The Battle of Ontario continues, with the Ottawa Senators hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs for Game 3 on Thursday night.

The Leafs have a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. But with the teams now heading to Ottawa, which is hosting a playoff game for the first time in eight years, expect the home crowd to give the Senators the edge.

Then again, it's not like history has been on Ottawa's side in this one-sided battle.

So far, the story of the series has been the play of Toronto's Anthony Stolarz, who has outperformed Ottawa's Linus Ullmark in net. The Leafs' power play, which has potted five goals, has also been something that the Senators have been unable to have an answer for.

While Toronto's Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares have combined for four goals in two games, Auston Matthews is still searching for his first goal. Meanwhile, Max Pacioretty is expected to draw into the lineup for the first time in two months.

Ottawa is not expected to have any lineup changes.

Heart Over Hype: Playoff Hockey Finally Returns to Ottawa On Thursday Night The wait is over.

This story will be updated throughout the game. Make sure you refresh the page, so that you are receiving the up-to-date version of this story.

Also, be sure to check out our post-game Playoff Frenzy Live video, where Michael Traikos and Emma Lingan breakdown Game 3.

pic.twitter.com/ewRftsaomo

— Settle Down (@KBrown3366) April 24, 2025

First Period

End of the 1st period — No score, Ottawa outshooting Toronto 8-7.

1:18 — Uh-oh, the Leafs and their No. 1-ranked power play is going on the man-advantage after Tkachuk takes an elbowing penalty.

3:31 — Nylander with (yet another) breakaway. He elects to wind up and blast a slapper, but Ullmark with the huge save.

Nylander winds up on the breakaway

good first pass from Holmberg pic.twitter.com/LNjPPYYOTt

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 24, 2025

4:28 — Big save by Ullmark on Bobby McMann; The Sens goalie, who was heavily criticized for his play in Game 1, has been much better as the series has gone on. Probably needs to steal one if Ottawa hopes to have a chance.

6:47 — Max Domi continues his strong play in this series. Just drove to the net hard with the puck, paying the price in the process.

11:37 — Much more physical tonight than the previous two games. Just ask Nylander, who was tackled to the ice by Nylander (no call on the play).

'I Can't Say Enough About Matthew Knies and JT In Those Areas': Maple Leafs Explode For 3 Power-Play Goals To Down Senators In Game 1The Toronto Maple Leafs exploded for three power-play goals against the Ottawa Senators in a 6-2 victory in Game 1 of their first-round series in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

15:04 — Tkachuk draws a hooking penalty, so Ottawa goes on a 4-on-3 PP. Big opportunity for the Sens, who have yet to score a power play goal.

17:15 — First big test for Linus Ullmark, as Pontus Holmberg gets a clean look from the right side. Still no score.

19:08 — It didn't take long for the hatred to heat up, as Tkachuk and Tanev go at it.

20:00 — And here go, Game 3 under way!

No one does the anthem better than the legendary Lyndon Slewidge, who was part of the last Battle of Ontario.

Loud Go Sens Go chants and booing when Toronto came out. It’s early but they seem to have done a somewhat good job keeping Leafs fans to a minimum. pic.twitter.com/VszxtO6q1L

— David Alter (@dalter) April 24, 2025

Let the pre-game match-ups begin! Sportsnet analyst Derek Lalonde says that the Matthews line will get a "healthy dose of Shane Pinto."

The crowd inside Canadian Tire Centre sounds electric.

We have a special guest for a special playoff edition of The Hockey News Big Show.

Longtime NHL coach Bruce Boudreau joins Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos to discuss what's going on in the Stanley Cup playoffs, what's happening with the non-playoff squads and some of Boudreau's stories, including his time with the Vancouver Canucks.

Bruce Boudreau Talks NHL Playoffs, Canucks' Hughes And Ovechkin by The Big Showundefined

Here's what they discussed in this episode:

0:00: Which goaltender should start for the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 versus the Los Angeles Kings?

8:14: Has Matthew Knies’ play unlocked a new level of offense for the Toronto Maple Leafs on the power play?

14:58: Have the Washington Capitals proven to be a true Stanley Cup contender?

20:19: With their roster now fully healthy, do the Florida Panthers have the scariest offense in the East?

24:49: Are the Winnipeg Jets proving they don’t need Connor Hellebuyck to play at a top-tier level to be a Stanley Cup contender?

28:36: Breaking down Gabriel Landeskog’s return to the Colorado Avalanche's lineup.

33:50: After signing an extension with the New York Rangers, what should Chris Drury’s off-season plan be?

39:15: Who should take home the Jack Adams Award this year?

41:01: Will Alex Ovechkin retire from hockey before the age of 50?

43:30: Who’s the best goal-scorer that Boudreau ever played with and against?

45:03: Which first-round series is most likely to have an upset?

47:34: Should Jim Rutherford have discussed Quinn Hughes’ contract talks publicly?

49:27: Updated Stanley Cup picks

Watch the full episode here

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

Day 5 of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs involved some big returns. 

Gabriel Landeskog led the headlines, making his first appearance in nearly three years for the Colorado Avalanche. 

The Edmonton Oilers got a couple of veterans back in their lineup, and the popular harmonica group returned for a second straight performance of the American national anthem at Crypto.com Arena.

Here are the storylines from the three games from Wednesday.

Washington Capitals Defeat Montreal Canadiens 3-1 (WSH Leads Series 2-0)

Aside from the Battle of Florida series, every Eastern Conference matchup has a standout goaltender. The Carolina Hurricanes have Frederik Andersen, the Toronto Maple Leafs have Anthony Stolarz, and the Washington Capitals have Logan Thompson.

The 28-year-old had a solid outing in Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens, but because of the Habs’ late push to force overtime, he was overlooked. However, it was impossible to miss his performance in Game 2.

In this contest, the undrafted netminder posted a .962 save percentage, stopping 25 of 26 shots on goal. He was forced to make some outstanding saves, but was there for the Capitals when they needed him.

It wasn’t a one-man effort, as Washington’s defense played a role in only allowing one goal. The Canadiens went through nine minutes in the second period without registering a shot attempt.

When talking about his game, Thompson couldn’t wait to get the classic hockey cliche answers to the reporters. 

“Luckily, things went my way tonight, and we got the two points." 

Capitals center Dylan Strome quickly reminded him there are no two points to earn in the playoffs.

Dallas Stars Defeat Colorado Avalanche 2-1 OT (DAL Leads Series 2-1)

It wasn’t difficult to find a storyline to highlight from Game 3 between the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars. Gabriel Landeskog played his first NHL game since he hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2022, 1,033 days ago.

Colorado’s captain received plenty of cheers, chants, and salutes from the home fans at Ball Arena. He also had a friendly exchange with former teammate Mikko Rantanen at the opening faceoff. Not long after, Landeskog knocked over Rantanen and was immediately involved in the game.

Landeskog took 18 shifts and had 13:16 of ice time, adding six hits and one block to his name. “It felt great in all areas tonight, in terms of just being back,” he said. 

He recalled how special a moment it was for him in his family. “That was as close as I got to losing it during warmup, when I looked over at that and seeing their big, smiling faces,” he said. “They’ve probably been thinking that I’ve been lying this whole time that I play hockey.”

Despite his return, the Stars took Game 3 in overtime for the second straight game. This time, the hero was Tyler Seguin, giving Dallas a 2-1 series lead.

Skinner Or Pickard: Who Should The Oilers Start In Game 3?Do the Edmonton Oilers have the worst goaltending so far in the playoffs?

Los Angeles Kings Defeat Edmonton Oilers 6-2 (LA Leads Series 2-0)

After gaining plenty of attention from Game 1, the Harmonica Class from the Koreatown Senior and Community Center returned for another performance of The Star-Spangled Banner before Game 2, this time wearing Los Angeles Kings jerseys. 

However, the harmonica players weren’t the only ones who returned for this contest. The Edmonton Oilers got two players back: left winger Evander Kane and defenseman John Klingberg.

Kane was out for the entire regular season with a sports hernia and a knee injury. Klingberg, who picked up an assist against the Kings, has been absent from the Oilers' lineup since March 28 with an undisclosed injury.

Despite getting healthier and having Klingberg record an assist, it wasn’t a good night for the Oilers by any stretch. 

Goaltender Stuart Skinner allowed five goals for the second straight game, which resulted in Calvin Pickard switching places with him with just over nine minutes remaining in the third period. 

Oilers right winger Corey Perry stood up for his goaltender, saying it’s not Skinner’s fault. 

“He’s making good saves, playing hard and battling for us,” Perry told reporters. “It's the play in front of him.”

Added Darnell Nurse: “We’ve been hanging our goalie out to dry.”

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Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog took his first shift in the NHL since winning the 2022 Stanley Cup final.

He predicted before Game 3 of the Avalanche's first-round series against the Dallas Stars that his first shift would be short. It lasted 33 seconds.

During that time, the crowd not only chanted his name but cheered when he touched the puck and popped when he hit his former teammate, Mikko Rantanen, to the ice.

The many Avalanche fans who waved their rally towels during warmups chanted "Landy, Landy, Landy" while the 32-year-old prepared for his first game since June 26, 2022, 1,032 days ago.

His two children held up a sign saying, "So proud of you Daddy!" before the game. Landeskog gifted them both a puck.  

The "Landy" chants returned when Landeskog hit the ice before the American national anthem. When the P.A. announcer revealed Landeskog was in the starting lineup, the crowd roared and chanted his name again.

LANDY 🗣️ LANDY 🗣️ LANDY 🗣️ #GoAvsGo | #BuiltDifferentpic.twitter.com/nRZHcNJzN6

— x - Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 24, 2025

That shows just part of the significance of the Avalanche's captain returning to the NHL.

He had a right knee injury that involved multiple surgeries, including a cartilage transplant surgery in May 2023. He had multiple setbacks in his recovery.

"I found myself thinking about this moment a lot over the last three years, and now that it's here, it's reversed," Landeskog told Altitude Sports' Kyle Keefe before the game. "I'm thinking a lot about kind of the hard work that's gone into it. Some of the ups, a lot of the downs, the sacrifices and support I've had along the way. Thankful for everybody and all their support."

Landekog's previous game action was on April 11 and 12 with the AHL's Colorado Eagles during a conditioning loan.

"He had every right to pull the plug at any time he wanted to but wanted to see it through," Avalanche teammate Erik Johnson told NHL.com.

Added defenseman Cale Makar: "It's going to be really exciting to have him back in the room, and have the Captain back doing his thing."

Landeskog spoke about how he felt leading up to game time.

"I feel surprisingly calm and in control right now," he said. "I know the butterflies and the nerves will come, I'm sure. But, excited."

His second shift lasted 18 seconds, but his third shift lasted 1:06. The Avalanche will now try to win their second game of the series in front of the Avs and Landeskog faithful.

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Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines, provide updates on the rest of the night's NHL slate and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Emma Lingan and Andrew McInnis react to the Washington Capitals beating the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 to take a 2-0 first-round series lead. They also take a look around the NHL, including the return of Gabriel Landeskog to the Colorado Avalanche's lineup. 

Playoff Frenzy - April 23, 2025 | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

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

Tkachuk and Domi made headlines on Day 4 of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs – but it wasn’t Keith and Tie.

The last time Keith Tkachuk and Tie Domi were in the playoffs at the same time was in 2004. This time, it was the Florida Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk and Toronto Maple Leafs’ Max Domi scoring important goals on Tuesday night, although Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk recorded his first career goal as well.

Here are the key storylines from each game.

Carolina Hurricanes Defeat New Jersey Devils 3-1 (CAR leads series 2-0)

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen took over the spotlight in Game 2 against the New Jersey Devils. In a low-scoring 2-1 win for the Hurricanes, Andersen made 25 stops on 26 shots to record a .962 save percentage.

Aside from the opening five minutes of the game when they scored, the Devils didn’t have many grade-A chances. According to naturalstattrick.com, New Jersey had seven high-danger chances, while Carolina had 15.

Although the Hurricanes controlled most of this game, the Devils put up a strong fight defensively. Brett Pesce kept the game close, with six blocked shots and two goal-line clearances.

Devils coach Sheldon Keefe liked his team’s game as the series moves to New Jersey for two games.

“I liked a lot about our game today,” Keefe said. “We showed attitude, we showed competitiveness, we showed care.”

Demoted But Not Down, Max Domi Scores OT Winner For Toronto Maple LeafsFor most of this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t know what to do with Max Domi — or where he fit in.

Toronto Maple Leafs Defeat Ottawa Senators 3-2 OT (TOR leads series 2-0)

The Toronto Maple Leafs took Game 2 over the Ottawa Senators in overtime thanks to a Max Domi snipe. With that, the Leafs take a 2-0 series lead for the first time since 2002 against the New York Islanders.

Max isn’t the first Domi to score a game-winner against the Senators in the playoffs. His father, Tie, scored a game-winning goal in Game 5 of their first-round series against the Sens in 2004. 

Domi’s reaction to his goal? 

“Big win, on to the next one now,” he told reporters.

Ottawa had a tough time hitting the net in the third period with only three shots on goal. Nonetheless, the Senators forced overtime with a goal from Adam Gaudette. With that, they applied heavy offensive pressure on the Leafs, which coach Travis Green praised.

“I really liked the way we played tonight,” Green told reporters. “To play a road game like that was encouraging for our team.”

The Senators will get another crack at the Maple Leafs on Thursday at the Canadian Tire Centre.

No Panic: Ottawa Senators Lose Again, But They'll Be Better For It In The Short- And Long-TermThere are no moral victories in the Stanley Cup playoffs, so the reality is the Ottawa Senators find themselves down 2-0 in the Battle of Ontario and face an enormous task getting back into this first-round series.

Florida Panthers Defeat Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 (FLA leads series 1-0)

It took four days from the opening night of the playoffs before fans could see the Battle of Florida between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. However, Game 1 might not have ended the way many would’ve anticipated.

Speaking of waiting, Matthew Tkachuk finally returned to the Panthers roster after being out with a lower-body injury since the 4 Nations Face-Off. He made his presence known, scoring two goals and an assist in his return, all on the power play.

The Panthers went on to steamroll the Lightning in a 6-2 win on the road to set the tone for the series. Defenseman Nate Schmidt added another two goals past Andrei Vasilevskiy, who had a rough outing for the Bolts.

It was a night to forget for Vasilevskiy, who finished the game with a .625 SP, allowing six goals on 16 shots.

The third period was when things got out of hand for Tampa Bay. They allowed three goals that sucked the energy out of the team. The Lightning challenged Schmidt’s first goal and lost the argument, which then led to another goal 14 seconds later on the power play.

Eventually, they added a third, and fans began to leave Amalie Arena early. 

“You have to stop the bleeding,” Victor Hedman said to reporters. 

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

The Minnesota Wild flipped the script on the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2, with a 5-2 win. It was a hot start for the Wild, scoring three goals in the opening period past Adin Hill, to give the team a large cushion for the rest of the contest.

Minnesota’s first line led the way, with Kirill Kaprizov making multiple highlight plays in the game. He started with a shoulder-high, breakaway pass to Matt Boldy, who opened the scoring. Boldy has three goals and four points, while Kaprizov has two goals and five points in this series.

“I think (Joel Eriksson Ek, Boldly, and Kaprizov), they play a playoff-style type of hockey,” Wild coach John Hynes told reporters. “They play north. They play direct. They can use their competitive level in combination with skill. It gives them a chance to be a line that's hard to play.”

Kaprizov iced the game with 2:26 left on the clock with the empty net. While protecting their lead, he pounced on a loose puck after a save from Filip Gustavsson and threw it the length of the ice, into Vegas’ empty net to secure the win.

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For most of this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t know what to do with Max Domi — or where he fit in.

Was he a second-line winger? A third-line centre? After acquiring Scott Laughton at the trade deadline, was Domi even a top-nine forward anymore?

In a 3-2 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators, Domi answered back with: Yes. Yes. And yes.

The 30-year-old gap-toothed forward, who played up and down in the lineup on Tuesday, was a bit of everything for the Leafs in Game 2. That included being the somewhat unlikely OT hero in a game that the home team nearly gave away.

Domi started the night playing wing on a second line with John Tavares and William Nylander. But in overtime, he was centering the third line with Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson when Domi deked past a couple of defenders and scored the winning goal to give the Leafs a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“Every night there’s a different hero in playoffs, it doesn’t matter who scores as long as we get the win,” said Domi. “Shoot the puck, anything can happen.”

In the process, Domi reminded everyone that his biggest asset might just be his versatility, along with his dedication to improving his skill-set.

After all, that move that Domi pulled off in overtime was one that he practised often. That very morning, while his teammates were still in the dressing room, Domi was alone on the ice ripping shot after shot on an empty net. Hours later, he did it for real, while his dad, who is no stranger to the Battle of Ontario, cheered him on from the stands.

“Great play by him,” said Mitch Marner. “That was really cool for him to get that. I’m happy for him. It was an amazing play by him to get that middle (on the ice) and that shot.

'That's Playoff Hockey': Leafs' Stolarz Explains Bodychecking Senators' Greig In Game 2 WinThe Ottawa Senators outhit the Toronto Maple Leafs 44 to 25 in Game 2 on Tuesday night.

Taking a drop pass from Simon Benoit in the Ottawa end, Domi weaved through traffic and then beat goalie Linus Ullmark with a wrist shot at 3:09 in the extra frame.

“He works on his craft so much on ice, off ice,” said Marner. “How he takes care of his body, how he’s such a pro. I was lucky that I got to see that in London as well when I was really young. To learn off of him was amazing. To see nothing has changed and he’s even more of a pro now is pretty special.”

For Domi, it was the kind of moment that he has likely dreamed about. But it was also the kind of moment that has eluded him for most of his time with the Leafs. After signing a four-year extension worth $15-million last summer, there was an expectation that Domi would get back to being the highly skilled player who once scored 28 goals and 72 points for the Montreal Canadiens in 2018-19.

No Panic: Ottawa Senators Lose Again, But They'll Be Better For It In The Short- And Long-TermThere are no moral victories in the Stanley Cup playoffs, so the reality is the Ottawa Senators find themselves down 2-0 in the Battle of Ontario and face an enormous task getting back into this first-round series.

At the very least, with Craig Berube hired as coach, the thinking was Domi would embody the hard-nosed style that the new Leafs coach was preaching.

Instead, with just eight goals and 33 points, Domi has spent the year trying to justify his salary and spot in the lineup.

A day earlier, Berube had told reporters that “Max is good about playing wherever.” After the Leafs gave up a 2-0 lead, Domi was taken off the second line in favour of Pontus Holmberg. “Just an adjustment with match-ups more than anything,” said Berube.

Turns out, it was the right move.

"We Stayed With It': Maple Leafs Halt Senators' Comeback Bid To Take 2-0 Series LeadMax Domi scored the overtime winner as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven series on Tuesday. 

Whether he’s playing on the second line, third line or even the fourth line, Domi found a way to make an impact.

“Big win, obviously we needed that one,” said Domi. “I give Ottawa all the credit in the world. They played a heck of a hockey game. We stuck with it, made some plays that we had to make at the right time and big win. On to the next one now.”

Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines, provide updates on the rest of the night's NHL slate and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Ryan Kennedy and Avry Lewis-McDougall react to Game 2 between the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Playoff Frenzy - April 22, 2025 | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

They also discuss what's going on around the NHL on Tuesday night, including Game 1 between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

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

The Seattle Kraken hope a former Buffalo Sabres GM will help them reach perennial playoff status.

This week, the Kraken fired coach Dan Bylsma, promoted executive Ron Francis to president of hockey operations and promoted Jason Botterill to GM. 

The Kraken finished with the NHL’s sixth-worst record at 35-41-6, placing them seventh in the relatively weak Pacific Division – and a drop from sixth place in the Pacific in the 2023-24 campaign. That’s not nearly good enough for a Seattle team that wants to emulate the Vegas Golden Knights as a young franchise that can have great Stanley Cup playoff success right away.

For one thing, with Francis now promoted upward – in the role of a Brendan Shanahan in Toronto, a Jim Rutherford in Vancouver and a Joe Sakic in Colorado – Francis will have more years to stick the landing as an overseer of Botterill and his incoming management group. 

But Botterill has massive pressure on him and a slew of areas to address in his second chance at general managing an NHL club. He has some successes to replicate and mistakes to avoid from his time as the Sabres’ GM from 2017 to 2020.

Certainly, having more success in the NHL draft will be a priority, which Botterill did well at in Buffalo. He did have an easy pick when he landed star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin first overall in 2018, but Botterill's draft team also selected centers Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson. 

The Kraken need more from their first-ever draft pick, Matty Beniers, and another step up from Shane Wright. But Botterill must fill the organization’s cupboard with prospects they can turn into reliable NHLers.

They’re going to get a top-10 draft pick this summer. While they can’t necessarily expect the player they select with that pick to play in the NHL immediately, they should add an asset that will be a core component of the team for many years to come.

NHL Sour Rankings: What Lies Ahead For Every Non-Playoff TeamThe NHL is so often focused, for good reason, on the races at the top of the standings, but the NHL Sour Rankings looks at the bottom. 

Botterill should also buy out the contract of veteran goaltender Philipp Grubauer, who currently has two seasons remaining on a contract worth $5.9 million annually. 

The 33-year-old Grubauer put up career-worst totals in goals-against average (3.49) and save percentage (.875) last season, and with veteran Joey Daccord the clear No. 1 option in net, Grubauer can’t be kept around at that cap hit. 

Buying out Grubauer will free about $3.92 million next season and $2.82 million in 2026-27, while the $1.68-million buyout cost in 2027-28 and ’28-29 is minimal when the salary cap rises significantly.

That brings us to the Kraken’s huge amount of cap space to use to improve the roster. As it stands, Seattle has $21.75 million in cap space next season with 14 active players under contract. With a Grubauer buyout, that cap space would rise to $25.66 million. That means the Kraken can be major players on the free-agent market while having five first-round picks over the next three seasons to set up the team for long-term success.

Botterill has to make more tough decisions – including who will be the next coach of the team – to push the Kraken back into the playoff mix. They have two pending UFAs, and RFAs Kaapo Kakko, Tye Kartye and Ryker Evans need new deals as well. 

Kraken Retaining Jessica Campbell Shows Faith In Early Positive SignsThe Seattle Kraken parted ways with Dan Bylsma after just one season as the head coach, and while many thought Jessica Campbell may have followed, the organization is rewarding her with another season after some early positive returns.

Not long ago, Seattle fans were expecting to make the playoffs consistently, but Sabres fans have been waiting to get back into the post-season for seven times the length of Seattle’s two-year drought. Botterill is one of four men to hold the Sabres’ GM role since their last playoff appearance in 2011, and Buffalo’s best finish under him was 25th in the NHL. With Vegas joining the league in 2017-18, the Sabres actually became the first team in NHL history to finish 31st under Botterill.

Kraken fans will obviously hope Botterill won’t have the same results in Seattle, but the organization trusts him to make the most of this huge opportunity. He has a mandate to remove the stench of regular-season failure as they chart a course that will be more reliably successful.

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

When you’ve reached the pinnacle of the hockey management world, like now-former New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello did, you have to know you’re always working on borrowed time. 

At any moment in a zero-sum industry, if you’re not putting up wins or improving in virtually every metric, the team can go in a different direction.

There’s a constant pressure on you to succeed or part ways, and that was true Tuesday when the Islanders announced they’re not renewing the contract of GM-president Lamoriello.

The team gave no immediate reason for the decision or whether it was mutual or not, but the Islanders missed the playoffs this season, and at 82 years old, Lamoriello has nothing to prove to anyone. He may have reached the end of what long ago qualified as a Hockey Hall of Fame career.

Without question, Lamoriello is one of the most successful NHL movers-and-shakers of all-time.

In his first year as GM and president of the New Jersey Devils, Lamoriello guided the team to an Eastern Conference final appearance. And throughout 27 seasons running the Devils, Lamoriello won three Stanley Cups, qualified for five Cup finals and made the playoffs 21 times. Only the Detroit Red Wings came near New Jersey when it came to consistent success, and the cult of personality that Lamoriello created resulted in a culture that was the envy of most, if not all, NHL organizations.

Unfortunately, time eventually caught up to Lamoriello. 

After leaving New Jersey in 2015, he shifted to running the Toronto Maple Leafs for three years before leaving again, this time to serve as Islanders GM and president of hockey operations. 

Say what you will about Lamoriello’s competitive tactics, but you can’t say he ever lacked confidence in himself. Although there were blips of success during Lamoriello’s seven years as Isles GM – including two playoff semifinal appearances – there just wasn’t enough consistent success to keep him employed as GM.

In some ways, you have to appreciate Lamorello’s belief in his players and coaches. 

Lamoriello doubled down on mid-tier veterans, including left winger Pierre Engvall, center Jean-Gabriel Pageau and defenseman Scott Mayfield. But with due respect to forwards Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat and Anders Lee, blueliner Noah Dobson and goaltender Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders lacked the true superstar players that were the engine behind rival teams’ successes. There was no Hart Trophy-winner on Long Island, no Art Ross Trophy or Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy-winners.

Islanders John Collins Brings Massive NHL Experience To General Manager Search When the news broke that the New York Islanders had moved on from Lou Lamoriello, we were told that John Collins would be leading the search for the next general manager.

With Lamoriello out of the picture, his successor will have a golden opportunity to commit to a full roster rebuild – something that could finally deliver the generational talent the Islanders have lacked since star center John Tavares left for the Leafs in 2018, the same year Lamoriello took the Isles’ job. It always felt like Lamoriello was hunting for big fish in the NHL talent pool – even getting Horvat in 2023 – yet he often came away with consolation prizes.

Even toward the end of his tenure, when Lamoriello hired icon Patrick Roy as Isles coach in January 2024 – there was a sense Lamoriello had lost his fastball. No longer could Lamoriello impose his will on a team in the way he did in his heyday. It was a different league Lamoriello was working in, and he didn’t have the foundation he had when superstars Martin Brodeur, Scott Niedermayer, Scott Stevens and Patrik Elias were his dressing room and on-ice leaders in New Jersey.

So yes, while Islanders ownership is grateful to Lamoriello, it’s clear that it’s now time to tear things down to the studs and build a long-term winner by adding top-end talent through the draft. That’s the best way the Islanders will acquire foundational pieces to build a core with. No more half-measures for this franchise. 

Lamoriello’s days running a team might be over. But the learning tree around him will last for generations. We’re not suggesting all of Lamoriello’s more famous rules – including his determination to eradicate facial hair now and forever – will continue. But Lamoriello’s relentless pursuit of greatness will linger among everyone he did business with. That dogged determination to win will always be there, even if he winds up being a consultant to a team for the rest of his days.

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