Daily Faceoff

Utah unveils Mammoth-themed Zamboni based off 2002 Olympic ice resurfacer

Ben Steiner — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:12:33 GMT

The Utah Mammoth are bolstering their intensity heading into the final stretch of the 2025-26 NHL season.

They call it the Zammoth — a Zamboni refitted to look like a mammoth, which will be able to carry up to eight joyriding fans at a time.

The Zammoth’s base comes from an ice resurfacer used at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, and while it no longer functions as a working Zamboni, it will take a lap with fans before every game and at the end of every period, before functioning ice resurfacers take over the job.

Talk about an entrance.

The Zammoth is ready to take the ice tonight. pic.twitter.com/coI6xtzyEI
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) April 7, 2026

While using a former Olympic machine and turning it into an animal is a new take, the fan Zamboni concept has been used in other NHL markets before. The Florida Panthers and Columbus Blue Jackets both allow several fans to ride on Zambonis, while other teams allow individuals to ride on regular, non-fitted vehicles.

“It’s an opportunity for our fans to engage with the crowd,” said Chris Barney, president of revenue and commercial strategy for Smith Entertainment Group, which owns the Mammoth. “It puts them down on the ice where their heroes are playing. A lot of people don’t get the opportunity to be down there on the ice. It’s one more example of us trying to do that.”

Initial plans for the Zammoth did not include tie-ins to the 2002 Olympics, but when the team began searching for a Zambioni, the 24-year-old base became a clear contender, already sitting inside the Delta Center.

While no debut date has been announced for the Zammoth, and no registration details for fans have been released, the team announced that it will be on display at the arena for the next several games, starting with Tuesday’s matchup against the Edmonton Oilers, so fans can see it in person.

Shanahan better suited for Devils’ president, not GM

Ben Steiner — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:00:00 GMT

The New Jersey Devils embarked on the next chapter of the franchise’s history on Monday, parting ways with general manager Tom Fitzgerland and opening an opportunity to redirect and restructure their entire project.

While a new general manager could be in the cards, a new leadership structure could also be considered. It’s there, where former Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan could find a place.

On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Jeff Marek from The Sheet joined co-hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton to discuss what a potential role for Shanahan could look like with the Devils.

Carter Hutton: We were talking about Tom Fitzgerald earlier, and being out in New Jersey, right? He’s a guy who was a well-respected hockey player as well. Now, he’s out, and Brendan Shanahan’s name has been thrown around. I know he has ties to the Devils’ head coach, Sheldon Keefe, as well. Does that hold any water for you? What do you think the next play would be for the New Jersey Devils?

Jeff Marek: Whenever there’s a coach dismissed, I always look to the general manager and try to figure out, okay, who is the coach that is going to satisfy what that general manager wants? When a general manager is fired, I tend to look at ownership and what it wants in that position. And you know, New Jersey is interesting, because the Devils are all private equity investors, right? So what do they value? How do they run their private equity business? It’s not based on vibes and feels; it’s based on information, like most proper businesses are run.

I don’t know why we think should think that sports should be exclusive from that, but that’s for another conversation…I just can’t see Brendan Shanahan coming in as a general manager. But that’s not to say there wouldn’t be value in having Shanahan as president of hockey operations. I’m sure you’ve noticed, but when it comes to making decisions on managers, it is less and less about whether you played.

And I think that this next wave of general managers in the NHL are going to be a lot of people who didn’t play the game, but the buffer between that person and ownership will be the president of hockey operations, who will need to be able to explain what the manager is doing, taking the general manager’s language and putting it in terms that ownership can understand. That’s where Shanahan shines.

If you’ve ever had any conversations with Brendan, he can have conversations with just about anybody on anything about hockey, and I’ve always felt that one of his main strengths is communicating with people above him. That’s why, I think, in a New Jersey situation, I wouldn’t be surprised if they make two hires here, one’s a GM and one’s the president of hockey operations. That’s where I can see Shanahan talking to people above his level and explaining things to ownership.

You can catch Marek’s entire appearance on Daily Faceoff Live as well as the rest of Tuesday’s show here…

Sirens’ Emmy Fecteau suspended one game for hit on Torrent’s Mikayla Grant-Mentis

Ben Steiner — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:51:00 GMT

The PWHL has levied a one-game suspension against New York Sirens forward Emmy Fecteau for an illegal hit against Seattle Torrent forward Mikayla Grant-Mentis over the weekend.

The PWHL’s Player Safety Committee reviewed the hit thrown in the first period of the matchup in front of over 18,000 fans at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, before announcing the ruling on Tuesday afternoon.

Fecteau was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct for an illegal check to the head. While the PWHL’s Player Safety Committee determined that the head was not the primary point of contact, it determined that Fecteau’s body check was dangerous and did not show intent to play the puck when she had “ample opportunity to do so.”

Yet the initial call on the ice stood without penalty to Fecteau, and the officials required a video review to correct the missed call. As Daily Faceoff’s Tyler Kuehl said in his weekly takeaways, misses like that are still too common:

“It’s not that the penalty wasn’t warranted; it’s that it took a video review to correct the officials’ mistake,” he wrote here. “There have been too many instances this season where refs have either been questionable or blatantly wrong. Hopefully, the crews picked to work the postseason are ready for the task and call a good series of games.”

The Sirens eventually prevailed over the Torrent in a shootout, keeping slim hopes of advancing to the Walter Cup Playoffs for the first time in franchise history. This season, the 27-year-old Fecteau has no goals and one assist in 24 games. It marks the second season where the former Concordia University and U Sports standout has struggled offensively, after scoring once with no assists in 30 games in 2024-25.

However, the suspension is the first disciplinary incident of her career and will hold her out of New York’s April 11 matchup against the Minnesota Frost.

Jonathan Toews worked hard to become an everyday NHLer again

Kyle Morton — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:00:00 GMT

One of the big stories of the off-season was the return of two-time Stanley Cup champion center Jonathan Toews to the NHL.

The former Chicago Blackhawks captain, after missing years tending to health issues, signed a contract to play for his hometown Winnipeg Jets, who desperately needed help down the middle as they looked to continue to push for a Stanley Cup championship.

While the season hasn’t gone the way the Jets would have hoped for, as they’re on the outside looking in at the Western Conference playoff picture, Toews has played in all of the team’s games to this point.

On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk and co-host and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed how impressive it is that Toews has managed to maintain his availability all season.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Let’s stick with the theme of giving out stick taps, because I wanted to give some love to a guy who’s kind of flown under the radar this season, no pun intended, but with all of the health struggles and everything Jonathan Toews went through, I know this year didn’t go the way the Winnipeg Jets wanted to and statistically he didn’t jump off the page or anything like that, but Jonathan Toews is on pace to play all 82 games this year with the Winnipeg Jets at 37 years old. After taking three years away from the NHL, two full seasons I guess you could call it, man, I think that’s just really impressive. And it’s a storyline that not enough people are talking about, that Jonathan Toews has found a way to just get himself back to being an everyday NHL player.

Carter Hutton: Yeah. Consistently, right, being available to play and compete, and I know expectations were very high for him, but that being said, to be able to compete in almost every single game… in like which it looks like he’s going to finish all 82, score 10 goals, 17 assists. He could be a good depth add. It will be interesting to see where his contract lies if he wants to continue playing next year. If it is Winnipeg or somebody else, but that being said, credit to him. I know he always took such good care of himself and how much he focuses on fitness and diet, nutrition, everything that goes into being a constant player. To do it at his age is very impressive.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…

How many general managers will be fired before the summer?

Ryan Cuneo — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:00:00 GMT

It’s well known that “NHL head coach” is about as tenuous a position as you’ll find nowadays, but “NHL general manager” isn’t too far behind. Once a GM has scapegoated a coach or two, owners begin to look at them as the common denominator for why their teams are falling short of expectations. The dismissal of Tom Fitzgerald from the New Jersey Devils on Monday marked the third GM firing so far this season, following Brad Treliving from the Toronto Maple Leafs and Kevyn Adams from the Buffalo Sabres.

With the season winding down, and with more teams about to taste the disappointment of a failed season, there are several other GMs around the league that are standing on shaky ground, and could be out of a job before the next Stanley Cup champion is crowned.

On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed which current NHL GMs are on the hot seat as we near the postseason.

Tyler Yaremchuk: I think the obvious one is Detroit. If they end up missing the playoffs it’s going to be all eyes on Steve Yzerman. Vancouver may be a bit of an interesting situation as well. Anyone else, Hutts? Is it just those two? How many more GM changes do you think we could see this season?

Carter Hutton: You start to think about some of these teams that are moving in the wrong direction. I don’t know if I see anybody else being horribly out. The one for me would be if Vegas does keep losing and they have a quick four-game exit, I don’t know with (Kelly) McCrimmon and where they’re at, you see the head coach firing. There’s some interesting topics, but the Wings is the one that lights the lamp for me. Obviously you can talk about Ottawa, but Ottawa’s played so well, they’ve just had a lack of goaltending. I think (Steve) Staios and everyone is protected there. The Wings are the team for me with a lot of question marks because of the Yzerplan and the way they’re built. And then you look at this fall from grace, it’s been tough.

You can catch the full discussion and the rest of Tuesday’s episode here…

Ducks’ Pavel Mintyukov returns to lineup after three-game absence

Tyler Kuehl — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:07:24 GMT

A young rearguard is set to return to the ice after missing time due to injury.

When speaking to the media, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov revealed that he will be in the lineup when the team faces off with the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.

Pavel Mintyukov confirmed that he’ll be in the lineup tonight vs. #Smashville. He missed the last three games with a lower-body injury.#FlyTogether
— Derek Lee (@Derek_Lee27) April 7, 2026

Mintyukov is expected to jump back on the second pair alongside veteran John Carlson.

Mintyukov has missed the past three games due to a lower-body injury, and has been absent for three of the team’s past four contests due to the ailment. After missing a game against the Edmonton Oilers on March 28, he played against the Toronto Maple Leafs two nights later. The 22-year-old was involved in the chaotic game, getting into a fight with Leafs forward Max Domi.

However, the injury acted up on him, forcing him to miss over a week’s worth of action. In his absence, the Ducks have lost three straight games – falling to the San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames – bringing their losing skid to five.

Mintyukov has missed nine games in total so far this season, as he was a healthy scratch periodically during the first half of the campaign. In 68 games, he has scored a career-high eight goals, posting 12 assists and 20 points, a little off his solid rookie season, in which the Russian blueliner registered 28 points in 63 appearances during the 2023-24 season.

Despite the recent slide, the Ducks (41-31-5) are still in the running for the Pacific Division title. With just five games remaining in the regular season, the team sits tied with the Edmonton Oilers for first place, with the Vegas Golden Knights one point back in third.

Sharks, Kings take big steps in West playoff race

Tyler Kuehl — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:00:00 GMT

A couple of teams are staying alive in the hunt for the postseason, with just a few games to go.

On Monday night, the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings picked up important wins, keeping pace with the rest of the pack for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The Sharks held on for a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, while the Kings outlasted the Nashville Predators in a shootout.

With back-to-back wins, the Kings leapfrogged the Predators for the final Wild Card spot, while the Sharks, sitting fifth in the Pacific Division, are just two points back of L.A., with a game in hand on both the Kings and Preds.

On Tuesday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton discuss how the Sharks and Kings are still in the thick of the push for the playoffs.

Carter Hutton: The main thing is that San Jose is in a position where they control their own fate, and one takeaway I take from them, that big win last night, is the matchup head-to-head with the Preds. I think that’s going to be an important one. You can control your fate from that standpoint. I think this has been a productive road trip for the Nashville Predators. You’ve got to take that away. If you said you had to play L.A. twice and San Jose to come out of there with five or six points, that’s rewarding to go home now and try to find ways to win and be good down the stretch.

So, there is a lot of dynamics here, but what I do like is I think the freedom that San Jose gets to play with here. I think pressure is more squarely on L.A. because of the fact of the way this team is built, how they went out and got Panarin and the Anze Kopitar farewell tour. Then, the fact for me, the Nashville Predators, they were sellers at the deadline, so there’s a lot less pressure. I still think there is because of veteran guys, because of Stamkos and O’Reilly. Where the Sharks, ‘If we don’t get in, no big deal. Next year’s our year.’ So, it will be a great stretch drive because, man, these matchups are so great.

You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…

‘We’ll see what happens:’ Nico Hischier on future with Devils

Kyle Morton — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:58:23 GMT

It’s been a turbulent season in Newark for the New Jersey Devils, who are poised to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs by quite some distance in a season in which they were pegged by many as legitimate Cup contenders back in October.

After plenty of speculation that he would be let go after the season, the Devils parted ways with general manager Tom Fitzgerald on Monday with time still remaining on the regular season calendar.

On Tuesday, ahead of their game at the Prudential Center against the Philadelphia Flyers, Devils players met with the media. That includes captain Nico Hischier, who was asked about his future with one year remaining on his contract after this one.

“I’m focusing on playing hockey here,” Hischier told reporters, when asked about his future by James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now. “I still have one more year. So I’m with the Devils right now, and then we’ll see what happens.”

Hischier is in the sixth season of a seven-year pact that carries a salary cap hit of $7.25 million. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2017 NHL Draft has spent his entire career with New Jersey, and his willingness to publicly leave the door open to leaving is notable, even if expected given the unknown of who comes next in the general manager’s chair.

The Switzerland native has 62 points in 77 games played this season, and despite the fact that he has not played a full 82-game season since his rookie year, he has played at least 70 games in five consecutive campaigns.

If Hischier were to become available, whether as an unrestricted free agent or on the trade market this off-season, there would be no shortage of interested suitors for a center with plenty of runway left in his 20s with a leadership background and experience of high usage in all situations.

How the Flyers’ stretch-run surge could change their offseason plans

Anthony Di Marco — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Save for perhaps the Montreal Canadiens, there has arguably been no hotter team in the NHL since the Olympic break than the Philadelphia Flyers. Sitting in third in the Metropolitan Division as of Tuesday morning, the Flyers have put themselves in a position where their destiny is entirely in their own hands, not having to scoreboard watch other teams.

The addition of 2025 sixth-overall pick Porter Martone and the (surprise) return from injury of Tyson Foerster over the last three and four games has given the forwards a major jolt, with depth down the entire top-12 group that the team has not seen since well before GM Danny Briere took over for Chuck Fletcher.

The Flyers’ strength is on the wing; 2023 first-round pick Matvei Michkov currently skating on the third line is indicative of this. But with all this talent on the wing there are still (legitimate) question marks down the middle – as has been the case for several years now.

Head coach Rick Tocchet was reluctant to move Trevor Zegras to center at the start of the season but has been exploring it since the Olympics. There is no doubt that there was – and still is – a learning curve for the former Anaheim Ducks forward at center, as Zegras went from a near point per game player early in the season to now having 62 points in 77 games. That being said, he has regained his near point-per-game form over the last nine contests, tallying one goal and seven assists in that span.

Zegras, now playing as the de facto No. 1 pivot, is currently skating between Foerster and Owen Tippett. The former is a top-three defensive forward on the Flyers and possesses a lot of helpful characteristics; as Tocchet did earlier in the season with Christian Dvorak, perhaps Zegras can operate in a “hybrid” system with Foerster down the middle and share defensive responsibilities.

As for Dvorak, he had arguably his best game of the season on Sunday versus the Boston Bruins. Speaking with a team source, Dvorak was described as the “best player on the ice” for the Flyers. Dvorak has played the lion’s share of the season with Travis Konecny, who is now on the left wing with Martone skating on the right. It is just four games, but Dvorak has two goals and three assists over that span.

The 30-year-old Dvorak, who signed a five-year extension with the Flyers three months back, has well surpassed his season-best point total (already at 49) and is one goal shy of tying his career high in goals of 18.

Noah Cates has been one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL for some time now; his offense has always been the thing well behind the eight ball. His 17 goals and 43 points thus far this season are already career bests, and he has found decent chemistry with Michkov and, most recently, rookie Alex Bump on the team’s third line, giving Tocchet a lot of options down up and down the lineup.

The playoffs are not a guarantee, and what happens in the playoffs will tell us a lot, but is there a possibility that the Flyers don’t need to acquire an impact pivot this summer?

Speaking with a Flyers’ source, that question will be explored after the season after the dust has settled on whether the team gets in the postseason and how the aforementioned top pivots perform. But for the first time in some time, the Flyers’ outlook down the middle isn’t so bleak.

The optimistic outlook goes beyond the main roster too, as the Flyers’ are attempting to get 2024 second-round pick Jack Berglund over from Sweden to play some AHL games, according to sources. Berglund, who turns 20 in three days, is believed to have another year on his contract in the SHL. He captained Sweden to a gold medal at the World Junior Hockey Championship this past January and recorded 10 points in seven games during the tournament.

Additionally, it does sound like the Flyers are one of the teams interested in Dinamo Minsk centerman Vitali Pinchuk. The 24-year-old has 31 goals and 66 points in 65 games this season in the KHL.

_____

Recently by Anthony Di Marco

Flyers’ Matvei Michkov fined $2,000 for embellishment

Ben Steiner — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:37:32 GMT

The NHL has announced that Philadelphia Flyers right winger Matvei Michkov has been fined $2,000 for embellishment.

The play in which Michkov was fined for came in the Flyers’ 3-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 24. The embellished play saw Michkov tied up with the Blue Jackets’ Dante Fabbro, with the latter forcibly shoving Michkov, before the Flyers forward dropped to the ice too quickly.

Per Rule 64 in the NHL and NHLPA’s collective bargaining agreement, fines are handed out on a gradual scale based on the number of offenses the player commits. A player will receive a warning on their first citation, followed by fines of $2,000, $3,000, and $4,000, and then every subsequent fine will be $5,000. The player’s respective head coach will also begin receiving fines on the fifth citation onwards.

Michkov had received his warning citation for a play during the Flyers’ 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 3. The NHL did not specify which play in that game was flagged for embellishment, but that moment set the stage for Michkov to begin earning fines for the offense.

While there have been struggles in adjusting to the demands of head coach Rick Tocchet’s systems in Philadelphia, Michkov has enjoyed a relatively productive 2025-26 NHL season, scoring 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 points through 76 games.

Coming off back-to-back wins against the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins, the Flyers will look to keep the momentum going when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Heading into their final five games, including Tuesday’s clash, the Flyers sit third in the Metropolitan Division and are in the hunt to secure a spot in the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, having not qualified for the postseason since 2020.

What was Tom Fitzgerald’s fatal flaw as Devils GM?

Tyler Kuehl — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:22:42 GMT

The New Jersey Devils are bound for a new course with a new general manager, but what went wrong with the previous leader of hockey operations?

On Monday, it was announced that Tom Fitzgerald was departing the team as its general manager after over six years on the job. There were some exciting highs but an elongated list of lows during his tenure with the organization. Despite star players such as Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and others providing excitement for the surging franchise, personnel mistakes have led to the Devils missing the postseason in four of their six full seasons at the helm.

On Tuesday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton discuss what Fitzgerald did that ended up hurting their chances of being a top team in the Eastern Conference.

Tyler Yaremchuk: He walked into a team that had Hughes and Heischer and a whole bunch of other young players and he took some swings. It just never quite seemed to mesh. So, I’ll ask you the same question that we’ve asked when it comes to guys like Treliving and Trotz who are also GMs who’ve been fired in the last little bit. When you look back at his tenure, what was Fitzgerald’s fatal flaw?

Carter Hutton: I guess I think of this team, and you think about the way that the style that they played. This is a very offensive, creative team that I had a chance to play against. You think about how they would buzz in the offensive zone and create. Then it came to the fact that like, was it their goaltending, right? You think back to the Nico Daws and Akira Schmid and it’s just not really working out. Then the fact that they go out and they get Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen, who were just a little long in the tooth. I think the extension to Markstrom is concerning, at his age and what he brings to the table.

Then, the fact that I think you started to tinker a little too much with what you had. Yes, the East was being won by the Florida Panthers. And yes, they were powering through you and everything that they brought to the table. You can’t paint stripes on yourself and call yourself a tiger. This team wasn’t built to play this way. I think they tried to manipulate that a little too much. It ended up costing them because they’re built for speed and creativity in the offensive zone. I think it’s something they need to get back to.

You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…

Leafs hire group to lead head of hockey operations search

Kyle Morton — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:33:16 GMT

According to multiple reports, initially from Sportsnet’s Luke Fox, the Toronto Maple Leafs have retained Neil Glasberg and his firm The Coaches Agency to run the team’s search for a new leader of hockey operations.

Glasberg and his firm have been brought on to run the searches for six different NHL executive openings, notably Vancouver, Anaheim and Philadelphia.

In 2023, Frank Seravalli reported that figures around the league had concerns over conflict of interest issues relating to Glasberg’s representation of executive and coaching candidates he could potentially hire while running searches for teams in a separate capacity. At the time, he was running a search on behalf of the Philadelphia Flyers.

“There’s a reason why the NHLPA has a rule in place where agents are not allowed to represent both players and coaches or managers,” an NHL coach told Daily Faceoff at the time. “You can’t sit on both sides of the table. That’s not right.”

Both the Flyers and NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Daily Faceoff at the time that they were aware of Glasberg’s clients and did not see any such issue.

As noted by The Athletic‘s Chris Johnston, Florida Panthers assistant general manager Sunny Mehta, seen by many as a strong fit and candidate for the job in Toronto, is a client of Glasberg’s.

The Leafs are in the market for a new team president and/or general manager after moving on from Brad Treliving last month. Treliving, who had been Toronto’s general manager for the past three seasons, was not able to improve the quality of the roster that was left to him by Kyle Dubas, now with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The situation reached a boiling point this season as the Leafs quickly faded out of playoff contention after having been a part of each of the past 10 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

On Mar. 31, Leafs’ President and CEO Keith Pelley addressed the media to lay out his vision for the franchise moving forward in the wake of Treliving’s dismissal.

Pelley emphasized the need for the next head of hockey operations in Toronto to be “data-driven” while also expressing a vision for having experienced hockey minds in the room, suggesting that hiring both a general manager and president of hockey operations was on the table.

Rangers’ Gabe Perreault won’t win the Calder, but his rookie season deserves love

Steven Ellis — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT

The New York Rangers haven’t exactly been known for their high-end player development in recent years.

Alexis Lafreniere hasn’t lived up to expectations since going first overall in 2020. Kaapo Kakko couldn’t make it work and was ultimately sent to the Seattle Kraken. Vitali Kravtsov, Zac Jones and Joey Keane were each high up the Rangers’ organizational chart at one point, too. Only Jones remains on an NHL contract, but he’s currently playing with the Buffalo Sabres’ AHL affiliate at 25 years old.

So to say the Rangers didn’t want to screw up Gabe Perreault’s development was an understatement. And so far, so good.

Perreault spent two years terrorizing goaltenders on one of the top lines in the history of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. Perreault, along with Will Smith and Ryan Leonard, combined for 155 goals and 353 points in 2022-23 alone. Perreault’s 132-point campaign was the best in team history, proving he could dominate in so many areas with the puck on his stick.

The Rangers landed Perreault 23rd, a selection that many expected to be an absolute steal. That became evident almost immediately at Boston College, where he reunited with Smith and Leonard. Perreault finished with 19 goals and 60 points to finish sixth in NCAA scoring. He then followed that up with 48 points in 2024-25, placing 11th in the nation.

Clearly, he could produce against teenagers. He could do it against college kids, too. But the NHL is a different animal – and early usage under coach Peter Laviolette last year left a lot to be desired. Perreault failed to register a point through five games while Laviolette sparingly used the team’s top prospect.

But under the leadership of first-year Rangers coach Mike Sullivan, things have been much, much better. Perreault didn’t blow anyone away during the preseason and spent most of the first three months of the season with the AHL’s Hartford Wolfpack. But Perreault was called up for the second time on Dec. 18, which kicked off a three-game point streak. He’s been with the big club ever since, and is on pace for 26 points in 49 games as a rookie.

That three-goal performance against the Detroit Red Wings last weekend? That’s the type of dominance you love to see.

Time in NCAA weight rooms paid off. Perreault immediately looked like a better skater at the 2023 World Junior Summer Showcase – just more than a month after the draft – and it only improved over the two years. Perreault’s skating isn’t a standout quality of his right now or anything. But that was one of the things seen as a heavy detriment before the draft. Some added muscle would go a long way in improving his speed, though.

Perreault loves having the puck on his stick, and he seems to hold it a lot more effectively than he did in his draft year, too. Perreault is so smart on the ice, and his ability to incorporate more patience into his puck distribution against quicker, tougher competition has made him lethal. While he’s not overly aggressive, he does typically do well defending in 1-on-1 plays (typically in small-area situations) because he reads the play well.

“Gabe’s instincts are incredible; it’s hard to explain, but everything that makes Adam Fox good, Gabe has those traits,” said Daily Faceoff’s Jonny Lazarus. “The biggest thing for him is getting stronger and faster, but everything else is there. He sees the game three steps ahead, finds guys who don’t even seem like they might be open. His vision and timing are unbelievable.”

Perreault has recently found some success on New York’s top line with Alexis Lafreniere and Mika Zibanejad. Perreault’s thought process seems to be “all offense, all the time.” So it’s no surprise that he finds his linemates exceptionally well. Perreault is playing at a pace of around 45 points over the full season.

Three players – Calder favorites Beckett Sennecke, Ivan Demidov and Matthew Schaefer – have already surpassed that. But it’s not crazy to think that Perreault could have been in the top five conversation, and potentially even ahead of Leonard, had the 20-year-old spent the full season in the Big Apple.

Long-term, Perreault projects to be a skilled, top-six forward who excels as a playmaker and can do serious damage on the power play. The Rangers are in a rebuild, and Perreault will be a big part of it. He should be in his peak once the Rangers get themselves back into contention again.

So far? Perreault is looking like a gem. There’s still plenty of time for him to grow. But as it stands, there’s so much to love right now.

CHECK OUT OFF THE ROSTER – NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEKDAY

Off The Roster is Toronto sports. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, this is the go-to morning conversation for everything happening in the 6ix – Hockey, Baseball, Basketball and everything in between. From breakout performances and questionable trades to throwback jerseys, viral moments, and the stories fans are actually talking about – it’s smart, sharp, and never scripted. Live weekday mornings on the Nation Network YouTube channel and available wherever you stream podcasts, the show delivers real opinions, real chemistry, and real Toronto energy. Missed an episode? Catch up anytime. Off The Roster—The new sound of the 6ix.

PWHL Power Rankings: Who wants to face Montreal, Boston in the playoffs?

Tyler Kuehl — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:28:24 GMT

We have just a few weeks left in the 2025-26 regular season, and the push for the Walter Cup Playoffs is heading toward its zenith.

From the thrilling fight for first place between the Montreal Victoire and Boston Fleet, to the multitude of teams battling for the fourth and final playoff spot, it begs the question: What team is willing to sneak into the postseason, only to have the prospect of facing the two more dominant lineups in the league? Either you go up against the best goaltender and most defensively sound team in Boston, or face the high-powered and fierce attack from Montreal.

Regardless, the playoffs are always unpredictable, as we’ve learned in the first two years of the PWHL’s existence. Today, Hunter Crowther, Scott Maxwell and Tyler Kuehl rank the eight teams as we come down the home stretch.

1. x-Montreal Victoire

Record: 14-4-2-5, +32
Last Week: 2nd (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 2nd
Scott’s Rank: 1st
Tyler’s Rank: 1st

Tyler: Let’s call it as we see it, the Victoire are rolling at the right time of the season. Consecutive donuts on the board last week, including a notable 3-0 win over the Charge in front of a packed house near the nation’s capital (with Sandra Absreiter stealing the show, mind you), Montreal is showing an ability to rise to the occasion, even with the elongated absence of their captain. The only concern I have is whether the team will be able to keep that going into the playoffs. We’ve seen Montreal choke in back-to-back years, and while I believe this year is different, past postseason failures might still be in the back of this team’s head.

Hunter: It has been all business for the Victoire, who have won four straight in regulation and currently sit in the No. 1 spot in the PWHL standings. Not even the absence of Marie-Philip Poulin — who has been out since March 15 — can put a damper on a Montreal run that’s seen the likes of Hayley Scamurra and Kaitlin Willoughby step up, with Abby Roque snapping a five-game goalless drought and now leading the team in points with 19.

We haven’t even brought up Ann-Renee Desbiens, who has stopped 62 of 63 shots in her last three games and has given up more than two goals just once in 21 games this season. I repeat: Desbiens has given up more than two goals just once in 21 games this season. Can she and the rest of the Victoire carry this into the playoffs?

The Victoire look to take another step toward finishing first for the second year in a row on Tuesday night, when they host the Seattle Torrent.

2. x-Boston Fleet

Record: 13-5-2-4, +23
Last Week: 1st (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Scott’s Rank: 2nd
Tyler’s Rank: 2nd

Hunter: There were no games for the Fleet last week, but they go into Tuesday’s matchup against the Goldeneyes on a four-game heater and wins in 11 of their last 13 games. And as my colleague Tyler pointed out last week, despite not having Aerin Frankel in the crease in their last game against the Frost, they were dominant and proved they’re more than just a team riding a hot PDO wave.

Boston will try to take care of business in Vancouver before what feels like a potential Walter Cup final matchup against the Victoire on Saturday night. It’s still early, but that game could prove to be a litmus test for who the top dog is going into the playoffs.

Tyler: I don’t want to make it seem like I knocked the Fleet down a peg despite not playing any games last week, but the current numbers don’t lie: Boston is slightly behind Montreal on a couple of levels. Offensively, the Fleet still has more to be desired, especially compared to the Victoire and Minnesota Frost. Yet, Boston still has one of the better defenses in the league, with goaltender Aerin Frankel carrying the load with an MVP-esque season. That said, the way this team is built and performs, they have a good chance to make a deep run in the playoffs.

The Fleet return to play on Tuesday night, as they take on the Vancouver Goldeneyes in the final Takeover Tour game in Edmonton.

3. x-Minnesota Frost

Record: 12-3-4-6, +20
Last Week: 3rd
Hunter’s Rank: 3rd
Scott’s Rank: 3rd
Tyler’s Rank: 3rd

Hunter: Tinfoil hat time: Are the Frost trying to lose games so they can enter the Walter Cup Playoffs as the lower seed and win the championship for a third straight year? No, that’s preposterous! But with losses in three of their last four games — and the lone victory coming in what can only be described as a barnburner against the Goldeneyes — Minnesota may start the postseason on the road.

Still, it’s hard to look at the last two seasons and come away thinking Ken Klee’s group is in trouble. Sure, there are things to tighten up on the defensive end, but the Frost have proven time and time again that they’re cooler than the other side of the pillow.

Tyler: If the rest of the playoff contenders weren’t so bad, I would’ve knocked the Frost down a spot or two. Holy smokes, the way they lost that game to the Sirens, regardless of whether it was on the road, was pathetic. Then, falling behind to the lowly Vancouver Goldeneyes, relying on a great performance from Kelly Pannek to come away with a 6-5 win to punch their ticket to the playoffs, is eye-opening.

Sure, the Frost have the fun, wild and high-powered offense, but if they continue to be unreliable in terms of keeping the puck out of the net, we might be looking at a new Walter Cup champion this year. I know Ken Klee’s team has the ability to turn things up in the playoffs, but things are looking a little icy in Minnesota.

Minnesota is off until Saturday, when the team gets to face the Sirens once again, this time on home ice.

4. Toronto Sceptres

Record: 9-1-5-10, -16
Last Week: 6th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 4th
Scott’s Rank: 5th
Tyler’s Rank: 5th

Hunter: The Sceptres defeated the Charge 2-1 in front of more than 16,000 fans inside Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome, thanks to the line of Blayre Turnbull, Claire Dalton and Maggie Connors, who each had a point on the team’s two goals. Raygan Kirk stopped 28 shots in her first game back since injury. Toronto is clinging to the No. 4 playoff spot and has a chance to hold onto it in a rematch against Ottawa at home this weekend.

Speaking of Turnbull, the Sceptres’ captain hit career highs in all offensive categories with nine goals, seven assists and 16 points, and she sits second on the team in points behind Daryl Watts.

Tyler: That win for Toronto over Ottawa in Calgary was huge. The Sceptres had lost back-to-back games on home ice and seemed to be spiraling out of the playoff picture. Yet, they enter the week holding that last playoff spot, and the ball is in their court. They just need to find a way to get the offense going again. The team has scored three goals in a game just twice since coming back from the Olympic break. Daryl Watts has been helping out in a big way, but outside of her and captain Blayre Turnbull, scoring has been slim throughout the roster.

Having a healthy Raygan Kirk return to action is helpful, as she had been playing well prior to suffering an upper-body injury. However, if she doesn’t get any goal support, Toronto might be fighting an uphill battle down the stretch.

The Sceptres are off until Saturday, when they have an important matchup with the Charge at home.

5. New York Sirens

Record: 8-2-3-12, -11
Last Week: 5th
Hunter’s Rank: 5th
Scott’s Rank: 4th
Tyler’s Rank: 6th

Hunter: I think what’s frustrated me most about the Sirens in 2025-26 is that it’s clear the ingredients for a Walter Cup Playoff-caliber team are there, but they haven’t been able to get in the kitchen and cook the damn food. New York won both their games last week, albeit in overtime and a shootout, meaning they’re still three points back of the Sceptres for fourth in the standings.

Sarah Fillier has stepped up in Kristyna Kaltounkova’s absence, recording six goals in her last five games, including a hat trick last week against the Frost. Whatever caused her to score just once in her first 17 games is in the rearview mirror, and she might just drag this group into the playoffs herself.

Tyler: The Sirens did what they had to do on Saturday, and that was simply win at MSG. That said, you’re playing the last-placed Torrent in one of the biggest games on the calendar, and you fail to pick up three points. Yes, the home fans walked away happy that their team got a win, but I can’t sit here and say that grabbing two points is enough for a team in New York’s position. I understand Kristyna Kaltounkova is still out, but this group needs to find that drive deep down inside to overcome this adversity and finally clinch a playoff spot. New York has the talent and players to get it done, it’s just getting out of their own way that’s proving to be the biggest hurdle.

The Sirens are off until Saturday, when they have the tough task of facing the Frost on the road.

6. Ottawa Charge

Record: 6-7-1-11, -10
Last Week: 4th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 6th
Scott’s Rank: 6th
Tyler’s Rank: 4th

Tyler: The Charge was dealt a huge blow with the announcement that Carla MacLeod was going to be stepping away from the team as she continues her breast cancer treatment. You can only hope the team rallies around their head coach as they continue to fight for fourth place. Losing in front of a boisterous crowd at CTC on Friday night certainly didn’t help their chances, but there’s still time for Ottawa to bounce back in the final weeks, especially since they face the Sceptres twice before things are all said and done.

Hunter: It feels like for a good chunk of 2025-26, the Charge were heavily outshot and relied on strong goaltending and keeping the majority of chances to the perimeter of the rink. But Ottawa has outshot its opponents in four straight games, including a 39-26 gap against the Victoire last Friday. However, they’ve only earned five of a possible 12 points during that span and remain one point back of the Sceptres for the fourth and final playoff spot.

The Charge can take that spot back on Wednesday against the last-place Torrent, and then create some space between them and the Sceptres in a road game this weekend in Toronto.

7. Vancouver Goldeneyes

Record: 7-1-4-13, -15
Last Week: 7th
Hunter’s Rank: 7th
Scott’s Rank: 8th
Tyler’s Rank: 7th

Tyler: It’s insane to think that Vancouver is one loss away from tying the league record for most defeats in a single season, but still has an outside chance of getting into the postseason. The team is coming off a crucial four-game road trip, which saw them go 1-3-0. Yet, with five games left, the Goldeneyes still have a chance to make one last run, especially with three of their final four games of the season coming on home ice. Yes, they’ll actually need to win hockey games and get a ton of help to make it happen, but the door isn’t fully shut…yet.

Hunter: It’s hard to come away with positives after a week where a team earned zero of a possible six points, but that’s where I’m at with the Goldeneyes, who were shutout by the Victoire then responded with a 6-5 loss to the Frost over the weekend. Sophie Jaques matched last season’s goal total of seven and Sarah Nurse snapped a five-game goalless drought.

Bonus fact: Saturday’s loss was the first time Emerance Maschmeyer allowed more than three goals in a game since Dec. 20, a stretch of 10 games. Despite giving up six, she still maintains a fourth-ranked .923 save percentage.

The Goldeneyes are in Edmonton on Tuesday night, taking on the Fleet in the final Takeover Tour game of the season.

8. Seattle Torrent

Record: 6-1-3-14, -20
Last Week: 8th
Hunter’s Rank: 8th
Scott’s Rank: 7th
Tyler’s Rank: 8th

Hunter: It was a heartbreaking loss for the Torrent against the Sirens at Madison Square Garden over the weekend, giving up a late goal to Sarah Fillier before losing in the shootout. Lots of credit should go to Corinne Schroeder, who stopped 37 of 38 New York shots, including a 16-shot barrage in the third period.

Hey, at least 2026 Patty Kazmaier Award-winner Caroline Harvey was in attendance for the game. Maybe she just wanted a first-hand look at the team that’s going to select her No. 1 overall in the 2026 PWHL Draft.

Tyler: By the end of their back-to-back this week, the Torrent could be eliminated from playoff contention…mercifully. Outside of that surprising win over the Sirens in Chicago almost two weeks ago, Seattle has been heading down the wrong path, despite playing in a series of close games. The team has lost six of its past seven games, though all but one of those games were on the road. You almost have to hope the Torrent fall out of contention sooner rather than later, giving them plenty of time to accumulate Gold Plan points and secure the first overall pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft.

The Torrent face the Victoire on Tuesday before taking on the Charge on Wednesday.

Read more PWHL stories on DFO

2026 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four Preview: How Denver, Michigan, North Dakota, Wisconsin match up

Tyler Kuehl — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

As the old saying goes, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”

Well, this weekend, what’s going to happen in Sin City is that some of the best teams in college hockey, filled with young and aspiring NHL prospects, will battle it out in the 2026 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four.

The regional action from two weekends ago was thrilling, with plenty of drama and entertainment that carried over into the events in Las Vegas. All four programs that made it to this point had to deal with a little adversity along the way, but certainly have the firepower to play for a national championship.

T-Mobile Arena is the home for the Frozen Four for the first time, as fans from all around the country head to the Entertainment Capital of the World to see the four winningest programs in NCAA hockey history, which have combined for 84 Frozen Four appearances and 33 national titles.

Let’s take a look at the semifinal matchups:

Wisconsin vs. North Dakota

North Dakota Fighting Hawks

NHL affiliates: EJ Emery, D (New York Rangers), Dylan James, F (Detroit Red Wings), Ollie Josephson, F (Seattle Kraken), David Klee, F (San Jose Sharks), Sam Laurila, D (New York Islanders), Cade Littler, F (Calgary Flames), Cole Reschny, F (Calgary Flames), Andrew Strathmann, D (Columbus Blue Jackets), Ben Strinden, F (Nashville Predators), Mac Swanson, F (Pittsburgh Penguins), Abram Wiebe, D (Calgary Flames), Will Zellers, F (Boston Bruins)

The Fighting Hawks entered the tournament as the second-best team in the country, and they showed why last week in Sioux Falls. Despite having lost in the NCHC Semifinals, North Dakota responded with a couple of convincing wins over Merrimack and Quinnipiac, beating the Warriors and Bobcats by a combined score of 8-0, sending the team to the Frozen Four for the first time since 2016. NCHC goaltender of the year Jan Spunar was exceptional in the regional, stopping all 53 shots that he faced.

One of the takeaways from South Dakota was that the Fighting Hawks finally had a couple of players reach the 35-point mark. Ellis Rickwood posted a pair of assists to give him the team lead with 36 points, while Cole Reschny, the NCHC Rookie of the Year, scored his first goal of the postseason against Quinnipiac last Saturday, which was enough to push him up to 35 points on the year as well.

Despite not having any players in the top 30 in NCAA scoring, the NCHC regular-season champions possess the third-best offense in the country, thanks to having one of the deepest lineups with five players totaling 30 points thus far.

Now, entering their 23rd Frozen Four appearance, the Fighting Hawks seek a ninth national championship, and their first since that run to the NCAA title 10 years ago.

Wisconsin Badgers

NHL affiliates: Tyson Dyck, F (Ottawa Senators), Quinn Finley, F (New York Islanders), Logan Hensler, D (Ottawa Senators), Bruno Idzan, F (Ottawa Senators), Kyle Kukkonen, F (Anaheim Ducks), Blake Montgomery, F (Ottawa Senators), Luke Osburn, D (Buffalo Sabres), Jack Phelan, D (Detroit Red Wings), Zach Schulz, D (New York Islanders), Vasily Zelenov, F (Buffalo Sabres)

While the Badgers have a storied history of their own, few expected this year’s team to make a run to the Frozen Four. Sure, they gave Michigan and Michigan State a run for their money during the regular season, but many doubted Wisconsin after they were eliminated in the Big Ten Quarterfinals.

Yet, despite having over two weeks off, the team showed that they deserved to be in the national tournament. After eliminating the ECAC champion Dartmouth Big Green, the Badgers rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the third to knock off the heavily-favored Michigan State Spartans in overtime in the regional final, punching their ticket to the Frozen Four for the first time in 16 years.

While Wisconsin has a couple of players with NHL potential, including the team’s leading goal scorer in Quinn Finley, the team has relied on those college veterans who have been crucial to the team’s success. Gavin Morrissey, who leads the team with 36 points, posted three points against the Spartans in Worcester. Captain Ben Dexheimer, the OT hero two weeks ago, is an underrated two-way defenseman, earning All-Big Ten First Team honors this season.

Wisconsin has made it to the national semifinals for the 12th time in program history. The team hasn’t played for a national title since 2010, when it lost to Boston College in Detroit.

Tale of the Tape

I’m refraining from calling this a ‘David vs. Goliath’ scenario, as any team that makes it to the Frozen Four deserves to be here, and anything can happen in the national tournament. However, the strength of the Fighting Hawks compared to their Big Ten foe seems overwhelming on paper. That said, Wisconsin has a bunch of guys that have a chip on their shoulder, contrary to a UND squad that has a lot of players who have taken time to adjust to the college game after leaving major junior.

These two teams used to meet all the time in the old WCHA, leading to many exciting finishes. All-time, Wisconsin is 87-73-13 against North Dakota, though the Fighting Hawks have won five of the past six meetings. The Fighting Hawks have won all three meetings in the NCAA Tournament as well.

Denver vs. Michigan

Michigan Wolverines

NHL affiliates: Asher Barnett, D (Edmonton Oilers), Kienan Draper, F (Detroit Red Wings), Michael Hage, F (Montreal Canadiens), Will Horcoff, F (Pittsburgh Penguins), Jack Ivankovic, G (Nashville Predators), Henry Mews, D (Calgary Flames), Cole McKinney, F (San Jose Sharks), Nicholas Moldenhauer, F (San Jose Sharks), Aidan Park, F (Edmonton Oilers), Jayden Perron, F (Carolina Hurricanes), Drew Schock, D (Anaheim Ducks), Malcolm Spence, F (New York Rangers)

Talented, aggressive, confident and downright efficient when they’re at their best. The Wolverines have all the makings of being a national championship team, and they have shown that throughout the year.

Michigan enters the Frozen Four for a record 29th time, and the fourth time in the past five seasons. Brandon Naurato’s team is riding a six-game win streak, having won the Big Ten Tournament for the first time in three years, beating the likes of Penn State and Ohio State to get there. Then, the Wolverines, the No. 1 seed heading into the national tournament, outlasted Bentley before hanging on to defeat Minnesota Duluth in the regional final in Albany.

There are a multitude of reasons that the maize and blue have been so successful this season, including having the nation’s top offense. Michael Hage has put himself on a path to the NHL with an incredible season, though his status remains questionable after playing very little against the Bulldogs after not playing in the team’s tournament opener. Fellow NHL prospects Jayden Perron and Will Horcoff have also had incredible campaigns. Captain T.J. Hughes is surely going to sign an NHL deal when his season’s over, as the undrafted forward is second in the nation in scoring with 56 points, was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and was a semifinalist for the Hobey Baker Award.

Goaltender Jack Ivankovic has been exceptional as well. The former OHLer has provided stability in net for the Wolverines, sitting second in the country with 25 wins on the year.

The Wolverines haven’t played in a national title game since losing to Duluth in 2011, and haven’t won it all since 1998.

Denver Pioneers

NHL affiliates: Garrett Brown, D (Winnipeg Jets), Hagen Burrows, F (Tampa Bay Lightning), Clarke Caswell, F (Seattle Kraken), Kristian Epperson, F (Los Angeles Kings), Jake Fisher, F (Colorado Avalanche), Sam Harris, F (Montreal Canadiens), Eric Jamieson, D (Calgary Flames), Rieger Lorenz, F (Minnesota Wild), Brendan McMorrow, F (Los Angeles Kings), Quentin Miller, G (Montreal Canadiens), Tory Pitner, D (Colorado Avalanche), Eric Pohlkamp, D (San Jose Sharks), James Reeder, F (Los Angeles Kings), Samu Salminen, F (New Jersey Devils)

It’s hard to think how the Pioneers could’ve been considered underdogs heading into regionals. Sure, they weren’t the top seed in the Loveland Regional, but they had “home-ice” advantage and had just come off capturing the NCHC Championship. DU rode that momentum to a couple of dominant efforts two weeks ago, beating up the Cornell Big Red, 5-0, before running away with a 6-2 victory over the defending champion Western Michigan Broncos in the national quarterfinals to advance to the Frozen Four for the 20th time in program history, and the fourth time in the past five years.

David Carle’s team has more than enough firepower to add another trophy to the crowded shrine at Magness Arena. Junior defenseman Eric Pohlkamp continues to lead the offensive attack, with Rieger Lorenz and Sam Harris piling up the goals this year. A couple of the heroes from the regional were Brendan McMorrow and Kieran Cebrian. McMorrow, who missed most of the second semester due to an injury suffered at the World Juniors, scored a goal and an assist against WMU. Cebrian, who was named to the regional’s All-Tournament Team, scored twice in Loveland.

Goaltender Johnny Hicks has been on the run of all runs. The rookie netminder has not lost any of the 15 decisions he’s had this season, all coming in the second semester, including winning 11 straight games. In Loveland, he stopped 50 of the 52 shots he faced, earning the region’s Most Outstanding Player honor.

The Pioneers are looking to capture a record 11th national championship, and third in the past five years.

Tale of the Tape

Sure, Michigan has played some pretty good teams in the Big Ten this year, but they only had a taste of what it’s like to go up against squads from the ever-impressive NCHC when the team split with Western Michigan back in October. While the Wolverines have loads of skill and pizzazz, Denver has the winning pedigree that has made it a standard-bearer in the land of college hockey, surpassing the Wolverines as the winningest team in NCAA Tournament history in just a few years.

Michigan and Denver have a history dating back to the early ’50s, but the former WCHA rivals didn’t meet for nearly 20 years. The last three matchups have come in the national tournament. The Wolverines beat the Pioneers in the first round of the 1999 tournament, as well as the regional semis in 2002. Four years ago, DU outlasted U-M in overtime in the national semifinals on its way to the championship.

Denver is 47-36-1 all-time against Michigan.

Schedule

Wisconsin vs. North Dakota – Thursday, April 9 (5 p.m. ET) ESPN2, TSN+
Denver vs. Michigan – Thursday, April 9 (8:30 p.m. ET) ESPN2, TSN+
National Championship Game – Saturday, April 11 (5:30 p.m. ET) ESPN, TSN2, TSN+

2026 NHL Draft Lottery Odds: Which teams have the best chance to select first overall?

Steven Ellis — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:32:22 GMT

It’s that time of year again.

The 2026 NHL Draft will take place this June, with the lottery expected sometime in the spring. This will also be the second iteration of the decentralized draft, meaning all 32 teams will remain at home while players are selected in person at a location yet to be determined (though multiple reports have surfaced suggesting Buffalo is the frontrunner).

Gavin McKenna entered the season as the projected No. 1 pick and is still expected to go quite high. But forwards Ivar Stenberg and Tynan Lawrence, as well as defensemen Keaton Verhoeff, Alberts Smits and Chase Reid, among others, have all put up strong arguments to be the first player chosen.

Teams can only win the lottery twice in a five-year span. It’s been rare to see a team with minuscule odds win it all, but it happened in 2020 when the New York Rangers won the lottery with the 14th-best odds and took Alexis Lafreniere. Under the new rules, only the bottom 11 teams now qualify for a shot at the No. 1 overall pick, and the New York Islanders pulled it off with the 10th-best odds of 3.5 percent last season, picking defenseman Matthew Schaefer.

Key Dates:

End of Regular Season: April 16, 2026
NHL Draft Lottery: TBA
IIHF U-18 Men’s World Championship: April 22 – May 2, 2026 (Piestany/Bratislava, Slovakia)
NHL Draft Combine: May 31 – June 6, 2026 (LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo, N.Y.)
NHL Draft: Jun 26, 2025 – Jun 27, 2025 (KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.)

Projected Top 5 Prospects

Ivar Stenberg, LW (Frolunda)
Gavin McKenna, LW (Penn State University)
Keaton Verhoeff, RHD (University of North Dakota)
Chase Reid, RHD (Soo Greyhounds)
Alberts Šmits, LHD (Jukurit)

2026 NHL Draft Lottery Odds

Games completed as of April 6

Rank	Team	Points %	No. 1 Pick Odds
1	Vancouver Canucks	.342	25.5%
2	Chicago Blackhawks	.449	13.5%
3	Calgary Flames	.474	11.5%
4	New York Rangers	.481	9.5%
5	Seattle Kraken	.493	8.5%
6	Florida Panthers*	.500	7.5%
7	Boston Bruins (via TOR)**	.506	6.5%
8	St. Louis Blues	.513	6.0%
9	Winnipeg Jets	.519	5.0%
10	Nashville Predators	.532	3.5%
11	San Jose Sharks	.533	3.0%

Bold: Position Clinched
*Florida’s first-round pick is top-10 protected
** Toronto’s first-round pick is top-five protected

Reminder: As a result of Draft Lottery rule changes made effective in 2021, a team may only move up a maximum of 10 spots from their finishing position. That means only the bottom 11 teams have a shot at the No. 1 overall pick.

Therefore, instead of the published odds, which indicate the 32nd-place team has an 18.5 percent chance – which was accurate when all 16 non-playoff teams had a crack at the No. 1 pick – the additional percentages from those five clubs are effectively applied to the 32nd-place finisher, hence the 25.5 percent odds.

Of note: the National Hockey League has previously ruled that the Ottawa Senators must forfeit their own first-round pick in 2026 as punishment for their role in the invalidated deal between the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks ahead of the 2022 trade deadline.

The league ruled that the Senators had not been forthright with the Golden Knights about the trade protection in Dadonov’s deal when they traded the veteran winger to Vegas in 2021. When the Golden Knights subsequently attempted to flip Dadonov to Anaheim, they did so without knowing that the Ducks were on his ‘no-trade’ list.

Recent NHL Draft Lottery Results

Year	Winner (Previous Seed)	Original No. 1 Seed	First Overall Pick
2020	New York Rangers (14)	Detroit Red Wings	Alexis Lafreniere
2021	Buffalo Sabres (1)	Buffalo Sabres	Owen Power
2022	Montreal Canadiens (1)	Montreal Canadiens	Juraj Slafkovsky
2023	Chicago Blackhawks (3)	Anaheim Ducks	Connor Bedard
2024	San Jose Sharks (1)	San Jose Sharks	Macklin Celebrini
2025	New York Islanders (10)	San Jose Sharks	Matthew Schaefer

_____

POST SPONSORED BY bet365

What’s at Stake in the NHL: Will Flames’ playoff hopes be smothered?

Matt Larkin — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:29:06 GMT

Welcome to the home stretch of the 2025-26 NHL season. This deep into the schedule, something significant is on the line virtually every day, whether it’s a playoff spot, division title to clinch or a major individual milestone. At Daily Faceoff, we’re breaking down what you need to know every day between now and the end of the season April 16.

So what’s at stake across the 11-game slate for Tuesday, April 7?

– The Carolina Hurricanes (49-22-6)’ magic number to clinch the Metropolitan Division title is one. All they need is a single point Tuesday night in their home tilt vs. the Boston Bruins.

– If the Bruins lose in regulation AND the Montreal Canadiens beat the Florida Panthers in any fashion, the Habs lock in one of the top three spots in the Atlantic Division, setting up a first-round matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning or Buffalo Sabres. The Lightning (48-23-6) will clinch a top-three spot with a single point against the Ottawa Senators, while the Buffalo Sabres (47-23-8) do so if the Bruins lose in any fashion.

– Is the New Jersey Devils‘ (40-34-3) number up? The officially miss the playoffs if they lose to the Philadelphia Flyers in regulation AND the Senators get a single point against the Lightning.

– The Colorado Avalanche (50-16-10) clinch the Central Division crown and the top overall seed in the Western Conference if (a) they beat the St. Louis Blues in any fashion, (c) the Dallas Stars lose to the Calgary Flames in regulation or (c) if they get a point or more and the Stars get a point or fewer.

– The Calgary Flames (32-36-8) will be officially eliminated from playoff contention if (a) they lose to Dallas in regulation or (b) if they get one point or fewer and the Nashville Predators beat the Anaheim Ducks.

– Milestone reminders: Cole Caufield’s next goal makes him the Habs’ first 50-goal scorer since 1989-90. Also, Evan Bouchard needs just two points to become the second Edmonton Oilers defenseman with 90 in a season, joining Paul Coffey.

_____

PRESENTED BY STAKE

‘I don’t know if they should keep their job’: Cooper on penalty box attendant after Holmberg injury

Scott Maxwell — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 04:07:44 GMT

It’s not often you see a head coach take out their frustrations on non-NHL team employees, and even less often that it’s a justified frustration, but that’s exactly what happened during Monday night’s game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres.

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was not happy with a penalty box attendant at Key Bank Arena after their failure to keep the door to the penalty box completely closed resulted in an injury to Lightning center Pontus Holmberg.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper said the penalty box was not completely closed when Pontus Holmberg went into the boards, causing the forward’s injury.

Cooper: “I don’t know who was working the penalty box … but I don’t know if they should keep their job after what happened there.”
— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) April 7, 2026

“I don’t know who’s working the penalty box over there, but I don’t know if they should keep their job after what happened there, leaving the door open,” Cooper said to the media after the game. “That could have hurt anybody on either team. Those are just dangerous situations so a little frustrated on my part, to be honest.”

The injury in question occurred with less than eight minutes left in the Lightning’s 4-2 loss to the Sabres on Monday. Holmberg was hit by Peyton Krebs into the boards in front of the home team penalty box, and while it at first seemed like an ordinary hit, Holmberg was slow to get up, holding his right shoulder while laying on the ice and getting to the bench under his own strength. However, a closer look at the hit showed that the penalty box door opens upon impact, and Holmberg’s shoulder slams into the part of the boards which the door connects to when closed.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have another injury to worry about. Pontus Holmberg's shoulder and head go straight into the boards.

The Holmberg-Gourde-Girgensons line is critical come playoff time. pic.twitter.com/a3ByQInOcX
— Evan Closky (@ECloskyWTSP) April 7, 2026

At this point in time, there isn’t a specific update on Holmberg or his timeline for return. However, when asked how he was doing, Cooper said Holmberg was “not good” and wasn’t optimistic about his status moving forward.

Jon Cooper tonight on the Pontus Holmberg injury:

"I don't know who is working the penalty box over there, but I don't know if they should keep their job after what happened there. Like, leaving the door open. That could have hurt anyone on either team. Those are just dangerous… pic.twitter.com/V3cwXlm2ni
— Evan Closky (@ECloskyWTSP) April 7, 2026

Holmberg has had a good season for the Lightning, setting career highs with 11 goals and 22 points in 70 games, while also providing elite defense with a -0.223 5v5 regularized adjusted plus-minus expected goals against per 60 minutes which ranks seventh among forwards.

This all comes in a crucial game for the Lightning. While they have a playoff spot clinched, their matchup against the Sabres was important in the race for the Atlantic Division, as both teams are now tied in points at 102. However, Tampa Bay still has one game in hand in this race.

Wild sign Charlie Stramel to three-year, entry-level contract

Scott Maxwell — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 02:08:36 GMT

The Minnesota Wild have announced that they’ve signed prospect center Charlie Stramel to a three-year, entry-level contract.

A hometown kid in a Wild sweater just feels right

We have signed forward Charlie Stramel to a three-year, entry-level contract starting the 2026-27 season

Full details » https://t.co/pyAN6L1nOE pic.twitter.com/wtYAclyNFA
— x – Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 7, 2026

Stramel’s contract will begin in the 2026-27 season. While some players would either sign for the remainder of the 2025-26 season to play with their NHL team, or an AHL professional tryout to play pro hockey in the minors, Stramel won’t be doing either due to a broken ankle keeping him out for the remainder of the season. Stramel sustained the injury early in Michigan State University’s 4-3 quarterfinal loss against Wisconsin.

At this point in time, the salary of Stramel’s contract, along with any signing or performance bonuses, are not known. However, based on the parameters set in the collective bargaining agreement, his salary should fall somewhere between $850,000 and $1.025 million.

Stramel is coming off of his best season in the NCAA, where he put up 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points in 37 games. Prior to that, he had a combined 17 goals and 30 assists for 47 points in his previous three seasons, so he nearly doubles his career totals in his final season.

Stramel was the Wild’s 21st-overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, a draft class which has already seen 36 players graduate to the NHL, including 22 first-round picks.

Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis had this to say about Stramel in his piece highlighting NHL prospects to watch during the 2026 NCAA men’s hockey tournament:

“This will be Stramel’s last kick at the can. So it’s a good thing that he has played his best hockey this season. He had 47 points over his first three seasons combined before exploding for 19 goals and 44 points this year. The 6-foot-3 forward plays a powerful game, overwhelming opponents with both a big shot and his massive frame. Stramel is extremely difficult to contain on the rush, even if he’s not the fastest skater you’ll find. He’s likely a middle-six player in the NHL.”

Stramel was a part of a strong Michigan State squad who finished first in the Big 10 conference with a 16-6-2 record, and a 26-9-2 overall record. However, they fell short in the playoffs, losing 4-3 to Wisconsin in the quarterfinals.

Kraken’s Philipp Grubauer leaves game against Jets due with lower-body injury

Tyler Kuehl — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:53:56 GMT

An early end for a veteran goaltender north of the border.

As the third period began on Monday night in a game between the Seattle Kraken and the Winnipeg Jets, the Kraken revealed that goaltender Philipp Grubauer wouldn’t return to the game due to a lower-body injury.

Grubauer was hurt during the second period in a rather odd incident. The puck was dumped into the Kraken zone, and the German netminder crouched down to cover the puck. While the play seemed routine, he quickly jumped up and started skating over to the bench, favoring his right leg.

Philipp Grubauer is hurt. Favoring one leg after an innocent looking play.

Joey Daccord comes into the game. pic.twitter.com/IGbd1dx2LL
— Emerald City Hockey (@EmeraldCityHky) April 7, 2026

After briefly consulting with the trainers, Grubauer turned and skated off the ice at Canada Life Centre, making way for Joey Daccord to enter the game in relief. Grubauer exited the contest with the Kraken trailing 3-1. In 33:20 of work, he made 15 saves on the 18 shots he faced.

It has been a tough second half of the season for the 34-year-old, and the entire team in Seattle, for that matter. The team had a promising first few months, with Grubauer seemingly returning to form, helping the team portray a playoff contender. However, things have turned south for the Kraken, as the team hit a rough slide in February, and has struggled to find wins since the Olympic break, leading to the team falling further out of the Wild Card race.

Heading into Monday, Grubauer had a record of 13-11-4, with a 2.59 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. While his numbers are far better than his terrible output during the 2024-25 campaign, they aren’t good enough to get the team back to the postseason.

The Kraken (32-32-11) are sixth in the Pacific Division, six points back of a Wild Card spot.

Dallas Stars ban fan following apparent Nazi salute at game

Ben Steiner — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:01:56 GMT

The Dallas Stars have banned a fan from the American Airlines Center after a video emerged of a group of fans giving an apparent Nazi salute at a December home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Stars said Monday that the fan who purchased the tickets is the one who has been banned, but did not identify which fan in the video was the purchaser. The video quickly spread across social media, gaining significant traction over the last week in the lead-up to Monday’s ban from the hockey club.

“We identified and spoke with the individual that purchased the tickets and will be banning the individual indefinitely from the American Airlines Center,” the Stars said in a statement to ESPN.

“Additionally, we are increasing in-arena messaging regarding the Fan Code of Conduct and how our fans can report violations, along with prioritizing staff training to identify and handle situations that arise. Any type of discriminatory or hateful behavior will not be tolerated and has no place in our arena. Creating and sustaining environments that are inclusive, safe, and respectful is a non-negotiable for the Dallas Stars.”

Each NHL team already has messaging ahead of puck drop informing attendees of the NHL and the team’s code of conduct, listing off intolerable offenses, including abusive language, gestures and behavior, among other forms of personal expression, that demean a specific race, ethnicity, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability status or other identity-based characteristics.

The NHL’s code of conduct, meanwhile, defines four key sections of respect, inclusion, safety and empowerment.

With the ban in place, the suspended fan will no longer be able to attend Stars games or other events at the American Airlines Center, which also hosts the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and several concerts each year.

The Stars, sitting first in the Central Division, will wrap up regular season play over the next five games before eyeing the organization’s first Stanley Cup title since the 1998-99 season.

New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald departs from organization

Scott Maxwell — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 23:12:43 GMT

The New Jersey Devils have announced that general manager and president of hockey operations Tom Fitzgerald has departed from the organization.

#BREAKING: New Jersey Devils Managing Partner David Blitzer announced today that Tom Fitzgerald will depart the organization.
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) April 6, 2026

“Tom and I had a thoughtful conversation today and agreed it was time to move in a new direction,” Devils managing partner Dan Blitzer said in a statement released by the team. “Tom changed the trajectory of our team here, including setting a franchise record for points in a season and helping make New Jersey a hockey destination. He is a well-respected leader across the Devils’ organization and NHL, and I am grateful for our friendship. I wish Tom and his family all the best. As we prepare to move forward, it is important I acknowledge our fans. I recognize we have not delivered in the way you expect and deserve and I understand and share in your frustration. This is a critical offseason for our franchise, and we will explore all avenues that best position the Devils to compete for a Stanley Cup once again.”

At this point, a replacement for Fitzgerald has not been announced, nor has an interim been named. It’s not confirmed if assistant GMs Dan MacKinnon and Kate Madigan will also be departing the organization, but if they don’t, it’s assumed they will take over the role of interim through the five remaining games on the Devils’ schedule.

“After talking with David Blitzer, it was apparent to everyone that the best course of action is to move on for the benefit of the team,” Fitzgerald said. “I am incredibly appreciative to David, Josh Harris, and the entire New Jersey Devils organization for being a part of my life for the past decade. The Devils are fortunate to have a core of great players, vocal and passionate fans, but most importantly, tremendous people who worked with me toward a common goal. I’ve always said that New Jersey is a hidden gem and I’m proud of the effort that we put in to raise the standard and make it a destination. I look forward to the next step in my hockey career and will always look back fondly on my time with the Devils.”

Fitzgerald was fired after a disappointing season which currently sees the Devils outside of a playoff spot by seven points with a 40-34-3 record. While some of that can be chalked up to a competitive Eastern Conference, as the Devils would be in a playoff spot in the Western Conference, it’s still disappointing after expectations of playoff and potentially Stanley Cup contention, especially after their 13-4-1 start.

Fitzgerald spent parts of seven seasons as the GM, and 11 seasons total with the team, previously serving as an assistant GM. Since first assuming the role with an interim tag on January 12th, 2020, the Devils went 230-212-44 under Fitzgerald, and their .519 points percentage in that span is tied with the Vancouver Canucks for 21st in the league.

Capitals call up top prospect Protas ahead of potential NHL debut

Ryan Cuneo — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:37:20 GMT

It appears the Washington Capitals will be adding one more reinforcement for the final four-game stretch of their season, hoping to make the playoffs for the 17th time in 19 years.

On Monday, the team announced that have they recalled forward prospect Ilya Protas from the AHL’s Hershey Bears.

The Washington Capitals have recalled forward Ilya Protas from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL). The 19-year-old leads AHL rookies and ranks sixth among all skaters in points this season. pic.twitter.com/eWkxLvZmgh
— Capitals PR (@CapitalsPR) April 6, 2026

Protas, 19, has 28 goals and 34 assists for 62 points in 66 games with Hershey this season, good for sixth in AHL scoring, and first among AHL rookies.

The Belarussian national was selected by Washington in the third round (75th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. While not an especially ballyhooed prospect at the time, Protas’ play since getting drafted has hypercharged the excitement around him. Last season, playing with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, he tallied 50 goals and 74 assists, finishing second in the OHL with 124 points in 61 games. He then contributed five goals and 20 assists for 25 points in 12 postseason games for Windsor.

Protas’ dominance in the OHL, combined with his impressive play in the AHL this season, has made him one the most anticipated prospects across the NHL.

The 6’6″, 225-pound winger was ranked as the fourth-best Capitals prospect by Daily Faceoff’s prospect analyst Steven Ellis last summer. Ellis noted that Protas is “a huge forward who has improved his skating and clearly knows how to shoot.” The top two prospects in that ranking, forward Ryan Leonard and defenseman Cole Hutson, have already joined the Capitals.

With 87 points through 78 games, Washington sits three points back of both the Philadelphia Flyers for the third spot in the Metropolitan Division, and the Ottawa Senators for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Capitals will visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, before capping off a three-game road trip against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.

Playoff-bound Sabres can now set sights on bigger accomplishments

Ben Steiner — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 21:00:00 GMT

The Buffalo Sabres made it official over the weekend, clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2011 season.

While simply making it back to the postseason and snapping the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports marked a significant achievement, the goal quickly shifts to seeding, before eyeing the ultimate prize.

On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, co-hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton broke down how they see the Sabres heading into the final stretch, as well as the first round of the playoffs.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Buffalo finally snapped the slump, finally getting out of the longest playoff drought in North American pro sports. I know we talked about it a bit last week. It’s been a foregone conclusion for a while, but it doesn’t make it, you know, any less of a headline that for the first time since 2011, Sabres are in a playoff spot?

Carter Hutton: You think about the way that they got in. Obviously, Kevyn Adams was being fired, and then, with everything that’s going on with this team, it’s really starting to come together.

Now I think it becomes a dogfight when you talk about the Sabres, the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning to take first in the Atlantic Division, because you’re going to draw an easier wild-card round matchup and let the other two teams battle it out.

I think for the Sabres, there’s a lot to go off. Sam Carrick is going to be interesting to watch for me, because his shoulder is injured from that. Will he be back? Because he’s a big piece of this team. I think he came in there, and he’s a little bit of a spark plug. They have that depth of energy. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. For Game 1 starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, in his first playoff appearance, it’s going to be an experience for a lot of these goalies.

You can catch the full Atlantic Division breakdown, including the Buffalo Sabres segment from Monday’s show right here…

How much longer will Sidney Crosby play?

Kyle Morton — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:00:00 GMT

It was a great weekend for Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, as back-to-back thrashings of the Florida Panthers on Saturday and Sunday virtually assured them of a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

On Saturday, Crosby passed Steve Yzerman for seventh in points in NHL history, and on Sunday, he became the first player in league history to record 21 consecutive point-per-game seasons.

With 72 points in 66 games in his age-38 season, Crosby is showing no signs of slowing down, and at 1,759 points, he’s a few more strong seasons away from joining Wayne Gretzky as the only players in NHL history to reach 2,000 points.

On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk and co-host and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed what Crosby’s career could look like from a longevity standpoint, especially with the 2,000-point threshold in play if he keeps going.

Tyler Yaremchuk: There was a three-year run where he only played 99 regular season games… Kind of the next push here for Sidney Crosby is going to be how long can he go? And does he want to try to push to be the second player to ever get 2,000 points? He’s at 1,759 as it stands right now. You kind of do some back-of-the-napkin math, he needs 241 more points. If he can keep being a point-per-game guy, like, 38 years old, does Sid want to play until he’s 40, 41? Can he get you three more years of 80 points a season? If he’s 10 points away, does he come back for an age-42 season to try to get to 2,000 points? I’d be very curious. A guy who’s obviously won so much, defining player of his generation, gold medals, Stanley Cups, all that stuff. Does he have four more years in him, Hutts?

Carter Hutton: Yeah, I don’t know. I guess maybe with the way that he takes care of himself, and then it just depends on where his role is. If he can still be productive, and maybe you can start to drop his minutes, because he’s still playing 19 minutes per night… Imagine if he just accepts being on the third or fourth line and playing minimal minutes because he loves the game so much. Then it starts to become possible… he can still play the power play and be controlled. I think it will be up to him… but like the factor of the game will be how long does he personally want to play for? I feel like the Pens’ organization will do whatever they need to make sure that Sidney Crosby is happy and in a good situation where he still can succeed.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode below…

Daily Faceoff

Utah unveils Mammoth-themed Zamboni based off 2002 Olympic ice resurfacer

Shanahan better suited for Devils’ president, not GM

Sirens’ Emmy Fecteau suspended one game for hit on Torrent’s Mikayla Grant-Mentis

Jonathan Toews worked hard to become an everyday NHLer again

How many general managers will be fired before the summer?

Ducks’ Pavel Mintyukov returns to lineup after three-game absence

Sharks, Kings take big steps in West playoff race

‘We’ll see what happens:’ Nico Hischier on future with Devils

How the Flyers’ stretch-run surge could change their offseason plans

Recently by Anthony Di Marco

Flyers’ Matvei Michkov fined $2,000 for embellishment

What was Tom Fitzgerald’s fatal flaw as Devils GM?

Leafs hire group to lead head of hockey operations search

Rangers’ Gabe Perreault won’t win the Calder, but his rookie season deserves love

CHECK OUT OFF THE ROSTER – NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEKDAY

Recent Articles by Steven Ellis

PWHL Power Rankings: Who wants to face Montreal, Boston in the playoffs?

1. x-Montreal Victoire

2. x-Boston Fleet

3. x-Minnesota Frost

4. Toronto Sceptres

5. New York Sirens

6. Ottawa Charge

7. Vancouver Goldeneyes

8. Seattle Torrent

2026 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four Preview: How Denver, Michigan, North Dakota, Wisconsin match up

Wisconsin vs. North Dakota

North Dakota Fighting Hawks

Wisconsin Badgers

Tale of the Tape

Denver vs. Michigan

Michigan Wolverines

Denver Pioneers

Tale of the Tape

Schedule

2026 NHL Draft Lottery Odds: Which teams have the best chance to select first overall?

Key Dates:

Projected Top 5 Prospects

2026 NHL Draft Lottery Odds

Recent NHL Draft Lottery Results

What’s at Stake in the NHL: Will Flames’ playoff hopes be smothered?

PRESENTED BY STAKE

‘I don’t know if they should keep their job’: Cooper on penalty box attendant after Holmberg injury

Wild sign Charlie Stramel to three-year, entry-level contract

Kraken’s Philipp Grubauer leaves game against Jets due with lower-body injury

Dallas Stars ban fan following apparent Nazi salute at game

New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald departs from organization

Capitals call up top prospect Protas ahead of potential NHL debut

Playoff-bound Sabres can now set sights on bigger accomplishments

How much longer will Sidney Crosby play?