Will the next few days really mark the end of Brock Boeser’s time with the Vancouver Canucks?

Earlier this week, the sharp-shooting winger who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 updated Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre on the low odds that he’ll re-up with the team that drafted him in 2015. 

“Honestly, it's unlikely at this point,” Boeser said. “It sucks, it's unfortunate.”

The 28-year-old also admitted that he’s currently not in contact with his agent, Ben Hankinson, because he’s trying to concentrate on his game and avoid distractions. 

So he may not be aware of the nugget that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman dropped during his Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday, saying that the sticking point between the Canucks and Boeser’s camp was term. That may or may not mean that it’s still possible to find common ground, but it does sound like negotiations are ongoing.

At this stage of Boeser’s career, it’s understandable that he’s looking for security. All three of his previous contracts have been three-year durations, and he settled for a relatively small raise on July 1, 2022, when he went from $5.875 million to $6.65 million at a time where he could have elected to file for arbitration and potentially reach UFA status one year sooner than he is.

Just a few months into that deal, both sides were thinking about cutting ties. But a trade never materialized and Boeser went on to have the best year of his career in 2023-24 — hitting 40 goals in the regular season and lighting up the playoffs with a point per game before a blood clot sidelined him for the critical Game 7 of Vancouver’s second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers.

This season, along with nearly everyone on his team, Boeser has dealt with still more adversity. His came in the form of a concussion that sidelined him for seven games and the trade of his long-time center, J.T. Miller.

“Millsy’s such a good playmaker,” Boeser said last fall. “I just go to the net and try to get open.”

Boeser put up 16 goals and 33 points in the 43 games he played with Miller this season. During the eight games that Miller missed due to his personal leave of absence in November, he was also solid, with seven points in eight games. But since Miller’s late-January trade, Boeser has dipped to nine goals and 16 points in 30 games. 

Against the Minnesota Wild at Rogers Arena on Saturday, he was quiet. He logged more than 20 minutes but finished with just three shot attempts, which were all blocked. 

The Canucks are now dealing with so many injuries that they’re making call-ups to replace the call-ups. Down the middle, the original Elias Pettersson and Filip Chytil have both been shut down for the year. AHL replacements Nils Aman and Max Sasson were both unavailable for Saturday’s game. So with Pius Suter, Aatu Raty and Teddy Blueger handling duties down the middle, an emergency call had to be placed to Abbotsford on Saturday to summon 22-year-old Ty Mueller, a first-year pro who was drafted in the fourth round in 2023.

For his NHL debut, Mueller slotted straight into the top six, centering Boeser and Jake DeBrusk in what became a 3-2 comeback win in overtime for the Wild.

“We didn’t really help him too much as a line, me and Brock,” DeBrusk candidly admitted after the game. “I wish I could have done more for him, in terms of generating chances.”

Famously, Boeser’s first-ever NHL game also came against the Minnesota Wild, his hometown team. On March 25, 2017, Boeser joined Daniel and Henrik Sedin as part of the starting lineup at Xcel Energy Center. Then, in the second period, he scored his first NHL goal on a tap-in after a rush by Sven Baertschi and Bo Horvat.

This day in #Canucks history, March 25, 2017:

Making his NHL debut at home in Minnesota, Brock Boeser scores his first career goal.

🎥: First NHL Goals / YouTube pic.twitter.com/O4JlxrFko6

— Vancouver Canucks History (@canuckshistoryx) March 25, 2025

This season, Boeser hit multiple milestones: 500 games as a Canuck, 400 points and 200 goals. He sits eighth in goals in franchise history, sandwiched between Henrik Sedin and Horvat, and is also eighth in goals among the highly regarded 2015 draft class — impressive for a player who was selected 23rd overall. 

Because Boeser has had one foot out the door so often before, it’s still possible to imagine him finding common ground with the Canucks again. Right now, though, this feels different. 

His status is just one big question that the Canucks will need to work to resolve soon after the curtain drops on this season on Wednesday. 

Rick Tocchet’s future is also up in the air — but Friedman also reported on Saturday that both sides are looking to come to a resolution quickly after the season’s end. And after Quinn Hughes spoke passionately about the positive influence that Tocchet and Adam Foote have had on his game earlier this week, perhaps that bodes well for long-term stability going forward.

That would be a welcome outcome after such a tumultuous year.

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By Ryan Clark, The Hockey News intern

With the end of the NHL regular season within sight, two things are on people’s minds: who will make the playoffs, and who will take the season’s coveted awards?

The Selke Trophy is a bit of an odd award, as the criteria aren’t as defined as other awards. The other skater awards usually come down to a combination of points, goals and team records, while goalie awards often hinge on wins, save percentage and a few of the publicly available advanced stats.

The Selke Trophy, on the other hand, is a bit of an outlier, as we have seen offensive superstars get votes as well as gritty fourth-liners. There are lots of players who are in the running for the Selke, and with defense being difficult to quantify sometimes, it’s hard to keep up. Here are the main contenders for the award, ranked in tiers.

Tier 1: The New Bergeron?

Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida Panthers

It’s not a question of whether the Panthers captain will win another Selke, it’s how many more he’ll win. Even with a couple of weeks of missed time, Barkov is the front-runner for this award.

Tier 2: The Probable Top Five

Sam Reinhart, C, Florida Panthers

We’ll let you in on a little secret: Reinhart has been the NHL’s best defensive forward this year. He’s been even better than Barkov at suppressing quality chances and is also second in the league in shorthanded goals.

Nico Hischier, C, New Jersey Devils

The Devils are beat down and limping into the playoffs, with injuries everywhere on the roster. It’s a good thing Hischier has been as good as he has, keeping the team afloat with his excellent two-way play. 

Anthony Cirelli, C, Tampa Bay Lightning

Cirelli has finished in the top five in Selke voting in the past, but his lack of offensive production led to him being glossed over in the race. Now that he’s put up career highs, could he earn a nomination?

Mitch Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs

Let’s talk about steals. Marner sits fourth in the league in takeaways, an impressive feat. Even more impressive is the fact that the rest of the top 10 in the stat is made up of defensemen. 

Tier 3: You Might be Familiar With Their Other Work

Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

He hasn’t been quite as solid in his own end this season as some others on this list, but he’s still really tough to play against. 

Matthew Tkachuk, LW, Florida Panthers

He has the second-best Corsi and Fenwick percentages of any forward with 500 minutes played, per moneypuck.com. In other words, the Panthers almost always have possession when he’s on the ice.

Leon Draisaitl, C, Edmonton Oilers

It’s impressive to see how far Draisaitl has come in his own end. From being a perceived liability to now showing up on a list of Selke contenders. And his coach, Kris Knoblauch, seems to agree.

Tier 4: Fun Long-Shot Candidates

Brandon Hagel, LW, Tampa Bay Lightning

He’s been one half of one of the league’s deadliest penalty-killing duos (with Cirelli) and has been a 5-on-5 fiend. If he were a center, perhaps he’d be viewed as a top contender.

Joel Eriksson Ek, C, Minnesota Wild

He’s finished in the top 10 in Selke voting in each of the past three seasons, and with how he’s played this year for a contending Wild team that’s been plagued by injuries, he deserves to keep the streak alive.

Seth Jarvis, C, Carolina Hurricanes

He’s seemingly become everyone’s new favorite player, and for good reason. Despite his smaller size, Jarvis’ motor and hockey IQ make him one of the more underrated players in the defensive zone. He’ll get his Selke recognition one day.

Tier 5: Legendary Long Shots

Jordan Staal, C, Carolina Hurricanes

He’s earned many Selke votes throughout his career, finally getting the nomination last year. While he took a step back this season, he’ll likely still find himself on a few ballots.

Anze Kopitar, C, Los Angeles Kings

You can’t have a Selke story without talking about Kopitar. If it wasn’t for playing at the same time as Pavel Datsyuk and Patrice Bergeron, perhaps he’d be viewed as the best defensive forward of the modern era. Kopitar probably won’t get much attention for the award this year, but his legacy, combined with the Kings’ success, could earn him a few votes.

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With the New York Rangers on the verge of missing the Stanley Cup playoffs entirely, the already deafening noise around head coach Peter Laviolette is beginning to reach a fever pitch.

Laviolette’s Rangers had led the Philadelphia Flyers 1-0 and 4-3 on Wednesday night before eventually falling 8-5, virtually eliminating them from playoff contention.

One individual, a name that the Rangers are already intimately familiar with, appears to be gaining traction as a potential Laviolette replacement.

When on the topic of Flyers interim head coach Brad Shaw, with just over a minute left in the first period of Wednesday night’s Rangers game, broadcaster John Davidson subtly dropped a key piece of information regarding former Flyers head coach John Tortorella, who was relieved of his duties on March 27.

“By the way, John Tortorella said he wants to coach again because he’s got energy, he loves teaching,” Davidson said. “So, good luck, Torts! We had him in Columbus, and he did a great job for us.”

When Tortorella first took the Flyers’ head coaching job in 2022, he claimed that Philadelphia would be his last stop as an NHL head coach.

But, the 66-year-old likely did not have getting axed with less than a dozen games remaining in his third season on his bingo card. That was sure to leave a sour taste in Tortorella’s mouth, especially knowing the amount of pride he has in his work.

Taking Davidson’s comments one step further, one NHL insider already believes that a Rangers reunion makes the most sense for both Tortorella and the team.

Making a guest appearance on the FlamesNation podcast, TSN NHL insider Darren Dreger says he feels the Rangers are the only logical option for the stoic American coach.

"For me, the New York Rangers are the only team that, right now, makes sense. And the reason I feel like that, and no disrespect to Peter Laviolette, it's because I know that James Dolan, the owner of the New York Rangers, loves John Tortorella,” Dreger postulated.

"That owner has a ton of clout. Let's see what happens. If they miss the playoffs in New York, all bets are off. Maybe Chris Drury has some vote of confidence that he's coming back as general manager, but I can't be sure of that. I don't know that to be certain.

"What I do know is you've got a very hands-on, volatile owner who is not going to sit back and say 'Yeah, okay, status quo, that works. I'm comfortable with the way things are.' He does like John Tortorella, so that would be a scenario that does make some sense."

Tortorella, of course, began his NHL head coaching career with a four-game stint as an interim head coach with the Rangers in 2000, and previously coached parts of five seasons in New York as a full-time head coach, guiding the Rangers to a 171-118-1-29 regular-season record and an Eastern Conference Finals appearance during his time.

If the two-time Jack Adams Award winner is looking for a veteran team with established stars and a full-circle moment to close out his career, there’s no better place to do it than in New York with the Rangers.

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Games between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens are almost always soap operas.

Take the Jan. 18 game, for example. The Maple Leafs gave up the first three goals of the game in the first period before roaring back to score seven unanswered goals in a 7-3 victory. 

As a direct result of that rollercoaster game, even first-year Leafs have had the Canadiens rivalry imprinted indelibly on their minds, even with a small chance of a first-round matchup between the two Original Six squads.

“Obviously, two big teams going head-to-head, big markets, and there’s not a lot of love between the teams,” Leafs left winger Steven Lorentz said Friday. “Going back to when we were down three (goals) and coming back in the Bell Centre, I’ll never forget that game for the rest of my life.

“That was so cool. It’s cool being out there, and they’re belting out the anthem, the place is going nuts, and they’re booing you. It’s just the best. It’s extra special being able to win there.”

The Canadiens won six-straight games ahead of Friday’s contest against the Ottawa Senators and Saturday’s matchup with the Maple Leafs. That hot streak has helped them solidify their hold on the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. 

Toronto’s 2-1-0 record against Montreal so far this season indicates the Habs are no longer going to be a pushover for any opponent, let alone a hated rival in the Maple Leafs.

Leafs players and coaches acknowledged the steps they’ve seen the Canadiens take to be a likely playoff team this year.

“They’re playing really well,” Leafs left winger Bobby McMann said. “I think any time we play them and they’re playing well, they're playing fast, they’re really good on the forecheck, they can chip pucks in and get behind you and then make plays off the rush. So they’re so fast through the middle of the ice – we’ve got to make sure we’re picking guys up.”

Added Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube: “It’s been a rivalry for a long time, and they’re always pretty exciting games, big games. Their young players are growing, and I think the core of their team is growing together, their young guys. They’ve had pretty solid goaltending here down the stretch, which always helps. They're a good team. They've got a lot of fast players and skilled guys.”

Which Version Of The Montreal Canadiens Will We See In The Playoffs?The Montreal Canadiens have been one of the hottest teams in the league in the past week-and-a-half. 

There’s an outside chance the Canadiens will push further up the Eastern standings and unseat the Senators for the first wild-card spot. If that happens and the Leafs hang on to top spot in the Atlantic Division, that would create a Toronto and Montreal first-round series that would add another dramatic chapter to their long and storied history. But if Saturday’s matchup is it between the two teams this season, it should be a dramatic finale.

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We’re nearly one week away from the NHL playoffs, and The Hockey News Big Show is here to discuss some of the biggest topics.

What Is Canucks' Brock Boeser's Future? by The Big Showundefined

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

1:03: We have our first Stanley Cup playoff series officially locked in. The Carolina Hurricanes will host the New Jersey Devils. What will we see in this series?

3:31: Will the Hurricanes and Devils have high-scoring battles? 

4:56: Predicting the winner of the Hurricanes-Devils series

6:30: The Minnesota Wild got Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek back from injury. How do their returns change Minnesota’s playoff outlook?

10:13: The Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers are once again almost a lock to battle it out in the first round. This would be the fourth-straight year they meet in Round 1. How could this time be different?

13:00: Steve updates his top eight Stanley Cup contenders list.

14:40: Micheal explains his changes to his Cup contenders list and why. 

16:59: How does a team balance resting players and making sure they are ready to go for Game 1 of the playoffs? 

19:26: What should we know about Ivan Demidov and his game as he joins the Montreal Canadiens? What kind of boost could this give Montreal? 

23:34: Brock Boeser said it’s unlikely he’ll re-sign with the Vancouver Canucks. Where could he end up?

26:20: Should Boeser be worried about looking for a higher salary or getting more trem?  

28:10: Which team likely to miss the playoffs this year will take an even bigger step backward next season?

31:00: In their rookie seasons, Connor Bedard had 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games, while Macklin Celebrini has 24 goals and 62 points in 66 games and counting. Who would you take?

33:46: The Philadelphia Flyers have won four of five games since firing John Tortorella. Michkov has eight points in five games, and Foerster has seven points, with both getting more ice time. In hindsight, did the Flyers make the right decision to fire their coach with less than a month left?

36:49: Patrick Roy put in 21-year-old AHL goalie Tristan Lennox with the team down 6-1, then pulled him after allowing a goal on two shots in the 9-2 loss. Did this bother you? Is Roy on thin ice after this move?

40:25: The NCAA national championship game is Saturday. Who is your pick to win between Western Michigan and Boston University?

Watch the full episode here. 

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

The Pittsburgh Penguins will miss the playoffs for the third-straight year but not because of a lack of effort by Sidney Crosby. 

The 37-year-old Penguins captain remains among the league's elite centers, leading the club with 87 points in 77 games.

The Hockey News’ Kelsey Surmacz said the Penguins owe it to Crosby to try to right the ship after watching the Eastern Conference leaders, the Washington Capitals, accomplish that with Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals only had one top-10 draft pick in their retool, and they made big off-season trades to bring in Pierre-Luc Dubois, Jakob Chychrun and Logan Thompson.

Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has spent the past two seasons rebuilding the club, moving out veterans, such as Jake Guentzel and Marcus Pettersson, for draft picks and promising young players. However, Crosby's ongoing brilliance has Josh Yohe of The Athletic wondering if Dubas might accelerate the process to take advantage of his captain's efforts.

Crosby is under contract through 2026-27. Yohe believes it makes sense to spend for talent as long as their system keeps producing young players. He pointed out the Penguins have more than $23 million in cap space next season, suggesting that Dubas could clear more by shipping out some expensive contracts.

It's been rumored Dubas could try to move Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell during the off-season. Karlsson has two years left on his contract with the Penguins carrying $10 million of his $11.5 million average annual value, while Rakell has three more seasons left at a $5-million cap hit. Surmacz noted in mid-March that Rakell is Crosby’s new best winger after the Guentzel trade.

Dubas has made bold moves before. We can't dismiss the possibility that he might attempt to speed things up this summer.

NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest On Jets' Ehlers And Blue JacketsA foot injury sidelined Nikolaj Ehlers from the Winnipeg Jets' last two games.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Isaac Howard is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as this season's top U.S. college player. The Lightning hoped to get Howard signed to his entry-level contract, but the 21-year-old left wing decided to return to Michigan State for his senior year. 

The Lightning can continue negotiating with Howard, but he could become a UFA on Aug. 15, 2026. Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times suggests this could be posturing by Howard's representatives. If he plays a single game this season, it'll burn off one year of his entry-level contract, enabling him to get a more lucrative second contract a year sooner. 

Howard seems keen to join the Lightning right away, but they lack cap space to add him to their roster this season. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman claimedNCAA sources said the two sides currently weren't on the same page. 

Friedman and Encina suggested the possibility of the Lightning trading Howard's rights if they feel they won't get him signed before next summer. 

This situation is similar to Rutger McGroarty's contract standoff with the Winnipeg Jets. They wound up trading McGroarty to the Penguins. 

Howard and the Lightning could get this sorted out during the off-season. Nevertheless, this situation could be worth monitoring this summer.

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Every 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.

Some players either missed the mark in past playoffs or have yet to win the Stanley Cup and are running out of opportunities.

In alphabetical order, here are five notable NHLers with something to prove in the playoffs.

Claude Giroux, C, Ottawa Senators

Giroux has always been a reliable regular-season producer of 50 points or more. He has 34 assists and 49 points in 78 games with the Senators this year. 

However, Giroux is 37 years old and hasn’t won the Stanley Cup yet. This is his first playoff appearance in nearly three years since he joined the Senators, and he will want to make this opportunity count with an improved post-season performance.

In Giroux’s most recent playoff appearance, he had three goals and eight points in 10 games with the Florida Panthers in 2021-22. Before that, in three post-seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, Giroux had only two goals and 12 points in 28 games. 

Giroux may not have many more playoff games in store for him, and the Senators need him to step up and be a secondary scoring force behind Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle.

Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets

Hellebuyck is the clear favorite to win this year’s Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top netminder. His 44-12-3 record, .924 save percentage and  2.02 goals-against average prove it. 

His post-season stats are a different story altogether. He posted a 1-4 mark, a .870 SP and a 5.23 GAA for the Jets last spring. In 2022-23, he also went 1-4 and had a 3.44 GAA and .886 SP. He was better in the 2021 post-season, but those numbers are about as Jekyll-and-Hyde as it gets for an NHL goalie.

Needless to say, the 31-year-old Hellebuyck must be significantly better in the upcoming playoffs. The Jets have pressure on them overall, but for Hellebuyck in particular, nothing short of a long playoff run will be satisfactory. 

Hellebuyck has to demonstrate he can shake off his past demons, and that means being the backbone of a Winnipeg team that can’t afford to get rolled again in the first round.

Patrik Laine, RW, Montreal Canadiens

The 26-year-old Laine has 20 goals in 48 games for the Canadiens this season, the seventh time in his nine-year NHL career that he’s gotten to the 20-goal plateau. It’s not as if Laine has been terrible in the playoffs, either, as he has eight goals and 16 points in 24 games. 

That said, Laine has played only seven playoff games – all for the Jets – since 2017-18. In that span, he has three goals and four points. 

He needs to prove he can be a key component of a winning team. Although the Canadiens will be playing with house money when they almost certainly square off as a wild-card team in the Eastern Conference, it still will be a letdown if Laine doesn’t produce a solid amount of offense and push Montreal to at least scare its first-round opponent.

Jacob Markstrom, G, New Jersey Devils

The Devils needed a veteran starting goaltender this summer, and they got one when they acquired Markstrom from the Calgary Flames. 

The 35-year-old Swede didn’t have the greatest regular season, posting an .899 SP and a 2.53 GAA in 48 appearances. But now, with the Carolina Hurricanes as New Jersey’s first-round opponent, Markstrom will be asked to play significantly better.

Markstrom hasn’t been all that bad in his limited playoff action, putting up a 13-13 record, a .911 SP and a 2.90 GAA in 26 games. However, he’s only had two post-season runs to his credit, and this will be his first playoffs since 2022. 

Markstrom will benefit from playing behind a strong Devils lineup, but he must prove he’s worth the investment so that this team doesn’t have to wonder whether it needs another starting goalie this summer.

Mitch Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs

No NHL star has higher stakes to deal with than pending UFA Marner. 

If he performs to expectations and the Maple Leafs go on a post-season tear, Marner’s asking price will hit the $13-million mark and above it. Even if Toronto once again gets flushed out early, there will be other teams fully prepared to pay Marner a king’s ransom on a lengthy contract.

Marner’s post-season numbers – including 39 assists and 50 points in 57 career playoff games – are nothing to sneer at. However, it’s all about the team concept for the 27-year-old, as Marner must do his part to power the Leafs to at least the Eastern Conference final to be considered successful this season.

If Toronto fails to get that far, people will blame Marner, fairly or otherwise. If he’s quiet when the team faces elimination, like he was in Game 7 last year, Game 6 against the Panthers two years ago and against the Canadiens in 2021, then there will be criticism.

The Buds will look different next fall if they don’t win at least two rounds. If that happens, Marner may be the biggest name departing for other pastures. It’s that straightforward of a predicament.

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Welcome to The Wraparound, where we discuss the NHL and hockey in rapid-fire segments.

How Much Pressure Do The Canucks Have To Build Around Quinn Hughes? by The Wraparoundundefined

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

0:00: How much of an edge would Gabriel Landeskog give the Colorado Avalanche if he returns for the playoffs?

3:31: What’s been the biggest reason the Ottawa Senators were able to finally clinch a playoff spot?

5:49: Should Jackson LaCombe be getting more praise for his performance with the Anaheim Ducks this season?

9:09: What to make of Isaac Howard’s decision to return to Michigan State next season

12:20: Could Ivan Demidov be an impactful addition for the Montreal Canadiens in their pursuit of the playoffs?

14:03: Will Matthew Knies be the Toronto Maple Leafs’ X-factor in the playoffs?

17:30: Is there pressure on Patrik Allvin to build a winning group around Quinn Hughes?

20:45: Which NHL player with the worst plus/minus rating has been the most surprising?

24:17: Breaking down notable Bill Masterton nominees

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

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Podbean

iHeartRadio

Amazon

At this time last season, the Winnipeg Jets faced adversity on and off the ice. 

At the box office, Jets owner Mark Chipman told media that a drop in attendance to just under 9,500 season-ticket holders had to be addressed. On the ice, the Jets followed up a season in which they finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference by getting drummed out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in a five-game series loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

This year, though, the Jets look to be having much more success, both in attendance and competitively, setting the stage for a crucial playoffs.

They’ve built the NHL’s best record at 53-21-4, and they’ve averaged 14,322 fans in the 15,225-seat Canada Life Centre – a 94.1 percent seating capacity. Their last six home games are sellouts. In sum, things are going about as well for the Jets as can be hoped.

Winnipeg handed the red-hot St. Louis Blues their first loss in 13 games. Barring a collapse in their final four regular-season games, the Jets will enter the playoffs as the West’s best team and likely the Presidents' Trophy winners. 

But don’t take that to mean Winnipeg doesn’t have a ton to prove in the post-season.

To the contrary – as a team and as individuals, the Jets must demonstrate they’re capable of doing big things because their past tells you that people are right to be skeptical of what they can do when it counts.

For instance, Jets left winger Nikolaj Ehlers is a pending UFA this summer, and he’s posted 24 goals and 63 points in 67 games this season – one point away from matching his career high in points. 

However, Ehlers only had a pair of assists in five playoff games last year. And in 37 career playoff games, he’s generated just four goals and 14 points. If the 29-year-old Denmark native wants a big payday starting next season, he must show he can step up when the games matter most.

Similarly, superstar goalie Connor Hellebuyck has been the NHL’s very best netminder this season, putting up a 44-12-3 record, a 2.02 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage – his best numbers in both those categories. But in five playoff games last spring, Hellebuyck posted a 5.23 GAA and an .870 SP. Hellebuyck must demonstrate he can succeed in the post-season or be stuck with the loser label for another year.

To be sure, the challenge for the Jets is clear – nothing less than a lengthy playoff run will be considered a success. If they can’t deliver on that front, Winnipeg fans may again be skeptical about the squad. It could be a vicious cycle for the Jets, and that’s why the stakes are so high for the franchise to build on this positive momentum.

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With just over a week to go in the 2024-25 NHL regular season, our 16 playoff competitors look about set.

This year’s crop includes many of the usual suspects with a few fresh faces added into the mix.

While we often hear a lot about learning to win in the post-season, sometimes things can come together on the first try, whether a player is young or already has NHL experiences.

As a rookie with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017, Jake Guentzel put up 13 goals on his way to a Cup. Then, two years ago, Jack Eichel's first playoff run with the Vegas Golden Knights came in his eighth season. He finished with a team-leading 26 points, and the Stanley Cup over his head.

Here’s a look at the key players who will be seeing playoff action for the first time this spring.

The Veterans

This group is 26 or older, with significant NHL resumes. And like Eichel, a lot of them are former Buffalo Sabres — refugees from the long playoff drought in Western New York.

At the top: 32-year-old Jeff Skinner. He missed the playoffs for eight-straight years with the Carolina Hurricanes before spending six seasons in Buffalo. 

Skinner’s adjustment to the Edmonton Oilers this season hasn’t been the smoothest. But he has started to hit his stride over the last month. With five goals in his last nine games, Skinner’s now at 16 for the year. And after playing his 1,000th regular-season game in Buffalo just over a year ago, the 2011 Calder Trophy winner should finally see playoff action this spring for the first time in his 15-year career.

Other former Sabres veterans who will be looking to make their playoff debuts this year include Victor Olofsson with Vegas (age 29, 367 GP) and Zemgus Girgensons with the Tampa Bay Lightning (age 31, 765 GP).

Over in Ottawa, Thomas Chabot will finally make his post-season debut at age 28. Drafted by the Senators in 2015, he played one regular-season game in 2016-17, the last time Ottawa made the playoffs, but was returned to junior for the year and won a QMJHL championship.

Drafted in 2017, Drake Batherson will also get his first crack at the post-season at age 26, with 386 NHL games played.

Over in Montreal, 28-year-old Sam Montembeault should be between the pipes when the playoffs return to the Bell Centre for the first time in four years. After witnessing the intensity in his home arena as Canada’s third goalie during the 4 Nations Face-Off, the native Quebecer is now poised to follow in the footsteps of Carey Price for the NHL’s most decorated franchise.

Johnathan Kovacevic is another late bloomer who’s set to make his first playoff appearance this spring. The 27-year-old is in just his third full NHL season and, despite a loud call-out by coach Sheldon Keefe a couple of weeks ago, the big right-shot defenseman is tied with Nico Hischier for the New Jersey Devils’ team lead in plus-minus, at plus-14.

Also, keep an eye on Andrei Kuzmenko in Los Angeles. In his third NHL season, the 29-year-old is rediscovering the form that helped him score 39 goals with Vancouver in 2022-23. He’s up to 11 points in 17 games since joining the Kings at the trade deadline.

The Tweeners

This group is made up of established players who are 25 or under, making the playoffs for the first time.

Brady Tkachuk is the top name here, and it’s hoped that his injury situation will be sorted out before playoff time. The Senators captain is already at 511 regular-season games at age 25, and his game is tailor-made for the post-season. 

Other key Senators from the young guard who will be making their playoff debuts include Tim Stutzle (age 23, 362 GP), Shane Pinto (age 24, 205 GP) and another former Sabre, Dylan Cozens (age 24, 357 GP).

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With the St. Louis Blues back in the playoff picture after a two-year absence, their lineup is also dotted with fresh faces who will be seeing their first playoff action. That list includes depth defensemen Tyler Tucker and Matthew Kessel as well as oft-injured forward Alexandre Texier, all 24, and 25-year-old goaltender Joel Hofer.

Also on the blue line, 24-year-old J.J. Moser will make his playoff debut with the Lightning this spring. He was acquired from Utah as part of the Mikhail Sergachev trade. 

The Young Guns

Teams with playoff aspirations don’t usually have many high draft picks. They also tend to let their top prospects marinate at lower levels for as long as possible. But this year’s playoff mix includes some talented high draft picks who could boost their reputations in a big way under hockey’s brightest spotlight.

The show starts in Montreal. Who doesn’t want to see what kind of magic 2022 No. 1 pick Juraj Slafkovsky and this year’s Calder front-runner Lane Hutson might be able to make at playoff time?

As well as their mid-career talent pool, the Senators’ biggest weapon might be defenseman Jake Sanderson. In just his third NHL season, the 22-year-old served notice that he’s already among the best from his nation when he was tagged to replace Quinn Hughes on Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off. 

St. Louis has gotten some good scoring support this year from a pair of first-rounders who will be seeing their first playoff action this year: 23-year-old Jake Neighbours and 22-year-old Zach Bolduc.

A couple of other top 10 picks to watch are the Kings’ Brandt Clarke, who has settled in as a regular on one of the NHL’s stingiest teams at 22, and 21-year-old Simon, who is currently being shuffled in and out of the Devils’ lineup.

Up front, 23-year-old Marco Rossi should make his NHL playoff debuts after a strong campaign that has him approaching 60 points with the Minnesota Wild. And 22-year-old rookie Mackie Samoskevich has filled a regular role and put up 30 points with the defending Cup champs in Florida.

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