Metropolitan Notes: Aitcheson, Rangers, Blue Jackets
New York Islanders top prospect Kashawn Aitcheson took home OHL Defenseman of the Year honors, shared by the league today. The 19-year-old joins fellow Barrie Colts Aaron Ekblad (2014) and Erik Reitz (2002) to earn the distinguished award.
Aitcheson has yet to make his professional debut, but he’s looking like a fantastic selection at 17th overall in last year’s draft. As part of their first round haul which brought Matthew Schaefer and Victor Eklund, the class has transformed New York’s outlook on the future.
Chosen with the pick acquired as part of the Noah Dobson trade to Montreal, Aitcheson took another step in the right direction with 70 points in 56 games. OHL scoring numbers sometimes not painting the whole picture, the lefty is a true #1 defenseman, standing out on both ends and showcasing a physical edge as a complete package.
The Toronto native inked his entry-level deal last month, but will have to wait to enter the professional circuit. New York’s AHL affiliate in Bridgeport would have loved to infuse their lineup with the lefty, but he is not eligible, turning 20 this summer. Even then, the 6’2” prospect has all the tools to jump right into the NHL next fall.
Elsewhere across the division:
- As the New York Rangers look to move on from a majorly disappointing 2025-26, questions were raised by Vince Z. Mergogliano of The Athletic on Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom’s future with the team. Currently with a logjam in their bottom six, the emergence of Jaroslav Chmelar and Adam Sykora could push out Rempe and/or Edstrom, neither of which have waiver eligibility remaining. Edstrom, 25, had an injury riddled campaign where he recorded just five points in 35 games. At 6’7”, he could benefit from a fresh start after three years with the Rangers and limited production. Meanwhile, Rempe’s stats are no real improvement, but the 6’9” winger could have a trade market this summer thanks to his age (23) and mean streak, an asset to any young team with playoff aspirations. San Jose, for example, stands out as a club who values such a role, and could be looking for a Ryan Reaves replacement. Similar to enforcer trades in the past, Rempe could fetch a meaningful return for New York.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets might form a succession plan behind the bench with Trent Vogelhuber, written by The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline. After cleaning house last week, head coach Rick Bowness will assemble his own staff. The 71-year-old, who got started in the NHL with the first iteration of the Winnipeg Jets back in the 1980s, earned the opportunity to stick around in Ohio but still is not a long-term solution on age alone. Instead he figures to be more of a “culture changer”, fully evident by such harsh comments on his team closing the season. With this in mind, Portzline reports that Vogelhuber, head coach of the Cleveland Monsters, could make the jump to assistant on Bowness’ staff on his way to taking over in the future. Just 37, Vogelhuber is a native of Dublin, Ohio, and a former draft pick by the team (211th overall, 2007). Joining the Monsters in 2018 as an assistant, Vogelhuber has quickly risen up the ranks, becoming head coach in 2022 where he’s led the Monsters to another playoff berth in 2025-26. Whatever the case, with 12 head coaches in their 26 years of existence, Columbus would benefit from stability of a young home-grown coach.
Lineup Notes: Michkov, Juulsen, Karlsson
A notable storyline has emerged this evening as the Philadelphia Flyers have scratched Matvei Michkov in Game 5 against the Penguins, noted by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Alex Bump will take his place, jumping in on the third line.
The news confirms yesterday’s suspicions that the polarizing young star would sit. In last Saturday’s loss, where the Flyers failed to complete the sweep, only Luke Glendening and Garnet Hathaway played less than Michkov’s 11:18 among forwards, the pair of veterans being pure fourth line role players.
In his place comes Bump, aged 22. Often such lineup decisions have playoff grit in mind, but the 6’0″ winger has scoring touch in his own right, burying five goals and adding four helpers across 17 games in his first NHL action this year. It’ll be the first taste of playoff hockey for the fifth round pick (2022), and he’ll be eager to hold down his seat at the table.
Obviously, immediate questions are raised on the 21-year-old Michkov’s future in Philadelphia, still signed for another season at $950k before restricted free agent status in 2027. Despite a disappointing season, he still skated in 81 games, making it only more glaring for his absence now. In that time, the Russian posted 51 points, a drop from his rookie campaign’s 63. His ice time was also cut down nearly two minutes, 14:50 under head coach Rick Tocchet.
Hardly focused on any trade talk just yet however, tonight presents a historic opportunity for the Flyers. They have the chance to complete a resounding defeat of their in-state rivals, with an uncertain future regarding their legendary trio of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. Depending on how things go, Michkov could continue to find himself the odd man out.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Also in Philadelphia, although a bit less eyebrow-raising, defenseman Noah Juulsen will join Michkov as a healthy scratch, replaced by Emil Andrae, reported by Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports. The 29-year-old played in each of the Flyers’ last three games, making an impact with two assists in Game 3, but he played just 8:55 last Saturday, fewest of any skater on the team by a clear margin. The rotation between both defenders is hardly new this year, as they’ve posted similar stats, the differentiator being that they’re opposite handed. The right-handed Juulsen has a 45.6% corsi for at five-on-five this year, starting nearly 58% of his shifts on the attack, by far a career high. It’s much the same for Andrae, who could again have a shorter leash in such a consequential game.
- Golden Knights forward William Karlsson practiced today, observed by SinBin.vegas, donning a red no-contact jersey. The center hasn’t played since November as a result of a lower-body injury, and it is thought that his Golden Knights must advance at least to the second round for any chance at a return. His high scoring “Wild Bill” days largely in the past, Karlsson was still productive in his just 14 games this season, posting four goals and seven points. Currently operating with Tomáš Hertl at third line center, Vegas has fared well without their original misfit, whose team has changed greatly since his last time on the ice, primarily with John Tortorella now behind the bench. Now, down in the series to the electric Utah Mammoth, there’s work to be done for the 33-year-old to add to his impressive 111 career playoff games (74 points), all but five of which games as a Golden Knight.
West Notes: Buium, Canucks General Manager Search, Predators
Vancouver Canucks young star Zeev Buium won’t play for Team USA in the upcoming IIHF World Championships, Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK reports.
The 20-year-old is no stranger to the international circuit in early stages of his career, and winning, at that. Buium helped the United States take home gold last year at the World Championships, their first such title in 92 years, with four points in eight games. That came after back-to-back gold medals at the 2024 and 2025 World Junior Championships.
Assuming today’s news to be the case, the skilled lefty will focus on resting up after the long grind of 76 NHL games in his rookie year. After being dealt to the Canucks, Buium’s ice time jumped nearly two full minutes, averaging 20:21 wearing the blue and green.
Despite facing the challenges of being on the NHL’s bottom-ranked team, Buium escaped with a commendable 49.3% corsi for at five-on-five, with over 60% of his zone starts on the attack, with some shelter in mind. With plenty of gold earned in the past, it’s a well deserved break for Buium who will set his eyes on another big step coming in 2026-27.
Elsewhere across the conference:
- Also in Vancouver, Islanders Assistant General Manager Ryan Bowness was listed as a name to watch as a candidate for the team’s open General Manager position by Dhaliwal, and later relayed by Stefen Rosner of NHL.com. The 42-year-old, son of Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness, has ties to Jim Rutherford, having served in the Pittsburgh scouting department from 2016-2022. Bowness is just in his first year on Long Island, coming over after three years in the Senators organization. On the other hand, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet mentioned an internal candidate, Abbotsford Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson on yesterday’s edition of 32 Thoughts. Friedman speculates that Rutherford would make the recommendation for the 49-year-old after 13 years in the organization, and GM of their AHL affiliate since 2017-18. Johnson was a Canucks player himself from 2008-2010.
- With exit interviews coming from various Nashville Predators players, Brooks Bratten, Senior Content Manager, wrote on the team’s reflection from a season which came up short, and their optimism ahead. Interestingly, Steven Stamkos described the expectation to stay competitive and push for the playoffs in 2026-27. Such idealism is normal for non-playoff teams in an offseason so fresh, but Nashville will be a team to watch this summer, with a new general manager coming in and ample evidence it’s time for bigger changes. Likely to miss another top 10 draft selection, of which they have just one since 2013 (Brady Martin, 5th, 2025), the Predators once again find themselves in a difficult, middling ground. Even the 36-year-old Stamkos’ 42 goals weren’t enough to move the needle, and a real shake up could be on the horizon under a new regime.
Lineup Notes: Carlile, Sabourin, Hanifin
The Tampa Bay Lightning are featuring a different lineup from Game 1’s loss to Montreal, as Declan Carlile is filling in for the injured Charle-Edouard D’Astous, shown in lines posted by the team. D’Astous’ status is not surprising, after being injured and not returning after a hard collision, sandwiched between Josh Anderson and Jake Evans.
Entering this season with just three NHL contests under his belt, Carlile ended up playing 42 for the Bolts, recording three points and 40 penalty minutes. Tonight marks the playoff debut for the 25-year-old undrafted Michigan native, who will skate alongside Emil-Martinsen Lilleberg on the third pairing.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin left practice early this afternoon after appearing to tweak something, observed by Danny Webster of The Las Vegas Review-Journal. The 29-year-old was mostly durable this year outside of a short IR stint early in the year, playing 71 games and finishing third among Knights in ice time (22:36). Further details aren’t yet known, the team back in action tonight for Game 2. If Hanifin is unable to go, 33-year-old Ben Hutton could draw into the lineup, with just three playoff games across his whole career, all with Vegas.
- Also in Tampa Bay, 33-year-old Scott Sabourin is also making his playoff debut, replacing Conor Geekie who is scratched, after playing just 8:12 in the opening contest. It’s a nice story for the winger, undrafted and grinding away for seven years in the AHL before his debut with Ottawa in 2019. Sabourin has split duty this year between Tampa Bay and Syracuse almost evenly, and in his 26 games with the big club the veteran has five points and 89 penalty minutes. The decision to ice Sabourin tonight clearly has physicality in mind, and he’ll be hungry to make an impact in that area.
Snapshots: Finley, Hintz, Anastas
Today the New York Islanders revealed that prospect Quinn Finley underwent shoulder surgery, ending his season.
The 21-year-old appeared set to begin his professional career after concluding a strong junior season at the University of Wisconsin, and inking an entry-level deal last week. Instead of joining the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders for the Calder Cup Playoffs though, Finley will look ahead to next fall.
New York’s third round selection in 2022 (78th overall), Finley’s offensive production dipped slightly in 2025-26, 33 points in 36 games, down from last campaign’s 40. It was still enough to lead a strong Badgers team in goals, until falling in the NCAA championship game.
Having proven enough at the collegiate level, the 6’0” lefty winger figures to get started next year in Hamilton, Ontario, as Bridgeport is relocating after 25 years in Connecticut. Ranked 8th among Islanders prospects by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic just last month, the Indiana native brings enough responsibility in both zones to have an NHL future as a complementary bottom-six contributor, but he’ll aim to continue his scoring ways and develop into more once healthy.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Dallas head coach Glen Gulatzan updated reporters on Roope Hintz, including Lia Assimakopoulos of Dallas News, that he is not traveling with the team to Minnesota. The news effectively rules him out for games 3 and 4, although Gulatzan said he is “very doubtful” for game number four, so perhaps there’s a slight possibility. Hintz has been out since March 6, but he hasn’t been a regular in the lineup since before the Olympics, after dealing with illness as well. An alarming 6-1 defeat at the hands of Minnesota in the series opener showed the impact of missing their vital center, but Dallas fought back to even the series. In order to get through the Wild and have a shot at buying enough time for Hintz to return, they’ll have to continue to lean on Matt Duchene in an elevated role who so far has risen to the occasion.
- The Carolina Hurricanes announced that their AHL club the Chicago Wolves’ interim head coach Spiros Anastas has been named official head coach moving forward. Since the assistant Anastas took over for Cam Abbott back in December, he led the club to a 25-14-5-6 record, good for 11th in the league, and back to the AHL playoffs. Anastas, 40, played collegiately at Lebanon Valley College of NCAA Division III from 2006-10 as a four-year captain, and quickly rising up the ranks, once serving as an assistant at the ACHA level. After his playing career, Anastas eventually won a Calder Cup title as an assistant coach with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2013, later serving as a head coach in the ECHL and also gaining international experience leading Greece and China.
East Notes: Hedman, James, Dobson
Prior to tonight’s game, Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper told reporters, including Eduardo A. Encina of The Tampa Bay Times, that Victor Hedman is still a ways from returning. The Bolts’ captain has resumed skating, and will be joining the team when they head to Montreal, but it’s still unclear when he could be back.
2025-26 has been a year marred by absences for the 35-year-old, as his just 33 games played is a career low for the 17-year veteran. Hedman missed nearly two months in the winter, and again, hasn’t played since March 19 due to illness and personal reasons.
A number of Lightning defensemen have stepped up this year, primarily Darren Raddysh and his incredible 70-point campaign, as well as J.J. Moser whose strong efforts fetched an eight-year contract extension. Their performances continue to show the resilience of the Lightning.
Still, Tampa Bay hasn’t won a playoff round since 2022, and Montreal presents another tall task, especially without their captain and his 170 games of playoff experience, good for sixth among active NHL players.
Elsewhere across the conference:
- Also in Tampa Bay, forward Dominic James returned to the lineup for the opening game of the Canadiens series, while Oliver Bjorkstrand was healthy scratched, noted by Erik Erlendsson of Lightning Insider. James, playing for the first time since late February, had a rough start to his playoff debut. On his first shift, he collided knee-on-knee with Montreal’s Arber Xhekaj and went to the bench in serious pain. It appeared that the rookie had re-aggravated his injury, but thankfully, he eventually returned to the game, back to his role as fourth line center.
- Injured Montreal Canadiens defender Noah Dobson traveled with the team for Game 1 in Tampa Bay, reported by Guillaume Lepage of NHL.com. The first-year Hab injured his hand against Columbus and had to miss the club’s two remaining regular season games. Without the ailment, he could have played in all 82 this season. Nonetheless, it will likely require an extended series against Tampa Bay for the righty to return by the first round, as he’s just traveling to remain with the team in support. Until he can heal up, Montreal is leaning on Alexandre Carrier in a top pairing role alongside Mike Matheson.
Mammoth Recall Seven Players
Ahead of the first playoff game in team history later tonight in Vegas, the Utah Mammoth shared that several players have been called up from AHL Tucson. Forwards Andrew Agozzino, Cameron Hebig, and Ben McCartney were summoned, along with defensemen Maveric Lamoureux, Maksymilian Szuber, and Scott Perunovich. Finally, goaltender Jaxson Stauber will also join the group.
Similar to the moves made by several other playoff teams this week, Utah’s intention is for the players to serve as “Black Aces”, spending time at the highest level but not expected to play at any point. They join Daniil But and Matt Villalta, who got the call Friday. The Tucson Roadrunners had a respectable season, finishing 19th, but missed the postseason.
Lamoureux, 22, is the most notable of the group, a top prospect. Arizona’s first round choice at 29th overall in 2022, the towering righty only got into five games with the Mammoth this year, a step back from 15 in 2024-25, but held down a top-pairing role for the Roadrunners this season and was finally able to stay healthy. Into the future, Utah’s defensive core is mostly locked up, but it will allow for the Quebec native to ease into a full-time role.
Agozzino has just 53 games of NHL experience at age 35, but any dedicated fan of the game is likely familiar from his excellent AHL tenure. Making his NHL debut with Colorado in November 2014, back when Nathan MacKinnon was just a second-year-pro, the undrafted 5’10” winger has impressively stuck around in North America ever since. He’s 34th all time in AHL scoring with 662 points in 847 games, fourth best among active players. The Ontario native got into two games for Utah back in October but otherwise spent the year in Tucson. If he can earn another contract for next year, Agozzino will have the chance to play alongside Tij Iginla, son of Jarome Iginla, a teammate in his NHL debut years ago.
Hebig and McCartney, 29 and 24 respectively, were top scorers for the Roadrunners this year but neither were able to get a look on the big club. Hebig, a center, still awaits his NHL debut despite two straight seasons as Tucson’s #2 top point-getter. McCartney, a 2020 seventh-round choice of Arizona, got into two games with the Coyotes four years ago but has been in the AHL since, putting together his best professional season in 2025-26 with 51 points.
Szuber, 23, continues to show promise at the AHL level as he looks for his first action wearing a Utah uniform. The 6’3″ lefty made his NHL debut in the Coyotes’ fifth-to-last game in existence. Not only having size, Szuber has put up real offensive output in Tucson, 59 points over the last two years and has real upside as a third pairing defender.
Another defenseman who flashed offense this year, Perunovich led all defenders in scoring with 49 points in 64 games. Once a promising Blues prospect, the 27-year-old spent the entire year in the AHL and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Stauber rounds out the bunch serving as another practice goalkeeper. The 26-year-old split duty between the pipes with Villalta almost evenly in the AHL, where he had a slight edge in goals-against-average (3.07). Undrafted, he has 12 NHL games of experience both in Chicago and Utah, son of Robb Stauber, a Los Angeles Kings netminder in the early 1990s.
The crew, composed of impressive AHL veterans and younger prospects, will relish being along for the ride for an inaugural playoff series in Salt Lake.
Senators Recall Six Players
This afternoon the Ottawa Senators announced that six skaters have been recalled from AHL Belleville. Carter Yakemchuk, Arthur Kaliyev, Tyler Boucher, Xavier Bourgault, Graeme Clarke, and Oskar Pettersson will all join the club.
In the midst of their first round playoff series against Carolina, the group will serve as typical “Black Aces”. Belleville failed to qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs, finishing 27th in the league with a 28-35-8 record. As a result, they have nothing to lose in adding depth players who will benefit from getting a closer look with extra practice time before the offseason, and experiencing the day-to-day of the NHL playoff routine.
Out of the bunch, Yakemchuk stands out as the most likely to actually get in a game, although still unlikely, barring any major developments. The Sens’ top prospect, chosen seventh overall in 2024, Yakemchuk got into four games this year, bursting onto the scene with a two-point debut. However, the defenseman’s NHL stint in late March ended after a concussion suffered against Florida.
Kaliyev, 24, is also a familiar name, with over 200 games of NHL experience. Once a promising Kings prospect, the 6’2″ sniper hasn’t played with the Senators since October. Still, he’s made the most of his 70 games in the AHL, the most time spent in the minors across his entire career to this point, netting an insane 40 goals and 68 points. He has the distinction of the only 40-goal-scorer in the AHL this year, and the first since 2023-24. Anyone capable of such can be considered an NHL-level player, but Kaliyev’s skating and hockey sense have held him back, unable yet to hold down a bottom six role at the highest level.
Boucher is another prospect who has had his own development issues. Widely known as a 10th overall selection five years ago, the winger has not come close to expectations, but thankfully he put together a best-as-a-pro campaign this year. 26 points in 47 games isn’t ideal for any 23-year-old former top pick, but he leaned more into a grinder role with 68 penalty minutes, the same total as his previous two seasons combined. His contract ends this summer, with restricted free agent status, where Ottawa must determine if his improvement is enough to warrant a future in the organization.
In Bourgault there are many similarities to Boucher, other than that he’s a center. Edmonton’s first round choice in 2021, the Quebec native never played for the Oil due to lackluster AHL production. Dealt to Ottawa, he enjoyed his best professional season with 57 points in 70 games, good for second on the B-Sens, and earning his first two NHL games back in the winter. If the 23-year-old can eventually solidify himself in the league, it’ll likely be limited to full bottom six duty.
Clarke, 24, is not the most recognizable name, but he made three appearances with the Devils, his first organization, during the 2023-24 season. A full-time AHLer since, the winger has bounced around various teams but flipped the script after a March trade, nearly matching his point total across 50 games as a Hershey Bear in just 15 games with Belleville, a nice ending to the campaign. Born in Minnesota, the righty actually grew up in Ottawa, the older brother of Los Angeles’ Brandt Clarke.
Finally, Pettersson has the most limited NHL upside, as he recorded 18 points in 69 games with Belleville, wrapping up his second full season with the team. A third round selection in 2022, the Swede is not among the team’s top 10 prospects, mostly serving as a bottom-sixer. At 6’2″, the righty has the size and strength, but he’ll hope to showcase more play driving ability in his final contract year starting next fall. Just 22, it’s not too late for a step forward.
The Senators are back in action tomorrow night, where they’ll look to snatch a road win from Carolina and even the series before returning home.
West Notes: Oilers, Colton, Hintz
Two welcome additions were on the ice today in Edmonton’s practice, as Leon Draisaitl and Jason Dickinson were full participants, noted by TSN’s Ryan Rishaug. It’s not yet certain, but the news suggests the Oilers could be icing a fully stocked lineup tomorrow night in Game 1 of their first round series against Anaheim.
Draisaitl centered Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen on the second line, two skilled role players who mesh well with the superstar Draisaitl. He’s been unable to play since March 15, missing the club’s last 14 games to wrap up the campaign. Even without him, Edmonton handled business and earned home ice advantage, now on the cusp of adding a massive boost to their lineup. Despite playing in 65 games, his lowest since the shortened 2020-21 season, the 30-year-old still ranked second in team scoring with 97 points.
Meanwhile, Dickinson took the middle between Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jack Roslovic on the third line. With just one goal and four points in 17 games since being acquired from Chicago, he will lean fully into a shutdown role to try and help the Oilers make a third-consecutive deep run. The 30-year-old’s possession metrics at five-on-five with his new team aren’t pretty, under 40% corsi for, but he’s starting over 71% of shifts in the defensive zone, which will continue to be his calling card ahead. Dickinson has missed the team’s last three games with a leg injury and hasn’t found the back of the net in his last 13 contests.
With other teams wrapping up their respective second games around the time the puck finally drops to open the Oilers/Ducks series, the scheduling worked to the benefit of Edmonton, giving them the real possibility of returning to full health.
Elsewhere across the conference:
- Colorado’s Ross Colton is expected to be scratched for Game 1 this afternoon against Los Angeles, reported by Corey Masisak of The Denver Post. The 29-year-old brings championship pedigree within his 64 games of postseason experience, even scoring the Stanley Cup-clinching goal for Tampa Bay’s 2021 title, but he’ll be out of the lineup for the start of a potential run from the Presidents’ Trophy winners. Colton netted nine goals in 73 games, a near 50% drop off from his first two seasons with the Avs, and his ice time has declined, down to 12:31 in 2025-26. Surprisingly, the 29-year-old has actually posted his best even strength possession metrics of his career this year, but it’s in good part thanks to the team’s overall dominance in that area. Colton is not trusted on the penalty kill, a factor in the decision, but it’s likely he’ll get a shot eventually based on how his teammates perform out of the gate.
- Stars head coach Glen Gulatzan told reporters, including Robert Tiffin of Stars Thoughts, that Roope Hintz is still not skating on his own yet. The standout center hasn’t been able to play since March 6 as a result of a lower body injury. Dallas certainly felt the effects of missing such a player in Game 1’s resounding defeat against Minnesota. Based on the word on Hintz, his status for any time in the first round is up in the air, and the club will have to dig deep to get back on track and buy enough time for his return. With 44 points in 53 games this year, it’s clearly a big loss, but Hintz’s elite defensive impact is especially crucial at this time of year.
Snapshots: Mammoth, Avalanche, Omark
Ahead of tonight’s game against St. Louis, the Utah Mammoth shared that both Dylan Guenther and Sean Durzi wouldn’t play. Guenther has been held out for undisclosed reasons, while Durzi was categorized as having an upper-body injury.
Locked in for their first round matchup against Vegas, the first in their team’s history, Utah has no reason to take any chances in an inconsequential game 82 tonight. The dynamic young team will present a real challenge against the Golden Knights, who’ve found their stride under new head coach John Tortorella.
Guenther, 23, broke out this year with a team-leading 40 goals. Tonight marks just the third game he’s missed all year, and he should be all set for the postseason in his spot as a top winger, which will be his postseason debut.
On the other hand, Durzi left against Winnipeg last Tuesday after playing 9:46. Losing time back in the fall from an IR stint stemming from an upper-body issue, he’s played in 60 games this year, averaging 19:16 a night, a dip from previous years. It’s unknown what his status will be for Game 1, but the 27-year-old will be eager to return to the playoffs for the first time since his time as a Los Angeles King three years ago.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar told reporters, including Meghan Angley of Guerilla Sports, that he expects the team to be fully healthy for the playoffs. It’s great news for the soon-to-be Presidents’ Trophy winners. A number of notable players have been banged up lately; Brock Nelson, Nazem Kadri, Josh Manson with various injuries. However, the group is expected to be at full strength as they take the ice for Game 1, with their opponent and dates still to be officially determined.
- Former NHL forward Linus Omark has retired at age 39, confirmed in an interview posted by Expressen, a news outlet in his native Sweden. Selected in the fourth round by Edmonton in the 2007 draft, Omark debuted with the club in the 2010-11 season, and last played with the Buffalo Sabres in February 2014. The winger’s NHL career was limited, 32 points in 79 games, but he’s still a memorable name, with his highlights making the rounds across the internet years ago and still worth a watch. Omark emerged as an electric prospect for the Oilers, and quickly caught the attention of the league with a one-of-a-kind shootout winning goal, in his NHL debut no less, which went viral and can still be seen on the NHL’s Youtube. Despite his incredible skills, Omark offered not enough defensive capabilities, nor strength, to solidify himself as an NHLer. Playing in a middle-ground era of the NHL also did no favors. Even though it didn’t work in North America, he went on to have a tremendous career overseas, as a top scorer in the KHL with Ufa Salavat Yulayev from 2015-2020. The veteran won a gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Championships, and recorded seven assists in four games at the 2018 Olympic Games. In 2025 he helped his hometown club Luleå HF take home their first Swedish Hockey League title in 29 years. Omark wrapped up his final season with Luleå putting up 16 points in 29 games.