will square off against the Colorado Avalanche. There’s plenty of history in both of those likely series, and emotions will be high right off the hop.

But what the Oilers and Kings have developed out of three straight years of first-round meetings is perhaps the best example of the format in action. They’re going at it once again in the first round of this post-season, and as we saw Monday night in the final regular-season game between the two clubs, there’s already no shortage of ill will between the Oilers and Kings.

Although Monday’s game featured an Oilers team with a handful of players sitting out – including star forwards Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman – there was no shortage of chippiness and flat-out hatred between Edmonton and Los Angeles. 

Both sides spoke out during and after the game about the rivalry – including Kings center Phillip Danault, who talked about Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse cross-checking Kings center Quinton Byfield in the back of the head. Nurse was ejected from the game and may face supplemental discipline, but anger over the hit on Byfield clearly lingered with Danault.

“I think they just have their B squad in trying to hurt us,” Danault said on the Kings’ broadcast during the intermission.

For his part, Oilers right winger Corey Perry was incredulous after the game when told of Danault’s comments.

“What the f---?” Perry said to reporters. “Did he not look at what's happened over the last couple weeks? Like, what do you want us to do? We're not out there to hurt anybody.”

Edmonton left winger Connor Brown also discussed the bad blood between the two teams – and specifically, about Danault clashing with him during Monday’s game.

“I’m not really interested in getting into a media war with Danault,” Brown said. “He took a run at me. I took a run at him. I don’t really have anything to say.”

How Will Evander Kane Look Back In The Edmonton Oilers' Lineup?Evander Kane hasn’t played for the Edmonton Oilers in 10 months, but he’s getting close.

There’s every reason to believe tensions will be sky-high when the two teams go head-to-head in the next week. There’s a difference this time around in that the Kings have earned home-ice advantage, but otherwise, this is going to be a battle between teams that have developed a healthy hate for each other. 

That’s the whole point of the NHL’s playoff format. This isn’t to say that a different format could also create and develop rivalries, but there’s no doubt the current format is working in that regard.

The Oilers have won the previous three playoff series between the teams, but many people – this writer included – believe the result could be different this year. The Kings have the league’s best home record at 31-5-4, while the Oilers’ road record is 22-16-2 – not subpar but not intimidating, either. So Edmonton could be considered the underdog in this series, especially because key Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm will be out of action for at least the first round.

There’s no question that the emotions between the two teams are already at a fever pitch, and it won’t take much for those emotions to boil over. It’s going to be high drama between the Oilers and Kings, and because of that – and regardless of who wins – the NHL will consider that a tremendous success.

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After 16 seasons and 933 games in the NHL, San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture announced on Wednesday that he’s stepping away from professional hockey.

“My career of playing hockey has come to an end – I’m not physically able to play anymore,” Couture said at a Sharkspress conference. “I loved and cherished every single moment I got to play in this league.”

The 36-year-old revealed he’s been dealing with symptoms from Osteitis Pubis over the past two seasons. Osteitis Pubis is joint inflammation between both pelvic bones, which causes pain in the lower abdominal and hip and groin area.

Couture will remain under contract with the Sharks through the 2026-27 season. He signed an eight-year deal that became active in 2019, earning $8 million per season. 

Couture said he had an idea that he was coming to the end of his career after his last game against the Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 31, 2024. 

“I was in a ton of pain,” he said. “I guess it’s been in my mind that there was a chance that could’ve been it, since that game.”

Couture reminisced on all the great hockey memories throughout his NHL career and his time with the Sharks. He recalled the experience of his first NHL game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 25, 2009. 

“I could’ve (retired) after that one game and been happy,” he said.

He highlighted all the deep playoff runs that San Jose had throughout the 2010s. In its heyday, San Jose had several deep playoff campaigns, despite being unable to get its hands on the Stanley Cup.

Between 2010 and 2019, the Sharks advanced to the Western Conference finals four times. On one of those occasions, they made it to the Stanley Cup final in 2016 but lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.

After discussing the glory days of his career, Couture began to thank those who helped him get to where he is today. 

“This will be the tough part,” he said.

The Guelph, Ont. native went on to thank all the members of the Sharks organization, his teammates along the way, agents and more. 

He also expressed his gratitude to his family and became visibly emotional talking about his parents. 

“You guys sacrificed so much for me to live my dream,” Couture said. “I love you guys, and I know I’ll do that for my kids.”

After his words, Sharks GM Mike Grier took over the mic, and following that was a video of special messages from old teammates, coaches and more.

All the messages had one thing in common: they all commended and remembered how much of a clutch performer he was in the playoffs. 

“I always admired you from afar,” Grier said while facing Couture at the podium.

He received a video message from Doug Wilson, Todd McLellan, Pete DeBoer, Dan Boyle, Rob Blake, Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski and Tomas Hertl. 

At the end of the press conference, Couture hinted at potentially taking a management position later on. 

“I do see a future, but not anytime too soon.”

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The Hockey News Big Show is back to discuss some of the biggest NHL and hockey topics

This Is Canada’s Best Chance At Ending The Stanley Cup Drought In Years by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Michael Traikos and Ryan Kennedy discussed in this episode:

3:01: The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars are locked in for a first-round matchup. Here’s what to expect and the series prediction.

7:48: The Winnipeg Jets clinched the Presidents' Trophy as the regular-season champions. Since 1986, only eight of the 37 Presidents' Trophy winners have won the Stanley Cup. Do you believe in the curse?

11:01: What has impressed you most about Winnipeg's season, and more importantly, can they continue it in the playoffs?

13:55: For the first time in NHL history, the Bruins, Penguins and Rangers have all missed the playoffs. Which team will make it back into the playoffs? What moves do they need to make to get there?

17:14: This year's Stanley Cup playoffs could likely feature five of the seven Canadian teams. It would be the first time five Canadian teams have made it since 2017. Is this the year since 1993 we see the Stanley Cup brought back to Canada?

21:08: Which team has a better chance of winning the Cup between Toronto and Winnipeg?

21:59: We've got a few new faces making it into the playoffs this year. Which player who has never been in the playoffs are you most excited to see get their first taste of playoff hockey?

24:12: Which player is a bigger loss for their team heading into the playoffs: Mattias Ekholm for the Oilers or Oliver Bjorkstrand for the Lightning?

28:07: Reports out of Boston indicate that no changes are expected in the Bruins’ front office, so it looks like Don Sweeney and Cam Neely are here to stay. Is this good or bad for Boston? Could we see any other team making changes at the top and firing a GM? 

32:19: Ivan Demidov had an impressive NHL debut, with one goal and one assist. Could he be the next Guy Lafleur?

34:52: Logan Couture is not expected to continue his NHL playing career. He played 15 years, all for the San Jose Sharks. Where does he rank among all-time Sharks greats?

36:37: The NHLPA Player Poll was released today – 630 players were asked to name the league's most complete player. Sidney Crosby finished slightly ahead of Aleksander Barkov. Agree or disagree?

39:29: What’s your favorite NHL Stanley Cup playoff tradition?

Watch the full episode here.   

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

The NHL Players Association's annual player poll is back to show everyone what the athletes think.

The poll shines a light on players’ opinions on a bunch of topics, whether it’s about the top players by positions, the most stylish person, the best ice and more.

After this year’s player poll was released Tuesday, three observations in particular were surprising. Let’s look at those surprises more closely.

1. Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews, Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl Not Top Five Forwards

Toronto Maple Leafs center Matthews is having a down year – at least, for him – with 31 goals and 75 points in 65 games. 

That relative slump was reflected in player voting for the “best overall forward” category. 

Five other players – overwhelming first-place finisher Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Tampa Bay right winger Nikita Kucherov, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Minnesota Wild left winger Kirill Kaprizov – comprised the top vote-getters in this category.

Interestingly enough, Matthews did appear in the “most complete player” category, finishing fifth behind category-winner Crosby, Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, MacKinnon and McDavid. So there is a respect NHL players still have for Matthews. But clearly, Matthews’ inability to stay healthy and his drop-off in goals from a career-high 69 goals last season contributed to missing out on the top five forwards category.

Hart Trophy front-runner Leon Draisaitl also finished out of the top five in the “best overall forward” category, even though he leads the NHL in goals with 52 and ranks third in points with 106. He also has a 54.4 faceoff win percentage but didn’t make it on the “best face-off taker” list. He earned 6.83 percent of the vote for the NHL’s best playmaker question, but that was it.

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?

2. Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby Finishes First In Three Categories

Crosby is now 37 years old, but he’s got 30 goals – the fourth-straight season he’s scored at least 32 – and 89 points in 79 games. The respect Crosby’s fellow NHLers have for him can be seen in his handful of top-five finishes in the player poll.

Crosby finished first as the most complete player, first as the smartest overall player, first as the best faceoff-taker, fifth as the best playmaker and tied for fourth as the best overall forward. 

Crosby’s overall dominance continues to resonate, and given that he’s showing no signs of slowing down, you should bank on him getting more love in next year’s NHL player poll. He’s still as incredible as they come.

3. Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck Ranks Third For Best Overall Goalie

Hellebuyck is the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, and all he’s done since then is put up career-best numbers in wins (46) and goals-against average (2.02) while matching his career high in save percentage (.924). 

It’s hard to think of what more the 31-year-old goalie could’ve done for the Jets, but somehow, NHL players picked him only third overall in the best overall goalie category. Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy finished first with 31.13 percent of the 636 votes, while New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin received 23.58 percent of the votes. Hellebuyck received 15.57 percent of the love.

NHL Playoffs: Five Veterans With A Lot To ProveEvery NHL player has a lot to prove in the playoffs, but a handful of experienced post-season players have even more at stake this time around.

In some regards, you can see why NHL players voted for Vasilevskiy, who has a 2.20 GAA and .921 SP this year on top of winning two Stanley Cups and a Vezina in his career. Shesterkin finishing second, however, was more surprising. He has had a subpar season by his standards on an underperforming Rangers squad, with a 2.91 GAA and .903 SP. It feels like Shesterkin got votes from players based more on his reputation than his performance this season. 

In any case, the 31-year-old Hellebuyck has been so outstanding, he’s a front-runner for the Hart Trophy – and with due respect to Vasilevskiy, Hellebuyck should’ve been the players’ pick as best overall netminder.

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